Europe Vacation Guide & Travel Information

About Europe

Though just slightly larger geographically than the U.S., Europe boasts an incredible array of languages and cultures. To help you plan your vacation to Europe, we have highlighted some of the unique aspects of top destinations.

London : London has no lack of sights to see, from the home of Britain’s royal family at Buckingham Palace to their final resting place at Westminster Abbey. Outside the English capital, visitors flock to Stonehenge, the five-thousand-year-old collection of 50-ton rocks whose meaning has been lost in the mists of time. London also has lowest-priced vacation deals from the US.

Paris : France’s capital, Paris features some of Europe’s most spectacular landmarks. From the top of the Eiffel Tower, you can plan your visit, looking out at the Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, and Cathedrale Notre Dame. Wherever you are in France, you’ll find great food, wine, and cultural traditions for which you’ll need to return again and again to fully appreciate. Paris has some of the cheapest vacation packages from the US as well.

Amsterdam : Amsterdam is one of our top picks for vacation package rates, where Art lovers will be entranced by the Rembrandts of the Rijksmuseum while fans of Van Gogh can see more than 200 original paintings at the museum that bears his name.

Rome : If your road leads you to Rome, you won’t be disappointed. Italy’s Eternal City is the showcase for the art of the Vatican, the imperial legacy of the Colosseum and Pantheon, and countless other wonders of the ancient world. Rome is typically the lowest-priced Italian destination in terms of vacation packages.

Europe's high seasons are from May through September in general, but include the winter months for alpine destinations. In most parts of the Continent, you can avoid the hottest days of the year and most expensive prices by booking your vacation during the spring or fall. For example, October and November are good months for fall weather in the north while still being warm enough for the beach resorts of the Mediterranean. And, though most off-season periods are a good bet for low vacation prices, be aware of holidays like Easter, Christmas, and New Year’s, when prices rise.

We constantly update Europe vacation deals and flights + hotel packages. There are vacation guides and useful travel information for London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Madrid, Barcelona, Athens, Istanbul, Brussels, Dublin, Prague, Venice, Florence, Frankfurt, Vienna and Zurich.

We also have last minute Europe vacations or if you just need a hotel, check out some of the best hotels and resorts in Europe. You can also book the most popular attractions and sightseeing tours for your destinations.

Visas are not required for American tourists on short-term visits (usually less than 90 days). For other nationalities you may need a Schengen visa. If you intend to transit through or visit any of the Schengen states for up to 90 days for either tourist or business purposes, you have to obtain your Schengen visa. The visa can be obtained from the Consulate of the country of your main destination.
More Information About Visa Requirements

Electricity : Most of Europe is served with 220V ,50Hz compared to the U.S. 110V ,60Hz.
Greenwich Mean Time : Iceland, Ireland, Britain and Portugal are EST +5.
Central European Time : Norway, Sweden and the bulk of the Continent are EST +6.
Greece and Turkey are EST +7.
Shopping : Use credit cards whenever possible, credit-card exchange rates are the most favorable. Foreign visitors may be able to receive a refund of the VAT tax, ask at the store for requirements of refund.

Flights : Flight times are relatively short within Europe, thanks to the compact geography. London's Heathrow handles more international flights than any other airport in the world. Frankfurt, Paris's Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam's Schipol and Rome's Leonardo da Vinci also rank high among the world's busiest airports. In contrast to the U.S., the great majority of airports in Europe offer fast, direct rail service to city centers.

Driving : Whether you're in the fast lane on the autobahn or in pursuit of whims down country lanes, Europe offers driving experiences of every description. You can cross countries in a single day or from the seashore to the high sierra in an afternoon. Driving in Europe is on the right-hand side, except in Britain, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus. Britain and Germany generally do not have toll roads. Tolls are charged on Italy's autostrade and France's auto routes, and they can be steep. You can drive anywhere in Europe with your home-state driver's license, but we still recommend International Driver's Permit in addition to your license.

Rental Cars : It is highly recommended that you rent cars in advance, before leaving the U.S. This invariably saves a significant amount of money. Rates vary from country to country and include value-added taxes. Vacation packages that combine car rental with airfare + hotel accommodation is another way to save.

Railroads : People in Europe count on trains far more than do most Americans. So trains run on time and frequently. Each day in Germany alone 33,000 trains carry 4 million people. Eurostar (high-speed train) runs through the 31-mile long Channel Tunnel and cruises at 185 miles an hour on the open straightaways. Another famous high-speed train is France's TGV 's (Trains à Grande Vitesse), serving more than 150 cities throughout France and running beyond to Zurich and Milan. Others include Germany's InterCity Expresses; Italy's Eurostar Italia (also called Pendolinos); Spain's Trens de Alta Velocidad Español (AVE), Talgo 200s and Euromeds; Sweden's X2000 and France's Thalys.