Europe Budget, Shoes and other important miscellaneous things

I still think you are planning on too many stops. You have 13 listed. One month is NOT enough time for that many places that far apart. For example,Cardiff is fun, but can be done as a day trip from London (if you stay in London long enough). Personally, I'd suggesst you pick 3 major destinations. Plan to rent an apartment or stay in university accomodations that have kitchens and laundry privilideges. Then plan some day trips by train from those places. London, Paris and Rome would be "the big 3" for many people. You could take the Eurostar from London to Paris and then get a cheap flight to Rome. Paln on about 8-10 days in each "hub". This approach will save you money on both transportation and accomodations. If the big 3 don't appeal, you could focus more on the central area of the continent- Amsterdam, Vienna and one other perhaps.

Hi Cassie. Your itinerary is too full for a month. You're visiting 15 far-flung cities in 30 days, which allows for 2 days per city without factoring in travel time. I would concentrate on 2 or 3 countries/regions within Europe, such as England, France, and Benelux; Germany, Austria, and Poland; or Switzerland and Italy. Please spend money on metro tickets, at least in select cities. Paris, London, Berlin, and Rome aren't walkable. Luxembourg City, Amsterdam, Venice, and Florence have relative degrees of walkableness, though you might want to take buses in Florence and trams in Amsterdam. For shoes, if you're concerned about being fashion-conscious, your feet will fall off, especially if you don't want to talk the metro or other public transportation. Even with public transportation, you will walk at least several hours a day. I wear tennis shoes (New Balance and Puma) and my feet hurt after 6-8 hours of walking every day. A credit card is good for emergencies. If you have a Capital One card (not sure if they have this in Australia), there are no international fees. I can also recommend an ATM card as a backup to your debit card, in case it doesn't work.

Thanks for the info. A lot of the places I mentioned were just day trips from certain cities, so I removed them to create less confusion. So metro yes, fashion no. Don't worry, we are not barbie dolls, we will survive :P

Cassie: You are planning for a trip that is 1-1/2 years away, right? It is hard to estimate what costs will be then. The value of the Euro versus the Australian dollar will fluctuate a bit. Because you are obviously pretty excited by this trip, entertain yourself by calculating the conversion rate every month or so. Find a web site giving you the cost in Euros of something familiar and then see how much it will cost you in a currency you know. (I admit it is not that entertaining.) But the bottom line answer: It is not inexpensive. It will cost you more than you'd like. There are lots of ways to save money, though, especially for a young person like yourself who is probably more tolerant of putting up with a bit of discomfort. You'll get others telling you that Europe is safe. You just need to be careful and sometimes cautious. No different from your travels in Asia and Australia. By asking the questions you have so far in advance, I suspect you are already careful and cautious.

Fitflop shoes are the most comfortable shoes in the world. Plus they come in an assortment of styles, including boots. I have traveled with these in the last few years and they have never let me down, even after most of the day on my feet.

I agree with Toni and Sarah, even if some destinations are day trips (ie Cardiff a day trip from London) you're spending money to get there. So you'll probably be giving London 1 day, which is really a shame as there's so much to do there. It's up to you, but I would start checking out train/plane schedules, how much things cost now, time involved etc.

If I were you I would start looking at youth hostels not hotels, save money there so you have more to devote to other things. Hotels with breakfast are easily 100 euros a night. I do not see any cities that are day trips from other cities (not back and forth with time to see much). London, Paris, Rome etc are expensive cities, you could easily spend 5 or 20 euros a sitting at a cafe. End of the year days are really short in London and the UK gets dark about 4, doesn't get very light sometimes until near 10AM. It could be quite cold up north as well. If I were in Australia I'd get blunstones for walking shoes but they aren't too fashionable. Do they sell Keens in Australia? Europe is fairly safe but you need to be wise and not overly trusting of strangers or you could be taken advantage to. The best way to get money is with an ATM card, I think even as a student many museums are 5-10 euros now. I agree with sentiments above you have too broad an itinerary. Cut it back some, you are young Europe will still be there in a few years and you can go back and see more. It is better to get to know a few places well then race all around checking cities off a list. Have fun planning and start saving your money.

London sunrise and sunset on the winter solstice will be at about 0800 and 1600. Civil twilight will add about a half hour at each end.

Hello Cassie, You are coming a long way so it might be best to review your itinerary and focus on quality not quantity; too many cities in too little time. My advice: skip Switzerland, the Swiss are mean, arrogant and rude (this is from personal experience). As for a budget wow that is tough, right now the Euro is WAY strong so I dare not predict what it will be in 2012. Do not use your debit cards at ATM's for cash near airports, train stations or major sites, the exchange rate will be lousy. Instead use ATM's off site of these locations. You may want to bring 50-100 Euros with you just in case you need ready cash. If you are going to Europe in the Fall or winter everything will be a lot less expensive and A LOT less crowded. Have a GREAT TIME! Ciao!

@Ed
I have been in London very late Autumn and it can still be fairly dark close to 10AM. On the other hand at the summer solstice it can get light at 4 AM and not dark until 10PM.

Standard astronomical data. No secret.

Well, that is a new one. That ATM's for the very same bank at the airport and train stations have a different exchange rate than at other locations? I don't think so. Berlin and Germany will be your best best as far as prices for food, apts. and hotels. Hostels are good deals if you don't mind sharing rooms with other people. Great way to make new friends and find out the best places to go. Make lunch your main meal, as many restaurants have lunch specials at a far cheaper price than dinner. Eat ethnic, as these can also be a bargain, like Indian, Asian, Middle Eastern. The closer the restaurant is to a major tourist attraction, the more expensive the food and drinks will be. I would drop Zurich. Switzerland is very expensive.

Personal experience. On the dark autumn-winter mornings in London.

Just standing on the sidelines here. A good debate about how late it stays dark in London on winter mornings. But will no one rise to the defense of the Swiss?

I will defend the Swiss. I hate generalizations of groups of people. Saying that the Swiss are mean, rude and arrogant is a personal judgement call and detracts from any other valid information that might have been given.

1) Touristy things will vary in cost from place to place. Every €uro you spend on travel between the (very many) places you need to travel between - will be a €uro you cannot spend elsewhere. Meals will vary too, unless you are getting tins of pasta from supermarkets and eating those. No clubbing? No bars? No souvenirs? 2) Full disclosure: I'm older than you - OK, older than both of you together. OK, nearly double both of you together. Male, too. Not fashion conscious, either. If you are going to walk as much as it seems that you will do, fashion and comfort can sometimes be strange bedfellows. 3) Probably the conflicting information is because different cafes are different and have different prices for various items, at different times of the day, depending if you are at the bar or sitting. Have you got decent guides to research good places to eat in the (very many) places you will staying in? A good guidebook can save you purses of gold if used carefully. 4) Yes. Don't get drunk. Use your common sense. Cover each other's backs and you won't need kickboxing or self defense. Don't get drunk. 5) dunno - see others... -=- Have a good planning time - and a great trip, when it comes...

As far as personal safety, do the same things that you do in Australia to stay safe. Be aware of your surroundings; if you split up to sightsee or go to bars, it's best if there are ways you can contact each other in case of emergency (i.e. cell phones); after you get money from an ATM, immediately put it in your moneybelt and not in your purse/daybag or your pocket.

Agree with others that 13 locations in one month (even if they are day trips) is way too much. Maybe plan to be in any one location for at least three to five nights. I just don't see you making your fifty euros a day budget if you have to travel that much between your cities. You will be safe (barring some unusual circumstances) if you practice common sense, don't drink too much, and trust your instincts on situations. I typically wear puma, NB, or Adidas shoes, but you will be there in wet weather. How about Doc Marten boots. They are warm, get you through most weather, comfortable (once broken in), and look decent enough. Otherwise, I would wear some kind of good looking hiking boots from LLBean (they have those in Australia?) or North Face. Not cheap though. Definitely use the metro in combination with walking.
Cost of things vary in Paris. You can eat for cheap in some places and not others. Look at the menus before walking in. Do get falafels in the Marais neighborhood. Use your debit cards to withdraw money and use credit cards for big purchases. Investigate no fee/small fee banks (would make recommendations, such as Capital One, but not sure you can get that). The previous post about airport and train station ATMs having different exchange rates is a myth. Just make sure it's an ATM machine and not an money exchange machine.

"..... the Swiss are mean, arrogant and rude (this is from personal experience)." That is what I have always heard about Californians. Seriously.

I might recommend checking www.letsgo.com – lots of answers to questions travelers of your age are concerned about.

Michael 1, I have to disagree with your assessment of Californian's. I have lived here my entire life. As a matter of fact, I am 4th generation Californian. Almost everyone would agree that I am not "mean, arrogant and rude." Nor do my friends and relatives fit that description. You must have watched too many "reality" shows!

I think Toni & Sarah have given great advice. I'll add these comments: I don't think 50 euros per day is enough, The biggest issue I've had when traveling and hungry is not being anywhere near a "budget" place at the right time of day. If you are visiting a touristy area at lunchtime and you're starving, it may not be feasible to leave the area to look for a less expensive spot. My twenty-something daughter who is fashion conscious very quickly decided that comfortable shoes or boots were needed. You will walk more than you can imagine even using the metro. The metro is your best friend! I would leave off London & Cardiff for sure due to the short hours of daylight. Concentrate on just 3 or 4 destinations fairly close together and do day trips from them.

Lisa, you say you feel 'fairly safe' in Europe which implies that it is one large country. The Union consists of 27 member countries and 4 'candidate countries each with its own culture, language and history. I would feel safer in some than in others. Even within one country I would feel safer in say Widdlecombe on Edge than downtown Manchester, or in Hinteroberbeiderbarenbach rather than in the Turkish quarter in Munich (nothing against Turks, just badly lit streets, but great cheap hotels and carpets) oh..and coffee.

@Shoni I was born in Europe, I was not trying to imply it was one big county. I was being general as the OP wishes to visit many different cities, most of those on her list seem safe to travel to. What I meant it is generally safe unlike some places in the world where it may not be advisable for two young women to wander by themselves. Of course safety can vary by neighborhood or even street by street. For two 18 year old Aussie girls they should of course be cautious where ever they travel to, it is best to use common sense and be very aware of your surroundings. Switzerland will be very different from Rome in term of their personal safety. Maybe I don't even mean safety in all respects but also how young women are viewed/treated. I know when I was 18 I thought I knew more than I did but one thing I didn't really understand was adult men trying to take advantage of young women. It took me a while to figure that out, so I just hope Cassie and her friend will be wise beyond their years.

Cassie... pros at traveling Asia... you should do okay in Europe...I have traveled numerous times in the winter and found it to be great. Layer your clothes and for my shoes I use Haflinger's in the winter. The wool ones, my feet are never cold and half the time I wear them without socks... fashionable? probably not, but I never have sore feet with these. I have been in England in Nov. as well as over New Years and the first few weeks of Jan., and while the daylight is short, I just planned my day accordingly and it was not a problem. Actually with the loss of light comes the loss of tons of tourists. I also loved the quality that the light has at that time of year, so it was okay for me. I have been to Rome and Florence in the winter as well as summer... again, shorter days, Rome was windy and rather cold, but it's Europe... how bad can it be? It was just a totally different experience than in the warm months.
You will have a great experience no matter what. I did go to Cardiff in the winter as well, and while it was strange as it was the abandon beach, I still loved it. Had great fish & chips there... some things were open. I love the sea and don't care if it was a bit cold.

When traveling in cool weather I wear low healed boots. I have two pair - Rockport mid-calf low heeled boots and a pair of Clark's ankle high boots with a rocker bottom. I wear the tall boots when in transit and the others are small enough to pack. I trade off every day and this saves my feet. They look stylish and keep me warm. Be sure whatever you get you wear them in before traveling. Look into good socks. Your boots should be big enough to allow for thick socks. I wear Smart Wool socks and Keen socks. Ski sock liners make a nice thin extra layer when it is really cold. Waterproof your boots! Ugg has some very nice looking new styles. I have tried them on and they seem very comfy with that sheepskin lining and soft leather. Best of luck.

First off, I think you have too many cities/countries to see. I would just stick to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich, Florence and Rome. Spend 5-7 days each in Paris and London, 2-3 days in Amsterdam and Munich, 4-5 days each Florence and Rome, and 5 days in Berlin. 1) Budget: 50 Euros each, or total? If total, that's very little money. But def take advantage of the metro/museum passes in each city, at least Paris, London, and Berlin. You can save money by booking accommodation that has kitchens. 2) I'm stumped for shoes! 3) Depends. Probably 10-20Euros for a meal. 4) Be careful when you are out drinking (sorry I'm just assuming this will occur in Europe). European men are even more forward that American/Aussies and they just assume women are forward as well. When you go "out" try to put your money, etc in pockets instead of carrying a purse. Try to meet other girls in the hostels and go out with them, but don't let anyone buy you a drink. Lots of hotels will hold your key before going out, but make sure they have a 24/7 receptionist. I had a cute little black dress that had a hidden pocket on your front which was great. Just be safe (don't go home with guys, don't walk down dark alleys, stay away from Montmarte in Paris late at night, etc) 5) Definitely have 2-3 different types of cards, debit, Visa, etc. Some countries didn't let me use my credit union debit card so I had to use my credit card to take out cash! Yikes. Research banks that will allow you to take out money abroad and take out the most cash you can (300-400) from the ATMs and don't use your card for small purchases.