Planning on visiting Europe soon? Here’s some tips for visiting the major cities you’re most likely to travel to on a business trip:
- The I Amsterdam Citycard might not be the best option. Consider the price vs that of the transport you’ll be getting.
- It’s not a 24/7 city. Many shops don’t open on Sundays or before 10am.
- Check if restaurants & cafes take card before ordering – not all do.
- Taxi drivers in Bucharest are known to overcharge / scam tourists so it’s safer to use Uber.
- It’s recommended to avoid drinking the tap water. You can buy water purification tablets (or water purification bottles) if you don’t want to rely on buying bottled water.
- You can get a 10 journey pass to the city’s public transport.
- Weather in Romania can be unpredictable. It’s best to dress with layers so you can remove your jacket later in the day.
- Euros aren’t accepted, only Romanian Leu (RON). Always check which countries take Euro when visiting Europe. You can find more info here.
- Everything is eaten with a knife & fork in Denmark, even pizza and burgers. You’ll likely get some stares if you eat with your hands, especially in a restaurant.
- Being on time means being early in Denmark. While this is a good practice everywhere, it’s especially important in Denmark, where they have little tolerance for being late.
- The Metro is fast & convenient. If you’re staying for a while it’s worth getting a Danish SIM card, then you can get the Metro app. You might be able to get the app to work with your regular phone number, but it’s designed for a Danish phone number.
- Card is accepted almost everywhere. You should be aware that it’s an expensive city, with a large tax on alcohol.
- When taking money out using an ATM, always choose to have it in Polish zloty. Currency exchange offices are called Kantor.
- Buy tickets before getting on a bus or tram. Some do have machines on board and will have an ‘A’ over the door if they do. You’ll need to punch your ticket with the validation machine onboard.
- Toilets sometimes have a triangle symbol for men and the circle for women.
- It’s illegal to drink alcohol in public places.
- Download the Jakdojade app to help with planning journeys.
- Pharmacys are different to ‘cosmetic shops’. Look for a sign saying eczanesi or eczane.
- Don’t eat at tourist restaurants. Check who is already eating there and if it’s mostly locals then it’s good to go.
- A cup of tea doesn’t come with milk as standard, be sure to ask for it.
- The side of Istanbul closer to Asia can be more conservative than the side closer to the rest of Europe.
- Haggle at local shops & market stalls. Pay the price on the label at chain shops.
- Stay near the Lasipalatsi tram station to be the most connected transport wise to the rest of the city.
- Beware that restaurants often close at 8pm as Finnish people have different meal times. Lunch is around 11:30, dinner at 5pm.
- Many restaurants will be closed on Sundays, as per Finnish law they would have to pay their employees double to work on Sunday.
- It’s a very walkable city & the public transport is good. Buy tickets online using the ‘HSL’ app. You can also get a 1-day card or a 3-day transport card.
Was the city you were looking for not here? We’ll be publishing part 3 very soon! You can find part 1 here.
