Preparing To Travel To Europe ? Four Important To-Dos

You have your tickets, your hotel or vacation rental reservations, passports are up to date, and you are ready to go. Not yet! Here are four important things to add to your preparation list:

1. Prepare Your Bank

Exchanging money in Europe is usually easiest and least expensive through an automated teller machines in Europe. Be careful to withdraw using your bank ATM card rather than your credit card. If you use your credit card for withdrawing cash, you may find yourself taking out a high interest loan.

Must dos with your bank:

  • Check to see what charges your bank imposes for use of your bank card for currency exchange; there are a few that impose stunningly high charges, so know ahead and prepare or be shocked when you see your statement.
  • Change your PIN to four numbers, some automated tellers, such as those in Italy, accept only four number PINs, not letters (i.e. there are no letters printed on the keypad, so if you think of your PIN in terms of letters, there may be some mental gymnastics when you are coping with a lot of other things, too).
  • Advise your bank that you will be traveling in Europe so when their fraud detection software notes transactions in multiple countries in a short period of time, it doesn't block them waiting for you to respond to a phone call to your home.
  • If you have a withdrawal limit on your card, ensure it is adequate for your travel needs. If you have to make a lot of small withdrawals, you can rack up lots of little per-transaction service and exchange charges.

2. Safeguard Your Documents

Photocopy your passports and airline tickets and stick them in a few places in case something gets lost and you need to recover. Ensure some of those places are in your carry-ons.

A high tech way to keep track of your passport info and other important documents in case of loss is to scan them in and email the scanned document to yourself at an email address you can access from anywhere. For example, one of our guests in an apartment in Florence found herself locked out of her apartment, so she went to a nearby internet point, retrieved the electronic copy of her apartment information from her email and made the call to be let back in.

3. Buy a Good Map

If you are visiting only major cities, your guide books and the inexpensive maps you can obtain at tourist offices will be all you need. But, if you are driving, you need a good, detailed regional map.

If you wait till you get to the region you are visiting, I guarantee that you will waste time looking for your map and the only one you will be able to find for your region will be in Swedish. A map of the whole country is not detailed enough for driving, get a regional map.

4. Buy a New Guidebook

Be sure to take recently published guidebooks with you. Sights open and close, hours change, phone numbers change, and they move things around in museums. You will experience frustration and lose time if you take an old guidebook; take my word for it.

To avoid having to carry a whole book, pull out and take just the pages for the places you will visit. You can do this for the trip and for the day.

Don't count on finding a good guidebook when you arrive. I find the English language guides published in non-English countries are often hard to read and filled with stuffy direct translations from the original language.

Pat Byrne is the president of Excellent Europe (http://www.excellenteurope.com) a company that selects exceptional vacation rentals in Italy. She is also the author of the Kids Europe Italy Discovery Journal (http://www.excellenteurope.com) a resource book, journal, and guide just for kids traveling in Italy that has over 500 ideas for free and fun activities in Italy.

home sanitizing services Deerfield ..
In The News:

Using email aliases for online shopping and subscriptions can protect your privacy by preventing companies from linking your activity across websites.
New research shows AI overlap does not equal job replacement, with knowledge-based roles seeing most integration while physical jobs remain least affected.
Scammers target seniors who avoid social media by exploiting public records like obituaries and real estate filings to steal personal information and money
Recovery team in Italy use AI-enabled drones to detect missing hiker's red helmet, leading to successful recovery after months of ground searches
Google Salesforce system breach exposes business data while scammers use incident to target users with fake security calls and phishing attempts.
Google announces Pixel 10 lineup with Tensor G5 chip and Gemini Nano AI, introducing Magic Cue, Pro Res Zoom up to 100x and satellite emergency support features.
C San Diego study reveals 86% of school safety companies monitor students 24/7 on personal devices, raising privacy concerns.
Users can now add their favorite outlets' coverage to the Top Stories section of Google search results by utilizing the 'preferred sources' feature. With just a few clicks, you can add Fox News.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS shows an unexpected frontal glow that Harvard's Avi Loeb says cannot be explained by sunlight reflection or standard cometary outgassing.
Receiving order confirmations for purchases you never made could mean your email address is being exploited in fraud operations targeting multiple retailers.
First wireless brain implant works with Apple's official protocol, enabling hands-free control of iPhones, iPads and Vision Pro through thought alone.
Data brokers sell personal details that scammers use to target retirement funds through fake financial advisor calls and convincing phishing attempts
Ten innovative tech solutions from gait sensors to smart pill dispensers help adults 65+ track fall risks and prevent injuries before they happen.
Meta AI internal documents revealed chatbots were allowed to flirt with children and engage in romantic conversations until the company was exposed by Reuters.
ChatGPT will avoid giving direct mental health advice under new OpenAI rules following instances where the AI model provided harmful or misleading responses.
Your phone tracks you in more ways than that little GPS icon suggests. Here’s how to find and clear hidden location logs on iPhone and Android.
Authorities in France and the Netherlands have been notified. Meanwhile, impacted customers are being told to stay alert.
Apple just rolled out a redesigned Blood Oxygen feature to specific models, following a recent victory in a legal dispute.
Kidney dialysis provider DaVita experienced a ransomware breach by the Interlock gang affecting 916,000 people in the second-largest U.S. healthcare attack of 2025.
A Chinese-made Unitree R1 robot walked Manhattan streets and shopped for shoes as part of KraneShares' $28 million AI robotics fund promotion campaign.
The ShinyHunters cybercriminal group breached Google's Salesforce system through vishing attacks, stealing business contact details and customer data.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Researchers turn 4.5 trillion discarded cigarette butts annually into sustainable road construction material, reducing litter and improving asphalt performance.
A security flaw in Google Workspace's Gemini AI enables cybercriminals to manipulate email summaries with invisible commands that bypass current protections.

Pigeon Forge Cabins

Pigeon Forge is rapidly becoming one of the major tourist... Read More

Finding the Right Home Rental in Lake Tahoe

There are a few patterns to consider when looking for... Read More

Vacationing in South Carolina?s Hilton Head

Families have flocked to Hilton Head, South Carolina as long... Read More

Pigeon Forge Cabin Rentals

Cabin rental in Pigeon Forge are one of the city's... Read More

What You Need to Know about Vacation Rentals before You Go

That time of the year is finally here. You know... Read More

European Car Rental - Top Ten Tips for Europe Travel - Tip #6: Location Location Location

For most of us, the basis of a car rental... Read More

Vacation Getaways and Healthy Living Tips

Going away on a vacation brings numerous benefits. It refreshes... Read More

An Overview of the Gatlinburg Cabins

Originally founded in the early 1800s as White Oaks, Gatlinburg... Read More

Apartments are Good for Your Health

Work-rate, health and even personal relationships may be affected if... Read More

Cheap Family Vacations

The real secret to cheap family vacations is to be... Read More

Why Visit Magical Cape Town?

People often ask me why we keep returning year after... Read More

Vacationing with Children

Traveling with children will be a memorable event ? the... Read More

Italy with Kids ? Seven Ways to Get the Most from Your Family Travel in Italy

Italy is a popular vacation destination for families because it... Read More

Vacation Rentals in the Bahamas

The Bahamas serve as the perfect relaxation destination. With pristine... Read More

Ditch The Hotel For A Villa Or Vacation Home

Two visits to Budapest. Two apartments, walking distance from downtown.... Read More

Heres How: How To Get The Perfect Florida Condominium Rental

The typical scenario goes something like this: your casual mention... Read More

Love the Outdoors? Consider a Gatlinburg Cabin Rental

Love the outdoors, looking for adventure, a romantic getaway, or... Read More

Oceanside Vacations on Hilton Head Island

The largest barrier island on the Atlantic coast between New... Read More

5 Tips To Spend The Most Luxurious Caribbean Vacation You Ever Dreamed Of!

Tip #1 : Buy a beach front Caribbean villa! ... Read More

Caribbean Pearl Secret, Margarita Island is Not So Much a Secret Anymore

Margarita Island is one of the lesser known Caribbean islands.... Read More

A Dream Vacation

What is the meaning of a "dream vacation"? What is... Read More

A Look at Punta Cana Real Estate

Real Estate in an area like Punta Cana is hot... Read More

Ten Reasons to Move to the Costa Brava

After France, Spain is Europe's most popular holiday destination, and... Read More

10 Tips for Selecting the Perfect Costa Rica Vacation Rental

Planning a Tropical vacation full of lush jungles, secluded beaches,... Read More

Summer Vacations: 7 Universal Laws for Survival

Summer vacations - what better topic could there be for... Read More

trusted cleaning company Wilmette ..