What Americans Should Know Before They Visit Europe

Cash is not king anymore (except for some spots) now it is all about contactless payments. So be prepared with your google pay, apple pay, and credit cards. As contactless payment is everywhere (well almost everywhere)

"The service isn't as good" - this is just blatantly wrong. The service works along a different logic from the US. In the US, the wait staff bugs you CONSTANTLY and just won't leave you alone, it's horrible - but they do it so you feel you have to tip them. Over here, since the servers earn a living wage, the customers are left in peace, to enjoy their meal without constant interruptions. The minute you signal to the waiter that you want them, they'll be right there... but they'll never, ever do that horrible thing that they do in the US, of BRINGING YOU THE BILL BEFORE YOU ASK FOR IT!! I was so horrified when I learned that...

Well most of the things you said are normal in Europe .we have what we call a conductor on public transport

Americans almost expect the waiter to put the food 🍲in the customer ´s mouth 👄When i get my food 🍲at my table i want to be left alone🤨I called that good service 🙂

Excellent video. Very informational.

🇬🇧 here, everything in Europe is smaller or narrower. (transport, paths/roads, shops) Please be considerate about this when visiting.

As for service: in places like France and Italy servers are professionals, not students or aspiring actors, they are extremely proficient but don't fawn over customers to get a big tip

As an American wanting to travel to Europe, I have done some extensive research. This is not near comprehensive enough. It dawned on me that we are hated so much there that we can never be tolerated. We will never be good enough. Why should we want to be around people who look at us with disdain? Although Europe is composed of many countries and cultures, they all share the general hatred for Americans and America. We will always be doing something wrong. Wearing wrong clothes, wrong shoes, wrong socks, buy wrong things, eat wrong food, put wrong stuff in your food, drink wrong drink. Walk wrong, speak wrong, smile wrong. You're fat? They are laughing at you. You're disabled? You can never get around there. Nothing, absolutely nothing you do as an American will ever be right, except that you are spending money there. They think you are such an idiot (remember, Americans are stupid is the mantra there) that even though they hate you, you are still giving them your money. You are constantly being judged. But, it is ok. The good thing is there are a lot of other places in this world. I don't understand why we even go there. Us imperfect Americans are not worthy being around people who know everything. Let us not destroy their perfect paradise. Let us be around people who are accepting and positive. After all, we will be on vacation.

Why are you surprised that we don't speak English, we are not English, we are not American!
It's you who comes, it's up to you to make the effort.
Americans are not gods, but tourists like any other.
Come back down to earth!

Telling people to practice walking is the most American thing I've ever heard 😂

In Europe for the most part do they expect us visa bank cards?

Europe is not a country and no, the US is not bigger than the European continent. More importantly Europe has many different countries with different millennial cultures, languages and customs.

Lived in the US for some years before moving back, the US is very uniform/corporate/generic in comparison. That’s the part Americans need to focus on, ie. Denmark and Greece will be much more different experiences than something like California and Maine.

Most ATM only accept a four digit pin number, so change your PIN to four number max.

Training for walking? 😢

In France, you can tip, only if you are happy about the service :) It's really not mandatory 😄

what if you press both buttons?

As far as travel to Europe is concerned. My advice is----Don't. It is boring. Sitting on a plane is torture. I don't want to see any country other than the USA. I Traveled for years But that is over. Save your money. Europe has become like the USA. FULL OF TOURISTS IN PLACES LIKE VENICE. I AM TIRED OF GETTING UP AT DAWN JUST TO SEE SOME OPD BUILDINGS. MY HUSBAND IS PACKED AND READY TO LEAVE. WON'T HE BE SURPRISED I purposely didn't renew my passport

i would've suggested tips for Indians,,, but that would be one long video! sigh.

Another tip: To turn on the lights on in your hotel room, you will need to insert your hotel key card into a wall slot. When I travel solo, I always ask for two key cards for this reason.

My tip ... Learn where and what europe is , then countries in it ;)

You will get in trouble with cash in Norway. No one use it anymore

What Americans also need to now is to leave the guns at home. In Europe they are not so trigger happy.
In Europ the have a lot of bicycles but very few guns.

Try the coffee. Americans like to think that Starbucks is the best coffee and it really isn’t.

Be polite, smile, be observant of how people are behaving around you. Like the trains being pretty quiet. If it’s quiet, don’t be loud etc. Don’t get so inebriated you are an ass.
Do these things and you’ll be fine in most places.

Walking is one of the best ways to see places you are visiting.

tips wont make service better, just forced smile on..

One thing to know only : DO NOT GO . Europe will never be able to recover from your presence

number 1 get a local SIM card or some internet access on your phone it can save your stay...

My tip for a first time visitor to Europe coming from America: cigarette culture is very much alive especially in Italy but in many other areas as well. You will occasionally find it difficult to avoid walking through clouds of tobacco smoke

The reason most doors open outwards in publicly accessible buildings is due to fire regulations: If there's a fire they want people to be able to get out faster.

When you are withdrawing cash from an ATM there is often a question: Do you want the local rate or your home banks rate? Always choose your home bank's rate.

Lived this basic video.thank you.

Just love to watch ur videos but i never went to Europe

Don't assume that you can just walk up to and get in to all of the tourist attractions. For some, it's not even a queue, you actually have to book ahead, sometimes by days and weeks. We learned the hard way, got to Granada in Spain, walked uphill to the Alhambra only to find it was booked out for weeks ahead. So research the sites that you really want to see. Also get to the site early morning to avoid the large tour busses.

My favorite part about this is the insinuation that Americans are so stupid that they can't figure out pull/push doors.

The service in restaurants in Europe is much better actually! At least the waiters don't interrupt my meal every 5 minutes and expect a 25% tip for that.

Mr. Mark, we love your videos. Every time we decide to travel, we checked your videos. Your videos very helpful tips. Thanks

Try not to use a 1:1 scale map.😊

Here is my tip. Have money for the toilets. Also many toilets are either upstairs or downstairs be aware of that

youre the man

Americans generalise far too much and view Europe as one place. I’m from Ireland which is very to Spain or Germany in many ways. US tourists should research each country they visit and not expect it to be the same in each country.

For example the video talks about small hotels with small lifts and room ps with single beds. That does not apply all over Europe and really is country specific.

I travel to Europe for work several times a year and the three things I think are the st important to keep in mind s 1) you need to expect to walk….a lot. Also as a woman, expect to walk on uneven cobblestones so leave the heels at home. Flats, sneakers, or shorter block heels only. 2) eat a big lunch. Take the time and fill up because food is scarce between the hours of 2 and 7. Also, accept the fact that dinner is late. 3) always learn a few words in the local language. If anything it shows respect and that you are trying. More than likely they will switch to English for u if they can. Don’t assume they speak English off the bat.

Hi- I have a strange question- But first for context I toured 7 european countries about two years ago with my then 73 yro mother who had trouble walking-
We are going back and I’ve insisted she have some wheels- a scooter , wheelchair….
I just need to know how I can send that over there before I get there? Are there Amazon lockers or ??? Any thoughts?

Before you come to europe, make sure you are practising you're walking. 😂😂😂 OMG

In sweden only assholes don't tipp at resturants or taxis.

It was quite on the tube in London until a big group of kids from Spain and then it got loud. 😁

Nice video thanks for the helpful info! Your comment about losing your dad in the crack of the bed cracked me up 🤣

One could categorize a number of your comments as "Things will be SMALLER" than in the USA. That's not a bad thing to say explicitly to first-time travellers. While glorious, Europe simply doesn't have the elbow room North Americans are used to, and virtually every built thing reflects that.

IMPORTANT TIP!! We were in England, Scotland, and France, and we Americans are used to our hotels providing washcloths/facecloths. However, at least those three countries did not provide them so make sure to bring your own if you like to use them.