OP, some off topic advice. Calling the UK "Europe" is a controversial political statement, so you may want to avoid calling it that while you're there.

Anonymous wrote:I’m glad to hear all the people on this thread who take short naps. All the “power through” advice had me worried we’d get off to a grumpy start on our trip next summer. It’s only a 6-hour plane ride to Iceland, so we’ll get very little sleep. DH and I are used to taking weekend naps, so I think we’ll go with that strategy.

If you're taking Iceland Air, you won't sleep anyway. The planes are 737 single aisles and the seats are like sitting on plywood.

I’m glad to hear all the people on this thread who take short naps. All the “power through” advice had me worried we’d get off to a grumpy start on our trip next summer. It’s only a 6-hour plane ride to Iceland, so we’ll get very little sleep. DH and I are used to taking weekend naps, so I think we’ll go with that strategy.

Anonymous wrote:One other tip - for a few days leading up to a trip to Europe, try to move your bedtime and wake up time earlier than usual.

It makes it easier to sleep on the flight and also helps with the time zone change.

We are going to Europe later this month and leaving on a Friday night flight. I normally wake up between 5am and 6am. In preparation for the trip, I will aim to wake up at 4am the Monday and Tuesday of that week, 3am the Wednesday and Thursday, and 2:30am the day of the departure. It really does make a huge difference. I have done this several times.

I have tried this approach as well, I would just add it depends when/where you want to be a "zombie" - on your home side trying to work? or on the vacation side? For me its better to start my vacation as a zombie - because I can plan for more sleep. We do our best to plan for flight times that arrive later in the morning, drop the bags, wonder the city, early dinner and bed the first day. Get 12 hours of sleep and BLAM we are on location time. Its really only that first day that is draining. But spending 3 days getting up early at home and trying to do my job? It was a disaster - I couldn't function at the office, I couldn't function as a parent.

One other tip - for a few days leading up to a trip to Europe, try to move your bedtime and wake up time earlier than usual.

It makes it easier to sleep on the flight and also helps with the time zone change.

We are going to Europe later this month and leaving on a Friday night flight. I normally wake up between 5am and 6am. In preparation for the trip, I will aim to wake up at 4am the Monday and Tuesday of that week, 3am the Wednesday and Thursday, and 2:30am the day of the departure. It really does make a huge difference. I have done this several times.

Anonymous wrote:Yes I book the night before. I also though do a 1.5 hour nap the day I arrive. I still sleep that night just fine.

Same. I pushed through when I was younger and would do something like hop on a tour bus but it sucks and ultimately feels like a waste of a whole day. I am a much better person after a nap and shower and have no issues with jetlag after a reasonable nap.

Yes I book the night before. I also though do a 1.5 hour nap the day I arrive. I still sleep that night just fine.

Anonymous wrote:Drop bags and go walk in the sun. Best thing for jet lag. Push through till an early dinner then crash and burn -- 12 hours sleep.

This. Every time.

Anonymous wrote:Drop bags and go walk in the sun. Best thing for jet lag. Push through till an early dinner then crash and burn -- 12 hours sleep.

this

depending on what city im in
id grab breakfast

in paris my neighborhood cafe for a croissant & cafe au lait
in barcelona id go to the mercado & grab some fruit, find a cafe for a cortado & flirt w some guys

bon voyage

I think it really depends on how early you arrive and who you are traveling with

6 a.m. arrival and traveling with small children? Don’t make the same mistake I made- definitely book the night before and let the hotel know you will be checking in late

11 a.m. arrival and only adults traveling? Drop off bags and explore

I always book for the night before. I turn into an overtired toddler when traveling internationally. I’ve always need to eat breakfast, shower, and crash for at least 4 hours. Then I’ll get up and explore for a bit, have dinner, and am back in bed NLT 8pm. I’m good the rest of the trip but I just cannot handle that first day.

I travel really light. Just a day pack so I can walk around town or visit a museum and check the bag. Have a nice breakfast or brunch. I have thought about booking night before but have never done it.

We drop our bags off as well and then just do something low-key but try to spend as much time outside as possible. Our best day after a transatlantic flight was spent at the beach. Sometimes we travel most of the day after the flight and that’s hard….we had a delayed train one day and it took us several hours longer to get there so we were tired! Still wandered around but it was hard.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fly A lot and rarely sleep on planes. I cannot go w/o a shower, so I do one of the following:

1. Pay for an extra night
2. Buy a pass at airport lounge to take a shower
3. Get a " day room" on day use App
4. Pay to check in early
5.Act nicely and check in early gratis

For people who roam around w/o showering, aren't you zombies and don't you stink?

Oooh, never thought of this. Would be worth it for the shower alone. (Yes, I am definitely a disgusting zombie when wandering around bleary eyed after a transatlantic flight).

We did it in Amsterdam and it made a huge difference. It was $104 for the "day room" from 8am-6pm at the Kempton City Center. There are many international cities on day use App.

Anonymous wrote:Book hotel for the night before.

Make sure to let the hotel know that you will be a late arrival, i.e. showing up at 9:00 am so they don't rent the room.

Same. Take a nap and then go out. But we never bother to fully acclimate to local time, we just sleep until 11am each day and stay up pretty late.