no matter what season you go to northern Europe, you must take more clothes. First, it is too expensive to wash clothes in restaurants, second, it is too expensive to buy clothes, and third, the temperature and climate in northern Europe are more complicated, especially in spring, summer, autumn and winter. Sometimes the temperature can differ by more than ten degrees in two days. There it is. Rain-proof coat and snow-proof down jacket are the best companions in cold weather. A few notes on shopping
Things in Northern Europe are famous for their high quality. Generally speaking, the price is more expensive, especially for daily necessities. But if you have a soft spot for international famous brands, you will find that the price here is much lower than that in China.
Fur coats, furs, crystal products and handicrafts in Northern Europe are world-famous products. As far as quality is concerned. The price is not too expensive, and it is really worth recommending.
When shopping, you should pay attention to the business hours of the shops there, because the big shopping malls are generally closed all day on Saturday afternoon and Sunday, and the usual business hours are usually from 8 am to 6 pm. As for the interesting stalls in summer, they are only limited by sunrise and sunset. There is also an important ticket, that is, as a guest staying in northern Europe for a short time, you will enjoy preferential tax refund. The specific method is; When you shop in any store in northern Europe, whether there is a sign of "tax free" at the door or not, you should ask the owner if you can issue a tax-free certificate. The tax allowance generally accounts for 12%-25% of the total price of the store, so sometimes when you hesitate because the price of a favorite commodity is slightly higher, please carefully calculate the price of tax deduction, which may make you make up your mind.
the method of tax refund is to refund the unused goods (as evidenced by the store's seal) and the tax exemption certificate at the duty-free refund counter or the airport duty-free checkout counter at any international airport leaving northern Europe. You can get the US dollar cash directly. Of course, you'd better hold your passport and air ticket at that time as proof of tourists. In addition, there are also tax refund service desks on scandinavia seaway, a luxury cruise ship from Copenhagen to Oslo, and silja line, a luxury cruise ship from Stockholm to Helsinki.
in addition, in small shops or private stalls in northern Europe, you can generally pay directly in US dollars. But in large and medium-sized shopping malls, you must pay in local currency. There are money exchange offices in airports, railway stations and cruise ships. Of course, it can also be exchanged at the post office and special money exchange offices in the city.
nordic hotels
most hotels in northern Europe have a long history, relatively average hardware and excellent service quality. If you stay in a three-star hotel in the city center, its level is equivalent to a two-star hotel in China. It should be noted that in summer, there are not many air-conditioned hotel rooms in the city center. In some new cities, the newly built hotel facilities are better, and air conditioning is not a problem.
notes for people going abroad in northern Europe
time difference: the time is later than that in China, and the time difference between major cities and China-
Helsinki: 6 hours slow
Oslo: 7 hours slow
Copenhagen: 7 hours slow
Stockholm: 7 hours slow
but from the last Sunday in March to October every year.
customs: all meat, dairy products, seeds, vegetables and fruits are strictly prohibited from entering the country. Every 18-year-old or above, tourists can bring 1 liter of wine and 4 cigarettes.
currency: local currency, RMB is not circulated.
voltage: the common power supply in northern Europe is mainly 22volt, 5hz alternating current, and the power supply interface is usually a standard round two-pin or round three-pin interface.
all league members should cooperate closely with the leaders of the league and the accompanying personnel of our company, and any requirements must be negotiated in advance.
people who go abroad should take some small denominations, such as 1, 5, 1 yuan, with them in case of emergency. If you change the currency of the host country, you will exchange the remaining money when you leave. The bank only accepts paper money, so please use up the coins as much as possible.
Comrades who are in poor health should take medicines with them. To buy medicines abroad, they must have a local doctor's prescription, and they can't buy Chinese medicine.
Due to environmental protection, Nordic Hotel does not provide personal toiletries, and each member should bring his own toiletries, slippers, rain gear and adapter (all electrical sockets are flat-body plugs).
Personal expenses in the hotel, such as telephone charges, fax charges, laundry charges, room refrigerator drinks, pay TV, etc., should be settled by individuals themselves before leaving the hotel, and be careful not to take hotel items out of the hotel.
Be civilized and hygienic, and don't spit or throw cigarette butts. Don't talk loudly in public places. Abide by local laws and regulations and respect the customs and habits of local residents.
before going abroad, each member should make 3 copies of his passport and visa, and prepare 3 2-inch passport photos, so as to report the loss of his passport to the police station and apply for a replacement at our local embassy.
you should take good care of your personal air ticket. If your air ticket is lost, according to airline practice, you must buy the same ticket at your own expense before you can get on the plane.
please don't carry dangerous goods, contraband and valuables such as cameras, cash, calligraphy and painting, important documents, etc. in the checked baggage, and you should take care of all the consequences! There is an upper limit on the amount of compensation for lost luggage by airlines; After completing the baggage check-in formalities at the airport, you should take good care of your luggage tag so that you can check your luggage when you arrive at your destination. If you lose your checked baggage tag, you can only bear the loss. The checked baggage is limited to 2 kilograms per person. Pay for the excess baggage.
Please don't panic when things are lost or stolen during the trip. You should report to the relevant personnel in time and go to the police station for filing. In case of robbery, it is important to ensure personal safety.
The lunch and dinner arranged by our company for the league members include tea, but not other drinks. If there is any requirement in this respect, the league members must take care of themselves. If you need to hurry on the way, you can arrange to eat in a fast food restaurant beside the expressway.
Basic etiquette that should be paid attention to abroad:
Ladies first-ladies should be polite when entering the door, getting in and out of the elevator, choosing seats in the restaurant, taking seats, etc.
ask and wait-get used to shaking hands and try to learn a few local greetings;
eat-pay attention to the posture of eating, don't put your arms on the table, don't eat with your mouth, don't make any noise when drinking soup and drinks, and don't make any noise during the dinner;
tipping-it is very common for foreign service personnel to collect tips, and the tips should be paid. Such as wine shops, restaurants, tour guides, drivers, barbershops, taxis, etc., the tip amount is 1% of the consumption.
currency and foreign currency exchange-Finland's monetary unit is the Finnish mark, and the other four countries are the local krone. For example, Denmark provides foreign currency exchange services for danish krone. Most banks, foreign currency exchange centers and hotels in northern Europe provide foreign currency exchange services, but the fees charged are different. Generally, bank exchange fees are lower.
credit cards-American Express Card, Diners Club, Visa, MasterCard and other credit cards can be used to pay bills in hotels, shops, banks and restaurants in northern Europe, and can also be used to buy air tickets and rent cars, but generally they cannot be used on trains, buses and ferries.
store opening hours-nordic stores are open from Monday to Saturday, from 9 am to 5 pm. The law stipulates that Sunday is a rest day. But some convenience stores, gas stations and some shops in tourist areas are exceptions.
international telephone-the international telephone area code of each country: Denmark 45, Norway 47, Sweden 46, Finland 358, Iceland 354. To make a call from China to Denmark, please dial 45 first, and then the number you want to dial. To call China from Nordic countries, you should dial 86 first, then add the area code and telephone number.
It's usually expensive to make a phone call in a hotel room in Europe. It's recommended to buy a common phone card in Europe, just like ip phone cards, which will be much more economical. If you don't mind the expensive roaming charges, China Telecom's mobile phones can be used in all countries in northern Europe.
diet-there are abundant foods with various tastes and consumption levels from all over the world in northern Europe. Food with local flavor is even more abundant, including gravlax (salted raw salmon fillet) and rainbow trout. Leipajuusto (bread cheese) is a kind of cheese that is baked in front of a fire until it is crispy. It is usually eaten with coffee and berries. Aland pancakes are also very delicious. They are baked in the oven, seasoned with cardamom, and then coated with jam and cream. They are fragrant and delicious, and the taste is unforgettable. Denmark is a world-famous beer producer, and the famous brand carlsberg is a Danish product. Delicious food with refreshing beer will definitely make you memorable.
Dress-The average temperature in the Nordic countries is about 16 to 28 degrees in summer, and it can drop to about 1 degrees in spring and autumn and in the morning and evening. The temperature can drop below degrees in winter, so tourists need to bring corresponding clothes according to different seasons.
medical insurance-hotels and local tourist agencies in northern Europe keep in touch with nearby doctors. When there is a need to solve the illness, you can arrive immediately. However, the free medical insurance system in northern Europe is not aimed at short-stay passengers, so buying medical and accident insurance is a necessary measure before traveling.
shopping-modern design in northern Europe is world-renowned. High-quality tableware, porcelain, sports equipment, textiles, knitwear, wool products, handicrafts, furs, crystals, jewels, silverware, glassware, pottery, wood carving, furniture and even hi-fi stereo equipment are all marked with the quality marks of domestic handicrafts, and consumers can confirm the quality according to the marks. Consumers can get a 15% to 19% VAT refund when they leave Europe with their purchased goods.
Transportation-Due to its special geographical reasons, in Northern Europe, besides planes, trains, cars and other public transportation tools, ferries and cruise ships are also widely used, especially the 6,-ton luxury cruise ship silja line or viking line sailing between Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden, which has become not only a means of transportation, but also a fashionable way of leisure travel. Casinos, nightclubs, bars, restaurants, sauna, cinemas, disco, karaoke and other luxury facilities on the cruise ship have attracted many tourists.
tipping-in northern Europe, except for dining in restaurants (except groups), tipping is usually not required for other occasions. But for tourists, drivers, tour guides and bellmen who help with luggage in hotels should be paid reasonable tips to affirm the services provided.
Language-The five Nordic countries have their own languages and scripts, among which the languages of Denmark, Norway and Sweden are basically common, while Finland and Iceland have completely different languages, but English is widely used in the five Nordic countries.