Europe is experiencing a record summer of tourism, spurred by crowd-pulling events like Taylor Swift’s “Hellas” tour and the Paris Olympics, and a surge in social media posts of tourists sipping Aperol spritzes on Italian beaches and socializing on the Champ de Mars.
If you are one of those people looking forward to traveling to Europe, you don’t want to be an American. Research the culture of your destination in advance and find out how its customs (country or region) differ from those of the United States. According to European travel guru Rick Steves, the goal of this research is not to avoid culture shock, but to manage it well.
“You can learn the hard way, or you can have fun figuring it out,” Steves says, “but you’ll get more out of it and enjoy it more if you understand the context of what you’re going to see and where you’re going to live.”
This curation helps you understand cultural differences for what they are and prepares you for all the other things you might notice.
“There are things you don’t realise or think are different until you’ve experienced them – that’s the beauty of travelling,” says Casey Rose, an American travel influencer living in Italy.
Need a quick primer? Start with our European Travel Introduction.
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Air conditioning is especially rare in northern Europe, including Britain and Denmark, and even in parts of France that historically have cold winters and warm summers. This could pose a problem for travelers in summer, when climate change hits older hotels and rental properties that were originally designed to keep things warm.
Air conditioning is now becoming more common in Europe, but travelers who require it should contact the hotel or Airbnb host directly to find out whether it is available.
“When planning a trip for a client, one of the questions we always ask is, ‘Do I need air conditioning?'” says Ryan Villa, owner and operations manager of All Travel Guru, a U.S.-based travel agency specializing in European trips.
Even if air conditioning is available, it probably won’t be as powerful as what you have back home, says Ethan Jones, a travel advisor with Vincent Vacations, because air conditioners in Europe are often modular rather than centralized, making them less efficient.
“In Europe, people are used to warmer climates so they only use minimal air conditioning, only turning down the temperature by five or 10 degrees,” Jones said.
Restaurants will charge for water
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In most European countries, bottled water is the default choice in restaurants, which means you have to pay for it (sometimes more than beer or wine), there are no unlimited refills, and to be on the safe side, always make it clear whether you want a carbonated or still drink.
If you want tap water, you can ask, but don’t assume the restaurant or bar will accommodate. In countries such as Spain, where restaurants and bars are required by law to provide tap water free of charge upon request, you will often get tap water if you ask for a glass of water.
However, no matter what type of water you get, it’s unlikely to produce ice.
But public drinking fountains are everywhere.
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All over Europe, especially southern European countries like Spain and Italy, there are many beautiful public fountains where you can refill your reusable bottle for free.
Rome has around 2,500 fountains that constantly gush clean water. These fountains often perform a double function: they not only decorate the city’s ancient streets, but also save lives during the heatwaves. You can find them by walking around, or you can use tools like the Waidy app.
If you’re not sure if the water in a fountain is safe to drink, check the specific regulations in your area. In most countries, you can rest assured that the water in public fountains is safe to drink unless otherwise noted.
Hotel ratings vary
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When searching for a hotel for your trip, be aware that American standards for a particular class of hotel do not necessarily match European standards.
“Three stars [in the United States] “This is a very clean, reasonably priced hotel. That one will be older and have fewer staff,” Villa said.
If you want to save money, there may be good options in the three-star category, but you may need to do more research before booking.
Hotel rooms and beds may be small
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U.S. hotels tend to offer larger rooms with king-size beds, while in Europe the maximum size is often a full or queen, Villa said. Expect rooms and bathrooms to be smaller, too.
“The newer hotels being built seem to have some understanding of American standards,” Villa says, “but if you stay in an older boutique hotel, the rooms are going to be smaller.”
Jones says bathrooms in boutique and budget hotels can resemble “RV-style” bathrooms because of their small size: Many European buildings are older, so the space for bathrooms wasn’t always earmarked and had to be added on later.
Travel expert Samantha Brown adds that some hotels may only provide one small towel, so she thinks it’s a good idea to bring a small sports towel on your trip, just in case.
Overall everything is small and old (i.e. no elevators), and travelers were encouraged to contact the hotel in advance if they have concerns about accessibility.
Toilets aren’t always free
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Public toilets in Europe are common in parks, gardens, train stations, and even on the streets. But there’s a catch: Unless they’re owned by a private company (and sometimes even then), you have to pay a small fee (usually less than €1) to use the machine or attendant.
Also, don’t assume that all toilets are the same as American ones: For example, Southern and Eastern European countries may have squat toilets that are on the ground, and many countries don’t have dividers between urinals.
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Tipping in the United States permeates everything from dining at upscale, high-service restaurants to buying coffee at a bar. In Europe, tipping is less common, although customs vary from country to country. And when you do decide to tip, the standard is 10 percent, not 20 percent.
Brown, who hosts several TV shows on the Travel Channel, said that while not tipping may seem rude, for European service workers tips are not as necessary a source of income as they are in the United States. “They get paid minimum wage, they have health insurance,” he said. “They have all the conveniences that we don’t have.”
“It depends on what establishment you’re staying at,” Villa said, explaining that in a five-star hotel it might still be customary to tip the porter who carries your bags to your room.
Some restaurants offer the option to leave a tip after paying with a credit card, but it’s not usually expected, and Jones says the option should be used to show appreciation for good service.
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Electrical outlets in Europe are shaped differently than in the US and have a stronger voltage of 240 volts instead of 120. You’ll need an adapter to plug in your phone or other devices in Europe.
When choosing an adapter, prioritize something small and durable in case you run out of power while out on the town. Type C plug adapters are available throughout Europe except for the UK and Ireland, where Type G is required.
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In many European countries, especially in the south, people eat much later than in the U.S. Restaurants for dinner might not open until after 6pm and probably don’t get busy until around 8 or 9pm (unless most of the queue is tourists). For lunch, the standard time to eat is around 2 or 3pm.
“If you eat dinner late in Spain, you either eat dinner late in Spain or you go to a bar and have tapas whenever you want and know you can call it dinner,” Steves says, “but if you insist on going to a restaurant at 7 o’clock in Madrid, you’re going to be eating with the waiter.”
When eating out, depending on the country and situation, portions are often smaller than in the United States and taking leftovers home may not be encouraged.
In many European countries, restaurants also charge a cover charge (“couvert” in French, “coperto” in Italian). This can be a flat fee like a seat charge, or a flat fee for bread, olives or other small dishes served at the table. The former is like a service charge, so you have to pay it; the latter is not charged if you either don’t eat the food or ask the waiter to bring it to you.
However, be careful as trying to avoid paying your premiums can be seen as rude.
A few words go a long way
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While it’s not necessary (or even possible) to become fluent in another language before every trip, “learning the basics is always an act of respect,” Rose says.
Even just learning a few words like “hello,” “goodbye,” and “thank you” can make a big difference. “It goes a long way, you’d be surprised how much people appreciate it,” Brown says. “They don’t expect you to conjugate verbs, but you can still say polite things in other languages.”
In some places, such as France, it can be considered rude to enter a shop or restaurant without saying “bonjour” or “bonsoir” at the entrance.
Brown says you shouldn’t go into a conversation assuming that the other person will speak English, and asking if they speak English could be perceived as a “challenge or insult.”
“That makes a difference really quickly,” Brown added, “and when you’re in a place like this, you’re really relying on the kindness of strangers.”
Preparing for “culture shock”
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To many Americans, Europe may seem more culturally friendly than other parts of the world, but every place has its own etiquette and traditions.
“Step out of your comfort zone,” Steeves says. “Think of culture shock not as something to be avoided, but as growing pains that will help you broaden your horizons.”
Knowing that things will be different from the start will help you avoid typical tourist behavior.
“Culture shock can often occur because people aren’t used to things being done the same way,” Rose says, “and that’s when a sense of entitlement comes to the surface.”
Instead of getting annoyed about a cramped hotel room or a lack of iced coffee, she advised people to adopt a “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” attitude in all things.
“Be humble and don’t be afraid to be wrong,” Rose said.
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The above are general tips, but Europe is a diverse continent and each country has its own rules.
“If you look at Europe as a whole, it’s not a good picture,” Jones said. “If you look at the different regions – South, North, Scandinavia – each region has its own personality, and each country within each region has its own personality, culture and food.”
Understand that in Spain, for example, the “siesta” culture means that many workers take a break around 3 or 4pm and many businesses close for a few hours.
To get the most out of your trip to Europe, Jones encouraged travelers to do their research so they know what to expect. A little bit of preparation “will make your travels and interactions with people a lot easier,” Jones said.
