To many travelers, thoughts of Europe conjure images of ruins and relics, soaring architectural triumphs, and a world steeped in the past yet driving the present. A patchwork continent, built upon the foundations of empires past, Europe stands as a living history of countries and cultures still wet behind the ears. Not all of the memories are fond-the specter of colonialism lingers still in the hearts and minds of those who suffered, and a century of devastating warfare scarred the earth and its inhabitants. That was then...

Planning Your Trip

Airfare

The biggest startup cost of any trip will be your plane ticket. This doesn't have to be prohibitive; flying into and out of major hub cities (such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Paris, or Zurich), being flexible with your departure and return dates, and shopping around can save you hundreds of dollars.

• Council Travel ( www.counciltravel.com). Countless US offices, including branches in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, L.A., New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. Check the website or call 800-2-COUNCIL (226-8624) for the office nearest you. Council declared bankruptcy and has been subsumed under STA. However, their offices are still in existence and transacting business.
• STA Travel, 7890 S. Hardy Dr., Ste. 110, Tempe AZ 85284, USA (24hr. reservations and info 800-781-4040; www.sta-travel.com). A student and youth travel organization with over 150 offices worldwide (check their website for a listing of all their offices), including US offices in Boston, Chicago, L.A., New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. Ticket booking, travel insurance, railpasses, and more.
• StudentUniverse, Inc. www.studentuniverse.com, located at 100 Talcoll Ave., Watertown, MA 02472, specializes in discounted student airfares online, and sell its student airfares through its own website and through partners Orbitz, Travelocity, Yahoo, and Cheaptickets. Buy online, or call toll free customer service: 800-272-9676. (If calling from outside the US, call +1-617-321-3100.) Customer Service is open Monday-Friday 9AM-9PM EST, Saturdays and Sundays 11AM-6PM EST.

When to Go

Summer is the high-season for travel in Europe. Visitors throng to hostels, museums, and beaches, particularly during the months of July and August; if you're looking to dodge herds of ravening tourists, you may find June or September a better time to travel.

Documents to Bring

While crossing national borders in Europe can feel as easy as driving across state lines, it is crucial to carry the correct documentation, especially when traveling outside the European Union or EU (Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain). Carry your passport, visa (if applicable), and student identification at all times; other useful documents include your birth certificate, an International Student Identification Card (ISIC), and photocopies of all your important ID, kept in a separate location (to expedite replacement if anything gets stolen).

Passports. American citizens need a valid passport to enter all European countries and to reenter the United States. Most countries do not allow entrance if the holder's passport expires in under six months. Returning home with an expired passport is illegal, and may result in a fine.

Visas, Invitations, & Work Permits. Americans traveling to Belarus, Russia, or Ukraine will need both a visa-a stamp, sticker, or insert in your passport specifying the purpose of your travel and the permitted duration of your stay-and an invitation from a sponsoring individual or organization. Most standard visas cost US$10-70, are valid for one to three months, and must be validated within six months from the date of issue. All European countries require visas for stays longer than 90 days and work permits for any visitor seeking employment. The Center for International Business and Travel (CIBT; 800-925-2428) secures visas and necessary travel documents to almost any country for a service charge. Requirements can change rapidly, so, for up-to-the-minute documentation requirements, consult the US State Department.

Packing

Pack light: Lay out only what you absolutely need, then take half the clothes and twice the money. While you should tailor what you bring to the time of year and your destination, here are a few things you may not have thought of, yet shouldn't leave home without:

• Sleepsack. Some hostels require that you either provide your own linen or rent sheets from them. Save cash by making your own sleepsack: Fold a full-size sheet in half the long way, then sew it closed along the long side and one short side.
• Converters & Adapters. In Europe, electricity is 220 volts AC, enough to fry any 110V American appliance. Pick up an adapter (which changes the shape of the plug) and a converter (which changes the voltage; US$20); you'll need both.
• First-aid Kit. For a basic first-aid kit, pack: bandages, pain reliever, antibiotic cream, a thermometer, a Swiss Army knife, tweezers, moleskin (for blisters), decongestant, motion-sickness remedy, diarrhea and upset-stomach medication, an antihistamine, sunscreen, insect repellent, and burn cream.
• Film. Film and developing in Europe are expensive, so consider bringing along enough film for your entire trip and developing it at home. Less serious photographers may want to bring a disposable camera or two rather than an expensive permanent one. Despite disclaimers, airport security X-rays can fog film, so buy a lead-lined pouch at a camera store or ask security to hand-inspect it. Always pack film in your carry-on luggage, since higher-intensity X-rays are used on checked luggage.
• Other Useful Items. For safety purposes, you should bring a money belt and small padlock. Basic outdoors equipment (plastic water bottle, compass, waterproof matches, pocketknife, sunglasses, sunscreen, hat) may also prove useful. Quick repairs of torn garments can be done on the road with a needle and thread; also consider bringing electrical tape for patching tears. Other things you're liable to forget: an umbrella, sealable plastic bags (for damp clothes, soap, food, shampoo, etc.), an alarm clock, safety pins, rubber bands, a flashlight, earplugs, and garbage bags.

The Best of Europe in 2 Months

From London (4 days), catch a cheap flight to energetic Dublin (2 days). Get studious in Oxford (1 day), then take in the natural beauty of the Cotswolds (1 day) en route to elegant Bath (2 days). Meet the continent in the museums and cafes of Paris (4 days), and the gorgeous chateaux of the Loire Valley (1 day). Venture south to worldly Madrid (2 days) and then hook around to otherworldly Barcelona (3 days). After a night in Marseille (1 day), soak in the Riviera's rays at Nice (1 day). Continue on to the orange roofs of Florence (2 days) and pause at stunning Siena (1 day) en route to Rome (3 days). Wind through Venice (2 days) on your way to posh Milan (1 day). Stop in Lyon (1 day) for your trip's best meal before heading to international Geneva (1 day). Scale the Swiss Alps around Zermatt (1 day) and Interlaken (1 day). Move on to cultured Zurich (1 day) and classical Salzburg (1 day) before taking in an opera in Vienna (2 days). Go south toward Croatia's beautiful Dalmatian Coast and up-and-coming Dubrovnik (2 days). Soak in the baths of Budapest (2 days) and then turn back westward to historical Krakow (2 days). Prague (3 days) and gorgeous Cesky Krumlov (1 day) may convince you never to leave Central Europe, but it's onward for a beer in Munich (2 days) and a sobering daytrip to nearby Dachau (1 day). The Romantic Road (2 days) will steer you to Berlin (3 days). Head north to cosmopolitan Copenhagen (2 days) and drop down to restless Hamburg (2 days). Take a last wild breath in Amsterdam (3 days), then top off your trip in peaceful Brussels (1 day).

Highlights of Europe

Whatever your passion, Europe holds countless ways to entice and entrance you. We've assembled a list of some of our favorite spots in Europe-both the world-famous attractions that have been on travelers' itineraries for centuries and the overlooked, hard-to-find gems that make each trip unique. So whaddaya waiting for? Get off your futon, get on the road, and let Let's Go go to work.

Monuments

In a city where rooftops drip towards the sidewalk and serpentine park benches twist past fairy-tale houses, it is an unfinished cathedral that more than all else captures the imagination. La Sagrada Familia was Antoni Gaudí's masterwork; he spent over 40 years planning and overseeing its construction, living in its basement workshop for the last years of his life. No words can adequately convey the intricacy and unique design of this Modernist shrine; only by approaching its hypnotizing facades and climbing its conch-shell staircases can its true grandeur be understood.

After the French Revolution, the most famous medieval building in Europe fell into disrepair and was used to shelter livestock. It was Victor Hugo's 1831 novel Notre-Dame-de-Paris (a.k.a. The Hunchback of Notre Dame) that inspired citizens to lobby for the cathedral's restoration, occasioning the addition of the spire and the gargoyles. The apocalyptic facade and soaring, apparently weightless walls are the products of a brilliant mixture of Gothic engineering and optical illusion, though the cathedral's biggest draws are its enormous stained-glass rose windows. A staircase inside the towers leads to a dizzying perch from which weather-worn gargoyles survey the city.

Now, we're not recommending madness, but it sure can produce some memorable architecture. When King Ludwig II developed schizophrenia in the late 1800s, he ordered the construction of the storybook Schloß Neuschwanstein and the embellishment of his father's Schloß Hohenschwangau. In the last years of his life, the king saw some of his wildest dreams realized: indoor grottoes, starlit ceilings, and even a masterful opera hall fill the original castle and its unfinished, fantastical counterpart.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and it's not likely that you'll see any substantial portion of it in 24 hours either. Ancient temples, Renaissance basilicas, 280 fountains, and 981 churches cluster together in a city bursting with masterpieces from every era of Western civilization. From the Pantheon, Colosseum, and Forum to the Trevi Fountain, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica, there is more than enough in Rome to captivate visitors for years on end.

Nothing says "Russia" like St. Basil's Cathedral. The familiar kaleidoscopic onion domes have stood since the cathedral's completion in 1561, presiding over the 700m-long history lesson that is Red Square. The cathedral has narrowly survived destruction numerous times, from Napoleon's razing of Moscow to Stalin's atheistic reconstruction of the square in the 1930s. Yet still the cathedral stands, overshadowing the sprawling Kremlin and testifying to the lasting power of great architecture over ideologies.

Although a monarch hasn't lived here for 250 years, Hampton Court still exudes royal prestige. In addition to touring the sumptuous rooms of the palace, including Henry VIII's State Apartments and the restored King's Apartments, you can visit the kitchen to get an idea of how Henry ate his way to a 54" waistline. Be sure to leave time for the vast gardens and the devilishly difficult hedgerow maze.

Straddling two continents and three millenia of history, Istanbul exists on an incomprehensible scale, a dense landscape of Ottoman mosques, Byzantine mosaics, and Roman masonry. Just by pacing the length of the Hagia Sophia's blood-red walls, you can see: Topkapi Palace, which once housed the Harem of Süleyman the Magnificent; the Hippodrome, an ancient Roman circus that has witnessed chariot races, public executions, and bloody revolts; and the Blue Mosque, whose interior shelters beautiful blue Iznik tiles and a seemingly free-floating chandelier of starlight. The proximity of these and other masterpieces weaves an eclectic tapestry of the city's endlessly varied history.

Outdoors

Lying at the foot of two of Switzerland's highest mountains, Interlaken has earned a place as Europe's top outdoor adventure spot. Beneath the enchanting Jungfrau (4158m), the town spreads around a large central green, the Höhenmatte, the landing pad for hundreds of paragliders drifting in from the sky. With rafting, canyoning, skydiving, bungee jumping, and seakayaking, Interlaken challenges the endurance of even its toughest visitors.

Massive glaciers gouged England's Lake District in the last ice age, and the dramatic splendor of jagged peaks and windswept fells they left behind create what is perhaps the most beautiful spot on the isle. In the summer, hikers, bikers, and boaters almost outnumber sheep-quite a feat, considering that there are 4 million sheep-but there is always some lonely upland or quiet cove where your footprints seem the first in generations.

Although Hvar and Brac are rapidly becoming international hotspots, most of the 1100+ islands along the gorgeous Dalmation Coast are uninhabited and untouristed. The coast's crystalline waters are the clearest in the Mediterranean, its bronze beaches a calming balance to the explosive nightlife in Dubrovnik, "the pearl of the Adriatic."

The six peaks surrounding the birthplace of downhill skiing, known collectively as the "Ski Circus," host the annual International Hahnenkamm Race, considered the toughest course in the world. But there's more to do in Kitzbühel than get your slalom on; with over 70 hiking trails, glitzy casinos, and an abundance of good Austrian pubs, there are plenty of good alternatives to hitting the slopes.

The southwestern peninsula known as "The Ring of Kerry" is the region's most popular location for ocean-drenched coastline views and home to some of the finest scenery in Europe. Equally impressive are the neighboring and less-touristed Dingle and Beara Peninsulas; all three present wondrous biking opportunities along the shore and the chance to step back in time with a visit to nearby Valentia Island's quiet ruins.

The spectacular railway connecting the Oslo-Bergen rail line to the tiny fjord town of Flåm is one of Scandinavia's most breathtaking attractions. This incredible feat of engineering descends 864m in 55 minutes, winding through tunnels, past rushing waterfalls, and along the edge of an inlet of the longest and deepest fjord in Europe. More rewarding than the ride is the 20km hike to Myrdal covering the same magnificent countryside at a more independent pace.

Not many stories start with: "While I was living in a hut in the Carpathian Mountains...," yet Slovakia's towering ranges and sprawling valleys offer the excursion of a budget traveler's lifetime. For a less rustic, more expensive experience, the region's vibrant resort community welcomes visitors from around the world to bask in the luxury of its many spas and hotels.

Nightlife

On a scale from 'one' to 'clothed,' Mykonos ranks a comfortable zero; tan lines and inhibitions have no place on this island. From the remote, contemplative shore of Kalo Livadi to the wild Super Paradise Beach, seaside bars, multi-story dancehalls, and irresistible gay clubs make Mykonos a bacchanalian playground for the kitsch and famous.

Dublin's pubs come in every shape, size, specialty, and subculture. Small bars packed elbow-to-elbow with punked-out malcontents? Check. Cigar lounges hung with stag heads? No doubt. Intimate caves of plush couches and heady steins? Got 'em. For every atmosphere in which you can imagine yourself enjoying a pint, Dublin's alleys hold a dozen places to call your home-away-from-sobriety.

BODRUM, TURKEY

Welcome to the "Bedroom of the Mediterranean," home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and several Wonders of Aegean Nightlife. Nights of techno coliseums and hookah palaces give way to a wild fleshpot of early-morning "Bodrum love;" as the sun rises over volcanic islands, secluded coves, and Turkey's best beaches, the pulsing days begin all over again...

LAGOS, PORTUGAL

In the 17th century, travelers ventured here for indigo and sugar markets; today, they come for the meat market that is Lagos by night. A favorite destination of tanned Kiwi and Australian 20-somethings, Lagos offers the least expensive hedonism in Europe. With endless happy hours and free-flowing liquor, Lagos's walls shake to the rhythms bursting from the clubs along Ruta 25 de Abril.

Amsterdam's reputation as a circus of sin is well-earned, as it is the only city in Europe to tolerate not only prostitution but marijuana, hash, and psychedelic mushrooms. Amsterdam lets you choose how you want to trip, twist, and tangle through your surreal evenings, and then opens its coffeeshops early so that you can restart with a quick wake n' bake the next afternoon. For your own good, bring a camera-your biggest regret after a week in Amsterdam may be how little you remember...

Alternatives to Tourism

Sprinting from sight to sight and party to party is all well and good, but what if you want a more intensive experience than the average whirlwind tour? Each of our books contains a comprehensive guide to working, studying, and volunteering in the areas you want to discover. The section below features some of the most useful resources to check out; pick up any Let's Go guide for more detailed tips on calling one country home or earning your way across Europe.

Au Pair Organizations

• Accord Cultural Exchange, 750 La Playa, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA (415-386-6203; www.cognitext.com/accord).
• Au Pair Homestay, World Learning, Inc., 1015 15th St. NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20005, USA (800-287-2477; fax 202-408-5397).
• Au Pair in Europe, P.O. Box 68056, Blakely Postal Outlet, Hamilton, Ontario L8M 3M7, Canada (905-545-6305; fax 905-544-4121; www.princeent.com.)
Childcare International, Ltd., Trafalgar House, Grenville Pl., London NW7 3SA, UK (020 8906 3116; fax 020 8906 3461; www.childint.co.uk ). InterExchange, 161 Sixth Ave., New York, NY 10013, USA (212-924-0446; fax 212-924-0575; www.interexchange.org).

Teaching English

• Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), TEFL Professional Network Ltd., 72 Pentyla Baglan Rd., Port Talbot SA12 8AD, UK (fax 020 7691 7074; www.tefl.com; info@tefl.com ). Maintains the most extensive database of openings throughout Europe, as well as offering job training and certification.
• Central European Teaching Program (CETP), Beloit College, 700 College St., Beloit, WI 53511, USA (608-363-2619; fax 608-363-2449; www.beloit.edu/~cetp). Volunteers (college graduates only) teach English for half- or full-year periods in Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. $3500 full-year placement fee ($1700 half-year) includes airfare.
• International Schools Services (ISS), 15 Roszel Rd., Box 5910, Princeton, NJ 08543, USA (609-452-0990; fax 609-452-2690; www.iss.edu). Hires teachers for more than 200 schools worldwide; candidates should have experience teaching or with international affairs. Two-year commitment expected.

Work Placement Firms

• Council Exchanges, 52 Poland St., London W1F 7AB, UK (020 7478 2000; US 888-268-6245; www.councilexchanges.org). Charges a US$300-475 fee for arranging three- to six-month working authorizations. They also provide extensive information on different job opportunities throughout Europe.
• Escapeartist.com, 832-1245 World Trade Center, Panama, 832 (jobs.escapeartist.com). International employers post directly to this website; various European jobs advertised. No fee.
• International Co-operative Education, 15 Spiros Way, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA (650-323-4944; www.icemenlo.com). Finds summer jobs for students in Belgium, Finland, Germany, and Switzerland. Costs include a $200 application fee and a $600 fee for placement.
• International Employment Gazette, 423 Townes Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, USA (800-882-9188; www.intemployment.com). A biweekly publication that lists jobs in all sectors, including education, health care, social services, and agriculture. Six-month internet subscription US$45.

Volunteering