10 Essential Tips for Travelling in the UK & Europe

• Need a visa? Make sure you’re aware of the requirements
• Navigating language barriers 
• Book things in advance 
• Scoring Discounts 
• How to avoid scams 
• Dealing with law enforcement 
• Experiences that won’t cost a fortune. 
• Read up on local customs for the destination 
• Immerse yourself like a local 
• Last but not least, consider taking a Guided Tour

A guaranteed way to spoil your holiday is forgetting to organise your visa before you arrive in Europe. Starting from 2025 most European nations require you to have an ETIAS to enter the country and these can be applied for online. 

• Shoutout to the commonwealth because New Zealand citizens can enter the UK without a visa for a period of 6-months, provided you’re there for a holiday. If you intend to live or work then the rules change slightly, and you’ll need a visa to authorise this. Under 35’s can get a 2 year live and work visa - the Youth Mobility Scheme - for the UK provided they meet eligibility. 

Note that New Zealand citizens arriving in the UK from January 2025 will be required to pay an entry fee of approximately £10 (about $21) and it applies to everyone, regardless of age. You can apply for this ‘ETA’ (Electronic Travel Authorisation) in advance and your Travel Expert will be able to offer additional advice also. 

Whilst English may be the second most spoken language in Europe, especially in the main centres, there will be times where this isn’t the case. If you’re in a small town on the outskirts of Bordeaux, or overnighting in a village near the Amalfi Coast, then you may find English a less reliable resource.

Fortune favours the bold, so you can try and fumble your way through a conversation, or invest in a phrase book for travellers that hosts the most common, and useful, phrases you may need on your travels.

Or, consider downloading an app onto your phone that allows you to input text or audio, and then outputs the translation. You can use this to ask more detailed questions that may not be covered in a travel guide (plus, everyone has their phone on them so it’s a quick solution!).  

Depending on the time of year that you’re travelling, you’ll want to look at booking things in advance. Tours of experiences like the Tower of London, or to visit the Harry Potter exhibition are super popular and get booked out quickly. It can pay to have something like the Flight Centre Mastercard on hand, to get all your bookings done and tidied away.  

• When you’re booking your trip, divide your experiences into ‘must do’ and ‘would like to do’, and then book in all of your must-do experiences. This ensures they’re paid for, ticketed and ready to go when you get there. Plus, it’s often cheaper to book in advance and there will usually be a separate entry line for people who already have tickets.
• Your ‘would like to do’ experiences can be left flexi, giving you the freedom to change as needed - especially beneficial in case you have a big night or are exhausted from a busy day. 
• Restaurant reservations, especially if you’re looking Michelin-starred or to splash out on a local celebrity chef restaurant, must be booked in advance. Places that are particularly well known, such as Arpège in Paris, can have specific operating hours and can often be booked out months in advance, so it pays to be prepared. 

Signing up to the Captain’s Club and keeping an eye on our deals is always a surefire way to get an amazing package to experience Europe. However, while you’re there you can also use a few other tips to score some sweet discounts.

• Ask your local Travel Expert what deal discounts are available at the time of booking. We frequently engage with businesses globally and so there are likely to be some additional experiences or options that you can take advantage of that are exclusive to Flight Centre.
• Make use of a website like Groupon to secure discounts on experiences. You can check this while you’re in the country of choice, however by using their native site you’re likely to also see everything in their language. Looking ahead of time can save you a bit of a headache here.
• If the time is right, try your hand at haggling. Be forewarned that it's considered rude in a lot of Europe, however in some markets - i.e. in Greece - you may find that the discerning merchant is willing to barter. You can test the waters by expressing that you like an item but it’s too expensive, to see if the merchant engages with you.  

Scams are an inevitability no matter where you go, and so having some street-smarts can help you avoid getting caught out. Be cautious of individuals who approach you with excessive friendliness or elaborate stories, as this can often be a ploy to distract you whilst an accomplice goes through your belongings. Each destination is going to differ in how scams are operated, however you can often find these with a quick search online. Social platforms like TikTok are a great way to quickly find out about current scams, or to learn about what else is going on that a tourist should pay attention to.

• In Paris, you may find scammers who approach you and offer you the chance to try on a bracelet, whereafter they’ll demand payment.
• Street games like Trileros in Mallorca can catch you off guard. Scammers will coax you into guessing which cup hides an item, often letting you win the first round to get you to best more, however is always fixed to ensure you never win outright.
• Some locations may have scammers who drop items in front of you, hoping you’ll pick it up for them, so they can pilfer through your pockets. Always be conscious of someone creating a distraction and trust your gut if it seems odd.
• If you’re particularly concerned, speak to your hotel team, contact your Travel Expert, or post a video to TikTok and get real-time help from locals.  

General rule of thumb is to keep your belongings secure, especially when in public, crowded spaces, and to make informed decisions. Paying by card rather than cash, only booking verifiable accommodation and experiences, and making use of services like Uber can ensure you stay safe. 

Dealing with law enforcement is usually a last resort, and something that no tourist would ever even think could happen. However, cultural taboos, traffic violations and even misunderstandings can see the law getting involved.

• Rule 1: Understand the law of the nation you’re visiting. Whilst most European nations abide by the European Union and have safeguards in place for most people, this may not always be the case.
• If you, or a member of your family, are part of the Rainbow Community, then review an LGBT safe-travel guide to help pick the destinations you’ll visit and transit through. Booking with trusted, global brands can help ensure safety on your holiday too.
• Check in with the New Zealand embassy of the nation you’re visiting and let them know you’ll be in the country. The embassy can help you deal with foreign police, medical systems, and legal networks, as well as supporting emergency evacuations for if something goes wrong.
• Ensure that all documents you carry are up-to-date and that your passport and travel information accurately reflects who you are. Variances between documents - i.e. using an old surname - can make verification processes trickier, especially if there is a language barrier in place. 

Did you know that tipping is a common practice in some European nations? Although this service fee is usually built into your bill, there may be some restaurants or bars that don’t include this. Laws in the European Union cover off the standardisation of tipping across European nations, often making tipping unnecessary. Here are a few situations however where tipping is acceptable, though not required.

• It’s not usually expected to tip staff in a hotel, however in France, Spain, Italy or Germany, to name a few, if you feel like doing so then €1 to €2 per bag to porters and around €2 to €5 to housekeeping staff is a good rule.
• Tipping in bars also isn’t expected, however if you’ve received great service or the bartender just has an extra charming smile, you can feel free to round up the bill. The exception to this is London pubs, where tipping is never done.
• Tour guides may expect a tip given how involved the work tends to be and this will vary from place to place, and business to business. Your Travel Expert will be able to advise, at time of booking, what the best practice will be.  

Living like a local is one of the best parts about travelling internationally. Seeing how they go about their lives, and experiencing the similarities and differences between their way of life and our own is part of the joy. You can immerse yourself in many different ways, such as: 

• We kiwis tend to love our cars, and so it can be tempting to rent a car while we’re overseas. However, in many instances this is unnecessary as the public transport of international nations is more robust than we’re used to. Renting a car overseas may mean additional costs to navigate transit periods, licensing, speeding tickets (if you forget to convert between miles and kilometres!) and tolls. There are obviously exceptions to the rule, such as when you’re doing a trip that relies on visiting natural sites or remote villages. However, this is mostly unnecessary in the economic centres. Besides, what could be worse than being stuck in rush hour traffic in a foreign country when you’re just trying to enjoy your holiday?
• Plus, some cities are known for their public transport system, like the London Underground, so experiencing this is a must while you’re there!
• Keep an eye out for where the locals are eating and spending their time. The mark of a worldly traveller is to watch which places are busiest, or to ask locals in the area where you can find the best or most authentic food. Don’t forget to also ask the staff at your hotel, who will likely know the best places (you won’t be the first tourist to ask!), which may not even crop up in a Google search! 

Make sure you chat to your bank and phone company before you depart so they know you’re overseas. This will help avoid you getting slapped with international usage fees, or getting locked out of your bank account. 

So what do you reckon? Ready to get Europe & the UK checked off your bucket list?