Maps are great tools when you are preparing your itinerary. Maps are essential tools a traveler carries. There are varieties of maps that will help provide you safe and convenient journey throughout Europe.

1)    Country Map- Gives you a basic picture of a country. This type of maps endows you information about the geography, demography, language, general tourism and travel information, and some notes about autonomy.

2)    Regional Map- This comprehensively provides details about each region. Each  region has its own distinct cuisine and architectural heritage. Many are based on influence of old powerful alliance  evident in language, food, and customs.  Some regions are known for different tourist activities.

3)    City Maps- You can’t get away in a destination without walking around the city. You will find where the finest of restaurants are, museums, rail stations and accommodations.

4)    Road Maps- If you’re interested in driving from one city to another in Europe and enjoy the country side, you need a road map. You need to educate yourself of distances so you could plan according to the number of days of your vacation. Basic information gives you less hassle in your trips.

5)    Rail Maps- An easier and cheaper means to travel around Europe is through rail. The rail map provides you information about the color coding of train lines, frequency and timings of the trains.

There are available paper maps that are handy and helpful enough to guide you thru your trip and you can find them on nearby stationery stores or at the airport of your destination. You may also use the internet for online maps as they may have specific information about the cities of the different countries present in the continent.

Europe travel maps will certainly offer the best guidance to select the places you want to visit.  Plan the way you will get around Europe and have your adventure of your life time.

source: wikitravel.org

For short distances, European trains are fast, reliable and frequent. For longer distances they can be preferable to flying for several reasons. Trains have more spacious and comfortable interiors, may offer scenic routes, and do not require long waits at security like at airports. They usually run more frequently as well, and take their travellers to railway stations located in or very close to city centres, whereas airports, especially the ones that budget airliners fly into, can be up to 100 km away from the city centre, requiring expensive and time-consuming connecting services. Ultimately, many people may choose the train over the plane for the feeling of romantic travel they provide.

The quality, speed and price of train travel depends on the country, Western European countries generally offering higher speed and more luxurious trains at higher prices than Eastern European countries. When bought on the spot, trains tickets can be more expensive than cheap flights over the same distance, but this difference may disappear when the tickets are booked in advance. Not to forget the costs to get to the airport. Train travel is getting faster every year through the construction of new high speed lines which travel up to 300km/h (190 mph), and upgrading of conventional lines to 200 km/h (125 mph). Especially Germany, France, Belgium and Italy have extensive high-speed networks.

The cost of rail travel varies greatly by country. Eastern European countries tend to offer very cheap travel. Italy is comparatively cheap as well. The most expensive country is the United Kingdom.

If you can, try booking in advance rather than walking up to the ticket desk on the day of travel. Train fares booked in advance are usually competitive with airlines fare, or cheaper. E.g., return tickets from Edinburgh to London are just £25 if booked in advance, a 75% discount on the walk-up fare of £94. German return tickets are 25% cheaper if booked 3 days in advance, 50% if you stay on your destination over a Saturday night, and up to 5 fellow travellers get another 50% off on top of the advance ticket fare. Three people travelling Cologne-Munich and back could thus pay €224 rather than €672 for their entire trip.

Advance booking can be done from home if you want to, through the websites of the national railway companies. For international tickets use the railway website of either country you are travelling through. Compare the fares, as they may differ. Tickets can sometimes be printed at home, they may be mailed to you or made available for collection at a railway station. You will usually be offered the option to reserve seats or sleepers; seats may be free or cost €2; sleepers are usually €20. Reserved seats are recommended especially on long trips.

SOURCE: wikitravel.org

]]> http://www.skyeuropemagazine.com/travel-europe/train-travel-in-europe/feed/ 0 http://www.skyeuropemagazine.com/travel-europe/top-5-honeymoon-destinations-in-europe/ http://www.skyeuropemagazine.com/travel-europe/top-5-honeymoon-destinations-in-europe/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:12:37 +0000 http://www.skyeuropemagazine.com/?p=56

Congratulations on your engagement! But have you thought about where you are going to spend your honeymoon? You may be so busy preparing for your wedding that you have neglected the welcome task of choosing a honeymoon destination.

Honeymoons are always romantic because it is supposed to be that period when you get to spend some quality time together as newlyweds. And when you talk of romantic, few places can beat the many countries of Europe for your wedding destination. Take your pick.

Paris

Paris is the city of romance so this should be the perfect honeymoon destination for you. Even the sidewalk cafes in Paris spell romance so don’t forget to take your first coffee as husband and wife in one of such cafes along Champs Elysees. There are plenty of champagne to hold you up in your luxurious hotel room but never leave Paris without visiting the Louvre of the L’arc de Triomphe. Take your bride for a stroll along the Eiffel Tower too. If you want to be more daring, why not spend some honeymoon time at Cap d’Agde, a village devoted to naturism or nudism.

Switzerland

The name Switzerland itself will remind you of snow and the Alps but there are other romantic places to visit when you are on your honeymoon in Switzerland. It is considered a skiing paradise so you may want to bring your skis and winter clothes with you. Your bride will definitely have a blast shopping in one of Geneva’s exclusive boutiques but save some for your visit to eh Nestle Food Museum, the Olympic Museum and the Chillon castle.

Greece

You can choose from as many as 100 islands in Greece but choose Greek islands that have the standard facilities for tourists to make sure you will have a perfect honeymoon. Among the common destinations in Greece are the islands of Mykonos, Crete, Santorini and Rhodes. If you and your bride are enthralled with Greek mythology then this would definitely be an enjoyable and memorable occasion for you.

Italy

A visit to Rome and the cities of Rome, the Vatican (which is a city within a city) and Milan is a must for newlyweds who want to mix pilgrimage and honeymoon in one trip. Bear witness to the papal seat and the best works of art in Rome, enjoy the gondolas in Milan and embrace the Renaissance culture in Florence. Don’t forget to visit Bellagio as it is often referred to as the prettiest European town.

Spain

What could be more romantic than a honeymoon in the land of Don Quixote? Watch a bullfight or learn the fiery gypsy flamenco dance. You can even spend the rest of the afternoon in one of Spain’s scenic beaches. Do everything you are passionate about during your honeymoon. For that is what Spain is all about-romance and passion.

Be sure to bring your digital camera and lots of spare memory bytes so you can show the people back home how you enjoyed your getaway.

Alternatively the internet offers a huge resource to finding the best fares for your travel, there are thousands of travel sites out there and you can probably find one that specialize in European travel which will give you a bigger chance of finding the discounted airfare. Sometimes these travel sites offer discounted air tickets just out of competition with other airlines and the competition among them resulted in giving out promos and bargains offers, which has benefited a lot of travelers. Considering it is still cheaper booking your flight tickets ahead of time or booking in groups.

You might also take advantage on traveling on off-seasons whereby airlines are offering bigger price reductions just to fill their empty seats. Off-season can vary depending on where you wish to travel but it is a good time to save some money on your travel costs.

If you’re from a country that applies the Schengen Visa rules then it automatically allows you to travel to the other Schengen countries. Below is the European Union visa list Map where you can check whether your country may or may not require Schengen Visa.

source: wikipedia

Furthermore, Border officials in EU countries may ask you for other supporting documents such as an invitation letter, proof of lodging, return or round-trip ticket. You may obtain more relevant travel requirements by visiting the nearest EU consulate country destination.

Prepare and pack your things in advance as baggage weight restrictions can be an issue upon checking in at the airport. You don’t want to get an excess baggage surcharges or even worse you may have to leave some of your essential clothing in the airport terminal.

soucre:stylefrizz.com

Europe is a multi faceted continent and your travel agency may provide you with its unraveling beautiful beaches of France, Spain, Greece, etc. invite sun-loving visitors. For the adventurous, it offers its famous and tall mountains of Alps, Pyrenees. It has its cycling trails for those who want to enjoy the excitement of adventure in a more relaxed manner. For the romantics, it is dreams come true when they visit cities like Venice, Paris, and Prague.