Rick Steves was right!!

I'm going to add that learning a few key phrases in the language of where you're visiting is a HUGE plus. Natives are much friendlier when you greet them in their own tongue. Even a "sorry, I don't speak ______" in their language will open a lot of doors that might otherwise remain closed.

After 13 trips to Europe I heartily endorse numbers 1 and 4.

1. You can see nice pictures of Big Ben, the Eifel Tower, Frauenkirche in Munich, and the Colosseum in Rome, but nohow can you ever match the experience of meeting Londoners, Parisiennes, Germans, and Italians on their home turf. That's the thing that keeps me coming back year after year. It's not the sights, although I do enjoy them, it's the people.

4, Pack light. Travel is sooooo much more enjoyable when you are not lugging around a ton of luggage. The trade-off of rinsing out a few articles of clothing every night is well worth not having to carry around three weeks worth of clothes in a heavy roller bag.

In terms of breakfast, I find it to be a case of Your Dietary Habits May Vary. Neither of us really eat much for breakfast, so spending an extra €12+ per person for a breakfast buffet is a waste for us when you can typically go down the street from the hotel and pick up some pastries made at the local bakery and a few pieces of fruit at the greengrocer or convenience store for €5 or less for both of us. (And even that is often more than what I'll have for breakfast at home; just can't stomach eating much until I've been vertical for a few hours first.)

After 20+ trips to Europe, Australia and Japan, I too will endorse ## 1 and 4.

When we travel in the Us, it is usually a camping/road trip and we take everything. Traveling abroad, we pack very light, even when the trip includes everything from serious hiking in the Alps to opera at La Scala. For no. 2, breakfast, we like it if included in the hotel, as it most often is in the UK, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. In Spain, where breakfast was extra, we skipped the hotel offer at 10€ or so pp, and went to a nearby cafe for better coffee ( him) and a light snack ( me).

As for the second list---at our age (60+)!we find traveling in business class on the overseas flight a necessity. We use miles and have learned to work the system.

Glad you had such a great time, and had some positive learning experiences. As with others, I too endorse 1 and 4, although had a couple of too friendly experiences with number 1, but no big deal. I also like 3. As for the breakfast option, if not included in the price of the stay, we will wonder down to a cafe and just have a cup of coffee and a pastry (and will stake out some options in days before so we aren't aimlessly wondering in the morning). I try to keep breakfast under 5 of the local currency.
Going along with your number 1, one thing I try and accomplish is eating adventurously. I figure when you go out to eat (or in a different country) eat something you can't get at home as much as possible (of course, sometimes you want the comfort food).

After meeting up with my mom in UK (who had been visiting my sister for 3 weeks) and taking her and her not that ginormous but still bigger then a carry on around Italy for 2 weeks, #4 has def be reinforced for hubby and I (we always travel with carry on only). Especially for hubby, since he got to lug the bigger case around. And me, because I got to drag mom's carry on and my carry on along behind me (mom got the heaviest carry on and the personal size bag). Amazing the difference between a 20 pound bag and a 35+ pound bag up and down stairs and on and off public transport! And I vaguely feel sorry for those I see toting huge suitcases around, but then I think they did it to themselves...

Good to hear that you had a great trip!

We all travel a little differently - which is why forums are so useful for finding what works for our individual styles, eh? Like some of the others, we never pay for hotel breakfast if not included as they're almost always vastly overpriced. We also don't use moneybelts as we find them to be uncomfortable. That said, we have devised other methods of keeping our goodies from light fingers, and those have worked perfectly so far.

Business class? I wish. Nope, strictly coach for us but as we're always FAR too excited to sleep on the flight over, no need to waste the extra cash anyway! Guess we'll have to figure out a way to sleep upright when we get around to Australia one of these days?

Lie-in day? Never. I can sleep at home, and fun never seems to wear us out - although we don't just run from attraction to attraction either.

We do a "real" laundry once on three-week trips but we also pack a lot of lightweight fabrics that can be rinsed out in the sink and hung to dry overnight. Synthetic blends also breath better, wrinkle less, and keep the weight down in the luggage. We've met some interesting people at self-serve laundries so wash day is its own sort of adventure. :O)

It sounds like a wonderful first experience in Europe! You'll be as hooked as the rest of us now.

I agree totally with number 1 (talk to the locals when possible); and 4 (pack light [learned the hard way]).

For years DH wore the money belt but the last few trips he's complained about it and taken it off and jammed it in my day bag. And no matter how many times I tell him the failure in that move he doesn't get it! Whatever I carry goes in a purse sized cross body bag that hangs in front of me. I feel that is 99% as effective as a money belt (I eat with it still wrapped around me on my lap which admittedly is occasionally awkward, but I get used to it).

I found in France the hotel breakfasts are not worth the 12+ euros and find nearby places. Other countries I've visited tend to include the breakfast in the room rate.

As far as a "lie in day", I'm not a sleeper-inner (and married an ultra-morning person). But Rick does encourage a "vacation from your vacation", and we generally have a few easy days here and there to recharge the batteries.

@Kathy: "we have devised other methods of keeping our goodies from light fingers, and those have worked perfectly so far".
So are you going to share these methods with the rest of us?

Hi,

Coming back to Calif after a 12 week trip (solo) as a student backpacker in Sept. 1971 convinced me then that going to Europe was it. Now 43 years after and a total of 20 trips, you do learn a few things. I use the hidden pocket rather than the money belt. It does give you the extra security when your energy is directed at fending off anyone coming at you while not having to worry about a diversionary. On flying business class: I had that pleasant experience (not my doing) once the first time I flew Lufthansa in 1989 SFO to FRA.. At the ticket counter seeing my Economy ticket, she just said I'll upgrade you to Business Class.

The shorter the summer trip, say 14 days or fewer, you pack less; the longer the summer trip eg, 42 to 67 days or more, you pack more long as the max is under 30 pounds. Contact with the locals...most effectively done when the talking is in their language so that you don't impose by having them speak your language.

pwell, you've thrown a lot out there, I'll address your #1, advising us to mix. Couldn't agree more, this is the key aspect of travel for us, and this time for us we had so many interesting, one on one exchanges with locals, it made our day every time it happened.
One late evening we sat in front of our B & B in Lyon, talking with Sebastian, our taxi driver, for twenty minutes after arriving-that part of the fare was on him ;-)).
We had a wide ranging discussion: children, politics, social justice, and even, and I think most importantly to Sebastian, Bellota ham. It was a warm, sincere conversation amongst people who wanted nothing more than to dip a toe into another culture, it was exquisite. This happened again and again over two weeks in France, and it is the very best memory for us.
Cheers.

@Kathy: "we have devised other methods of keeping our goodies from light fingers, and those have worked perfectly so far".So are you going to share these methods with the rest of us?

Sure! For daily sightseeing, we pin small, zippered cloth pouches to underside of our waistbands: just enough room for the cash and cards we need for the day, and totally invisible. We can get to them when needed but other fingers can't without our knowledge. The bulk of the cash and extra cards stay in the hotel safe.

For moving from country-to-county or city-to-city, we have a slashproof Pacsafe bag with locking zippers for our passports, cards, cash, camera cards, my itouch, etc. Both of these methods have proven to be far more comfortable for us, and every bit as effective so far. I'm not knocking moneybelts by any means; they just aren't our cuppa.

On a side note, I'd heard so many dire warnings about pickpockets that I've occasionally stuck a fake credit card (the "real" looking ones with "Your name here" that you get in junk mail) in my back pocket just to see if would disappear? Nope. I must not look like I've anything on me worth filching ! :O)

I never seem to need a whole day off on my vacation--too much to do and see--but have learned that I do best when planning activities to pace myself; if I have to be catching a train for a day trip at 7 am and returning at 9 pm, the next day I will generally have a less structured plan and maybe not leave the room until 10 am. Knowing when to take a break and sit myself down for a snack or on a park bench for people-watching helps a lot, too. Even 1/2 hour can re-charge my batteries (and feet!) to keep at it for many more hours.

To Lola...
In reference to your comment.....
"As for the second list---at our age (60+)!we find traveling in business class on the overseas flight a necessity. We use miles and have learned to work the system."
Please share your tips on working the system. We have had trouble using miles to fly business class. Any guidance would be appreciated.

We have gone to Europe from Seattle for 12 of the last 13 years for a month. We choose not to afford Business Class, instead we upgrade by paying extra into Economy Extra, or similar class, on whatever airline we fly. At me being 6' 3", I find it more than comfortable for a 9 1/2 hour trip and that is a whole lot cheaper than BC. Whenever I visit Seattle, I do purchase some Lottery tickets so than when I hit, we can fly First Class (we have not legal gambling in Hawaii). aloha

Re: MINGLE WITH LOCAL PEOPLE

A great way to "mingle with local people", or at least not be part of a herd of Americans is to share the activities that locals enjoy and if possible join an international group.

I enjoyed learning about Norwegian culture by joining a Den Norske Turistforening (Norwegian Trekking Association) guided ski tours that encouraged a mix of Norwegians and foreign skiers led by multilingual association members. In addition to Norwegians, we skied with Danes and Germans. The association's mountain huts served what they considered traditional meals.
http://english.turistforeningen.no/activity.php?fo_id=3612

We met and bonded with a number of English walkers doing the same route. The common interest of enjoying a walking holidays with end of the day meals at the local pub almost guaranteed meeting and socializing with English and other walkers.

While American group tours can be comfortable for group mrmbers, tour members are mingling with other Americans in an exotic land.

Thank you for sharing these experiences.
Now how may we help you plan the next trip abroad?
I advocate Spain!