December 19, 2013

EFCB - Grand Tour of Europe tips!


I have received a ton of questions from people curious about what the EF College Break experience is all about. I also had a million questions before I went on my trip and thought a tip page would be helpful. To start things off, if you weren't directed here by way of my YouTube video of all of my awesome adventures in Europe, feel free to watch it below. It'll help get you excited for your own trip (or so I hope).



I went on the Grand Tour of Europe the summer of 2012. It was AMAZING! While any trip has it's ups and downs, I would seriously give anything to go back and do it all over again. Here are some questions I've been asked and tips I collected along the way...

GENERAL QUESTIONS

  • How big is each group? My group had 38 people. 4 boys and the rest girls. Every trip is different though.
  • Do you stay with your group the entire time? Yes and no. You travel with your group to every destination and a lot of the tours and excursions are done with your group. However, EF gives you a lot of free time to go off on your own and explore the cities at your leisure. So yes, you stay with them the whole time, but you don't have to be with everyone the whole time.
  • Do you feel this trip was worth the money? YES!! I did a lot of research on different college tour groups and I found that EF had the lowest prices for the most experiences! One of my favorite quotes is, "Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer." I would pay for it all again in a heartbeat.
  • Would it be weird if I went by myself? Absolutely not because that is what I did! I was originally going to go with my best friend but she had to back out last minute. Of course I was nervous about going by myself but you'll get over it fast. Going alone allowed me to make new friends and they became some of the best friends I've ever had! 
BEFORE YOU GO
  • Make a plan! Research the places you are going and make a list of all the sites you want to see. Make a list of foods you want to try or adventures you'd like to go on. I promise your trip will be a million times more memorable when you actually know about the history, culture, and general layout of the place. If you don't know what happened in the Colosseum, it's not going to be that special to you. Catch my drift? Before I left I wrote down every place I was going and then made a list of everything I wanted to do there. It was a bucket list of sorts.
  • Save some money. Even though you'll be making payments towards your trip, also set some money aside for things you want to buy on your own. Like souvenirs, food, gelato (LOTS of gelato!), museum tickets, etc. I took $2,000 in spending money with me. It actually ended up being a pretty good amount. I felt like I had enough so I didn't have to scrounge or pinch pennies (when in Rome), but at the same time I wasn't tossing euros around like they were nothing. If people ask you what you want for Christmas or your birthday, tell them money so you can buy something nice in Europe. 
  • Buy a large, hardback suitcase with a combination lock! I found mine at TJ Maxx for a really good price. The reason it needs to be large is so that you'll have plenty of room to bring home all your treasures! The reason it needs to have a hardback is so that people won't be able to rip open your suitcase and steal your treasures! And the reason for the combination lock is so that people won't break into your suitcase and steal your treasures! Seriously though, I know it sounds lame, but don't expect the maids to leave your stuff alone. People in my group had stuff stolen out of their suitcases because they weren't careful. Make sure all your valuable stuff is locked up before you go out each day!
  • Buy converters and a money pouch or small purse! Europeans are weird and use strange plugs to charge their stuff. You'll have to buy a converter if you want to dry your hair or charge your camera. Ask around first though, my cousin let me borrow hers. I also bought my own too, which actually came in handy when I needed to charge my phone and my camera at the same time. Also, pickpockets are part of the European experience. If you are careless with your stuff, they will steal it. (A gypsy lady tried to steal a pack of mentos right out of my hands one day! True story!) Buy either a money pouch that loops around your neck or tucks into your waist. I had one and eventually got sick of it. I also brought a small purse (about 6 inches wide, 9 inches tall, and 2 inches deep) that strapped over my shoulder and ended up using that. Just keep a firm grip on it at all times, preferably keeping your hand over the zipper. Those gypsies are sneaky devils!
  • Buy a journal! No matter how well you think you're going to remember something, you won't remember it 20 years from now so write it down! This trip has long bus rides which gives you the ultimate opportunity to take a while to write down your adventures. Write about everything, what you ate, what you smelled, what you did, what you saw. I've gone back and read my journal and was amazed at how much I've already forgotten! Not like it was forgettable, just that there is literally SO much you're going to see that it is almost impossible to keep it all straight. Also, write down the addresses of people you want to send post cards to while you're gone. 
  • Join your group's Facebook page. When you get a little closer to your trip, EF will send you a link to a Facebook group where you will be able to get a sneak peak of all your travel buddies! This is great because you'll be able to get a feel for everyone and see who you would like to hang out with while you're there! If there is a certain place you want to see, post it on the page and see if anyone else wants to go! A large group of us did this and all went to the Harry Potter Studios while we were in London.
  • Buy a camera with extra memory cards. I bought a nice digital camera before I left and extra memory cards. I would recommend getting 4-5 4GB memory cards. I recommend this because that way you won't have the same memory card in there the whole time. One of my friends never changed her memory card and her camera got stolen out of her purse towards the end of the trip. She lost every picture she took while she was there! Don't let that happen to you! When you run out of room, pop in a new card and put the used one somewhere safe.
  • Buy a backpack. This is one thing I'm really glad I brought. This trip is basically a road trip so you're going to be on a bus every few days. I put my journal, a neck pillow, snacks, the airline blanket I got on the flight over, etc. in my bag for the long drives to keep me busy and comfortable.
PACKING
  • Only pack half of your suitcase. Don't try and cram everything you own into your suitcase. PACK LIGHT!! My suitcase had a zipper that separated one half from the other, so I only packed one side. Even then I didn't have enough room! I wish I would have packed lighter. You are going to buy clothes while you're there. The shopping in Europe is AMAZING, especially in June and July when all the sales are going on. So only pack the necessities and you can buy cute clothes along the way! Also, buy mini styling products if you're a girl. They have cheap travel hairdryers and straighteners at Target or Walmart.
  • Pack medicine. If you have allergies or are prone to headaches, bring some medicine! I poured all of my medicine into one bottle to save space. Buy a little container that can fit into your purse so you'll have some on you while you're out exploring. If you get sick or need something while in Europe, medicine over there is super cheap (yay for universal healthcare!).
EXCURSIONS
  • Stonehenge and Bath. Personally, I chose to go to the Harry Potter Studios the day of this excursion. But two of my friends did it and they liked it! However, on our trip for some reason they told us that "Stonehenge was closed for the day." so they took everyone to Windsor Castle instead. Later they found out that the day they were supposed to go was the ONLY day of the year they let you walk straight up to the rocks. 
  • Versailles. Do this one on your own time if you want to see Versailles. It's cheaper if you do it on your own too because you won't have a tour guide. Our tour guide for this excursion was super boring and spent waaaay too much time in each room.
  • Biking the Dutch countryside. I loved this excursion!! The ride isn't that bad since it's basically flat the whole way. You'll ride through meadows and fields with windmills and the air literally smells like chocolate! You ride to a cute little town where you watch a clog making demonstration and you can buy chocolate and cheese. It was a blast.
  • Mount Pilatus. This excursion was really fun! First you take a relaxing boat ride through Lake Lucerne and then you get on the steepest railway in the world! The ride to the top was so beautiful. We even saw swiss cows with bells around their necks! The view from the top is amazing and they have yodelers up there!
  • Rome cooking class. I didn't do this one. Some of my friends did and they liked it! If you like to cook then you should like this one. Personally, I wanted to have more time to explore the city.
  • Monaco casino night. Out of all the excursions, this was the one I was most excited for. Unfortunately, not enough people signed up for it on my tour so it was cancelled :( If you're planning on doing this one, buy a fancy dress when you get there! 
  • Cava and tapas. No one on my tour did this one because you can go out and do it on your own. 
  • MORE TIPS: Throughout your tour, your guide is going to offer other excursions to you for an additional price. Some of the other excursions we did were amazing (gondolas in Venice!), and some were lame. Do your homework before committing. I signed up for a tour of the Roman catacombs for 15 euros and it was so boring. Some other people in my group did it on their own and it was only 5 euros.
THINGS I WOULD RECOMMEND DOING
(I'm excluding all of the normal stuff you do in these cities because you're probably already planning on seeing them: Big Ben, Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, etc.)
  • London: ride the London Eye, Harry Potter Studios, eat fish and chips, Cambden Market (great shopping!), King's Cross Station/Platform 9¾.
  • Paris: Eat a banana nutella crepe!, try escargot, sit on the steps of the Sacré-Cœur, see Moulin Rouge, see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre.
  • Brussels: Eat as many Belgium waffles as you can! They were my favorite food in Europe. See the Manneken Pis, buy chocolate.
  • Amsterdam: see the "I am Amsterdam" sign, eat chocolate, buy some frites, tour Anne Frank's house, rent a bike, take a tour of the Red Light District (this was one of our optional excursions and it was actually really interesting!).
  • Heidelberg: see how many Germans you can piss off (they are grumpy here), go see the castle, browse the shops.
  • Lucerne: see the dying lion, eat lots of ice cream!, buy/eat lots of chocolate, walk across the bridge, take a dip in the lake if it's warm, eat more chocolate.
  • Verona: go see Juliet's house, buy a lock at the gift shop, write your name and your lover's name on it, lock it onto the gate, GELATO!
  • Venice: get lost, ride a gondola and sing "oh peperoni!", eat pasta, go to the glass making factory on Murano (another optional excursion), GELATO!
  • Rome: eat pizza, throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain, sit on the Spanish Steps, go inside the Pantheon, feel small in St. Peter's Basilica, GELATO!
  • Florence: get lost, pay to take the 500 stairs to the top of the Duomo, go shopping, see the Gates to Paradise at the baptistry, GELATO!!
  • French Riviera: sit your butt in the sand, go skinnydipping in the ocean, go shopping, take the bus to Cannes, go to Fragnard if you can, eat more banana nutella crepes.
  • Provence: Sadly, we stayed on the side of the freeway in the middle of nowhere so we didn't do anything here :( They change hotels a lot so hopefully this won't happen to you.
  • Barcelona: go to Park Guell, see the Sagrada Familia, go shopping, go see the Magic Fountains of Montjuic!
  • Madrid: go to San Ginés and order hot chocolate and churros!, go shopping down the Gran Via, don't eat the paella. 
If you have any other questions, or would like to add your own advice, please feel free to email me at jaymay.life.lessons@gmail.com. Thanks for reading and safe travels! 

59 comments:

  1. How much were the optional excursions like the bike ride etc?

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    1. It depends on the excursion. All of the prices should be on EFCB's website though, so check there :)

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  2. do you think 19 is too young to go on this trip? i am 19 and sophomore in college.

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    1. Definitely not! The average age range in my group was 18-22, so 19 is perfect!

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  3. I don;t think so, I'm 19 too and looking into maybe going on one of these too-
    in high school i went on something similar but only to italy and it was a great experience with the tour guide and everything. If you can afford it and stay smart about safety you can't go wrong with visiting Europe!

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  4. Is there movement to possibly opt out of tours on the trip if I were to decide I wanted to do something on my own... such as hit the summer ski hill one day?

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    1. It depends... if they are the optional tour days then you definitely won't have any problem making your own plans that day. I opted out of the trip to Stonehenge and Bath because I REALLY wanted to go to the Harry Potter Studios. But if they are assigned tour days where the whole group goes together that may be a little tricky. I guess it would depend on flexible and nice your tour guide is. My tour guide preferred we all stay together on assigned days. It wouldn't hurt to even call EFCB and ask!

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  5. Hi, first off I loved your blog very helpful, but I had a quick couple of questions that you mar or may not be able to answer: What kind of suitcase did you bring? and did your bring more than one for like checking and carry on? Also, any other tips you would give that you haven't mentioned in your blog?

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    1. Thanks Bree! I took a hard plastic back suitcase that had a built in combination lock. A better description of it is under "Before You Go". You're only allowed one suitcase and a carry on. My carry on was a backpack. EF is strict about how much luggage you bring, so if you'd like to know exactly how much is allowed I know it's on their website somewhere. Or you could always call and ask! Thanks for the questions!!

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  6. Thanks for answering so many questions I had!!! :)

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  7. All these tips are helping me out tremendously, thank you! I was just wondering if you have time to go shopping throughout the trip? Also, what would a day look like on the trip?

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  8. Thanks! I'm so glad they are helping you out! You will have TONS of time to shop. Some days you have planned tours earlier in the day, afterwards, free time! The website has a detailed itinerary for each day, and once you book the trip and even more detailed account will be provided. While you will be with your group for parts of the day, most of the time you will be on your own to do what you wish :)

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  11. wow , this information is really helpful all people who want to travel in all over the world . you have given well arranged and most useful tips to all people . thanks for sharing .
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  12. Hey,
    Thanks for the great guidelines...I was still curious about the Monaco night... did they refund you your money for the trip since it was cancelled

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    1. Yes they refunded us the money! Any time an excursion gets canceled for whatever reason you will be refunded for it.

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    2. Just another question...the thing that worries me the most is my safety and watching taken does not help lol....did you feel safe on your trip, especially when you ventured on your own?

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  13. I am going on the tour next summer. So excited!

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  14. thanks for posting! where did you meet up with the group once you got off the plane? how did they organize everyone together? I just dont wanna be left behind! haha

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  15. Thanks for posting! This was very helpful. I am thinking of doing a tour and EF sounds much better than Contiki or any other tour groups I've seen...Are the hotels nice? Is there much partying or is it a more laid back atmosphere?

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  16. Thanks so much for your blog! I have seriously been considering ef college break, and this was very helpful! How were the hotels that you stayed in? Were they dirty and far away from the main cities?

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  17. Hi, loveee your blog. Super helpful!! How's the nightlife? Or do the only take you to places where it predominantly touristy?

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  18. I truly like to reading your post. Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a nice information.

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  19. Hi Julia my name is Stephanie I'm from California, I have been watching your grand tour of Europe video everyday for the last month! I know that sounds creepy lol but I do it to keep myself motivated. I work and go to Sacramento State so sometimes I wonder If I will ever save enough money to go either this summer or 2016:/ I wouldn't go in the winter because I believe it's better in the summer for the beach rain ect.. right? But anyways it looks like you girls had so much fun! I wish I could've gone on your trip! But anyways my question is what camera and model of that camera did you take on your trip????????? Also, did you find that camera good enough or do think having a more "up there" camera is worth it? Did you like yours pros/cons? Advice on which one I should get? Thank you so much! I love your blog and videos!

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    1. Hi Stephanie! Sorry for such a late reply. I'm glad you liked my video! I honestly don't remember my camera model, but I do know it is very outdated now. I would just buy whatever camera sounds good to you, or use your smartphone's camera.

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  20. I'm planning this trip with my best friend. I had a question for you. When you went to the Harry Potter Studio did you still have time to shop in London? Also, how long would you say it took to get there?

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    1. Hi Katelyn! Sorry for the late reply! We took the tube to the station closest to the Studios, and then a double-decker Harry Potter bus picked us up! There should be info about it on their website.

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  21. Hello! Great blog, found your post because I was googling ang going on a trip too. Sounds like a great trip. Thanks for the luggage lock recommendation as well - I'm actually going to the UK trip in the fall. When you went to HP studios, do they have a shuttle from London or something? Also, how much raingear did you need? Thanks so much!

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  22. What kind of luggage and purse did you take? I'm trying to find something like yours that has dividers but I just can't find any! Also what do you reccomend, a backpack or a purse for the tours and such?

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  23. love your comments! I did the same trip in 2014 and it was sooooo worth every penny. your comments are on point and i'm already reminiscing about it!

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  24. WOW!!! A world of information. Love to have stumbled upon ur blog :)

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  27. Hello! Great blog, found your post because I was googling ang going on a trip too. Sounds like a great trip. Thanks for the luggage lock recommendation as well - I'm actually going to the UK trip in the fall. When you went to HP studios, do they have a shuttle from London or something? Also, how much raingear did you need? Thanks so much!

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    1. Hi Aeldra! Sorry for the late reply! We took the Tube from our hotel to the closest station to the Studios. A double-decker Harry Potter bus picked us up from the station. You can find that info on their website I believe. I only took a rain jacket and found that sufficient.

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  28. Most valuable information I've found so far!!! Couple questions though, how exhausted were you buy the end of the trip? I'd like to do the Ultimate Europe trip but am afraid I will be burnt out after a few weeks. Also, how long was travel in total between all the countries? Thanks!!!

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  29. Nice blog. Hope so that this European trip will also be as memorable as my last trip to Italy that I planned with my family after exploring things from an Italy Travel Video.

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  30. I'm so glad I found your blog! I'm going on the same trip in December. My biggest concern is the hotel rooms and showers. I've heard they are tiny but I've also heard they are like normal so I'm not sure what to expect. How often did you get to shower and wash you clothes? Thank you for all your helpful information, you're a life saver!

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  31. Just booked my Grand Tour of Europe yesterday! Your article is so helpful thank you!

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  32. Most valuable information I've found so far!!! Couple questions though, how exhausted were you buy the end of the trip? I'd like to do the Ultimate Europe trip but am afraid I will be burnt out after a few weeks. Also, how long was travel in total between all the countries? Thanks!!!

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    1. I was pretty tired but still didn't want to come home! You will see so many amazing places, it's really hard to get burnt out.

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  33. I know you posted awhile ago but this was the best blog I've read so far! I'm doing the ultimate Europe next year and I'm so glad I stumbled upon your blog. I have it bookmarked in my chrome browser. Thanks so much for sharing!!

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  34. Found your blog. Its really nice on world trip.I appreciate your article. If you want to go a world trip then you should have to know the information about the different place in world . So thanks for sharing all that important information.

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  35. Hi, loveee your blog. Super helpful!! How's the nightlife? Or do the only take you to places where it predominantly touristy?

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  43. Julia! You are so cute. Me and my best friend are planning on going on the 5 week Ultimate Europe trip next summer and we are STOKED. I loved reading this post, it made me that much more excited! And you're Pinterest famous! Congrats and thanks again!!!

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