First-time travelers to Europe might be in for a culture shock. Different languages from one country to another, mode of public transportation and the way of life is much different in Europe than it is in the US even though Europe is, for the most part, far removed from the cliche “Third World” often used to describe poorer economies in Asia, Africa and South America.

But despite the cultural and socio-economic differences between the US and Europe, most people would agree that visiting Europe is one of the most magical experiences a person can have. No where else has history been preserved as it has been in Europe. So here are some things you should know before you let Europe intimidate you.

Start in London. No matter what country you call home, when visiting Europe, starting in London works well despite it being one of the more expensive places in the world. The most obvious reason is language. Being in London helps you acclimate to Europe, get over your jet lag and allow you to explore some of the most historic landmarks in the continent without having to worry about language barriers. You can also get around London via the Tube, which is even easier to use than the subway system in New York.

After London, you can pretty much go anywhere. The more tourist friendly cities are places like Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich, Rome, Barcelona, Venice and Florence. As you head deeper into Eastern Europe, places like Romania, Hungary and Poland, the use of English tends to diminish quickly and you really have to seek out tourist friendly hotels, which are a little more expensive, but will have English speaking staff. One of the advantages of eastern Europe is that it is much cheaper than the west. In fact, a cup of coffee can vary from an average of $5 in Paris to $1 in Bucharest. So even though East Europe is not as accessible or travel friendly, it is much cheaper than commercialized states like France, Spain and Italy.

One more thing to keep in mind is public transportation. Both Italy and France have wonderful and relatively easy-to-navigate train and underground rail systems. But eastern European countries may not offer the same level of reliability. But this is ok since cab fare will be relatively cheaper for the same distance in Prague than it will be in Madrid.

If you are planning a trip to Europe, don’t forget to get a Eurail Saver Pass

One of the easiest and quickest way to travel from London to Paris is via train. You can forego the hassles of airport, checking in, being seated next to a some unruly individual and suffering the haughty attitude of the Air France or BA crew. Instead, you can be seated in roomy seats of your choice, carry as much luggage as you want, stretch your legs during a brief trip to the on-board cafe, watch the french countryside zip passed you and watch a movie on your laptop without having to stow it away during take-off or landing.

Take Eurostar from London to Paris and indeed, in less than 2 hours, you can whisk yourself from hustle and bustle of London to the romance of Paris.

Only one word of advice. These tickets book early, so to get the best price, plan this magnificent train ride ahead of time.

Happy Riding!

The largest museum in the world, the Louvre contains over 35,000 works of art placed in halls spanning 650,000 sq. feet. One of the most famous pieces at the Louvre is the Mona Lisa, which I must admit, is smaller than I would have accepted. However, it is so popular that most people that go to the Louvre, go simply to say that they have seen the Mona Lisa. On my last visit to Paris, I did spend the day at the Louvre, but was rather disappointed with the Mona Lisa. Not because the painting wasn’t all that, but because it is covered by a glass case, and is surrounded by a security rope that prevents you from getting closer than 10 feet from the painting.

The Louvre however, has other works of art that deserve more attention, including sculptures (Venus de Milo and Louise XIV scultures were extra special), and other paintings from the different eras including Impressionism.

Having read and loved the Da Vinci Code, my first visit to the Louvre was filled with anticipation of the location where the book starts off from. I even took a picture of what I thought was the window from which Robert Langdon made his getaway.

You can easily spend 2-3 days at the Louvre and still not see everything, so it is advisable to go with an idea of the things yu do want to cover if you only plan to spend a day or so there.