Just Back from Europe
Here are our tips and observations
Just back from Europe: We just returned from 6 European countries – here are our tips & observations
Your River Oaks Travel Advisors have been busy exploring Europe the last month with travels to Italy, Croatia, Ireland, France, and Austria! Our goal was to review the current travel experience so we can better advise our clients – we navigated travel restrictions between countries, toured over 100 hotels (!), and participated in multiple conferences and networking events with the top leaders in the travel industry.
While you’ll have to ask our River Oaks Travel Advisors for their full review, here are our top 10 tips and observations
- 1Europe is open and ready for travelers – hotels, restaurants, and tourist sites are all open!
- 2There are fewer restrictions if you are vaccinated – some countries require vaccinations to enter, and it’s easy to travel between countries once you’re in the EU.
- 3Consider planning ahead for next year – travel is picking up and we are seeing less availability at hotels for 2022
- 4Make your sightseeing arrangements in advance – we recommend skip-the-line options wherever possible
- 5Europe has more festive season availability than Mexico and the Caribbean – consider trading the beach for a city escape this winter!
- 6Masks are required while flying and in public places like airports and museums – no masks are necessary outside
- 7A negative antigen COVID test is required to return to the US, but it’s very straightforward to get one (and our advisors can help!).
- 8We recommend purchasing travel insurance and/or COVAC for peace of mind.
- 9We were impressed by the level of service at every European hotel – most kept their original staff so the quality remains high post-COVID!
- 10One of the most often asked questions lately has been if masks and restrictions impact the overall travel experience. We say no! While masks are required indoors, we still found travel to be enjoyable – restaurants are often alfresco and many iconic sites are outdoors, so you really only have to wear them inside some shops and museums.
From River Oaks Travel Concierge Clients:
Our River Oaks Travelers have had a busy October, adventures all over the world: Iceland, Scotland, England, France, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Czech Republic, Spain, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Costa Rica, and more!
Iceland
Great destination to explore in a small ship! Make sure to book excursions pre/post-cruise for any “can’t miss” spots that aren’t included in the cruise itinerary. Return COVID tests are taken care of by the cruiselines which was super convenient. – RY
Scotland & England
With the UK now relaxing travel requirements (no more quarantine!) now is a good time to visit Scotland and England before the crowds pick up again – also a great time to find availability on the Royal Scotsman luxury train trip since it’s usually sold out! – JR
Italy
Travel is definitely picking back up for Italy, so plan ahead and pre-arrange guided sightseeing and entry tickets! Lines aren’t as long as we’ve seen in previous years, but tourists are returning. Already planning a return trip to Venice in 2022 for the Biennale since it didn’t happen this year. – AK
Croatia
Loved the River Oaks Travel rec to stay at Ikador as it was a true highlight of our trip. We chose Croatia since they were one of the first countries to reopen and fully vaccinated everyone in the tourism industry. Would highly recommend this country to anyone who hasn’t been and we plan on returning with our kids. – MJ
Kenya
Finally decided to check off this bucket list trip though I was concerned it would be too complex with travel restrictions. Our advisor coordinated with the safari operator and everything went so smoothly as we moved from camp to camp! The trip was so special and we liked that there were fewer travelers – we always had safari vehicles to ourselves! – EK
Ask you Travel Advisor:
Have any specific questions about travel to Europe (or travel in general)? Our team is always happy to talk travel.
In October, our River Oaks Travelers Explored:
Iceland
Scotland & England
France
Italy
Croatia
Greece
Czech Republic
Spain
Ireland
Kenya
Mexico
Costa Rica
and more!
Do you have a travel tip you’d like to share?
Let your advisor know and you may be included in an upcoming post!
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