Introduction: Planning a Trip to Europe

by Darwin Porter & Danforth Prince with Reid Bramblett

Irresistible and intriguing, the ever-changing Europe of today offers you more excitement, experiences, and travel memories than ever. In compiling this volume for today's time-pressed traveler, we've tried to do two things: open the door to Europe's famous cities -- their art and architecture, restaurants and theater, hotels and history -- and guide you to all the experiences that no one would want to miss on even a cursory visit. So though this guide has to skim the highlights, we've also tossed in offbeat destinations and adventurous suggestions that lead to surprises and delights around every corner. In other words, we've tried to capture something of the best -- the very essence of Europe -- into one carry-along edition. EUROPE TODAY The day of traveling across Europe without border formalities and using a single currency are not here yet, but changes are on the way. July 1, 2002, the date when national currencies will no longer be legal tender and only euro notes and coins will be in circulation everywhere (save Britain, Scandinavia, and Greece) seems a long way away. But moves in that direction will begin to be introduced as of January 1, 1999, when the euro will become the official currency on paper for much of the European Union. As the countries of this continent grow ever closer and their economies merge to create an economic powerhouse to rival the U.S. and Asia, many leaders trumpet the success of increasing unity and speak of One Europe. Change is obviously in the air, but regardless of what politicians claim, what attracts visitors is Europe's sheer diversity, the rich culture and histories in which each of Europe's myriad countries and regions are so strongly steeped. From the splendor of a Greek temple towering above the arid Sicilian landscape to the majestic peaks of the Alps, from the sound of flamenco in a Madrid tavern to the blasting of a brass band in Munich's Hofbräuhaus -- One Europe it may be on the map (and now on the bankbooks), but on the ground it's still a Europe of countless facets and proud, distinct, and diverse heritages. There's no other place on earth where you can experience such enormous cultural changes by driving from one mountain valley to the next, where in only a few miles you're likely to encounter not only a different language but different food, architecture, and culture as well. If you've come to pay your respects to the past, you're on the right continent. Over the past 3,000 years, Europe has seen some of the greatest intellectual and artistic developments the world has ever known. The European landscape is dense with the museums, cathedrals, palaces, and monuments that serve as repositories for much of this past glory. But the good news is that the continent is still in a dynamic, creative mode -- artistic and cultural ferment are still very much part of the present, and Europe still helps set the trends in fashion, industrial design, cinema, technology, music, literature, and science. The dynamic European environment is all about life, innovation, entertainment, and, of course, food, which exists side by side with the artistic and cultural grandeur of the past. Europe is also about people. Europeans have seen the best and worst of times, and a new, better educated, and more sophisticated younger generation is waiting to welcome you. They may seem a bit standoffish and internationally modern at first, but once you praise their food and drink, the beauty of a landscape, the quality of craftsmanship in a product, they may melt before your eyes and welcome you as part of the family. We've tried to prepare this edition to help you discover where you want to go and what you want to see. This introductory chapter is designed to equip you with what you need to know before you go -- the advance-planning tools for an enjoyable and successful trip. The greatest reward, of course, will come later when you discover Europe for yourself and on your own terms. 1 Visitor Information & Entry Requirements SOURCES OF VISITOR INFORMATION Tourist Offices Start with the European tourist offices in the United States, Canada, or England. If you live in New York or London, you're especially fortunate because often you can visit national tourist offices in person; otherwise, you'll probably have to write or call for information. For a complete list of tourist offices, Web sites, and e-mail addresses, see the Appendix. If you aren't sure which countries you want to visit, send for a free, information-packed booklet called Planning Your Trip to Europe, revised annually by the 27-nation European Travel Commission, European Planner, P.O. Box 1754, New York, NY 10185 (Phone 800/816-7530; www.visiteurope.com). The Internet The Internet can provide lots of travel information. Yahoo (www. yahoo.com), Excite (www.excite.com), Lycos (www.lycos.com), Infoseek (www. infoseek.com), and the other major Internet indexing sites all have subcategories for travel, country/regional information, and culture -- click on all three for links to travel-related Web sites. One of the best hotlists for travel and destination information is Excite's City.Net (www.city.net). Other good clearinghouse sites for information are Microsoft's Expedia (www.expedia.msn.com), Travelocity (www.travelocity.com), the Internet Travel Network (www.itn.com), TravelWeb (www.travelweb.com), and the European Travel Commission (www.visiteurope.com). Of the many, many on-line travel magazines, two of the best are Arthur Frommer's Outspoken Encyclopedia of Travel (www.frommers.com), written and updated by the guru of budget travel himself, and Condé Nast's Epicurious (www.epicurious. com), based on articles from the company's glossy magazines Traveler and Bon Appetit. That covers some of the top general Web sites. As often as possible throughout this chapter we've included specific Web sites along with phone numbers and addresses. Remember to type http:// before any Web address. Travel Agents Travel agents can save you plenty of time and money by hunting down the best airfare for your route and arranging for rail passes and rental cars. For the time being, most travel agents still charge you nothing for their services -- they're paid through commissions from the airlines and other agencies they book for you. However, a number of airlines have begun cutting commissions, and increasingly agents are finding they have to charge you a fee in order to hold the bottom line -- or else unscrupulous agents will only offer you travel options that bag them the juiciest commissions. Shop around and ask hard questions. If you decide to use a travel agent, make sure the agent is a member of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), 1101 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314 (Phone 703/739-8739; www.astanet.com). If you send them an self-addressed stamped envelope, ASTA will mail you the booklet Avoiding Travel Problems for free. Newsletters Many travel newsletters are rip-offs, but there are a few good ones. Our favorite, of course, is the monthly Frommer's Travel Update, 240 Frisch Court, Paramus, NJ 07652 (Phone 914/265-5211; fax 914/265-5212; e-mail: frommer-travel @prenhall.com), packed with money-saving tips and the latest travel offerings. An annual subscription is just $19.95. The well-regarded monthly Consumer Reports Travel Letter, Circulation Department, P.O. Box 53629, Boulder, CO 80322 (Phone 800/234-1970; www. ConsumerReports.org), costs $39 annually. Travel Bookstores If you live outside a large urban area, you can order maps or travel guides from bookstores specializing in mail- or phone-order service. Some of these are The Traveller's Bookstore, 22 W. 52nd St., New York, NY 10019 (Phone 800/ 755-8728 or 212/664-0995; www.travellersbookstore.com); Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera, CA 94925 (Phone 800/321-9785 or 415/927-0960; www.bookpassage.com); and Forsyth Travel Library, 1780 E. 131st St., P.O. Box 480800, Kansas City, MO 64148-0800 (Phone 800/FORSYTH; www.forsyth.com). Canadians can contact Ulysses Bookshop, 4176 rue St-Denis, Montréal, PQ H2M5 (Phone 514/843-9447), or 101 Yorkville Ave., Toronto, ON M5R 1C1 (Phone 416/ 323-3609). PASSPORTS Citizens of non-EU countries need a passport to enter any European country. Keep your passport in a safe place, such as a money belt, while you travel. It's also a good idea to make a photocopy of the first page of your passport (the page with the photo and identifying information) and keep it separate from the original. If you lose your passport, visit the nearest consulate of your home country as soon as possible to have it replaced. Passport applications are downloadable from the Internet sites listed below. U.S. Citizens If you're applying for a first-time passport, you need to do it in person at one of 13 passport offices throughout the U.S., or at a federal or state court, a probate court, or a major post office (not all post offices accept applications; call the number below to find the ones that do). You need to bring a certified birth certificate as proof of citizenship, and bringing along your driver's license, state or military ID, and social security card is wise. You also need two identical passport-sized photos (2"?2"), taken at any corner photo shop (not the strip photos from one of those photo vending machines). For people over 15, a passport is valid for 10 years and costs $60 ($45 plus a $15 handling fee); for those 15 and under, the passport is valid for 5 years and costs $40 total. If you're over 15 and have a valid passport issued within the past 12 years, you can renew it by mail and bypass the $15 handling fee. Allow plenty of time before your trip to apply; processing takes an average of 3 weeks, but can run longer in busy periods (especially spring). For more information, and to find your regional passport office, call the National Passport Information Center (Phone 900/225- 5674) or get on the Web (www.travel.state.gov). Canadian Citizens You can pick up a passport application at one of 28 regional passport offices or most travel agencies. Passports are valid for 5 years and cost $60. Children under 16 may be included on a parent's passport, but they need their own passport to travel unaccompanied by the parent. Applications, which must be accompanied by two identical passport-sized photographs and proof of Canadian citizenship, are available at travel agencies throughout Canada, or from the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (Phone 800/567-6868; www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/passport). Processing takes 5 to 10 days if you apply in person; about 3 weeks by mail. U.K. Citizens As a member of the European Union, you need only an identity card, not a passport, to travel to other EU countries. However, if you already possess a passport, it's always useful to carry it. To pick up an application for a regular 10-year passport (the Visitor's Passport has been abolished) visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency, or call the London Passport Office (Phone 0171/271-3000; www.open.gov.uk/ukpass/ukpass.htm). Irish Citizens You can apply for a 10-year passport, costing IR£45, at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (Phone 01/671-1633; www. irlgov.ie/iveagh/foreignaffairs/services). Persons under age 18 and over 65 must apply for a 3-year passport, costing IR£10. There's another office at 1A South Mall, Cork (Phone 021/272-525). You can also apply over the counter at most main post offices. Australian Citizens Apply at your local post office or passport office, or contact toll-free Phone 131-232 (www.dfat.gov.au/passports/pp-home.html) for more information. Adult passports cost AUS$126; passports for travelers under 18 cost AUS$63. New Zealand Citizens You can pick up a passport application at any travel agency or Link Centre. For more information, contact the Passport Office, P.O. Box 805, Wellington (Phone 0800/225-050; inform.dia.govt.nz/internal-affairs/businesses/ doni-pro/pports-home.html). Adult passports cost $80NZ; passports for travelers under 16 cost $40NZ. VISAS Countries covered in this guide do not require visas for U.S. or Canadian citizens for stays shorter than 90 days. DRIVING PERMITS Although a valid U.S. state driver's license usually suffices, it's wise to carry an International Driving Permit, which costs $10 and can be obtained from any AAA branch. 2 Money Traveler's checks, while still the safest way to carry money, are going the way of the dinosaur. The aggressive evolution of international computerized banking and consolidated ATM networks has led to the triumph of plastic throughout Europe -- even if cold cash is still the most trusted currency. Odds are you can saunter up to an ATM in the dinkiest Sicilian village with your bankcard or PIN-enabled Visa and get lire out of it just like at home. Never rely on credit cards and ATMs alone, however. Although most hotels and many restaurants throughout Europe accept plastic, smaller towns and cheaper places are still wary, and occasionally the phone lines and computer networks used to verify your credit card or ATM can go down and render your cards useless. Always carry some local currency and some traveler's checks for insurance. ATMs PLUS, Cirrus, and other networks work on many ATMs in Europe. This is the fastest, easiest, and least expensive way to change money. You take advantage of the bank's bulk exchange rate (better than anything you'll get on the street) and, unless your home bank charges you for using a non-proprietary ATM, you won't have to pay a commission like you would if you changed money at a currency exchange. Make sure the PINs on your bank- and credit cards will work in Europe; you usually need a four-digit code (six digits often won't work). Keep in mind that you are usually only able to access your checking account, not savings, from ATMs abroad. Both the Cirrus (Phone 800/424-7787; www.mastercard.com/atm) and PLUS (Phone 800/843-7587; www.visa.com/atms) networks have automated ATM locators that list the banks in each country that will accept your card. Or just search out any machine with your network's symbol emblazoned upon it. Europe is getting to be like America -- a bank on virtually every corner, and increasingly, most are globally networked. You can also get a cash advance through Visa or MasterCard (contact the issuing bank to enable this feature and get a PIN), but note that the credit card company will begin charging you interest immediately. American Express card cash advances are usually only available from AMEX offices, which exist in every European city. CREDIT CARDS Most middle-bracket and virtually all first-class and deluxe hotels, restaurants, and shops in Europe accept major credit cards -- American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, and Visa (not Discover). Some budget establishments accept plastic, others do not. The most widely accepted cards are Visa and MasterCard, but it pays to carry American Express as well. TRAVELER'S CHECKS Most large banks sell traveler's checks, charging fees of 1% to 2% of the value of the checks. AAA members can buy American Express checks commission-free. Traveler's checks are great travel insurance since if you lose them -- and have kept a list of their numbers (and a record of which ones were cashed) in a safe place separate from the checks themselves -- you can get them replaced at no charge. Hotels and shops usually accept them, but you will get a lousy exchange rate. Use traveler's checks to exchange for local spending money from banks or American Express offices. Note that personal checks are next to useless in Europe. American Express (Phone 800/221-7282; www.americanexpress.com) is one of the largest issuers of traveler's checks, and theirs are the most commonly accepted. They will also sell checks to holders of certain types of American Express cards at no commission. Thomas Cook (Phone 800/223-7373 in the U.S. and Canada, 0171/480- 7226 in London, or 609/987-7300 collect from other parts of the world; www. thomascook.com) issues MasterCard traveler's checks. Citicorp (Phone 800/645-6556 in the U.S. and Canada, or 813/623-1709 collect from anywhere else in the world; www. citicorp.com) and many other banks issue checks under their own name or under MasterCard or Visa. Checks issued in dollar amounts (as opposed to, say, French francs) are the most widely accepted abroad. WIRE SERVICES American Express' MoneyGram, Wadsworth Street, Englewood, CO 80155 (Phone 800/926-9400), will allow friends back home to wire you money in an emergency in less than 10 minutes. Senders should call AMEX to learn the address of the closest outlet that handles MoneyGrams. Cash, credit card, or the occasional personal check (with ID) are acceptable forms of payment. AMEX's fee is $40 for the first $500 with a sliding scale for larger sums. The service includes a short telex message and a 3-minute phone call from sender to recipient. The beneficiary must present a photo ID at the outlet where the money is received. CURRENCY EXCHANGE Although currency conversions in this guide were accurate at press time, European exchange rates fluctuate. For up-to-date rates, look in the business pages of a newspaper, check on-line at the Universal Currency Converter (www.xe.net/currency/table.htm), or call Thomas Cook (see "Traveler's Checks," above). It's more expensive to purchase foreign currency in your own country than it is once you've reached your destination. But it's a good idea to arrive in Europe with a bit of the local currency -- at least enough to get you from the airport to your hotel, so you can avoid the bad rates you'll get at airport currency exchanges. Bring along about $30 to $50 in the local currencies of every European city you'll be visiting (call around to the major branches of local banks in your hometown to find the best rate). While traveling, either withdraw local currency from an ATM (see above) or convert your money at a bank whenever possible, as banks invariably give better rates than tourist offices, hotels, travel agencies, or exchange booths. Shop around for the best rate, and be sure to factor in the inevitable commission: sometimes it's a flat fee, sometimes a percentage. You lose money every time you make a transaction, so it's often better to convert large sums at once (especially in flat-fee transactions). The rates for converting traveler's checks are usually better than those for cash, but you get the best rates by withdrawing money from an ATM with your bank or credit card. VALUE-ADDED TAX (VAT) All European countries charge a Value-Added Tax (VAT) of 15% to 33% on goods and services -- it's like a sales tax that's already included in the price. Rates vary from country to country, though the goal in EU countries is to arrive at a uniform rate of about 15%. Citizens of non-EU countries can, as they leave the country, get back most of the tax on purchases (but not services) if they spend above a designated amount (usually $50 to $200) in a single store. Regulations vary from country to country, so inquire at the tourist office when you arrive to find out the procedure -- ask what percentage of the tax will be refunded, if the refund will be given to you at the airport or train station, or mailed to you at a later date. Look for a TAX FREE SHOPPING FOR TOURISTS sign posted in participating stores. Ask the storekeeper for the necessary forms, save all your receipts, and, if possible, keep the purchases in their original packages. Plan on an extra 30 minutes or so at the airport or train station to process the VAT-refund forms. CUSTOMS For U.S. Citizens You can bring back into the United States $400 worth of goods (per person) without paying a duty. On the first $1,000 worth of goods over $400 you pay a flat 10% duty. Beyond that, it works on an item-by-item basis. There are a few restrictions on amount: 1 liter of alcohol (you must be over 21), 200 cigarettes, and 100 cigars. Antiques over 100 years old and works of art are exempt from the $400 limit, as is anything you mail home. Once per day, you can mail yourself $200 worth of goods duty-free; mark the package "for personal use." You can also mail to other people up to $100 worth of goods per person, per day; label each package "unsolicited gift." Any package must state on the exterior a description of the contents and their values. You cannot mail alcohol, perfume (it contains alcohol), or tobacco products. For more information on regulations, check out the U.S. Customs Service Web site (www.customs.ustreas.gov), or write to them at P.O. Box 7407, Washington, DC 20044 to request the free "Know Before You Go" pamphlet. To prevent the spread of diseases, you cannot bring into the U.S. any plants, fruits, vegetables, meats, or other foodstuffs. This includes even cured meats like salami (no matter what the shopkeeper in Europe says). You may bring in the following: bakery goods, all but the softest cheeses (the rule is vague, but if the cheese is at all spreadable, don't risk confiscation), candies, roasted coffee beans and dried tea, fish (packaged salmon is OK), seeds for veggies and flowers (but not for trees), and mushrooms. Check out the USDA's Web site (www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/travel.html) for more information. For British Citizens You can bring home almost as much as you like of any goods from any EU country (theoretical limits run along the lines of 90 liters of wine). If you're returning home from a non-EU country, or if you buy your goods in a duty-free shop, you're allowed to bring home 200 cigarettes, 2 liters of table wine, plus 1 liter of spirits or 2 liters of fortified wine. Get in touch with Her Majesty's Customs and Excise Office, New King's Beam House, 22 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PJ (Phone 0171/620-1313), for more information. For Canadian Citizens For a clear summary of Canadian rules, write for the booklet I Declare, issued by Revenue Canada, 2265 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa K1G 4KE (Phone 613/993-0534 or 800/461-9999). Canada allows its citizens a $500 exemption, and you're allowed to bring back duty-free 200 cigarettes, 2.2 pounds of tobacco, 40 imperial ounces of liquor, and 50 cigars. In addition, you're allowed to mail gifts to Canada from abroad at the rate of Can$60 a day, provided they're unsolicited and aren't alcohol or tobacco (write on the package "Unsolicited gift, under $60 value"). All valuables should be declared on the Y-38 form before departure from Canada, including serial numbers of, for example, expensive foreign cameras that you already own. Note: The $500 exemption can be used only once a year and only after an absence of 7 days. For Australian Citizens The duty-free allowance in Australia is A$400 or, for those under 18, A$200. Personal property mailed back from England should be marked "Australian goods returned" to avoid payment of duty. Upon returning to Australia, citizens can bring in 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of loose tobacco, and 1125ml of alcohol. If you're returning with valuable goods you already own, such as foreign-made cameras, you should file form B263. A helpful brochure, available from Australian consulates or Customs offices, is "Know Before You Go." For more information, contact Australian Customs Services, GPO Box 8, Sydney NSW 2001 (Phone 02/ 9213-2000). For New Zealand Citizens The duty-free allowance for New Zealand is NZ$700. Citizens over 17 years of age can bring in 200 cigarettes, or 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco (or a mixture of all three if their combined weight doesn't exceed 250 grams); plus 4.5 liters of wine and beer, or 1.125 liters of liquor. New Zealand currency does not carry import or export restrictions. Fill out a certificate of export, listing the valuables you are taking out of the country; that way, you can bring them back without paying duty. Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand consulates and Customs offices: "New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no. 4." For more information, contact New Zealand Customs, 50 Anzac Ave., P.O. Box 29, Auckland (Phone 09/359-6655). 3 When to Go Europe is a continent for all seasons, offering everything from a bikini beach party on the Riviera in summer to the finest skiing in the world in the Alps in winter. Europe has a continental climate with distinct seasons, but there are great variations in temperature from one part to another. Northern Norway is plunged into Arctic darkness in winter, whereas in sunny Sicily the climate is usually temperate -- although snow can fall even on the Greek islands in winter, and winter nights are cold anywhere. Europe is north of most of the United States, but along the Mediterranean they see weather patterns more along the lines of the U.S. southern states. In general, however, seasonal changes are generally less extreme than in most of the United States. The peak travel period and tourist high season -- when all tourist facilities are strained -- lasts from mid-May to mid-September, with the most tourists hitting the continent from mid-June to August. In general, this is the most expensive time to travel, except in Austria and Switzerland where prices are actually higher in winter during the ski season. And since Scandinavian hotels depend on business clients instead of tourists, lower prices can often be found in the fleeting summer months when business clients vacation and a smaller number of tourists take over. You'll find smaller crowds, relatively fair weather, and often lower prices at hotels in the shoulder seasons -- from Easter to mid-May, and from mid-September to mid-October. Off-season (except at ski resorts) is November to Easter, with the exception of the Christmas season (December 25 to January 6). Much of Europe -- Italy especially -- takes the month of August off, and August 15 to August 30 is vacation time for many locals, so expect the cities to be devoid of natives, but the beaches packed. CLIMATE Britain & Ireland Everyone knows that it rains a lot in Britain and Ireland. Winters are rainier than summers; August and September to mid-October are the sunniest months. Summer daytime temperatures average in the low to mid-60s Fahrenheit, dropping to the 40s on winter nights. Ireland, whose shores are bathed by the Gulf Stream, has a milder climate and the most changeable weather -- a dark, rainy morning can quickly turn into a sunny afternoon, and vice versa. The Scottish Lowlands have a climate similar to England's, but the Highlands are much colder, with storms and snow in winter. Scandinavia Summer temperatures above the Arctic Circle average in the mid-50s, dropping to the mid-teens during the dark winters. In the south, summer temperatures are in the 70s, dropping to the 20s in winter. Fjords are often warm enough for summer swimming, but rain is frequent. The sun shines 24 hours a day in midsummer above the Arctic Circle, where winter brings semi-permanent twilight. Denmark's climate is relatively mild by comparison, with moderate summer temperatures and winters that can be damp and foggy, with temperatures in the mid-30s. Northern Europe In the Netherlands, the weather is never extreme at any time of year. Summer temperatures average around 67°F and the winter average is about 40°F. The climate is rainy, with the driest months from February to May. Mid-April to mid-May the tulip fields burst into color. The climate of northern Germany is very similar. Belgium's climate is moderate, varying from 73°F in July and August to 40°F in December and January. It does rain a lot, but the weather is at its finest in July and August. France & Germany The weather in Paris is approximately the same as in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic states, but like most of Europe, there's less extreme variation. In summer the temperature rarely goes beyond the mid-70s. Summers are fair and can be hot along the Riviera. Winters tend to be mild, averaging in the 40s, although it's warmer along the Riviera. Germany's climate ranges from the moderate summers and chilly, damp winters in the north to the mild summers and very cold and sunny winters of the alpine south. Switzerland & the Alps The alpine climate is shared by Bavaria in southern Germany, and the Austrian Tyrol and Italian Dolomites -- winters are cold and bright and spring comes late, with snow flurries well into April. Summers are mild and sunny, though the alpine regions can experience dramatic changes in weather any time of year. Central Europe In Vienna and along the Danube Valley the climate is moderate. Summer daytime temperatures average in the 70s, falling at night to the 50s. Winter temperatures are in the 30s and 40s during the day. In Budapest, temperatures can reach 80°F in August and 30°F in January. Winter is damp and chilly, spring is mild, and May and June are usually wet. The best weather is in the late summer through October. In Prague and Bohemia, summer months have an average temperature of 65°F, but are the rainiest, whereas January and February are usually sunny and clear, with temperatures around freezing. Southern Europe Summers are hot in Italy, Spain, and Greece, with temperatures in the high 80s Fahrenheit, or even higher in some parts of Spain. Along the Italian Riviera, summer and winter temperatures are mild, and except in the alpine regions, Italian winter temperatures rarely drop below freezing. The area around Madrid is dry and arid, and summers in Spain are coolest along the Atlantic coast, with mild temperatures year-round on the Costa del Sol. Seaside Portugal is very rainy, but has a temperature range between 50°F and 75°F year-round. In Greece there's sunshine all year, and winters are usually mild, with temperatures around 50° to 55°F. Hot summer temperatures are often helped by cool breezes. The best seasons to visit Greece are mid-April to June and mid-September to the end of October, when the wildflowers bloom and the tourists go home. 4 Outdoor & Adventure Vacations CYCLING Cycling tours are a good way to see Europe at your own pace. Some of the best are featured by the Cyclists' Tourist Club, 69 Meadrow, Godalming, Surrey, England GU7 3HS (Phone 01483/417-217). Holland Bicycling Tours, Inc., P.O. Box 6485, Thousand Oaks, CA 91359 (Phone 800/852-3258; fax 805/495-8601), leads 8-day bicycle tours throughout Europe (not just in the Netherlands). Experience Plus (Phone 800/685-4565; www.xplus.com) runs bike tours across Europe, and Cicilsmo Classico, 13 Marathon St., Arlington, MA 02174 (Phone 800/866-7314; fax 781/ 641-1512; www.ciclismoclassico.com), is an excellent outfit running tours of Ireland, France, Switzerland, and especially Italy. HIKING Wilderness Travel, 1102 9th St., Berkeley, CA 94710 (Phone 800/ 368-2794, ext. 113; www.wildernesstravel.com), specializes in walking tours, treks, and inn-to-inn hiking tours of Europe, as well as less strenuous walking tours. Sherpa Expeditions, 131A Heston Rd., Hounslow, Middlesex, England TW5 ORD (Phone 0181/577-2717), offers both self-guided and group treks through off-the-beaten-track regions of Europe. Two long-established, somewhat upscale walking tour companies are Butterfield & Robinson, 70 Bond St., Suite 300, Toronto, ON M5B 1X3 (Phone 800/678-1147; fax 416/864-0541; www.butterfield.com), and Country Walkers, P.O. Box 180, Waterbury, VT 05676-0180 (Phone 800/464-9225; fax 802/244-5661; www.countrywalkers.com). Most European countries have associations geared toward aiding hikers and walkers. In England it's the Ramblers' Association, 1-5 Wandsworth Rd., London SW8 2XX (Phone 0171/339-8500); in Italy contact the Club Alpino Italiano, 7 Via E. Fonseca Pimental, Milan 20127 (Phone 02/2614-1378); for Austria, try the Österreichischer Alpenverein (Austrian Alpine Club), Wilhelm-Greil-Strasse 15, Innsbruck, A-6020 (Phone 0512/595470); in Norway, it's the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association, Storgata 3, Box 7, Sentrum 0101 Oslo (Phone 22-82-28-22; fax 22-82-28-01). HORSEBACK RIDING One of the best companies out there is Equitour, P.O. Box 1262, Dubois, WY 82513 (Phone 800/545-0019; fax 307/455- 2354; www. ridingtours.com), with 5- to 7-day rides through many of Europe's most popular areas, such as Tuscany and the Loire Valley. 5 Home Exchanges, Educational Vacations & Culinary Schools HOME EXCHANGES Intervac U.S., P.O. Box 590504, San Francisco, CA 94159 (Phone 800/756-HOME or 415/435-3497; www.intervac.com), is part of the largest worldwide home-exchange network, with a special emphasis on Europe. It publishes four catalogs a year, listing homes in more than 36 countries. Members contact each other directly. Membership is $65 plus postage, which includes three of the catalogs, plus your own listing in one of the three catalogs. A fourth catalog costs an extra $25. EDUCATIONAL/STUDY TRAVEL The best -- and one of the most expensive -- of the escorted cultural tour operators is IST Cultural Tours (Phone 800/833- 2111; www.ist-tours.com), whose tours are first-class all the way and are accompanied by a certified expert in whatever field the trip focuses on. If you missed out on studying abroad during college, the brainy Smithsonian Study Tours (Phone 202/357-4700; www.si.edu/tsa/sst) may be just the ticket, albeit a pricey one. The cheaper alternative is Smithsonian Odyssey Tours (Phone 800/258- 5885), run by Saga International Holidays (these trips cost less because you stay in three- or four-star hotels rather than deluxe). Also contact your alma mater or local university to see if they offer summer tours open to the public and guided by a professor specialist. The National Registration Center for Studies Abroad (NRCSA), P.O. Box 1393, Milwaukee, WI 53203 (Phone 414/278-7410; www.NRCSA.com), and the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS), 102 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich, CT 06830 (Phone 800/727-2437 or 203/869-9090; www.AIFS.com), can both help you arrange study programs and summer programs abroad. The biggest organization dealing with higher education in Europe is the Institute of International Education, with headquarters at 809 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017- 3580 (Phone 212/984-5400; www.iie.org). A few of its booklets are free, but for $42.95, plus $5 postage, you can purchase the more definitive Vacation Study Abroad. To order publications, check out the IIE's on-line bookstore at www.iie.org; call Phone 800/445-0443 or 301/617-7804; or write to the Institute of International Education, P.O. Box 371, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701-0371. A clearinghouse for information on European-based language schools is Lingua Service Worldwide, 211 E. 43rd St., Suite 1303, New York, NY 10017 (Phone 800/ 394-LEARN or 212/867- 1225; fax 212/983-2590; www.itctravel.com). CULINARY SCHOOLS Cuisine International, P.O. Box 25228, Dallas, TX 75225 (Phone 214/373-1161; fax 214/373-1162; www.iglobal.net/cuisineint), brings together some of the top independent cooking schools and teachers based in various European countries so you can book your weeklong culinary dream vacation. Italian Cuisine in Florence, Via Trieste 1, 50139 Firenze (Phone 055/480041), provides several gourmet classes in regional as well as Nouva Cucina. Most courses are 5 days, but short workshops for larger groups are also available. The International Cooking School of Italian Food and Wine, 201 E. 28th St., New York, NY 10016-8538 (Phone 212/779- 1921; fax 212/779-3248), offers courses in Bologna, the "gastronomic capital of Italy." Le Cordon Bleu, rue Léon-Delhomme 8, 75015 Paris (Phone 800/457-2433 in the U.S., or 01-53-68-22-50), was established in 1895 as a means of spreading the tenets of French cuisine to the world at large. Although the school maintains branches in London, Tokyo, Sydney, and Ottawa, Canada, biggest and most evocative are its Paris headquarters, where a wide array of educational options is available to anyone who's interested. 6 Health & Insurance HEALTH You'll encounter few health problems traveling in Europe. The tap water is generally safe to drink (except on trains and elsewhere it is marked as non-drinking water), the milk pasteurized, and health services good to superb. You will, however, be eating foods and spices your body isn't used to, so you might want to bring along Pepto-Bismol tablets in case sour stomach, indigestion, or diarrhea strike. Remember to take any prescriptions written in generic, not brand-name, form and to carry all prescription meds in their original, labeled vials. For minor problems, visit the local pharmacy; European druggists are usually highly trained. Many European hospitals are partially socialized, and you'll usually be taken care of speedily, often at no charge for simple ailments. If you have to be admitted, most health insurance plans and HMOs will cover, at least to some extent, out-of-country hospital visits and procedures. However, most make you pay the bills up front at the time of care, and you'll get reimbursed after you've returned and filed all the paperwork. Members of Blue Cross/Blue Shield can now use their cards at select hospitals in most major cities worldwide (Phone 800/810-BLUE; www.bluecares.com/blue/ bluecard/wwn for a list of participating hospitals). If you suffer from a chronic illness, talk to your doctor before taking the trip. For such conditions as epilepsy, diabetes, or a heart condition, wear a Medic Alert Identification Tag (Phone 800/825-3785; www.medicalert.org), which will immediately alert doctors to your condition and give them access to your records through Medic Alert's 24-hour hot line. Membership is $35, plus $15 annually. For current tips on travel and health concerns in the countries you'll be visiting, plus lists of local English-speaking doctors, contact the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT) (Phone 716/754-4883 or 416/652-0137; www.sentex.net/~iamat). The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Phone 404/332-4559; www.cdc.gov) provides up-to-date information on necessary vaccines and health hazards by region or country (by mail, their booklet is $20; on the Internet, it's free). When you're abroad, any local American consulate can provide a list of area doctors who speak English. INSURANCE Comprehensive insurance programs, covering basically everything from trip cancellation and lost luggage, to medical coverage abroad and accidental death, are offered by the following companies: Access America, 6600 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23230 (Phone 800/284-8300); Columbus Travel Insurance, 279 High St., Croydon CR0 1QH, United Kingdom (Phone 0171/375-0011 in London; www2. columbusdirect.com/columbusdirect); Travelex Insurance Services, P.O. Box 9408, Garden City, NY 11530-9408 (Phone 800/228-9792); Travel Guard International, 1145 Clark St., Stevens Point, WI 54481-9970 (Phone 800/826-1300; www. travel-guard.com); and Travel Insured International, P.O. Box 280568, East Hartford, CT 06128-0568 (Phone 800/243- 3174). Remember that Medicare only covers U.S. citizens traveling in Mexico and Canada. Two companies specializing in accident and medical care are MEDEX International, P.O. Box 5375, Timonium, MD 21094-5375 (Phone 888/MEDEX-00 or 410/453-6300; fax 410/453-6301; www.medexassist.com); and Travel Assistance International (Worldwide Assistance Services, Inc.), 1133 15th St. NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20005 (Phone 800/821-2828 or 202/828-5894; fax 202/828-5896). 7 Tips for Travelers with Special Needs FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES While Europe won't win any medals for handicapped-accessibility, in the past few years its big cities have made an effort to accommodate travelers with disabilities, and a disability shouldn't stop anybody from traveling. There are many organizations to help you out with planning and to offer specific advice before you go. The Moss Rehab Hospital in Philadelphia has been providing phone advice and referrals to travelers with disabilities for years; call the Travel Information Service at Phone 215/456-9603 or 215/456-9602 (TTY). The American Foundation for the Blind, 11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300, New York, NY 10001 (Phone 800/232-5463 or 212/ 502-7600) can fill you in on travel in general and how to get your Seeing Eye dog into Europe. Travelers with a hearing impairment should contact the American Academy or Otolaryngology, 1 Prince St., Alexandria, VA 22314 (Phone 703/836-4444 or 703/ 519-1585 TTY). You can join the Society for the Advancement of Travel for the Handicapped (SATH), 347 Fifth Ave., Suite 610, New York, NY 10016 (Phone 212/447-7284; fax 212/725-8253), for $45 annually to gain access to their information sheets on travel destinations, network of travel industry connections, and referrals to specialized tour operators. Their quarterly magazine, Open World for Accessible Travel, is full of good information and resources. A 1-year subscription is $13 ($21 outside the U.S.). Mobility International, P.O. Box 10767, Eugene, OR 97440 (Phone 541/343-1284 V/TDD; fax 541/343-6812; www.miusa.org), is a worldwide organization that promotes international rights for persons with disabilities, hosts international exchanges, and provides reference sheets on travel destinations for people with disabilities. The group's book A World of Options has resources on everything from biking trips to scuba outfitters. Annual membership is $25; $15 just to receive the group's quarterly newsletter, Over the Rainbow. The 500-page Travelin' Talk Directory, P.O. Box 3534, Clarksville, TN 37043 (Phone 931/552-6670; fax 931/552- 1182), lists outfits and people who help travelers with disabilities. It sells for $35. You might consider joining a guided tour that caters to travelers with disabilities. One of the best operators is Flying Wheels Travel, 143 W. Bridge (P.O. Box 382), Owatonna, MN 55060 (Phone 800/535-6790). The group offers various escorted tours and cruises, as well as private tours in minivans with lifts. Other reputable specialized tour operators include Access Adventures, 206 Chestnut Ridge Rd., Rochester, NY 14624 (Phone 716/889-9096); Accessible Journeys, 35 W. Sellers Ave., Ridley Park, PA 19078 (Phone 800/846-4537); Directions Unlimited, 720 N. Bedford Rd., Bedford Hills, NY 10507 (Phone 800/533-5343); and Wheelchair Journeys, 16979 Redmond Way, Redmond, WA 98052 (Phone 425/885-2210). In addition, the Information Center for Individuals with Disabilities (Phone 800/462-5015) provides lists of travel agents who specialize in tours for travelers with disabilities. For British Citizens The Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (RADAR), Unit 12, City Forum, 250 City Rd., London EC1V 8AF (Phone 0171/ 250-3222), publishes three holiday "fact packs." The first provides general information, including planning and booking a holiday, insurance, finances, and useful organizations and holiday providers. The second outlines transportation and rental equipment options. The third deals with specialized accommodations. Another good service is the Holiday Care Service, Imperial Building, Second Floor, Victoria Road, Horley, Surrey RH6 7PZ (Phone 01293/774-535; fax 01293/ 784-647), a national charity that advises on accessible accommodations for the elderly and persons with disabilities. Annual membership costs £30 ($49.50). FOR SENIORS Many senior discounts are available, but some require membership in a particular association. Members of AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), 601 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20049 (Phone 800/424-3410; www. aarp.org), get discounts on some car rentals and chain hotels. Most major airlines offer discount programs for senior travelers; be sure to ask whenever you book a flight. Of the big car-rental agencies, only National currently gives an AARP discount (10%), but the many rental dealers who specialize in Europe -- Auto-Europe, Kemwel, Europe-by-Car -- offer seniors 5% off. In most European cities, people over 60 or 65 get reduced admission at theaters, museums, and other attractions, and they can often get discount fares or cards on public transportation and national rail systems. Carrying identification with proof of age can pay off in all these situations. Grand Circle Travel (Phone 800/221-2610; www.gct.com), besides publishing the free booklet 101 Tips for the Mature Traveler, is one of the literally hundreds of travel agencies specializing in vacations for seniors. But beware: Many packages are of the tour-bus variety. Seniors seeking more independent travel should probably consult a regular travel agent. SAGA International Holidays, 222 Berkeley St., Boston, MA 02116 (Phone 800/343-0273; www.sagaholidays.com), has 40 years experience running all-inclusive tours and cruises for those 50 and older. They also sponsor the more substantial "Road Scholar Tours" (Phone 800/621-2151), which are fun-loving tours with an educational bent. If you want something more than the average vacation or guided tour, try Interhostel (Phone 800/733-9753; www.learn.unh.edu) and Elderhostel (Phone 617/ 426-8056; www.elderhostel.org). Interhostel and Elderhostel trips, which cost around $2,000 to $3,500, are hosted by foreign universities. Your days are packed with seminars, lectures, many field trips, and sightseeing, all led by academic experts. For Elderhostel you must be over 55 (a spouse or companion of any age can accompany you); Elderhostel programs range from 1 to 4 weeks. Interhostel participants must be over 50 (any companion must be over 40); Interhostel offers 2- and 3-week programs. Although all the specialty books on senior travel currently on the market are U.S.-focused, three do provide good general advice and contacts: The 50+ Traveler's Guidebook (St. Martin's Press), The Seasoned Traveler (Country Roads Press), and Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can't Get Unless You're Over 50 (Contemporary Books). Also check out the quarterly magazine Travel 50 & Beyond. If you'd like an extended stay abroad during the off-season at huge discounts, consult Sun Holidays, 7280 W. Palmetto Park Rd., Suite 301, Boca Raton, FL 33433 (Phone 800/422- 8000 or 561/367-0105; www.sun-holidays.com). FOR FAMILIES Europeans expect to see families traveling together. Europe is a multigenerational continent, and you'll sometimes see the whole clan -- from grandmothers to babes in arms -- caravaning around. Also, Europeans tend to love kids. You'll often find that a child guarantees you an even warmer reception from hotels and restaurants than you would normally receive. At restaurants, ask waiters for a half portion to fit junior's appetite. If you're traveling with small children, three- and four-star hotels may be your best bet -- baby-sitters are on call and such hotels have a better general ability to help visitors access the city and its services. But even cheaper hotels can usually find you a sitter. Traveling with a pint-sized person usually entails pint-sized rates. An extra cot in the room won't cost more than 30% extra -- if anything -- and most museums and sights offer reduced-price or free admission for children under a certain age (which can range from 6 to 18). Kids also almost always get discounts on plane and train tickets. Adventuring with Children (Foghorn Press) and Lonely Planet's Travel with Children are both loaded with specific advice on dealing with everyday family situations -- especially where infants are concerned -- that become superhuman chores when they pop up on the road. Family Travel Times is published 10 times a year by TWYCH (Travel with Your Children), 40 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10011 (Phone 212/477-5524), and includes a weekly call-in service for subscribers. Subscriptions cost $40 a year for quarterly editions. A free publication list and a sample issue are available by calling or sending a request to the above address. Families Welcome!, 92 N. Main St., Ashland, OR 97520 (Phone 800/326-0724 or 541/482-6121), a travel company specializing in worry-free vacations for families, offers "City Kids" packages to certain European cities. The University of New Hampshire runs Familyhostel (Phone 800/733-9753; www.learn.unh.edu), an educational and intergenerational alternative to standard guided tours. You live on a European college campus for the 2- or 3-week program, attend lectures, seminars, go on lots of field trips, and get in all the sightseeing -- all guided by a team of experts and academics. It's designed for children (ages 8 to 15), parents, and grandparents. FOR STUDENTS The best resource for students is the Council on International Educational Exchange, or CIEE (Phone 800/2COUNCIL; www.ciee.org). They can set you up with an ID card (see below), and their travel branch, Council Travel Service (CTS), is the biggest student travel agency in the world. The main office is at 205 E. 42nd St., New York, NY 10017 (Phone 212/822-2600). Council Travel can get you discounts on plane tickets, railpasses, and the like. Ask them for a list of CTS offices in major European cities so you can keep the discounts flowing and aid lines open as you travel. In Canada, Travel CUTS, 187 College St., Toronto, ON M5T 1P7 (Phone 888/ 838-CUTS or 416/798-2887; www.travelcuts.com), offers similar services. Campus Travel, 52 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0AG (Phone 0171/730-3402; www. campustravel.co.uk), opposite Victoria Station, is Britain's leading specialist in student and youth travel. From CIEE (or its Canadian or British counterparts) you can obtain for $18 the student traveler's best European friend, the International Student Identity Card (ISIC). It's the only officially acceptable form of student identification, good for cut rates on railpasses, plane tickets, and other discounts. It also provides you with basic health and life insurance and a 24-hour help line. If you're no longer a student but are still under 26 you can get a GO 25 card from the same people, which will get you the insurance and some of the discounts (but not student admission prices in museums). If you enjoy meeting other young travelers on the road -- and want to save money -- consider staying in hostels. Although only those in Bavaria still enforce an under-26 age limit, hostels are still primarily student stomping grounds. Hostels are plentiful in Europe. They're often on the edge of or outside major cities, and charge around $10 to $25 per night for what is usually a bunk in a dormlike room (often sex-segregated) that sleeps anywhere from 4 to 50 people. There are lockers for your bags, and you often must bring your own sleep-sack (basically a sheet folded in half and sewn up the side), or buy one on-site. For many, you'll need an HI membership card (see below); at some, the card is required for you to stay there, at others it'll get you a discount, and at some hostels, the card doesn't matter. There is usually a lock-out from morning to mid-afternoon, and an evening curfew of around 10pm to 1am. Be warned that in summer especially, hostels often fill up early. Membership in Hostelling International/American Youth Hostels (HI-AYH), 733 15th St. NW, Suite 840, Washington, DC 20005 (Phone 202/783-6161; www. hiayh.org), an affiliate of the International Youth Hostel Federation (IYH), costs $25 per year for people 18 to 54, $15 for those 55 and older, and $10 for those 17 and younger. Family memberships cover parents and children 16 and under and cost $35. HI sells the Hostelling International Budget Accommodations You Can Trust, Vol. I: Europe and the Mediterranean, for $13.95. Also check out Frommer's Complete Hostel Vacation Guide to England, Wales & Scotland ($14.95), the first-ever guide to the 300-plus hostels in those countries. FOR GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELERS Much of Europe has grown to accept same-sex couples over the past few decades, and in most countries homosexual sex acts are legal. To be on the safe side, do a bit of research and test the waters for acceptability in any one city or area. As you might expect, smaller towns tend to be less accepting than cities. Gay centers include parts of London, Paris, Berlin, Milan, and Greece. The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA), P.O. Box 4974, Key West, FL 33041 (Phone 800/448-8550 or 305/292-0217; www.iglta.com), is your best all-around resource. Members get a newsletter, advice on specialist travel agencies, and a membership directory. General gay and lesbian travel agencies include Our Family Abroad (Phone 212/459-1800), Islanders/Kennedy Travels (Phone 212/242- 3220), and Yellowbrick Road (Phone 800/642-2488). There are also two good, biannual English-language gay travel guidebooks, both focused on gay men but including information for lesbians as well. You can get the Spartacus International Gay Guide or Odysseus from most gay and lesbian bookstores, or order them from Giovanni's Room, 1145 Pine St., Philadelphia, PA 19107 (Phone 215/923-2960), or A Different Light Bookstore, 151 W. 19th St., New York, NY 10011 (Phone 800/343-4002 or 212/989-4850; www.adlbooks.com). The Ferrari Guides (www.q-net.com) is another very good series of gay and lesbian guidebooks. Out and About, 8 W. 19th St. no. 401, New York, NY 10011 (Phone 800/929-2268 or 212/645-6922) is a monthly newsletter packed with good information on the global gay and lesbian scene. A 1-year subscription is $49. Our World, 1104 N. Nova Rd., Suite 251, Daytona Beach, FL 32117 (Phone 904/441- 5367), is a slicker monthly magazine promoting and highlighting travel bargains and opportunities. Annual subscription rates are $35 in the U.S., $45 outside the U.S. 8 Getting There BY PLANE Most major airlines charge competitive fares to European cities, but price wars break out regularly and fares can change overnight. For a list of the major North American and European national airlines and their toll-free numbers and Web sites, see the Appendix. Tickets tend to be cheaper if you fly midweek or off-season. High season on most airline routes is usually June to mid-September -- the most expensive and most crowded time to travel. Shoulder season is April through May, mid-September to October, and December 15 to 24. Low season -- featuring the cheapest fares -- is November to December 14 and December 25 through March. You can get the best fares simply by planning ahead and buying low-cost advance-purchase (APEX) tickets. Usually APEX tickets must be purchased 14 to 21 days in advance, and your stay in Europe must last between 7 and 30 days. The downside is that an APEX ticket locks you into those dates and times, with penalties for changing them. A more flexible but more expensive option is the regular economy fare, which allows for a stay shorter than the 7-day APEX minimum. You're also usually free to make last-minute changes in flight dates and to have unrestricted stopovers. STRATEGIES FOR SAVING MONEY ON YOUR AIRFARE Buying an APEX ticket isn't your only low-cost option for getting to Europe. Below we discuss other money-saving options, including everything from buying your ticket from a consolidator to researching airfares on the Web. CONSOLIDATORS Consolidators, also known as bucket shops, exist in many shapes and forms. In its purest sense, a bucket shop acts as a clearinghouse for blocks of tickets (on regularly scheduled flights) that airlines discount during slow periods of air travel. One of the biggest consolidators is Travac, 989 Sixth Ave., New York, NY 10018 (Phone 800/TRAV-800 or 212/563-3303; www.travac.com), which offers discounted seats on major airlines from cities throughout the United States to most destinations in Europe. Also in New York, try TFI Tours International, 34 W. 32nd St., 12th Floor, New York, NY 10001 (Phone 800/745-8000). Other consolidators include Euram Tours, 1522 K St. NW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20005 (Phone 800/848-6789 or 202/789-2255; www.flyeuram.com), and Travel Avenue, 10 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1404, Chicago, IL 60606 (Phone 800/333-3335 or 312/876-6866). In England, Trailfinders (Phone 0171/937-5400 in London) is a consolidator that offers access to tickets on major European carriers. There are many bucket shops around Victoria and Earls Court in London offering low fares. CEEFAX, an information service included on many home and hotel TVs, runs details of package holidays and flights to continental Europe and beyond. If your travel plans are flexible, try Airhitch, 2641 Broadway, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10025 (Phone 212/864-2000; www.airhitch.com). You give them a window of 5 days during which you can leave from one of five U.S. regions to fly to a European region, and they'll call you at the last minute to let you know what date and city you're flying out of and where you're landing. They try to fly you to and from cities of your choice within the regions, but there are no guarantees. Typical one-way fares to Europe are $169 from the Northeast, $229 from the Midwest, $249 from the West Coast, and $209 from the Southeast. Two final names for our list are 800/FLY-4-LESS and 800/FLY-CHEAP, both of which specialize in finding the lowest fares out there. You can often get discounted fares on short notice without all the advance-purchase requirements. CHARTER FLIGHTS In a strict sense, charters book a block of seats or an entire plane months in advance and then resell them to the consumer. Always ask about restrictions. You may have to purchase a tour package and pay far in advance, and you'll often have to pay a stiff penalty -- or forfeit the ticket entirely -- if you cancel. Charters are sometimes canceled when the plane doesn't fill up. In some cases, the charter company will offer you an insurance policy in case you need to cancel for a legitimate reason (hospitalization, death in the family, whatever). Council Travel, 205 E. 42nd St., New York, NY 10017 (Phone 800/226-8624 or 212/822-2800; www.ciee.org), arranges charter seats on regularly scheduled air-craft. One of the biggest charter operators is Travac, (see "Consolidators" above). For Canadians, good charter deals are offered by Martinair (Phone 800/627-8462; www. martinair.com) and Travel CUTS (Phone 888/838-CUTS; www.travelcuts.com). REBATORS To confuse the situation even more, rebators compete in the low-airfare market. These outfits pass along to you part of their commission, although many also assess a fee for their services. Most discounts run 10% to 25%, minus a $25 handling fee. Rebators are not travel agents, although they sometimes offer services such as land arrangements and car rentals. Specializing in clients in the Midwest, Travel Avenue, Suite 1404, 10 S. Riverside Plaza, Chicago, IL 60606 (Phone 800/333-3335 or 312/876-6866; www.travelavenue. com), offers up-front cash rebates on every ticket over $375. Another major rebator is The Smart Traveller, 3111 SW 27th Ave. (P.O. Box 330010), Miami, FL 33133 (Phone 800/448-3338 or 305/448-3338), which offers discounts on packaged tours. FINDING FARES ON THE INTERNET The number of virtual travel agents on the Internet has exploded in recent years. A few of the better-respected ones are Travelocity (www.travelocity.com), which also advertises last-minute deals; Microsoft Expedia (www.expedia.com), which will send you a weekly e-mail with the best fares for a chosen destination; and Yahoo's Flifo Global (travel.yahoo.com/travel), whose "Fare Beater" compares airlines to find the best going rate. For most, just enter your dates and cities and the computer looks for the lowest fares. Great last-minute deals are often available directly from the airlines through free e-mail services. Here's how it works: Each week, the airline e-mails registered clients a list of discounted flights, usually leaving the upcoming Thursday through Saturday, and returning the following Monday through Wednesday. Of course, this is mainly for the person who can drop everything and take a long weekend in Paris. You can sign up at any airline's Web site (see the Appendix), or you can sign up for all the major airlines at once by logging on to Epicurious Travel (http://travel.epicurious.com/ travel/c-planning/02-airfares/email/signup.html). PACKAGE & ESCORTED TOURS PACKAGE TOURS Package tours are not the same thing as escorted tours. They are simply a way of buying your airfare and accommodations at the same time and getting an excellent rate on both. Your trip is your own. In many cases, a package that includes airfare, hotel, and transportation to and from the airport will cost you less than the hotel alone if you booked it yourself. All major airlines flying to Europe sell independent vacation packages (see the Appendix for a list of airline toll-free numbers and Web sites). The best place to start looking for independent packagers is the travel section of your local Sunday news-paper and national travel magazines. Central Holidays (Phone 800/611-1139; www. centralholidays.com) is one of the best and most reputable package tour operators. Liberty Travel (many locations; check your local directory, since there's not a central 800 number; www.libertytravel.com) is one of the biggest packagers in the Northeast, and usually boasts a full-page ad in Sunday papers. American Express Vacations (Phone 800/241-1700; www.americanexpress.com/travel) and Kemwel (Phone 800/ 678-0678; www.kemwel.com) are both reputable options. FLY/DRIVE TOURS Fly/drive holidays, which combine airfare and car rental, are increasing in popularity and are a lot cheaper than booking both airfare and car rental independently. These are available mainly through major European airlines. ESCORTED GROUP TOURS With a good escorted group tour, you'll know ahead of time just what your trip will cost, and you won't have to worry about your transportation, luggage, hotel reservations, communicating in foreign languages, and other nuts-and-bolts requirements of travel -- there's an experienced guide who will take care of all that and will lead you through all the sightseeing. The downside of a guided tour is that you trade much of the freedom and personal free time that independent travel grants you, and you often see only the canned, postcard-ready side of Europe through the tinted windows of a giant bus. Consult a good travel agent for the latest offerings and advice. Two of the top escorted tour operators are American Express Vacations, P.O. Box 1525, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33302 (Phone 800/446-6234; www.americanexpress.com), which offers the most comprehensive tours to Europe, and Kemwel (Phone 800/ 666-7269; www.kemwel.com). If you want a tour that balances independent-style travel and plenty of free time with all the pluses of a guided tour, try the very popular itineraries offered by Europe Through the Back Door, 120 Fourth Ave. N., P.O. Box 2009, Edmonds, WA 98020-2009 (Phone 425/771-8303; www.ricksteves.com), run by Rick Steves, of public television's "Travels in Europe" fame. Other reputable operators include Bennett Tours, 342 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10073 (Phone 800/221-2420, or 212/697- 1092 in New York); Norvista Travel Services, 228 E. 45th St., New York, NY 10017 (Phone 800/677-6454 or 212/832-8989; fax 212/818-0585), and on the West Coast, Scantours, Inc., 3439 Wade St., Los Angeles, CA 90066 (Phone 800/223-7226; fax 310/390-0493), which specializes in Scandinavia, Russia, the Baltic States, Iceland, and Greenland. 9 GETTING TO THE CONTINENT FROM THE U.K. BY TRAIN Many different rail passes and discounts are available in the U.K. for travel in continental Europe. Stop in at the International Rail Centre, Victoria Station, London SW1V 1JY (Phone 0990/848-848), or Wasteels, Platform 2, Victoria Station, London SW1V 1JT (Phone 0171/834-7066), to find the best option for the trip you're planning. There are a number of options for travelers under age 26. Inter-Rail and Euro-Youth passes, available only to such travelers, entitles the pass holder to unlimited second-class travel in 26 European countries. Eurotrain "Explorer" tickets are another option. They allow passengers to move in a leisurely fashion from London to Rome, for example, with as many stopovers en route as desired, and return by a different route for £195 round-trip (£160 without stopovers). All travel must be completed within 2 months of the date of departure. Campus Travel, 52 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W OAG (Phone 0171/730-3402), and Wasteels (see above), can both help with youth travel. Wasteels also sells a Rail Europe Senior Pass for £5 that entitles the holder to discounted tickets on many European rail lines. To qualify, purchasers must be U.K. residents over 60 and hold a British Senior Citizen rail card, available for £16 at any BritRail office. BY CHUNNEL The Eurostar train shuttles between London and both Paris and Brussels; the trip time is less than 3 hours (compared to 10 hours on the traditional train-ferry-train route). Rail Europe (Phone 800/94-CHUNNEL; www.raileurope.com) sells tickets on the Eurostar between London and Paris or Brussels. You can phone for Eurostar reservations (Phone 0990/300-003 in London, 01-44-51-06-02 in Paris, and 800/EUROSTAR in the U.S.; www.eurostar.com). Eurostar trains arrive and depart from Waterloo Station in London, Gare du Nord in Paris, and Central Station in Brussels. BY FERRY/HOVERCRAFT Brittany Ferries (Phone 01705/892-200) is the largest British ferry/drive outfit. It sails from the southern coast of England to five destinations in Spain and France. From Portsmouth, sailings reach St-Malo and Caen; from Poole, Cherbourg. From Plymouth sailings go to Santander in Spain. P&O Channel Lines (Phone 0990/980-980) operates car and passenger ferries between Portsmouth and Cherbourg (three departures a day; 5 to 7 hours); between Portsmouth and Le Havre, France (three a day; 5 1/2 hours); and between Dover and Calais, France (25 sailings a day; 1 1/4 hours). P&O's major competitor is Stena Sealink (Phone 01233/615- 455), which carries both passengers and vehicles on its routes. This company is represented in North America by BritRail (Phone 800/677-8585, or 212/575-2667 in New York). Stena offers conventional ferryboat service between Newhaven and Dieppe (four departures daily, 4 hours), but the car ferries between Dover and Calais are much more popular; they depart 20 times a day for the 90-minute crossing. One-way fares for a car with driver and one passenger are $134 to $255, depending on the season (passengers without cars cost $40 in any season). Unless you're interested in a leisurely sea voyage, passengers without cars might be better off using the quicker, and slightly cheaper, Hoverspeed (Phone 01304/240- 241). Within North America, information is available through BritRail (see above). Hoverspeeds make the 35-minute crossing between Calais and Dover 12 times daily for only $39. Scandinavia Seaways (Phone 0171/491-7256) offers sea links to Germany plus all the Scandinavian countries. From England, the Norway route is the most popular. Fares are reduced on so-called Flag Days. Ask about these when booking. BY CAR Many car-rental companies won't let you rent a car in Britain and take it to the Continent, so always check ahead. There are many "drive-on, drive-off" car-ferry services across the Channel; see above. There are also Chunnel trains that run a drive-on/drive-off service every 15 minutes (once an hour at night) for the 35-minute ride between Ashford and Calais. BY COACH Although travel by coach is considerably slower and less comfortable than train travel, if you're on a budget you may opt for one of Eurolines' regular departures from London's Victoria Coach Station to destinations throughout Europe. Contact Eurolines at 52 Grosvenor Gardens, Victoria, London SW1W OAU (Phone 0171/730-8235 or 01582/404511). 9 Getting Around BY TRAIN In Europe, the shortest -- and cheapest -- distance between two points is lined with railroad tracks. European trains are less expensive than those in the United States, far more advanced in many ways, and certainly more extensive, with over 100,000 miles of rails. Modern high-speed trains make the rails faster than the plane for short journeys, and overnight trains get you where you're going without wasting valuable daylight hours -- and you save money on lodging to boot. Europe has a rainbow of train classifications that range from local milk runs that stop at every tiny station to high-speed bullet trains that cruise at 130 m.p.h. between major cities. Many high-speed trains throughout Europe, including the popular EC (EuroCity), IC (InterCity), and EN (EuroNight) trains, require that you pay a supplement of around $5 to $15 in addition to the regular ticket fare. The supplement is included when you buy a regular ticket, but it's not included in any railpass. When using a railpass on a high-speed train, check at the ticket window before boarding, otherwise the conductor will sell you the supplement on the train -- along with a fine. Seat reservations are also required on some of the speediest of the high-speed runs -- any train marked with an "R" on a printed train schedule. Reservations range from $15 up to $50 or more (when a meal's included). You can almost always reserve a seat within a few hours of the train's departure, but to be on the safe side, you'll probably want to book your seat a few days in advance. You'll also need to reserve any sleeping couchette or sleeping berth (see below). With two exceptions, there's no need to buy individual train tickets or make seat reservations before you leave the States. However, on the high-speed Artesia run (Paris-Turin and Milan) you must buy a supplement -- on which you can get a substantial discount if you have a railpass, but only if you buy the supplement in the States along with the pass. It's also wise to reserve a seat on the Eurostar, as England's frequent "bank holidays" (long weekends) book the train solid with Londoners taking a short vacation to Paris. The difference between first- and second-class seats on European trains is minor -- a matter of 1 or 2 inches of extra padding and maybe a bit more elbow room. European train stations are usually as clean and efficient as the trains, if a bit chaotic at times. In stations you will find posters showing the track number and timetables for regularly schedules runs that pass through (departures are often on the yellow poster). Many stations also have tourist office outposts and hotel reservations desks; banks with ATMs; and newsstands where you can buy phonecards, bus and metro tickets, maps, and local English-language events magazines. You can get much more information about train travel in Europe, and receive automated schedule information by fax, by contacting Rail Europe (Phone 800/438-7245; www.raileurope.com). If you plan on doing a lot of train travel, consider purchasing the Thomas Cook European Timetable ($27.95 from travel specialty stores or order it at Phone 800/FORSYTH). Each country's national railway Web site -- which includes schedules and fare information, occasionally in English -- are hotlisted at Mercurio (mercurio.iet.unipi.it/misc/timetabl.html). RAILPASSES The greatest value in European travel has always been the railpass, a single ticket that allows you unlimited travel -- or travel on a certain number of days -- within a set period of time. If you plan on getting all over Europe by train, purchasing a railpass will end up being much less expensive than buying individual tickets. Plus a railpass gives you the freedom to hop on a train whenever you feel like, and there's no waiting in ticket lines. For more focused trips, you may want to look into national or regional passes, or just buy individual tickets as you go. The granddaddy of passes is the Eurailpass, covering 17 countries (most of western Europe except England). It has recently been joined by the Europass, which covers 5 to 12 countries (depending on what sort of version you buy); this pass is mainly for travelers who are going to stay within the heart of western Europe. Railpasses are available in either consecutive-day or flexipass versions (in which you have, say, 2 months in which to use 10 days of train travel). Consecutive-day passes are best for those taking the train very frequently (every few days), covering a lot of ground, and making many short train hops. Flexipasses are for folks who want to range far and wide but plan on taking their time over a long trip, and intend to stay in each city for a while. If you're under age 26, you can opt to buy a regular first-class pass or a second-class youth pass; if you're 26 or over, you're stuck buying a first-class pass. Passes for kids 4 to 11 are half price, and kids under 4 travel free. The rates quoted below were available at press time. Rates will rise each year. * Eurailpass: Consecutive-day Eurail passes cost $538 for 15 days, $698 for 21 days, $864 for 1 month, $1,224 for 2 months, or $1,512 for 3 months. * Eurail Flexipass: Good for 2 months of travel, within which you can travel by train for 10 days (consecutive or not) for $634, or 15 days for $836. * Eurail Saverpass: A Saverpass is good for two to five people traveling together. The Saverpass costs $458 per person for 15 days, $594 for 21 days, $734 for 1 month, $1,040 for 2 months, or $1,286 for 3 months. * Eurail Saver Flexipass: This is the flexipass for two to five people traveling together. The Saver Flexipass costs $540 per person for 10 days' travel within 2 months, or $710 per person for 15 days' travel within 2 months. * Eurail Youthpass: This is the second-class railpass for travelers under 26. It costs $376 for 15 days, $489 for 21 days, $605 for 1 month, $857 for 2 months, or $1,059 for 3 months. * Eurail Youth Flexipass: Only for travelers under 26, this pass allows for 10 days of travel within 2 months for $444, or 15 days in 2 months for $585. * Europass: If your trip will focus on the core of western Europe -- specifically France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain -- Eurail is wasteful spending. Go for the Europass, which gives you 5 days of train travel in the five above countries for 2 months. You can expand the scope of your pass by purchasing add-on "zones" -- Austria/Hungary; Belgium/Netherlands/Luxembourg; Greece (including the ferry from Brindisi, Italy); and Portugal. The base pass costs $326. If you decide to add on zones, the pass costs $386 for one zone added, $416 for two zones, $436 with three zones, or $446 for all four zones (notice the per-zone costs goes down the more you add). You can also add up to 10 extra days (for 15 days total), at $42 per day (do some math to see if adding zones and days brings your total high enough that purchasing a Eurailpass makes more sense). * Europass Partner: This isn't actually a different pass, but rather a way for one traveling companion to get a 40% discount on his own Europass. Two people must travel together, and will each pay 20% less than going solo. The cost is $261 per person for the basic pass, $309 with one zone, $333 with two zones, $349 with three zones, $357 with all four zones, and $34 each for each additional day. * Europass Youth: The Europass Youth is good in second-class only and is for travelers under 26. (There is no partner pass version available for youths.) The base pass costs $216, $261 with one zone, $286 with two zones, $301 with three zones, $309 with all four zones, and $29 for each additional day. * EurailDrive Pass: This pass offers the best of both worlds, mixing train travel and rental cars (through Hertz or Avis) for less money than it would cost to do them separately (and one of the only ways to get around the high daily car-rental rates in Europe when you rent for less than a week). You get 4 rail days and 3 car days within a 2-month period. Prices (per person for 1 adult/2 adults) vary with the class of the car: $435/$350 economy class, $495/$380 compact, $525/$395 midsized. You can add up to 5 extra rail and/or car days. Extra rail days are $55 each; car days cost $58 each for economy class, $78 compact, and $88 midsized. You have to reserve the first car day a week before leaving the States, but can make other reservations as you go (always subject to availability). If there are more than two adults, the extra passengers get the car portion free but must buy the 4-day railpass for about $268. * Eurodrive Pass: This is a similar deal, but it's good for Europass countries only (and no add-on zones) and for shorter trips. It's good for 3 rail days and 2 car days within a 2-month period. Prices (per person for 1 adult/2 adults) are $315/$265 economy class, $355/$280 compact, and $370/$290 midsized. You can add up to 9 extra rail days at $42 each, and unlimited extra car days for $55 to $85 each, depending on the class of car. There are also national railpasses of various kinds, regional passes such as ScanRail (Scandinavia), BritRail (covering Great Britain) and the European East Pass (good in Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland). Some types of national passes you have to buy in the U.S., some you can get on either side of the Atlantic, and still others you must purchase in Europe itself. And remember, seniors, students, and youths can usually get discounts on European trains -- in some countries just by asking, in others by buying a discount card good for a year (or whatever). Rail Europe or your travel agent can fill you in on all the details. As for Eurail and it's offshoots, you have to buy them in the U.S. (they are available from some major European train stations, but are up to 50% more expensive). You can buy railpasses from most travel agents, but the biggest supplier is Rail Europe (Phone 800/438-7245; www.raileurope.com), which also sells most national passes save a few minor British ones. My recommendation is to contact Rick Steve's Europe Through the Back Door (Phone 425/771-8303; www.ricksteves.com). He sells all Europe-wide and all national railpasses and sends a free video and guide on how to use railpasses with every order. Plus, he doesn't tack on the $10 handling fee all other agencies do. BritRail (Phone 800/BRITRAIL; www.britrail.com/us/ushome.htm) specializes in railpasses in Great Britain, and DER Tours (Phone 800/782-2424; www.dertravel.com) is a Germany specialist that also sells other national passes (except French and British ones). BY CAR Many rental companies grant discounts if you reserve in advance (usually 48 hours) from your home country. Weekly rentals are almost always less expensive than day rentals. Three or more people traveling together can usually get around cheaper by car than by train (even with railpasses). When you reserve a car, be sure to ask if the price includes the EU value-added tax (VAT), personal accident insurance (PAI), collision-damage waiver (CDW), and any other insurance options. If not, ask what these extras will cost, because at the end of your rental they can make a big difference in your bottom line. The CDW -- which at around $10 a day can buy you great peace of mind -- and other insurance may be covered by your credit card if you use the card to pay for the rental; check with the card issuer to be sure. Travel Guard International, 1145 Clark St., Stevens Point, WI 54481-9970 (Phone 800/826-1300; www.travel-guard.com), offers CDW for $5 per day. Avis and Hertz, among other companies, require that you purchase a theft-protection policy in Italy. The main car-rental companies include Avis (Phone 800/331- 1212; www.avis.com), Budget (Phone 800/527-0700; www.budgetrentacar.com/), Dollar (known as Europcar in Europe; Phone 800/800-6000; www.dollarcar.com), Hertz (Phone 800/654-3131; www. hertz.com), and National (Phone 800/227- 7368; www.nationalcar.com). U.S.-based companies that specialize in European car rentals are Auto Europe (Phone 800/223-5555; www.autoeurope.com), Europe by Car (Phone 800/223-1516, 800/252-9401 in California, or 212/581-3040 in New York; www.europebycar.com), and Kemwel Holiday Auto (Phone 800/678- 0678; www.kemwel.com). European drivers tend to be more aggressive than their American counterparts, and gas is generally expensive. Never rent a car just to drive around a European city -- the drivers and traffic patterns can drive anyone crazy, parking is difficult and expensive, and the public transportation is usually excellent anyway. Never leave anything of value in the car overnight, and nothing visible any time you leave the car (this goes doubly in Italy, triply in Naples). MAPS AAA supplies good maps to its members. Michelin maps (Phone 800/ 423-0485) are made for the tourist. The maps rate cities as "uninteresting" (as a tourist destination), "interesting," "worth a detour," or "worth an entire journey." They also highlight in green particularly scenic stretches of road and have symbols pointing out scenic overlooks, ruins, and other sights along the way. BY PLANE Although the train remains the cheapest and easiest way to get around in Europe, air transport options have improved drastically in the last few years. Intense competition with rail and ferry companies has slowly forced airfares into the bargain basement. British Airways and other scheduled airlines now fly regularly from London to Paris for only £75 to £60 ($96 to $136) round-trip, depending on the season. Lower fares usually apply to midweek flights and carry advance-purchase requirements of 2 weeks or so. The biggest airline news in Europe is the rise of the no-frills airline modeled on American upstarts like Southwest. By keeping their overheads down by using electronic ticketing, forgoing meal service, and flying from less popular airports, these airlines are able to offer low, low fares. Budget airlines include Debonair (Phone 44-541/500-300) and EasyJet (Phone 44-1582/700-004; www.easyjet.com) in England; Ryanair (Phone 353/1609-7800) in Ireland; Air Europa (Phone 071/178-191) in Spain; Air One (Phone 39-1478/48-880 or 39-6/488-800; www.air-one.com) in Italy; and Virgin Express (Phone 32-2/752-0505; www.virgin-express.com), an offshoot of Virgin Air, in Belgium. Be aware, though, that the names may change because these small airlines are often economically vulnerable and can fail. Still, as quickly as one disappears, another will take off. Lower airfares are also available throughout Europe on charter flights rather than on regularly scheduled ones. Look in local newspapers to find out about them. Consolidators cluster in cities like London and Athens. 10 Tips on Accommodations Traditional European hotels tend to be simpler, with fewer bells and whistles than American ones. For example, even in the cheapest American chain motel, free cable is as standard as indoor plumbing. In Europe, however, few hotels below the moderate level will even have in-room TVs. European hoteliers have different standards; their hotels tend to emphasize cleanliness and friendliness over amenities. Unless otherwise noted, all hotel rooms in this book have private bathrooms. However, the standard European hotel bathroom may not look like what you're used to. For example, the European concept of a shower is to stick a nozzle in the bathroom wall and a drain in the floor. Shower curtains are optional. In some cramped private baths, you'll have to relocate the toilet paper outside the bathroom before turning on the shower and drenching the whole room. Another interesting bathroom fixture is the "half tub," in which there's only room to sit, rather than lie down. The half tub usually also sports a shower nozzle that has nowhere to hang -- so your knees get very clean and the floor gets very wet. Hot water may be available only once a day and not on demand -- this is especially true with shared baths. Heating water is costly, and many smaller hotels only do it once daily, in the morning. TIPS FOR GETTING THE BEST ROOM AT THE BEST RATE Lodging usually takes the biggest bite out of your vacation budget. Below are some suggestions on how to get the most for your money -- no matter how much you spend. * Check different hotels. Don't assume the first hotel you visit is the best. If you've called around and housing seems tight in town, take a room when you get it. But if rooms seem plentiful in the city, tell the first hotel you'll think about it and head to another one nearby. If you leave your luggage in a train station locker when you hotel hunt, you'll feel (and appear) more able to bargain and hunt effectively. Return to the hotel you liked best and ask for the best price they can offer. * When you get to your hotel, you don't necessarily have to take the first room they show you. Ask to see different ones. Open and close windows to see how well they shut out noise. Peek at the rates posted on the room door (usually there by law) to make sure they agree with the rate you're quoted and the rate that's posted in the lobby. Ask if some rooms are cheaper than others. * Room prices are rarely set, especially in pensiones and mom-and-pop joints. If you're staying 1 night in high season, you'll have to pay the going rate. But for stays in the off-season and for longer than 3 nights, always ask if you can get a discount. Many places offer weekend discounts. * Settle all hotel charges at the outset. You needn't pay in advance, but do agree on the rates, whether breakfast and taxes are included, what phone rates are (remember, never call long distance from the hotel), etc. Also be sure the price they quote you is per room, not per person. * Remember, rooms without baths are cheaper. If you don't mind walking down the hall and sharing a bath, you'll often save considerably. * Ask for rates without breakfast. You might shave $5 to $10 off the room rate. Hotel breakfasts are almost always overpriced and usually just consist of a roll and coffee or tea. You can get the same thing, only much more cheaply, at any corner cafe or bar. USING A HOTEL BOOKING SERVICE When you arrive in town, a desk in either the train station or at the tourist office will act as a central hotel reservations service for the city. Tell them your price range, where you'd like to be in the city, and sometimes even the style of hotel, and they'll use a computer database to find you a room in town. The advantages of booking services are that they do all the room-finding work for you -- for a nominal fee -- and they will always speak English, whereas individual hoteliers may not. When everything's booked up -- during a convention or festival, or perhaps just in high season -- they can often find space for you in hotels that aren't listed in the guidebooks or other main sources. On the downside, hotels in many countries often charge higher rates to people booking through such a service. Phoning Around To make a phone call from the United States to Europe, dial the international access code, 011, then the country code for the country you're calling, then the city code for the city you're calling, then the regular telephone number. For an operator-assisted call, dial 01, then the country code, then the city code, then the regular telephone number; an operator will then come on-line. The following are the codes for the countries and major cities covered in this guide. These are the codes you use to call from overseas or from another European country; if you're calling from within the country, see the "Telephone" entry in the "Fast Facts" section for each city. (Note that Copenhagen and all areas within Monaco have no city code; the code is built into all phone numbers.) Austria 43 Paris 1 Salzburg 662 Germany 49 Vienna Berlin 30 Belgium 32 Munich 89 Brussels 2 Greece 30 The Czech Republic 420 Athens 1 Prague 2 Hungary 36 Denmark 45 Budapest 1 Copenhagen none Ireland 353 England 44 Dublin 1 London 171 or 181 Italy 39 France 33 Florence 055 Nice 4 Rome 06 Venice 041 Spain 34 Monaco 377 Barcelona 3 Monte Carlo none Madrid 1 The Netherlands 31 Sweden 46 Amsterdam 20 Stockholm 8 Portugal 351 Switzerland 41 Lisbon 1 Geneva 22 Scotland 44 Edinburgh 131 The easiest and cheapest way to call home from abroad is with a calling card. On the road, you just dial a local access code -- almost always free -- and then punch in the number you're calling plus the calling-card number (usually your home phone plus a 4-digit PIN). If you're in a non-Touch-Tone country like Italy, just wait for an English-speaking operator, who will put your call through. The "Telephone" entry in the "Fast Facts" for each city gives the AT&T, MCI, and Sprint access codes for that country. Your calling card will probably come with a wallet-sized list of local access numbers in each country. You can also call any one of those companies' numbers to make a collect call as well; just dial it and wait for the operator. When it comes to dialing direct, calling from the U.S. to Europe is much cheaper than the other way around, so whenever possible, have friends and family call you at your hotel rather than you calling them. To dial direct back to the U.S. from Europe, the international access code is often, but not always, 00; the country code of the U.S. is 1; and then you punch in the area code and number. The country code of Australia is 61, Canada is 1, and New Zealand is 64.What Time Is It, Anyway? Based on U.S. eastern standard time, Britain, Ireland, and Portugal are 5 hours ahead of New York City; Greece is 7 hours ahead of New York. The rest of the countries in this book are 6 hours ahead of New York. For instance, when it's noon in New York, it's 5pm in London and Lisbon; 6pm in Paris, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam; and 7pm in Athens. The European countries now observe daylight saving time. The time change doesn't usually occur on the same day or in the same month as in the United States. If you plan to travel to Ireland or continental Europe from Britain, keep in mind that the time will be the same in Ireland and Portugal, 2 hours earlier in Greece, and 1 hour earlier in the other countries in this guide.Train Trip Tips To make your train travels as pleasant as possible, remember a few general rules: * Hold on to your train ticket after it's been marked or punched by the conductor. Some European railroad systems require that you present your ticket when you leave the station platform at your destination. * While you sleep -- or even nap -- be sure your valuables are in a safe place; you might temporarily attach a small bell to each bag to warn you if someone attempts to take it. If you've left bags on a rack in the front or back of the car, consider securing them with a small bicycle chain and lock to deter thieves, who consider trains happy hunting grounds. * Few European trains have drinking fountains and the dining car may be closed just when you're at your thirstiest, so take a bottle of mineral water with you. As you'll soon discover, the experienced European traveler comes loaded with hampers of food and drink and munches away throughout the trip. * If you want to leave bags in a train station locker, don't let anyone help you store them in it. A favorite trick among thieves is feigned helpfulness, then pocketing the key to your locker while passing you the key to an empty one.The Rules of the Road: What You Need to Know to Drive in Europe * Do not ride in the left lane on a four-lane highway; it is truly only for passing. * If someone comes up from behind and flashes their lights at you, it's a signal for you to slow and drive more on the shoulder so that they can pass you more easily (two-lane roads here routinely become three cars wide). * Except for the German autobahn, most highways do indeed have speed limits of around 60 to 80 m.p.h. (100 to 135 kmph) * Remember, everything's measured in kilometers here (mileage and speed limits). For a rough conversion: 1km = 0.6 miles. * That gas may look reasonably priced, but remember the price is per liter (and 3.8 liters = 1 gallon; so multiply by four to guestimate the equivalent per-gallon price). * Drive defensively and carefully, assume the other drivers have a better idea of what they're doing than you do, and take your hints from them. If you call a hotel from home to reserve a room in advance, always follow up with a confirmation fax. Not only is it what most hotels prefer, but it will be printed proof that you've booked a room. When faxing hotels, keep the language simple. State your name, number of people, what kind of room (make sure you say "double with one bed" or "double with two beds"), how many nights you'd like to stay, and the starting date for the first night. Remember: Europeans abbreviate dates day/month/year, not month/day/year. Copyright ©1998 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.