Europe by Eurail / 20 Days
June 10 - 29, 2018
There are a few experiences in life one never forgets. This is one of those!
Taking a gondola up to a trail to start a day hike in the Alps above Innsbruck, Austria.
This adventure will be a truly unforgettable experience, There is no way to adequately explain what this trip might be like, but you can be sure it will be an incredible travel opportunity. You will find most details here and I invite you to get in touch with me if you have any questions. I'll be happy to meet with you and to put you in touch with boys (and their parents) who have been on this adventure in the past. This will be our sixth European adventure.
Our planned itinerary includes stays in London, England; Paris, France; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Prague, Czech Republic; Vienna, Austria; Innsbruck, Austria; Bern, Switzerland; and Munich, Germany.
Click to read itinerary details including cities & countries and things we plan to see and experience.
Transportation to Europe
We will fly out of Charlotte (or possibly Greenville-Spartanburg) to our arrival city in Europe. We're planning on arriving in London and departing in Munich though those cities could change based on airline fares and other factors.
Our planned itinerary includes stays in London, England; Paris, France; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Prague, Czech Republic; Vienna, Austria; Innsbruck, Austria; Bern, Switzerland; and Munich, Germany.
Click to read itinerary details including cities & countries and things we plan to see and experience.
Transportation to Europe
We will fly out of Charlotte (or possibly Greenville-Spartanburg) to our arrival city in Europe. We're planning on arriving in London and departing in Munich though those cities could change based on airline fares and other factors.
Boys will quickly become experts at reading train boards.
Transportation in Europe
We'll travel between cities and countries by train and you will love the European train system! Many of our trips will be on high-speed trains traveling at close to 200 miles per hour! Even the "slow" trains move along at 100 mph or faster.
We'll have first-class Eurail passes which, in theory, lets us enjoy unlimited train travel to 10,000 destinations in 28 European countries. However, we know from five past trips that we'll just be visiting a small fraction of that. Generally speaking we'll stay two or three nights in most cities.
Some rides might be as short as an hour and others might be on a night train between countries. Seats are wide and comfortable, and unlike a jet, boys can sit in groups to play games, talk, or meet new people. Almost all international trains will have dining cars. This really is the way to travel!
We'll travel between cities and countries by train and you will love the European train system! Many of our trips will be on high-speed trains traveling at close to 200 miles per hour! Even the "slow" trains move along at 100 mph or faster.
We'll have first-class Eurail passes which, in theory, lets us enjoy unlimited train travel to 10,000 destinations in 28 European countries. However, we know from five past trips that we'll just be visiting a small fraction of that. Generally speaking we'll stay two or three nights in most cities.
Some rides might be as short as an hour and others might be on a night train between countries. Seats are wide and comfortable, and unlike a jet, boys can sit in groups to play games, talk, or meet new people. Almost all international trains will have dining cars. This really is the way to travel!
In villages and cities our usual mode of transportation will be our feet. Additionally, we will use other mass transit including metros and buses. We've also taken boat rides, gondolas and funiculars, trams, etc. Do expect to walk a lot—a whole lot. It won’t be uncommon to walk one mile or so from the train station to our hotel. We walk a lot more than that during the days as we travel to sites and attractions.
Lodging - a European variety for sure!
We will usually stay in small European family-owned hotels or pensions. These are not fancy, but very pleasant and each one different from the last. Amenities will be few, though you never know. There will be no swimming pools. Rooms usually have TVs and phones and a bathroom. (On our first European trip decades ago it was common to have to walk down the hall to use the bathroom.) Expect to stay in doubles, triples, and even quads. We will usually stay in hotels in the heart of the city within a mile or two of the central train station. We might stay in a hostel for a few nights if that's our best option. Hostels are lower cost lodging options and while not quite as "upscale" as our hotel stays, they are a charming part of the European experience and a chance to meet families and kids from across Europe and the world.
And depending on the final itinerary, we might spend the night in a sleeper on the train. We are able to reserve couchettes with our Eurail passes. Couchettes are small compartments on the train that seat and sleep 4 to 6 passengers. The seats fold down to form beds. The doors lock and a train official will awake us in the morning at our new destination. Another option on overnight trains are seats that recline and these are often preferred to couchettes as passengers aren't as cramped.
Lodging - a European variety for sure!
We will usually stay in small European family-owned hotels or pensions. These are not fancy, but very pleasant and each one different from the last. Amenities will be few, though you never know. There will be no swimming pools. Rooms usually have TVs and phones and a bathroom. (On our first European trip decades ago it was common to have to walk down the hall to use the bathroom.) Expect to stay in doubles, triples, and even quads. We will usually stay in hotels in the heart of the city within a mile or two of the central train station. We might stay in a hostel for a few nights if that's our best option. Hostels are lower cost lodging options and while not quite as "upscale" as our hotel stays, they are a charming part of the European experience and a chance to meet families and kids from across Europe and the world.
And depending on the final itinerary, we might spend the night in a sleeper on the train. We are able to reserve couchettes with our Eurail passes. Couchettes are small compartments on the train that seat and sleep 4 to 6 passengers. The seats fold down to form beds. The doors lock and a train official will awake us in the morning at our new destination. Another option on overnight trains are seats that recline and these are often preferred to couchettes as passengers aren't as cramped.
What's for dinner? and lunch, and breakfast...
Grabbing some "street food" for a quick lunch.
Here’s another adventure in Europe. Generally, breakfasts will be enjoyed in our hotels. Many of these morning spreads are quite lavish and others a bit more basic. But they all offer a nice variety of breakfast foods and all you can eat. Breakfast, like all our meals, is part of the adventure. In any case, it will hold us over till lunch. Lunches will sometimes be purchased in markets and eaten in parks. This might consist of crackers and cheese, fruit, a candy bar, etc. You won’t go hungry. Occasionally lunches will be enjoyed in cafés and often ordered at a take-out window (think something like a food truck). Dinners will be eaten in local cafés and restaurants where we’ll attempt to be brave enough to sample the local cuisine. You'll get to choose from the menu so you can decide how adventurous you wish to be. It's rare to find a menu without English translations offered, but it does happen. We will make every effort to stay away from American-type fast-food restaurants, but there will indeed be an occasion where we’ll long for something familiar.
All meals and many snacks are included in the trip fee.
All meals and many snacks are included in the trip fee.
What will we do? - Our Activities
One of our activities will be a (summer) bobsled run in Austria.
We will do some things parents expect us to and most things boys want to do. It's a nice combination. We will do all we can to squeeze in what we can of the local culture. This will include museums and tours, guided and self-guided. We will choose activities that boys this age will enjoy as well as some "must see" types of sites and attractions. We’ll do a lot of walking. I mean a LOT of walking. We’ll take a lot of pictures. We’ll take advantage of opportunities we might discover waiting just around the corner. We’ll encourage but not require journal keeping—but believe me, you’ll want to remember every detail. See the itinerary page for an idea of some of the things we'll see on our trip. We also want to include some time for boys just to relax, shop, and have fun and downtime with friends.
How a Day Might Unfold
Some preparations for each day will start the night before as we gather in a café or a park or in a hotel room to discuss options for the following day. We’ll be equipped with a guidebook and information from the locals and will attempt to come to a consensus of what we would like to see. We’ll map out a strategy of our site-seeing priorities and there will be an order to our madness. Generally, once we leave for the day—we’ll be gone all day. Days will be long and fulfilling. We'll have reservations for some activities in advance since we'll have an advance plan of where we're going and how long we're staying.
Some arrangements for activities will be arranged in advance such as a ride on the London Eye, a visit up to the top of the Eiffel Tower, a tour at the Anne Frank House, and a day of mountain adventure in the village of Grindelwald in the Swiss Alps. Check out the itinerary page for more details.
Boys will be given some limited free time to explore very small sections of some cities in small groups. There will be strict guidelines as to travel distance and time to report back in on those occasions. These short bursts of exploration usually center around a town's "old square," "marketplace," or some other typical walking area. Parents can elect not to give their son this option.
Click to check out the current planned itinerary. This could change based on suggestions from the boys.
How a Day Might Unfold
Some preparations for each day will start the night before as we gather in a café or a park or in a hotel room to discuss options for the following day. We’ll be equipped with a guidebook and information from the locals and will attempt to come to a consensus of what we would like to see. We’ll map out a strategy of our site-seeing priorities and there will be an order to our madness. Generally, once we leave for the day—we’ll be gone all day. Days will be long and fulfilling. We'll have reservations for some activities in advance since we'll have an advance plan of where we're going and how long we're staying.
Some arrangements for activities will be arranged in advance such as a ride on the London Eye, a visit up to the top of the Eiffel Tower, a tour at the Anne Frank House, and a day of mountain adventure in the village of Grindelwald in the Swiss Alps. Check out the itinerary page for more details.
Boys will be given some limited free time to explore very small sections of some cities in small groups. There will be strict guidelines as to travel distance and time to report back in on those occasions. These short bursts of exploration usually center around a town's "old square," "marketplace," or some other typical walking area. Parents can elect not to give their son this option.
Click to check out the current planned itinerary. This could change based on suggestions from the boys.
When do we move on?
There's plenty of room to spread out on the European trains.
We'll have reservations for most trains and all hotels in advance so when we move on we will already be set. But there are chances to take unplanned excursions. In most cities we'll have time to take a local train to a nearby village to take in some recommended attraction or site. For example, we'll take a "tourist" train up the Alps in Switzerland from Bern to the alpine village of Grindelwald. It's an absolutely stunning trip up the mountain and boys have always enjoyed walking around this quaint village and will love the group of activities we use to get up and then back down the mountain which will include a zip-line and a scooter.
What You’ll Need To Bring
A complete list will be available several months before departure. You’ll be encouraged to pack light since you’ll be carrying this stuff for 20 days. You will need a travel pack of some sort. This needs to be large enough to hold what you wish to bring (think packing light) but small enough that you can manage it on and off trains. Many kids and adults prefer a piece of luggage that rolls and others like to have a pack they can strap on their back. In any case, make sure it's a quality bag. It needs to hold up to some rugged use.
In addition to your main bag, you should have a secure fanny pack or daypack to use for our daily expeditions.
What You’ll Need To Bring
A complete list will be available several months before departure. You’ll be encouraged to pack light since you’ll be carrying this stuff for 20 days. You will need a travel pack of some sort. This needs to be large enough to hold what you wish to bring (think packing light) but small enough that you can manage it on and off trains. Many kids and adults prefer a piece of luggage that rolls and others like to have a pack they can strap on their back. In any case, make sure it's a quality bag. It needs to hold up to some rugged use.
In addition to your main bag, you should have a secure fanny pack or daypack to use for our daily expeditions.
Keeping in Touch
A really amazing clock in Munich, Germany
We’ll have hotel reservations for each night of the trip. Parents will have the itinerary with contact info, but the best way to get in touch with me/us is by email. Our hotels will have an email connection and wi-fi for our use though it is not always as reliable or as fast as we would like. Boys are welcome to bring an electronic device they can use for sending/receiving email such as an iPad or iPod Touch. Boys can bring a cell phone but you would need to check with your provider to make sure it will work in Europe and that you'll have the necessary SIM card to allow you to easily make calls. You should also check to make sure you understand the possible charges. We've had some parents get some pretty big surprises on their bill. Use of these devices is limited to non-activity times such as downtime in the hotels. Mark will have an international cell phone and parents can reach him that way in addition to email.
Parents can relax knowing that their sons are having a great time. You'll be able to check out photos and blog notes which are posted virtually every day.
Passports and Money
Mark and the other leaders will keep your passport for you. You may have it whenever you need it, but it must be guarded with complete seriousness. You will need some spending money for incidentals such as snacks and souvenirs. Everything else is covered in your fee. It would be wise to have some money in pounds and euros just in case you need something before we can get money exchanged. Fifteen pounds and fifteen euros is adequate for this purpose and can be obtained from your local banks given enough notice. For the rest of the trip, you should have an ATM card. You will pay a fee each time you have to exchange money. Keep in mind that on this trip we will be using US dollars, English pounds, Swiss francs, Czech Korunas, in addition to good old euros!
You should apply for your passport early. If you already have one, make sure of the expiration date. It should not expire within six months of our trip dates. At the time of this update, visas are not required for any places we're visiting. That could change before our trip but we should know about this with ample warning.
Parents can relax knowing that their sons are having a great time. You'll be able to check out photos and blog notes which are posted virtually every day.
Passports and Money
Mark and the other leaders will keep your passport for you. You may have it whenever you need it, but it must be guarded with complete seriousness. You will need some spending money for incidentals such as snacks and souvenirs. Everything else is covered in your fee. It would be wise to have some money in pounds and euros just in case you need something before we can get money exchanged. Fifteen pounds and fifteen euros is adequate for this purpose and can be obtained from your local banks given enough notice. For the rest of the trip, you should have an ATM card. You will pay a fee each time you have to exchange money. Keep in mind that on this trip we will be using US dollars, English pounds, Swiss francs, Czech Korunas, in addition to good old euros!
You should apply for your passport early. If you already have one, make sure of the expiration date. It should not expire within six months of our trip dates. At the time of this update, visas are not required for any places we're visiting. That could change before our trip but we should know about this with ample warning.
Leadership
Some of the guys on a hike in the Alps.
Mark’s leading the trip. I’ve been running camps and taking kids on trips since 1978, and prior to that I was a camp counselor for seven years. We have a fantastic lineup of staff members. Doug Williams, Jesse Jorgensen, Mike Repp, Ben O'Hanlan, and Zach George are onboard and joining Mark as leaders. Doug and Jesse were both with Mark on the 2015 trip. Two of the leaders are MDs, not that we're going to need them!
What’s Next?
Signing up is next. The Europe trips have always been some of our most popular experiences and we've always filled all available spots. In some cases, all spots were taken within weeks of opening up enrollment. But of course, cancellations also occur so do ask.
Get your passport. Learn to use your camera. Brush up on some foreign phrases. Pick up a guidebook to Western Europe. Become an expert on a city or two.
Fee
The fee for this 20-day world-class experience is $4,850. This is actually less per day than the 2015 version of this trip and is less than many of the popular residential camps in North Carolina. This includes all lodging in hotels (and maybe a hostel) and possibly an overnight sleeper on a train. The fee also includes a 15-day first-class Global Eurail pass good for unlimited travel throughout 28 countries in Europe. Also included: all meals, some snacks, all activities (except a West End show ticket in London since many boys won't be interested), all local transportation including metros, trams, gondolas, etc. All guide services are included as well as all extra fees associated with train reservations and overnight train sleeper charges. All gratuities are included. Not included: transatlantic airfare, souvenirs, and excess "junk" food. Please read the extra notes page carefully for more information on the fee.
What’s Next?
Signing up is next. The Europe trips have always been some of our most popular experiences and we've always filled all available spots. In some cases, all spots were taken within weeks of opening up enrollment. But of course, cancellations also occur so do ask.
Get your passport. Learn to use your camera. Brush up on some foreign phrases. Pick up a guidebook to Western Europe. Become an expert on a city or two.
Fee
The fee for this 20-day world-class experience is $4,850. This is actually less per day than the 2015 version of this trip and is less than many of the popular residential camps in North Carolina. This includes all lodging in hotels (and maybe a hostel) and possibly an overnight sleeper on a train. The fee also includes a 15-day first-class Global Eurail pass good for unlimited travel throughout 28 countries in Europe. Also included: all meals, some snacks, all activities (except a West End show ticket in London since many boys won't be interested), all local transportation including metros, trams, gondolas, etc. All guide services are included as well as all extra fees associated with train reservations and overnight train sleeper charges. All gratuities are included. Not included: transatlantic airfare, souvenirs, and excess "junk" food. Please read the extra notes page carefully for more information on the fee.
Click to check out photos from our last trip to Europe in 2015.
A quote from a participant from our first Europe by Eurail adventure...in 1981
My trip to Europe was one of the greatest adventures of my life. Almost every day was a new city or country. It was an education in history and different cultures. But, most of all, it was an unparalleled education in living and traveling with a group. Our group worked together to chart our travel and plan our activities. No other travel experience allows the participants to have such input; that is the difference between a “tour” and an “adventure.” It is the one trip which I still talk about all the time. There were so many experiences that over 35 years later I am always recalling stories from that summer to tell my kids.
-Jay Jalenak, a participant on Mark’s 1981 European adventure. Jay is now an attorney in Baton Rouge, LA.
My trip to Europe was one of the greatest adventures of my life. Almost every day was a new city or country. It was an education in history and different cultures. But, most of all, it was an unparalleled education in living and traveling with a group. Our group worked together to chart our travel and plan our activities. No other travel experience allows the participants to have such input; that is the difference between a “tour” and an “adventure.” It is the one trip which I still talk about all the time. There were so many experiences that over 35 years later I am always recalling stories from that summer to tell my kids.
-Jay Jalenak, a participant on Mark’s 1981 European adventure. Jay is now an attorney in Baton Rouge, LA.
Click for the online application.
Our other adventure in 2018...
If you can't make Europe, boys might be interested in our Virginia Highlands adventure in July.
This one-week trip packs a lot of punch with great activities boys love.
Click for details.
If you can't make Europe, boys might be interested in our Virginia Highlands adventure in July.
This one-week trip packs a lot of punch with great activities boys love.
Click for details.
