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Originally Posted by Pandora
I would sincerely appreciate any travel tips for Europe, especially for the Netherlands. First time abroad ever and I am eager, but oddly nervous.
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Pandora,
1) Please go to
Rome
Rome is the best city in Europe. The city is pulsating. Italians are into people, seeing, and being seen. You feel like Julius Caesar could walk around the corner any minute.
Stay at Hotel Nazionale di Piazza Montecitorio.
http://www.nazionaleroma.it/
It is a restored palace (in need of another restoration) adjacent to their Senate building so it is guarded at both corners of the square by cute Polizia carrying Beretta 92 FS's. The rooms are quaint but small and the bathrooms smaller. If you can afford it, stay in room 210. The location is perfect. And location is critical.
2) Wherever you are, stay in hotels in the middle of everything. "city-center" or near the biggest attraction in the city. That way, you won't have to find taxi's at night, and you'll be in places that are alive at night so you can just walk outside and go somewhere.
3) Buy a cheap (< $75) GSM cell phone + a chip in the first place you come across that sells them, and get a lesson on how to dial local calls. Could come in very very handy.
4) Traveler's checks are for wusses. Carry cash, but distribute (hide) it in various places to distribute the risk of loss.
5) Make sure you know all your credit card PINs before you leave !! If you don't, call them on Monday and have them issue another. Carry at several cards w/ PINS you know because sometimes only 1 of the them will be recognized at an ATM. The ATMs with a big 3 near the brand name are your best bets.
6 ) Here are some
Amsterdam photos.
7) post your itinerary on rec.travel.europe
You'll gets lots of feedback on fun places to see and stay.
8) Keep 1 plastic water bottle from the airplane. Europe seems to have glass much more than plastic. Empty some of the water from your glass water bottles in the hotel and at breakfast in to your plastic water bottle then you'll be set for the morning.
9) In Italy, you can find meds OTC that you can't find here. Like a really good sub-lingual benedryl, and some antibiotics.
10) Just carry your purse and a shoulder bag with maps and water and breakfast bars when you're exploring. If you get lost or tired, walk in the nearest hotel, buy an espresso, and ask for directions.
FrontSight