Traveling to a new continent can be full of exciting new experiences, but nowhere is perfect, so it’s a great idea to ask people that have already been what pitfalls new travelers should watch out for. Someone recently asked online, “What should people avoid while traveling to Europe?” Here are the top 22 suggestions.
Pickpockets
“Watch out for pickpockets in Western Europe. There is a stigma that Eastern Europe (Romania and Bulgaria) is worse, but pickpocketing happens more in Paris, Amsterdam, and Barcelona.”
“Barcelona is the worst place I’ve been in the world for pickpockets, along with Lima, Peru. Nowhere else in Europe comes close.”
Pushy Restaurant Touts
“Avoid any restaurant that tries to strong-arm you into entering.”
“They pull you towards a seat, as they shove a menu in your face, fast-talking and usually offering a free drink/entree/dessert, trying to guilt you into eating there.”
“They try to pull me in, but I grab onto them and pull them away from the restaurant!”
Falling In Canals
“Take care of falling in canals if you come to the Netherlands.”
“In Bristol (UK), young men keep getting found dead in the canals. It’s an urban legend that someone knocks them out and pushes them in to drown.”
“A lot of so-called ‘pusher murders’ happen in winter in canals near pubs/clubs. Could it be drunk people falling in and suffering from shock while being in no state to swim?”
Regional Differences
“Don’t think that what goes for one country goes for all. There are all sorts of differences in cultures, laws, etc. Plus, there are many more borders and countries to remember.”
“This also applies to regions within countries. Don’t dismiss an entire country just because of one city or part of one city.”
Restaurant Etiquette
“In the Netherlands, you have to go to the host’s table to pay, as you’re expected to decide your own pace for dining. They will not rush you out.”
“I love the peace and quiet that waiters give you. After they take your order and bring your food, they don’t bother you every five minutes. They let you enjoy your meal.”
“In Paris, order before you’re hungry, as it can take a while for the food to come. They’re also not quick to come with the check.”
Traveling With Cash
“Don’t bring a bunch of dollars and use an exchange service to buy €. Just use your card everywhere. If you need some cash, take it out of the ATM. Exchange rates are better, there’s no commission, and there’s only a reasonable bank fee.”
“Even better: get a no-foreign-transaction-fees credit card. It saves us a bundle even after annual fees.”
Unofficial Airport Taxi Offers
“Avoid creepy dudes outside airports asking to split a cab fare or offering you a ride because the taxi line is too long. Unless your dad’s Liam Neeson.”
“I got in a fake cab once in Rome. It was late at night, and I was a young woman. Dude waved me and into a car, and it wasn’t until the doors were locked that I noticed there was no meter. Luckily, he only wanted the overpriced fare.”
London’s Royal Guard
“It should be common sense, but, unfortunately, tourists and YouTubers are constantly harassing them, then complaining when the guard violently shoves them away.”
“Don’t mess around with armed soldiers protecting the head of state, got it?”
“I’ve seen those videos. It’s terribly funny but also kind of scary at the same time.”
Street Scammers
“Rome and Paris are particularly bad, but they are in many cities. No one warned us before we went. Never seen anything like the level of scamming.”
“While in Rome, we watched the police break up a scam ring in front of us. It was quite entertaining, especially after dealing with them trying to hustle you all day.”
“My ex had her debit card cloned in Rome, and 5k was withdrawn from her account!”
Bag Snatchers
“Do not put your bag/purse/backpack on the back of your chair when you sit down to eat, especially outside.”
“Thieves work in groups. One of them is the snatcher, and the rest will stand very close to you, pretending that they don’t know the snatcher. Then the one guy will snatch your bag and run right through the group, in case someone is quick enough to chase.”
Village Talkers
“If you ever visit England and go to the lovely little town in Shropshire called Ludlow…You should avoid eye contact with Dennis…he will talk you to death.”
“Can’t be worse than a certain Colm in Derry.”
“I can concur. He is well-meaning but an utter menace.”
Street Sellers
“In major cities, don’t let anyone hand you anything such as flowers. Once it is in your hands, they start asking for money. They even gave a flower to one of my kids and then wouldn’t take it back. Just set it on the ground and walk away.”
“I managed to find one of the bracelets they peddle on the ground. I wore it every day and didn’t get hounded at all. They thought I was a fool who’d already been tricked.”
Revealing Your Ignorance (To Taxi Drivers)
“Always avoid letting the taxi know you don’t know where you are or where you are going; the bad ones will drive you in circles and run the tab up.”
“But don’t ever advise a London black cab driver on the route to take. They have to take such an extreme test (the knowledge) before they are qualified; they know where they’re going better than you and your maps app.”
Unusual Opening Hours
“Don’t assume opening hours will be what you’d expect at home- grocery stores, banks, post offices, etc., have much more restricted hours than they do in the US.”
“In Europe, it’s normal for grocery stores to close quite early and for things to be closed on weekends or country-specific holidays. In hot countries, they might also close in the middle of the day and stay open later in the evening.”
Tourist Restaurants
“If the menu is translated to several languages that aren’t spoken in the country, then the restaurant is only for tourists who don’t know better.”
“Avoid restaurants in touristy areas that have signs out front with pictures of the meals and the price featured prominently. They are invariably overpriced and bad.”
Rental Cars In Major Cities
“It’s not worth it; it’s much better to use public transport and get an occasional Uber.”
“I agree. Public transport is amazing in Europe, especially in major cities.”
“A lot of countries have a pay-as-you-go travel card system which, if available, often works out cheaper than buying separate tickets or using your bank card.”
Stilettos On Cobblestones
“Do not, for the love of God, wear stilettos in Germany. You will slip and fall down in front of 100 people, including children, who will point and laugh at you as you wobble away on the cobblestone with quivering ankles.”
“Many German women have a very pragmatic approach to beauty. High heels aren’t impressing anybody. The French call us sloppy; I call us ‘all-terrain.'”
Trespassing In Germany
“Giethoorn is a small German village with canals instead of streets. It is a big tourist attraction. But some people fail to comprehend that it’s an actual village where people live. Many times, tourists walked into the gardens of residents to take pictures.”
“One resident was sitting on the couch watching TV, and all of a sudden, there was an entire Chinese family taking photographs. They thought it was all a part of the act.”
Manual Rental Cars
“If you are going somewhere where you need to rent a car, make sure that either you can drive a manual or make sure to book an automatic.”
“I rented a car and spent a week driving around Scotland over the summer. It was an absolutely perfect trip. I think driving a manual would’ve been too much, but I requested an automatic, and it was fine.”
Respecting Memorials
“I just remembered those teenagers who took silly photos in Auschwitz. I don’t know where they were from, but I can’t believe people can be so stupid.”
“I visited the Holocaust memorial in Berlin and saw a police officer arrest a kid who was trying to graffiti it. Who tries to vandalize a Holocaust memorial in Germany?”
International Phone ‘Deals’
“Don’t sign up for the $10 per day international service with Verizon or others. You can buy a sim card to put in your phone almost anywhere at a fraction of the price.
“I once got a sim card in Seville, Spain, for 12 euros, and it came with a month of service and 9 GB of data.”
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