I have recently just gotten back from a rather lengthy trip going around Europe, and I thought that I would discuss some of the do’s and don’ts of travelling within Europe; also some of the places which I think are some of the must sees.. I will break it down into four sections: firstly London, secondly Amsterdam, thirdly Paris, and finally Munich and Cologne as a single section together. All the pictures shown in this article are from my trip to Europe.
Firstly I would like to mention that if you plan on travelling between multiple cities in Europe. Then I greatly recommend that you get the Eurail Pass, as it will not only save you money but also from a lot of unnecessary stress. Do keep in mind that you will have to book your trains in advance with the pass, about a month or two. Also make sure to read through their different plans to even see if there is one for your trip.
London
Firstly let’s talk about London, personally my favourite city. One of the main things with travelling within the Greater London area is definitely the Oyster card. Now the Oyster is London’s travelling card, which isn’t only for the Tube, but also for buses and boats. Acquiring an Oyster is relatively easy for first timers to London, especially if you land at Heathrow International Airport. Once there you simply just go down to the underground area of the airport and find the Elizabeth Line, once there, there ought to be Oyster card machines. Then you simply put your preferred amount of money on the card, make sure to keep track of the amount every time you use it though so that you don’t hold up the queue to get on the platforms.
Now I know that it is commonly discussed when travelling, but do remember that in the UK they drive on the left side of the road. Many a time did I see other tourists look right instead of left, and then have to be grabbed by their companion. City bikes are also a popular way of travel within the city, so make sure to also look out for them as they rarely stop for both cars and pedestrians.
Now onto some of the sites which I think are the must see if you are thinking of travelling to London:
One of the most beautiful sites definitely has to be Hyde Park and Kensington Garden. I personally like it the most because you go to the centre of the area, sit on the grass beneath the shade of a tree, and just get away from the noise of the city. For once in the centre the noises of the city become distant and even unhearable. There are also plenty of places to get something to eat and drink. There is also a spot on the area around The Serpentine where they have beach chairs set up for you to just relax by the water.One of the main downside of the park and garden, is that the public toilets do require a few pence to be able to use the facilities.
Not too far away from Hyde Park, you will find the one, the only, Buckingham Palace. No trip can be quite fulfilled unless you do give the royals a visit. Do be careful when you go to the Palace though as it can get quite crowded, and in my opinion, make it less extraordinary if you have to shove on through the crowds.
From the Palace you may be able to see Elizabeth Tower in the distance, or as you may know it by, Big Ben. Now whilst the Tower is rather cool to see, the two buildings next to it are definitely above. First starting with Westminster Abbey, which has been around since 1066. The main things to see in the Abbey are the many famous individuals buried there. A few of the people you may see are Darwin, Stephen Hawking, Newton, and many more. One of these graves is also dedicated to their version of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is a rather sombre sight to see.Other individuals include some of the many monarchs of England such as Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I, Mary I, and many more. Based on the time that you get there you can also catch a service being given, which sounds rather beautiful as it echoes through the whole Abbey. Then there is also the Parliament building right next to the Abbey, which I have not seen the inside of but I know that you can order tours through it. The tours have to be ordered about two weeks in advance, but if you’re lucky you may be able to catch the Parliament in a state of debate.
The London Eye is a must, as it allows you to see almost all of the most famous sights in London. From it you can see Parliament just across the river, St. Pauls, The Shard, and many more. The tickets for it are relatively cheap and you don’t have to order in advance, but do be prepared for a long queue.
St. Paul is a site to see if you’re like me and really love the movie Mary Poppins. To sit on those steps was a rather beautiful moment. If you do go inside St. Pauls is rather like most other cathedrals in England, but if you do get there at the right time you can join a service and sit in the benches and sing. It costs you no money so you might as well do it if you’re in the area.
The British Museum is a must for the historians out there, and is completely free so everyone might as well see. I do warn that while, yes there are many amazing artefacts within the museum, it is very long and you should expect yourself to be in there for a good four or five hours and maybe even longer.
The Tower of London, is quite cool to see as well if you’re into English history or you just really like looking at old weaponry, armour, and the many statues of animals that they have there. Don’t forget that there is also the famous Tower Bridge right next to it.
Churchill War Rooms, is a must see for all those WWII History Buffs out there. To be able to see the very rooms in which the war “took place” in, it was a rather incredible moment for me and I hope if you do it will inspire just as much emotion.
Places to see that are about an hour train ride away that I recommend is Brighton to the south which is a nice beach area, Canterbury to the Southeast which is really only to see for the Canterbury Cathedral or the Canterbury Tales, and finally Salisbury to the west which is rather quiet town with the massive Salisbury Cathedral in the middle and to the north Stonehenge.
Amsterdam
Now the first time I went to Amsterdam it was meant to have been just a connecting flight to get to the USA from London. This trip though, I went there of my own accord and almost got stuck going to Amsterdam from Cologne. So I have learned quite a bit about the do’s and don’ts for this city which seems committed to entrapping me.
Firstly, and the biggest one, look at least 10 times before you ever cross a road in Amsterdam. This is because there are really four different sections to a road in Amsterdam which is the pavement for the pedestrians, the Bicycle lanes, the car lanes, and the tram lines . During my second trip I happened to have a front row view to a tourist who didn’t look as he went outside of the Amsterdam Centraal, and he just got creamed by a bike. As long as you look multiple times or just use the cross walks though you ought to be fine, and once accustomed to it, it really isn’t all that bad.
Amsterdam also has its own version of the Oyster which can be found at the tram and train stations. Unlike London, I would say that this card is not a necessity, as Amsterdam is relatively small, but if you don’t like walking or biking then you ought to definitely obtain it.
One of my main don’ts is just not assuming that Amsterdam is only a city with weed and the Red Light District. For it is, as one Dutch person put it, “There are no locals in those areas, no one there even knows how to speak Dutch.” Also from my personal experience, I felt that many of the Dutch didn’t appreciate the reputation that has been associated with them because of weed and the Red Light. So if you want to stay on their good side don’t assume that is all that Dutch people do.
Some of the sights to see within the city of Amsterdam are:
The Koninklijk Paleis Amsterdam, which is right next to the central area of Amsterdam. It is quite beautiful to see, and the square that it is in has a rather saucy set of statues.
Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam, is the botanical garden of the city and has a vast collection of planets from all over the world. If you are interested in plants then it is definitely a must see.
NEMO Science Museum, is a fun little museum that has many of the scientific advancements of humanity. It also offers fun little scientific activities for kids on the bottom floors, don’t worry though as the higher the floor the more adult it becomes.
Het Scheepvaartmuseum, now whilst I have not directly been within the building, I have seen the old 18th century boat which anchors right beside it. If you do have the time I would greatly recommend at least seeing the boat, as it is all rather eye-catching.
Anne Frank Huis, now I have never actually been inside the house, but if you are wanting to make sure that you get your tickets a month or two in advance. Otherwise you won’t be visiting at all, yes they sell-out that fast, and yes, it is extremely crowded.
Rembrandtplein, is a nice little square in the city that is dedicated to the famed artist Rembrandt. I recommend it as it is surrounded by restaurants, and each time I was in the square there was a street musician playing. So overall a very nice little spot to have a sit and relax.
Vondelpark, on the topic of relaxing, don’t miss out on this park. It offers a nice area to bike around without worrying about cars and trams. It is quite a large park with many areas that could fit anyone’s version of a sit down.
The Rijksmuseum, again I have never been inside it. The area around it though is splendid, they have a let sit area with some waters going off in the middle, just right outside the museum. I have heard from a relation though that the museum is much as I described about the British Museum, so keep in mind how long you have to stay.
Van Gogh Museum is another place to look out for, but also one which is very much like Anne Frank Huis. If you don’t have time to look at the art museum, then at least go to that area to enjoy the small park that is right next to it.
Special mention of the Cat, Boat, Pipe, and Bags and Purses Museums. They are all museums dedicated to, well, their names.
Paris
Paris was a rather exciting visit, but I do have to warn you that the Paris tourist season is basically all year long. So if you don’t quite fancy crowds I would be careful where you choose to go.
A do would be definitely to get Paris’s version, of which they have two. The one I utilised was the Navigo Easy, which is more suitable for small visits, such as mine where we only stayed three days. If you plan on staying long maybe it would be advisable to get the Paris Navigo Decouverte. Another would definitely be to not stereotype the French, and to not take their bluntness as rudeness.
Some sites that you may want to put on the bucket list are:
The Louvre Museum is a rather beautiful art museum, which host works like the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. Whilst I did not properly go inside the museum, I still do recommend it as it is a rather pleasant area to stroll around in.
The famous Arc de Triomphe was a truly mind blowing place to have, especially because it was considerably larger than I had imagined that it would have been. There you can see all the memorials dedicated to the many that have fallen in France’s wars. Among them you will find the Tombe du Soldat Inconnu, just like the one in London, it was hard to hold back tears.
Whilst the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris is still under construction, it is nonetheless still an impressive sight to behold and would still greatly recommend its visit.
No trip in Paris can feel quite fulfilled unless one sees the Eiffel Tower. Personally I recommend taking the boat tour of the Seine River, as it ends right at the Eiffel Tower, and seeing slowly getting closer in the distance was truly a magnificent experience.
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre is truly remarkable, not really the building itself, but instead the view that it offers. For once at the top you may see almost all of the centre area of Paris. It is not a journey for the faint of heart, as there are many stairs to climb, so if you’re out of shape perhaps take a bus or the tram.
Now it is not really a specific site to see, but I definitely recommend enjoying the Cafe life that is offered in Paris. For me personally, nothing was more exciting than sitting for a few hours drinking a tonic and seeing all the interesting people that Paris has to offer.
Munich and Cologne
I only stayed in Munich and Cologne for a day each, but whilst there I learned quite a bit which my German studies hadn’t really taught me. When it comes to tourism though I didn’t quite learn too much so I shall just give some of my personal recommendations as to what to see.
Firstly I will start with Munich:
Marienplatz was the first thing which I saw properly in Munich, and what an introduction it was. I was coming out of the underground when the church bells started to ring. Then I got to see Neues Rathaus play its little display of characters moving in circles.
Viktualienmarkt is a market not too far away from Marienplatz, which is full of a lot of nice little shops which sell a broad range of things. In the market you can also find the Biergarten Viktualienmarkt, which is a great place to meet new people.
Residenz München was the residence of the former royal family of Bavaria, and has since been turned into a museum. Here you can learn about the history of Bavaria during the House of Wittelsbach’s long reign over Bavaria. I also recommend having a stay in the Hofgarten which was the former royal court garden.
Englischer Garten which is a nice place to take a stroll around or just to simply have a lay down in. Here you can surf, yes surf, as the river creates perfect surfing conditions. There are also plenty of little places to have a sit down to eat. One of these is a Biergarten in the south which is placed right next to Chinesischer Turm, which is considered a landmark of the Enlischer Garten.
Things to see in Cologne:
The Kölner Dom is the main church of Cologne and by far one of the most awe inspiring that I have ever seen. Its immense size is very domineering, especially once you enter the church. Once inside the feeling becomes even greater, even to the point where you feel a little scared to even breathe. It was incredibly beautiful to see though and could bring a tear to those who enjoy the tiny details in art.
It’s not really a site specific to Cologne, but I would definitely recommend seeing the Rhein. Truly such songs like “Einmal am Rhein” were right as to the feeling one gets when at the Rhein. It is a hard feeling to express in writing, but I hope that if you do go that you may feel close to what I did. Like the song I say to all, “Komm, ich lade dich ein, einmal zum Rhein”.
I would like to end this writing by saying that travelling is not as hard as many of you may think, so long as you plan in advance. If you worry about the cost of it, I also would say that the expense is well worth it. From the European way of doing things, to the people you meet in place like the local pub. It will greatly expand your way of thinking to one which is considerably more worldly. I think the people who ought to travel are people who live in communities like Graham, as the community here is quite a tight knit community. I don’t mean to say that being tight knit is bad, but it can spawn isolated ways of thinking. So run through plane tickets, look at hotels, and get the transit memorised and have a trip which will change your life. It may not be in the places I listed, but the experience will nonetheless be slightly similar.
