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See Rome In A Day

New York City is a favorite for travelers from the United States and for visitors from around the world. It’s one of those must see cities right up there with London, Paris and Rome.

So where do you start with a city that offers so much? Well, any self-respecting tourist has to hit the tourist highlights, so unless you have a particular agenda, you’ll probably want to visit this short list.

You can certainly see New York City on your own, but if your time is short or you’d like a quick overview, you might want to consider a city tour. Another option is to check into one of the sightseeing city passes that are available; they can save you time and money.

To start with you’ll probably want to visit the Statue of Liberty. There is no admission fee for the island that she stands on, but you must buy a ferry ticket to get there for about $12 for adults. If you want to go into the Statue of Liberty, you must reserve a free “Monument Pass”. These passes are time specific, meaning you have to go in at the time you have reserved.

Security onto Liberty Island is as serious as it is for getting onto an airliner these days. You will have to clear a security screening before boarding the ferry. There will be a second security screening if you have a Monument Pass for entering the Statue of Liberty. Allow plenty of time… probably 2-3 hours.

You can also visit Ellis Island. Again there is no admission fee, but you must pay for the ferry. Both of these attractions are only a short ferry ride from Battery Park. The ferry circles from the Statue of Liberty to Ellis Island and back to the city. Check the ferry schedule for details.

If you just want to see the Statue of Liberty from the harbor, you could take the free Staten Island Ferry from Lower Manhattan over and back for great photo opportunities.

See the Empire State Building. Take the elevator to the observation platform for a great view of the city. There is an admission fee, and often a long line.

Take a walk in Central Park. There are lakes and open spaces right there in the middle of the city. It’s a great place to get away from the hubbub of the city and maybe have a picnic.

Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art with it’s extensive collections of painting and ancient art. It is located on the east side of Central Park at Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street. The American Museum of Natural History is on the other side of the Park at Central Park West at 79th Street.

See the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum. Or try the Frick Collection to see stunning art and get a peek at what a New York mansion from the early 1900s looked like.

And if you’re ready to get back outside, how about a little shopping or at least window shopping? Take a stroll down Fifth Avenue. Or see Times Square where New Yorkers and visitors celebrate New Year’s Eve, and where you can find out more about Broadway plays.

And all this is just for starters, so bring good walking shoes and enjoy New York City.

You must experience Venice. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you it isn’t worth visiting, that it’s a tourist trap, that it smells.

Venice is romantic whether you go with a lover or a friend. It’s one of those cities that is charming and small and begs to be explored. There are no streets, at least for cars. The only way to get around Venice is by foot or a boat of some sort. Doesn’t that take you back in time and bring out the romantic in you? Don’t settle for stories from your travel friends or pictures in a book, go and experience Venice for yourself.

But isn’t it crowded?

Yes, Venice seems crowded… How could it not be? It’s one of the most popular destinations in Europe (with good reason we think). The crowds are compressed into the narrow streets, and there will be many more tourists during the day and the summer. Try to visit Venice in the spring or fall… or even winter, and you’ll find fewer crowds. The number of tourists may be smaller than for London or Paris, but those visitors are sharing what is really a small town.

Don’t the canals stink?

I can’t speak for the height of summer, but in the shoulder seasons, we’ve never found that the canals stink. We love strolling along them, taking the vaportti (the boats that serve as buses in Venice) or having a glass of wine at a canal side restaurant.

Isn’t it a city full of just tourists?

Yes, it is… but look at it this way… it’s been a city for and full of tourists for centuries! A century or two ago, a young gentleman’s “Grand Tour” wasn’t complete without time spent in Venice.

Isn’t Venice sinking?

Yes again. St. Mark’s Basilica is only two feet above sea level. That’s the lowest part of town. It’s the first to flood, and if you go in the winter, you might just see where they put boardwalks down for locals and tourists to get around. Even during the dry seasons, you will see the lagoon lapping up over the steps on the docks at St. Mark’s at high tide. There are major efforts by Italy and the world to save Venice because it is such a special place for all of us.

So do we have you convinced that you should ignore all those nay sayers? That you’ll fall in love with the city if you go and experience Venice? Think of the iconic things there are to see and do in Venice…. You really need to add them to your travel experiences.

Take a vaporetto on the Grand Canal. There is nothing like a journey down that frenetic “S” shaped waterway to make you know that you’re traveling… and traveling someplace special.

Get off the vaporetto at St. Mark’s Square and just absorb the sight of St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. Feel the grandeur of St. Mark’s Square… and of course dodge the pigeons!

Walk the narrow streets to the Rialto Bridge. Yes, you might get lost… at least a little, but all streets really do lead to Rialto or St. Mark’s, so getting lost is part of the fun.

Venice is the sort of city that should be savored. There are so many things to see and do, but you can also fall in love with Venice without touring madly. Just stroll around, sit and observe, enjoy La Serenissima for what she is… a grand small city that shouldn’t be missed. Oh yes, you must experience Venice….. really.

So, you’ve decided it’s time to take your first trip to Europe. For many Americans it seems like a rite of passage. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old. It’s something special that first trip to Europe. You’ve finally arrived somehow.

You’ve saved the money, you’ve applied for the passport… wow, you’re practically ready to pack. But wait… just having made the decision to get a passport and go to Europe is only the first step. There are more decisions to make. Let’s think through some of this.

How much time do you have? One week will have you concentrating on an area or a city… two or more weeks lets you tour around a bit more.

What part of Europe do you want to go to? It’s not like you can just go to Europe. That’s like saying you want to see the United States. There are big areas to be covered, and you need to choose an area to see even if you have several weeks.

Do you just want to see it…? Visit the highlights like maybe London, Paris, Rome, and see the big sights? Or… do you have an agenda? Do you want to find family roots and do a little genealogy research? Is there a festival you’ve always wanted to see like the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona or The Gathering and Highland Games in Edinburgh?

Do you concentrate on one or two countries or try to do a grand circle of Europe?

Do you take a tour? Set up a Custom tour? Or do you want to take your first trip to Europe all on your own and find your own way?

So how will you answer these questions?

If you’re a student, you may be able to travel for the summer… good for you. You won’t find a better way to add to your education! If you’re retired, you can stay as long as your finances will allow… AND you can travel during shoulder seasons when there are fewer crowds.

If you only have one or two or three weeks, try for those shoulder seasons to maximize your experiences and minimize the lines. Try to limit yourself to a country a week. Even at that you’ll just be getting an overview of the area you choose to visit.

A tour can be a good idea and can take some of the anxiety out of your first trip to Europe. There are so many tours offered that you can easily choose one that goes to the area you want to visit for the length of time you want to spend, and you can even get tours that specifically go to those festivals or visit gardens or let you explore just castles. Your hotels will be taken care of and many of your meals too. It’s good way to build your confidence abroad.

If groups just aren’t your thing, being an independent traveler on your first trip to Europe is not difficult either. There is so much information on the internet that it’s easy to plan it for yourself and leave yourself more flexibility.

Just sit down with a pencil and paper and make the decisions one at a time, and that long awaited first trip to Europe will be a reality.

In this day and age of traveling cephalalgia (headaches), there’s a few packing tactics you need to employ. To cut out an extra thirty to forty minutes at the arriving airport, start with packing small luggage. Since carry-ons can not exceed a linear dimension of 45 inches, you can escape the fiasco of the baggage terminal by basically packing and traveling light. To learn how to pack all your needs into two suitcase, read more.

How-to Pack & Travel Lite

Make a list. Compose a pack list. Be sure to coordinate shirts & blouses with bottoms. To maximize your travelling wardrobe fashion savoir faire, stick with solids & versatile basics. Rule-out any clothes that do not match other items.

Use the following pithy packing tips to make your travel light:

Gear up. How to make an awe-inspiring impression out of a basic or mundane outfit? For the most glam appeal, accessorize with a vibrant tie (for him) or a florid scarf (for her). Multi-hued accessories can liven up just about any attire.

Roll ‘em up please. The best way to fit all your clothes is by rolling pants & shirts. First fold each item in half. Then basically roll. To try to maintain any creases, start on the bulkiest end of the news story of clothing.

Employ shoe smarts. For men, any leather rubber-soled shoes can make the day & night transition, easy. For woman, a pair of flip-flops, strappy sandals & comfy wedges can serve all casual – chic dressing needs.

Minimize bulk. After you check for space, edit outfits – ruthlessly. Try to pack microfibers with wrinkle & stain free comfort. With most of your attire, stay in the same color scheme – in case you have to layer up for warmth.

Put under garments on the top. To reduce the embarrassment of under garments becoming the side show attraction of the open luggage scan, place all panties in a plastic bag free of any clippers, lighters or other questionable paraphernalia. For expedient security review, place the transparent bag on top of your other items so security can access the bag without ruining your efficient packing method.

Lose Extra Baggage. Leave the heavy travel guide at home. Duplicate important resources to keep your luggage free of extra pounds. Since most hotels & resorts provide irons & blow-dryers –leave yours at home for light travel.

Leave restricted items at home. If you want to make it through security extra speedy, avoid any firearms, weapons, box-cutters, scissors, razors, lighters & any other item that may be used in a terrorist situation.