Another guy studying abroad... I've got a few questions...?

Question

Okay so I'm studying abroad with my school in Florence for the spring semester next year. My football team is also going to be going Paris to sightsee and then play a French football club (American football, that is) after the study abroad semester is over. I'm gunning to do both, and earning money likewise.

The only catch is that there's a two to three week difference between the study abroad semester ending and the football team arriving in Paris. The football team has plane tickets included in the cost of the trip, so I'll be able to hitch a ride back to the States with them for much less money than a regular ticket. That and I also want time to see Europe as I like.

The questions I have are:

1.) How expensive is it to live in Europe for that 2 or 3 week time? What are food/hostel costs like?

2.) How should I handle my large luggage after the study abroad has left and I want to travel?

3.) What places live up to their hype, and what don't? Any places tourists normally skip?

Answer 1

"1.) How expensive is it to live in Europe for that 2 or 3 week time? What are food/hostel costs like?"

Budget a minimum of $75 per day, and $100 to be comfortable.

"2.) How should I handle my large luggage after the study abroad has left and I want to travel?"

Ship it home.  The rate for the slowest shipping services are usually not too bad even for heavy boxes.

"3.) What places live up to their hype, and what don't? Any places tourists normally skip?"

London, Paris, Berlin, and Rome definitely live up to the hype.  I'm very interested in history and art, and I like large cities.  But there are so many more great places - Amsterdam, Barcelona, Venice, Bruges, Siena, Salzburg, the Swiss Alps, and the Greek Islands, just to name a few.

I was underwhelmed by Madrid, Athens, and the French Riviera.