I am a 25 year old male just out of grad school and plan to go to Europe for at least a month (mid-May to mid-June). I will be traveling back-pack style. Will start out in London and go from there, via train. Any suggestions on cities/countries, places to stay, what to avoid, and just general good info would be appreciated.

Avoid the train for starters. You can fly to so may parts of the continent for pennies (plus maybe 25 dollars taxes) thatit makes no sense to use a train to go from the UK to anywhere by train. Take a look at ryanair.com, easyjet.com, and numeros other low cost airlines.

Also plan on spending 50% more than you had hoped, and getting 50% less value from your lodging dollars, by your plan not to plan. You'll be taking the rooms no one else wanted, so your travelers will thank you for not having competed for the good rooms in the good locations, at the good prices.

That was more sarcasm (in the second paragraph; the first paragraph was 100% serious and true) - - than you deserved as a newcomer here, but sometimes it just bubbles up out of me - - that young people who an carry out a plan to pursue and complete higher education think that traveling without a plan is somehow compatible with traveling on a budget.

Or take a look at http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34477522

Best wishes,

Rex

I'm going to give the same advice I usually give to backpackers: check the message boards on www.eurotrip.com
, which is mostly used by young americans backpacking in Europe.

Which doesn't mean that you couldn't find many useful advices too on fodors. Though for instance you won't find here many informations about, say, hostels, you'll get plenty of other infos (would you choose to stay in this town rather than this one, how much is the train ride between X and Y, etc...etc...).

Besides, your question is way too general to be answered. Honestly, you could pick any country at random and find more than enough interesting things to see in one month, and plenty of posters could advise you about the highlights of said country (I know, the drawback is : how to choose a country when they *all* seem so interesting. I've been guilty of doing the same thing re Eastern Europe, and really, seriously, I ended up throwing a dart on the map)



At least one comment, though :

Don't try and visit too much places in too short a time, or you'll be dissapointed.

Lonley planet has a really great forum too..check out thorn tree, and chat with other travelers that are trying to travel on the cheap!
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/
For Paris, if you go there, i recommend Auberge de Jeune in the Bastille. I paid $13 euro/night, it was centrally located, and close to a metro stop.
good luck!

Don't ever take out your city map in a busy tourist area and look around in a daze as if you are lost (even if you are). Always walk down the street with a confident air about you. Always keep your essential travel documents and money, credit cards in a neck pouch or money belt worn on your person at all times. If you use a shower in a hostel that is "down the hall", hang the money belt somewhere in the shower stall as long as it doesn't get wet and is in full view of yourself at all times. I know this sounds extreme, but if you are alone, you must decrease the risk of theft.

Yeah, walk down the street with a confident air about you, without a clue of where you are going or what you are seeing. Might as well stay home.

Having a spontaneous itinerary is so contrary to my style, but I have to admit it works pretty well for a lot of young people who backpack through Europe. The best hostels are less likely to have places, but accommodation quality is not a huge consideration compared to how some people prefer spontaneity.

In addition to Lonely Planet and Eurotrip, check out:
http://www.bugeurope.com
http://www.guideforeurope.com

LOL, Rufus.

Take the trains! Read Lonely Planet, either guidebooks or their website. The BB at LP is called Thorn Tree and is active & excellent. Rick Steves, again both guidebooks and website might be useful. Rough Guides and Let's Go series also good resources.

>Always walk down the street with a confident air about you. <

And no one will notice that you are a tourist with a backpack.

Is there a reson why you are starting in London?

I would opt for the train. I did a five week tour of Europe by rail and loved it. You'll need the Thomas Cook Rail Guide. I often booked my hotels at the tourist centers at the train stations after my arrival.I would also suggest you get one of the travel books and/or check the websites suze and others mentioned in order to get some idea of what interests you. It's possible to have an itinerary in mind and still be spontaneous. Good luck and best wishes for a great journey

The train is great; you can sit, relax and plan for the next adventure; read up on the place you're headed and stare out the window to see the great countryside. Take a pen and a mini journal -- jot down places you see that you will want to come back to and explore further one day. If you haven't a lot of money, time your travel, if you have a rail pass, that will take you from one city to the next overnight, so you can sleep on the train, and you don't have to wake up at 3 a.m. or 5 a.m.

Two guidebooks, and they won't weigh you down: Let's Go Europe and the latest Thomas Cook Timetable for trains. Read both before you go -- one for information and ideas on places that will interest you; the other to familiarize yourself with the book itself and to start to plot out where you want to go (it will give you time -- departure and arrival time and how long it will take), type of train, train number and stops along the way). In the front of the book is an international travel section, so you can plot out traveling from one country to the next. There's also an index in the front with info. regarding what map no. to look at from a major city to another.

When sleeping on a train, if you're not in a compartment (i.e. sleeping in your seat), use your day pack as a head rest, and keep all your valuables in it. If you can, bring a small pillow to stick in there as well.

Just like in big cities everywhere, be cautious, don't stress, and don't walk down dark alleys at night unless there's a party going on.

I'll second (or third) the "Let's Go" and "Lonely Planet" travel book and Lonely Planet web site. I would also recommend the train over the plane. You really can't see the countryside from the plane. In a train, you can look out the window and see what you are zipping by.

The other great suggestion above is to book a room at the tourist office at or near the train station. They will find a place for you somewhere. They are great.

In France check the Logis de France chain of hotels. Some are expensive but others are very very inexpensive and all are super clean and have good restaurants.

Camping is another option if you like it. If you do that, get the "Camping and Caravanning Guide" that lists all the campgrounds with location and price.

Please put France on your list of places to visit, and I don't mean just Paris. Get out into the country and really meet the people. It's a beautiful country and the people are wonderful.

Congratulations on your graduation! Good luck and have a great time.