Choosing Resources
Planning a trip to Europe can seem overwhelming, but the Internet has made it so easy! I conduct most of my research online, and I tend to favor sites with a travel board — sometimes the best information comes from those who've recently been to your destination. However, you have to take all travel advice (even mine!) with a grain of salt; your preferences may not match the other person's. Besides websites, I choose one or two guidebooks to be my primary source(s) for planning before I go and for reference during the trip. I prefer Rick Steves and Eyewitness, but over time you may find your own favorites.

Scheduling
Once I've looked through my resources and I have an idea of what to see and do during the trip, I begin the schedule. We've always traveled to Europe in spring or summer to take advantage of the nice weather and to ensure we can pack light. However, be aware that many Europeans go on vacation in August, so resort areas are very crowded while the cities shut down a bit.

I prefer to reserve my lodging and at least plan major transportation before I leave home; however, if you feel comfortable traveling without reservations, you may be able to get some great last-minute deals. Another reason I like to plan each day in advance is so that I get to see everything I want; I'm never taken off guard by a closing day. I usually determine which day(s) of the week to stay in a particular town based on what sights are open. Although I do plan every day of the trip, I make an effort to balance heavy sightseeing days with true vacation days of relaxation, when all that is planned is what town or area we will be visiting.

Transportation
I usually use the Internet to book airline tickets myself, but on our last trip I used a consolidator. The savings I received for using Just Fares was so incredible, I will always use them now for European flights.

For traveling within a country, the logical choices are almost always train or car; there are of course pros and cons to each. Using the train means you don't have to adapt to a country's driving rules or battle traffic in a city center. A car, however, provides more flexibility; you can visit small towns inaccessible by rail and you can travel according to your own schedule. The best choice depends on your destinations (large cities vs. obscure villages) and schedule (two destinations in ten days vs. ten destinations in two weeks). Cars are expensive when you take fuel, highway tolls, and parking fees into consideration, but are worth it if you cover a lot of ground. Rail passes can also be overly expensive if you will only ride the train a few times; sometimes point-to-point tickets are the way to go.

Lodging
When I make lodging reservations, I begin with an email inquiring into availability; most hotels and pensions have at least an email address nowadays, if not a website, which reduces anxiety about communicating in a foreign language over the phone. Once I decide to book, I send a fax with my credit card information. I always ask for a fax or email confirming my reservation and bring the copies with me. I have never had problems with lodging reservations this way.

Packing
On our past two trips to Europe, Jeff and I made an effort to travel light. We first did this in Italy because we were traveling by train and wanted to get around easily. But once you realize how much lighter traveling can be, it's hard to go back. I purchased a convertible bag from Rick Steves; this wonderful bag has many different pockets and can be used as a carry-on. We also bring another large backpack. My favorite travel accessories, though, are my Eagle Creek Pack-It products. The cubes and folders help your clothes stay tidy, easily accessible, and compact — no more wasted space in a suitcase. Of course, the disadvantage to packing light is that laundry — always a hassle while on the road — must be done more often. We almost always took advantage of hotel laundry services, for which we had to pay big bucks, but the time and effort saved was worth it.

Many travellers are very concerned about what clothing items to pack for a trip to Europe, especially because they don't want to stand out as Americans. Although the current world political climate is tense, I have never encountered animosity based on my nationality and I believe travellers will always stand out no matter where they are — which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, when I visited Paris in 1998, I made the mistake of acting like I was still in California by wearing very short shorts around the city; although it seemed logical in the August heat, I feel now that it was very inappropriate. Ever since, I have taken care to pack clothes that respect the European culture, but are also comfortable and cool during summer. Jeff and I still pack one pair of shorts each, for days of countryside hiking or lounging in a park. But in the cities we usually wear lightweight slacks, or I may wear a skirt. Some churches have dress restrictions, such as no sleeveless shirts, so check before you go. For notoriously cool destinations, such as London, we pack lightweight Gortex® jackets. The most important item you can bring is a pair of comfortable walking shoes; make sure new shoes are broken in well before a trip!

Money
We have never used travelers' checks because ATMs have been prevalent everywhere we've gone and Visa is widely accepted. Before we leave, we always go to our local American Express office and pick up a small amount of currency for our destination.