Recent Articles

These are the most recently updated articles in Contikipedia.

1. Auckland Airport to the Mercure Hotel, Auckland

   More Tour and Travel Advice for New Zealand Anyone arriving at Auckland Airport, either domestic or international, you can make your way to the Mercure Hotel (official site) by using the Airbus Express. The Airbus Express departs every 20 minutes from both terminals and tickets can be purchased from the driver. When you book and pay for your tour you will receive a Travellers Guide booklet in the mail along with your Contiki docume... read more >>

   619 comments | Saved 16 times

2. How much spending money should I bring? - Europe

   More Tour and Travel Advice for Europe How much spending money to budget for is a difficult question to answer. Everyone has their own style and rate of travel spending. Some will go out and shop ‘til they drop spending 100s of Euros or Pounds every day, others might spend more in bars, or on museum entries and souvenirs, while others get by on the bare essentials. Unlike many holiday and vacation operators, Contiki includes many ... read more >>

   453 comments | Saved 1114 times

3. Suitcase Vs Backpack

   More Tour and Travel Advice for: Europe, USA & Canada, Australia and New Zealand “I would advise travellers to take a suitcase with an extendable handle and wheels for any overseas trip. Firstly, suitcases can be packed in a very organized manner so that anything is easily accessible once you hit your hotel room. Wheels and a handle allow for easy transport, whether into a hotel, a coach in the morning, or out onto a sidewalk to catch a cab to the airport. Additionally, sui... read more >>

   609 comments | Saved 709 times

4. Shopping - Athens

   For some great shopping travel down to the markets in the Plaka district for an experiance that is a must for anyone who travels to Athens. Maps are useless in the small district in the shadow of the Acropolis and the best thing to do is just wander around through the markets and stall and loose yourself amongst the jewelry, shoe, retail and tourist stalls. The shopping in Athens, like the rest of Greece, is a little cheaper than the rest of Europe and you will find most of the retail store ... read more >>

   2 comments | Saved 6 times

5. Sports, Cars and the Autobahns - Germany

   Sports Germans have been a dominant force in not only European Sports but also on the world scene. Dirk Nowitzki, one of the greatest basketball players in the world and the recently retired Michael Schumacher as well as the all time tennis greats Steffi Graff and Borris Becker and, more recently, Tommy Hass, all hail from Germany. The world famous Bayern Munich Football (soccer) Club, one of the most dominant teams in Europe, have their home at... read more >>

   12 comments | Saved 1 times

6. Mexico

   Capital: Mexico City Currency: Mexican Peso (MXN) Language: Spanish Visas: Travel Visa Information Mexico is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and for good reason – the art, culture, history, food, diversity, beaches, shopping and nightlife are just a little of what this diversity and culturally rich country has to offer. From the sprawling metropolis that is Mexico city, (easily one of the biggest cities in the world) to the amazing azure blue of Caribbean at the beaches in Cancun and ... read more >>

   7 comments | Saved 5 times

7. Santorini

   Blue domed churches, whitewashed houses, sheers cliffs that drop down to the indescribable azure blue of the Aegean Sea and sunsets that literally provoke a round of applause for mother nature and her emotive beauty. If this is what you’ve always dreamed of experiencing then Satorini is it. One of the most famous and perhaps the most romantic islands in Greece, Santorini is also nearby the Cycladic islands of Mykonos and Ios. If you’ve ever seen the famous and iconic pictures of Greece with the blue dom... read more >>

   21 comments | Saved 19 times

8. New York City

   by – Alex McCarty, Tour Manager, North America Area Code: 212 (Manhattan) Climate: Average seasonal temperatures: Spring 5-16°C (42-62°F), Summer 21-24°C (71-76°F), Autumn 20-8°C (68-48°F) and Winter 0-3°C (32-37°F) The City So Nice, They Named It Twice! The Granddaddy of ’Em All! The City that Never Sleeps! If You Can Make it Here, You Can Make it Anywhere! The Big Apple! NEW YORK CITY!! New York is everything you ever thought it would be. Whatever you’ve seen in the movies, on TV, ... read more >>

   48 comments | Saved 29 times

9. Shopping - Prague

   Although, at the moment, many things in Prague and the Czech Republic are significantly cheaper than the rest of Europe, you will find that retail prices do not vary greatly although you can often find an absolute bargain in some of the smaller stores. The old part of town is packed with small tourist style stores while the main retail district is along the edge of Wenceslas Square and its side streets. For the up-market side of Czech shopping check out the Parizska (Paris Street) off the s... read more >>

   7 comments | Saved 4 times

10. Welcome to Contikipedia!

    Travel/Destination Info & Advice for Contiki Travelers What is Contikipedia? Featured Articles Frequently Asked Questions Tips on saving for a trip What to pack and other questions about what to bring with you on tour Meet people going on tours! Meeting place forums for people going on tours in: Europe and Egypt USA and Canada Australia New Zealand South America Asia Europe Travel and Tour Advice Explore More Optionals Spending Money Getting from Heath... read more >>

    505 comments | Saved 89 times

11. Where you stay - North America

    PLEASE NOTE: These are the hotels Contiki generally uses in the cities shown. There is no guarantee that every tour will stay in the lodgings listed below. Check your Contiki Travel Documents for confirmation of your accommodations. The following a sample of some of our Hotels used in the USA, Canada and Mexico USA Los Angeles: Kyoto Grand Hotel Chicago: Best Western Grant Park Hotel Grand Canyon: Maswik Lodge Hawaii (Waikiki): Park Shore Waikiki Las Vegas: Harrah... read more >>

    111 comments | Saved 51 times

12. Luggage weight & size limits in Australia

    More Tour and Travel Advice for Australia Contiki Tours in Australia have a luggage restriction of 1 × 20 kilogram (44lbs) 73cm x 50cm x 25cm (29″ × 20″ × 10″) bag (non-expanding)along with 1 x carry on bag. Metal frame backpacks, and vanity cases are not permitted as they are difficult to pack and may damage other luggage. On tours with included flights as part of the itinerary, you’ll need to make sure your lugga... read more >>

    89 comments | Saved 18 times

13. Suggested packing list - New Zealand

    More Tour and Travel Advice for New Zealand What to pack for travel to other parts of the world The following is a suggested packing list for a New Zealand tour. New Zealand is well known for having ‘4 seasons in one day’ – In other words, you should expect almost any type of weather at any time of day. People are individuals and often have personal preferences and opinions as to what to bring. The following then is not a definitive li... read more >>

    90 comments | Saved 93 times

14. Concept, Budget Tours

    General Overview The main difference between Camping, Concept/Budget and Time Out/Superior/Hotel Tours is the styles of accommodations utilized. There are however a few other differences between tour styles that you may like to take into consideration. Concept/Budget tours are exactly that – a budget way to see the best Europe has to offer. As with all Contiki tours, there is loads of included sightseeing, free time and extra excursions. At many places you will stay there are... read more >>

    24 comments | Saved 55 times

15. Suggested packing list - Europe - Summer

    More Tour and Travel Advice for Europe What to pack for travel to other parts of the world The following is a suggested packing list for a Europe summer tour. Keep in mind this is not a definitive list – everyone has individual fashion tastes, preferences, opinions, and styles in terms of what they want to wear and bring along! This is meant to be a good guide to help you in packing for your European vacation. Clothes 1 rainproof jacket/small um... read more >>

    496 comments | Saved 2170 times

16. Where you stay - Camping Tours

    Camping tours stay in 2-person tents (provided by Contiki) that are easy to put up and if you don’t have someone to share with you road crew can help arrange for you to share with someone. Air mattresses are also provided but you must bring your own sleeping bag and towel. Camping tours stay in specifically designed European campsites, a very popular way for even Europeans to travel and stay in reasonable comfort and within arms-reach of many major cities and... read more >>

    100 comments | Saved 12 times

17. Western European language basics

    There is no need to enroll in French, Italian, German and Spanish classes for your European Tour. Your Tour Manager will fill you in on how to say some of the basics (eg. hello, please, thank you) in the native tongue of each of the countries you visit. It is often not only useful, but also polite to know a few of the basics in the local language and it’s a good idea to try and remember and uses these basics. English is a widely spoken and understood as ... read more >>

    466 comments | Saved 593 times

18. Getting Places - Europe

    Here’s the easiest and best ways to travel to our hotels and starting points for our Europe Tours! Getting to hotels from: Heathrow Airport Gatwick Airport Amsterdam Airport Athens Airport Barcelona Airport Berlin Airports Cairo Airport Copenhagen Airport Dublin Airport Edinburgh Airport Istanbul Airport Madrid Airport Rome Airport Vienna Airport Flights and Airlines Low cost flights in Europe Trains Eurostar high speed Train service between London, Paris, Brussels

    94 comments | Saved 28 times

19. ATM's and cash machines - Europe

    More Tour and Travel Advice for Europe by – Matt Vernick, Tour Manager, Europe ATM’s and cash machines are widely available throughout Europe. Cash machines across Europe dispense cash in the local currency of the country that you are making the withdrawal in. Make sure to let your bank know you are travelling so they don’t put a hold your account thinking it was hacked into or stolen. ATM’s are widely available throughout most places in ... read more >>

    45 comments | Saved 220 times

20. Heathrow Airport (London)

    More Tour and Travel Advice for Europe The Royal National Hotel is used as the London base for most Contiki Tours starting and finishing in London, England. A great many clients choose to stay at either the Royal National Hotel or just down the road at the Imperial Hotel. The Royal National Hotel is also home to the Contiki Basement, the meeting point for tours starting in London and Contiki’s London travel base. Directions from Heathrow to the Royal National Hotel an... read more >>

    190 comments | Saved 968 times