KTtravel

I met a young woman recently who was traveling briefly for the first time in Europe to visit her boyfriend stationed in Germany. She was asking me for advice about future travels and, of course, I thought of this website. I am wondering, however, if anyone knows of sites that might also appeal to a younger traveler? I got the feeling that her family has never traveled and she is a bit intimidated by the whole process but wants to expand her horizons. Any suggestions?

thursdaysd

Sadly, Lonely Planet's Thorntree forum no longer exists, but you could suggest their guide books. Rough Guide's "First-Time Europe" is a bit old, but might help, as might Rick Steves' "Europe Through the Back Door".

I might also suggest doing a tour or two with Intrepid: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/us/europe

If she is based in the US she might visit Montreal and/or Quebec for practice.

hetismij2

My advice would be slow down, smell the roses, relax, take time to recover from the stresses of work. Fly as little as possible, think of the future and the climate. It is your future, your climate. We have screwed up, you don't have to continue that pattern.

bvlenci

When I was youngish, Let's Go was my indispensable travel guide. The internet has taken over the travel information scene, and Let's Go was a shadow of its former self before Covid dealt it the death blow. They still have a web site, but the last article was written in November 2019. Sic transit gloria mundi.

I've had issues with both the Rough Guide and Lonely Planet. I have several times used the Guide Routard, which is the French (somewhat more sophisticated and upscale) equivalent of the old Let's Go. Unfortunately they don't seem to have English versions of their guides. (I bought the Italian versions.) If you can understand French, they're an excellent source, and they do have a forum. I checked out their forum for Rome and it seemed like a reliable source for information.
https://www.routard.com/comm_forum_de_voyage.asp

I have an extensive library of guidebooks, but I rarely buy one anymore. I now rely mostly on the internet. I still like the DK Eyewitness guides for helping me decide where to go; they have abundant gorgeous photos, but they're a little thin on practical information.

Before I had ever been to Europe, I was greatly inspired by Rick Steves' Europe through the Back Door. A lot of people sneer at Rick, but he has some great advice and encouragement for the novice. I wouldn't necessarily recommend slavishly following his itineraries, because too many other people do, and he doesn't necessarily offer many alternatives. His style is a bit hurried, two days and rush away to the next destination. He does have a travel forum; I can't judge it, because I haven't followed it.
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-forum

Tripadvisor also has some decent forums, but best consulted for specific destinations. They are likely to have residents of your planned destination who are frequent posters in the forum for that place. If you have a specific question about Rome, for example, you're likely to get a quick and knowledgeable answer in the TripAdvisor Rome forum.

bilboburgler

my advice would be to not tick off sights, just choose a nice place and relax into it. To vacation should not be an active verb.

this does not mean you should avoid physical exercise or hard mental work. But learn to look and see (two different things) where you are.

Christina

Are you in contact with this person to give her advice?

I was in that situation once as my family never traveled abroad and I didn't come from a wealthy background or area where anyone did. In fact, i had never been on a plane before age 21. I had only done some road trips in the US and once to Toronto by car.

I just started with a couple group tours, of course this was back in the day when there was no internet and you couldn't even easily book stuff yourself, see options, etc., even regular air tickets were usually sold through a travel agency. I really enjoyed those tours, actually, you have to pick them wisely in terms of budget/free time, etc. I found that if you pick budget tours,you sort of automatically get a wider range of people. Mine were not only for young people,but there was a good mix. Of course I realize that too has probably changed with the internet so the type of people taking tours may differ. Anyway, once you travel some (mine had lots of free time so I did do stuff on my own),you sort of learn a little about how to do stuff, book trains, find out maps and things to do, local public transportation, etc. Then it isn't so scary once you've actually been other places.

I would also start small and not too complex itineraries in a lot of countries that involve lots of changes and bookings and travel, and one should start in areas more amenable to English speakers, of course, if you don't know another language. And I would not go off the beaten track to rent cars, etc. There are so many places you can go in Europe easily and use trains where you can easily get by. Germany, Switzerland, UK obviously, France Spain, well any major city probably in Western Europe.

I think Rough Guides, etc guidebooks are good for reviewing, also. They did have guidebooks I used a lot when younger, of course. I liked Frommers a lot, actually, I find Rough Guides and Lonely Planet hit or miss as to whether I think they are better than something simple like Frommers. I never used Rick Steves, but he does some countries a lot better than others, I think. I think he does Austria pretty well, I think he likes those middle countries better. He does have a lot of basic how-to's though about train travel, etc., which are worth looking at.

KTtravel

Thanks, Cristina. I am in contact with this young lady and have already sent her some suggestions. I recommended she check out some Rick Steves books and told her about the Forum here. I also gave her the website my son uses to book hostels.

It sounds like her boyfriend is stationed in Germany so she will be visiting him and taking short trips from there. I suggested train travel and public transportation and some places to first visit in Germany. She teaches art and is very interested in museums so I went on (and on) about museums I have enjoyed.

It was fun meeting a travel "newbie" who I think will flourish once she gains confidence.

elberko

Rick Steves has a forum, and travel newbies are welcome there.
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-forum

suze

Yes I'd say Rick Steves is the best we've got for Europe these days. While I adore Fodor's people here are pretty much all much older, so not sure a younger person will find what they need, except for some basics (plane, train, money, etc.). Yes truly too bad we lost Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree forums.

What I'd try to steer her away from is getting too into Instagram, TikTok, blogs/vblogs. Social media has a lot of truly bad advice out there -lol- that might look appealing at a glance.

A good old-fashioned all-Europe guidebook is a good idea. Or a pile of different ones if they can get them from the library for free.

november_moon

I too came from a family that didn't travel. There just wasn't a lot of money to do so. We did thinks like camping and renting cabins, and visiting family for our vacations.

I agree with others that reading guidebooks like Rick Steves is a great way to start. Pick some place to go, buy a plane ticket, and go. Germany is a GREAT place to travel for a newbie. It's so easy there.

kleeblatt

My advice:
- get your electronics organized and think about Wi-Fi.
- use Google to research places. Reddit and various blogs are often just as good as TripAdvisor and Fodor’s.
- think about public transportation and the best general transportation pass for their plans.
- layers of clothing and practical shoes
- Layout a plan but be flexible. Keep the weather and its consequences in mind.
- Check out the local festivals
-get to know Google translate
- upload transportation apps and learn how to use Google maps and map.me
- upload WhatsApp for quick communication through text messaging. We don’t really use normal texting here.
- FB has some great groups that provide info on certain areas as well
- Ask the locals if in doubt. Most younger people speak some English and enjoy having the opportunity to practice it.

Personally, I’d think like a st Francis Way pilgrim and pack accordingly. Less is better.

KTtravel

"I’d think like a st Francis Way pilgrim and pack accordingly. Less is better." Love that!

shelemm

Go with a 'whatever' attitude. You will run into language barriers or vastly different systems and customs and ways of life. Enjoy everything. You will run into difficulties, so take everything as a source of amusement or interesting stories to tell people when you get back. If you get back.

I mean, you might enjoy it so much you stay.

Seamus

IMO, the travel primer for total newbies should include
Air transportation options:

• Always best to book directly with the airline. Use resources like Google travel or even sites like Expedia/Orbitz to search itineraries, but book with the airline.
• Being flexible with dates can save on airfare. So can choosing specific airports.
• When comparing airfares, take into consideration possible additional fees such as for seat assignments or checked bags.
• Remember the multi city option - fly into one place, return from another
• Get to the airport in plenty of time to complete check in and clear security

Packing

• Plan on layers as weather can be variable.
• Easy fabrics - cotton, knits are best. Roll, don't fold them. Use packing cubes.
• You do not need a new ensemble for every day. Choose pieces you can mix and match, and staying in one color group makes it easier.
• Two pair of shoes should be enough - alternate days wearing them.
• You can never have too many zip lock bags. Always put any liquids in zip lock bags.
• Do not pack full size shampoo/cosmetic creams - you can buy at your destination.
• Go with carry on only if possible.

Itinerary planning

• Research schedules (hours, closure days) and admission requirements (advance tickets available? Are tickets for timed entry?) for sites you wish to visit. Do some research before purchasing from third party vendors
• Be prepared to wait in line at popular sites
• Can be helpful to divide the day into blocks - morning activity, relaxing lunch, afternoon activity, brief freshening up, relaxed dinner. Don't over-schedule.
• Research local transport options - metro, bus, train.
• Have a plan but be prepared to flex as needed.

Oh, and make a couple color copies of your passport front pages. Carry one of them with you, leave your passport in hotel safe.

The mention of BF being "stationed" in Germany suggest he is in the military. Most military installations in Germany will have Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs to help plan and enjoy travel in the host country. BF should make some inquiries.

Sassafrass

You are already getting such good practical advice, I would add that for first trips, have an itinerary planned before booking flights. Be cautious of booking flights that look like great deals, but go to a place in which you have no interest, and you then have to spend extra money and waste time for travel and possibly for more hotel nights to get to the places you want to visit. Also, get some big wall maps to begin to appreciate locations of cities, sizes of countries and countries in relation to others. That is fun too.

Where to go is sometimes a big question. Personal ideas for choosing first trips: I too was an Art major. The first places I visited were meccas for artists: Paris and Amsterdam, then Rome and Florence. I was also passionate about Greek and Roman architecture. The Greek temples in Agregento just about brought me to my knees in joy. So, my advice is to start with at least one place that would feed into a personal passion. Maybe it is food or hiking or mountains and not Art. Whatever it is, find that. Make it a focal point and see what else there is that works with it. Or, choose one or two places that are easy, but exciting. I find Rome to be really easy to navigate, more so than Paris or even London. Add nearby places for day trips. The more you travel, the more you will read about and find new places to go.

Since she is an art teacher, she should seriously consider doing some student trips to Europe to start. If she teaches elementary school, she could do it for other teachers. Choose a good company. Choose one of their itineraries to one country. Don’t choose one that chases all over Europe with too much bus time. Advertise it to other teachers and students. Check school rules. She might have to handle advertising and planning outside of school time, making sure it is not marketed as a school authorized trip. The company will help with all of this. Once it is booked, the company does everything else, transportation, hotels, tours, etc. and she goes at discounted cost or free for her work. It is a good way to get her feet wet. Spring trips to France and Italy are popular. Ireland, Greek Islands and Spain are also popular. This is a lot of work and not without aggravation. Looking after teens on a trip is a job. I did it only a few times, but some of my fellow teachers absolutely loved doing it and did two trips a year, every year, one during Spring break and one during Summer. Some teachers paired up, planning and doing trips together.

Generally, the only civilians authorized to use any base facilities are employees on the base or family members of military personnel. Both the USO and MWR facilities are funded in part by Sponsors, who are donating to these organizations for the benefit of military and their families and legalities prohibit those funds from use for unauthorized civilians. As simply a GF, this young lady will likely not have access to any of those benefits and must be accompanied by her sponsor at all times on base, so she, unfortunately cannot even come and go at will. I assume this young lady’s BF knows all the rules. Unless he is on leave during her visit, it would be better to get a room off base so she can tour or do whatever she wants in free time.

Fodorite018

I did not travel much internationally growing up, it was either a quick drive to Mexico or a quick drive to Canada, but not what I would call real travel. I had less than a weeks notice for my first trip, so I went with minimal knowledge, and had two young children with me, but I managed. Even on that trip, I found that I like faster travel instead of staying in one place and relaxing. I am still like that. For me, it would be h*ll to stay put for more than a few days. I mention this only because this may or may not apply to the young traveler and don't think one style is better than another. That person will figure out what she likes best.

Seamus gives excellent practical information, IMO, and Sassafrass mentions some good things about MWR and USO etc. We were a military family and those were excellent resources for us. We used the USO in Rome for a tour of the Vatican and that was excellent.

Sassafrass

I think that I indicated that this young lady cannot use the USO or MWR. She is not eligible as a civilian. As simply a GF, she has no Italy status.

Fodorite018

Sassafrass--Yes, that is correct. I am saying that the two fo them could use it together though.

kleeblatt

And, as always, beware of pickpockets. They can ruin a great vacation.

suze

I think some of the current internet sights that appeal and include travel for young people are not necessarily the best for actually planning (youtube, Instagram, TikTok, etc.).

Have her come her herself onto Fodor's. Have her read and sign up on Trip Advisor forums. And read thru Rick Steve's.