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40 Helpful Tips For Backpacking Through Europe

Backpacking happens to be one of the many things that travelers are interested in undertaking especially people seeking for adventure. For those who may not be in the know, backpacking is a kind of travel which involves traveling with all of your necessities in a backpack during a trip while moving from place to place.

However, backpacking is not as easy as it seems and there are so many variables to take into consideration for a smooth and enjoyable backpacking experience.

This article should serve as a guide for anyone interested in making their quest for their quest for backpacking through Europe a success.

1. Get a Backpack

This should be at the top of your travel checklist. A strong, roomy, compartmentalized and comfortable backpack with sturdy and adjustable straps is your best bet.

2. Choose your Destination

It’s unwise to get on the road without properly deciding on all the places you want to visit while on your trip. If you’re on a tight budget, then think of exploring budget-friendly locations and stick to those.

3. Book your Flight

Getting a plane ticket early enough will save you stress and money. Research for the cheaper options when it comes to airfare.

4. Look for Cheap Accomodations

The goal of backpacking is actually the chance of saving some money while traveling. Cheap lodging is recommended if you are looking at saving some coins. Instead of regular hotels, you can opt for Airbnb’s, couch surfing, house-sitting and even outdoor camping.

5. Check Travel Documents

Ensure all your travel documents including your passport, ID, Visas and even plane ticket are all intact. It’s best to conduct a comprehensive research of all documents required for travelers in your preferred destination.

6. Travel Light

Since you’ll be moving around with a backpack, it’s best to pack only the necessary items you’ll be needing during your trip to avoid having too much of a backache.

7. Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance is a must especially if you are traveling to Europe from a different continent. Insurance is a lifesaver for situations like accidents, illness, misplaced or stolen items.

8. Carpooling

Carpooling with the locals can help you save a lot of money that you would have to spend when trying to get around in your location.

9. Renting a Ride

Renting a ride is also another cheap alternative to help you get around.

10. Train Travel

This is still by far the cheapest form of public transport in most parts of Europe and it saves the backpacker a lot of coins.

11. Travel with a Refillable Water Bottle

That way, you can easily access free water from fountains which happen to be everywhere I Europe rather than spending money on bottled water.

12. Learn Popular Phrases

Learn some of the popular key phrases in the local dialect of you are backpacking to a place where you don’t speak the language. It’ll help you in making purchases or finding your way if you get lost. You can write out the commonest sentences on paper for ease.

13. Local Dishes

Eating local dishes will save you a lot of money.

14. Free Food

Enjoy free food by eating the samples at farmers markets which are always free.

15. Opt for the Countrysides

Opt for the countrysides if you want to save more money as being stuck in the city results in spending more money than you planned.

16. Visit Museums

Visit museums and tourist attractions on free days. If you’re in Italy for instance, The Vatican museum offers free entry on September 27 commemorating world tourism day.

17. Wear Comfortable Shoes

Don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes if you are going to do some walking around.

18. Shop Operating Times

Be aware that in so many European destinations, shops and supermarkets are all closed on Sundays so plan accordingly.

19. Take your Time

There are a lot of picturesque places to see in Europe so don’t be in a rush but let the beauty of each location you visit soak in.

20. Ease Yourself at Restaurants

Most locations in Europe require that you pay to use the public restrooms so always ease yourself whenever you are at the restaurant, mall or museum.

21. Enjoy Free Events

There are a lot of free events happening in Europe almost every other day, so if you are a concert lover, look up what’s happening around you and pull up.

22. Enjoy Night Life

Europe is fun on a whole different dimension during the wee hours of the night as so many destinations are famous for the bubbling night life.

23. The beach is a great spot for the relaxation of the typical backpacker.

24. Avoid traveling to a location during it’s peak season to avoid any unnecessary price hikes.

25. Sometimes, it’s fun to allow yourself get lost and wander off into new places. You’d be amazed at what you stumble upon.

26. Ensure to travel with a guidebook.

27. A high speed data plan for your phone for your phone and laptop will do you a lot of good during your backpacking adventure.

28. Never trust public WiFi especially if you are going to enter your credit card information.

29. Sadly, not everyplace is as safe as you’d assume, avoid giving away the fact that you are a tourist at all locations.

30. To avoid long queues at museums and other tourist attractions, arrive at least two hours before closing time.

31. Go hiking and stretch those beautiful legs.

32. Spend your money only on the things you enjoy not on what’s popular.

33. A picnic at the local park is loads of fun.

34. Purchase your bus tickets before you get on board. Never attempt to sneak in and out.

35. Be wary of tourist scams.

36. Avoid showing off any expensive possessions that you may have on you. Items including smartphones, jewelry,etc.

37. Never take your eyes off your backpack.

38. Keep photocopies of your travel documents just in case you lose the originals.

39. Padlocking your backpack decreases chances of losing items inside.

40. Making new friends while on a journey is among one of the best memories for the traveler.

Conclusion

Backpacking through Europe is supposed to be super fun and less expensive and stressful once you follow all the tips that apply to you and your destination. Apart from cutting down your budget considerably, backpacking gives you the freedom to live in the edge and see the world on your terms.

Frequntly Asked Questions

Is it safe to backpack through Europe?

Europe is considered very safe as a continent and very accessible to tourists as cities and countries are well linked.

How much money do you need to backpack through Europe?

Depending on where you are traveling from and the part of Europe you intend to visit, make an average daily budget of $150 to $200.

Where do you sleep for free when backpacking through Europe?

A free night’s rest can be gotten in train stations, 24 hour bars and restaurants and camping outdoors.

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Step by Step Guide on How to Plan a Trip

The thought of having to plan an entire trip by yourself can give you quite a scare or even overwhelm and discourage you especially if it’s your first time doing so. Organizing and planning an amazing trip that goes your way can be easier than you’d imagine if you know exactly where to look and what to do.

Below are steps you should take to plan a trip:

1. Decide On Where You Want To Go

The very first step to planning any trip is deciding on a destination that you are heading to. Picking a destination depends on your reasons for travel. Making research on locations that suit your needs and budget is always a first step in the right direction.

2. Check Out Travel Advisories of Your Preferred Destination

The travel advisory website is where you’ll get all the relevant information on every requirement needed to travel to your preferred destination including travel documents, visas, vaccinations, security, local laws for visitors among other things.

3. Decide on How Long You Wish to Stay

To help you figure out how much money your trip will take from you, the next step to take is to plan on the length of your trip to help you with budgeting for accommodations, feeding, etc while on the trip.

4. Count the Cost and Start Saving Up

Having decided on your location and length of stay, the next step is planning on how much money you’ll have to spend to see your trip through.

Determine the cost of flight tickets, bus passes or whatever means of transportation you’ll need, the daily cost of accommodations, restaurants, activities and attractions then multiply these by the number of days you wish to stay. That way you know how much money you need to put away for your trip.

5. Buy Travel Insurance

Things can go terribly wrong during a trip even though nobody ever wishes for it, which is all the more reason why you need to purchase your travel insurance to cover you when traveling.

This insurance suffices for when you fall ill while traveling, if your flight gets delayed or canceled as well as for lost, damaged or stolen items.

6. Book Your Flight

Take your time and research on cheaper flight options and book in advance to avoid any last minute surprises. Also, endeavor to read all about the policies of your preferred airline pertaining to luggages, children and pets to avoid encountering inconveniences at the airport. Best platforms to help you find cheap flights are Skyscanner and Google flights.

7. Book Your Accommodations

It’s best to book at least your first night so you can have a place to lay your head and keep your bags when arriving at your destination. Travel experts recommend booking for an entire stay if your trip does not exceed two weeks. To find the best prices on accommodations, try searching for places using Hostelworld, Airbnb or booking.com

8. Draft an Itinerary

To avoid any surprises or spending out of pocket, ensure proper budgeting is carried out and an itinerary prepped beforehand of all the things you want to do and see throughout the duration of your trip. Booking for attractions and activities before you leave the house always seems like a sure way to secure tickets as well as saving some coins.

9. Bill Payments

Automate bill payments while you’re gone, cancel phone any internet plans if you’ll be heading out over a long period of time.

10. Pack Your Bags

To prevent over packing or forgetting essentials at home, make a checklist of what you’ll need and stuff your bags according to what’s on that list. Apart from the clothes you’ll wear during your trip, items you shouldn’t fail to pack include: first aid kit, travel chargers, travel documents, towels, water bottle, toothbrush, medication and credit cards.

Conclusion

Once every step on this list has been carried out, ensure to double check for anything you may have missed, make photocopies and digital copies of important travel documents just in case you lose originals. Lastly, take a deep breath and head out to the airport, board your flight and go see the world on your own terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the things you should do to prepare you for your trip?

Top four things you shouldn’t miss before traveling are: ensuring your boarding pass is intact, securing your passport on your person, filling your prescriptions and getting all of your travel documents in your carry-on.

What is a travel checklist?

Your travel checklist is a list of items you shouldn’t forget when packing for a trip as they are either difficult or impossible to replace such as your cell phone, boarding pass, hotel reservations, wallet, etc.

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