All New European Highlights
8 Countries in 10 Days

• All 8 countries: CET (UTC+1) / CEST (UTC+2 in summer)
• India difference: 3.5–4.5 hours behind IST
• When it's 12:00 PM in India, it's ≈7:30–8:30 AM in Europe
• Daylight Saving: last Sunday in March → forward 1 hour; last Sunday in October → back
• Business hours: 9 AM – 6 PM weekdays

Emergency number: 112 (works in all countries)

• 🇫🇷 France: +33 – 112 / 15 (medical) / 17 (police)
• 🇧🇪 Belgium: +32 – 112
• 🇳🇱 Netherlands: +31 – 112
• 🇩🇪 Germany: +49 – 112
• 🇨🇭 Switzerland: +41 – 112 / 144 (medical)
• 🇦🇹 Austria: +43 – 112 / 144 (medical)
• 🇮🇹 Italy: +39 – 112
• 🇻🇦 Vatican: +39 06 – 112 (via Italy)

• Most countries: Type C/E/F (two round pins, 230V, 50Hz)
• Switzerland: Type J (three round pins, 230V, 50Hz) – Type C plugs also fit
• Adapter needed: Yes for Indian travelers

• 7 countries: Euro (€) – approx ₹89–92
• Switzerland: Swiss Franc (CHF) – approx ₹95–100
• Forex cards recommended; ATMs widely available
• Carry €50–100 in small notes for tips, toilets (€0.50–1), small purchases
• Credit cards accepted almost everywhere

• France: Hommes / Femmes
• Germany/Austria/Switzerland: Herren / Damen
• Netherlands: Heren / Dames
• Italy: Signori / Signore
• Belgium: Heren/Dames (Dutch) or Hommes/Femmes (French)
• All: WC is universal

Tip: Public toilets often charge €0.50–1 – carry small change.

Address: 13-15 Rue Alfred Dehodencq, 75016 Paris

Phone: +33 1 40 50 70 70

Emergency: +33 6 4834 0063

Email: [email protected]

Address: Buitenrustweg 2, 2517 KD The Hague

Phone: +31 70 346 9771

Emergency: +31 64374 3800

Email: [email protected]

Address: 217 Chaussee de Vleurgat, 1050 Brussels

Phone: +32 2 640 9140

Emergency: +32 476 748 575

Email: [email protected]

Address: Tiergartenstrasse 17, 10785 Berlin

Phone: +49 30 25 79 50

MIIM Hotline: +49 30 2579 5514

Email: [email protected]

Address: Kirchenfeldstrasse 28, 3005 Bern

Phone: +41 31 350 11 30

Emergency: +41 76 699 6224

Email: [email protected]

Address: Kärntnerring 2, 1010 Vienna

Phone: +43 1 505 86 66

Consular: +43 1 585 0793

Email: [email protected]

Address: Via XX Settembre, 5, 00187 Rome

Phone: +39 06 488 4642-5

Fax: +39 06 481 9539

Email: [email protected]

• 🇫🇷 France: French – Bonjour, Merci, S'il vous plaît
• 🇧🇪 Belgium: Dutch/French/German – Start with "Bonjour" or "Hallo"
• 🇳🇱 Netherlands: Dutch – 90%+ speak excellent English, "Dank je wel"
• 🇩🇪 Germany: German – Guten Tag, Danke, Entschuldigung
• 🇨🇭 Switzerland: German/French/Italian/Romansh – English widely spoken in tourist areas
• 🇦🇹 Austria: German (Austrian dialect) – "Grüß Gott" traditional greeting
• 🇮🇹 Italy & Vatican: Italian – Ciao/Buongiorno, Grazie, Per favore

• Greetings: Handshake common; cheek kisses (1–2) among friends in France/Belgium
• Dining: Hands visible on table; wait for host to start
• Tipping: Service included; round up or 5–10% for exceptional service
• Vatican/Churches: Cover shoulders & knees; no hats; silence phones; no photography during mass
• Public behavior: Speak softly; queue politely; don't eat while walking in some cities
• Punctuality: Highly valued in Germany, Switzerland, Austria

• Perfume, wine, macarons, scarves, designer bags, cheese, mustard
• Luxury brands on Champs-Élysées, French skincare, linen tea towels

• Chocolate (Godiva, Neuhaus, Leonidas), lace, beer, speculoos, tapestries, beer glasses
• Hand-painted beer glasses, comic books (Tintin, Smurfs)

• Delftware, cheese, clogs, tulip bulbs, stroopwafels
• Delft Blue pottery, Gouda/Edam cheese, decorative clogs, certified tulip bulbs (airport)

• Cuckoo clocks, beer steins, Christmas ornaments, sausages, handicrafts
• Black Forest cuckoo clocks, hand-carved wooden toys, Kirschwasser

• Watches, chocolate, army knives, cheese, music boxes
• Swiss watches (Rolex, Omega), Lindt/Sprüngli chocolate, Victorinox knives, VAT refund min. CHF 300

• Swarovski, Mozartkugeln, Tracht, crystal, ceramics
• Swarovski Kristallwelten, Dirndl & Lederhosen, Mozartkugeln chocolate balls

• Murano glass, leather, masks, olive oil, Vatican crafts, wine
• Murano glass (island workshops), Carnival masks, leather goods, rosaries, religious art

Must-try: Croissant, Coq au Vin, Cheese (Brie, Camembert), Crème Brûlée

Fruits: Apples, pears, grapes, cherries, strawberries

Budget: Café meal €12–20 | Fine dining €40+

Must-try: Moules-Frites, Belgian Fries (with mayo!), Chocolate Pralines, Liège Waffles, Trappist Beer

Fruits: Apples, pears, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries

Budget: Street food €8–15 | Restaurant €20–40

Must-try: Poffertjes, Raw Herring, Gouda Cheese, Stroopwafel

Fruits: Elstar apples, pears, strawberries, Westland grapes

Budget: Street food €5–10 | Restaurant €18–35

Must-try: Pretzel, Currywurst, Schnitzel, Sauerkraut, Black Forest Cake

Fruits: Apples, cherries, plums, strawberries, peaches

Budget: Imbiss snack €4–8 | Gasthaus €15–30

Must-try: Cheese Fondue, Rösti, Swiss Chocolate, Käsespätzle

Fruits: Apples, pears, cherries, plums, berries

Budget: Supermarket CHF 10–15 | Restaurant CHF 25+

Must-try: Wiener Schnitzel, Apfelstrudel, Käsekrainer, Melange coffee

Fruits: Apples, pears, apricots, cherries, plums, grapes

Budget: Würstelstand €5–10 | Beisl €15–30

Must-try: Pasta Carbonara, Pizza al Taglio, Gelato, Espresso

Fruits: Grapes, citrus, peaches, kiwi, cherries, figs, olives

Budget: Pizza slice €3–5 | Trattoria €15–35

• France (Paris): 9–17°C – Rainy spells, light jacket, umbrella
• Netherlands/Belgium: 7–14°C – Windy, waterproof shoes
• Germany: 7–15°C – Versatile layers
• Switzerland: 5–15°C – Warm jacket, gloves for mountains
• Austria: 8–16°C – Comfortable walking shoes
• Italy (North): 10–18°C – Light layers, rain jacket

⛰️ Mountain excursions (Titlis/Jungfraujoch): 0–10°C with wind chill – always carry warm jacket, gloves, sunglasses.

• Footwear: Comfortable walking shoes, light sneakers, waterproof shoes – avoid heels
• Clothing: Layers, light jacket, warm jacket for mountains, modest attire for churches, semi‑formal for dinners
• Electronics: Universal adapter (Type C/E/F), power bank, phone/camera chargers
• Toiletries: Basic meds, prescription + doctor's note, sunscreen, hand sanitizer
• Documents: Passport + photocopies, Schengen visa, travel insurance, flight/hotel confirmations
• Comfort: Indian snacks (optional), reusable water bottle, small backpack, ziplock bags

• Paris: An Evening in Paris (1967), Befikre, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Queen, Hum Tum
• Amsterdam: Hum Tum (song "Ladki Kyun"), Hello Brother, Nanban (Tamil)
• Switzerland (Titlis/Jungfraujoch): DDLJ (cutout at Titlis!), Bachna Ae Haseeno, Chennai Express, Jab Tak Hai Jaan – over 200 Bollywood films shot here
• Innsbruck: Tiger Zinda Hai, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
• Venice: The Great Gambler ("Do Lafzon Ki"), Bachna Ae Haseeno, Rockstar
• Rome/Vatican: War 2 ("Aavan Jaavan"), Yuvvraaj, Humshakals

• Paris/Versailles: Midnight in Paris, Amélie, Ratatouille, Marie Antoinette, The Da Vinci Code
• Amsterdam: The Fault in Our Stars, Ocean's Twelve, Diamonds Are Forever
• Switzerland: Goldfinger, The Bourne Identity, Heidi
• Austria: The Sound of Music, Sissi, Cliffhanger
• Venice: Casino Royale, The Tourist, Indiana Jones, The Italian Job, Spider-Man: Far From Home
• Rome/Vatican: Roman Holiday, La Dolce Vita, Gladiator, Angels & Demons, The Two Popes

Braille, Stethoscope, Film Camera, Pasteurization, Hot Air Balloon, Sewing Machine, Bicycle, Metric System, Photography

Saxophone, Contraceptive Pill, JPEG, BMI, Plastic, Asphalt, Electric Tram, Stock Exchange, Neoprene

Submarine, Telescope, Microscope, Thermostat, Olympic Flame, Pendulum Clock, Fire Hose, World Maps, Wi‑Fi

Printing Press, Automobile, MP3, Aspirin, Diesel Engine, Calculator, Steam Engine, Chewing Gum

Velcro, Cellophane, Swiss Army Knife, LSD, Electric Watch, Fondue Pot, Aluminum Foil

Oxygen Steelmaking, Drum Memory, Curta Calculator, Euphonia, Digital Clock, Parachute Backpack

Radio, Barometer, Battery, Piano, Thermometer, Eyeglasses, Typewriter, Parachute

Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Hermès, L'Oréal, Lancôme, Sephora, Renault, Peugeot, Airbus

Godiva, Stella Artois, Delhaize, Jupiler, Neuhaus, Leonidas

Heineken, Philips, Shell, KLM, Adidas, Puma, TomTom, Grolsch

Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes‑Benz, Adidas, Siemens, SAP, Bosch, Audi, Porsche

Nestlé, Rolex, Lindt, Toblerone, Cailler, Swatch, Novartis, UBS

Red Bull, Swarovski, Falcon, Manner, Julius Meinl, Palmers

Ferrari, Gucci, Prada, Armani, Barilla, Lamborghini, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Fiat

Arrive 10‑15 mins early at meeting points. Coach departure times are strict – the bus won't wait.

Carry a refillable water bottle (tap water safe). Pack light snacks for long coach rides.

Cover shoulders & knees in churches, remove hats, speak softly, no flash photography during services.

Keep €5, €10, €20 notes for tips, toilets, small purchases. Use cards for larger expenses.

Keep passport copies separate; save digital copies to cloud; carry tour manager contact + embassy details.

Download offline maps & translation apps; get local SIM or roaming; carry a power bank.

You'll walk 10k‑15k steps on cobblestones – broken‑in, supportive shoes are a must. Pack moleskin.

Balance photos with presence. Talk to locals, try one new food daily, keep a small journal – the best souvenirs are memories.