Going to Europe? This is what you will need.
PHYSICAL PREPARATION & SECURITY
As a Senior, months before I leave on a trip, I think about my physical condition.
Knowing more pictures are going to be taken than ever, and I want to make a scrapbook afterward, so I usually try to lose a few pounds.
I also increase my walking time, knowing I need to be able to climb steps and walk 3-4 miles a day. So, we bought a Treadmill!
But I know that this is just one of the many to-dos on my travel checklist. There are several more.
Security Considerations:
RFID Blockers.
(RFID is a radio frequency ID that allows others to use the information instilled on your credit cards, etc.)
You will need protection for your credit cards, especially those with chips, and for your passports.
There are two ways to go about this:
1. Buy the sleeves to encase your passport and credit cards.
2. Or buy RFID-protected wallets and purses.
Purses: For Women
Wallets: For Men.
Ron has an RFID wallet, but we also has sleeves for our credit cards and passports that we can remove from his wallet and put them in a neck pouch or money belt for Europe.
Luggage and Luggage Locks.
Next on our international travel checklist is possibly new luggage. We always evaluate based on the last trip and what is new. We have learned to take less and less clothing, etc.
New Luggage.
If you have older versions of luggage, chances are they do not have locks. Locks are a great way to feel secure when you leave your luggage with the hotel, or just while traveling.
Neck Pouches and/or Money Belts.
I prefer neck pouches to money belts and wear one when I am in high-risk areas. To use, I can either go up through my shirt or down through my neck.
I carry my passport and money there, and also one credit card. Having the cord visible has never been a problem.
Some prefer a money belt wearing it inside the front of a pair of pants. Again, even passports fit here, money, and a credit card.
Men: Money belts.
Women: Crossbody purse. (See below). Get a crossbody purse you can keep your hand on it in high-risk areas, such as the Trevi Fountain in Rome.
Consider the width of the strap and the access you have to credit cards, etc. (Are your cards easily accessible to others, or just to you?).
If you prefer a travel backpack, make sure your money and cards are not easily accessible, and switch it to the front when surrounded by lots of people.
My favorite crossbodies are from Baggalini and are easily wearable for hours at a time, even when eating, leaving hands free. (See above)
This is my current favorite because it has room for my sunglasses and interior RFID-protected credit card pockets with a wide strap that would be hard to slash.
Other Documents.
International Driver’s License.
Are you going to be driving in a foreign country? Then you need an International Driver’s License. They are easy to get at your local chapter of the AAA (American Automobile Association–You don’t have to be a member). The cost is minimal for the hassles they could save you with the police.
Passports.
Be sure your passport is up to date (it will not expire for 6 months). You may decide to get a passport holder.
Take a COPY of your passport with you to carry on your person when out and about. Store the real one in a secure spot, like the hotel safe, or somewhere pickpockets cannot get to it.
If you buy anything of value, you will need your passport copy to get the VAT tax refund (a tax for European residents only) paperwork.
Cash.
Prior to your departure we want to exchange US dollars for Euros that are used throughout Europe. When we land we need Euros.
There is an exchange rate charged by your bank, but it is minimal. We usually do this some 2 weeks prior since it takes the bank 3-4 days to order your Euros. We usually get around 500 Euros.
Debit Cards.
We have a separate debit card for travel that does not directly link to our main account. We are able to transfer money electronically, preferably from a bank, but if stolen, it does not allow hackers to access our main account.
This was recommended to me by a professor who travels abroad with students frequently.
Credit Cards.
We suggest bringing one or two max. If you lose one (which happened to our friends in Florence), you are not out of business.
Just be sure that if you do lose one, the other one stays activated. Sometimes security services block all when one is lost (This happened to our friends too and they had to call the company right away.)
Be sure to call your credit card companies before you leave to alert them that you will be in Europe, tell them which countries you will be traveling to or they may block access.
Phones.
Consult your phone company to see what their international plan is.
For example, we opted for our carrier’s $10/day charge. For each 24-hour period that we used our phones, it was $10 for unlimited texts and calls. So if you are gone 10 days and use the phone for two of them, you are charged $20.
They also have other options as well. Do not answer any calls or respond to texts you do not want to be charged for.
Turn off Data Roaming when you get on the plane to Europe! If you forget and search for that restaurant you can’t find, it can cost you up to $200 for just a few minutes. That’s what it cost us when we were in a pinch to find a hotel and the GPS on the car was not cooperating.
Loyalty Programs.
Sign up for a hotel and an airline loyalty program. You are spending a lot of money and traveling a lot of miles. Consider from now on accumulating miles on one airline and accumulating stays with one hotel chain.
For us, it’s United Mileage Plus and Hilton Honors because when Ron worked and traveled, he stayed loyal to those companies.
He now has over a million miles accumulated with United which gives us Economy Plus seats, at the least, and 70 lbs. weight on 2 pieces of luggage. We are still using the Hilton points for free hotel stays.
(Ron: I have to say, most of our travel points are used up after 5 trips to Italy!). 🙁
Book Ahead.
Book ahead of the following if you are using: (More info. on this on the individual destinations)
Airlines (of course!)—
Hotels (a must!) –
Rental Cars (a must!) –
Trains, even Restaurants. –
Tours – (Viator) –
Tours – (GetYourGuide)
We suggest using American companies if you are coming from the USA. That way if you have a problem, you can contact them easily from home.
Rental Cars.
We like to use DiscoverCars. Be specific about what kind of car (manual or automatic) and size you need.
(Traveling with two couples and all the luggage warranted a larger car, and we were the only ones at the pick-up place in Civitavecchia, Italy, who had the larger car waiting).
When you pick up your car be sure to take photos with your phone on both sides and the front and back. Take pictures again, more importantly, when you return the car.
You need to be prepared, especially if someone or the company says there were dents/scratches when you returned the car later on. You may need proof.
GPS is a must because you cannot use the GPS on your phone unless you get a special GPS Sim Card for Europe.
Check on your US car insurance policy before you leave, because it may not cover you in Europe and you may need to pay more for insurance.
Tours! (see the 2 companies above)
When you have time to plan before your trip, compare tour companies and offers. Don’t spend your time on the trip doing this. See Destinations for more suggestions.
Tickets! (the two companies above for Tours)
Want to see David in Florence? Visit La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona? St. Mark’s in Venice? Book online! Have the paper tickets in your travel bag. This will save you hours and hours and dollars and dollars.
Other Travel Basics.
Shots and Medications.
Check with your doctor before you leave and make sure your immunizations are up to date. Do you need Hepatitis shots? A COVID Test? Are you immune to measles? etc. etc.
Be sure you have all medications in your possession at all times. (Do not pack them in your checked luggage.). I use a numbered slim medication folder from Lewis n Clark that doesn’t take up as much room as bringing bottles.
If you like US brands like Tylenol or Advil, get them ahead. You will not find them in Europe, even at the airports. I tried the Italian Tylenol equivalent and my stomach didn’t appreciate it.
Some insurance plans (like Kaiser) have a Travel Clinic that will advise you on what to eat and not to eat for the areas you are visiting and advisories you may not be aware of.
Electrical Considerations.
The EU uses a different voltage (220) than the US (110) and requires an adapter for your US appliances.
A lot of today’s appliances are dual voltage, so check to see if yours are. We bring individual voltage converters and also a multi-plug converter (Universal International Power Adapter) that allows us to plug in all our cells and ipads in one plug. This allows us to use this at home and abroad, by changing the type of plug needed.
Warning: Even with this, you may find that your hair curler or hot rollers burn out.
This has happened to me once and to my friend once. Bring a spare set of rollers or some other way to style your hair. Just in case, I don’t leave any computer or hair device plugged in for longer than needed.
Finally, make sure your Mirrorless Camera has enough: batteries, lenses, Carrying Cases for your successful trip. I know, … ‘iPhone photography’! But not me!
That should just about cover most of what you might want to know about ‘your needs’ as you travel to Europe.
When you are prepared, you will enjoy every minute much more!
Other Posts that you may be interested in:
10 Unforgettable Things to do in Portofino in 1 day
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