BackPacking Through Europe

[Davidko19]

Hostels are gross and you do not want to stay there any longer than possible. I remember a few that had bars and were pretty social, but its stilll a hostel.

go light as possible and forget about style. Yes, that means I recommend cargo pants. The extra pockets are good for storing snack, cameras, maps, etc. Plus, khaki ones can sorta work for going out if you dont mind looking like a d-bag. Raw jeans would be nice too, but cargos are actually pretty useful.

Bring disposable clothes. Really - are you gonnna wanna lug around 5 day old boxers that you have worn inside and out. Throw those suckers away and save you some packing space. Same for shirts - If they suck throw them out. You will find cool new stuff there anyways, so why lug home dirty ****?

Make sure you get a comfy pair of shoes. You will be on your feet all day. 10+ miles a day of walking is not out of the question. Your schedule will be outta whack. You will get up at 7 am, and be dead by 9 pm from a day of activities. I was in my prime (21) when I did it and I could barely muster the strength to go out and even just grab a beer.

Bring a cheapo watch.

When you pack, use the roll technique and use the sleep sack.

Sleep on your back.

 

[poly800rock]

yeah, a watch/alarm clock is SO IMPORTANT.

 

[L.R.]

thanks for the tips so far guys. Appreciate em!

I do have to say to the naysayers of hostels that thats the only way I can afford to go. Except for tenting, theres no alternatives for me.


As for the geography of where Im going...its everywhere. Most of the western countries, and maybe even a few more eastern ones if Ive got the time.

 

[newinny]

I backpacked for a year in Europe before going to college five years ago. I went from the UK through Morroco and all the way to St. Petersburg. If you're doing it alone, there's no better place than a hostel. When you end up in a hotel, you'll find it much harder to find English speakers that want to hang out or talk.

-For everyday wear, I wouldn't bring jeans. Stick to dark colored trousers with a pair of European style trainers. T-shirts are fine just avoid any logos/words and get a pair of sunglasses.

-Have a solid "going out" outfit ready for nights in clubs: button down, belt, pants, leather shoes; some clubs won't let you in with sneakers.

-A light raincoat is key as well as a cover for your backpack.

-Bring a backpack that opens like a suitcase so that you do not have to dig through your stuff every time you want something. This also avoids forgotten pairs of boxers decomposing at the very bottom.

-Do not wash your *********** sink. In between washes you'll find that you need clean socks as you'll be doing a lot of walking so pack many more than you think you'll need.

-Bring a pocketknife with a can opener and a corkscrew. Sometimes you might find it easiest to buy stuff from a grocery store for an impromptu meal/wine on the beach in Nice (extra points to bring a travel cutlery set).

-Buy a travel towel (something like a chamois cloth) and a plastic bag to put it in.

-Make all the hostel reservations you can as soon as possible. The popular hostels (Kabul in Barcelona, Flying Pig in Amsterdam, etc.) fill up weeks if not months before; these are the places you want to be for a good party.

-Buy a lonely planet guide. This will kill time on trains and help you with maps on those nights when trains drop you off at 2am.

-Bring a small backpack for days when you'll be away from the hostel for a long time and drop it off before you go out at night.

-I carried a money belt with my passport and credit cards in it. However, everyday I took out enough money and put it in my wallet with my ID so I didn't have to dig into my crotch when buying a girl a drink.

-If you're under 25, apply for a international student or international youth card: ISIC. This will get you a discount at pretty much every hostel/museum you go to.

-have fun

 

[brimley]

A nice lightweight merino wool long or short sleeve tee from Smartwool or the like can go four-five days without washing, no problem, and doesn't look as technical as a synthetic.

 

[pharrow59]

related question:

what did you guys do for phones? pre-paid plans there?

 

[culture]

Im a touring musician who has been across Europe many times over. Im not backpacking, but I do have to pack very light. I take 2 pairs of jeans, a weeks worth of socks & underwear, a couple t-shirts, a sweater and a light jacket. If youre going to be backpacking, I highly suggest packing as light as possible.

Also as for your itinerary: I'd skip England, Ireland & Scotland altogether. The weather sucks, its super expensive (esp London) and the teeth are all crooked. Id suggest heading into Eastern Europe, its cheap, its beautiful, theres a million things to see, and the women are stunning (seriously, even the woman selling pretzels on the side of teh street is a 9/10). Kiev is one of the most beautiful cities ive ever been to, as is Krakow, Poland.

While youre in Kiev, bribe a guide to take you to the Chernobyl site and get a tour of the abandoned radiated city Pripyat and the Chernobyl plant.

And while youre in Krakow, check out the Wieliczka Salt Mines and have your mind blown. After that, come back to the beautiful city centre and eat like a king for a few dollars. Get some rest, then arrange for a guide to pick you up the next morning for a tour of Auschwitz. It will be the most surreal day of your life. You can go alone as well, but i HIGHLY suggest a guide.

Prague is the jewel of Europe, if youre into architecture, youre covered, the people there are super nice, and If you like to drink this is the place for you. Alcohol is cheaper than water and the people of the Czech Rep consume more beer per capita than any other country. Infact, we ended up missing our flight to the south of France and the following show the next day because of that. If yuo want a rave, like how we used to have them, check out the Let it Roll parties. Theyre massive.

Other places you should go:
Venice - Its not cheap, but its the most enchanting city ive been to. At night is when the beauty of venice comes out. Its a small place, no cars making noise, few motorized boats and by midnight most of the town has shut down and everyone is asleep. Now its time to walk around the city and see it in a different light. Make sure to check out San Marco square at night.

Rome - You could spend a week here checking out the historial sites

Paris - see romes description

And Barcelona is dope just to hang out and alot cheaper than the above mentioned two spots. Theres not a ton of things to see there, but the small city relaxed vibe, architecture make it the place im going to retire.

PM me for specific info/guides etc and i can get you in touch with them.

 

[Big Pun]

^^ Wow awesome pics, thanks.

 

[Marcus Brody]

I would disagree with the naysayers regarding hostels. Some can be a bit rough, but if you do your research, you can end up in some very nice ones without spending a lot.

 

[Marcus Brody]

Originally Posted by pharrow59

related question:

what did you guys do for phones? pre-paid plans there?

I was in Europe for a year, so I bought a pre-paid phone (it was $70-100 plus credit I think). It was for Spain primarily though and was expensive to use outside of it. This was a couple of years ago, though, so they may have something better for traveling now.

 

[poly800rock]

Go To Bosnia. You Will Be Amazed About How Amazing Sarajevo Is...

 

[L.R.]

Originally Posted by cocostella

#1 Don't use an actual backpack and you might get to hang with locals

1. Backpack seems to be the most convinient for carry-on and trekking with. Ill get a trendier day bag...though probally still backpack or messenger bag.

Originally Posted by cocostella

#2 Don't sew those ******* canadian leaf patches on all your ****
2. I understand alot of Americans are doing this.....why? Im Canadian, and I would never have another countries emblem or flag on anything....

Originally Posted by cocostella

#3 Check the weather and mail winter stuff ahead and then home when through with it

This is actually a really good idea..... Ill probally do this if I end up going for winter months.

 

[DrPat]

Originally Posted by L.R.

2. I understand alot of Americans are doing this.....why? Im Canadian, and I would never have another countries emblem or flag on anything....

Because they think it will spare them from anti-Americanism. Since most people can't tell the difference between American and Canadian accents and cultures it's easy for an American to pass as a Canadian.

It difficult to be less nationalistic than me but I really hate Americans sporting those little Canadian flags. They usually admit to being American after I tell them I'm American and then they usually feel the need to justify why they have a Canadian flag on their backpack. As long as you don't act like an ass, nobody will care where you are from.

 

[poly800rock]

that's the dumbest thing i have ever heard. an american trying to pass off as canadian. have some sort of pride....