When traveling in Europe, the unexpected will happen at some point, whether that means coming down with an illness, dealing with air travel issues, or getting lost en route to your destination. But hassles like these don’t have to ruin your trip. They may even enrich your experience depending on your response, says travel influencer Rick Steves in his blog post titled “Making the Most of Your European Trip”: “Many of my readers’ richest travel experiences have been the result of seemingly terrible mishaps: the lost passport in Slovenia, the doctor visit in Ireland, the blowout in Portugal, or the moped accident on Corfu.”
Rather than naively hoping a trip will unfold seamlessly every moment, Steves’ simple rule is to expect some difficulties along the way. And when they do inevitably occur, he says to confront them with creativity, flexibility, and an open mind. Crying over a spilled macchiato because the three-Michelin star Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy is booked solid for the next three weeks? Head down the street to the more humble Trattoria Aldina, which locals and travel influencer Giada De Laurentiis believe is actually the city’s best restaurant.
Don’t be afraid to ask for and accept help when you’re struggling
