Reddit mentions: The best europe travel guides

When I was about 15/16 I read an account of 3 Englishmens Interailling experience called Don't Lean Out of the Window. It's puerile, but exhilarating and extremely funny in places and it inspired me to seek out adventures in Europe by train (unfortunately it took me 10 years to get round to doing it but that's another story).

Another one that certainly awoke some wanderlust is On The Road by Kerouac. It's fiction but it perfectly captures the breathtaking thrill of not having a plan and having that burning desire to see the next destination, wherever it may be.

You need a passport. Get that going first. (If you're a US citizen, this is the link you want.)

I think the best thing to do is to pick up a travel book for your intended destinations. Read through it, use it to plan and budget, then bring it along when you go. Let's Go is geared towards young adults. It's kind of fun to read through and plan.

Kayak.com is great for finding budget flights. Late night and early morning flights, mid-week flights, and flights with a few connections save airfare. Basically, less convenient = lower fare most of the time.

You'd probably do well staying in youth hostels. You can meet other people your age very easily in them. There are also rail passes for western europe that can save you money and hassle. There are also very cheap flights to be had within Europe: Ryanair comes to mind.

Plan to pack light, it will save you money and make your trip far better. www.onebag.com is a helpful resource there. You really only need a couple changes of clothes, a bathing suit, a travel towel, toiletries, a smartphone, and some warm & waterproof layers. Packing light makes a trip so much better.

• You will definitely need a passport but no medical exam is required
  
  
• Here is some info on getting to Dorset: http://www.visit-dorset.com/plan-your-visit/travel-information/getting-to-dorset
  
  
• I suggest booking a flight to London, and then either taking the train to France and Spain, or taking short-haul flights. There are many carriers that offer cheap flights (EasyJet, Ryanair) but their baggage allowance is normally minimal so watch out for that. If you're totally lost on what to do and how to book, consider using a travel agent given that this is your first trip.
  
  
• For hotels, check out Trip Advisor and type in the name of the place you want to visit. You can sift through hotels that way and read reviews from people who have stayed there. Then, when you're ready to book, try hotels.com or booking.com, or book directly through the hotel's website.
  
  
• Generally, it sounds like you might benefit from a Europe travel guide, which has a lot of great information in the introductory section. for example, here is one

I highly suggest reading this:
http://www.amazon.com/Rick-Steves-Europe-Through-Back/dp/1598806556/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1314506131&sr=1-2

This was our bible when the husband and I went backpacking through (Western) Europe for 5 weeks. We started out in Barcelona, then Cannes, rented a car and drove around the mountains in Southern France, dropped the rental off at St. Tropez, took the train to Nice, Venice, Interlaken (Switzerland), took a gondola up to Gimmelwald (stayed at an awesome hostel there), continued to Zurich, then Munich, then Lingen (to visit with the husband's relatives), Amsterdam, Loire Valley, Paris, and then London.

And yes, definitely get a Eurail pass and take advantage of staying in hostels.

it all depends on your priorities. hostels were a base and a mattress for me, so i didn't care much for cleanliness or services. location was key. if you ask fellow travellers for advice on where they're staying in the city that can be helpful, but depending on season you might find yourself stuck with the next best hostel that still has room. take your own towel. put cash inside a small inconspicuous pouch at the bottom of your cash and carry valuables for the day around your neck and under clothing if possible.

here's a link to the american amazon for the travel guide: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/161237042X?pc_redir=1397645056&robot_redir=1

I have been travelling in Europe for half a year, collecting various trix to use for travelling cheap. I've put this into a story, packed with nice information. An ebook to download. It is free until 4th February!

Get it here,
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7WPN1B

All the best!

Hi there! I could not find it anywhere on the web. I think your best bet might be the second book referenced on the wiki page, Traveller's Literary Companion: Eastern & Central Europe (here on Amazon). I don't know for certain if it's in there, but it's at least referenced in it and there may be a sizable abstract.
Good luck. Sorry I don't have more info for you!

You need to read Notes From a Small Island by Bill Bryson [1]. It's his impressions of the UK when he first arrived from the states. His observation of how we talk about the roads is spot on:

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“If you mention in the pub that you intend to drive from, say, Surrey to Cornwall, a distance that most Americans would happily go to get a taco, your companions will puff their cheeks, look knowingly at each other, and blow out air as if to say, ‘Well, now that’s a bit of a tall order,’” writes Bryson. “‘There’s the Great West steam rally at Little Dribbling this weekend,’ somebody from across the room will add, strolling over to join you because it’s always pleasant to bring bad motoring news. ‘There’ll be 375,000 cars all converging on the Little Chef roundabout at Upton Dupton. We once spent 11 days in a tailback there, and that was just to get out of the car park. No, you want to have left when you were still in your mother’s womb, or preferably while you were spermatozoa, and even then you won’t find a parking space beyond Bodmin.’”

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1. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Notes-Small-Island-Bill-Bryson/dp/0552996009

It may be a little late, but I highly recommend the guide Europe on a Shoestring by Lonely Planet. I took several books with me on my first trip, and this was the only one I used; the rest I gave away.

Have a great time and take chances!

For a much better history of Porter, Ron Pattinson's Porter! is now available as an ebook for a much cheaper price than the printed version. Or for a more a general history of British beer styles, Martyn Cornell's Amber, Gold & Black is a great little book.

If you liked Lyme Park then you'd probably like Dunham Massey and Quarry Bank Mill.

 

I'd really recommend this book, it's what got me into walking and discovering the countryside round here.

Calcio if you're interested in Italian football.

A season with Verona about an Englishman who lives in Verona and talks about his adventures following them.

Football, Fascism and Fandom: The UltraS of Italian Football
if you're interested in the darker side of the Ultras in Italian football (and mainly Rome).

I would highly recommend getting a book called Europe on a Shoestring. It has places to stay, eat, etc. cheaply.

I also recommend that you take with you an extension lead with lots of sockets. That way, if you only have the one plug adapter, you can still charge up several things like your phone or camera.

His two other books are free today, too.

• Skywalker--Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail
  
• The Best Way

There is a guide written by some friends of mine - https://www.amazon.com/Timișoara-Step-Cristian-Chis-ebook/dp/B07JLL7GRW/ that can help in finding the history behind locations in Timisoara.

My thought is, why take a guided tour of Spain? It's much more fun and cheaper to do it yourself.

Read this if you haven't already. It will change your life.

Is that the Curva Sud?

I'd hope you've all read A Season with Verona by Tim Parks, otherwise, here's a link;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Season-Verona-Illusions-National-Character/dp/0099422670/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314611415&sr=8-1

The rick steve's europe book is useful.

Heard that A Season With Verona is a worthy read.

Thanks. I'm thinking of getting this one but I also want to get each of his books for each place i'll be visiting, although id feel real silly carrying around 4-5 different guide books.

Good list, but I would add:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Season-With-Verona-Tim-Parks/dp/0099422670

Definitely.

I would add A Season With Verona. Similar in some ways, but more from a fan's perspective. Also a bit more insight to regional culture, political stuff, rivalries, etc.

A Season With Verona by Tim Parks.

I personally didn't enjoy any of the Rick Steve's travel guides, the guys a bit of a snob and seems to turn his nose up to anything remotely fun.

Try Lonely Planet's 'Europe on a Shoestring' instead, this thing was like a fucking bible when i was eurail'ing it.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Europe-Shoestring-Budgets-Lonely-Planet/dp/1741045916