Travel Articles - Europe
Other Practical Information and Travel Tips

E-mail

Keeping in Touch by e-mail  
When to take a laptop and when to visit a cycercafé or Internet point, and how to use both in Europe. Includes a link to a site that lets you check your existing Internet e-mail account via a Web page.

Group Travel

Europe on Your Own
Should you see Europe with a group tour or independently? My article discusses the pros and cons of each.

Rick Steves on Group Travel (Interview)
The guidebook author and TV travel host gives an insider's perspective (with warnings) on escorted tours. Also see the related review of his book, Postcards from Europe.

Languages

Languages for Travelers
Before heading off to Europe, get acquainted with the local lingo. My article includes practical language-learning tips and links to related sites.

Learn a Language in Europe
A language vacation can be a life-enriching experience. Read my advice on how to find a language school, what to expect, and what I experienced as a middle-aged language student in Siena, Italy.

Audiomagazines for Language Study
Sharpen your German, Italian, French, or Spanish listening skills with a subscription to monthly audio programming on CDs or cassettes from Champs-Élysées.com.

Worldwide Multilingual Phrase Book
If it's Tuesday and you're in Belgium, Eric Dondero Rittberg's introduction to 40 languages will help you meet and greet the locals before you rush to your next destination.

Hide This French Book 101
Hide This Spanish Book 101
Berlitz has published "a countdown of the 101 hottest expressions" in two languages. The inexpensive books make great bon voyage or buen viaje gifts for hip travelers and semester- or year-abroad students.

Pets

Europe for Pets 
Know the facts about European pet travel before bringing Fido or Fifi.

Photography

Travel Photography
A beginner's guide to cameras, film, and Internet resources for travelers who take pictures to preserve memories.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1
This affordable digital camera packs an Arnold Schwarzenegger of a zoom lens into a body as compact as Danny DeVito's--and its optical stabilizer helps to keep camera shake from blurring your travel memories.

Kodak EasyShare DX6440
The company that brought you the Brownie, the Retina, and the Instamatic has created an affordable, easy-to-use 4-Megapixel digital camera for traveling snapshooters.

The Ultimate Travel Camera?
A low-end photographer takes a high-end 35mm camera to Europe.

The Ultimate Camera Bag for Travelers
Martin Billingham of England has designed a nearly perfect hybrid of a camera bag and travel tote.

Shopping

Tax-Free Shopping
Spend enough money in a European shop, and you may be entitled to a refund of Value-Added Tax (VAT). Here's how it works.

Paris Shopping
An illustrated review of Through The Windows of Paris: Fifty Unique Shops, by Michael Webb.

The Riches of Paris
A review of Meribeth Clemente's The Riches of Paris: A Shopping and Touring Guide, with excerpts and links to other resources on Paris and shopping in Europe.

Sightseeing

City Tours and Excursions
Are guided city tours and day trips worth the cost? Are they compatible with "independent travel"? Where can you find local tours?

Smoking

Smoking in Europe  
The stereotype of ubiquitous Gitanes and Gauloises is fading, thanks to smoking bans in an increasing number of Western European countries.

Student Travel

Student Traveler Magazine
This guide to travel, study, and work abroad is available free at study-abroad offices on 1,375 campuses in the U.S. and Canada.

Telephones

Cellular Phones in Europe
If you're visiting Europe from the U.S. or Canada, here's what you need to know before bringing, renting, or buying a mobile phone.

TalkAbroad
If you're visiting from abroad and touring more than one country, TalkAbroad may be the most convenient way to bring and use a cellular phone.

Phoning Europe
Even in the Internet era, there are times when you may want to telephone a hotel or other business in Europe--or when the folks back home may need to call you in an emergency.

Phoning Home from Europe
Like E.T., you may need to call home during your trip. Here's how to do it without spending a fortune.

Tourist Offices

European National Tourist Offices
Order printed literature, get answers to questions, etc. by contacting a national tourist office near you. This directory has more than 30 pages of listings: one page for each of 31 European countries, principalities, and dependencies.

Walking Tours

European Walking Tours
Do you prefer live learning to book learning?  Walking tours are a great way to get acquainted with European cities. (My article includes links to local guide services.)

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