Planning a trip to Europe can be extremely exciting as you map out where you want to go and what you want to see.  For many, it is the dream of a lifetime, with visions of spaghetti dinners in Rome, and running with the bulls in Valencia.

Make sure that you plan properly for your trip in order to make it the best experience possible.  Here are some of the best tips for how to make your trip to Europe a great one.

Bring Comfortable Shoes

You may have heard rumors that you will do a lot of walking in Europe.  The rumors are true.  Europeans walk much more than Americans averaging up to sometimes as high as 10 miles a day.  

Many of the streets are paved in cobblestone and therefore less smooth than regular pavement.  Therefore in order to walk around without getting blisters, it’s important to bring comfortable shoes appropriate for all kinds of weather and terrain.

Pack Lightly

In order to lighten the load of your suitcase, consider bringing only one pair of each item if you can.  If you are a fashionista and absolutely have to have lots of fashion, then consider minimally reducing the number of shoes you bring as shoes are one of the biggest culprits of weight in your bag.

Don’t bring things like hair dryers or flat irons that may not work with the voltage abroad.  Instead, ask your hotel or accommodations host to provide you with one.  Otherwise, try buying a cheap one locally that you can leave behind on the way back or save for the next trip.

Stay Flexible

You never know when you could make a delightful new discovery of a fun place to visit or meet someone that invites you to leave spontaneously on a day trip.  Therefore in order to profit the most from adventure and fun, it is important to stay flexible.

Develop a loose plan but always leave room for slight alterations.  You never know when you might want to stay even longer somewhere or squeeze in a last minute destination.

Carry Cash

Since not everywhere in Europe accepts credit cards like the United States, it may be smart to try to carry cash instead.  Since the Euro is the currency accepted all over, it makes carrying cash that much more convenient.

In addition to the lack of consistency of places accepting credit cards, there can also be a lot of international fees.  This can be a disappointing bill to come home to at the end of your trip.

Bring a Language Book

Having a small book of phrases may come in handy for you when you want to order food or ask for directions.

Try getting a pocket size for the language of each country you’ll be visiting.