What sets these delightful properties apart from the mainstream hotel scene, is their devotion to Joi de Vivre. Each charming inn is set in a serene location, adorned with stylish furnishings, and boast “highly creative kitchens with gastronomic menus”.  They pride themselves in cooking with local ingredients and presenting memorable dining experiences.  They delight in asking, “Do you love food?”  Now I ask you…. What could be more wonderful than a beautiful inn with fabulous food?

Many of the inns are set along side Sweden’s beautiful crystal-clear lakes, offering opportunities for boating,  to play golf and of course,  indulge in magnificent spa treatments.  Each hotel adheres to “stringent and ambitious quality and environmental policies”.  These properties are ideal for touring, as most member inns are located a pleasant day trip from one to another.  You’ll appreciate that Petit Hotels have designed 10 different pre-planned tours of Sweden and Finland based on different interests and regions.  Each tour guides you from inn to inn, while describing interesting sightseeing stops along the way.

Treat yourself to a virtual getaway to the most unique inns in Scandinavia by leafing through Petit Hotel’s online brochure.  Give it a minute or two to load all the wonderful information, and browse through the pages of delightful properties and fabulous cuisine.  I don’t know about you, but Scandinavia just moved up a few notches on my ‘must do’ list!!!

The problem just keeps getting bigger if you decide to go to Europe at the last minute. There are many things that can go wrong in your panic. You might not get to your destination on time, which can mess up car schedules, rental schedules, and hotel bookings. You can mess up a lot of things when you pack, and you can miss a lot of important things if you do not have a lot of time to pack up. Moreover, you will not enjoy your trip if you miss a lot of things in terms of packing and transportation.

If there is a chance that you might, one day, wake up one morning and decide to leave that night for Europe I have a few ideas that I want you to keep in mind to help guarantee a great holiday.

- Do not underestimate the power of lists. Making a list, even when you don’t need it, can help you. On off days, when you do not have to worry about last minute things such as travel and packing, take some time to sit down and make a list of things that you would need to bring if you were to suddenly go to Europe. Don’t forget your passport and your toiletries! Keep your list in a safe place, so that if the chance for travel suddenly comes up, you won’t miss a thing.

- Talk to friends or agents who have traveled there already. Prepare lists of discounted lodging and find out if there are any items particularly necessary for European travel (i.e. power converters). Through your discussions with others you are creating resources for when you do find yourself winging your way to Europe.

- Do your research on the world?s largest library, the internet, and subscribe to travel updates from discount airlines and hotels. Find out what deals are available from the various hotels in the cities you might be visiting as well as larger chains. By learning these things early on you are learning about what hotels are available, what types of discounts they offer and possibly what attractions are nearby so that when you do travel you will be familiar with where to go and what to do.

- Be aware of what your memberships offer in terms of European travel. Some credit cards have discount packages that allow you to get ticket discounts, while some insurance companies or even your car insurance and sales company will have discounts for travel. You may be able to get yourself some great discounts if you know where to look, and if you already have these discounts under your belt!

- Read up on the travel magazines and find out what are some of the best destinations in Europe. Learn the history as well! Prior research will definitely get you a long way to having the holiday of a lifetime!

1. Hitchhike in Europe Only When Needed
Transportation in Europe may not always be clean, useful, or comfortable, nevertheless hitchhiking is becoming increasingly more hazardous worldwide. If you find you should hitchhike in Europe, use extremist caution and don?t overlook your instincts if something does not seem right.

2. Choose Your Hitchhiking Location Wisely
Steer clear of trying to hitch a ride on a highway or remarkably curved road that might put you or drivers at risk. Cars having to stop on roads anywhere high speeds are required is not safe for you or the drivers. As an alternative, try to hitchhike from rest stops or gas stations where you can preserve your safety and where cars are stopped. It?s also possible that someone may call the police if you try to hitch a ride on a dangerous roadway or freeway where hitchhiking may be against the law.

3. Ride in the Front Seat When Hitchhiking in Europe
The backseat of a car places you in a more vulnerable sit. Some cars have child safety locks in the back. You need to be able to bolt at the first sign of danger, so if you have to ride in the back, test that there is no child safety lock impeding you from opening the door from the interior.

4. Keep Your Bags with You
At any suggestion to put your luggage in the trunk, politely decline. Keep your luggage close to you?at your feet or on your lap. At a moment when you may possibly need to get out of the car quickly, you want to be able to grab your things as you go.

5. Keep Documents, Money, Valuables on You
As through every other time you travel in Europe, you must keep your records on you in a separate wallet beneath your cloths. That way, if a thief takes your main bag, you will still have identification and money in case of this, or another, emergency. Keep all cell phones and other pricey devices well out of eyesight as well.

6. Hitchhike in Europe with a Friend
Regardless if you are male or female, it?s always smart to hitchhike with a friend. A potential criminal will less likely be able to pull anything funny if you and a friend are watching each others backs.

7. Know Your Destination But Be Vague
Always have available a map so that you know where you are going. When hitchhiking in Europe, it?s best to give a general location for a location a short distance away that way, if you suspect the driver has less-than-good intentions, your ride will be short and the driver wont know your final destination.

8. Note the Vehicle Type When You Hitchhike in Europe
When hitchhiking in Europe, note details of the car (make, model, color and/or license plate number) before you get into the vehicle. If something goes wrong, you can give details of the driver to the police.

9. Dress for Weather and Safety
Make sure you pack items of clothing that are weather friendly and water-repellent in case you find yourself hitchhiking in windy weather. Also wear cheap older clothing that give the impression you may be carrying valuables on you.

10. Dont Hesitate to Turn Down a Ride
Negotiate for a ride prior to you get into the vehicle when hitchhiking in Europe. If anything makes you suspicious, dont be scared to politely turn down the ride. Foreigners are seen as particularly vulnerable and anyone giving you a ride may try to get money or other things from you. In addition, dont ride with someone you cant exchange a few words with. You do not want any unspoken expectations from the driver for giving you a ride.

1. Disneyland in America – A trip to Disneyland is an experience in itself and is sure to bring out the child in you. With amusements for both children and adults, this location host parades, lightshows and floral tributes in grand style. You can also club your visit with a trip to Universal Studios.
2. Taj Mahal in India – India is a country that has a unique and diverse culture. A visit to the Taj Mahal which has been described as a tribute of love in marble from the Emperor Shah Jahan to his wife is sure to impress you.
3. Niagara Falls in Canada – Pay a visit to Ontario to see the world’s biggest waterfall in all its splendour. You can also get on board the Maid of the Mist and enjoy the waterfall up close and in person.
4. Paris and the Eiffel tower – No world travel itinerary would be complete without listing Paris in its top five destinations. Paris is the city of lovers, bridges and museums and the Eiffel Tower is only a small part of its overall appeal. When you are visiting Paris, make sure to take a day trip down to Normandy to experience the chilling reality of D-Day.
5. The Great Barrier Reef, Australia – Go snorkelling or reef diving off the coast of Australia and take in the sights of the Great Barrier Reef.
6. Mardi Gras in Rio De Janeiro – Mardi Gras is the world’s largest and most exciting party. Full of parades, fireworks, and non-stop entertainment with its colourful dancers and street performers, this is one celebration worth travelling around the world for. When you have exhausted everything there is to do in Rio de Janeiro, the perfect thing to do is to take a full day tropical island cruise. Just off the coast of this magnificent city are some beautiful islands. Sunbathing, scuba diving and snorkelling are all on the list of things to do while on the cruise.
7. The Great Wall of China – China is a beautiful country with a unique culture and any trip you make to this region is sure to change your perspective on life. When in China, make a day trip to the great wall and marvel at the world’s only man made structure visible from the moon.
8. If you are a skiing enthusiast, you can do no better than making a day trip to Andorra from Barcelona. This is one of Europe’s smallest countries with some of the best ski slopes in the world.
9. Wildlife Safari in South Africa – Go on a wildlife safari in South Africa and see nature at its most magnificent as you drive past large African lions and other big cats, elephants, giraffes, hyenas, rhinos and other animals. This can be an incredible experience even if you are not a wildlife enthusiast.

Take a trip to Tuscany – Enjoy the summer sun in this incredible region and sample the local cuisine. You should also go on one of the many vineyard tours and wine tasting sessions here.

You’ve saved the money, you’ve applied for the passport… wow, you’re practically ready to pack. But wait… just having made the decision to get a passport and go to Europe is only the first step. There are more decisions to make. Let’s think through some of this.

How much time do you have? One week will have you concentrating on an area or a city… two or more weeks lets you tour around a bit more.

What part of Europe do you want to go to? It’s not like you can just go to Europe. That’s like saying you want to see the United States. There are big areas to be covered, and you need to choose an area to see even if you have several weeks.

Do you just want to see it…? Visit the highlights like maybe London, Paris, Rome, and see the big sights? Or… do you have an agenda? Do you want to find family roots and do a little genealogy research? Is there a festival you’ve always wanted to see like the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona or The Gathering and Highland Games in Edinburgh?

Do you concentrate on one or two countries or try to do a grand circle of Europe?

Do you take a tour? Set up a Custom tour? Or do you want to take your first trip to Europe all on your own and find your own way?

So how will you answer these questions?

If you’re a student, you may be able to travel for the summer… good for you. You won’t find a better way to add to your education! If you’re retired, you can stay as long as your finances will allow… AND you can travel during shoulder seasons when there are fewer crowds.

If you only have one or two or three weeks, try for those shoulder seasons to maximize your experiences and minimize the lines. Try to limit yourself to a country a week. Even at that you’ll just be getting an overview of the area you choose to visit.

A tour can be a good idea and can take some of the anxiety out of your first trip to Europe. There are so many tours offered that you can easily choose one that goes to the area you want to visit for the length of time you want to spend, and you can even get tours that specifically go to those festivals or visit gardens or let you explore just castles. Your hotels will be taken care of and many of your meals too. It’s good way to build your confidence abroad.

If groups just aren’t your thing, being an independent traveler on your first trip to Europe is not difficult either. There is so much information on the internet that it’s easy to plan it for yourself and leave yourself more flexibility.

Just sit down with a pencil and paper and make the decisions one at a time, and that long awaited first trip to Europe will be a reality.

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