Taking a European Coach Tour

When it comes to vacations, everyone is always looking for something fun, new and exciting. But everyone in the group wants to go to different places. How are you to solve this problem? One option is to take a coach tour around Europe and hit all of your group’s favorite spots in one trip. With new companies popping up all over, Europe, the choices for places to visit are endless. So whether you’re a student ready to see the world or a family looking for a bit of adventure, a coach tour may be your hassle free answer to fun and culture.

“My tour was amazing. It let you focus on all the fabulous things you were seeing instead of worrying about how to get around or how you were going to eat or where you were going to sleep,” said Sarah Erhardt, 21, a study abroad student who took a Contiki Tour in April.

Last April, I got the chance to take one of these trips. In 15 days, I visited six different countries and had the time of my life. It truly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and something I would recommend to anyone who loves to travel. In order to make your travel experience easier, there are a few things to remember:

Make a plan before booking a trip. It’s important to decide first where you want to go and what you want to see before booking your tour. Do you want to spend a day or two in numerous different cities across Europe, or do you want to take your time and explore each one more thoroughly? This is an important question to ask yourself in that there are a variety of tours out there to choose from. When you have a better idea of the type of vacation you want, and what you where you want to visit, it will make narrowing down the options much easier.

Also, decide on how many days you want to travel. Groups such as Contiki and Global Coach Tours have a variety of trip lengths available. There are weekend, seven-day, 14-day and month-long trips available among others, depending on the type of adventure you are after.

“There were a lot of different places we wanted to see and we figured that if everything was already organized it would be much easier to go everywhere with the time we had. We were right, we made it to six countries in 15 days and have some crazy, ridiculous adventures to remember it all by,” Erhardt said of her experience.

Once your trip is booked, it is time to look at the excursions offered on your tour. Most tour companies have a few city tours built into the cost of the trip. Additionally, there are also a variety of other outings that you can participate in for an additional fee. On Contiki’s European Whirl tour, a 17-day trip to six countries, each city offers a different optional event. While in Venice, you can take a gondola ride along the city’s canals, or take a trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It is often beneficial to take advantage of these group excursions in that the costs are usually less for large group bookings.

However, before you decide to book yourself on each of these offered trips, talk to others who have gone on the tour. Many company websites have message boards where travelers can post their opinions, advice and comments regarding their trip. Also, check out Myspace.com and Facebook.com. Both of these online social databases have become increasingly widespread with memberships over seven million users each.

But with so many users, how are you to find someone who has taken your trip? Simple, just do a search for you tour company and see if they have a page set up. Since the expanse and growing popularity of these sights, many businesses are taking note and joining their online communities.

Here is your direct pass to access members of their groups of whom you can contact for information. Ask them questions: what tours should I take? Is there anything that you particularly disliked? An excursion not worth the money you paid? Something I definitely should not miss? These are all important questions to help you determine what the best way to spend your time is.

After going on my Contiki trip, and joining the Contiki Facebook group, a girl from contacted me across the country that was getting ready to go on the same tour I had taken. Through this vein I was able to give her the helpful tips I had learned while traveling.

If group outings are not what you have in mind though, do some research before you leave on each city you will be visiting. There are a variety of travel guides, Lonely Planet and Frommer’s for example, that cover all of the information that travelers want to know about many cities all over the world. This will help you to be a better-prepared traveler and able to plan your days in each city ensuring you make the most of your time.

At the top of most people’s lists when traveling is shopping. Indeed, half the fun of traveling for many is finding the unique, cultural items they acquire while on their trip. Since a coach tour will take you to multiple cities and cultures, lots of shopping expeditions, at least for most people, are bound to be on your itinerary.

With that said, it is important to set a budget. After all, you do not want to spend 300 Euros on that leather bag in Florence, when you’ve still got another week and half of traveling, eating and shopping to do. Find out if the cities you will be visiting specialize in any type of craft. For example, Germany is known for its ceramic beer steins, Venice for its lace and crystal, and Florence, as mentioned earlier, for its leather. This way you will know what you want to save for along your trip.

“Don’t forget you have to tip your driver and tour leader,” advises Erhardt,. “The bank will only let you withdraw a certain amount of cash each day, so plan ahead.”

Next up is nightlife. Since your days are now scheduled with tours, wandering around the city, shopping and like, it is time to look at your evenings. Are you looking to dance the night away in a club? Or do a few beers in a local pub sound more your speed? Many larger European cities, such as London, Paris, Munich and Rome are recognized for their exciting nightlife. But, each of these, as most of Europe, has many different types of nightlife. Some cities specialize in pubs, more low-key types of bars, while others have high-energy, music-thumping discos. Here is another time where a travel guide will come in handy. Look up the types of nightlife in the cities you will be visiting and gauge what you may be interested in.

When it comes to packing your clothes, BE VERSATILE! Versatility in clothing is a mandate for any traveler, particularly if your coach tour is a longer one. Due to the number of passengers and the storage available on the coach, tour companies put a limit on the size and weight of your luggage. As a result, packing can become a bit difficult.

When attempting to pack, many times I turn to my brother, the fashion know-it-all, for help. His best advice has always been, “Dress in layers and take clothes that transition easily from day to evening.”

This way, no matter the changes in weather you may incur traveling from northern to southern Europe, you will be comfortable. T-shirts, polo shirts, lightweight materials, sweaters, button-down shirts for the men and dresses for the ladies are a good start. In addition, pay attention to dress codes for the country and places you will be visiting. Some cultures have different ideas of what is appropriate dress for men and women that we do in the United States.

For instance, wearing open toed shoes and having exposed shoulders is considered offensive in churches across Europe and particularly at the Vatican in Vatican City. Take that into consideration when packing, as you do not want to miss out on an experience because of unacceptable clothing.

Choose clothes that pack easily and don’t need to be ironed or hung up, as hangers are not always available on some of the camping tours. At the same time, bring a variety of styles so that if you find yourself in a cabaret in Paris, a pub in London or St. Peter’s Basilica you will always be dressed appropriately.

Make sure when you’re packing to leave room for souvenirs. While some shops will ship your purchases home for you at a set fee, many will not so it’s important ot leave room for them in your luggage.

Adele Holmes, 27, a Contiki tour leader reminded those on my trip to remember to save space for all that they’ll be buying.

“I tell all of my tours ‘this may be your only time here, so just buy it!’ After a while some learn not to ask me for advice on purchases if they want to save money,” she said.

Finally, remember your camera, and film if necessary. If taking a longer trip, a worry of many travelers is that they will fill up the memory card on their digital cameras. However, this is not something you need to worry about. In many European cities, there are internet cafes and photo shops that allow you, for a small fee, to download your pictures onto a CD. This way, you’ll never have to skimp on taking pictures and will still be able to fully document your European adventure.

Happy traveling!