How to Travel in Europe as a US Retiree

What to Expect from this Comprehensive Planning Guide to Traveling in Europe

If you're like many retirees who are now considering international travel, your foremost question is, 'where do I begin?' In our twenty-plus years of international travel what we found most frustrating about the planning process was that no single book or website contained all the answers to our queries. As we planned and traveled, we cobbled together information, finding a little bit here and little bit there. We found guidebooks to be very helpful in learning about destinations, but what we still needed was a guide to help us with each step of the planning process.

To plan and manage our own travels, we began compiling our notes along the way. We documented what worked and what didn't. After years of traveling, we're confident in our planning process and actually enjoy putting in the time and work, knowing that it will result in an enjoyable trip.

We're sharing our notes and insights to help you, our fellow retiree Euro-traveler (or wannabe). We know that these tips and strategies will help you enjoy your planning, anticipate potential challenges, and travel with confidence.

Throughout the years, we've had friends say to us, 'wow, that trip sounds amazing, who helped you plan it, or who is your travel agent?' They always seem surprised when we say we planned it ourselves... followed almost always with, 'I don't think I could do that.'

Well, you CAN do it, and we can help. Because we are continuing to travel Europe extensively, we stay up to date with the most current, accurate, and essential travel information.

Each of our trips relies on a common set of processes that we have honed over the years and now follow consistently. That is what you are getting in this unique and comprehensive planning guide. For example,

      What types of travel documents do I need (passports and visas)?

      Is it necessary to buy travel insurance and what kind is most relevant?

      How do I set up a travel itinerary?

      What are my best options for transportation while traveling to and within Europe?

      How do I book the best lodging for me?

      Maybe most importantly...how do I determine a travel budget?

These are among some of the important questions that we help you answer for your next European trip.

Happy planning!

Brian and Linda Garavalia

P.S. You can take a journey with us by following our Facebook page, Create Joy in Retirement, and our travel blog at CreateJoyinRetirement.com.