Why you shouldn’t bother with a tour in Europe
One of my British colleagues often has me in stitches with a spot-on impression of some Australian yobbo she met on a tour of the United States in her university days. As they were driving down the Eastern Seaboard, the man, who parted this wisdom while smelling of the night before and lying in a bus aisle, summed up the alcohol-heavy whistle-stop bus trip with: "Nobody goes on Contiki [Con-teeee-kee] to see the sights!" While I chuckle away at the two prim Brits stuck with a busload of Aussie and Kiwi youth visiting America's bars (first) and historical sites (if they get time), my co-worker still feels a bit miffed that her tour was not all it was cracked up to be.
I thought of this again when a reader wrote asking me to recommend a group bus tour company for a European trip he and his wife hope to embark on. The Tauranga-based couple want to take in France, Italy and Germany on a coach tour. The destinations obviously sound great, but my default reaction was still: Why a package tour? Europe is about the most tourist-friendly continent when you consider transport options and their efficiency, widespread understanding of English and tech infrastructure. There couldn't be a better-suited set of countries for the somewhat older independent travellers to explore.
Here's why I'd opt for DIY exploration over a cookie-cutter bus tour:
1. Public transport utopia
Beyond the Eurostar linking London, Paris and Brussels are fast, frequent and comfortable train networks that avoid the hassle of airports and the congestion of road traffic. And you are dropped right in the heart of most cities. The Eurail pass option, offers multi-country and multi-day train tickets all from one pass, which lets you explore 28 European countries easily. Best of all kids aged under 11 go free. Once in a city, exploring is usually best done by a combination of walking and the subway or tram system.
2. Ch-ch-changes
The biggest sacrifice you make when booking a tour is having any semblance of spontaneity. Love a place and want to linger? You can't – the bus leaves in 30 minutes. Tour group travel is where spontaneity goes to die. Not only that, you often get the feeling the various guides are just going through the motions and rattling off a script they are sick to death of. Going independent lets you keep the plans fluid: move on easily if a place doesn't excite you and stay longer in ones that do.
3. Cultural exchange
As you are whisked from one organised visit to another, the chances of interacting with locals (outside of, maybe, a local guide) can be limited. If you go independent you can seek out locally-owned inns and restaurants while still opting for the much-loved city walking tours, but just on an ad-hoc basis. On the topic of restaurants, independent itineraries allow you to seek out the destination's best or quirkiest dining options instead of the go-to set tourist menus loved by the tour operators.
4. Leave the whiners behind
One of the major pros of choosing a tour is the social aspect of getting to know a group of like-minded travellers who also want to travel and explore country. But, it's still a gamble and if there are some who irritate you, too bad you are stuck with them. Going independent can be lonely for solos and lead to couples squabbling, but you can still stay social by staying at hostels (no longer just for backpackers), using meet-up web apps like EatWith or renting a room-only option on AirBnb. Or, you know, just talking to people.
5. Communication and connections
Speaking of which, Europe is easy for independent travelling because English is so widely spoken. You will feel defeated when your deftly-honed German phrases are rebuffed with a few polite nods from the locals ... who then simply speak English back to you because it's faster for them. Smartphones and free wi-fi have unquestionably made independent travel more alluring for those who would have previously booked a package deal. Sure, a tour group will shepherd you seamlessly from one tourist trap to the next, but you can explore Europe easily with little more than a few polite phrases and phone apps to map your journey, book your bed, find you dinner, help you meet new friends and record it all for the folks back home.
Written by Josh Martin. Republished with permission of Stuff.co.nz.