Differences Between Europe & The US: What You Should Know Before You Visit Europe

Ever wonder what some of the differences are between the US & Europe? From public transport to food to tipping we look at some of the main differences and similarities between the two geographic blocks. We do this in order to help tourists better understand the differences.
What You Should Know Before You Visit Europe or The USA.
Europe vs America for Tourists

Filmed in Madrid, Spain, Vienna, Austria, Ghent, Belgium
Copyright Mark Wolters 2014

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[benjamintomassennordahl]

in norway, sweden, finland, denamrk and iceland you could drink water from the tap and it tasts the same as if it's bottle water

[astina]

You forgot to mention people in EU drive manuals. So if you go to Europe, remember, you must know how to drive a manual because not every rent a car has automatics.

[spineshivers]

From the way he's talking I get that many Americans don't realize that Europe is a continent with actually 50 or so independent countries. Even if the EU exists, there's nothing about it even slightly like the US. Europe isn't like a giant country where states are just administrative divisions and all is almost the same everywhere. There are different countries, cultures, languages, money etc. Travelling from Poland to the Czech Republic for example isn't like taking a stroll from California to Nevada or from Washington to Oregon.

[RobbieFPV]

Also a little reminder for when you bring electronics:

Mains in europe is 220volts. not 110.

[RustyTube]

You forgot the most important difference, architecture. Also, Europe has real castles, unlike the US with its imitation Cinderella Castle in Disneyland.

[roy_hks]

Wifi is everywhere in Europe. Hotals have free wifi hotspots (You will get paswords for there private networks so those stay fast).
Every restaurant, mall, weed-joint has free WiFi, EVEN PUBLIC BATHROOMS

[aldagunnars]

BE WARNED: If the toilet lady looks at you... You better give her the money of she'll rip your soul out with just one blink of an eye. They're dangerous.

[OfficerBaron]

#1. Europe is a contient. The US is not.

[thijseijk]

you say in america a coin is worthless.. but.. in my opinion.. money is money.. you NEVER throw that away

[hansmuller]

I'd love to visit Europe as an American, but unfortunately I already am European, so no chance there...

[RachelsSewing]

You can drink tap water in the Netherlands it's actually cleaner than in the USA.

[Fucoc]

Water in Norway is excellent. Better than bottle water too

[edisyuksel-kilic]

Any tipping done in the UK is usually just as a thank you to the establishment or server. Never a fixed percentage, whatever you feel like.

[geoffryallan]

Hi, wifi is easy to get and find in Europe and actually it's faster than what I've seen in the US - I am American and lived in Europe (France) for 15 years and am also now a French and (European) citizen as well. I don't act like an American living here but have adopted European life or French life as my own. It's not the same as most Americans, visiting Europe in 7 days. They often say it's expensive but for me it's not, maybe because they are tourists, but in general I think Europeans live much better and healthier than Americans (obesity in the US)remember France is a democracy with more social programs like healthcare and it's not like what you think, it's not factory healthcare - I know from experience, plus the same exact medication in the US will often cost half the price in France. my mother was here visiting and had to go to the emergency room, she saw a doctor, got an X-ray of her wrist and paid 87€, in the US it would have been 100's of dollars. Plus 25 paid vacation days

[TomKilworth]

What's with this "don't throw your coins away" thing? Do Americans throw money away??

[Leiake]

I love how you recommend to speak a little bit of the local language. It's true that is very much appreciated.

[cmcarlile]

Thanks for the videos, Wolter! My wife and I spent a few months living in Poland and one thing we discovered regarding water was that when ordering/purchasing bottled water, it is necessary to specify with or without gas. Apparently, carbonated water is much more popular there than here. "Woda niegazowana" was one of the most important Polish phrases I learned!

[siriannas.pettersen]

I'm from Norway, and just so you know you can abselutley drink the water here!! Do NOT buy water, thats waste of money. No body in Norway buys water, the water we have from the tap is tasy, that goes for both sweeden and Denmark too

[Mcelle]

nothing about taxes? when i went to the Usa i was always kinds annoyed that the prices didn't include the taxes so it was actually a little more..

[Larry]

Always address people by their nation, NEVER call them European. It really pisses people off when Americans do that.

Also we rarely use cash in the UK now, so what the hell are you talking about?