***You will need to apply for a Schengen Zone visa starting in 2024. It’s done online and it will cost about $10. This is the website when it’s up and running: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en
This page is for people looking to take advantage of being in Italy. Whether you plan a trip before or after the wedding, you should maximize your time since you will be located in a central city in Italy and Europe.
If you’ve never been to Europe, I suggest booking your roundtrip to and from Florence, Italy. Depending on where you want to go, you can book your trip within Europe with local European airlines or even take a scenic bullet train. From Florence, you can go to many different cities and countries. Luckily Florence is an accessible airport to fly in and out of because it’s much smaller than most.
Traveling to Europe can be pretty crazy and harrowing for first-timers. And since most people are flying from Seattle, I will use it as my example.
Know that most trips from Seattle to anywhere in Europe can take up to 12 hours. So be prepared for a long journey. Then most likely, you will have a connecting flight to Florence which could be another 2-3 hours of flight time.
Major international airport hubs in Europe are Heathrow (LHR) in London, Charles de Gaulle (CDG) in Paris, and Frankfurt (FRA) in Germany. Most flights out of Seattle will likely go through any of the three I just listed. Florence is FLR.
I will give a few examples:
London, so when planning your trip, there are two ways to go about this, depending on where you want to fly in and out from. Still, since London geographically is further up north, I would do my roundtrip flight into London and fly to Florence and back.
Seattle >>> London >>> Florence >>> London >>> Seattle
Taking the Tube (train) to and from LHR into London is easy; everything is in English, and everyone speaks English.
Also, remember the United Kingdom is no longer part of the European Union, so check for visas and proper documentation.
For Paris, it’s a bit trickier; flights to Paris are often cheaper than in most European cities. I think they get so many tourists flying into the city, that’s why you often find enticing deals.
Seattle >>> Paris >>> Florence >>> Paris >>> Seattle
or
Seattle >>> Florence >>> Paris >>> Florence >>> Seattle
If it were me, I would fly to Florence and use the airport as my main roundtrip destination. Only because getting in and out of CDG is challenging, especially if you don’t know any French. CDG is a huge airport compared to FLR. If you choose to go to Paris, I can help you plan your trip and show you how to use the Metro to get into the city.
If you want to explore more of Italy, I would suggest riding a bullet train, it’s fast, convenient, and cheaper. The best thing to do is download EU apps to see destinations and prices. When I was in Italy, all I used was the Trainline app. It’s easy to use and beneficial when planning your trip. Florence is centrally located, so going to Milan, Bologna, Genoa, Venice, Pisa, and Rome are all great for train rides. Unless you’re going to Naples, Amalfi Coast, or even Sicily, which is further down south of the country, then flying domestically is probably a better option.
Seattle >>> Florence >>> Train to Rome >>> Florence >>> Seattle
Do your research; planning a trip is fun, but you want to make sure you get it right because you ultimately want to save time and money, especially if you have a family and kids to think of.
I know this was already mentioned, but get insurance for your trip.
Rules you already know but should be said. Be early for trains and flights. Every city and country will be different. There’s a possibility that not everyone will be able to understand English, so please keep that in mind.
Here are a few more rules to keep in mind. Always watch your belongings for pickpockets and such. They will likely know you’re not from there and are a tourist. I can always spot an American whenever I go to Europe, and trust me, they always seem to know that I am one as well, no matter how much I try to blend in. Oh, and don’t buy anything from anyone on the streets.
This is all I have for now; I will update this page if I think of anything else. I’m excited for everyone that’s able to make it to Europe. We want everyone to be safe, experience as much as you can, and have fun!