Sightseeing

Take a nap. When traveling to Europe from the United States, make sure you get two to three hours of sleep once you arrive at your destination -- assuming you arrive in the morning or early afternoon. Then you're guaranteed to last through the rest of the day. Don't try to go without sleeping -- it's useless and you won't get as much out of the day.

Get some help. When arriving in a new city, head for the tourist office or visitors center and get a map and any other information that will help you find your way around. Clearly mark the location of your hotel on the map, so you'll know your point of departure each day and how to get back "home."

Find out what the locals are up to. Search local newspapers and magazines to see what events locals are attending. NewsDirectory, NewsLink, and other sites list local publications' Web addresses.