Mark Pearson: Hi Diana,

The story of meeting your husband on a train would have been a great story for our book. My first backpacking trip around Europe was not until 2002 so I don't know firsthand how it has changed since 1970. I can tell you that backpacking around Europe is now more popular than ever, despite the euro gaining on the dollar ($1.33US gets you 1 euro today). Every year, nearly two million Americans ages 18 to 29, and hundreds of thousands of Brits, Canadians and Australians, head for Europe to travel, study and work. It's still a right of passage.

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Phoenix, AZ: What are the 2 best cities to backpack/hike in Spain and Italy? Say 3 days per city. Thanks, Robin.

Mark Pearson: Hi Robin,

Here are a few regions where you'll find great hiking.

Italy -- Cinque Terre

Italy -- Amalfi Coast (Positano is a good base)

Spain -- anywhere on the Camino de Santiago

Spain -- island of Majorca

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Novi, MI: My husband, 10-year-old son and I would love to backpack around Italy or France. My question is, is it advisable to backpack with a young child? If the answer is yes, what is the best way to approach the trip? Thank you. Any help is appreciated.

Mark Pearson: Your 10-year-old son will have a great time in Europe. There are plenty of kid-friendly things to do. Rather than visit a dozen countries, you might consider, for example, renting an apartment in Rome or Paris for a week. They can be less expensive than hotels and it will feel like you're actually living in Europe!

I highly recommend taking a break from the museums and spending a few days at the beach in the Italian Riviera. What kid would not want to play in the sand and eat pizza and gelato?

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Mark Pearson: Thanks so much for joining me to talk about backpacking in Europe. If you're planning a trip or just want to relive the adventure, pick up a copy of one of the Europe From a Backpack series travel books. My site, europebackpack.com, has a blog and lots of resources for you.

Cheers
! Mark Pearson

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