So you’re heading to Europe to travel. You’re excited, but you’re not even sure where to start when it comes to planning. Once you got your flight tickets booked, it’s time to get serious. Not only do you need to have a rough idea of where your travels will take you, but it’s also a good idea to get a few key things ticked off before you go.

Along with the exciting stuff, you need to make sure you have all of your bases covered before you fly. As fun as it would be to throw on your backpack and head for the airport, even if you’re keeping your plans quite loose, there are a few things you have to do beforehand.

Learn A Language

First up, it helps to learn a language. Think about the country or the countries you’re heading to and start to learn a few key phrases. Whether you’re leaving in a week or in a year’s time, it can help to pick up an essential word or two. You don’t have to be fluent in the language to survive in a European country, but it can be fun and will help you get around.

Have A Milestone In Mind

If you’re planning on being spontaneous, then you probably only have your starting place in mind. But, it helps to think a little further afield. You don’t have to plan out an entire route, but it can be an idea to figure out where you’d like to go or the key places you’d like to see. If you’re traveling for two months and you know you want to see the Eiffel Tower and the Trevi Fountain, then you can do your best to get to them in time. You don’t want to go all that way and miss out on anything!

Understand The Basics

On your travels, there will be certain things that you should pack. If you’re going on a backpacking trip, there are a few basics that you might like to pack. By looking into what you need, you’ll be able to get a better feel for what the experience will be like. From toilet paper and wet wipes to a torch and padlocks, it’s important to understand what you might need as an essential.

Do The Housekeeping

Before you fly, you’re going to want to make sure that you have your passport ready and it’s up to date. Depending on the country you live in, there might also be a few bits of paperwork that you need to sort out before you leave. If you live in the United States or Canada, for example, it’s likely that you’ll need to apply for a visa waiver before you leave.

Prepare For Anything

Then there comes to packing for those of you that might be heading straight to a hotel or a series of them. If you’re taking luggage on your trip, you have a little more room to move. But, because you have space, you might want to prepare for all weathers. Research your destination and the kind of weather to expect at the time of year that you’re traveling. If it’s warm, but there is a chance of rain, you’re going to need to pack for all occasions, just to make sure you’re covered.