Are you travelling to Europe this summer?

With the pound regaining strength against the euro and ending the era of the 'staycation,' more Brits are expected to take foreign holidays on the continent this summer. But even if you're visiting the relative safety of popular European destinations, there's still a lot you have to consider when making your holiday preparations.



Making sure your passport is still current and valid should be one of the first steps, as it could take several weeks for your replacement passport to arrive if you find that anything is amiss. Some countries require visitors to have at least six months remaining on their passports to be permitted entry, so don't delay your renewal if you're thinking of heading overseas this year.



You should also check the health requirements of countries you're planning to visit, to see if you or your fellow travellers require vaccinations prior to setting off. While most European countries don't, these rules can change at relatively short notice, particularly in the face of flu outbreaks and other health scares, so make sure you keep a close eye on the news before you travel. Keeping up with the headlines can also be important if you're travelling to countries with unstable political situations, to look out for your safety.

Whether you're heading abroad for the weekend or for a longer stay, making sure you take out European health insurance is another sensible step you can take to protect yourself and your family, in case anything happens abroad that won't be covered by your domestic health policy. By extending your health insurance to cover accidents and illness abroad, you can potentially avoid expensive healthcare costs, as well as guarantee priority aid from some of the top medical specialists in the country.



It's not just your activities abroad that need to be considered when you're planning your holiday - you also need to consider the home you're leaving behind. Taking steps to secure your property can be essential, both for protecting your valuables and ensuring that any break-ins will be covered by your home insurance, and this can include having post redirected and deliveries such as newspapers and milk cancelled in advance.



If you have any outstanding or upcoming bills, setting up a direct debit could ensure these are paid on time, so you won't have to worry about them during your European break. You should also contact your bank and inform them of your travel plans, so they can inform you whether your credit and debit cards will work overseas, and whether you'll be charged for withdrawals.



The author of this article is a part of a digital blogging team who work with brands like Bupa Insurance. The content contained in this article is for information purposes only and should not be used to make any financial decisions.