Five Travel Lessons from a Newly Open Europe By Rick Steves
2) Second Cities Are Better Than Ever
I’ve long appreciated Europe’s smaller “second cities,” and in today’s travel reality, these edgy and creative cities—filled with wonderful food, history, and culture, but no crowds—are a better choice than ever. Everybody goes to Paris, so why not try out Marseille? Glasgow is just an hour from Edinburgh on the train, and Porto is three hours north of Lisbon. Go to the less-famous places and treat them like the famous places.
3) Europe Made Some Changes While You Were Gone...
Photo credit: Rick Steves’ Europe
Europe didn’t waste any time during the shutdowns. Hotels and restaurants got spiffed up, smart innovations now allow travelers to efficiently make reservations, and there are lots of exciting new museums, libraries, and restaurants—making it more important than ever to equip yourself with a good guidebook.
Europe was wide open to travelers this summer and busier than ever. And like a lot of travelers, I’m eager to make up for lost time and scuttled travel dreams— and this summer, my travels took me from Iceland to Istanbul, with lots of exciting stops in between. I’ll be sharing my favorite photos, stories, and lessons learned at the Fitzgerald Theater on November 26 (tpt.org/rick2023), and I hope I’ll see you there. In the meantime, here are five observations from my recent travels:
4) ...But Your Pre-Pandemic Favorites Survived
Before I returned to Europe, I was really worried about all my favorite little mom-and-pop places. But I happily found most of them still standing— and thriving—thanks to government help and the support of locals who love these characteristic spots as much as I do.
1) To Beat the Crowds, Don’t Follow the Crowds
Europe is busier than ever—especially at marquee sites—but there are lots of worthwhile alternatives not far from the tourist stampede. If the Anne Frank House is sold out, drop by the wonderful Dutch Resistance Museum instead. The Uffizi Gallery is packed? Try the Duomo Museum. And while I used to define “shoulder season” as May and September, to avoid spillover summer crowds (and rising summer heat), my new recommendation is to travel in April and October.
5) The World is Filled with Beautiful People—Just as It Always Has Been
Travel is all about people—and that will never change. The ambiance of Europe, the paseo, the energy on the streets, and the café scene are all just as they were before. The love of life is vibrant in Europe, and being there still makes your endorphins do little flip-flops. Now more than ever, it’s important to get out there. When we travel, we learn there's more than one right way to do things, and that the best souvenir is a broader perspective.
10
/tptpbs
@twincitiespbs
/twincitiespbs
OCTOBER 2023
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator