Sandra Weinacht doesn’t like arriving at the airport early, but she’s not going to take any chances this summer. On his way to his recently departed Lufthansa flight from Athens, the travel planner and co-owner of Inside Europe Travel Experiences was greeted by a check-in line of 200 people.
Weinacht said it’s a similar and familiar sight across the continent.in Heathrow Airport, Schiphol The annual summer travel “high season” is in full swing.
“It was the most out-of-control high season I’ve ever seen,” said Katie Parra, an Italian cookbook author and tour guide. “Things you didn’t have to consider before as a traveler now have to be considered,” such as sold-out train or museum tickets.
After Europe’s tumultuous 2022 summer tourism season, Meg Zimbeck, who runs the gourmet tour company and review site Paris by Maus, thought 2023 would be a calmer year. . On the contrary, business increased by 30% in June.
“We expected last year to be our biggest year due to pent-up demand post-pandemic, but demand continues to surge,” Zimbeck said. “There are still a lot of people who are excited about traveling and excited about going to Europe.”
In Italy, Parla is tackling the same problem. “We just hired two more guides,” Parra said. “We are receiving all last-minute requests and are doing our best to accommodate the volume.”
Even though most countries around the world are open to travelers, Americans are still hungry for a traditional European summer vacation, Weinacht said.
That means Italy, France, Croatia, Portugal, Greece, Spain and the United Kingdom are busy and struggling to keep up with the hordes of tourists. If you’re one of the many people heading to Europe this summer, here are the hurdles you’re likely to run into.
9 less crowded summer vacation destinations
Crowds ‘swarm’ hotspots
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Parra, who splits his time between Rome and Venice and leads tours of Italy’s top spots, said everything was “completely flooded”.
Travel analyst Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group, said travelers should expect long waits and large crowds at almost every stage of their European vacation.
Want to avoid annoying carry-on fees? Be your own suitcase.
“Be prepared for long lines at airports, whether in the U.S. or Europe,” he said. “Be prepared for lines to pass through border security, airport security, crowded train stations, crowded hotels, crowded museums, crowded restaurants, and crowded tourist attractions.”
But Europe’s second-largest cities and remote destinations have largely been spared.
“They’re not full and they don’t charge the rates that the big guys do,” Weinacht said.
“We’ve had an out-of-control high season like we’ve never seen before.”
— Katie Parla, cookbook author and tour guide in Italy
Travel writer Anne Roderick Jones enjoys just that in Ospedaletti, a small Italian town just east of Nice, France. She and her husband, Nate, planned their visit to coincide with the beginning of the tourist season (peaks are late July to August) and discovered an environment with cooler temperatures, fewer crowds, and plenty of no-reservation dining options. Did. This is in stark contrast to what tourists see. Other major destinations.
In some large cities, such as Paris and Milan, crowds are less noticeable. Zimbeck said Paris feels more ordinary than standing at Notre Dame, Sacré-Coeur, the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.
“A lot of what people do in Paris is walk the charming cobblestone streets that are scattered throughout the city,” she added. “That’s why, for example, in Rome, I don’t often feel as excited as I do.”
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British media recently reported that Europe’s air traffic management agency Eurocontrol is warning of a “tough” summer due to increased flights and airspace restrictions due to the war in Ukraine.
“Flight delays are a huge problem,” Weinacht said.
To reduce the risk of disruption, Weinacht recommends that travelers take trains or rent a car instead of flying between European destinations, especially on low-cost airlines. I am. “Those planes are also notorious for being late,” she said.
Expect long lines at airport check-in and security, so arrive earlier than usual. That day, she stood in line of 200 people in Athens. “Thankfully, her husband had a co-branded United card,” she said. Check to see if your travel credit card comes with airport priority lane benefits.
You can also make your airport experience even more efficient by avoiding baggage checks.
“Currently, package delivery times can take up to two hours,” Weinacht said. If you need to pick up your luggage, don’t book a nearby train or plane connection.
Summer vacation is approaching. Be prepared to empty your wallet.
Airline tickets and hotels are rising in price.
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Just going to Europe puts a strain on Americans’ budgets, but that’s before accommodations, meals, and activities. Round-trip flights to Europe cost an average of $1,370 per ticket, 33% more expensive than in 2019, according to travel booking app Hopper.
Paula Tweedale, senior vice president at AAA Travel, said she recently returned from the UK and, even though she booked her tickets about eight months in advance, she still “couldn’t believe” the prices.
“Economy tickets averaged $1,200 to $1,500, compared to $700 to $800 before the pandemic,” she says.
Harteveldt said there aren’t as many low-fare services between the U.S. and Europe as there were before the pandemic, which is one reason for the high fares. And overall capacity between destinations is still decreasing, he said.
“The basic laws of economics apply here,” he says. “If demand exceeds capacity, prices will rise.”
With the surge in demand, hotel prices are also rising.
“It’s just ridiculous how much it costs to stay in totally mediocre accommodations that are fully booked,” Parla said.
She says travelers in Rome try to keep their food costs down by eating affordable options like food stalls at the Testaccio market, slices of pizza, or suprizio (ragu-fried rice balls with melted mozzarella cheese in the middle). They say they can consider options with reasonable prices. “So if you’re going to spend $500 on a not-so-cool room, you’ll feel a lot better if you eat a €10 lunch with a pizza, some supplements, and a beer,” she added.
Why are European hotel beds so bad?
Most strikes and protests are calming down
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While worker strikes were frequent throughout Europe in the spring, Harteveldt said they were usually less frequent in the summer. Still, he says, “that doesn’t mean there won’t be wildcat strikes or some kind of labor movement.”
Security staff at Heathrow Airport announced plans for multi-day strikes in July and August, part of which were called off last month. On June 23, the Unite union and the airport reached an agreement on pay increases to prevent a two-year suspension of operations.
Janna Hyland, a traffic intelligence analyst at risk management firm Crisis24, said further measures could be taken in Europe.
“As with many travel disruptions, it is difficult for travelers to predict,” she says. “The best thing they can do is stay informed.”
Unions typically notify strikes and airlines notify passengers of the potential consequences. Hyland said travelers should be wary of their airlines, arrive at the airport early, take direct flights if possible and avoid checking in luggage.
The protests that erupted in France late last month were unrelated to travel and followed the police killing of a teenager in the suburb of Nanterre, but led to hundreds of arrests in Paris and surrounding areas. Thousands of police officers are deployed.
The U.S. Embassy in Paris issued a warning on June 29, warning of potentially violent protests across France and reports of damage.
“U.S. citizens should avoid large gatherings and areas of active police activity due to the potential for violence and confrontations to occur,” the warning said. “Some cities have curfews in place. As always, we encourage you to notify friends and family of your location. Please be aware that public transportation may be affected.”
Canada’s travel advisory for France warns of protests planned in popular tourist destinations such as Paris. “This has caused disruption to services and transportation, led to vandalism, arson, and violent clashes between demonstrators and police,” the Canadian government said in a warning. “In some cases, security forces used tear gas to disperse crowds.”
Zinbeck said protests and strikes in France appear to be calming down. Even in her heyday, she said, “I never saw any disruption when I was touring in the mornings or afternoons.”
You asked, “What is the best way to receive international phone service?”
Passports are difficult to obtain
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Of course, Americans can’t encounter chaos without being able to go to Europe in the first place. That’s what many potential travelers experience while waiting and continuing to wait for their passports.
The State Department is flooded with applications. Current processing times are 10-13 weeks for scheduled services and 7-9 weeks for emergency services. The clock starts when the agency receives your application, not when you drop the envelope in your mailbox.
“The department is experiencing a surge in demand for passports, with some weeks seeing twice as many applications pending compared to the same period. [Fiscal Year] by 2022,” the ministry said in an emailed statement.
Last month, the agency received about 400,000 applications per week, down slightly from a high of more than 500,000 per week from January to May.
The Associated Press reports that the State Department is mired in a crisis management system where “life-or-death” scenarios are prioritized and anxious travelers nearing departure are prioritized. The department told The Washington Post in an email that as of June 22, it had issued more than 97% of passports within or faster than the required processing time.
“We do not expect to need to increase processing times again in 2023, and by the end of the year we will have reached pre-pandemic processing times (2-3 weeks for emergency services and 6-8 weeks for regular services). We are focused on bringing it back,” the email said.
The agency recommends a six-month lead time for first-time applicants and renewal applicants. In case of an emergency, if you are leaving within two weeks and need a passport, or if you need a foreign visa within 28 days, you can make an appointment at the National Passport Information Center. Reservations are limited and not guaranteed.
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In crowds, tourists are not always on the best behavior.
Last month, a man was filmed carving on the walls of Rome’s Colosseum, angering Italian authorities and threatening him with jail time or fines. Both Rome and Venice have struggled in recent years to deal with disruptive visitors.
Amsterdam city leaders announced a campaign this spring ahead of the peak tourist season, asking potentially unruly visitors to “stay away.” The initiative is backed by several new rules, including earlier closing times for brothels and a ban on smoking marijuana on the streets in red-light districts.
In one nightmarish scenario, an American tourist was arrested after two American tourists were fatally injured in an attack near Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. According to police, the man lured two women in their early 20s onto a mountain trail and attempted to sexually assault one of them. He is said to have pushed them down a 150-foot drop near the bridge that serves as the castle’s viewing area. Only one person survived.
Clarification
An earlier version of this article ignored mention of a work agreement for security staff at Heathrow Airport that would prevent them from being out of work for two years. This article has been updated.
