Holidays in Europe and Italy: Important Tips for Travelling Abroad

Date: 2018-05-03

Having lived in the UK for around 28 years now, we have travelled to many different places over that time. Here is a summary of the things we have learned along the way — tips that, if kept in mind, can help prevent problems before they happen.

What Holidays Are Like in Europe

Living and working in London, most workplaces offer around 3 to 4 weeks of annual leave. In the US this is called "vacation," and in the UK it is simply called "holiday."

You can take that leave however you like — two weeks twice, one week four times, and so on. At the start of the year, a rota typically goes around the department where everyone writes in their preferred dates, working it out so as not to overlap too much with colleagues.

People with children tend to take time off during the school summer holidays, while those without often wait until the end of August when prices drop. Holiday packages here are typically a week or more in length. Since people know their schedules so far in advance, it is common to book holidays many months ahead.

Walking past a travel agent's window, you might see signs like: "Book next year's holiday now — 10% off!" or "Secure next year's holiday with just £20 per person deposit today."

A Memory from the Chianti Wine Country of Italy

Over the years we have been on holidays to many wonderful places. When the children were small, we went to Mediterranean holiday villages almost every year so they could swim in the sea — British summers are too cool for that. The Mediterranean coastlines of Portugal, Spain, France and Italy are full of "holiday villages," ranging from family-friendly resorts to adult-only retreats, at all sorts of price points.

These large resorts typically include swimming pools, a private beach, hotel accommodation, various-sized caravans or chalets with kitchens and living rooms, camping areas, restaurants, supermarkets, souvenir shops, playgrounds, evening discos and concerts — everything you need for a full week without ever leaving the grounds.

We would fly from a nearby London airport, hire a car at the destination airport, and drive to the resort. Most continental Europeans, however, drove their own cars from home. When the children got talking to other kids and asked where they were from, answers like "Frankfurt" or "Lyon" would come up — a reminder that mainland Europe is all connected by road.

One holiday that stands out in our memory was at a village on a hilltop about an hour outside Florence, Italy. We had no idea beforehand, but it turned out to be right in the heart of Tuscany — the very home of Chianti wine.

When we got bored of the resort and drove around the surrounding countryside, we were amazed to find signs for Chianti wineries — complete with their famous black rooster logo — at every turn. "Wait, this is where Chianti comes from?!" was our reaction.

Deep in those hills, in an ancient village, we found a specialist Chianti shop that looked like only true connoisseurs would venture into. We nervously stepped inside and asked what was on offer — for a fee, you could sample 3 or 5 different Chiantis, served with prosciutto. Of course we gave it a go. And naturally we bought a bottle or two of the shopkeeper's recommendation.

At the local supermarket near the resort, huge fresh porcini mushrooms — roughly the size of large matsutake — were on sale for very little. We bought a few and made pasta with them. Apparently locals eat porcini as a fritter (called frittata in Italian)! A tiny amount of dried porcini in a risotto costs a fortune in London — and they were deep-frying the fresh ones. Quite astonishing.

Great memories.

7 Things to Be Aware of When Travelling Abroad

There are certain things to keep in mind when travelling — especially internationally — about what you wear and what you carry.

1. Keep luggage to a minimum, and make sure you can keep an eye on everything you have with you at all times.

2. Whenever travelling abroad, keep firmly in mind that the security situation is worse than in Japan, almost without exception.

3. At airports, bus stations, busy street corners and tourist spots, be aware that there are people around who are actively watching tourists and waiting for any opportunity. Stay alert.

4. If using a rucksack-style bag, only put things in it that you would not mind losing.

5. If using a crossbody bag, always wear it across your front with the zipper visible and within your line of sight.

6. Stay calm at all times, and breathe.

7. Avoid wearing or carrying high-end luxury brands — especially bags. Carrying a designer handbag is essentially advertising that you have money and are worth targeting. It significantly increases the risk of becoming a victim of crime.

In Europe, outside the upper classes and celebrities, young people simply do not carry luxury branded goods. The cultural attitude there is that such brands are for people who have truly "earned" them through life experience — not simply for anyone who can afford to buy them. In Japan and China, the logic of "I can afford it, so I'll carry it" is more common, but in European cities this makes you stand out in a very visible way and puts you at much greater risk of being targeted by pickpockets.

In terms of dress, the habit of wearing all your branded items at once — like Chinese tourists can sometimes be seen doing today, and Japanese tourists were famous for doing 20 to 30 years ago — is unlikely to be a trap many travellers still fall into. But when abroad, excitement and unfamiliar surroundings can make people distracted. Please be mindful of your surroundings, your actions, and how loudly you are speaking.

One exception to all of the above: if your entire trip is conducted by chauffeured car and you are staying in five-star hotels throughout, the usual rules do not apply quite so strictly.

Have a safe and enjoyable trip!

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