Advice for a european vacation?

Question

I'm in college right now and in 3 years i plan to graduate and go on a 2 month vacation before i start my career (engineering).

I want to go to europe for a about a month,

How would you suggest i plan.

Europe: Should i book hotel stays in advance of the travel route i choose. or just stay as i go, and travel as i please. I mean i will have a month in europe to explore and i don't want to feel tied down to a routine. Is either choice going to save me money.

I plan to buy a train pass once i'm there.

What is a "hostel" and how do they work. Whats the price difference to hotels.

I like privacy. I hear hostels are a lot different than hotels.

I am an inexperienced traveler and want this trip to be fun and well planned so i don't run into many problems.

ANY ADVICE ON PLANNING SUCH A HUGE TRIP??

Answer 1

If you want to travel in three years, this is the time to dream about all the places you would like to visit.

Read up about the countries/continents you have in mind, and enjoy the thought that you can go and see some of them.

Do not bother with practicalities yet. Next year or even the year after is soon enough to make real plans about where to go.

Hostels are hotels where you can share a bedroom with several others, but they also have private rooms sometimes.

The best thing about hostels is that they often have a kitchen where you can do your own cooking, if you want, and that you will meet a lot of other people traveling, either in the rooms or in the general area.

In hotels people more often do their own thing, hardly talking to others.

Prices in hostels and hotels differ greatly, even in one town, but certainly all over Europe.

There are cheap hotels that do not cost much more than hostels, sometimes even less, there are expensive hostels that cost the same as the hotels in the same area. But on average, the hostels are cheaper than hotels.

A good book to read now is Europe through the backdoor by Rick Steves, he has a lot of good info, you can find some of that info on his site: http://www.ricksteves.com/

While traveling I like the Lonely Planet series better, they also have a site with a lot of info: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/

And start saving money, whatever you plan and wherever you go, it is going to cost you a lot of money.

Answer 2

Go to MACEDONIA! http://www.visitmacedonia.com.mk/

Answer 3

Right now, I would make a list of the KIND of places you want to visit and put that up on this site. Ask people what cities match that description.

Also you want a budget. you already have how long you want to be travel which is good! REMEMBER CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATES!! and they will change from now until the time you travel (also don't change your money over in airports!! go to AAA and get traveler's checks if you can. those are pretty safe. My family has used traveler's checks for YEARS)

Also you need to make sure your passport is valid (meaning have one that is current and not expired!!). Since you are traveling for fun I take it, you shouldn't have to worry about visas. Your passport should do. Better to make sure with the countries you pick just in case though. Just go to google and type in the country. They generally all have official websites and visitor information will tell you if a formal visa is needed.

As far as where to stay. Hotels can get expensive. Backpacking is fun, but I would certainly go with a HUGE group of people then and stay in a hostel.

Hostels are different, but are basically the same as college life. Your typical hostel will be a big room with bunks in it where everyone sleeps, and community bathrooms (of course seperate bathrooms for boys and girls. Some times even seperate bunk rooms for boys and girls). I stay in hotels, but that is because I don't pay for the trips and neither did my father when he traveled.

So budget determines where you stay really.

If you need anymore answers just email me back or something. My expertise mainly is in England, Scotland, Ireland, US, and Canada, but my dad has been on everywhere (except Antarctica and the North Pole).