For those who fly by the seat of their pants

Andre specifically said "They don't check this documentation often". I was on a flight from St. Petersburg to Amsterdam. When the plane landed at Schipol, immigration officers boarded the plane and wouldn't let anyone off if they couldn't prove they had hotel reservations. So it can theoretically happen. Tourists from "rich" countries like the US/Canada shouldn't have a problem....others not so much.

We have never spent more then 15 minutes finding a place for the night. When we think we would like to stop for the night we start looking for a B&B, when we see one we stop and ask if they have a room for the night, they usually offer to show you the room before you agree to take it. We have done this in high season and low season with no trouble. Have a great trip.

To answer your questions - Both - just depends on where we are. Both approaches work equal well.
Nope !! They are unless it is busy or they are booked. Weekend days easier than weekends.

Just a note on legal issues. To use the privileges of visa-free travel to the Schengen area, one must have ALL accommodation reserved upon arrival. They don't check this documentation often, but if you happen to be the unlucky one, they can denial entry on spot and put you on the next flight back to US with a refusal registry on Frontex. Check the website of Italian consulates or other Schengen countries for visa-free entry requirements. Legally, "on the fly" trips with unplanned schedules have been irregular (for non European citizens) since 2001.

Boy, I'd like to see that one written down. In the last ten years, alone, I've spent close to a thousand nights in the Schengen area, having entered from every which way and gone in and out multiple times on each trip. We've had reservations for maybe three nights that I can remember. We have never been asked where we were staying.

I've been searching the web for official verification of some of these supposed requirement. It appears that citizens of some countries (not including US, Canada, or Mexico) need a Schengen short term Visa in order to enter the Schengen zone, and getting one does require showing accommodations reservations (but maybe to prove that you are a tourist), proof of medical insurance, statements from all bank accounts, and more. However, North American citizens do not need a Visa for travel for business or tourism. The US state department says only that, for those purposes, you must have a passport valid for 3 month beyond the end of your visit. Nowhere have I found anything that says that you need proof of reservations, health insurance, or bank records for a "Visa free" entry. That doesn't mean that it is not required, I just can't find it, and I would appreciate someone showing me documentation from an official website that say it is required.

Thank you, everyone, for your input and I will gladly take any more commentary, especially regarding free-style travel and what works for you. Andre, your comments gave me pause, especially as I'd not heard of such requirements before (but I am far from being well-versed in the intricacies of Schengen visa-free travel). Like Lee, I've just spent some time on the Chicago Italian Consulate Office website, the US State Department website, and some other random sites and am unable to find the proof of lodging requirement. Would a round-trip airline ticket not suffice? I would appreciate if you had any further insight to offer on the matter, especially since being denied entry and registered on Frontex sounds like a nasty piece of business and one that we'd like to avoid. Again, thank you all!

Lee, an immigration officer from any country in the world has the right to ask any question/request additional documentation to anyone entering a country to assure they will be abiding to entry requirements, not overstaying their stay, not permanently relocating, not seeking illegal employment etc. If they have any suspicions that someone is going to "work the system" they'll ask whatever they want to get to the truth.....it's their job.

Lee is correct. For years, my wife traveled on a non-US passport, but with a US Green Card (she now enjoys a US passport, like me, and it's so much easier). This always required a visa for Schengen countries. The visa application specifies that you need to provide details of your itinerary, including hotel reservations (also your return ticket, proof of financial solvency, and insurance coverage). They ask for all this info but we found that they would accept it when we provided a hotel reservation for our first night, but said that we would be figuring out other hotels as we went along. As for "winging it" my thinking on this has evolved. We used to figure out hotels as we went along. Increasingly, I have found that it's easier and a lot more enjoyable to have everything booked before we leave. I now books every single room months before the trip, and have become convinced that (interestingly) being that locked down provides the greatest freedom. We know exactly where we're going (have maps and directions to find the places), all we need to do is roll into town and follow the directions, leaving us free to spend our time doing other stuff. Of course it depends on where/when you're going, how much time you have and the pace of your trip, as well as personal preference and how lucky you are.

Hi Angela,
I've winged it mostly by train, but a car should give you more flexiblity. Call ahead or find on arrival? It depends. Either can work. If you are sure of your destination, then I'd suggest making a phone call the day before or in the morning just to get it out of the way. However, I have just shown up in a town and gone to the TI. I also had a driving trip through Norway where we just looked for signs offering rooms to let as it got late in the day. Time wasted? I had one occasion where I was on a tight budget and I could not find something in my price range in the city. I ended up taking a train to another nearby town. Other than that, never had too much of a problem. Not sure of how many nights? I usually ask for a room for the minimum that I think I will stay and ask if there is a possibility to stay longer. I have also asked to extend my stay after staying one or two nights. Sometimes it has been fine and sometimes they have been booked up.

Angela... I have done a lot of 'winging it' through the years.... To answer your questions... Occasionally I will try to call ahead, but very rarely, as I might change my mind and head off in a different direction. There are a few times I might have spent a bit more time than I wanted in looking for a room, but usually it was because I didn't like what I was finding. I have also been disappointed by a number of places I have made reservations at as it was not what I thought when I arrived (so a trade off here) Hotels will usually let you add a night unless it is festival time or they are sure they can book with someone else. If I am worried about it I always ask when I book. This bohemian style of travel is definitely not for everyone and it doesn't work for me on every trip. Some trips I need to plan (especially depending on who I am traveling with or where) but if I have a rental car and want to explore and have a great adventure then I just travel... and I know that simply because I miss something on some 'checklist' I have another experience that is usually far more relevant for me. When I read what most people state as their most memorable experience it is usually the totally unplanned, serendipitous experience...yet these same people will continue to plan their next trip down to the last detail and then 'plan for spontaniety'....You either travel loose and go where the road takes you, or you do lots of planning... I don't think you can have it both ways.... neither way is right, but I have all I can do to plan what clothes to take and what cameras... and I absolutely do not want to look at a ton of photos or videos before I go to a place.... I want to be utterly surprised by what I see....
There are plenty of stresses in just winging it, but I think there are more in all the detail planning...all a matter of personal preference.

Wow, thank you all for these further insights. David, that is funny you are now traveling how we did for years and we are wanting to take a stab at your former style. I think Sicily will be a good place to test out winging it to be able to decide which form of travel better suits us for the future. Laura, glad to hear it doesn't sound like you've had too many issues over the years with finding accommodations, and it's a good point just to make a reservation somewhere if we knew for sure where we'd end up. The planner in me will probably still have a short list of various places to stay around the island, mostly because I can't help myself. Terry Kathryn, I love your attitude about it, especially "I know that simply because I miss something on some 'checklist' I have another experience that is usually far more relevant for me." My husband is also reading these responses and that really struck a chord for him as well. Again, for some reason I feel Sicily is a good place to just roam around for a few weeks and we are really embracing changing up our game plan. I've read several posts of yours in the past regarding this style of travel and as I said in the OP, it is people like you who have inspired us to give it a whirl. Ceidleh, for some reason "you should fork over the money" made me laugh! I absolutely agree with you and we will make sure communicate with the hotel owners/staff in a timely fashion, as the last thing I'd want is for them to turn business away while we hemmed and hawed. I also appreciate your tip to check holiday schedules/general goings-ons. Again, thank you all for sharing your experiences/tips, we are really looking forward to this adventure!

Angela, In all our trips starting in the 90's, we have never made any reservations at all, with the exception of "The Last Supper" and certain restaurants. We have done train/bus only trips, train/bus/rental car trips, and rental car only trips. We really love the freedom to change directions at will, due to weather, labor strikes, festivals, info gleaned from locals and other travelers, etc, etc. We do have friends that always reserve a hotel room the first night, so they dont have any hassles after the flight. They also reserve a hotel 2 nights before flying home in their departure city. And Andre L. This is the first time I have ever heard anything about locked-in reservations required. I looked at it. Incredible! My wife and I have broken the law, (been irregular, haha), for the last eleven years. Thanks for the info.

Regarding your particular questions: 1) Yes, I find it more effective to call ahead for a room. That's my personal preference because I don't feel like wasting time once I get into town walking about aimlessly with my luggage. I prefer to ditch my bag as soon as possible and get out to explore the place I just arrived. 2) No, I don't feel like I waste too much time looking for a place to sleep. Especially now with an iPhone or iPad and free wifi its easy enough to find lodging online, make the call and have a room relatively quickly. 3) In the off-season, I have found most hotel owners are receptive to holding a room for you up to a certain point. If you think you want to keep the room you have your luggage in, then you should fork over the money in the morning before you head out to do your touristy things. If you are really unsure, then pack up and leave your luggage at the front desk so the hotel can clean up your room and rent it to someone else who may walk through the door or call to book it while you are out deciding whether to stay or go. They may tell you to leave your luggage in the room if you want, but they will explain if you don't let them know by a certain time what your decision is, they will charge your credit card for another night - whether you stay or not. In a very small family run hotel you may only get until noon to make up your mind. At a big chain hotel for business travelers, you might have until 6:00PM to decide before you get charged. It depends. 4) Tips: Be sure to note if there are any holidays or big festivals going on at the places you will be headed for your overnight stays. You could find it harder to book lodging at the last minute or one of the sights you had hoped to see may be closed.

Re the Schengen zone: I've only flown to CDG and FRA . At neither place was I ever asked by any immigration officer whether I had reservations in the cities/towns I would be visiting...nothing. (A lot of times I did but they don't know that, other times I did not). They run the Passport through, look at its picture and at your face...no words exchanged, just a Passport stamp afterwards. I've winged it in traveling but less often now because I am picky as to where I am staying. That's mainly at a Pension or small hotel/hostel in the area of the train station. I don't want to waste time and energy looking for a place, which I've been through. That's why I reserve, esp if it's a repeat visit. Winging it in the past was alot easier, you arrive in town and head for the HI hostel, which always had room. But that's not something that you can count anymore with on-line booking. Winging it with train travel is much easier in Germany, Poland, and Austria than in France

Once, again that a requirement existing in current law is not often checked doesn't follow it should be ignored Just because you entered a country 20 times without being checked, don't count doing it the 21st. Usually the most common case of denied entry is that of young people without firm travel plans or evidence of money. For a while, immigration authorities have been cracking upon Americans (and Canadians, Australians and who else) who go to Europe with intent of working in the black market... college-age students are particularly of interest as they can be hired illegally for staffing clubs, restaurants etc. For that matter, US routinely denies entry to Europeans entitled to visa-free travel as well. I'm just mentioning. It is the responsibility of each traveler to know the rules of entry on the country of destination.

Exactly where is this regulation written down? You can't make up rules for things as you go along. There has to be a regulatory/statute basis somewhere. Cite it and I'll become a believer. Otherwise it's just more hokum.

I'm with Ed. I'd be surprised if there's a specific regulation requiring room reservations for each night. I would think that if you had no reservations at all, no return ticket or an easily-changeable return ticket, and couldn't rattle off a real itinerary, they could probably deny entry on the ground that you were a risk for overstaying your allotted time. But that's not the same as an absolute requirement that you have firm reservations for each night.

Crash and Fred, thank you for adding your comments as it pertains to un-planned travel. As for the proof of lodging discussion, the Italian Embassy & regional Consular offices for the US have websites, at which you can find a "Do I need a Visa" mini-questionnaire. After putting in Nationality/Residence, Duration of Stay, and Reason for Visit (tourism), the following came back: 1. You do not need a visa to enter Italy. 2. You may enter Italy with a valid passport. 3. When entering Italy, the border authorities may ask to see documentation justifying the reasons for and duration of your stay. http://www.esteri.it/visti/index_eng.asp On a whim I went to the French Embassy website for the US. Under the Visa page it reads: A valid passport is required for all U.S. citizens and foreign national entering France. Visitors must have ready for presentation at the border documentary evidence of the purpose of the visit, means of support for the duration of the stay and accommodation arrangements. http://www.ambafrance-us.org/spip.php?rubrique102 I was unable to locate similar language from the Embassy websites of Austria, Netherlands, Belgium Spain, or Germany and didn't check other countries, but I was also skimming and may have missed something. And again, I've yet to find anything that relates specifically to Schengen visa-free travel but would be willing to take a look at anything anyone has to cite. It's all very curious. And James, "But Ed (and others)...if it is cited, will you obey it?" ...cricket... cricket....

Simply based on the law of averages (since I do not know anyone who has ever heard of this 'law' let alone been asked for their itinerary) I will take the risk of being sent home because I don't have a reservation.... the only time I have ever been asked anything is from a few rental car companies...and most of those in the US.
This is an absurd reason to make reservations, especially since you can just cancel them.

Prior to landing from SFO to London and also arriving at St Pancras Station from Paris, (these two occasions), I am given, like other US citizens, a card to fill out which does ask you where you are staying in London. Since it's the arrival site, I do make a reservation at a B&B and indicate that. Once I was asked by the immigration officer (I know this is not Schengen) the address of the hotel, since I had indicated its name on the card. I told him I didn't know the exact address but only knew how to get there once I exited Kings Cross. At the airport the only immigration officers who have engaged me in the niceties of a perfunctory conversation upon arrival are the British at LHR...all the other times at FRA and CDG not a word.

The immigration official at Munich airport insisted on seeing our return ticket last time we were in Germany. "Do you have a return ticket?" "Yes" pause "show me"

"Exactly where is this regulation written down?" I can only find it in Dutch, and it may apply only for people who don't qualify for a visa-waiver (I'm not 100% certain). But, from the Dutch government website, this document that states what you must provide: http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/asielbeleid-en-immigratie/documenten-en-publicaties/formulieren/2011/12/27/documenten-aanvraag-schengenvisum.html Translation of the 5th black bullet point down:
"Documents that substantiate the goal of travel, such as an invitation letter or hotel reservation in the Netherlands."

I still don't see anything that is a legal requirement that one must have reservations for their entire stay. But it looks like there is language that might enable immigration authorities to deny entry to someone who had no evidence of any reservations at all (and such evidence might be as simple as: "I'm planning to stay at the first nice hotel I find when I hit the city center, using one of these credit cards in my wallet"). And immigration authorities are certainly not interested in looking for ways to keep out tourists who are planning to spend money in their country.

From the Spanish equivalent of the deapartment of State (http://www.maec.es/subwebs/Documents/Requisitos%20entrada_ES2011.pdf) Para entrar en territorio español para una estancia que no exceda de tres meses en un periodo de seis, es necesario cumplir con los siguientes requisitos: C. Justificación del objeto y las condiciones de la estancia y disponer de medios económicos suficientes para su sostenimiento durante el período de permanencia en España. - Viajes de carácter turístico o privado. Se podrá exigir la presentación de alguno de los siguientes documentos: 1. Documento justificativo del establecimiento de hospedaje o carta de invitación de un particular, si se hospeda en su domicilio, expedida según lo dispuesto en la Orden PRE/1283/2007

I don't read Spanish very well, but I used Google Translator on Andre's excerpt. It says (according to Google) that one of the documents that may be needed to satisfy the conditions of entry is evidence of lodging. But proof of lodging is not itself one of those conditions.

Re: that Munich immigration officer asking to see the return flight ticket or print out....since my first trip over in 1971, arriving at different airports, trans-atlantic, within Europe, crossing back and forth between borders, etc. etc., no immigration officer or controller has ever asked me if I had a return air ticket home to Calif., not even the commie East German Vopos at the Bahnhof Friedrichstrasse East Berlin crossing, the commie Czechs on the train. There's one exception...the Dutch on the way to Amsterdam after the train had left Duisburg. I had been warned that this might take place when the Dutch came on the train, so I wasn't too shocked, but still that question and the length of your stay question ticked me off. Yes, they wanted to see the return flight ticket, which luckily was in my pocket, I told them two days in Amsterdam, ie. I'm not spending my money in Holland. That was in Sept. 1971.

My only negative experience doesn't go back as far as Fred's, but it's close. In 1979 I was asked to show my return ticket when I arrived in England. I'm often asked questions about where I'm going, but it seems more curiosity than anything else, or the official needing to feel he's doing something.

Hi Angela, I can't comment on legality here, though I tend to side with Ed, et al. I've made very few reservations in Europe over the years (Christmas in Germany with my pregnant wife being one of the exceptions). Starting with your first question: - I usually show up and find a room, dump my stuff, then move on. I used to call ahead, get a room, then take the train to the town as I was leaving the previous town. I missed two connections (Italy!) and never got to my intended desitination that night. So, I was stuck in Siena on a saturday night with no place to stay. Enter the convent. The nuns hooked me up, big time! Great story to be told, although the table between the two twin beds must have weighed about 6 tons, or was glued to the floor. Those beds were NOT going together! - Rarely. One time in Assisi, but that's it. I just happened to roll into town during the siesta, so I had to wait for everyone to open up again. I found an old italian woman: me: Do you know where I can find a place to sleep? her: Si. (she beckons me onward... To her house.) me: I can stay in your house? her: Si. (she writes 50E on a paper). Done. I'm off to the cafe... - during the time of year that you're there, you can likely add nights without much problem if you like the place.
- don't stress about it. Plan on sleeping on a park bench, and whatever bed you find will always seem like an improvement. (disclaimer: I've never actually had to sleep on a bench...)

1. I usually call in the am for a room that evening. I research places ahead of time and make a list of places, in order of preference, that I would be happy to stay at - including their phone number. 2. The wasted time is before the trip researching potential lodging, not during the trip. We toured Spain in April, We had reservations when our itinerary was fixed - generally the start and end of the trip, Barcelona and Madrid. Because of other things that fixed our itinerary, we also had reservations at Sevilla and Cordoba. We didn't have reservations for Zaragoza, Pamplona, San Sebastian, Burgos, Valladolid, Salamanca, Segovia, Toledo, Valdepenas, Granada, Ronda, Tarifa, Cadiz or Jerez. Except for Granada, we called and got a room at our first choice every time. Granada (for three nights) was a little tougher. Our first choice was "completo", our second choice had a room for only two nights (but promised to figure something out for the third night), our third choice was available but we didn't like the room, so we had to go with the fourth choice - which was cheap, charming and well located. 3. I would usually ask for a room for the longer period. If you're done seeing a place, you can always check out early. We've done it more than once - but part of my research is deciding which sights I want to see and how many nights that's going to require, so leaving early isn't as common as you might imagine. 4. My best tip, plan like crazy before your trip. Know your options, then make choices on the road. Skipping something because you decide you're not up for it is one thing - missing something you would have really liked because you didn't know it was there is another.

Someone mentioned that the U.S. routinely denies entry, even for visa-waiver fliers. Not sure how routine it is, but it does happen for sure. I personally know a German citizen (German passport holder) who was denied entry at JFK, even though she was merely connecting at JFK for a flight from Qatar to Toronto. She had done this flight more than once before...lives in Toronto...U.S. immigration didn't like something this time and sent her back. She finally got back to Toronto by bypassing the U.S. The crappy thing is that the U.S. is the only country in the world (I think...or at least the only one that matters) that doesn't allow sterile transit.

Thanks for the additional comments, particularly those of Darren and Brad. It all sounds very encouraging and we are really gearing up for our non-planned-but-researched trip! And Michael, I have a friend who lives in Toronto and has been hassled a few times while just transiting through the US to other countries. She, too, tries to avoid it!

Well, at least we can all feel safer knowing that our crack security forces are successfully keeping terrorists at bay by snuffing out any attempts by Torontonians to make connecting flights in the U.S.

I know more about how US customs handles entry than European countries - but I expect it's similar. I think the US and Russia have the strictest immigration agents, but everyone else has laws to follow too. It's harder when you're young and/or poor than middle-aged and/or well-off. US Customs treats every admission with the rebuttable presumption that you are trying to immigrate. Your job is to "convince" the agent you are only visiting, won't overstay your visit, and won't seek to work illegally while you are in the country. A million people are allowed into the US each year, so it's not an impossible hurdle. When arriving, bad answers might include: Q. How long are you planning to stay? A. I'm not sure. Q. Where are you staying? A. I'm not sure. Will you be employed while you are here? A. Maybe. Those answers might earn you a ride home on the next flight.

But I don't really have a return "ticket". I just know the flight number and time and print out the boarding pass before I get to the airport ( did that last week at Schiphol). What would you show them if they ask to see a ticket?

Print out the flight confirmation email that has the flight numbers and dates. I'd do that anyway, just in case I don't have access to a computer before the return flight.