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If you are yourself driving around Europe it is important to make sure that you, and your vehicle, are properly insured. This is usually a pretty easy thing to do as holiday insurances are now far more prevalent and easy to obtain and many vehicle insurers will offer Europe wide cover for no extra cost. That said you should still check with your providers that you are covered in the countries that you are planning to visit.

On top of this it may be worth checking that you are covered in any countries that you might be visiting by mistake on your round trips in Europe. With the open border policy that is in effect throughout much of Europe it is very easy to suddenly find yourself in a country that you weren’t expecting to be in. Many of the motorways you are going to go on during your round trips in Europe (in Danish rundrejser i Europa) will cross over borders with little warning and it is easy to find yourself in Belgium when you thought you were in France or Holland.

Just because you have insurance and you didn’t have to show a passport it doesn’t mean that you don’t need to pay road tax for some of the countries in Europe. Whilst many countries do not require visitors to purchase a road tax certificate, some do. Austria and Hungary are classic examples of this fact and if you are caught without the correct tax certificate you could find yourself on the receiving end of a hefty fine.

There are some fantastic bus tours that can be taken throughout Europe and the Christmas Markets in Germany or a Wine tour of France can be an extremely enjoyable experience. It is important to realize that travel times can, however, be quite lengthy and it is better to wear sufficiently comfortable clothing to make the journey enjoyable. If you are travelling by bus to see the Opera in Vienna then leave the posh dress in your luggage until you arrive, you will have a far more pleasant journey.

River cruises along the many amazing waterways of Europe are a great way to see the continent at a relaxing pace and rivers such as the Danube offer some wonderful cultural experiences. However, just because you are on a river it doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t suffer any effects of motion sickness. It is extremely unlikely that you will experience any turbulence that could compare with ocean travel, but just the gentle motion of the boat can upset some people. So make sure that you have some sort of sea sickness medication just in case. It would be a terrible thing if your holiday were to be ruined because of an easily avoidable illness.

The post Round Trips in Europe – Things to Consider appeared first on Europe Explored.

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Prepare Your Passport

The first part of getting into Europe for the first time is to make sure you have your passport ready. It’s best to make sure that you have your passport renewed as early as possible. This includes having your passport valid for at least six months after the date that you get into Europe.

Check on Foreign Exchange Fees

There are a number of different foreign exchange fees that you might have to deal with when using credit cards or other financial instruments in Europe. This is often used to pay for the process of converting funds in your native currency into funds that are in the currency of the country that you are trying to pay for something in.

The foreign exchange fee that you might have to pay off could be worth about two or three percent of the value of whatever you are buying. You need to check your credit card company to see what you would have to pay when getting your fee.

Consider Driving Points

It’s a good idea to think about the way how you might drive on the left side of the road in some countries. You might even have to drive your car by sitting on the right side of the vehicle instead of the left.

Fortunately, most parts of Europe involve driving on the right side of the road. You’d have to go on the left side of the road if you were in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta, Cyprus or the Isle of Man.

Watch for Tipping

Tipping people who serve you is always a good idea. However, the value of the tip that you can give to someone in Europe might be smaller than what you’d be used to pay off.

You might be able to get away with paying a tip that’s only five or ten percent in value. You might want to talk with locals in the area to see what you should be paying if only to at least see what you could be getting.

Adapt to the Culture

The final tip is to make sure that you adapt to the culture of whatever spot it is you are getting into. Every country has its own interesting things relating to what people do. For example, people in England drink more tea than what you might expect to find where you live. Meanwhile, wine is much more popular in France and Italy than where you might live in.

You have to make sure you are using the right ideas when traveling into Europe for the first time. It’s to give you an idea of what you could be getting out of a trip in the area.

This article is written by Pritam Nagrale who writes about traveling on his blog PNR Status Check. He is a travel freak from India.

The post 5 Best Tips for Travelling for the First Time in Europe appeared first on Europe Explored.

But when you are moving from place to place and exploring new cities it also means you have to keep all your precious items on your person.

This, of course, is like a huge flashing beacon to potential thieves and pick pockets, who have a keen eye for tourists and know what sort of valuables they have on them.

Now it needs to be said that muggings in busy tourist places are rare and it should never stop you from travelling. But it is a fact of life that the tourist dollar makes you of great interest to certain locals.

But if you are sensible and aware of your surroundings you can lower the chances of losing you most prized possessions.

For starters a money belt is a great way of keeping cash, traveller’s cheques, passport and other small but vital items safe. It can sit underneath your beltline hidden from view but close enough so you know where it is.

If possible though try not to reveal it in public – its greatest strength is the fact it is hidden. Thieves know tourists where money belts too, but they don’t want to go round checking down everyone’s trousers to see! If they see you fiddling around with your belt they will assume you have something valuable to keep and may target you.

If you absolutely have to retrieve items such as bank cards from your wallet go to a public toilet or somewhere else where you can take out things in private.

Then when you have arrived at your hotel or hostel, place items such as your passport either in a locker or behind reception. Most London hotels have a safe in each room or at least one in the office behind reception for such items.

Then when you head out exploring take only the amount of cash you need for the day. If you aren’t sure, or want to keep a bank card with you just in case, keep small bills in a pocket for things such as drinks, bus tickets etc.. and your bank card safely tucked away.

Sites such as hotels.com give a description of the area you are travelling to so it pays to read up on area where it may not be safe for tourists to go, again lessening the chances of you being a victim as well as giving you the chance to get the most out of your travels.

You are free then enjoy the wonders of travelling without the hassle of dealing with missing valuables.

The post European Travel tips – The money belt appeared first on Europe Explored.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Hunter-Desportes

European E20 route passes through Öresund Bridge as well, which is important connection between Scandinavia and Central and Western Europe. But not only the bridge is interesting here. Another part of this route is a well-built tunnel under the sea that ensures better navigation and transportation network for the ships. The long tunnel permits fleets of large cargo boats, passenger ships and speed boats steer safely through this extended tunnel.

On Öresund Bridge you will pass the borders but thanks to Schengen Agreement there are usually no passport inspections.

View Öresund Bridge – the longest road and rail bridge in Europe – between Sweden and Denmark in a larger map

The Architect of the bridge is Georg Rotne who designed several important bridges throughout the world. Öresund Bridge is 7,845 meters long and up to 23.5 meters wide and today it serves to more than 17,000 road vehicles every day.

If you visit Sweden or Denmark in the future, you have to make a trip by train or car through this unique bridge and tunnel. It is really very impressive!

View Öresund Bridge – the longest road and rail bridge in Europe – between Sweden and Denmark in a larger map

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