European Travel Planning:
Miscellaneous Resources
ABOVE: A windmill in the
Netherlands.
General Information
European National
Tourist Offices
europeforvisitors.com
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.
European Travel Commission
The ETC serves up basic facts on its 31 member
countries.
Anitavacation.com
Anita Dunham-Potter, an online travel expert since 1994, writes about consumer
issues, travel deals, cruising, destinations, and other topics.
Find-our-community.net
Visit official city and town Web sites in 45 European countries. The site's
motto is "Discover the world--6 clicks to anywhere."
RateItAll: Western Europe Cities
Which cities are four-star destinations, and which are also-rans? See what
other travelers think, then cast your own votes. RateItAll also has ratings
for
Western Europe Attractions.
Clothing and footwear
Men's Travel Clothing
europeforvisitors.com
Do quick-dry or wrinkle-resistant fabrics, hidden security pockets, and other
special features make travel clothing a good investment? To find out, I
field-tested garments from Tilley, Norm Thompson, and L.L. Bean.
Z-CoiL Shoes
europeforvisitors.com
Put a spring in your step--literally--with these shock-absorbing shoes,
which prevent sore feet during all-day sightseeing.
Customs/Duties
U.S. Customs: Know Before You Go
Before you spend a thousand dollars on "duty-free" purchases or fill your
backpack with stolen antiquities, read this page. Also see
Bringing Agricultural Products Into the United States.
Ecotourism
Planeta.com
This award-winning "clearinghouse for practical ecotourism around the globe"
includes an
Eco Travels in Europe
directory and an
Exploring Ecotourism Resource Guide.
Events/Holidays/Seasonal Travel
Bank
Holidays of the World
Search the database of holidays by continent, country, religion, month, and
year from now through 2010.
WorldWide Events
Select a country, then a locality to see scheduled festivals and other events.
(You can select a date range before searching.)
Family Travel/Theme Parks
Travel With
Kids: Europe
These links and articles are from Teresa Plowright's
Travel With Kids. Also see
Teresa's report on:
Centre Parcs Holiday Village
More than a dozen of these self-contained vacation centers are scattered
throughout Northern Europe; think of them as an inexpensive version of Club
Med for families with children.
European Amusement
and Theme Parks
This 14-page collection of links to parks and zoos is from Robert H. Brown's
Theme Park City.
Flowers
WonderVase
europeforvisitors.com
If you've ever wanted to buy flowers while traveling, this lightweight
folding travel vase is for you.
Food and Drink
Caseus Prize -
Premio Caseus
europeforvisitors.com
A competition for the "best cheese trolley in Italy" may sound quirky, but
it's taken very seriously by the Italian restaurateurs, food critics, and Slow
Food advocates who come to arrange, admire, and taste more than 400 of Italy's
best cheeses.
European Beer Guide
Ron Pattison's comprehensive site is packed with information about beers,
breweries, and pubs across the continent.
Freebies
FreeToDo Travel Guide: Europe
Click on a country, then select a region to learn what you can see for free.
Group Travel
Europe on Your
Own
europeforvisitors.com
Group travel can be tempting for first-time
visitors, but you'll see more of Europe when you travel alone or as a pair.
Rick Steves
Interview: Group Travel
europeforvisitors.com
The TV travel guru, guidebook author, and tour organizer tells how to get the
most out of escorted travel (tip: avoid firms where guides get kickbacks).
City
Tours and Excursions
europeforvisitors.com
Are guided city tours and day trips worth the cost? Are they compatible with
"independent travel"? Where can you find local tours?
Jet Lag
Dreamkeeper 400 Sleep-Aid Wristband
europeforvisitors.com
Can a buzzing electronic acupressure device cure traveler's insomnia and jet
lag? We decided to give it a try.
Local Transportation
i-Métro
Calculate point-to-point journeys on subways, trams, and buses in 200+ cities
around the world, using the Web or your mobile phone.
Magazines and Newsletters
Holiday & Travel
This British travel magazine focuses on sunny destinations, for the most
part--among them, the
Balearic Islands, which I profiled in an article for H&T.
Passport
Newsletter
The original "insider's newsletter" for luxury travelers has been dispensing
reviews and tips to subscribers since 1965. (See other
featured links from our
archive.)
Measurements (English/Metric Conversions)
IFP:
Metric Conversion Tables
Enter a number, select the desired measurement units, and click
"calculate" for the result.
Measurement
Conversions
Convert English to Metric or vice versa with an e-form, or view predefined
tables of lengths, temperatures, speeds, and weights. From ConvertIt.com.
Museums
Chocolate Musems of
Europe
europeforvisitors.com
When you've had your fill of cathedrals and art
galleries, find food for the soul (and possibly the stomach) in a chocolate
museum or theme park.
News Media
British Media Online
Read British newspapers and magazines on the Web with the help of this
remarkably useful site. Also see the News
and Newspapers in Britain page.
Passports/Visas
See the Passports/Visas page of this Europe
Travel Planner.
Photography
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 europeforvisitors.com
An amazing Leica Vario-Summicron 24-60mm lens is just one reason why the
compact, high-performance LX3 (available in black or silver) is now my
favorite travel camera.
The Ultimate Camera Bag for Travelers
europeforvisitors.com
It's made in England, it's a photographer's delight, and it converts into a
travel tote with a snap and a tug.
Travel Photography for
Beginners
europeforvisitors.com
Nearly every tourist takes pictures; the challenge is to make photography a
part of your trip without losing your focus.
Sony DVDirect
europeforvisitors.com
Sony's easy-to-use DVDirect recorder lets you transfer your personal travel videos to DVD
with or without a computer.
Safety
Crime in Europe
europeforvisitors.com
You're unlikely to get shot or mugged, but it's wise to take precautions
against pickpockets, purse-snatchers, and petty thieves.
Europe and Terrorism
europeforvisitors.com
Don't let terrorists frighten you into passing up a European vacation--after
all, the statistics are on your side.
A Safe Trip Abroad
The U.S. State Department gives basic tips on avoiding problems overseas. Also
see the department's
Consular Information Sheets, but remember that warnings
may be influenced by political considerations. (Note: These poorly-designed
pages will open in a new browser window to save you from being trapped on the
State Department's Web site.)
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel
Some experts think the British government's warnings and advice on travel in
200+ countries are less tainted by politics than their American equivalents.
Travel
Safety Tips
Click a question in this FAQ from CorporateTravelSafety.com for advice on everything from preventing home
burglary while traveling to avoiding taxi scams. Not all of the advice is
safety-related, and some of the tips are geared to high rollers from big
companies, but the site
is worth a look.
Service Programs
Global Volunteers
europeforvisitors.com
Contribute your time and talents to disaster
relief, community building, health care, etc. in 20 countries, including
Greece, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain, and the UK.
Sex and Drugs
Sex in Europe
europeforvisitors.com
To judge from what readers are ogling at Europe for Visitors, most
Europe-bound travelers are interested in only one thing.
Holland: Tempting the Tourist
With Hookers and Hookahs
europeforvisitors.com
Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands, and soft drugs are tolerated. But
don't let that keep your children or church group from visiting Holland.
World Sex Guide
This site claims to be "a research project about prostitution
worldwide," but its content is more anecdotal than scientific. Scroll
down to "prostitution by country" for information on sexual commerce
in 35 European nations.
Shopping
Tax-free
Shopping
europeforvisitors.com
If you're a visitor from overseas, you may be entitled to refunds of
value-added tax on many European purchases. Here's what you need to know about
VAT refunds before you shop--and what
you need to do before you come home.
Paris Shopping
europeforvisitors.com
An illustrated review of Through The Windows of Paris: Fifty Unique Shops,
by Michael Webb.
The Riches of Paris
europeforvisitors.com
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.
The Wine Mummy
europeforvisitors.com
Vino Amici's bubble-lined, reusable plastic pouch makes it easier (and
safer) to carry a bottle of wine or liquor in your checked luggage.
Smoking
Smoking in Europe
europeforvisitors.com
The stereotype of ubiquitous Gitanes and Gauloises is fading, thanks to
smoking bans in an increasing number of Western European countries.
Time Zones
The Time Zone Converter
In addition to a "What time is it in..." window, this site has a
time-zone reference card, lists of time zones for specific countries, and
links to other time-related pages.
World Time
Zones
Check the current time in 1,000 places around the world, view a map of world
time zones, etc. From ConvertIt.com.
Tourist Offices
European National
Tourist Offices
europeforvisitors.com
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.
| 
Durant
& Cheryl Imboden's
