- Some of the things that come free in Canada, the States, or other countries, such as bread, butter, and so on, sometimes cost extra in Europe. If something magically appears on your table that you did not order, you should inquire about its price.

- You can often eat at bars as well, but you should know that in continental Europe prices for the same item in a bar or cafe can increase dramatically when you sit at a table, instead of standing at a table or at the counter, if any. This is less true the farther north you go, culminating with the traditional English pub or Dutch “brown cafe,” where you can sit anywhere you like.

Alcohol

Alcohol, while often expensive, is certainly a big part of going out in Europe. I think it was Woody Allen that was thrown out of a restaurant in France for not ordering wine with a meal. German and British beers, French and Italian wines, Spanish sherries and Portuguese ports, Scotch and Irish whiskies, anisette, grappa, ouzo -the list goes on. Some of it great, some of it interesting, some of it (Italian Cynar, Scandinavian aquavit) just plain vile. And depending on the country, it can be either dirt cheap or incredibly expensive. In Scandinavia, the price is so high that it has made alcohol consumption something of a regional mania. In other places, especially Eastern Europe (beer) and France and Italy (wine), alcohol may be cheaper than soft drinks, especially if you buy it from a supermarket.

When in Europe, it’s worth spending a bit more and trying a better version of the local product as opposed to brands sold internationally - or even in other parts of the country. Whatever it is may take some getting used to, but that’s part of the experience. On the downside, be aware that drunk tourists are a criminal’s dream - if you’re going out to get hammered, go in a group. Note also that the legal limits for blood alcohol while driving in most, if not all, European countries are very low. More than one beer will put you over the limit in Sweden. The penalties for drunk driving are savage, too; if I remember right, a 0.08 blood alcohol content (three or four beers) results in a mandatory two- or three-week jail sentence in Norway. The designated driver was an established institution among European teens twenty or thirty years ago. If you and your friends are driving to a night out, use one.