Europe Up Close

Travel Gear & Resources

Published/Revised August 20, 2018 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Travel Gear & Travel Planning Resources As frequent travelers, we have tried all kinds of different gadgets, tools, and resources. Here are our travel gear and resources that we use to book our trips, the things we always have in our bags and more helpful tips on what to pack for and how to book your next trip to Europe. We recommend only companies that we love and the products we use. Some ... Read Full Article

How to Travel with Carry-ons ONLY

Published/Revised February 19, 2019 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Whether travelling for long periods, through several countries or just going for a week; we only travel with carry-ons. My husband Rick and I travel consecutively for many months annually, visiting a number of countries, hence numerous flights. Regardless of the length of these travel-stints (our last one entailed 25 countries in 9 months) – we take only a carry-on each. Here's how we travel with ... Read Full Article

Six Reasons to Visit Europe this Winter

Published/Revised November 1, 2018 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

In the summer, travelers flock to Europe to tour the sites while basking in the warm sunshine. Sounds perfect, right? Well, it is perfect until you step off the plane and realize that everyone else has the same idea. Along with the picture-perfect weather, come throngs of camera-toting tourists. To escape the crowds, consider visiting Europe in the winter. Yes, the weather may be chilly (or, even ... Read Full Article

Tired of Trying to Get WiFi in Europe? Try This

Published/Revised April 21, 2015 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

We travel to Europe often and we are always looking for reliable WiFi connections so we can do our work and keep in touch with our family, friends and business associates. It has always been a frustrating experience until this last trip. Telecom Square contacted us and asked us to try out their Mobil WiFi Hotspot while on our trip to the Netherlands and Italy. What a difference this device made ... Read Full Article

EuropeUpClose Best Travel Secrets

Published/Revised April 4, 2015 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Every traveler has learned from his or her experience. We tapped our EuropeUpClose writing crew to share their best travel secret. We asked them to either tell us their best travel tip or their favorite undiscovered destination. Go Local: By Hannah May It's not a secret as such, but one way I really benefit from my travels is to immerse myself in the local places and culture of the ... Read Full Article

Mattie’s Guide to Finding Month-to-Month Rentals in Europe

Published/Revised September 22, 2016 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

People often ask me: How do you find a long-term vacation rental in Europe? The short answer: Just show up. This requires risking failure, and you might want to hear my story before beginning your search. My first trip to Italy was completely unplanned, yet after a few weeks of travel, my girlfriend and I moved into a six-room palace. It had a working fireplace, original artworks, and it was ... Read Full Article

Andorra Tourist Information

Published/Revised June 20, 2015 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Introduction  to Andorra The Principality of Andorra (officially known as the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra) is the sixth smallest nation in Europe and it is not a member of the European Union. Located in the eastern Pyrenees, bordered by Spain and France, it is governed jointly by the President of France and the Bishop of Urgell (Catalonia, Spain). Andorra’s estimated population of ... Read Full Article

New Rules for Getting through TSA Checkpoints

Published/Revised June 30, 2016 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Have you heard? Getting through the TSA checkpoints is taking L O N G E R. The TSA agents are being more careful; they are doing more thorough screening on more people. All this takes time, so to make it easier on yourself follow this guide for getting through the line faster. Get there early Even if you are organized, chances are the people in front of you aren’t. Keep this in mind when buying ... Read Full Article

Avoiding Foot and Leg Problems While Sightseeing

Published/Revised May 13, 2013 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

  Most of us walk more while on vacation than we do in our, normal lives. Whether this is because you missed your bus and need to walk (or run) to the station to catch your train, because you are on a two hour walking tour, or because the night is just perfect for a stroll along the Seine (or Thames, or Danube), tourists end up putting many miles on their feet. Here are several pieces of ... Read Full Article

Europe Train Travel Tips

Published/Revised January 8, 2018 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

  Traveling by rail in Europe is economical and fun; it is the way most Europeans travel. Now that there are several cheap, regional airlines you can also get around Europe by air. But remember that most of these airlines fly from small, out-of-the-way airports. Trains bring you into the heart of the city. Learning the ins and outs of traveling by train in Europe will make your journey ... Read Full Article