Toy Museums

Europe's train systems make it possible to reclaim a sense of adventure--and still be back in time for dinner. LISBON TO CASCAIS In the 19th century, King Luís I of Portugal made Cascais, a small fishing town just 16 miles from Lisbon, the site of his summer residence. As it is wont to do, the aristocracy followed, building sumptuous palaces along the coast. The train to Cascais runs along the Tagus River estuary to the Atlantic Ocean, and the sightseeing is impressive (especially if you remember to sit on the left). From the train station, a footpath leads to small sandy beaches. At Praia da Duquesa (Duchess' Beach), you can rent sun beds and umbrellas for $7 a day. You can choose your lunch straight from the fish baskets at the Duche-Bar, on Duquesa. Try the fresh grilled sardines with potatoes and grilled green peppers and a jar of ice-cold sangria. Spend the afternoon touring the central park and city by horse-drawn carriage or strolling through Cascais, with a stop at the Praia dos Pescadores (Fishermen's Beach) to watch dozens of men repairing their nets at the bottom of the old fortress. In Largo Luís Vaz Camões (the main square), several cafés have terraces ideal for drinks and perhaps even dinner. Return-trip snack A pack of Areias de Cascais, traditional buttery cookies, from Pastelaria Bijou pastry house. Details The Duche-Bar: Praia da Duquesa, 011-351/21-483-1379, sardines $9. Cascais carriage tour: 011-351/21-486-9287, estorilcoast-tourism.com, $54, leaves from Jardim Vizconde da Luz. Pastelaria Bijou: Largo Luís Vaz Camões, 011-351/21-483-0283, $7 a pound, about 10 cookies. Train info It's a half-hour ride from Lisbon's Cais do Sodré station to Cascais; trains depart every 15 to 20 minutes from 5:30 A.M. until 1:30 A.M. The Cascais Line charges by zone: You'll need a round-trip ticket valid for three zones to get there and back; it can be purchased at the station on the day of travel ($4). The LisboaCard offers unlimited use of public transportation and access to museums and monuments for one, two, or three days; it covers the train to Cascais (from $20). Schedules at cp.pt.

Europe's train systems make it possible to reclaim a sense of adventure--and still be back in time for dinner. COPENHAGEN TO MALMÖ A rusty industrial port until around 15 years ago, the Swedish city of Malmö is spreading its wings after an architectural and cultural metamorphosis. Upon arriving at Central Station, buy a Malmö Card: For $19, it covers local bus rides, admission to most museums, discounts on train fares and bike rentals, and more. The 50-minute excursion with Rundan Sightseeing boat tours along the harbor and canals gives a great intro to Malmö, past and present. Boats depart from the quay between Central Station and the Savoy Hotel on the hour. Then walk through the old city (gamla staden), stopping at the three main squares: Stortorget, Lilla Torg (ringed by restaurants), and Gustav Adolfs Torg. The old city is the main shopping district, but with loads of sightseeing opportunities. At Stortorget you can see the city hall (built in 1546) and Apoteket Lejonet, one of the best-preserved antique pharmacies in Europe (it's still a going concern). Just off Gustav Adolfs Torg is the city's oldest cemetery, which leads to two adjoining parks. Meander around the grounds of Slottsparken-Kungsparken, then stop by Slottsträdgården, a public garden where you can buy organic produce and flowers. Near the middle of the park, the fortress Malmöhus Castle is on a mound surrounded by moats. Now a museum complex, the site offers historical displays and contemporary exhibits. Västra Hamnen (the Western Harbor), once industrial, is now home to an ecological-housing area called Bo01, created by a host of architects. Bo01 is a 20-minute walk from the station. In the Western Harbor, you'll be flabbergasted by an architectural wonderland, all in the shadow of Spanish architect-artist Santiago Calatrava's Turning Torso. The second-tallest residential building in Europe, the 54-story "torso" twists 90 degrees from head to toe. Lunch hour is sacred to Swedes, and the sea promenade of the Western Harbor has several restaurants to choose from. After another stroll through the parks, head for Malmö Konsthall to view the current contemporary art exhibition; the museum's Smak Restaurant and Café is an excellent spot to have lunch. Return-trip snack Swedish cheeses, smoked sausages, and crackers from Ost Huset, to go with fruit from the stand on Gustav Adolfs Torg. Details Rundan Sightseeing: 011-46/40-611-74-88, rundan.se, $12, April 28 to September 30. Malmöhus Castle: $6, free admission with Malmö Card. Malmö Konsthall: St. Johannesgatan 7, 011-46/40-34-12-93, konsthall.malmo.se. Smak Restaurant and Café: Malmö Konsthall, 011-46/40-50-50-35, entrées from $14. Ost Huset: Skomakeregatan 12, 011-46/40-12-60-98. Train info Trains across the Øresund strait run at 20-minute intervals in both directions between Copenhagen's Hovedbanegård (the main station) and Malmö's Central Station, from 5 A.M. till about 11:30 P.M. The ride ($26 round trip) is about 40 minutes and crosses the Øresund Bridge, known for its 670-foot-tall pylons--the bridge offers great views of the water and ships down below. Schedules at rejseplanen.dk. Passports aren't generally checked, but bring yours just in case.

PART TEN: TIPPINGIt's good karma In a perfect world, you wouldn't need to tip if you were already paying a service charge (as is the case with coat-check clerks and room-service waiters). Too bad the world ain't perfect. When in doubt, you should err on the side of generosity. It's more common to regret undertipping than overtipping. Customs vary from country to country If you read only one part of a guidebook before arriving someplace, make it the part on tipping. Then flag it: You'll be revisiting it. Tipping the boat On most cruise ships, tips are automatically added to your bill. There's leeway to tip more or less--but if you'd like to reduce the service fee, you'll probably have to explain your reasons to the purser. Don't be afraid to have that conversation: The cruise line should want to know when its passengers are disappointed. General rules for tipping in the U.S. Bellmen: Figure $1 or $2 per bag. It's fair to show yourself to the room if you'd rather not deal. Housekeepers: Some folks think you don't have to tip; some believe you should tip daily to make sure the money goes to the person who cleaned your room; some wait until the end of the stay. A couple of bucks per day won't mean as much to you as it will to the housekeeper. (But don't tip at B&Bs if the maid is also the owner.) Concierges: Giving you directions is part of the job. Snagging a theater ticket or restaurant reservation merits at least $20. Waiters: Under 15 percent means you didn't like the service. Don't worry about the sommelier; let the restaurant determine how to divide up all the tips. Taxi drivers: Tips should be 15 to 20 percent, or around one dollar for every five dollars of fare. Round up to the nearest buck. No one likes to deal with change. Be nice The previous 104 rules are all well and good, but ultimately, the quality of your travel experience depends a lot on who you deal with. Treating everyone--even the crabbiest crabs--with kindness and respect can be more powerful than any strategem. You never know: In your next life, you may come back as a TSA agent.

PART NINE: ON THE GROUNDTake a photo of everything Buy a digital camera (it'll change your life) and a big memory card (minimum one gig). Snap pictures of where you parked your rental car, the ferry schedule, how full the gas tank was when you returned the car to the lot, and so on. You can always delete the photos later. ATM? Credit cards? Traveler's checks? All of the above. To get cash, use an ATM. Your bank may have agreements with foreign banks; Bank of America, for one, belongs to the Global ATM Alliance, which means its customers can make free withdrawals from over 30,000 ATMs in eight countries. Use credit cards to make purchases (if you have more than one, figure out which has the lowest conversion fee). In some countries, they'll print your account number on the receipt, so don't blithely toss it in the trash. For emergencies, it helps to bring a few hundred dollars in traveler's checks. Don't call home There are ways to place calls cheaply from abroad, both with a cell phone and without (such as Skype). But unless you're traveling around the world for months on end, you don't really need to call. Create a Web-based e-mail account--such as the ones from Yahoo and Google--and keep in touch that way. You can go online at an Internet café for about $3 an hour. In the U.S., also look for libraries, which tend to have free access. Almost every city has a transit pass And it's always a better deal than buying á la carte. Know your rights If you're bumped from a domestic flight and you get onto another flight within one to two hours, the airline pays you the equivalent of a one-way fare ($200 max); more than two hours and you get up to $400. Vouchers are an option, too. If your checked bag is delayed, the airline covers expenses for toiletries and clothing until it delivers the bag to you. For a lost bag, the carrier must reimburse you, up to $3,000. If your hotel is overbooked, the hotel must find you a room at a comparable or better property nearby, at no extra charge. The new 411 Send a text message to 466453 ("Google") from your cell phone and you can get all kinds of info. You just need to know the shorthand; there's more at sms.google.com, but here's a quick tutorial: For flight arrival/departure info, type in your flight number Send a text message of "w [city name]" to get a four-day weather forecast Get translations of foreign words by sending "t [word or phrase] in [language]" For local listings, text "[what you're looking for] [place name or zip code]"--such as "bbq denver co" Text "[amount and currency] in [new currency]"--such as "2000 mxn in usd"--to do a currency conversion For basic driving directions, text "[place or zip] to [place or zip]"--for example, "phoenix az to 86336" Don't save the best for the last day What if the weather turns crappy? What if you get sick? What if a giant meteor falls from the sky and lands right on your room? You'll wish that you had gone snorkeling earlier in your trip. Nothing kills the fun like a long wait For most major attractions, you can buy tickets online in advance. Also, in many cities there are passes that can be a great deal, especially because they let you skip to the head of the line. The big U.S. pass companies are CityPass and Go Card. The New York CityPass, for instance, costs $53 for adults--a smart value even if you're only going to three of the five attractions offered: the regular price for the Guggenheim Museum is $18; Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise, $24; American Museum of Natural History & Rose Center, $14; Empire State Building, $18; and Museum of Modern Art, $20. Jet lag is inevitable Human beings were not designed to fly halfway around the world. All you can really do is not drink alcohol on the plane, keep hydrated, get in synch with the new time zone as soon as you can, and exercise after landing (the last one is crucial). "See you inside!" Some popular museums--such as the Louvre in Paris--have more than one entrance; the lesser-known ones often have shorter lines. And for some attractions, you can buy tickets at places other than the end of a long line at the front door. Tickets for Versailles are available in advance at Fnac record stores in France and at fnac.com; in Rome, tickets purchased at the Palatine museum also let you walk right into the Colosseum. A tax loophole for hunter-gatherers When returning to the U.S., Americans may bring $800 of goods for personal use without having to pay duties or taxes. If you buy more than that, ship it home: You can send $200 of goods per day to yourself at a U.S. address. You can also send duty-free gifts worth up to $100 per person per day to people in the U.S. Bear in mind that shipping companies charge based on bulk or weight, whichever costs more, so pack efficiently. Basic training If the airport you're flying into is served by a train, take it if you're heading anywhere near the city center. Unless, of course, you're traveling in a group of three or more people, when a taxi is probably more cost-effective. If you're going to complain, do it right 1. Speak up as soon as you have a problem. The longer you wait, the more the company will assume it wasn't that big of a deal. 2. Unsatisfied with the response? Politely ask for a supervisor. Never take no from someone who isn't empowered to say yes. The corollary is: Don't bitch to anyone who can't help you. All that you're doing is ruining their day. 3. Even--or especially--if someone promises you the world, get it in writing. 4. Build a case! Take notes, keep receipts, get names. Your goal is to show that you really mean business. 5. When corresponding, do it by letter or e-mail. It beats calling, getting passed around, and telling your story over and over. But make copies before you send any originals.