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Planning a Trip to Europe: Your 10-Step Guide

Caroline Costello

Caroline Costello's travel accomplishments include surviving a 2 a.m. whitewater rafting excursion in the Canadian wilderness, successfully biking from Dusseldorf to Cologne without a map, and gaining access to a covert pizza speakeasy in New Orleans.

Caroline is an active member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW). Her work has appeared on USA Today , the Boston Globe , AOL.com, MSNBC.com, ABC News, TODAY Travel, and CruiseCritic.com, among other publications.

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Before you can experience authentic Spanish tapas, piazzas in Rome, or rooftop terraces in Prague, an important to-do list stands between you and your European vacation. The logistics involved in planning a trip to Europe may seem tedious or overwhelming, but the more prepared you are, the greater your chances of a successful trip that lives up to your expectations. That’s why it’s important to do a bang-up job creating an itinerary, arranging transportation, and tackling the brass tacks before you’re off to the Continent.

The following guide explains how to plan a trip to Europe in 10 simple steps—so you can spend less time worrying about your travel arrangements and more time staring at pictures of castles and men in kilts.

1. Get your documents in order.

If you don’t have a passport, it will take at least four to six weeks from the time of application for you to receive one. Expedited services—either through the State Department or an expeditor such as Travel Visa Pro —can trim the process down to a week or so, but it will cost you an additional fee, so it’s best to take care of this well before your trip.

Already have a passport? Check its expiration date. The last thing you need is to find out your passport has expired while you’re in line at airport check-in. Keep in mind that some countries require your passport to be valid for six months beyond your trip dates.

All car rental companies require drivers to have valid licenses in their home country, so you’ll also want to check the expiration date of your license. Some car rental companies also require an international driving permit for European rentals in addition to a valid driver’s license. For U.S. citizens, these can be obtained through the American Auto Association (AAA); in Canada, try the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA).

Depending on length of stay, some destinations require valid visas in addition to passports; obtaining one is a complicated process that can take weeks even after you have been approved—so start early.

2. Establish a budget.

When planning a trip to Europe, establish a budget as early as possible—even before you know your destination, travel dates, or itinerary. Some destinations are generally cheaper than others, but there are ways to save everywhere: travel in the off-season, pick budget accommodations, plan a shorter trip. For example, London is an expensive city, but many travel providers and airlines offer affordable vacation packages to the city, and it’s not hard to find cheap air deals to London, especially during the winter.

Set your budget early on, and you’ll avoid any disappointment that could come from forging a fabulous itinerary, like two weeks in Switzerland during summer, and then discovering you can’t afford it. Travel budget apps such as TrabeePocket ( iOS | Android ) can help you keep track of your expenses once you start making bookings.

The Most Expensive Cities in the World

3. Pick a destination.

Now that you know how much you can spend, where do you want to go? If you’re like many travelers and you have a humongous list of places in Europe you want to visit, this could be tricky.

One strategy is to pick a particular site that’s on your must-see travel list, and plan your vacation around that. Last year I planned a trip to Ireland centered on an excursion to remote Skellig Michael Island , a UNESCO World Heritage site I’d dreamed of visiting. The excursion turned into an unforgettable two-week Emerald Isle road trip.

Another option is to pick someplace timely. Visit countries’ tourism websites and search for seasonal events like festivals or local holidays (which you may want to either avoid or join, depending on how you feel about crowds). Don’t forget to check the weather before you decide on your destination.

4. Create a rough itinerary.

So you want to go to France, eh? Don’t go ahead and buy a roundtrip flight to Paris and a hotel room—at least, not yet. Planning a European vacation takes a lot of prep work. You’ll want to sketch out a day-by-day itinerary of your perfect trip to France before you book a thing. Research sites and cities you really want to explore, and then figure out which ones you have the time and budget to get to.

Check out alternative ways to travel in Europe. If you want to see multiple countries or cities but are on a tight budget, you may want to consider a cruise (exchange rates are naught for U.S. citizens onboard American ships). If you’d rather not do the work of creating your own itinerary, continue booking a group tour with a company such as Intrepid Travel , G Adventures , Trafalgar , or Rick Steves’ Europe .

5. Book your airfare.

Because airfare will probably be the most expensive part of your trip, you’ll want to book it before anything else (car rental, hotel, etc.). This will allow you to be more flexible with your dates, which is a great way to save money on your flight. You can often spend less by flying on international discount airlines like Aer Lingus or Norwegian . Check multiple booking sites , including meta-search sites such as Skyscanner and traditional booking sites such as Expedia , to make sure you’re seeing a wide range of options. You can also set up fare alerts using Airfarewatchdog , SmarterTravel’s sister site, so you’ll be notified when the price of your flight drops.

Consider spicing up your trip with a layover in a different country. Icelandair has a long-running program that allows passengers flying elsewhere in Europe to take a free stopover in Reykjavik for up to seven nights.

Where to Find Premium Airfare Deals on First Class and Business Class

6. Book your accommodations.

It’s time to go back to that rough itinerary you jotted down and fill in some places to sleep. As is the case with pretty much everything you book for your trip, the earlier you make arrangements, the better—especially during summer high season.

Sure, you can just book a room at the local Hilton and be done with it. But do a bit of research and you could discover some funky lodging that’s almost as exciting as the attractions you plan to visit. Keep your eyes open for historic castles, tiny bed and breakfasts, houseboats, eco-friendly hotels, or organic farms. Budget travelers take note: Vacation rentals , homestays, farm stays, and house-swapping are accommodation options that can be shockingly affordable … or even free.

As with airfare, you should shop around on multiple hotel sites to make sure you’re getting the best deal, and read reviews from past guests to see what the experience is like. TripAdvisor , Booking.com , and Hotels.com are a few good places to start.

7. Consider travel insurance.

There are several kinds of travel insurance: trip cancellation insurance, flight cancellation insurance, medical insurance, etc. The best time to buy insurance is right after you put down the major deposits on your trip, whether that entails airfare, a package, or prepaid hotels. Once you know how much money you’ve paid upfront, you can ensure your trip if you so choose. Many airlines and travel providers sell insurance that you can purchase along with your flight or tour package. Always, always read the fine print in your policy and compare it with other travel insurance policies before you make a purchase.

Check your medical insurance coverage to see if you’re covered overseas. If not, you may want to purchase supplemental medical insurance to cover situations like the cost of transportation back home for emergency care.

Reputable travel insurance companies to consider include Allianz Travel and Seven Corners .

Travel Insurance Coverage: 18 Things Your Policy Won’t Cover

8. Book local transportation and day tours.

When in Rome, ride the Metropolitana. Find out how the locals get around the destination to which you’re traveling and act accordingly. You won’t need a car rental in places like bike-friendly Amsterdam or London with its convenient underground Tube, unless you plan to go outside the city.

A car rental is your best bet if you’re traveling to locales that can’t be easily reached by rail or plane (such as the Irish countryside). Be mentally prepared to drive in a foreign country, which can be a frightening experience when faced with incomprehensible traffic signs, narrow streets, or sheep roadblocks.

To get from city to city or country to country, examine your rail options in comparison to routes and prices offered by European discount airlines like easyJet  or Ryanair . Travelers embarking on extensive travel within Europe may save money by purchasing a rail pass from Rail Europe that permits unlimited train travel within a specified region.

Check out Viator to book day tours, especially if you want to take advantage of skip-the-line options.

9. Tackle last-minute logistics.

A few weeks before your departure date is the right time to start taking care of a number of key logistics: money, phone, house-sitter, pet-sitter.

Call your credit card companies to let them know you’ll be traveling abroad. While you’re at it, find out if you’re going to be charged a fee for using your card overseas. Research the locations of ATMs in your destination, especially if you’ll be relying on cash.

Does your cell phone plan allow you to make calls overseas, and if so, how much will it cost you? Many cell phone companies offer temporary international plans that you can purchase for the month you’re traveling. You might also want to consider a mobile hotspot device to keep you connected.

5 Ways to Use Your Phone GPS Without Data

Packing for Europe requires both different items and a different mindset in comparison to some other types of trips. After all, there’s no arguing that Parisians are more stylish than your typical North American tourist. Most of central and western Europe have milder climates throughout the year, but that doesn’t mean you won’t encounter rain or a heatwave. You should pack clothing that’s easy to layer , and always include a packable raincoat or travel umbrella in your suitcase when traveling to Europe. Think about how you’ll be carrying your money —pickpocketing schemes are more common abroad, so it’s important to carry your money and personal belongings securely. When researching your European destination of choice, consider the overall climate and time of year you’ll be traveling. Then, about a week before your trip check out the forecast, mobilize a packing list , and ensure your suitcase is in working condition and meets your airline’s size restrictions.

Pro packing tip: If you’re tight on packing space, invest in a packing cube set . They do wonders, especially if you’re stopping in multiple destinations as they make repacking a breeze.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2017. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. All of the products featured in this story were hand-selected by our travel editors. Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

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Europe Trip Planner

Euroventure specialises in multi-city europe trips – specifically interrail and eurail adventures., check out our resources and tools below to help you plan your european escape.

It can be really overwhelming trying to plan your Europe trip. There are a ton of things to work out, research and eventually book. That’s why we offer as many resources and services as possible. From planning tools and rail trip advice, to fully guided tours , we can help you plan your ultimate Europe trip on your terms.

Use our interactive Europe Trip Planner tool to create your own route.

Use our Europe trip planner map  to create your own self-guided route, including any major European destinations – plus some further afield including Russia and China!

The map tool is interactive and super easy to use; you can make a plan without any obligation to book your trip with us. We’ll then send you over our best ideas for your route, plus a price including all your trains and accommodation. If you like the idea of having your multi-destination trip planned for you, you can book it within minutes! If not, no problem – you can still use the planner.

Not sure which destinations to visit? Get some inspiration with our destination guide !

Planning a trip to Europe but need some inspiration? Take a look at our self-guided itineraries.

Choose the route you like the best, and we’ll plan your Europe trip. You travel on your own, or with friends, but we’ll organise everything and send it all to you in a handy travel pack. We can also book activities, attractions and excursions for you. All you have to arrange is a flight to and from your start/finish point, plus your travel insurance (which you can sort through our partners here ) and spending money. Find out roughly how much spending money to take .

Wherever we can, we use trains to get from A to B. They’re the most sustainable, sociable and convenient way to get around – and we’ve got deals with all the main providers plus a ton of expert knowledge! Read more about  travelling Europe by train  – or check out our comparison of  different ways to travel Europe  for more inspiration. Scroll down for Europe trip itineraries from 1 – 8 weeks or longer!

If you prefer to travel with likeminded backpackers, why not join one of our small group trips across Europe:  Find out more.

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Here's How to Plan Your Very First Trip to Europe, According to a Professional Traveler

Heading to Europe for the very first time? We've got some advice for you.

Whether you study abroad , backpack solo, or go with a group for your first trip to Europe, it's an experience that will change your life — and alter your perspective in all the best ways — forever. Even if you visited the continent with your parents as a kid, your first "solo" adventure to Europe as a young adult promises to reward you with rich memories. From digging into freshly baked pizza in Italy to picnicking beneath the Eiffel Tower with a still-warm baguette, it's a trip filled with experiences you'll talk about for the rest of your life.

Though I had visited Italy with my parents as a kid, my own first adventure to Europe as a young adult was in 2015. I was 21, newly married, and heartbroken at the loss of my father four months earlier. I had been studying British literature and European history in my college classes and was eager to make real-world connections to my curriculum. In preparation, my husband and I watched every Rick Steves video on YouTube and movies like Under the Tuscan Sun , Midnight in Paris , Notting Hill , and Eat, Pray, Love . The spring semester of my junior year ended, and we set off with nothing but backpacks containing a few (and I do mean a few) sets of clothes, a budget of about $100 per day, and five short weeks to see it all.

Besides opening our eyes, pushing us to our limits, and expanding our perspectives in ways that nothing else could, that trip ignited in us a shared passion for travel — and for encouraging others to do the same. Read on for tips for planning your first trip to Europe like a pro.

Get Around With a Eurail Pass

Do you need a Eurail pass to get around Europe? Maybe not, but I devoted a large chunk of our shoestring budget to it on my first trip, and I've bought one for every extended trip I've taken to Europe since then — even now that I've hit the ancient age of 28 and no longer qualify forEurail's discounted youth pricing — so that should tell you something.

Most of Europe is well connected via a vast rail network spanning the continent. A Eurail pass — available exclusively to non-Europeans — makes it hassle-free to hop between countries and even navigate regional trains. Depending on your travel plans, you can purchase passes for specific countries or regions and choose whether you need unlimited use or a set number of travel days.

Remember that once you're in Europe, hops between major cities are often surprisingly low-price (I've seen flights for as little as $6), but often a train is the best choice when you factor in time, convenience, price, and the chance to watch the world go by from your window. Splurge on first-class passes , and you'll always have a comfortable seat.

Plan Your Trip Geographically

Make a list of all your must-hit places, then look at where they fall on a map — connect the dots, and you have your route. Maybe you start in Spain and work your way east, or fly into London, take the Chunnel to Paris , and work your way down to Italy. Whatever you choose, ensure that your route makes sense geographically so you don't waste time (or money) crisscrossing the continent.

Keep Seasons in Mind

Europe is a large continent covering a variety of climates. It may seem obvious, but if you're planning a summer trip, don't expect to frolic in fields of Dutch tulips (that happens in the spring) or ski the Austrian slopes (that would be a winter thing). And as enchanting as the European Christmas markets look on Instagram, don't be disappointed when you put two and two together and realize that they'll only make it to your feed if you're going to Europe in November or December.

An Italian summer is nothing short of sweltering and ice-cold AC isn't a given, so if you're planning to cover all of Rome on foot at high noon, you may want to rethink that. (I learned this the hard way and damn near had a heat stroke.) A midday siesta is common in countries like Spain and Italy for a reason, so do as the locals do and take the summer weather into account before you overexert yourself.

Book in Advance

A PSA for type-A travelers like me: You don't have to have your entire trip planned out before leaving home. (I had a down-to-the-minute itinerary mapped out for my type-B husband and me on our first venture to Europe, and he almost left me as I dragged him from museum to walking tour to restaurant reservation and back again.) Part of the fun — especially if you have a Eurail pass — is going where the wind blows you and deciding what appeals to you upon arrival.

Pro tip: Taking a bus tour on your first day in a destination is a great way to get the lay of the land and cover a lot of ground quickly (without exhausting yourself).

Make a general timeline and book your departure flight from the USA to Europe before you leave home, but perhaps wait until you've hopped the pond to book your flight back. You may decide to stay longer in a particular country or run out of time to make it all the way to Portugal, where you originally intended to fly out of. Create a general outline, but leave some of your trip open and stay flexible.

The one thing you may want to do in advance is reserve hotels, hostels, and Airbnbs because they can fill up during the popular summer months. That's why it's helpful to have a general idea of where you'll be and when — just don't cling to your plan at the expense of a spontaneous sidetrack or two.

Marie Kondo's Simple Packing Tips Will Completely Change the Way You Travel

What to bring to europe.

Start working on your packing list a few months beforehand. What you bring will vary depending on destinations, length of trip, and your fussiness level, but there are a few non-negotiables.

Don't leave home without:

• Your passport
• Converters for European outlets (both UK and EU, as needed)
• A credit card and/or a debit card for getting cash out of an ATM (you'll get a better rate this way than doing it through a currency-exchange counter)
• COVID-era items such as your vaccine card, printed copies of your negative COVID test results (if required) , and a few self-test kits
• A secure envelope to hold all of these important documents (including a few color copies of your passport) in one place
• An international plan added to your phone (unless you're a T-Mobile customer)
• Global Entry (not necessary, but a definite plus when you return to the USA)

You'll also find life a lot easier with the Google Translate app and the XE currency conversion app on your smartphone. Before you depart, download the countries you'll be visiting to ensure offline availability. The Been app , where you can track which countries you've visited and how much of the world you've seen, is another fun app for travelers, especially on a trip like this where you'll be checking off a lot of countries.

And a note on packing light : You'll need nothing more than a backpack and a carry-on, max. Trust me. (There are laundry rooms at every hostel and laundromats in every city.)

Where to Go on Your First Trip to Europe

If you only have time or the budget to see a few places, start with the basics . You've likely learned about major cities like London, Paris , and Rome since you can remember — now's the time to see them through your own eyes.

Once you have the must-hit places on your itinerary, plan some additional stops according to your interests. There's a lot to see in Italy outside of Rome — I'd include Venice, Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast, Florence, and the surrounding Tuscan wine country on any trip to Italy, especially for first-timers.

Maybe you've been digging into your ancestry and found that you have Hungarian heritage like I have — Budapest was a shoo-in for us this summer — or perhaps you've always dreamed of hiking the Swiss Alps, clinking glasses in a German beer hall, or soaking up the sun in the Greek Isles .

Maybe you want to visit Poland and pay your respects at Auschwitz — I consider this sobering, heart-wrenching experience a must — or try every waffle you come across in Belgium. You can do it all if you have enough time, but start by arranging a shortlist with your top priorities and then tack on additional destinations if you have space.

These are some of the best places to visit in Europe, but the best destinations for you will depend on your interests, priorities, and goals. If you're purely on "vacation" with no remote work or school obligations, two to three days in each place should suffice, but if you can't devote your full attention each day to exploring, then you'll want a little extra time in each city to do it justice.

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Traveling to Europe: How to Plan Your First Trip (+21 Tips & Tricks)

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: June 3, 2024

Thinking of traveling to Europe for the first time, but not sure where to start with the preparations for your dream vacation? Where and when to go, how much time you need, and how to make a European trip itinerary without getting overwhelmed… In this guide, you’ll find our top tips for planning your first trip to Europe.

Dreaming of seeing the Colosseum, standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower, hiking in the Alps, or exploring the cobblestone streets of charming European towns? Indeed, a trip to Europe is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in centuries-old history, discover different cultures, marvel at some of the most beautiful landscapes, and enjoy culinary delights.

However, Europe is big and extremely diverse. With dozens of countries, each with different languages and traditions, and innumerable places of interest, planning a European vacation might seem absolutely overwhelming.

How do you even start planning a trip to Europe?

Let’s be honest – there is not one simple answer and no two trips to Europe will ever be the same. But there are some things and simple tips that can help you get the most out of your trip and make it truly enjoyable instead of overwhelming.

Good to know: We live in Europe, have traveled across the continent for decades, and have planned countless trips and itineraries for different regions and in all seasons. In this article, we’ll walk you through some essential steps to help you plan your own unforgettable journey across the Old Continent. Find out!

Here are some essential steps and tips for planning a trip to Europe:

1. Decide When You’ll Travel

Before starting to plan a trip to Europe, decide WHEN you will travel. The season might influence where to travel in Europe and what to do there.

While for certain destinations the season doesn’t matter that much, there are many others where summer travel will give you a totally different experience than visiting in winter.

For example, if you are visiting Europe in the summer and want to do lots of sightseeing, you may prefer to avoid the biggest cities in the south where the temperatures often are way too hot for exploring. Whereas if you are interested in beaches or hiking in the Alps, summer is the perfect time to travel.

Also when planning a trip to the mountains or other nature destinations, the season is really important. Some places can only be visited in the summer months, and some experiences can only be had in the winter… But there are also many iconic mountain destinations like e.g. Mt Titlis or Zermatt in Switzerland that can be visited the whole year round.

It all seems pretty logical, but you’d be surprised at how often we get questions from readers about seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland in the summer, or hiking in the Italian Dolomites and visiting the Dutch tulip fields in the fall or even winter…

TIP: If you can, avoid traveling to the most popular places in Europe in the peak summer season (July – August) and major school holidays (Easter and Christmas-New Year). Not only it will be less busy everywhere, but you’ll also save money on flights and accommodations.

However, keep in mind that some destinations are always popular and some places also have their own peak seasons (e.g. Venice during the Carnival, German cities during the Christmas Market season, or popular Swiss ski resorts in February-March, etc.).

READ ALSO: Best Time to Visit Europe (+ Where to Go in Which Season)

2. Determine the Duration of Your Trip

Deciding HOW LONG you’ll spend in Europe is crucial. You cannot start planning a trip without having a very good idea of how much time you’ll have for it.

If you are traveling to Europe for the first time, a two-week trip is often a good starting point. It allows you to explore multiple European cities without feeling rushed.

Of course, three or four weeks will be better as you will be able to cover more of Europe. But if you wait until you have that much vacation time, you may never travel at all… So see what works for you and make the most of it!

Remember that no matter how much time you have, you’ll never be able to see all of Europe anyway. You can spend 2-3 weeks in any country alone and still just scratch the surface. Or you can have a nice European trip in just 10-14 days, see several major cities, and go home feeling perfectly happy that you ticked off some of those iconic bucket list destinations…

It’s not the duration of your trip that will determine how enjoyable it is, but how you plan your time. See below for some tips!

3. Choose Your Destinations Wisely

Now it’s time to decide WHERE to go.

As already mentioned, “Europe” is not one destination. There are 27 countries in the European Union and 44 countries in the continent of Europe (and even more depending on how you count, but let’s not get into politics).

There is simply no way to see “everything” in Europe in one, two, or even a dozen trips. So you have to choose your destination/s wisely.

Start by making a list of your dream places that you’ve always wanted to visit . Consider their location and the season, as already mentioned above. Remember that you are traveling for yourself and you don’t absolutely have to see all of the most beautiful churches in Italy or the best museums in Amsterdam if they don’t interest you. Well, you may want to see one or two, but only if that’s what you want…

In the end, it’s your personal wishlist that should determine where to travel in Europe and not someone else’s ‘must-sees’.

Decide whether you’ll just concentrate on the main cities or will also spend a bit more time traveling around in each country. Do you prefer to explore just one or two countries deeper or do you absolutely want to cover as much ground as feasible? There are so many ways to plan a trip to Europe…

TIP: No matter which destinations you decide to visit, we highly recommend choosing a mix of cities, smaller towns, and also some nature destinations if possible. This will not only make your trip more relaxing and enjoyable, but you will also get a much better idea of how diverse and beautiful Europe really is.

SOME TRAVEL INSPIRATION: Europe’s Fairytale Destinations

4. Don’t Overdo It

Many first-time visitors to Europe focus on the major (capital) cities and travel to a new country every few days. Just do yourself a favor and don’t overdo it !

While it might be tempting to pack in as much as you possibly can, visiting a different country every day will leave you overwhelmed and exhausted.

Yes, you can see some of the main landmarks of London in a day, take a train to Amsterdam and Paris, and fly over to Rome, Barcelona, or Athens in the same week, but you’ll spend more time at the airports and railway stations than sightseeing…

TIP: Don’t try to cover too many countries and different regions in too little time, especially if you only have 1-2 weeks in Europe. Instead, focus on your bucket list and make sure that you make the best use of your time.

Also, take into account travel times between different places. While you only need 2-3 hours to travel between the center of London and Paris or Brussels by train, you’ll spend more than half a day flying from London or Paris to Athens or Barcelona (don’t forget the time you need to get to the airport, etc.), and you’ll need at least a few days for just one destination if you decide to visit places like Iceland, Faroe Islands, Sicily, or Madeira.

Luckily, with some good planning, you can see a lot of Europe while still keeping it enjoyable. For that, it’s very important to prepare a good itinerary. See below for some tips.

5. Prepare a Rough Itinerary

Once you have figured out the season, the duration of your trip, and some of the must-sees, it’s time to make an itinerary.

This is probably the most important step in the entire process of planning a trip to Europe! If you do it right, you’ll have a fun and fulfilling trip. Pack in too much or not think things through, and your vacation might get ruined… So take your time and be sure that all the puzzle pieces fit together.

Here are some tips:

• Decide on the airports you will fly in and out of.
• Don’t forget to account for travel days and time differences when planning your trip! If you are traveling from the US to Europe, you’ll likely arrive here a day later, plus, you have to account for the jet lag. See this guide for our experience-based tips for dealing with jet lag .
• Keep in mind that travel time can add up due to unforeseen circumstances, so factor in some extra time for transportation. Flights get delayed, trains don’t always run as planned, traffic can be a mess, and you really don’t want to miss something important because your itinerary is too tight.
• Create a rough itinerary outlining the main cities, the number of days you’ll spend in each area, and key attractions you don’t want to miss.
• Opt for a mix of iconic destinations and hidden gems to create a well-rounded experience. Also, balance your schedule between sightseeing and some relaxation, and make sure to always leave at least some time for some unexpected discoveries and spontaneous exploration.

Planning an itinerary for any trip is easier said than done, and I realize that. After all, you can see some of the main landmarks of any place in a day or two, but you can also spend a week and still leave with a feeling that you could have stayed longer…

As long as you don’t try to squeeze in four days worth of sightseeing in one or two days, you’ll be fine. For that, focus on what’s important to you , plan well, and let go of the rest. Remember, you can’t see “everything” anyway, so don’t let the fear of missing out ruin your experience.

TIP: It’s better to see fewer attractions and truly enjoy them than run around like a headless chicken and constantly stress about the next item on your itinerary rather than enjoy the moment.

Sample European itineraries for 2-3 weeks

Since the majority of people planning their first trip to Europe are mostly interested in the most iconic landmarks in the main cities, we created a few very rough and rather packed itineraries to show you what’s possible.

Please remember that these are just meant to give you an idea of how you could plan a trip to Europe focusing mostly on the most popular destinations.

There are thousands of ways to plan a European trip (and also much more to see beyond London, Paris, or Rome), so you can ignore these altogether and prepare your own perfect itinerary visiting the places that appeal to you the most.

2 weeks in Europe:

• Day 1: Flight to Amsterdam. Days 2-3: Amsterdam. Day 4: Train to Brussels or Antwerp. Day 5: Day trip to Bruges. Day 6: Train to Paris. Days 7-8-9: Paris. Day 10: Train to London. Days 11-12-13-14: London.
• Day 1: Flight to Rome. Days 2-3: Rome. Day 4: Train to Florence. Day 5: Florence or a day trip to Cinque Terre. Day 6: Train to Venice. Day 7: Venice and flight to Paris. Days 8-9-10: Paris. Day 11: Train to London. Days 12-13-14: London.
• Day 1: Flight to London. Days 2-3 London. Day 4: Train to Brussels. Day 5: Day trip to Bruges or Antwerp. Day 6: Train to Paris. Days 7-8-9: Paris. Day 10: Flight to Venice or Florence. Day 11: Venice or Florence. Day 12: Train to Rome. Days 13-14: Rome.
• Day 1: Flight to Barcelona or Lisbon. Days 2-3: Barcelona or Lisbon. Day 4: Flight to Rome. Days 5-6: Rome. Day 7: Flight to Paris. Days 8-9-10: Paris. Day 11: Train to London. Days 12-13-14: London.

3 weeks in Europe:

• Day 1: Flight to Rome. Days 2-3: Rome. Day 4: Train to Florence. Day 5: Florence or a day trip nearby. Day 6: Train to Verona. Day 7: Day trip to Venice. Day 8: Train to Milan. Day 9: Day trip to Lake Como. Day 10: Flight to Amsterdam. Day 11-12: Amsterdam. Day 13: Train to Brussels or Antwerp. Day 14: Day trip to Bruges. Day 15: Train to Paris. Days 16-17-18: Paris. Day 19: Train to London. Days 20-21: London.
• Day 1: Flight to Lisbon. Days 2-3: Lisbon. Day 4: Flight to Barcelona. Days 5-6: Barcelona. Day 7: Flight to Naples. Days 8-9: Capri and Amalfi Coast. Day 10: Train to Rome. Days 11-12-13: Rome. Day 14: Train to Florence. Day 15: Florence or a day trip nearby. Day 16: Train to Venice. Day 17: Venice. Day 18: Flight to Paris or London. Days 19-20-21: Pari or London (or even both by train).
• Day 1: Flight to London. Days 2-3-4 London. Day 5: Train to Amsterdam. Days 6-7: Amsterdam. Day 8: Train to Bruges. Day 9: Train to Paris. Days 10-11-12: Paris. Day 13: Train to Strasbourg. Day 14: Day trip to the Alsace region. Day 15: Train to Lucerne. Days 16-17-18: Swiss Mountains. Day 19: Train to Milan (via Bernina Express). Days 20-21: Milan & Lake Como.
• Day 1: Flight to Paris, Barcelona, Lisbon, London, or Amsterdam. Days 2-4: In the city of your choice. Day 5: Flight to Rome. Days 6-7: Rome. Day 8: Train to Florence. Day 9: Florence or a day trip nearby. Day 10: Train to Venice. Day 11: Venice. Days 12-13-14: Italian Dolomites & Lake Garda (rent a car). Day 15: Milan (return a car). Day 16: Lake Como day trip from Milan. Day 17: Train to Lugano. Day 18: Train to Lucerne (via Bernina Express). Days 19-20-21: Swiss Mountains.

Further below, you’ll find very detailed itineraries for some of the most popular destinations in Europe. But first, documents, transportation, and money matters – see below.

6. Check What Kind of Travel Documents You Need

Depending on where you live, which nationality you have, and which European countries you are planning to visit, you may need different travel documents. It’s very important that you do your own research for that!

As a minimum, if traveling from abroad (like the USA), you will need an international travel passport (make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned return date!). In some cases, you may need a visa or an electronic travel authorization.

It’s also important to understand that many European countries are in the Schengen Zone which means that once you arrive in one country, you can freely travel around to other places without any additional documents. However, not all of Europe falls under this agreement.

For example, most EU countries are in the Schengen Area but not Ireland, Cyprus, Romania, or Bulgaria. Whereas Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, and Lichtenstein are not in the EU, but are part of the Schengen Zone. The UK is not part of the Schengen Zone.

Good to know: Starting from 2025, travelers from visa-exempt countries (also from the USA) will be required to have travel authorization to enter most European countries. It’s called ETIAS and you can find all the information about it on the official website . It is very similar to the ESTA system that Europeans have to use when visiting the USA. Basically, you have to fill in an online form and provide some travel information before your trip.

However, the ETIAS project has been postponed time and again, so it’s not clear when this travel authorization will finally be introduced. At the moment of the last update to this article, they have pushed the dates once again.

TIP: Use official sources such as government websites when researching which travel documents you need. Also, remember, that it’s often very simple (and cheap) to apply for any documents online by yourself, so don’t get tricked by all kinds of online visa services.

7. Research Long-Haul Flights

Once you have a rough itinerary, it’s time to research the best flight options to Europe and back.

• Search for flight deals well in advance to secure affordable fares.
• Consider open-jaw flights (flying into one city and departing from another) to optimize your sightseeing time.
• Research flight options to/from alternative airports. It might be cheaper to start or end at another airport than the one you originally planned. Sometimes, a few simple changes like that can save you a lot of money.
• There are many websites that you can use to research the best flight options. We use Skyscanner, Momondo, Google Flights, and often also directly with our favorite airlines.

TIP: Some airlines offer free stopovers at their hub destination, which might enable you to visit an additional country/city at no extra cost. For example, Icelandair often has good deals that give you some time to explore Iceland on the way to continental Europe. Also, TAP Portugal sometimes has a good deal for a stopover in Lisbon . These are just a few examples, just to show you that there are more options than you may think of.

8. Make a Realistic Budget

Traveling to Europe from overseas might be very pricey, so be sure to make a realistic budget for your trip. Keep in mind that the biggest cost of your trip to Europe will likely not be the transatlantic flight, but accommodations and meals. We’re always surprised how quickly the costs of dining out can add up on a longer trip.

Also, don’t let the prices scare you off. With some careful planning and research, you may be able to do that dream trip for much less than you think.

You might simply have to make some adjustments to your itinerary or choose an alternative mode of transportation or accommodation to make it work. You can also save a lot of money by opting for a picnic or a simple local snack for lunch rather than dining at a restaurant twice a day.

Good to know: Please don’t ask me how much your trip to Europe will cost. I get this question for so many destinations time and again, and my answer is always the same. It depends on so many factors, such as when you travel, how long in advance you book, if you can get any special deals for the flights, which hotels you choose (and how many people share the room), which attractions you visit, where you dine, etc.

You can make any trip as expensive or as cheap as you like, so it all depends on your choices.

Here are some tips to make your European trip more affordable:

• Start planning (and book!) well ahead, ideally at least 6 months before your trip, for some destinations/seasons even earlier. The earlier you book, the more choice you have in all budgets.
• Limit the number of destinations you visit. Staying in one place longer is usually much more affordable than traveling to a different place every couple of days. Not only will you save on transportation, but many cities/regions in Europe also have multi-day cards which can save you a lot of money on sightseeing. Most of these cards are only really worth it if you stay in the same place for at least 2-3 days and offer the best value on longer stays like 4-7 days.
• For longer travel distances within Europe, check if there are budget airlines operating the route that you need. Some of the most popular budget airlines in Europe include Ryanair, EasyJet, Wizzair, Vueling, Transavia, Norwegian, and several others. If your budget is tighter, you may also want to consider intercity buses, also for international routes.
• Opt for lesser-known places or cheaper countries in Europe. For example, your money will stretch much further in Krakow , Seville , or Lisbon than in London , Amsterdam , or Brussels .
• Choose your restaurants wisely. You can have a perfectly good meal in many places in Europe for 10-15 euros, but it’s not abnormal to pay 30-50 euros for the main dish either. And while you can have a 5-10 euro cocktail in most places, prepare to pay 25-30 euros at the best rooftop bars in Florence …
• Get a good travel credit card before your trip. Some cards allow you to collect points/miles, some others give cashback, etc. You’ll be spending lots of money on your trip anyway, so try to make the most out of it.

9. Research Transportation in Europe

Next, it’s time to research the transportation options within Europe.

There are countless ways to travel around Europe. Depending on your budget, time, and overall itinerary, you may want to fly, take (international) trains, or buses, rent a car, or even opt for some form of overwater transportation or even book a (river) cruise for a few days…

Covering transportation options within Europe would require quite a few extra articles, so here are just a few general tips:

• Don’t fly short distances in Europe (e.g. London to Paris). Often, it’s much more efficient to take a train, even for longer distances, especially if there are high-speed trains available. The train stations are usually located in the city center and you don’t have to arrive hours in advance, which saves a lot of time. Plus, there are fewer baggage restrictions, and the trains are usually cheaper. TIP: You can use websites like Omio to compare all the best transportation options for any route. Or use the official sites of the national railway companies for every country that you plan to visit.
• Don’t rent a car if you don’t absolutely need it (that is if you are mainly visiting cities and big towns). Traffic can be really busy and driving is often stressful and takes more time than public transport. Plus, parking can be expensive and hard to find. And you don’t want to get me started on different toll systems, green zones, and limited traffic zones which are all different in each country and sometimes even in each city… That said, renting a car is often the best way to explore the countryside and see more places a bit off the beaten path, but this is something that most first-time visitors to Europe don’t even consider.
• If you decide to rent a car, only rent it for the days when you need it (so not when you are in major cities). Also, do extensive research if planning to drive through several countries. A lot is possible, of course, but each situation is different. TIP: We always use this website to compare prices and find the best deals for car hire.
• Consider guided day tours for some destinations (e.g. Lake Como from Milan or the Dutch Countryside from Amsterdam). It will save you a hotel change, transportation costs, and lots of stress and hassle while allowing you to maximize the time that you have. We mainly use GetYourGuide to research the best excursion options. Viator is also good for some destinations.
• Most European cities are very walkable and public transport is excellent too. Taxis are available and in many places, you can also use Uber or Bolt. Bike tours are also great if you want to see a lot in a short time.

10. Book Your Accommodations

Once you have a rough itinerary and an idea of how you’ll travel around, it’s time to book your accommodations.

Unless you are traveling to Europe for several months with lots of flexibility and without a set itinerary, be sure to book your accommodation as soon as you know your travel dates. The availability at some places is really limited and the prices often skyrocket the closer it gets to the travel date.

Just one example. If you are looking for a hotel in Venice a month before your summer trip, you’ll often find that the cheapest rooms in the city cost $500-700 per night. Whereas if you book ahead, you should find plenty of nice choices at about half that price. Some of our friends recently traveled to Venice and decided to stay outside the city and then take a train because hotels in Venice were simply unaffordable.

When looking for a place to stay, consider the transportation that you’ll use. Often, staying close to the railway station is the best choice, especially if you are only in the city for a day or two. It can save you a lot of time!

TIP: Check Booking.com for your travel dates to get a better idea of availability and prices, and to book your stay. This is by far the most popular accommodation booking website in Europe and you’ll find all types of lodging here: from luxury hotels to hostels, private apartments, villas, etc.

If you are not familiar with it, Booking.com is Europe’s answer to Expedia, Airbnb, Vrbo, and many others all in one place (but often with much better booking conditions and customer service). We use it for all our lodging bookings worldwide, but it’s an absolute #1 in Europe.

Here are some articles that you may find useful:

• Where to stay in London .
• Where to stay in Amsterdam .
• Where to stay in Rome .
• Where to stay in Brussels .
• Where to stay in Antwerp.
• Where to stay in Reykjavik .
• Where to stay in Cinque Terre .
• Where to stay in Lake Como .
• Where to stay in Amalfi Coast .
• Where to stay in Naples.
• Where to stay in Algarve, Portugal .

Good to know: Many popular European destinations were forced to introduce all kinds of laws to limit private rentals for short stays because websites like Airbnb have made housing completely unaffordable for locals. Countless articles and books have been written about the devastating impact private rentals had on Europe, especially in major cities like Amsterdam, Barcelona, or Lisbon…

So in order to keep European cities liveable and authentic, please consider resisting the urge to ‘live like a local for a few days’ and simply book a hotel or a hostel. There are also ‘aparthotels’ (apartments with hotel service) if you are traveling with a family and need more space.

That way, you’ll actually contribute to the local economy rather than make the problem worse. Renting a tiny apartment in Paris or Rome will really not make you ‘a traveler and not a tourist’ (no idea who even came up with this absolutely ridiculous distinction). Better be a responsible tourist than an ignorant ‘traveler’.

Of course, you can choose to do whatever feels right for you. And if you are traveling with a big family like we do, sometimes apartments might be the best or even the only option. I just want you to be aware of the problem that led to so many cities and popular areas losing their authentic charm which made those places attractive to tourists to start with (oh, the irony)…

Ok, rant over. 😉

11. Fine-tune Your Itinerary & Book Tickets!

When planning any trip, I always start with flights, accommodations, and transportation, as that makes it easier to plan the rest. Once you know where you’ll be staying and at what time your flights/trains are, you can start looking into sightseeing, booking attraction tickets, and researching day trips, excursions, etc.

Now it’s time to fine-tune your itinerary. This means researching which places you want to visit and making sure that you can do everything in the most efficient way.

TIP: For some places, you may also want to research if city passes or (regional) travel cards make sense and book them in advance. For example, in Switzerland, you may consider the Swiss Travel Pass (an all-in ticket that includes all the public transport and many museums across the country). In Rome, you may want to get the popular Omnia Card , and in Paris – the Paris Museum Pass , etc.

Important! Pretty much any popular tourist attraction in Europe requires advance booking nowadays (even if it’s included with one or the other city pass). If you didn’t think of booking tickets for the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam , the Louvre in Paris , or the Colosseum in Rome weeks in advance, it’s very likely that won’t be able to visit at all.

Also, remember that even the most popular attractions often close at least one day of the week, so you may have to move things around to be able to visit a place you really want to see.

For some places, tickets sell out months in advance and for some others, you cannot book more than a few weeks upfront (but have to be quick when the tickets are released). So doing your research in advance is essential!

TIP: Booking as much as possible in advance is the best way to be sure that you will be able to visit all those places from your European bucket list! It will also save you so much stress and make your trip more relaxing.

Below, we have a few examples of how to fine-tune your itinerary. Read on!

Detailed itineraries for popular destinations in Europe

TIP: We have quite a few very detailed itineraries for several major cities that will help you plan your European trip.

These itineraries focus on ‘the musts’ taking into account the time that you have in each place. You will also find all the information about which tickets you have to prebook and how, etc. Check them out via the links below:

• 1 Day in London
• 2 Days in London
• + Best Day Trips from London
• 1 Day in Amsterdam
• 2 Days in Amsterdam
• 3 Days in Amsterdam
• 4 Days in Amsterdam
• + Best Day Trips from Amsterdam
• 1 Day in Paris
• 4 Days in Paris
• 1 Day in Barcelona
• 2 Days in Barcelona
• + Montserrat Day Trip from Barcelona
• 1 Day in Seville
• 2 Days in Seville
• 1 Day in Madrid
• + Toledo Day Trip from Madrid
• 1 Day in Lisbon
• + Best Day Trips from Lisbon
• 1 Day in Rome
• 2 Days in Rome
• 4 Days in Rome
• 1 Day in Florence
• 1 Day in Venice
• 3 Days in Venice
• 1 Day in Milan
• 1 Day in Naples
• 1 Day in Cinque Terre
• Dolomites Itinerary
• Amalfi Coast Itinerary
• Naples + Amalfi Coast + Capri Itinerary
• Lake Garda Itinerary
• 1 Day in Salzburg
• 2 Days in Salzburg
• … For many more cities, smaller towns, and other popular destinations all over Europe, please see our destinations page .

12. Research Airport Transfers

No matter where you arrive in Europe, the very first thing you’ll need to do is find your way from the airport to your accommodation. Figuring this out on the spot can be very stressful even for seasoned travelers. Plus, you’ll be tired and jet-lagged, and you may have difficulty with the local language too…

So save yourself the stress and do some research before your trip! That way, you know exactly what to expect and what to do after you step out of the plane. Also, remember to do this for every place where you’ll need any kind of transportation/ transfer.

Don’t forget that you’ll have luggage as well. In many major cities, there is luggage storage at the station. But most hotels will keep your bags for free before you can check in or after you check out.

Good to know: In most places in Europe, the train is the best option to get to the city from the airport, but this may not always be the case. Sometimes, you are better off using a shuttle bus or private transfer.

Taxi is usually the most expensive (and often the slowest) option, so we usually tend to use taxis/Uber/Bolt for short distances in the city or when we travel during the quiet times of the day. But this varies a lot depending on the destination. See below for some examples.

Here is some info for the airport transfers in several popular destinations in Europe:

• Flying to Rome ? There are quite a few options to get to the city. Check out our guide on how to get to the city from Rome airports for more information.
• Arriving in Paris by train? The easiest way to get to your hotel is usually by metro (unless your hotel is within walking distance from Paris Nord Station). Uber/taxi is also an option, but you can get stuck in traffic forever.
• Flying to London and need to get to the city center? Depending on where exactly you arrive, see the airport transfers here . If you are coming by train, use the metro to get to your hotel (or book a hotel near St. Pancras International Station).
• In Amsterdam , book a train from the airport to the central station. If you stay near the station, you can easily walk to your hotel.
• In Barcelona , Aerobus is the best way to get from the airport to the city center, or the metro but it can take much longer.
• In Lisbon , a private transfer is by far the best option to reach the city from the airport.
• In Reykjavik , the airport is so far away and the taxis are so expensive that you’re better off using a shuttle. See our guide to Reykjavik airport transfers for all the best options.
• In Brussels , the train is the best way to reach the city from the airport or any other major city nearby. Book a hotel in the center and you can simply walk from the station.

13. Get Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is essential for any trip, so also when traveling to Europe.

There are so many companies and so many different policies that it would be really hard to recommend something specific. Check if your credit card includes any kind of trip insurance and look online for the best options in your area.

Also, be sure to read the small letters so that you know what exactly is covered. Some insurance policies might include trip cancellation insurance, coverage for stolen or lost belongings, etc.

But the most important is getting coverage for all medical emergencies and repatriation (bringing you home due to serious illness or injury, etc.). Money is the last thing you want to be thinking about if you end up in a hospital in a foreign country.

TIP: If you are taking any prescription medicine at home, be sure to pack it with you!

PRO TIP: Make copies of all the important documents and store them in a safe place that you can access from anywhere in the world (Google Drive or email, for example). We always have a copy of our passports, driver’s licenses, insurance and flight info, etc.

14. Share Your Travel Plans

No matter if you are traveling alone or with friends, it’s always a good idea to share your travel plans and detailed itinerary with someone who stays at home. You never know what might happen.

This will also give your family peace of mind since they will know exactly where to find you if need be.

At the same time, don’t share your plans too widely. There is no need to tell the whole world that your house will be empty for a month or to share your exact location on social media channels.

We usually only post on social media after we leave the place and there is a good reason for that. I have heard it on quite a few occasions that people who live in the area show up at someone’s hotel after seeing their posts on Instagram… And this doesn’t only happen to ‘famous’ people or ‘influencers’.

TIP: If traveling solo, be sure that your hotel or accommodation host is aware of your whereabouts, especially if you are exploring outdoors on your own or going out late at night.

Once you have everything planned and settled, it’s time to prepare for your actual trip to Europe. There are quite a few things to think about – here are some of the most important ones:

15. Familiarize Yourself with Money Matters

Decide if you’ll be taking cash with you, how much, and in which currency. Remember that you cannot pay in USD in Europe. And while most EU countries use Euros, it’s not the case everywhere, not even to mention the non-EU countries like Switzerland or the UK.

TIP: If you use an ATM abroad, try to avoid the ones with the Euronet sign on them because the fees and exchange rates are outrageous. Instead, look for ATMs at the local banks. When withdrawing money or using your card to pay, always choose local currency. You’ll usually see two options – local currency and USD amounts. If you choose to pay in USD, you’ll get a much worse exchange rate. So when in doubt, remember LOCAL currency is always the way to go.

While some southern European countries still prefer cash, you can usually pay with your debit – or credit card (or your phone, watch, etc.) pretty much everywhere in Europe. In fact, in many countries (especially in the Nordics), hardly anyone uses cash at all.

TIP: Get a good travel credit card (with no foreign fees) and notify your bank about your travel dates and destinations to be sure that your cards will work abroad.

16. Figure Out How to Stay Connected

Most hotels (and many other places) in Europe offer free WiFi these days. So if you don’t absolutely have to stay online the whole day, you can usually do just fine without the internet (it can be very nice to disconnect during your vacation too!).

However, if you want to use data on your phone, keep in mind that using your provider’s data plan might be very expensive. Usually, it’s much cheaper to buy a local SIM card (just make sure that your phone is unlocked), or – easier – you can also buy an eSIM in advance . With an eSim you can simply use your phone without having to worry about changing physical SIM cards.

A pocket WiFi is yet another good option, allowing you to connect several devices to it at the same time. If you are traveling to Europe with a family, it might be a much cheaper solution than getting individual eSIM cards for everyone.

Good to know: The majority of European countries do not have roaming fees between them, so if you buy an eSIM in one country, you’ll be able to use it in other places too. This applies to all the EU countries, but also Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Some operators also don’t charge extra for roaming in the UK, but you’d have to double-check this depending on which card you buy.

17. Get a Travel Adaptor & Portable Charger

Don’t forget that you will need to charge all your devices when traveling through Europe. Also here, most countries use the same plugs, but there are also exceptions.

Depending on where you’ll be traveling, you will need either a Type C Travel Adapter (most of Europe) and/or a Type G Plug (The United Kingdom).

We recommend travel adapters that have a combination of several outlets including USB or USB-C plugs (like this for example). These adapters often have multiple outlets, allowing you to charge several devices at the same time. This can be very handy because some hotel rooms have a very limited number of sockets.

TIP: We usually pack an adapter like this . The long cable makes it simpler to connect multiple devices without having to worry about the location of the socket (which can sometimes be in the strangest and most difficult-to-reach places).

PRO TIP: Get a small portable charger that you can use to recharge your phones when on the go. If you are planning on using your smartphone for photos, maps, tickets, and similar, the battery will likely be low in a few hours. So make sure that you can always charge your phone when needed.

Of course, an adapter or a power bank alone is not enough. Be sure to pack your charging cables as well!

18. Pack Smartly

When traveling to Europe for the first time, you may be tempted to overpack. Indeed, it may not always look simple especially if you are visiting a mix of colder and warmer destinations, and nature as well as cities.

But remember that you’ll need to carry around whatever you pack. Every time I take a train or visit a bigger city in Europe, I see so many international travelers struggling with their luggage. There are stairs and cobblestones everywhere, and limited baggage spaces on the trains, etc.

Also if you are flying within Europe, you’ll see that many airlines have very strict hand luggage rules and every extra bag will cost you a small fortune.

So try to pack smartly and remember that you’ll likely not use half of what you want to take. Here are some tips on what to pack so that you can travel lightly:

• Pack versatile clothing suitable for different weather conditions and activities. Be sure that you can mix and match all your clothes.
• Pack one jacket (light rain jacket in the summer and warmer insulated jacket in the winter), one or two sweaters, two pairs of pants/shorts/skirts, T-shirts/shirts/blouses, underwear, and socks for a week (you can easily wash and dry some small items in your hotel).
• Be sure that you can layer your clothing if necessary (so that the jacket is big enough to wear a sweater or even two underneath).
• Comfortable walking shoes are a must, as you’ll be exploring on foot a lot. While in the past, Europeans only wore sneakers for sports, nowadays everyone walks around in (fancier) sneakers in the cities too. That said, a lot depends on your specific itinerary. If you are going to the mountains, you may need hiking shoes, and if you are visiting theaters and fancy restaurants, you may want to pack a pair of nicer shoes.
• Pack only essential toiletries ; you can always buy extra if you run out or forget something.

Here are a few extra items that we recommend packing:

• If visiting Europe in summer, remember that many churches require modest clothing. It’s always good to pack a light summer scarf – you can use it to cover your shoulders or wear it when it gets colder.
• Pack a small crossbody bag rather than a backpack for exploring the cities. Many attractions don’t allow backpacks inside, no matter how small (you’ll be asked to use the lockers), whereas crossbody bags are usually just fine.
• Pack a small reusable water bottle to reduce plastic waste. Tap water is safe to drink (and delicious) in most places in Europe, plus, many cities have free water fountains where you can refill your bottle.

Don’t worry about ‘looking like a tourist’ when traveling around Europe. You are a tourist after all and a red beret hat in Paris will definitely betray you (but if it makes your trip more fun, who cares). Remember that comfort is more important than trying to blend in. You won’t last long in high heels on cobbled streets…

TIP: Always keep the important documents, electronic devices, or medications in your hand luggage. It can be useful to take a photocopy of your documents and place it in a different bag than the originals (in addition to digital copies as mentioned before).

19. Don’t Stress About the Language Barrier

With so many countries and different languages spoken all over Europe, there is not one European that speaks them all. So if we can travel around Europe and get by just perfectly, so can you.

To give you an idea, in our family, we speak 5 European languages fluently and understand another 3-4 quite well, but we still use English a lot when traveling around Europe.

This is because if people in Europe learn a second language, they usually opt for English. Especially younger generations. While in the past it wasn’t easy to communicate in English in many countries, nowadays, it’s hardly even an issue anymore, definitely in the more touristy areas and bigger cities.

And if you run into a situation where you really don’t find anyone who speaks English, remember that a smile goes a long way. Plus, you can always use Google Translate if need be (even offline if you download certain languages in advance).

TIP: Learn a few basic local phrases for each country that you will be visiting. People always appreciate the effort, even if all you can say is ‘bonjour’ or ‘merci’ (‘hello’ and ‘thank you’ in French).

20. Try Local Food!

There is probably no better way to experience a new culture than through its food and dining experiences. So forget about all the food that you are used to at home and embrace European cuisine!

Food is such an essential part of traveling in Europe and your trip will be so much more special if you make the effort to try some local dishes everywhere you visit.

Try galettes (pancakes) or escargots (snails) in France, suppli (a deep-fried rice ball) in Rome, taste a cheese fondue or a raclette in Switzerland and discover countless different types of real Belgian waffles or moules-frites (mussels and French fries) in Brussels…

Every country, every region, and even every city has its own specialties. It’s worth traveling all the way to Europe just for its food!

TIP: One of the best ways to familiarize yourself with local dishes in a new place is by joining a food tour with a local guide. In just a few hours, you’ll get to taste all kinds of traditional specialties of that region coupled with local stories and tips about the place you are visiting. We are fans of food tours and try to do them wherever we can. It’s always so much fun (and the kids love it too!).

We always book food tours via GetYourGuide . Just type in the name of the city + food tour, and you’ll find plenty of choices.

You may also want to read some of our food guides, with tips on where to try these local dishes:

• British Food
• French Food
• Italian Food by Region
• Lithuanian Food
• Best Street Food Tour in Rome

21. Leave Some Room for Spontaneity and Enjoy the Moment!

While planning is extremely important, be sure to leave room for spontaneity as well.

Take some time to sit down for a cup of coffee and do some people-watching, get a gelato, or splurge on a cocktail on a rooftop terrace, and simply enjoy the moment. Take a detour via a nice little street along the way and look for some hidden gems beyond the main attractions.

Remember that some of the best experiences in Europe come from wandering aimlessly, stumbling upon charming neighborhoods, local cafes, markets, or talking to locals.

Often, it’s the little things and unexpected discoveries that make for some of the most memorable travel experiences!

TIP: Talking about getting a bit off the beaten path, here are some of our favorites: hidden gems in London and hidden gems in Rome .

So, these are some of the main steps for planning your first trip to Europe. I hope that our tips and advice will help you plan a truly memorable vacation.

Traveling to Europe for the first time will open up a whole new world for you, with rich history, diverse cultures, and breathtaking landscapes. You are sure to come back home with some incredible experiences and unforgettable memories.

Have a great trip!

TIP: As already mentioned, we live in Europe and have traveled around extensively. On our blog, you can find lots of guides to some of the destinations we visited most recently. Below, we highlighted some articles that you may find useful.

Useful tips for visiting some of the most popular cities in Europe:

• Amsterdam Travel Tips
• Barcelona Travel Tips
• Krakow Travel Tips
• London Travel Tips
• Paris Travel Tips
• Rome Travel Tips

Be sure to also take a look at our travel destinations page for more information and inspiration for a wide variety of destinations that we have written about.

If you found this post helpful, don’t forget to bookmark it and share it with your friends. Are you on Pinterest? Pin this image!

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Wednesday 1st of May 2024

We are thinking of travelling in Hungary, Budapest and Austria. Do you have any travel tips for those destinations?

Thanks, Pam

Friday 3rd of May 2024

Hi Pam, while we have been to Budapest, Vienna, and quite a few other places in those countries, most of those trips were way before I had this blog. That said, we have quite a few recent articles about a variety of mountain destinations in Austria, as well as Salzburg. Please see here.

Thursday 7th of September 2023

I haven't been into Europe, but this will really help me and other people who will travel for the first time in Europe. I will surely keep this in mind. Thank you for the information!

Monday 11th of September 2023

Thanks for reading and hope you get to visit Europe very soon!

Wednesday 6th of September 2023

Thank you for this write up. Me and my partner are making our second European trip and we cant wait to spend time. Any tips is especially welcome and this article has been so informative and fun. I've bookmarked this for further reading.

Glad to hear this, Neil. If you have any specific questions for destinations that we feature on our blog, feel free to leave a comment under a related article and we'll try to help. Enjoy Europe!

How to Plan an Epic 2 Week Europe Trip (+ Europe Itinerary Ideas!)

Ready to plan a 2 week Europe trip but not quite sure where to start?

We want to help!

Whether it’s your first trip to Europe or your tenth, there’s something simultaneously overwhelming and exhilarating about planning a trip through multiple countries that–for us and most of the readers of this blog post–lie across an ocean from home.

I’ll never forget planning our first 2 week Europe itinerary: I pored over flight schedules, bucket lists, budgets, and maps for months, desperate to pull together the ultimate Europe trip.

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There were many, many lists involved in planning that first trip, and after months of planning, I emerged with an eclectic but incredible itinerary that kicked our love of travel into high gear.

In the summer of 2015, Jeremy and I spent a little over 2 weeks in Europe exploring Krakow , Budapest , Plitvice Lakes National Park , Zadar , Dublin , and the Cliffs of Moher (I told you it was eclectic!).

We’ve now cumulatively spent years of our lives traveling in Europe, falling in love with world-famous cities and less iconic locations alike, and there’s absolutely nothing we like better than helping people plan their own unforgettable adventures.

Over the years, we’ve explored the continent in almost every way possible, from backpacking Europe on a budget for 2 weeks to checking into luxury hotels to playing tour guide for family and friends to finally spending more than a year living in Lisbon, Portugal !

We’ve put together this 2 week Europe itinerary guide to help you plan your trip–here’s what you need to know before you go.

(Also, yes–this is an incredibly long blog post! We recommend using the table of contents right below this paragraph to help you navigate to different sections depending on what you’re hoping to read first.)

Table of Contents

How to Use This 2 Week Europe Trip Guide

Exciting 2 week europe itinerary ideas, how to get around during 2 weeks in europe, important tips for planning a 2 week europe trip, faq for spending 2 weeks in europe, what to pack for 2 weeks in europe, read more about visiting europe.

This 2 week Europe trip guide is designed for someone hoping to see the highlights of a few different European destinations, spread across multiple countries, in only a couple of weeks.

We’ve primarily written it for someone planning their first trip to Europe, but if this is your second trip, third trip, or beyond, hopefully, we have some interesting ideas and tips for you, too!

And, of course, given that Europe is home to more than 50 countries and is roughly the same size as the USA, no 2 weeks in Europe could hope to cover the entire continent or all of its numerous and distinct cultures, languages, and histories.

For ease of communication, we’ll talk in general terms about traveling in Europe here, but once you pick your itinerary, of course, you’ll want to follow up with further research on the specific locations you’ll be visiting.

And, once you’re further along in your planning process, we’d love to help you with some of that planning here on Our Escape Clause, too!

We’ll link to relevant blog posts throughout this travel guide, but given the hundreds of posts we have on the site, we won’t be able to link them all.

You can use our destinations page or the search bar on the top right of the page (on desktop) or at the top of the pop-out menu (on mobile) to find our content about various specific destinations across Europe or general travel tips.

For example, a few of our most popular guides that might come in handy next include our guide to traveling Europe by train , our 75 best Europe travel tips , and our (biased) guide to the best cities in Europe .

The number of possible 2 week Europe itinerary ideas is truly infinite–just look at the odd itinerary that I cobbled together for us in 2015 as an example !

However, the sample itineraries for Europe outlined below should give you a good idea of what you can accomplish with around 14 days in Europe .

I truly struggled to narrow down these ideas–I could name 10 more excellent 2 week Europe trips in an instant, and still feel like I was leaving so much on the table.

I aimed to keep these mostly focused on destinations that are popular for first-time visitors to Europe, with just a couple of slight curve balls thrown in.

The Classic: London, Paris, Rome

As three of the world’s most beloved and celebrated cities, you can’t go wrong with splitting your 2 weeks in Europe between London, Paris, and Rome.

As the capital of an English-speaking country and home to an enormous airport hub, London makes logistical sense for a first trip to Europe hailing from North America–and, of course, it’s a truly fascinating city.

Visit Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park, stroll through Notting Hill, snap photos of Big Ben, check out the Tower Bridge and the Tower of London , visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, stop by Piccadilly Circus, ride the London Eye , and tour the British Museum.

… And that’s just to get you started !

The City of Lights is one of our favorite cities in the world and was also the first place we visited on our very first trip to Europe (we spent a week there and then planned our 2 week Europe trip outlined in the introduction of this blog post the following year).

Since then, we haven’t been able to stop going back, and believe that it’s an excellent addition to any 2 week Europe itinerary!

While you’re in Paris , visit the Eiffel Tower, marvel at the beauty of Sainte-Chapelle, tour the Louvre and the Musee d’Orsay, stroll the picturesque streets of Montmartre and the Latin Quarter, visit the Palais Garnier, discover hidden passages and tiny cafes, and soak up every minute of that Parisian charm.

Our full guide to planning your first trip to Paris can help you get started!

Ah, Rome –if Paris is the first European city we fell in love with, Rome is probably our deepest love on the continent.

From wonders of Ancient Rome like the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Pantheon to more recent additions like the Vatican Museums , Trevi Fountain, and winding cobblestone streets of Trastevere , exploring Rome is a captivating, engaging experience that we can’t recommend highly enough.

And, of course, you couldn’t ask for a better cuisine to savor during your 2 weeks in Europe: Rome is home to some of the best pasta in all of Italy!

Southern Europe Charm: Madrid, Rome, Amalfi Coast

Want your 2 weeks in Europe to focus on a delightful combination of history, food, and sunshine?

Head directly to Spain and Italy!

While Barcelona gets all the love (and a lot of the crowds), we’re personally smitten with the Spanish capital of Madrid… and excellent flight deals from North America make it almost irresistible on a 2 week Europe itinerary.

With a few days in Madrid , you can admire world-class art in the Prado, soak in Spanish culture with a stroll through Retiro Park, eat all the tapas and churros con chocolate you can get your hands on, tour the Royal Palace , check out an Egyptian temple, and take day trips to fairytale towns like Toledo and Segovia.

I described Rome in the first Europe itinerary on this list, so I won’t repeat myself here, but as I sit typing this Europe travel blog post out in a Rome apartment while dreaming of the carbonara I’ll eat for dinner tonight, all I can say is: you won’t regret coming to Rome (and scroll up for more details).

And, while I detailed some of Rome’s highlights above, let me also say… don’t forget to get off the beaten path in the Eternal City , either!

Amalfi Coast

The famed Amalfi Coast , with its dramatic cliffs, chic villages like Positano, delicious lemons, and jaw-droppingly beautiful hikes like the Path of the Gods, is a fabulous conclusion to any 2 week Europe trip–where better to relax than one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world?

While you’re there, be sure to make room for plenty of day trips!

Iconic locations like Capri and Pompeii , as well as less-popular but equally amazing spots like Ischia, Herculaneum , and Procida, are all at your fingertips when staying on the Amalfi Coast.

(Also, if you like page-turning novels about friendship and Italy, I highly recommend reading Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend series before coming or while visiting Europe).

Regal Central Europe: Prague, Vienna, Budapest

Sweeping boulevards, dramatic architecture, beautiful coffeehouses, and tasty comfort food: a trip to Central Europe is an absolute delight.

In my opinion, this region truly shines during the winter months when Christmas markets are in full swing and the hearty cuisine keeps you warm from the inside out.

I’ll try to keep this section quite brief, as I’ve already written a detailed Central Europe itinerary here , but suffice it to say, we love it.

Known as the City of a Hundred Spires (and also for the fact that beer is cheaper than water here–true story, at least when it comes to pricey bottled water at restaurants), Prague is easily in the running for the most beautiful city in Europe.

The beauty of Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, the famed Charles Bridge, and Prague’s well-known astronomical clock will all draw you in.

If you have enough time, consider adding a day trip to a smaller Czech town like gorgeous Český Krumlov as well!

Regal and beautiful, full of spacious, wide avenues and ornate buildings, Austria’s capital city is the perfect place to come to tour grand palaces ( Schonbrunn is one of the most popular), see a show in one of the world’s premier opera houses, and to enjoy European cafe culture at its finest.

We absolutely adore Vienna’s coffee houses–be sure to try a slice (or several) of Esterhazy Cake while there, as well as Viennese hot chocolate.

The city’s famed Spanish riding school and striking St. Stephen’s Cathedral are also worth adding to your list!

As our favorite city in central Europe and one of our top 10 cities in Europe overall, I really can’t say enough about how beautiful Budapest is! 

The city is somehow, simultaneously, both grand and down-to-earth , absolutely gorgeous while also remaining accessible, affordable, and fairly simple to visit and explore.

While in Budapest, go for a soak in the famous thermal baths, tour one of the most beautiful houses of Parliament in Europe, check out a castle, visit grand basilicas, take a boat ride down the Danube, and, if you’re up for a bit of adventure, even go on a cave tour!

Be sure not to miss the great food , either–Budapest’s hearty cuisine is a delight, and one of our all-time favorite wine tastings took place there!

Europe for Art Lovers: Paris, Florence, Venice

If you’re an art buff at heart, you can’t ask for a better sampling of some of the continent’s most beloved artistic cities than the trifecta of Paris, Florence, and Venice (and it certainly helps that each city is practically an art museum in and of itself).

From the Louvre to the Musee d’Orsay to the Orangerie to the Musee Rodin to the Centre Pompidou to the Cluny Museum, it would probably take a lifetime to enjoy all the art museums in Paris alone.

And of course, the city has so much more to offer once you need a break!

Nicknamed the Cradle of the Renaissance, Florence boasts the finest collection of Renaissance art on the planet–and claims many of its most famous artists as locals. 

Michelangelo, DaVinci, Botticelli, and more all originally hailed from Florence, and their works are scattered about the city.

Perhaps most famously, Michelangelo’s David is in the Galleria dell’Accademia and Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus is in the Uffizi Gallery .

And of course, no art-focused trip to the Cradle of the Renaissance can overlook Florence’s iconic Duomo , a masterpiece of the era!

Located an easy train ride away from Florence, Venice may be slightly less well-known for its art than the first two cities on this 2 week Europe itinerary, but there’s no doubt that there’s plenty to find!

From the utter masterpiece of St. Mark’s Basilica (don’t miss a chance to go in!) to the incredible Doge’s Palace to the famous Galleria dell’Accademia (not to be confused with the one in Florence!) that focuses mostly on Venetian artists, Venice is an art lover’s dream.

Mix it up by adding a visit to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, which holds modern art, and a gondola ride .

A fter all, Venice itself is no doubt one of the best artistic masterpieces in the city, and it deserves to be seen from all its best angles.

The Incredible Iberian Peninsula: Lisbon, The Algarve, Andalucia

The Iberian Peninsula is dominated by Spain and Portugal , and while I might be biased after spending more than a year living in Lisbon, it makes for an unforgettable Eurotrip!

(The fact that there are often flight deals from the US to Lisbon and Madrid doesn’t hurt, either).

There are infinite ways to craft southern Europe itineraries out of these two countries, but here’s one great option…

Start your trip with a few days in Lisbon , Portugal’s trendy capital city, soaking up beautiful views from its many miradouros , sampling Portuguese food (starting with pastéis de nata ), touring the incredible Jerónimos Monastery, and taking day trips from Lisbon to nearby gems like the palaces of Sintra and/or the beach resort town of Cascais .

Be prepared to head up and down a lot of hills while you’re there–but Lisbon is worth the climb.

If you’re looking for neighborhoods to wander through, Alfama, Castelo, Chiado, and Bairro Alto are particularly picturesque–keep an eye out for trams, azulejos, and peacocks as you explore!

And, while Lisbon’s top attractions are definitely worth a visit, seeking out some of the many hidden gems in Lisbon will add extra beauty to your trip.

The Algarve

After saying goodbye to Lisbon, head south of Portugal’s Algarve for a dizzying array of whitewashed villages (you’ll find many of the best beach towns in Portugal here) and a picturesque coastline.

Lagos is one of the most popular places to stay, and we can highly recommend it–don’t miss the famous Ponta da Piedade, which photos can’t do justice to.

Nearby attractions (ideally, you’ll want to rent a car in the Algarve) include the famous Benagil Cave and the unmissable Seven Hanging Valleys Trail!

For the second week of your trip in Europe, cross the border into southern Spain (note: there’s no direct train access for this journey, but there are buses).

Split your time between any two of Andalucia’s incredible cities, taking nearby day trips from there.

Seville (with its Alcazar and famous Plaza de Espana), Granada (home of the Alhambra ), and Cordoba (home of the Mosque-Cathedral , one of the most unique houses of worship in the world) are all wonderful inland options.

On the coast, options include Cadiz, Malaga, Marbella, Tarifa, and many more.

With a bit more than 2 weeks in Europe or an ambitious schedule, you may be able to squeeze in a day trip to Gibraltar and/or Tangier, Morocco while here!

Food + History: Athens, Santorini, Istanbul

Feel like heading further east–as far east as you can get during a Europe vacation?

Greece and Turkey pair very well for a 14 day European itinerary–here’s what that might look like.

Start your trip in Athens, marveling at some of the world’s most remarkable ruins, including the famous Acropolis complex and museum.

Be sure to make time to explore non-ancient aspects of Athens as well, including the trendy Plaka neighborhood, Monastiraki Square (and nearby flea market!), and Syntagma Square.

And of course, one of the absolute best things to do after you touch down in Athens is to dive into plate after plate of phenomenal Greek food –that alone is worth traveling to Greece for ( our Athens food tour remains one of my favorites that we’ve taken in Europe).

Truly, any one of Greece’s amazing islands would fit nicely into this 2 week Europe itinerary, but where better to choose than Santorini , with its iconic blue-and-white color scheme, fantastic caldera views, and excellent flight connections?

While Santorini isn’t best known for its beaches–you’re better off heading to Crete for those–you sure can’t beat the charming villages or stunning nature.

The city of two continents, where thousands of years of history blend seamlessly with modern life, and where you can eat one of the best breakfasts you’ll ever experience in your life: Istanbul tops bucket lists around the world, and there is simply nowhere on the planet quite like it.

Marvel at the Blue Mosque, step inside the Hagia Sophia, eat your weight in Turkish breakfast (seriously, I can’t emphasize enough how tasty it is), admire the views of the Bosphorus, climb the Galata Tower, and shop your way through the Grand Bazaar.

Since this Europe travel blog post focuses on, well, Europe, I won’t sketch out any other possibilities further east in Turkey in detail…

But, if you have time, you could easily add a visit to Cappadocia , complete with a sunrise hot air balloon ride, to your trip, or even a visit to the ruins of Ephesus.

Architecture + Culture: Cologne, Amsterdam, Belgium

With this small triangle of destinations, you can easily visit separate countries via train, with very little travel time between them!

And, if you were particularly motivated to add another, you could even squeeze in a day trip to Luxembourg.

If you’re looking for a winter itinerary for Europe that focuses on cities, this is a fantastic option.

Home to a stunning cathedral and what may just be the best Christmas markets on the planet, Cologne is a gorgeous German city that is a delight to explore on foot.

Don’t miss its soaring Gothic Cathedral while you’re there!

… Though honestly, that would be hard to do, considering you can see it right as you step outside the train station.

As one of the most popular cities to visit in Europe, Amsterdam requires no introduction.

The city of canals, biking, and revelry is somehow even more beautiful in person than in the billions of photos of it.

While you’re there, be sure to take a canal cruise, stroll the 9 Streets, and visit at least a couple of the city’s museums (the Anne Frank House is incredibly moving).

If you visit Amsterdam in winter , you’ll no doubt need to bundle up–but the lack of crowds in this often-packed city is also a treat to experience.

Perhaps it may be slightly unfair to list Belgium entirely while the other destinations are split into cities… but considering Belgium’s two most popular cities, Bruges and Ghent , are located less than an hour apart by train, you can cover quite a bit of the country in a few days !

With stunning architecture, canals, and carbs (bring on the waffles and frites), it’s easy to have a blast in Belgium.

Winter in Belgium brings a lack of crowds and plenty of festivities during the Christmas season!

Alpine Escape: Bavaria, Switzerland’s Jungfrau Region, Milan, and Lake Como

If your dream Europe trip involves plenty of Alpine views with a side of cities, this is the itinerary for Europe in 2 weeks for you.

Start your trip in Bavaria, the land of castles, beer, and outdoor delights.

City lovers will enjoy being based in Munich (don’t miss the opulent Munich Residenz or view from St. Peter’s Church and/or the Town Hall Tower while there).

From Munich, you can easily day trip to more mountainous areas, starting with Fussen, home to Germany’s famous Neuschwanstein Castle .

If you get good weather and want to see as many mountains as possible, a day trip to the Zugspite–the highest point in Germany–is also an option.

Really, though, if there’s one thing to prioritize in Munich, it’s to eat and drink all the sausage, pretzels, beer, and beyond you can get your hands on!

Switzerland’s Jungfrau Region

I am convinced that Switzerland’s Jungfrau region–located around (literally, above) Interlaken–is paradise on earth in the summer.

If you’re dreaming of the Alps, check into a hotel in Wengen, Murren, or Grindelwald (for the best views) or Interlaken (for a bit more selection) or Lauterbrunnen (to be in the literal center of the action) and have the trip of your dreams.

Switzerland’s legendarily efficient trains and gondolas mean that wherever you stay, the region is at your fingertips.

Hiking from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidigg, riding the highest train in Europe to Jungfraujoch (aka the “Top of Europe”), eating daily fondue, walking from Murren to Gimmelwald , and riding a historic cogwheel train to Schynige Platte are just a few of the unforgettable experiences you’ll find here.

Milan + Lake Como

End your trip to Milan and Lake Como , two of the most popular destinations in northern Italy!

In Milan , be sure to visit its legendary Duomo, stroll through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, visit Sforzesco Castle, and, if you can get tickets (plan ahead!) see Da Vinci’s The Last Supper .

At Lake Como (just an hour north of Milan by train), take a boat tour around the lake and visit delightfully charming towns like Varenna and Bellagio while admiring magnificent Alpine views.

Getting around in each city on your 2 week Europe itinerary is a question better suited to blog posts on that particular city, so this section is designed to address getting in between each destination during your 14 days in Europe.

We recommend checking several solutions for each destination, as you never know what will crop up!

Personally, our first 2 week Europe trip involved an overnight train, a budget plane ride, and a couple of rental cars.

Train travel is our absolute favorite way to travel in Europe!

I t’s much less stressful than traveling by plane, especially once you get the hang of it, far more comfortable, and for those of us hailing from North America, it’s a travel experience in its own right!

We recommend using services like Omio to compare train prices across multiple countries.

It works more or less exactly like a car rental aggregate does, searching multiple companies and generating the best routes and prices for your dates.

Keep in mind that train travel is most useful in western and central Europe–once you head into eastern Europe and especially the Balkans, train travel becomes more limited and bus travel more common (for example, popular Dubrovnik, Croatia doesn’t have a train station).

Shop train routes and tickets prices in Europe today!

For those traveling on a budget or between two smaller destinations where rail travel isn’t an option, buses can be a very affordable choice.

In addition to standard local buses, companies like Flixbus provide an easy-to-use service, and you can check their prices and availability directly or through Omio as well (that way you can compare train tickets at the same time).

Browse bus routes in Europe today!

With plenty of budget airlines and plenty of airports to choose from, if you plan wisely, it’s possible to take flights in Europe that are so inexpensive you wonder how the company pays for the fuel.

S eriously: 10 Euro flights are possible, though we’ve never actually managed to pay that since we prefer to check our bags !

When looking for flights within Europe, we recommend using Google Flights in order to search the whole continent at once (you can simply put “Europe” in as the destination, and it’ll pull up a map of prices). 

With a little flexibility on destination (for example, maybe flying into nearby Bologna is cheaper than flying into Florence ?) and even on dates if possible, you just might end up with an excellent flight deal or two during your trip to Europe.

Personally, we recommend avoiding a car rental when possible during your 2 weeks in Europe, especially if you’re following anything resembling a Europe itinerary like the ones I outlined above.

In large cities, rental cars are a hindrance and a liability, not an asset, and they add quite a bit to your bottom line.

That being said, if you’re planning on visiting any rural areas or small towns, road trips in Europe can be a delight!

Y ou could consider renting a car for a couple of days in Tuscany , for example, or to visit the villages of Provence.

If you do choose to rent a car, we recommend searching for the best prices through Discover Cars , which will allow you to search multiple companies at once and come up with a great option. 

While major international carriers like Hertz and Enterprise are available in Europe, they’re not always the best deal, and searching for a combination of local and international companies is best.

Personally, we have no loyalty to any one rental car company, and book with whoever is most affordable (and we always buy the extra insurance).

As a result, we’ve rented cars through easily more than 15 or 20 agencies over the years (I’d be hard-pressed even to estimate it), and we’ve never had any issues with surprise charges.

Price out rental cars with Discover Cars now!

Don’t forget boats when it comes to planning a 2 week Europe itinerary, especially over the summer!

While ferries between or to/from islands are obviously the most popular ( Dubrovnik to Hvar , for example, or Barcelona to Mallorca), there are longer ferry options as well!

Last summer, we took a ferry from Barcelona to Rome and loved the experience of drifting along the Mediterranean Sea for 24 hours!

Many ferry routes are seasonal, but not all.

Don’t plan to visit too many destinations.

With only around 14 days in Europe, I know it can be incredibly tempting to squeeze in as many destinations as possible (and I have many fevered outlines of ridiculously ambitious trips I planned in my college days to prove it), but your trip will go so much more smoothly if you can resist that temptation.

In most cases, we recommend an absolute minimum of two full days per major city.

By full days, I mean with limited exceptions (like a red-eye flight that lands at 8:00 AM), the day you arrive and the day you depart don’t count as a “day” in a given city–just as a travel day.

Three or four days per city is even better and will allow you to potentially squeeze in a day trip from that city to a smaller city or village if you want to mix things up.

Start and end in a major airport hub.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be the same hub–more on that below–but there are definitely airports that are cheaper to fly into and out of for intercontinental flights than others.

Budapest may be affordable once you’re there, for example, but flying from the US directly to Budapest can hurt the wallet!

For those of you coming from the USA, London, Dublin , Madrid , Paris , Lisbon , Frankfurt, Amsterdam , and Milan are a few places to check ticket prices for.

That’s not an exhaustive list by any means, but there are often flight deals to and from these cities.

If you can, use an open-jaw ticket rather than a return ticket.

This will allow you to begin and end your 2 weeks in Europe in entirely different destinations, and let you avoid doubling back!

While one-way tickets can be pricier than round-trip ones, if you’re flexible on your dates and destinations (so deciding which cities to start and end in partially based on price), you can usually find excellent deals

This is exactly how we ended up flying into Krakow and out of Dublin for our first 2 week Europe trip!

You will be exhausted at some point. Plan for it.

Two weeks in Europe may not seem like a ton, but if you’re anything like us or virtually all of the travelers we have talked to, exhaustion will set in during your trip.

Sightseeing in Europe is fabulous, but it’s also tiring.

Add in navigating cultural differences, language barriers, and moving countries every few days, and you’re bound to need a break at some point.

We recommend planning a couple of laid-back days without museum visits, tours, or day trips so that you can catch your breath and avoid burnout.

Try to be flexible with where you go.

As you start pricing train, plane, and bus tickets for your trip to Europe, you’ll likely notice dramatic shifts–for example, is it 4x the money to get to London instead of Amsterdam?

Does traveling to Prague require a long flight and 2 layovers but Rome is a quick hop away?

If you can, be flexible when you come upon these challenges: we recommend having 1-2 “must visit” destinations and filling in the rest of your trip based on a combination of logistics and desire.

After all, there’s no way you can see it all on a 2 week Europe trip anyway!

Don’t underestimate the time and energy it takes to change destinations.

“Oh, it’s only a 3-hour train ride away! That’s nothing!”

I think we’ve all said that at some point when planning a multi-country trip, but be cautious.

Three hours on the train doesn’t account for packing and unpacking, getting to and from the train station, checking out of and into a hotel… you get the picture.

If you’re looking at a high-level schedule without picking a specific date or time, you may also come to find that sure, there’s one direct 3-hour train between two cities… but it leaves at 10:00 PM or 6:00 AM, and the rest of the trains require layovers.

Or perhaps the direct train only runs 3 days a week.

Or maybe you’re looking at a plane, in which case, be sure to add at least 4 hours to your transit time: getting to and from the airport and security/check-in beforehand.

Long story short, travel days between countries are virtually always more tiring and time-consuming than they look at first glance, so don’t overcommit on those days when planning your ultimate Europe trip!

Big cities are more accessible than small towns and nature areas.

For the first trip to Europe especially, big cities are absolutely the easiest to plan your itinerary for Europe around.

They’re generally easier and cheaper to get into and out of, and there’s far more information available about them online to help plan your trips.

That’s no reason not to visit other places too, of course–but keep in mind that the more rural the area, the more logistically challenging your trip will be.

Skip-the-line tickets are incredibly useful.

I’m sure it comes as absolutely no surprise that the world’s most iconic monuments and museums tend to get a bit crowded… and that makes skip-the-line tickets invaluable, especially with only 2 weeks in Europe to squeeze in as much sightseeing as possible.

In some places (like the Arc de Triomphe ) they’re available without any additional fee, and in other places (like the Colosseum) they cost a bit extra.

Either way, though, it’s 1000% worth the price and effort to get tickets online beforehand for popular spots, especially if you’re traveling during the high season.

And, in 2024, it’s worth pointing out that given ever-changing capacity limits, it’s a better idea than ever to book in advance–and for some attractions, it’s even required!

When 2020 shook the travel industry to its core, many of the most popular museums and monuments in Europe found that life was easier with reservations and online bookings, and have continued prioritizing that system over traditional lines and ticket booths even as crowds returned to “normal”.

We use skip-the-line tickets all over the continent and book them through Get Your Guide .

Book your hotels and major transportation in advance.

Before kicking off your 2 week Europe itinerary, we recommend having all of your hotels and major transportation (so travel between destinations) booked and ready to go.

This dramatically cuts down on stress levels, makes it easier to budget and plan out your days, and generally helps your trip run more smoothly.

These days, we book virtually all of our lodging (including apartments, farm stays, houses, and more) through Booking.com .

Smaller things, like metro passes or tickets for getting around cities, can be handled once you arrive.

If you can, we recommend taking at least one food tour during your 2 weeks in Europe.

Food tours are one of our favorite ways to get our bearings in a new city while learning about the culture, history, and neighborhood through something we can all appreciate: a tasty meal.

We’ve taken food tours in several countries around the world, including many in Europe, and have never walked away unsatisfied!

You do need to pay to use the restroom… sometimes.

Throughout Europe, public restrooms are generally available for a fee (typically either half a Euro or a Euro).

If you’d like to avoid those costs, be sure to take advantage of available restrooms in restaurants and museums as you sightsee !

Also, toilet paper is far from guaranteed in public toilets on the street.

We recommend carrying a small pack of tissues with you just in case.

Will I need an adapter?

Most likely, yes!

Luckily, adapters are cheap to buy and easy to carry–we recommend picking these up before you go.

Keep in mind that the UK and a few other countries ( Ireland , Malta ) use a separate plug from the bulk of the continent.

If you’re heading to a place that uses UK plugs, you’ll want these adapters as well.

Is a money belt a good idea?

It depends, honestly.

We used a money belt for our first trip to Europe and for a couple after that.

Back then, we weren’t used to life in bustling big cities, and though we knew that thieves knew about them (because they definitely do), Jeremy found them comfortable enough to wear and it was an easy way to keep our belongings a bit more secure.

If you’re not used to traveling in a big city or watching for pickpockets, I don’t think it’s a terrible idea to use one– this is the one we used and we had no complaints–but I also don’t think it’s necessary, especially if you’re comfortable in large cities.

Is the water safe to drink?

Usually, yes.

We drink out of the tap just about anywhere in Europe.

In rare cases where the water is not safe to drink (usually in remote areas of southern and eastern Europe, or in very old buildings with iffy pipes), there will generally be large and obvious signs stating so.

If you’re worried about it, though, you can always ask your hotel concierge or host about it!

Is it worth going to Europe for 2 weeks?

This is a pretty common question, and honestly, I get it: with long and expensive flights, it’s easy to wonder if flying to Europe for “only” 2 weeks is worth it.

But yes, it absolutely is!

Two weeks in Europe is long enough that you’ll have plenty of time to get past jetlag, visit several destinations, and have a wonderful trip packed with memories.

Now whether or not it’s worth flying to Europe for just one week is a bit more controversial… but we love to travel Europe so much that we still say yes (for some people).

How extreme is the language barrier?

It varies significantly, of course, but generally, it’s not nearly as difficult as first-time visitors to Europe worry before they arrive (ourselves included).

We recommend learning basic phrases in the language of the countries you are visiting during your 2 week Europe itinerary, but this is usually more for good manners than out of necessity.

While you can absolutely find monolingual Europeans in virtually any country, especially in smaller cities and towns, the people employed in customer service roles and in the tourism industry in major cities–in other words, where most or all of your 2 weeks in Europe will likely take place–generally speak some English.

How many European countries should you visit in 2 weeks?

For most travelers, we recommend roughly 3 “base” destinations for a 2 week Europe trip, plus a couple of day trips from there to mix things up.

These can all be in one country (for example, here’s how we recommend spending 2 weeks in Italy ), or they can be in 3 separate countries!

There are plenty of exceptions to this standard layout, of course, but it’s a doable but exciting number of destinations to work with for most 14 day Europe itineraries.

When should I tip?

While this is very country and industry-dependent, generally speaking, tipping is not nearly as prominent in Europe as it is in the USA, and you’ll virtually never need to tip over 10%.

In some countries, you may also tip 5-10% at restaurants, while in others, you might round up the bill or leave nothing at all.

Frequently, a “service charge” will be automatically supplied to the bill which serves the purpose of a tip.

For tour guides, a 10% tip is common.

What’s the best month to visit Europe?

All of them, except August.

I kid–somewhat–but honestly, every single month in Europe has its perks!

For a concise answer, the late spring (April-May) and early fall (September-October) are considered ideal by most travelers.

August is specifically difficult because it’s not only very hot in many of Europe’s most popular destinations, but most Europeans take vacations then, so many places (especially in the mountains and on the coast) are at their priciest.

If we absolutely had to visit Europe only during one month for the rest of our lives, we’d pick September, though October is a very close second.

What’s the cheapest month to visit Europe?

It depends–trying to spot the northern lights in Tromso would be one exception to this, for example–but for standard first time Europe itineraries like the ones I outlined in this blog post, January and February are often the cheapest months to visit.

When the Christmas markets are over and the gray weather settles in, you can score great deals on vacations in Europe (and have plenty of room to stretch out at iconic monuments).

How far in advance should I book my trip?

For plane tickets, as soon as you can commit to dates!

Not only will this allow you to have more time to plan and budget with a bit of structure, but it will also spread out your costs a bit more.

During peak seasons, like coastal locations in the summer or popular destinations during the Christmas season in Europe , you’ll want to book your hotels as far in advance as you can commit to them as well.

Can you do Europe for $100/day?

This depends a lot on the traveler, group size, etc, but my initial, instinctive answer is:

If you don’t include plane tickets to and from Europe, yes, absolutely, without a doubt–we’ve done it many, many, many times (as a couple).

The key is to shop for deals, visit during the off-season, not shy away from less common destinations (especially in Eastern Europe and the Balkans), and travel slowly.

The fewer destinations you visit, the cheaper a trip generally is!

If you want to stick to Western Europe, southern Spain , southern Portugal, and southern Italy can all be bargains (as compared to places like Paris and London) as well.

Here’s how we manage our travel budget.

We’ve put together detailed packing lists for various seasons in Europe, so be sure to check out our complete suggestions for spring , summer , fall , and winter before you head off on your 2 weeks in Europe.

We go into far more detail on what to wear in Europe there !

To get you started, though, here are a few essentials that should definitely be at the top of your list .

Travel Insurance — We don’t ever suggest traveling without travel insurance–anything can happen, and it’s better to be safe than sorry during your 2 weeks in Europe.

Check travel insurance policy inclusions and prices for your trip here.

Pacsafe — We can’t recommend our Pacsafe enough!

This travel safe is affordable, sturdy, easy to pack, and will help keep your valuables safe in your hotel room (not that you should need to worry much about theft from your hotel room during your trip to Europe, but it’s better to be safe than sorry!).

Comfortable Day Bag  — We currently use  Pacsafe’s sleek anti-theft backpack  and love it, but if you don’t want to shell out the cash for this trip, that’s totally understandable.

Just aim for something comfortable to wear, not flashy, and medium-sized–we used a  Northface Jester backpack  for years and loved it as well.

Travel Adapters for Europe — If you’re coming from outside of Europe, you’ll definitely need adapters for your electronics.

Be sure to check the requirements for any particular countries you visit–the United Kingdom, for example, is well-known for using different plugs than most of the continent.

Portable USB Charger — Don’t stress about your phone dying while you’re sightseeing!

Add a portable charger to your 2 weeks in Europe packing list.

Hand Sanitizer — We carry this everywhere, and never been sorry to have it floating around in our day bag.

Travel Journal — If you want to keep a travel journal during your 2 week Europe trip but can’t commit to a huge amount of writing each night, I can’t recommend the One Line a Day Journal enough.

I’ve been using it for more than 5 years now (I’m on my second volume!) and I absolutely love it.

In the process of booking your Europe trip and eager to keep planning?

We’d love to help!

You can browse all of our general Europe blog posts here , find articles about specific places through our destinations page , or check out these guides:

• Your 13-Step Guide to Traveling to Europe for the First Time
• The Perfect 2 Week Spain and Portugal Itinerary (+ Essential Tips!)
• How to Travel Europe By Train: The Ultimate Guide (+ Tips!)
• 11 Quick Tips for Finding + Using Toilets in Europe
• Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Beyond: Epic Central Europe Itinerary

About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

60 thoughts on “How to Plan an Epic 2 Week Europe Trip (+ Europe Itinerary Ideas!)”

Great post! I’m actually working on my own 2 week itineraries through Europe post, but I might wait to publish until next year, when I’ve visited a few more spots. I totally agree that the key is to slow down and not switch cities every day or two. Three nights is perfect and sometimes more for the big cities. And yes, multi-city flights are so helpful so you don’t have to backtrack!

Thanks, Riana! We definitely love to slow down whenever we can. :-)

Hi Kate! This is the BEST post related to Europe Itinerary out of the 1000 other posts that I have checked.

I am from India and I am planning for a trip in February end.

I definitely want to visit FINLAND (so that’s definitely in my list). From there, I am planning for Bupadest,Croatia OR Budapest, Prague OR Budapest/ Vienna.

Do you think this will be good for 2 weeks?

Waiting for your reply. And thanks a ton for such a beautiful detailed post.

Thank you so much, Akshay, that’s wonderful to hear!

That sounds like a wonderful itinerary. Croatia is a bit further out of the way than the other places, but it’s peaceful and beautiful during the winter and fairly simple to get to via a budget flight.

Hope you have an incredible trip to Europe!

Oh my goodness Kate, thank you so much for this post! This is exactly what I needed for my boyfriend and I to plan our trip to Europe in 2020. We want to visit Italy, Spain, France, and England but Greece and Croatia look amazing too! It’s so hard to decide.

Thank you, Jessica! So glad you found our blog helpful.

It is SO hard to decide, and honestly, it never gets any easier in my experience! All of those places are absolutely amazing, so no matter what you decide I’m sure you guys will have an incredible trip.

Italy, France, and Spain are really easy to pair together if you want to keep logistics simple, but really any combination of those would work.

What about panning around the seasons? Isn’t the Amalfi coast and Italy in general super hot during August?

It’s always nice to plan around the seasons when you can, but it depends on your availability!

Italy can be hot in August but it depends very much on where you go. It averages around 85 F / 30 C on the Amalfi Coast in August, which I have to admit isn’t enough to bother us, but it depends on where you’re coming from. It is high season there, though–very, very generally speaking, August is an expensive and crowded time to visit beaches in Europe because it’s when many Europeans tend to take their vacations and head to the coast!

Planning a trip in 2023-24 for my daughter’s graduation present. I was thinking maybe 2-3 weeks. On this trip, how much did you spend in total? I might end up being more because I usually pay for more luxurious than most, but will help with a little expectation of costs plus COLA increases obviously over the years. I figured I should start planning and saving now. lol

Hi Steven! We put this together based on years of traveling in Europe, so unfortunately I don’t have a specific figure to offer. So much varies, and can be impacted by where you go, how fast you travel (ie, how many times you change destinations), of course luxury as you mentioned, etc, etc. Generally speaking, for two people, I would say that $100/person/day is a good lower-midrange figure to calculate (excluding airfare), $200/person/day starts edging toward luxury territory, and of course, the sky is the limit.

That’s INCREDIBLY general, though. You’d be better off narrowing down which countries you plan to visit and calculating based on how long you plan to spend in each of them.

A few things to look at to give you an idea: price of hotels, price of day tours, projected cost of moving between destinations, and average cost of a meal. Those figures should give you a backbone to estimate a budget from.

What brand are the boots you are wearing in the photo “Comfortable Day Bag.” My wife loves them. Gift idea for when we go to Europe :)

Those are Ugg Kesey Motorcycle boots, and I love them too! Just got them out again for fall last week. :-)

Hi kate I am planning to visit europe sometime in 2023(may/june) with my wife and son. Could you please guide me with an itinerary for 15 days Or so?? Swiss, italy, France, spain. After that we will go to a friend in England. If possible, the expenses involved as well. Thanks

Hi Abhijit! I’m not a travel agent, so that’s a bit beyond my scope. :-) Generally speaking, though, I’d recommend parring your itinerary down to 2 countries, or 3 at the absolute maximum. 4 countries in 15 days is a lot of travel! Luckily, all of those destinations pair well together, so you can mix and match fairly easily. Also very generally speaking, Italy and Spain will be the most affordable, and Switzerland by far the most expensive–but that depends a lot on where you go and what you do!

Hey Kate, All your pictures are amazing! What kind of cameras do you bring with you? And do you edit your photos? If so what do you use for that, they are all really bright, great pictures.

Hi Stefanie! Thank you so much! We’ve used different cameras over the years, but our main camera these days is a Sony A7 rIII. We love it, and yes, all the photos taken with it are edited in Lightroom. :-)

Hi Kate, THANK YOU for the great article! I have booked my flights for a 2 week trip next spring, into London and out of Paris. I’ve been to both cities before, but do hope to get a few days in paris again. It’s stolen my heart.

What do you recommend in terms of getting from London to Rome, fairly quickly, and cheaply? I arrive into London mid-day and had hoped to just figure it out at the airport (Gatwick). Do you think that’s possible?

Thank you so much, Sarah! Your trip sounds fantastic.

I’d definitely plan on flying between London and Rome–it’ll be fastest and most likely cheapest, too. Check budget carriers like Ryanair, etc.

If you’re planning on flying out to Rome the same day you arrive in Gatwick, I’d absolutely recommend booking before you arrive. Be sure to double-check and make sure you’re flying out of Gatwick, too, or have time to change airports.

Hope you have an amazing time!

Oh wow I’m doing the same trip with my 3 sons. And unfortunately is the month that she said it’s the worst to go ..in August…oh well🤷🏽‍♀️ can’t do anything about it how but I am worried about the expense tho..

Love your information. I’m planning a trip to Italy and then we want to go to Salzburg as well in the summer of 2023. Our first time to Europe. We will be 60 in 2023 and we think we can plan this without going through a company. After reading your information, I feel comfortable. Two questions about hotels and transportation. What would you recommend for safe places for hotels in those two countries? We don’t need luxury but just comfort and clean. Would you recommend using rail between cities in Italy and it looks like you can travel from Venice to Salzburg by rail? Thoughts?

That’s great to hear, glad we could help!

Venice to Salzburg by rail is very doable in a day and a scenic journey. You’ll probably have to make a change, but that’s workable. Personally, we’d opt for it over flying in a heartbeat.

For hotels, I have several recommendations in our specific Venice and Salzburg posts (you can use the search bar to pull up everything we have on both cities). The centers of both places are quite safe, I wouldn’t worry much about that in a well-reviewed hotel.

Hope you guys have an unforgettable trip!

AWESOME Post!!!!

Please let me know if you have posted anything similar in 2020 or 2021. My wife and I are bringing our three teenagers and we will likely choose the Food & History trip. We both would like to speak with you if possible as we are planning our trip for December.

Hi guys! We don’t run tours ourselves, just provide information for independent travelers, but we’re always happy to answer a few questions about possible itineraries!

Hi Kate, THANK YOU for the amazing Pic ,for now i’m in South Africa Cape Town I’m planning a trip to Italy , France & Austria next year 2022 for 2weeks , Would you recommend using rail or Via Road way .

Thank you in advance & best Regards En vous remerciant d’avance et cordialement

Sounds like a fabulous trip!

Rail vs car depends entirely on where you’re going. If you’re sticking to cities, I’d recommend going by train. If you want to enjoy the countryside, a car could be helpful.

You can also mix-and-match, and rent a car for only part of your trip if you’re going to be in the countryside only part of the time.

Thank you for this awesome post, Kate! My husband and I are wanting to take our first international trip to Central Europe early spring 2022 and have reviewed your Central Europe post. What type of difficulties have you faced with international travel during COVID-19? Any issues with a country on your itinerary going into lock-down or no longer allowing tourists from the US?

We haven’t personally run into any issues with lockdowns interrupting our plans but of course, it’s always possible and things are changing constantly.

Most, if not all, countries in Europe are accepting vaccinated and/or tested US visitors now and haven’t shut their borders to US citizens again since the initial reopening. All of the countries included on our Central Europe itinerary are currently among them.

In addition to entry, some countries are requiring proof of vaccination in order to do certain things like eat in restaurants or check into hotels. Portugal, where we are now, is among them. It’s a very simple process as long as you have the paperwork in order!

Generally, if you plan to visit Europe from the US in 2022, we recommend arriving with proof of vaccination, a negative COVID test (check regularly for specifications as your flight gets closer), flexibility, and the expectation that you’ll wear a mask indoors and potentially in crowded outdoor areas.

I am not a public health expert, of course, and European countries all set their own restrictions, but in the early stages of planning, that’s what I’d keep in mind!

The reaction that we’ve seen from readers who visited in the second half of 2022 has generally been that it’s easier than they expected, but as we’ve all learned way too much in the last 2 years, none of us can predict the future!

Thanks so much, Kate! It definitely seems like flexibility is key as well as continuously monitoring each country’s individual rules for a multi-country trip. I think right now Hungary isn’t accepting tourists but fingers crossed that will change soon so we can replicate your trip. :) Cheers to more adventures for you in 2022!

Hi Kate, my family is in the beginning phase of planning our first international trip and have decided on Europe! I really liked your recommendation of arriving and departing from different airports and I think departing from London would make sense (we’ll probably want to spend the most time there). All we’ve decided is to vacation for somewhere between 2-3 weeks, and we want to see London and Ireland (oh and I want to stay at least one night in a castle hotel!). Would you have any recommendations on destinations or experiences to share? Thanks!

How exciting–nothing like your first trip abroad. :-)

We actually still haven’t been to London, which is a huge shame! Fingers crossed that 2022 is the year.

Ireland, on the other hand, is one of our absolute favorites! If you search “Ireland” on the top right corner of the blog (or on the pop out menu on mobile), all of our blog posts will come up, but this is a great one to start with: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/10-day-ireland-itinerary-ireland-road-trip/

We spent a night in this castle (slash manor house) and had a fantastic time: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/belleek-castle-county-mayo-ireland/

Ireland is one of our favorite places for road trips on the planet. You’ll love it!

Great post, thanks!

Need your advice here :) We will be landing in London, staying there 3 days, then train to Paris (staying in Paris for 3 days). We fly back home from Lisbon and have 3 options: night train to Nice (spend some time there and then a few days in Lisbon), fly to Napoli (spend some time there and then fly to Lisbon) or fly to Lisbon and discover a bit more of Portugal… What would you recommend?

Oh and we are travelling with two teens who have never been to Europe… I’m trying to pack as much stuff, but wonder what would be too much :/

That’s a lot of hard choices! Each and every one of those destinations is a delight (and we’re living in Lisbon right now).

I’d opt for Nice if you’re looking for coastal views, picturesque villages, and something logistically simple. Nice is a delightful city and the day trips to nearby villages like Eze as well as Monaco are phenomenal. It is the most formal and pricey of the 3 cities and will have a resort feel near the coast in the summer.

Naples is a much less manicured city, it’s a love-it-or-hate-it place (we love it). I’d argue that it has the best food of the 3 options, but those are fighting words and many would disagree. The day trips are equally stunning but very different. If you or your family has an interest in ancient ruins, Pompeii and Herculaneum are unmatched. Visiting the Amalfi Coast or nearby islands is also doable, but it’s a trek if you’re staying in the city center. Keep in mind that there’s no train service to the Amalfi Coast proper, you will need a bus, car, or ferry to get beyond Sorrento.

Lisbon is delightful but honestly, our favorite parts of Portugal lie outside the city. Porto, in the north, has a much more regal feel while Lisbon is fairly spread out. The Duoro Valley (also in the north) is magnificent for port tastings and views, Sintra’s palaces located just outside of Lisbon are must-sees, and if you want to head to the south, the Algarve is incredibly striking.

Logistically speaking, I’d make sure you have at least 2-3 days in Portugal at the end of your trip before flying out, regardless. With 3 full days, you can spend 2 in Lisbon and take one day trip (probably to Sintra but the coastal town of Cascais is also easy and lovely).

If you have time to do that and add another stop for 3 full days, I would check detailed flight and train schedules and let that guide you–the logistics alone may make the choice for you.

That got a bit long, but I hope it helps! :-)

Thanks a lot for the precious information!

Hi Kate! I know you said you are not a travel agent but are open to a few itinerary questions! We have recently done a European Cruise which hit almost all of Italy! We are wanting to go back independently. I am highly interested in Ireland, but would also like to see Paris. My husband is interested in Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland. With a 14 day trip wanted, what areas do you think we should do (based on best places to see, with allotted time?)

& Austria! :)

That is a lot of very different places, but you’ll definitely be able to pull together a great trip! I’d recommend narrowing it down to around 3 destinations, 4 if you’re comfortable moving quite fast and two of them are close together.

Ireland is definitely the odd one out geographically, but if you use two one-way tickets instead of flying in and out of the same airport, it can work (it’s what we did on our first multi-country Europe trip many years ago).

Since you’ll likely have 1-2 flights in this itinerary regardless, which destinations you pick can come down to a combination of your absolute favorites and what makes logistical sense. Paris is a very popular place to fly in and out of, so it’ll likely be easy to work in.

I’m not sure which parts of Germany your husband is interested in, but parts of western Germany have simple train access to The Netherlands and/or France.

As far as what places I’d personally visit, Ireland and Paris are two of my favorite places on the planet, so I’m biased! Switzerland’s mountain landscapes are truly beyond belief, so if you’re looking for nature (and aren’t concerned about the budget), it’s a winner.

Germany is also gorgeous, both its nature and many of its cities, though it’s quite big and varied–with a big trip like this, you’ll want to choose one small corner of it (Bavaria is a popular first stop, but you can also look at places along the Rhine, which makes more sense if you’re hoping to visit Paris or The Netherlands by train before or after).

The only part of The Netherlands we’ve had a chance to visit so far is Amsterdam, which is visually stunning but will be extremely crowded–probably more so than anywhere else you’ve listed, as there’s less room to spread out there than in, say, Paris.

When it comes to your itinerary, I’d recommend that each of you pick one place that is your absolute first choice, plan on a trip to those, and then fill in the 3rd and possible 4th destination based on what makes logistical sense as far as what planes/trains/buses are available to the spots on your shortlist.

Also, if you do need to book high-speed train tickets, book them ASAP, as prices increase as your trip gets closer.

What a wonderful blog, just when I feel like I’ve read them all I find another really helpful article. Heading to Europe for 1 month in May. Keen on Spain, definitely Italy, and probably 2 days in London and Paris respectively (arrival and departure). Feel like we have space for one more place and can’t figure out which is the better option (Portugal, Croatia or Greece) for potentially 5 days? Any recommendations?

Thank you for sharing all your wonderful insights.

That’s tough, because all 3 are fantastic but very different!

I’d probably recommend (if I had to choose), Greece for beaches/swimming and small towns, Portugal for cities, and Croatia for a combination of all. But we adore each and every one of them, so hard to go wrong!

Portugal fits nicely into your Spain section geographically, so there is that to consider.

Hi, Kate! Super love your blog. I just booked a trip to Europe for August, was thinking of going to France, Spain, and Italy in 2 weeks. Or should I cut it down to 2 countries? Hope to hear from you!

Less relevant than the countries are the destinations within them–I wouldn’t go more than 4 places in 2 weeks, max.

So if you’re hitting up Paris, Barcelona, and Rome, for example, your plan is fine. If you want to go to 2-3 places within each country, it’s time to cut it down. :-)

HI! Thanks for the fantastic blog! My husband and I are planning our first trip to Europe from Canada and are feeling quite overwhelmed by all the choices! His family is from Holland, so we are spending one week touring with them for the first week of May, and then will stay an additional 2 weeks after that. What would you recommend? We are not keen on France but everything else looks so great, and it was good to read that you don’t recommend trying to fit everything else in, which is what we might otherwise be trying to do. Any suggestions for the 2 weeks after Holland?

Hi Michele,

That’s so exciting! You guys are going to have an amazing time.

Without knowing your tastes or the season you’re traveling, the sky is truly the limit when planning your itinerary! Anywhere that sounds exciting to you is going to be worth it. With 2 weeks, I’d opt for 1-2 countries and no more than 4 base destinations (3 would be even better).

I started trying to make a list of some of our favorite countries in Europe for you, but just backspaced the sentence because I was ending up just listing every country, LOL. But Italy is one of our special favorites that we would recommend to just about anyone!

We will be in Holland for the first week of May so we could do the other two weeks either before or after that (or split one before and one after). The suggestion to cut down to less rather than more is helpful – it’s our first time to Europe and everything looks like something we should see! We are 50 and really like most things – some scenery, some castles, etc. Do you think it would be do-able to do Germany and Italy on top of Holland? Any specifics on what you love in Italy? I am really NOT a crowd person, so we’re really going to try and avoid huge crowds or I’ll lose my mind ;)

A week in Germany followed by a week in Italy is definitely doable!

Personally I’d opt for either southwest Germany (Black Forest, Heidelberg, Burg Eltz) or Bavaria.

We love virtually all of Italy, but if you want something somewhat more offbeat that’s in the top half of the country (for geography reasons), I’d recommend looking into Emilia-Romagna.

It’s the region east of Tuscany, and has similar appeal with far fewer tourists. It’s also gorgeous and a culinary dream–Emilia-Romagna is the origin of many iconic foods like parmigiano-reggiano and traditional balsamic vinegar.

A few destinations in the region to poke into as you research: Bologna, Parma, Ravenna, Ferrara, Modena. The micronationa of San Marino is also accessible from there!

Kate-what a remarkably comprehensive, detailed and resourceful blog! I love the considerations offered from different perspectives. My family of 4 (including 2 kids ages 10 and 6) will be traveling to Paris for the second half of August for 2 weeks to visit family. We have already been to Paris a few times so this time around, I would like us to explore more of Europe for some of the time, ideally via trains. I am thinking of staying in Air B&B’s as we have been enjoying that accommodation when we travel locally within the US but would love your perspective on this (vs hotels) considering the cultural and language differences in certain destinations as well as any recommendations for either you may have. Based on some research, some destinations I came cross purely based on travel distance via train from Paris are Switzerland (3 hrs), Barcelona (6.5 hours! would probably have to be an overnight train for the kids), London (2 hrs, have family we can see), and Greece (2 hours), Belgium (1.5 hrs, also some family we can see). My goal is to show my kids/family different cultures, ways of living and experience foods, interesting architecture, beautiful cafe’s etc. Also curios if any of these can be “day trips”. I do not have specific destinations yet to see at these locations and would love your input. From your article, it sounds like limiting to 2 destinations maybe best (outside of Paris) and your thoughts may help me narrow down where to focus. Thanks so much and look forward to reading your insights on this.

So glad you found it helpful, Tez! Sounds like you guys have an amazing trip planned.

I’m sure you already know this, but August is the height of peak season for European travelers visiting the coast and mountains, so some destinations will be quite crowded and expensive (book your hotels and train tickets ASAP, especially in a group of four).

I’m assuming Greece is a typo, so I’ll pass over that one–pretty sure it’s much further than 2 hours even by plane. :-)

Luckily Paris is a huge train hub for getting across Europe, so you have plenty of options! Most of them will take longer than it looks on the map once you navigate connections, train times, etc. We highly recommend using Omio to search exact routes and dates, and keep in mind tickets will increase in price as you get closer. With kids, you’ll probably want to search by the fastest available routes.

London, Belgium, and Switzerland all jump out at me from your list–simple to access and incredible. The Jungfrau region in Switzerland is pure paradise, though a bit further away.

You may also want to look into Amsterdam, it’s only 3.5 hours from Paris by train.

With the right schedule, you can get as far as Venice in a day from Paris (we’ve done this), so Italy is an option for you as well, as is Germany.

Essentially, the more you stick to major cities, the easier it will be to navigate solely by train. Smaller towns and cities are often connected, but you’ll virtually always need to pass back through the main city of a region to make your way back to Paris.

You may want to take a look at this post as well, we talk a lot more about train travel here: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/travel-europe-by-train/

Hi Kate Love your blog, lots of useful information. My husband and I are planning a 10 day trip to Europe end of April to early May. At the moment we are looking at flying from the US RT to Paris. We’re thinking of possibly going to Amsterdam and Belgium as well. this will be our second trip to Paris. We are open to other suggestions. Do you have any other recommendations?

Happy to be able to help, Daisy!

Paris + Amsterdam + Belgium is an excellent itinerary and doable in 10 days. It’s actually a route we recommend ourselves. We have posts on all those places, but here are our suggestions on spending 3 days in Belgium to give you an idea of what you can cover in a short time frame: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/3-days-in-belgium-itinerary/

Paris is extremely well-connected by rail (you can be in Venice in 9 hours or Munich in under 6, for example), so as far as ideas for other destinations go, the sky is the limit!

If you choose to extend your original itinerary, a few additional places that you might consider along that route are Strasbourg/Alsace, Heidelberg, and Cologne.

Thank you for your blog.. We are travelling to Europe for 14 days the end of May. Flying Calgary to Dublin, doing a couple days at the Isle of Man races then hopefully, London, Paris, Rome. Your blog shares what to pack for clothing in Summer, Fall and Winter, what would you recommend for spring? We are trying to decide if we take the trains or flights from London, Paris and Rome. We aren’t planning any beach time. Also, what do you recommend for luggage? I’m leaning towards a rolly carryon but have every size hard shell case and multiple back country camping packs.

So happy you find it helpful!

Funny you mention spring packing ideas–I’m actually working on a post for that right now. It will hopefully be up next week. But off the top of my head, you’ll definitely want a travel umbrella and to pack in layers. The end of May is a beautiful time to be in much of Europe but the weather could be unpredictable–you may want sundresses on some days and light jackets on some evenings!

As far as luggage, either is completely fine. There are advantages to both backpacks and suitcases, but as long as you’re comfortable carrying your bag up and down staircases, carrying (or rolling) it down the street for 10+ minutes, and loading it into and out of trains and/or cars, you’re good.

As far as trains vs planes–London to Paris can definitely be a train, but do a time and cost-benefit analysis between that and a plane (depending on the dates, your travel style, etc, you may choose either). Paris to Rome is better done as a flight!

Thank you very much for sharing your wisdom. We are really excited.

Hi Kate, Thank you so very much. You have provided an AMAZING amount of helpful information. Can you pretty please help me with the best location to travel to 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th and the best way to get to the locations? (We will NOT be doing any driving).I’m a 55 years old woman. I live in USA. I’m planning the 1st International trip for me and my husband for either the 1st or 2nd week of September 2023. My biggest challenge is knowing where to start and end the trip, based on logistically traveling to the different destinations, as well as, the best way to get to each destination.Here are the the things I have planned. I know you mentioned you’ve never been to London but i’m hoping you can assist based on me providing the area I want to be in. *LONDON-7 NIGHTS I’m a theatre/adrenaline junkie person so Theatreland West End of London near (North of the River Thames. 3-Plays (evening events) 2-Hour Sherlock Holmes museum (near West End) 1-Hour Ghost Bus tour (nearest tube stations are Embankment and Charing Cross) 4-Hours-day walking tasting tour (near London Bridge Station) 1-day Harry Potter Studio Tour (Leavesden London) 2 -Nights Theme park “Alton Towers” located Alton, Staffordshire near Manchester and Birmingham. (stay onsite at the parks resort)*PARIS-3 NIGHTS Moulin Rouge (BD de Clichy area) L’ATELIER DES LUMINERES -DIGITAL ART MUSEUM I would like to visit just one of the haunted castles in Paris (depending on recommendation) Château de Puymartin Château de Brissac Château Lagorce Château de Chambord Château de Versailles* GERMANY 3 NIGHTS-Phantasialand Theme park (located Bruhl Germany) Stay onsite at the parks resortThank you for any advice or suggestions you can provide.

Hi Melvina,

I definitely can’t speak to getting around London in detail, though a combination of the tube and buses will likely be doable! You can add cabs as needed as well.

In Paris, the metro is so dense you should have no issue getting around. Assuming you are planning to do the usual Paris sights (Eiffel Tower, Louvre, etc), our Paris itinerary might be able to help you out (and has hotel recommendations): https://www.ourescapeclause.com/3-days-in-paris-itinerary/

For the chateaus, Versailles is by far the closest to Paris and you can get there by RER train. Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley is doable via an organized day trip like this: https://www.getyourguide.com/paris-l16/loire-valley-castles-wines-day-trip-from-paris-t70389/?partner_id=1OI4D21&utm_medium=online_publisher&placement=content-middle

The others are way too far from Paris for day trips, so I’d focus on Versailles and/or Chambord this time.

Hope you have a wonderful time! :-)

Thank you so very much.

Hi, thank you for this comprehensive post! We are planning a trip this summer and will be going to Paris, Rome, Florence and Amsterdam. My question is about changing money. We were in Iceland last year and used Apple Pay or credit card everywhere, never needed cash and didn’t get any. Is that possible in either France, Italy or Netherlands? Should I plan on getting cash for taxis, tips, etc?

Happy to help!

I’d definitely recommend having some cash with you as you travel, especially for small purchases like coffee, gelato, etc. Most hotels in Italy will require the city’s tourist tax in cash, too. Some taxis and tips will be best done in cash as well, and occasionally very small, offbeat tourist attractions.

While cash-only restaurants definitely aren’t the norm in any of those cities, they’re not unheard of, either.

Overall, I’d say you’re most likely to avoid cash entirely in Amsterdam and most likely to use some of it in Rome and Florence, but that’s not a hard and fast rule by any means (I used some cash on my trip to the Netherlands last spring, for example).

We find that the easiest way to get cash, by far, is to withdraw Euros from any bank’s ATM once you’re already in Europe (avoid Euronet–use an ATM branded by an actual bank). Luckily, since all the places you’re visiting use the Euro, you won’t need to worry about changing currency beyond that. :-)

Hi Kate, thank you for this great, and helpful post! We’re are planning a trip to Europe for the first time in September for next year in 2024. My plan is to visit Spain, Italy and I’m still undecided on the third country to visit. What country would you suggest or advised that we can visit that has beautiful scenery, mountains, lakes, etc. We like the city, but we also want something where we can hike out in nature like Iceland maybe, Switzerland. Any tips on that? Also, is it cheaper to stay in hotels, Airbnb’s? Thank you!

Spain and Italy–two of our favorites! You guys are going to have a great time. :-)

The hardest part about picking a third country with your criteria will be narrowing it down between many excellent choices–you really can’t go wrong.

Switzerland is absolutely spectacular, if the Alps are what you’re looking for, it’s iconic and hard to beat in every category except the price tag.

Germany and Austria also offer beautiful mountains and lakes and are a more budget-friendly than Switzerland.

The French Alps are also wonderful–towns like Chamonix and Annecy offer plenty of mountains, lakes, etc.

And, for a a wild card, you don’t necessarily need a third country at all: the Dolomites in Italy have everything you’re looking for.

Any of those that appeal to you and fit your budget will be a great addition to your trip. They’re well-connected to Italy and each other by train, the travel times aren’t too far, and they’re all phenomenal places to visit.

One small thing to keep in mind if you’re planning to travel by train a bunch is that Spain isn’t very well connected to the rest of the places you’re considering by rail–you may want to consider flying in and out of there.

Iceland is definitely far out of the way, but assuming you’re traveling to and from North America, look into the Icelandair stopover program if you want to add it on! I will say that while it does offer mountains, lakes, and beautiful scenery, it’s a very different vibe than Switzerland or any of the surrounding Alpine countries, so take a close look at the specific destinations and see if it’s what you’re looking for. It’s a stunning place, just very different than the others. Here’s one of our Iceland posts if you want to get a feel for it: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/10-day-iceland-ring-road-itinerary/

Hey there! Came across your website and thought I would get you all’s opinion on something if you do not mind…My wife and I are of the mindset the less we pack and move the better..Question for you all:What are your thoughts on basing ourselves in Lisbon for 6-7 days and explore Lisbon and going as far north as Porto, as far east as Evora and as far south as Lagos..Maybe? Any insight is greatly appreciated.. — Ever thanks, Steve

Day trip to Porto: Not ideal, but technically doable, and with your travel preferences, you might prefer it. Evenings in Porto are lovely, though, it’d be a shame to miss them! We actually wrote a guide to the pros and cons of that day trip here: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/day-trip-to-porto-from-lisbon/

Evora: Makes for a great day trip. It’s much more flexible if you rent a car as opposed to taking the train, as there aren’t a ton of direct trains each day and Evora has some cool places to see outside the center. You can definitely do it by train, though. Here’s our guide to the city: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/things-to-do-in-evora-portugal/

Lagos: I wouldn’t even consider this one as a day trip, honestly. If you want to get a glimpse of the coast (and it’ll only be a glimpse if you try to head all the way south and back in a day), Cascais, Cabo da Roca/Sintra, and Arrabida Nature Park are all right by Lisbon and have gorgeous water views.

Hope you guys have an amazing time in Portugal!

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Finding the Universe

Travel tales, photography and a dash of humor

2 Weeks in Europe – The Perfect Europe Itinerary

Last updated: January 28, 2024 . Written by Laurence Norah - 30 Comments

Are you visiting Europe and looking for the perfect itinerary? Well, you’re in the right place! We’ve travelled extensively in Europe, and based on our experiences, we’ve put together a detailed 2 week Europe itinerary to help you plan.

This Europe itinerary will take you to many of the highlights that we think first time visitors to Europe will want to see and explore for themselves. These include many of our favourite destinations that we’ve visited multiple times over.

This itinerary is aimed at those of you visiting Europe for the first time, or those of you looking for an easy itinerary to follow that covers some of the major highlights of Western Europe. It’s not overly rushed as we think you will get more from your experience if you focus on a few major locations rather than trying to see everything in one go.

The trip as outlined is for 14 days in Europe, but you could make it longer or shorter depending on how much time you have. For example, with 10 days in Europe, you could clip off a day or two in some of the cities, and maybe even skip one of the cities to make it a more comfortable experience.

As well as the itinerary, we’re also going to share everything you need to know to help you plan the perfect European trip. Tips about currency, what to pack, where to stay, how to get around and other considerations.

Hopefully this guide will give you everything you need to know to plan your own perfect European adventure, and of course, we’re always happy to answer your questions in the comments. Now, let’s get started!

Table of Contents:

2 Week Europe Itinerary

This two week itinerary has you visiting four European countries and five cities. We think these cover some of the top highlights of Europe.

The destinations on this itinerary are all cities, so this trip is aimed more towards those of you looking to explore the cities, which are all full of cultural highlights, fantastic restaurants, and plenty of photo-worthy sights!

But if have your eye more on smaller towns, secondary cities, and rural locations, this might not be the best itinerary for you.

If you’d prefer to focus on one country, take a look at our two week UK itinerary , and our 10 day Italy itinerary for some inspiration.

Days 1 – 3: London

We’re going to start your European adventure with 3 days in London . London makes a great starting point for your European itinerary. It has a number of international airports to choose from, so getting here is easy, and there are a wealth of sights and cultural attractions to immerse yourself in. I lived in London for a number of years, and it’s still one of my favourite cities in the world.

If this is your first overseas trip and you are coming from an English speaking country, London is a good place to ease yourself into the experience. You can acclimate yourself to the time difference and get used to travelling in a new country, without having a language barrier to work with as well.

We think 3 days is a good amount of time to spend basing yourself in London. We’d suggest spending at least two days exploring the capital, and perhaps one day trip outside of London. This might look as follows.

On your first day in London, we’d suggest seeing the major sights around Westminster. This includes the Houses of Parliament , Westminster Abbey , Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, the Churchill War Rooms , Buckingham Palace and the London Eye .

On your second day, which will be a full day, we’d suggest starting at the Tower of London . Get here when it opens to avoid the crowds if you can. Included on the London Pass , or y ou can buy a ticket online in advance here . Using our link saves you some money on the adult admission price for the Tower of London, meaning these discounted Tower of London tickets are some of the best value we’re aware of.

We also recommend checking prices via GetYourGuide here , and on the official website  here , as pricing can vary. You can also see opening times and other information for your visit on the official site.

Once you are done with the Tower of London, you can see more sites in the area like Tower Bridge , Borough Market (a London Harry Potter filming location ), St. Paul’s Cathedral , the Tate Modern , Shakespeare’s Globe and the Shard .

You certainly won’t run out of things to occupy your time! For some more inspiration, see our guides for 2 days in London and 3 days in London . We also recommend picking up a two day London Pass to save money on your sightseeing while in London. You can do that here .

On your third day in the UK, we recommend taking a day trip out of the city. This could be to somewhere like Windsor Castle or Hampton Court Palace , neither of which are too far.

If you really want to get out a bit further, we can recommend perhaps taking a trip to Stonehenge, the Cotswolds, Bath or Oxford. There are a variety of companies who offer easy day trips from London which include a number of these highlights like this or this , or you could do it yourself.

See our guide to taking a day trip to Stonehenge and a day trip to Oxford for some inspiration. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, then you may instead consider a trip out to the Harry Potter Studios where the films were made.

Of course, you will want to adjust this schedule depending on when you arrive and depart London. Our suggestion would be to take the day trip on your last day, overnight in London, and then take an early morning train to Paris.

Whilst you’re in London, we recommend getting around by public transport. It’s the most cost effective and also generally the most efficient way to get around. See our guide to public transport in London for some tips, as well as our overview of how to pay for public transport in London .

If you enjoy walking tours, there’s no shortage of options to choose from in the city. We love taking a walking tour when we first arrive in a new city – it can be a good way to get familiar with the city, plus you can ask your guide for local tips on places to eat and less well-known attractions.

If you do decide to take a walking tour, we suggest Take Walks for small group tour (tours range in length from a couple of hours to full day tours), and Context for private tours. We’d specifically recommend this full day walking tour with Take Walks as a possible option to consider.

You’ll most likely be arriving into London by plane, into one of London’s major international airports. London actually has six airports, but you’re most likely to land in either Gatwick or Heathrow. Whichever one you do land at, we have a guide to how to get from the airport to London .

Well, that’s your time in London covered. Now we’ll suggest a few places for you to stay, before giving you some tips on getting from Paris to London.

Where to stay in London

Some of our favourite hotels, from budget to luxury, in London are as follows:

• The Walrus Bar and Hostel  – A well reviewed centrally located hostel
• The Z hotel in Shoreditch – Excellent value in a popular part of London with great dining options
• Point A Hotel – We’ve stayed here; the rooms are tiny but clean and it’s a great budget option.
• Lime Tree Hotel – A well reviewed boutique hotel, around nine minutes walk from London Victoria
• The  Resident Victoria Hotel – A well reviewed and centrally located hotel offering excellent value for money. The room we stayed in was quite compact, but it had everything we needed
• The Savoy  – true luxury as close to the city centre as you can get!

If you prefer an apartment, then we recommend Plum Guide .

Plum Guide doesn’t have quite so many choices as some other UK based websites , but they carefully curate their listings so their options tend to be of a very high quality whilst still being available at a range of price points. We’ve used them on a number of trips and always had a great experience. See their listings for London here .

If you can’t find what you want on Plum Guide or you want some new options to try out, we wrote a whole post on the best alternatives to AirBnB which you should check out!

How to get to Paris from London

We’d recommend taking the Eurostar train service from London to Paris. This departs multiple times a day, and the journey takes 2 hours and 16 minutes.

This is a lot quicker than flying, especially once you consider you’ll have to get to and from the airport on either end. The Eurostar will take you directly to Gare Du Nord. Get your tickets for that journey in advance here .

We also have a guide to getting from London to Paris which lists all the options you have.

Days 4 – 6: Paris

Welcome to Paris – the city of lights and love! We’re going to suggest three full days exploring Paris, as the city has so much to offer.

After you’ve dropped your bags off at your hotel (or at a luggage storage location ), it’s time to start sightseeing. As with London, the plan is to see the major sights in the city.

We’re going to start off with the Eiffel Tower . This is without doubt Paris’s most famous landmark, and a must-visit when you come to Paris. You can either enjoy the views from below or head up inside the tower to one of the various stages.

If you do decide to go up the Eiffel Tower, we highly recommend you book your tickets in advance. The best place to do this is on the official website . There are often huge lines for tickets on site, and you don’t want to waste time unnecessarily. For a lot more tips for your visit, see our complete guide to visiting the Eiffel Tower .

From the Eiffel Tower, we suggest taking a cruise on the River Seine , which will let you see many of the highlights of the city from the river. You can book a discounted Seine River cruise which departs from near the Eiffel Tower with our link .

Alternatively, you might prefer to do an evening Seine River dinner cruise , in which case this will happen later.

After the cruise, you might consider a walking tour of Paris or a Hop on Hop off bus trip. Alternatively, consider visiting the Musee d’Orsay .

On your second day in Paris, we suggest you start bright and early with a visit to spectacular Sainte Chapelle , one of Paris’s prettiest churches. The stained-glass windows here have to be seen to be believed. Just be sure to turn up at or just before opening time, as the lines get very busy.

From here, you can pop across to Notre Dame if you want. Due to the fire in 2019 this is undergoing significant reconstruction work, so do keep that in mind. From Notre Dame, head across to the Louvre , one of the most famous art museums in the world.

There’s a huge amount to see here, including highlights such as the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. You could spend a whole day here, but you may want to limit yourself to 2 – 3 hours so you can see more of the city! Book your tickets online in advance here .

From the Louvre, if you have time, you might consider sneaking in a wine tasting session , or going for afternoon tea in Paris . From here, it’s time to head up the most famous shopping street in Paris, the Champs Elysees, where you’ll finish up at the Arc de Triomphe .

This massive archway stands in memory of those who died in the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. The view from the top is one of our favourite views in Paris, so do head to the top if you have the time.

For your final day in Paris, our suggestion is that you head out to Versailles . This was the palace of French royalty, and is a stunning place to visit. You can book your tickets for Versailles in advance here .

Between exploring the palace and the extensive gardens, there is more than enough to do here to fill from half a day to a full day, which is why we suggest allocating most of the day to it. Then perhaps plan a nice dinner or show for your final evening.

We can recommend the evening show at the Moulin Rouge, and you can read about our experience at the Moulin Rouge here , and book tickets here .

And that’s all your sightseeing for your time in Paris on our European itinerary! For more detailed inspiration for your time in Paris, see our itinerary for 3 days in Paris and 2 days in Paris , which should give you lots more ideas.

For your visit in Paris, we recommend either the Paris Pass , or the Paris Museum Pass . The former includes a number of activities like the hop on hop off bus tour, guided Eiffel Tower climb, and Seine River cruise, as well as all the museums and sights included on the Paris Museum Pass. These both include most of the attractions we’ve listed, including Versailles.

You can buy the Paris Pass on the official site here , and the Paris Museum Pass here .

Again, for those of you who enjoy walking tours, we recommend Take Walks and Context . The former offer small group walking tours, whilst the latter primarily focus on private tours. We’ve taken tours with both companies in cities around the world and are always happy to recommend them.

As an example tour, check out this full day Paris tour , which includes a Skip the Line Louvre Tour, Eiffel Tower, Montmartre & Seine River Cruise.

As with London, the easiest way to get around Paris is to take public transport. Specifically, the Metro is likely going to be the fastest and most cost-effective way to get around.

We have a full guide to how to get around Paris , which should help you plan your transport in the city.

Now, we’re going to share some tips on where to stay in Paris, as well as how to get to the next city on your itinerary of Europe – Barcelona.

Where to stay in Paris

Our itinerary has you spending 2 nights in Paris, arriving by train on the morning of the first day, and departing either by plane on the evening of the third day. We suggest the following options for accommodation in Paris.

• 3 Ducks Hostel .  A well-rated boutique hostel just 2 minutes from the nearest metro and a 22 minute walk to the Eiffel Tower
• Hotel Dress Code & Spa , A highly reviewed centrally located 4 star hotel
• Hotel Ekta Champs Elysees – a well rated 3* hotel just off the Champs Elysees
• Hôtel Eiffel Turenne , A well rated 3* hotel within a ten minute walk of the Eiffel Tower
• Ateliers de Montmartre , An apartment in Montmartre with views of the Sacre Coeur
• Vintage Paris Gare du Nord by Hiphophostels , A hostel located just next to Paris Gare du Nord
• George V – A fabulous centrally located 5* hotel, an excellent luxury pick

We’ve also stayed in Paris with Plum Guide in a gorgeous apartment with Eiffel Tower views. See their listings for Paris here .

How to get from Paris to Barcelona

You have two main options for travelling from Paris to Barcelona, you can take the train, or you can fly.

There used to be a direct night train from Paris to Barcelona, but this was discontinued in 2013. So you can take a train in the daytime (around 6.5 hours journey time) or you can travel by a slower overnight train (around 13 hours).

We think flying is likely going to be the easiest option. There are a number of direct evening flights from Paris to Barcelona, taking just under two hours. Just try to book a flight from Paris Orly or Paris Charles de Gaulle. Many budget airlines operate from Paris Beauvais, which is quite a long way outside the city, and requires a lengthy coach journey.

Check flight times and prices online here . If you’d prefer to take the train, you can check train times and prices here .

Days 7- 9: Barcelona

It’s time for the third city on your European adventure – Barcelona! Barcelona is full of incredible sights, including architectural gems from Antoni Gaudi, a gothic city center, and even a beach!

Again, we think you’ll need 3 days to do justice to all the sights in Barcelona. We’re also going to suggest a day trip from the city to explore some of the surrounding highlights. Here’s how your three days in Barcelona might look.

We suggest starting your first day with a trip to the Sagrada Familia . This was master architect Antoni Gaudi’s final work, and whilst construction was started in 1882, he didn’t live to see it completed. It’s getting there now, but still has some way to go!

The Sagrada Familia is a very popular attraction and they operate a timed entry system. It’s vital that you reserve your timeslot in advance, as otherwise you will end up in a very long queue, and at busy times of year, tickets sell out far in advance. You can reserve your tickets online here .

We also have a detailed guide to visiting the Sagrada Familia which we recommend reading in advance of your visit.

After spending a couple of hours at the Sagrada Familia, we recommend heading across to the nearby Recinte Modernista Sant Pau , a beautiful Art Nouveau style hospital building which has UNESCO world heritage status.

After the Recinte Modernista Sant Pau, continue on to Park Güell . This is a large public park which was also designed by Anton Gaudi, and there’s a lot to see here. Again, this is a popular spot with timed entry, and we highly advise booking this online in advance here .

Near Park Güell is the Gaudi Experience , where you can learn a bit about the man behind some of the wonderful architecture you have been experiencing. You can get tickets for that here if you are interested.

From the Gaudi Experience, you have a few options depending on your interest. If you are using the hop on hop off bus to travel around Barcelona (included on the Go Barcelona Pass ), it continues from Park Guell on to a number of other attractions.

These include the hill top fairground Tibidabo , the stunning Monastery of Pedralbes , and Camp Nou , the home of Barcelona’s football club.

We’re sure one or more of those will be of interest!

For your second day in Barcelona, we suggest starting with a visit to some of Gaudi’s famous houses near the city centre – Casa Batlló , and Casa Milá . These are popular, so try to get here by opening time so as not to have to queue for too long.

Then, continue your day by exploring the oldest part of Barcelona – the Gothic Quarter. Here you can visit the incredible Barcelona Cathedral , the UNESCO world heritage listed Palau de la Musica Catalana , and the Picasso Museum .

For your third day, you could continue to explore Barcelona. You could visit the beach, Barcelona Zoo , the attractions on Montjuic Hill – the list goes on! See our 3 day Barcelona itinerary for more ideas.

However, we think you might enjoy heading out of the city on a day trip to explore a bit of Catalonia, the region which Barcelona is capital of.

A popular day trip from Barcelona is a visit to Girona and Figueres, two lovely towns which are rich in history. Girona is home to stunning medieval architecture, and Figueres is known as the birthplace of surrealist artist Salvador Dali .

You can see our guide to visiting Girona and Figueres in a day here . In terms of tours, we suggest this full day tour which includes Girona and the coast, or this full day tour which includes Girona and time to visit the Dali Museum in Figueres.

The other popular option is to visit the spectacular monastery and mountains of Montserrat, around an hour from Barcelona. You can see our guide to visiting Montserrat here for all the tips you need to do that.

Of course, there are lots of other tour options. You could go hot air ballooning , visit the Vall de Nuria , go skiing (if you visit in winter), go hiking in La Garrotxa , visit the Montserrat monastery – the list goes on!

That just about wraps up our suggestions for what to see and do with your three days in Barcelona.

To further help you with your planning for Barcelona, we have some guides we think you’ll find useful. See our itinerary for 3 days in Barcelona , our guide to Gaudi sites in Barcelona , and our favourite photography locations in Barcelona to get you started.

There are a few city passes for Barcelona, including the Barcelona City Pass , the  Barcelona Card , and the  Go Barcelona Pass . These work slightly differently, and so one or the other might be better for you. See our full break down and review of all the passes in our comparison of the Barcelona Discount Passes .

For most visitors we think the Go Barcelona Pass will offer the best value as it includes the main attractions like the Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and hop on hop off bus tour. We also have a full review of the Go Barcelona Pass to help you decide if it’s going to save you some money.

Finally, it’s worth bearing in mind that Barcelona has a bit of a poor reputation when it comes to petty crime, specifically around pick pockets, and items like phones being swiped off cafe tables. We have not personally experienced this, but have heard firsthand accounts from readers and friends who have.

We have more on this in our section below with tips for safety when travelling in Europe, but just try to keep your valuables out of sight all the time, ideally in zipped and secured pockets.

Now, let’s look at some options for where to stay in Barcelona, before planning how to get to the next city in your Europe itinerary.

Where to Stay in Barcelona

Here are a few options for your stay in Barcelona across a variety of price points, including a number of hotels we’ve personally stayed in and can recommend.

• Hotel Barcelona Catedral – A 4* property in Barcelona in the heart of the Gothic Quarter. We’ve stayed here, and enjoyed the roof top pool and incredible central location.
• Hostel One Ramblas – A very well reviewed and very central hostel option
• The 8 Boutique B&B – A highly rated and well located bed and breakfast
• Duquesa de Cardona – A 4* property on the waterfront with a roof top bar
• Leonardo Hotel Barcelona Las Ramblas – Part of the good value Leonardo chain, this 3* property is a few moments from Las Ramblas. We enjoyed our stay here, and the breakfast in particular was excellent.
• Ohla Barcelona – A very central 5* property with a roof top pool and excellent reviews.

How to Get from Barcelona to Venice

From Barcelona, the next stop on the trip will be Venice, Italy. If you are travelling for less than two weeks, you might want to skip Venice, and head straight to the last city on this itinerary, but for two weeks in Europe, we think Venice is a great addition.

The main option you have for getting from Barcelona to Rome is to fly. Of course, you could take the train, but as the average journey is around 22 hours and requires a number of changes, we’d suggest a flight is going to make more sense.

A direct flight from Barcelona to Rome is just under 2 hours. You can either go on your evening of your final day in Barcelona or the morning of the following day, it’s up to you. We think travelling in the evening makes more sense so you don’t lose time sightseeing in the morning.

Check times and book your flights here .

Days 10 – 11: Venice

You’ve arrived in the fourth and final country of your 2-week European itinerary – Italy! Home to amazing gelato , delicious coffee , and oodles of history.

We’re going to visit two cities in Italy on your European itinerary, both of which are favourites with visitors to Italy – us included! Of course, it’s hard to pick a second city in Italy from all the amazing options, but we think Venice is a must. Naturally, this will be followed by Rome.

We’ve put Venice ahead of Rome for the simple reason that it’s relatively easy to fly to Venice from the rest of Europe, but a little bit harder to fly onwards from Venice to international destinations. Ending the itinerary in Rome should make it easier for you to travel onwards to international destinations.

Anyway, we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

The next city on your European adventure is the beautiful city of Venice. This car-free city is famous for being built across a number of islands, with waterways and boats replacing roads and cars.

Venice is definitely one of our favourite cities in Europe, and was where we had our wedding ceremony with friends and family. So it’s definitely a city that is close to our hearts.

We’re going to recommend you spend two days in Venice. Many people visit the city for a day, which is do-able of course, but to really get a feel for Venice, we think you’ll enjoy spending two days here.

Our recommendation for your two days in Venice is to spend the first day exploring the highlights of the city – places like St. Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace and the Rialto Bridge. Take a Gondola ride , listen to musicians playing in the cafes, and get lost down the countless winding alleyways.

For your second day, we recommend taking a boat out to one of the islands around Venice, like Murano or Burano. These are much quieter with a different vibe to Venice itself, and we think you’ll enjoy this as a way to finish off your grand European adventure.

For more inspiration on what to do in Venice, see our guide to spending a day in Venice . We also recommend reading our guide to visiting the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica .

Of course, if you would prefer to visit another city in Italy other than Venice, you could spend these two days in any number of destinations, including the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, Naples or Florence . You could even do a one day stopover in Florence on your way to Rome, rather than spending the two days in Venice. It’s entirely up to you, and depends on the flights you can find.

Where to Stay in Venice

Venice has a great many options for accommodation. Just be aware that many of the properties are old (as is much of the city!), and so elevators are not always standard. In addition, there are no vehicles allowed, so to get to your hotel from the train station you’ll need to take a ferry boat, water taxi, or walk.

• Casa Cosmo – a great value well rated budget option, five minutes walk from St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge. Rooms are air conditioned and are en-suite
• B&B Bloom Settimo Cielo – A highly rated and good value B&B breakfast, 10 minutes from St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge. Individually designed rooms have en-suite facilities, and there’s a rooftop terrace
• Leon Bianco on the Grand Canal – this historic property with Grand Canal views is where we stayed for our wedding ceremony in Venice. The views are fantastic, and it’s amazing value for the location
• Hotel Saturnia & International – a lovely 4* hotel just moments from Saint Mark’s Square, this turn of the century hotel offers en-suite rooms, a terrace with views, and an on-site restaurant.
• The Gritti Palace – a 5* luxury property right on St. Mark’s Square – this is the place you stay if you want to be in the middle of everything

How to Get from Venice to Rome

The best way to get from Venice to Rome is to take the train.

As always, you’ll get the best prices if you book your tickets in advance. You can check train times, prices, and book online here .

There are also flights, but by the time you have gotten to the airport, checked in, and then collected your baggage at the other end and gotten from Rome airport to the city center, you might as well have taken the train!

Days 12 – 14: Rome

Your next stop in Italy, and the last stop on your Europe itinerary, is the Italian capital of Rome. Founded almost 3,000 years ago, Rome is absolutely stuffed full of historical wonders and attractions.

We think that to do Rome justice, you should spend three days here. Here’s how those days might look.

Start your first day with a visit to the Colosseum . Built during the height of the Roman Empire, and nearly 2,000 years old, this is the largest amphitheatre in the world. It’s a must when in Rome.

Do be aware that like many of the other popular attractions in our itinerary, the Colosseum operates a timeslot system for entry, and you absolutely need to book in advance. See our complete guide to visiting the Colosseum for more on that.

After the Colosseum, we recommend visiting the Roman Forum, which is next to the Colosseum, and usually included on the Colosseum entry ticket. This was the heart of the Roman Empire, and is also a must when visiting Rome.

You’ll likely already be half way through your first day already. We suggest spending the rest of the day exploring the historic city center, with attractions like the Spanish Steps, Pantheon, and Trevi Fountain.

For your second day in Rome, we recommend you head to the Vatican City. This is a city-state inside Rome itself, and is home to the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica. The Vatican Museums are home to world renowned works of art as well as the Sistine Chapel – a masterpiece of Renaissance art.

Both these attractions are very popular, and you will want to plan in advance to ensure you don’t waste time standing in line if you are visiting at a busy time of year. You have a few options.

First, you can take a guided tour which includes the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica like this one .

This will give you loads of information about what you are seeing and ensure you don’t waste time standing in line.

Another option is to invest in a pass which includes skip the line entry or a tour of these attractions. We would suggest looking at the Rome Tourist Card which includes skip the line access to the Vatican, Colosseum, and St. Peter’s Basilica.

You can also consider the Omnia Vatican and Rome Card , although this doesn’t currently include skip the line access to St. Peter’s Bascilica.

Finally, you can book individual tickets here for the Vatican via their official website (or here on GetYourGuide , which is easier to use in our experience).

As of early 2023 St Peter’s Basilica doesn’t actually have an entry fee, but nor does it have skip the line tickets (skip the line tickets used to be an option and we hope they come back soon!). So the best option if you want to skip the line is to invest either in a tour or a pass which includes a tour like the Rome Tourist Card .

You can also book Vatican tickets here , using our link gives you 5% off their usual price for Vatican tickets. It’s a little more expensive than the official website but somewhat more user friendly in our experience.

We recommend allocating at least half a day to explore the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica.

For lots more information on visiting the Vatican City and its attractions, see our complete guide to the Vatican , which has everything you need to know, including all the highlights, tips for visiting, how to buy tickets and lots more.

From here, head along to the Tiber River, and explore Castel Sant’Angelo (get tickets here ). Afterwards you can head back towards the city center, and visit locations like the Piazza Popolo.

If you have time and are interested you could also visit the Borghese Gallery. Note that this is also a timed entry system – see our guide to visiting the Borghese Gallery for more.

For your last day in Rome, we recommend spending some time exploring the Appian Way. This was one of the major routes in and out of the city, and is home to a number of ancient Roman ruins, as well as catacombs. A stop at the Baths of Caracalla on your way out of the city is also recommended.

Another option for your last day in Rome (or your first day, depending on how you decide to structure your itinerary) is to take a walking tour.

We’ve taken a number of walking tours in Rome with both Take Walks and Context , and enjoyed them all. As an example, see this introduction to Rome which includes gelato tasting!

For more inspiration for your visit to Rome, see our itineraries for 3 days in Rome , 2 days in Rome and a day in Rome .

In terms of saving money, there are a number of passes available for sight-seeing. For 3 days, our recommendation would be the Omnia Rome and Vatican Card. This includes public transport in Rome, a hop on hop off pass, and skip the line entry with timed reservations at the major attractions.

There are other passes as well, including the  Roma Pass , the  Rome Tourist Card and the  Best of Rome All Access pass . Which is best for you will depend on how many sites you are interested in visiting, and whether you plan on using the specific features they offer.

That pretty much finishes up the itinerary section of this post. We’ll share with you our tips for where to stay in Rome, before moving on to some practical information to help you plan this trip perfectly.

Where to Stay in Rome

We recommend the following hotels in Rome. The first three are near the main train station, which will make for an easier transfer when you arrive from Venice.

• Gioberti Art Hotel  – 50 yards from Termini Station, a well rated excellent value 4* hotel
• NH Collection Palazzo Cinquecento  – Awesome value 5* hotel just a few steps from the train station
• Hotel Valentino Palace  – a fantastic mid-range 3* property, just 150 yards from the train station
• The  Navona Theatre Hotel – a well reviewed and very centrally located 3* hotel
• The  Mimosa Pantheon Hotel – an excellent value budget hotel just around the corner from the Pantheon
• The  Hotel Navona – a well reviewed 3* hotel next to the Pantheon
• Di Rienzo Pantheon Palace – a centrally located well reviewed boutique hotel within walking distance of Rome’s highlights

2 Week Europe Itinerary Map

To help you visualise this itinerary, we’ve put together this overview map of the stops and route.

2 Week Europe Itinerary Summary:

• Day 1: London. Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, Churchill War Rooms, Buckingham Palace and the  London Eye .
• Day 2: London. Tower of London , Tower Bridge, Borough Market, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe and the Shard.
• Day 3: London. Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace, Stonehenge
• Day 4: Paris. Eiffel Tower, Seine River Cruise, Musee d’Orsay, Walking tour
• Day 5: Paris. Saint Chapelle, Notre Dame, Louvre, Arc de Triomphe
• Day 6: Paris. Versaille, Moulin Rouge
• Day 7: Barcelona. Sagrada Familia, Recinte Modernista Sant Pau, Park Güell, Gaudi Experience, Camp Nou
• Day 8: Barcelona. Casa Batlló, Casa Milá, Barcelona Cathedral, Palau de la Musica Catalana, Picasso Museum
• Day 9: Barcelona. Girona & Figueres
• Day 10: Venice. St. Mark’s Square, Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge, Gondola ride
• Day 11: Venice. Murano, Burano
• Day 12: Rome. Colosseum, Roman Forum, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain.
• Day 13: Rome. Vatican Museums, St. Peter’s Basilica, Castel Sant’Angelo, Piazza Popolo, Borghese Gallery
• Day 14: Rome. Appian Way, Baths of Caracalla

How to Get Around Europe

Europe has no shortage of transportation options to get you from place to place. For this itinerary, we would suggest you primarily use the train to get from city to city.

The high speed trains in Europe run frequently, are very comfortable, and are more environmentally friendly than short hop flights. If you book in advance they can also be cost effective. They also have the advantage that there are fewer baggage restrictions, and train stations tend to be in the city center – unlike airports.

Of course, not every segment of this trip would suit a train. For example, from Barcelona to Venice would take at least 24 hours by train. Also, Paris to Barcelona is a fairly lengthy journey. There is the option to take an overnight train, however it isn’t direct so it takes a while. It does save you the cost of a hotel night though.

For train travel across Europe, it’s important to book your tickets in advance as this will get you the best prices. We recommend thetrainline which supports booking tickets in all the countries visited on this itinerary.

For flights, we suggest you try Kiwi , which includes the major low cost airlines as well the more traditionally priced carriers.

When to Visit Europe

You can certainly visit Europe year-round, although visiting at different times of year will give you different experiences.

For the most part, summers in Europe are quite warm, with temperatures likely to be between 25C & 32C (77F – 90F) on average. Whilst the weather is going to be most reliable in the summer months of June through August, this is also going to be the busiest time of year to visit.

The cities in particular are very popular with visitors, and lines for attractions can be long at these times of year. We wouldn’t say you shouldn’t visit at this time of year, but you should definitely plan ahead and arrange all your entry tickets so as to make the most effective use of your time.

Our favourite time to travel in Europe is the shoulder months of April / May, and September / October. These months tend to offer a combination of reasonable weather and less busy attractions.

We’ve also travelled extensively throughout Europe in the cooler winter months, from November through to March. It never gets much below freezing during this time, so as long as you dress appropriately, we think you will have a great time.

See our guide to what to pack for London to give you some ideas of what you might want to bring along.

We don’t think there’s a bad time of year to travel in Europe. It’s just a question of planning and preparing properly in advance. It is also worth checking if there are any events happening in the city when you visit that might cause it to be busier.

For example, Venice has a major Carnival celebration near the start of the year, and the city is always busier at this time. Other cities also have events, and if you visit during them you will find accommodation prices will be higher, and the city will be busier.

Practical Advice for Travelling in Europe

Europe uses a 220-240V electrical system, so if you are travelling from the USA, Canada, or any other country that uses a 110V system, you will need to check that your electrical items are compatible.

In our experience, lower power items like laptops and smartphone charges are compatible from 110V – 240V, but higher power items like hair dryers and hair straighteners are usually not. The power rating and acceptable voltage should be marked on the device somewhere.

It’s really important you don’t plug a device into a voltage it doesn’t support, as it will damage it. Its best to leave non-compatible items at home and purchase a dual voltage appliance if you need it during your trip, such as a dual voltage hair straightener .

In addition, the UK and continental Europe have two different plug types. Mainland Europe generally uses a two pin system with round holes, whilst the UK has a three pin system with rectangular holes.

For travel, therefore, you will need a travel adaptor like this which will let you plug your devices in. Note that most travel adaptors are not voltage convertors. You would need something like this to convert the voltage.

Internet in the form of free WiFi access is fairly easy to get access too across all the cities mentioned in our article. In addition, since the EU has abolished roaming charges, if you buy a SIM card in one EU country, you should be able to continue to use it in other countries without any additional charges.

Depending on the device you are travelling with, you will have a number of options for accessing the internet when you travel, from picking up a local SIM, to renting a WiFi hotspot, to just using WiFi as you go.

We have a detailed guide to getting online when you travel to help you figure out which is best for you.

The two currencies that you’ll need for this trip are the pound sterling (GBP) and the euro (EUR). The UK (London in the case of our itinerary) uses the pound sterling and the rest of the European destinations on our itinerary use the Euro. Euros from one country can be used in any of the other countries.

In our experience, you should be able to pay for the majority of your travel spending using a credit or debit card. We’d advise getting one of these that doesn’t impose foreign transaction fees if that is an option. Ideally it will also support contactless technology, which will make using it for smaller payments easier.

We would also suggest you always have some cash in the local currency on you for small purchases, tips, and places that don’t accept credit cards (or if there is any issues with your credit card).

There are cash machines available in all the major cities on this itinerary where you will be able to use your bank card to withdraw a local currency. Depending on the policy of your bank at home, you might be able to withdraw cash from these without a fee, but do check in advance of your travel so you don’t pay fees unexpectedly. Some ATM’s also charge a fee.

If there is a fee from your bank for withdrawing cash, you might find it is more cost effective to order some money at home before you leave – or to find a bank account that lets you withdraw cash fee free.

All the cities that we have listed are relatively safe, but of course you should take the same safety precautions when travelling that you would at home. Avoid walking alone at night in unfamiliar areas and don’t leave valuables lying around where they could be easily snatched.

It’s also a good idea to read up on some of the common scams that you might encounter in each city – for example, we wrote a guide to common scams in Paris to give you an idea of what to look out for.

We’d also suggest keeping your valuables locked in your hotel safe when possible, and to avoid carrying large amounts of money on you. We’d also suggest having a good travel insurance policy. Basically, just apply the same safety principles that you would at home to your personal belongings and safety, and you should have a safe trip!

Drinking Water

Unless otherwise indicated with a sign, the water in the taps in all of the cities on our list is safe to drink. In some cities, you’ll also found water fountains where you can refill your water bottle.

The water in Barcelona does have a slightly strange taste due to the high mineral content, and many local people prefer to drink bottled water. However, the tap water is safe to drink unless otherwise noted.

We very much recommend that you travel with a high quality reusable water bottle like this and fill it up as you go. This will be friendlier to the environment, and save you having to spend money on a resource that is available for free.

Walking Tours in Europe

One of our favourite ways to explore a new city is to take a walking tour. It’s a great way to get oriented, learn about the city, its sights and its culture, plus get local tips on places to eat, drink and see from the guide.

We’ve taken walking tours in cities around the world, and we nearly always use one of two companies – Take Walks , and Context . Both of these companies offer small group walking tours in all the cities we’ve covered.

Take Walks offers tours with groups of up to around 14, whilst Context offers more private and semi-private tours. Here are some example tours to consider for the various cities in this itinerary.

• This London In a Day tour visit the highlights of London in one day, including the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey & Changing of the Guard.
• This introduction to London Tour which includes many of the highlights of the city
• This tour of the Chruchill War Rooms in London
• This full day tour of Paris which includes a Skip the Line Louvre Tour, the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre & a Seine River Cruise
• An introduction to Paris Tour , which includes the Louvre, Opera Garnier and the Champs-Elysees
• A full day tour of Barcelona which includes a visit to La Sagrada Família, Casa Milà & the Gothic Quarter
• This Rome In A Day Tour which includes a guided visit and skip the line entry to the Vatican, the Colosseum & a tour of the Historic Center of the city
• A full day tour of Venice which includes St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, & a Gondola Ride

Of course, this is just a sample of some of the many tours available, which vary in length from a couple of hours to a full day. We suggest taking a look at all the walks on Take Walks here and Context here . Note that all bookings through our Context links save you 10% on the tour price automatically.

Finally, there are of course a multitude of other options for walking tours. If you would like more options, we suggest looking at the listings on either GetYourGuide or Viator. These two sites have tour options from a wide range of companies, and you can read reviews from other travellers prior to booking to decide if it’s a good option for you.

Saving Money in Europe

Europe, and western Europe in particular, is not exactly known for being a budget destination. The cities in particular are fairly expensive. Your main costs on this trip are likely to be the flights (biggest cost for most), accommodation, attraction entry, transport between the cities, and eating out.

To help you control these costs, we wanted to share some of our tips from years of experience travelling in European cities, so you don’t spend money unnecessarily. Even if you’re not on a tight budget, there’s no need to waste money when you don’t have to!

Use City Passes

All the cities in our itinerary have one or more city passes to choose from. City passes generally include either free or discounted admission to the major attractions in the city, and may also include other benefits.

These other benefits will vary, but will generally include things like fast track entry to some attractions, inclusive public transport, hop on hop off bus tickets, and discounts on meals and other activities like walking tours, wine tastings, and so on.

We have used a number of city passes during our travels in the cities in this itinerary, and our recommended passes for you to consider are as follows:

• For London: The London Pass. Available in durations from one to ten days, covers all the major attractions in London. See our full review of the London Pass here , and buy yours here .
• For Paris: The Paris Pass or the Paris Museum Pass. The Paris Pass includes entry to most of Paris’s major museums, plus includes attractions like a HOHO bus and Seine River Cruise. The Paris Museum Pass just covers attraction entry fees. See our full review of the Paris Pass here , and buy your Paris Pass here . We also have a full review of the Paris Museum Pass here, and you can buy it here .
• For Barcelona: The Go Barcelona Pass , Barcelona City Pass and Barcelona Card . These vary in what they cover, and whilst we suggest you pick up at least one of them, the best one for you will depend on your interests. See our full comparison of the Barcelona City Passes for more information.
• For Rome: The Omnia Rome and Vatican Card or the Roma Pass . Both these passes include free public transport in Rome, as well as free and discounted admission to attractions across the city. The Omnia Rome and Vatican Card also includes skip the line access to the Vatican Museums, St. Peter’s Basilica, as well as other Vatican attractions. It also has a hop on hop off bus.
• For Venice : We have never used a discount card in Venice. However, there is a Venice Pass which includes many of the museums and churches that is well worth checking out.

If you are planning on seeing a number of sights in each city you visit, a city pass can definitely save you money. Some of them will also save you time, as they offer skip the line benefits. However, we do recommend doing a little bit of reading on each pass to make sure it makes sense for your specific trip.

Note that city passes are often not as good of a value for children (especially young children) and those who are eligible for discounts at many attractions (seniors, disabled, EU university students), so do check if you qualify for any discounts before buying a pass.

Book accommodation and transportation in advance

The two major costs on your trip are likely to be accommodation and transportation. Our major tip for both of these is to book them in advance.

For transport in Europe, the best deals are nearly always to be had if you book as far in advance as possible. The cheapest tickets on flights and trains always sell out first, and then the prices will increase.

We recommend you check your flights and book in advance here , and your trains here .

Accommodation is not quite so straight forward, as prices can dip and rise depending on demand. However, in our personal experience, prices tend to be lower if we book further in advance. Plus, you can often take advantage of free cancellation policies, and re-book if the prices drop.

Also, don’t forget to look at accommodation options beyond hotels. Short term apartment rentals can be very cost effective, plus they will allow you to prepare some of your own meals if you want, which will also save you money.

We generally use booking.com for booking our hotels, and they also include apartments. We also use Plum Guide regularly. There are plenty more options though – see our guide to some AirBnB alternatives to give you some ideas.

Invest in a Guidebook

We recommend investing in a guidebook, especially if this is your first trip to western Europe.

Investing $15 to $25 in a guidebook can save you much more in time and money. A guidebook can cover much more in-depth information than we can in this blog post, and means you’ll have all the information you need at your fingertips.

For this trip, we recommend the Rick Steves Best of Europe guide . If you had to pick one guide book, that would be our favourite – it covers all the destinations in this itinerary (plus many more!) and has lots of practical information, tips and advice to help you plan. We use and love it.

If you have room in your bag, we can also recommend the Europe through the Back Door book , which has a lot of general travel advice for Europe.

Other options to consider include Lonely Planet’s Western Europe guidebook and/or the Insight Guide to Western Europe .

Be sure to purchase a recently edited/updated version of the guidebook. So make sure it was updated in the last year or so. Most guidebooks are updated every year or two to make sure the information is as up to date as possible.

If you are not sure which guidebook may be best for you, you might want to browse in your local bookshop or library before picking one.

Use Public Transport Effectively

The cheapest and most effective way to get around the cities listed in this post is to take public transport (well, after walking of course!).

Each city has its own public transport network, with various fares and ticket options. Learning how to use these properly will save you money.

For example, in London, it’s possible to buy individual tickets using cash. However, this can be twice as expensive as using an Oyster Card or Contactless bank card for your travel. In Paris, you can buy tickets individually, or you can save money by buying booklets of ten tickets.

In addition, many of the city passes we recommend come with some sort of travel card, which can also save you money.

Basically, each transport system has its own quirks, and having a handle on these will likely save you money. We also recommend always checking to see how far your destination is on foot before taking public transport.

The public transit maps are unlikely to match up to the reality of geography, and you might find it will take the same amount of time to walk somewhere as it would have to take a bus or metro, plus walking is free!

Find restaurant deals

Our final tip covers the last major expense, which will be eating out. Of course, eating out is a major part of travelling, but the costs can quickly add up.

The good news is that you can also save money on eating out. The secret is to figure out when the restaurant deals are likely to be happening.

For example, in France and Spain, it’s very common for lunch time menus to be offered. These are usually two or three course meals, which sometimes include wine, bread and coffee, and which are usually priced under €20 per person.

For Paris, see our guide to some of the best Michelin starred restaurants for lunch deals .

In London, these aren’t as common, however, many restaurants offer theater deals. These are special priced menus offered either late in the afternoon (5pm – 7pm generally) or late in the evening (10pm and onwards), designed for theatre goers who want to get a meal before or after the show.

Of course, you don’t have to be going to the theatre to take advantage of these deals!

Other options for saving money on dining out include taking advantage of street food, picking up “meal deals” at supermarkets like M&S in London, putting together picnics from markets in Paris – the list goes on. It is certainly possible to eat on the cheap quite easily if you make a little bit of effort to do so.

Further Reading for your Trip to Europe

Well, that’s pretty much the end of this post to help you plan your own perfect Europe itinerary and trip.

As you can see from the links shared throughout the post, we have a lot of content to help you plan your own trip to Europe. To make it easier for you, I wanted to put some of the most useful content here, for easy reference. I’ve also included some third party resources you might find useful in planning.

• For London , we have a guide for a day in London , 2 days in London , 3 days in London and 6 days in London
• We have a guide to the London Eye , Tower of London , Harry Potter filming locations in London , Winston Churchill locations in London , London’s War Museums , London’s UNESCO sites and tips on taking a walking tour in London
• We also have a guide to public transport in London , a guide to getting from the airport to London , a guide to what to pack for London , a guide to the cost of travel in the UK and a review of the London Pass
• For Paris , we have a guide to a day in Paris , 2 days in Paris and 3 days in Paris
• We have a guide to the best photography locations in Paris , afternoon tea in Paris , thoughts on the best Seine River cruises , a guide to making perfume in Paris , and advice for visiting the Moulin Rouge
• We also have a review of the Paris Pass , a review of the Paris Museum Pass , a guide to visiting the Eiffel Tower
• For Barcelona , we have a guide for 1 day in Barcelona , 2 days in Barcelona and 3 days in Barcelona .
• We have a guide to the best photography locations in Barcelona , the Anton Gaudi sites in Barcelona , and the Sagrada Familia
• We have a review of the Go Barcelona Pass and a comparison of the major Barcelona city passes
• For Rome, we have a guide to things to do in Rome , a day in Rome , 2 days in Rome and 3 days in Rome
• We also have a guide to the best gelato in Rome , the best cafes in Rome , visiting the Borghese Gallery in Rome, visiting the Colosseum in Rome and our thoughts on taking a walking tour in Rome
• For Venice , we have a guide to spending a day in Venice
• We also have a guide to visiting the Doge’s Palace & St. Mark’s Basilica , as well as our thoughts on a tour of Casanova’s Venice
• Investing in a guidebook can help save you time and money on your trip and help you be prepared. For this trip, we recommend the Rick Steves Best of Europe guide , Lonely Planet’s Western Europe guidebook and/or the Insight Guide to Western Europe

And that’s it for our guide to spending 2 weeks in Europe! As always, we’re open to questions, comments and feedback – just pop them in the comments section below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!

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There are 30 comments on this post

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Kirsten says

1st April 2023 at 1:43 am

We just came back from this exact trip on 3/26/23. We followed your itinerary and most of your suggestions on what to do in each city. Thank you so much for putting this together. My husband and I aren’t the best planners and this step by step guide was so helpful and perfect for us! We really couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you!

Laurence Norah says

2nd April 2023 at 10:33 pm

Hi Kirsten!

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and share your experience! I’m delighted to hear you guys had a great time in Europe and that we were able to help with your trip planning, it really means a lot to know that our content is helpful 🙂

Safe travels!

Laurence & Jessica

12th February 2023 at 3:08 pm

This is an awesome itinerary. Thank you so much for sharing! We hope to make our first trip to Europe in the future.

12th February 2023 at 4:18 pm

My pleasure Sara, I hope you get to visit Europe soon and do let me know if you have any questions when you start to plan your trip!

6th February 2023 at 12:20 am

Hello, Thank you for great posts on Europe trip. Really help a lot when I’m trying to plan for mine. Do you mind sharing apartment name you stayed in Paris, the one with Eiffel tower view? Im looking for nice apartment to stay with Eiffel tower view for my honeymoon this year. Really appreciate it if you could share. Thank you 🙂

9th February 2023 at 8:15 am

Thanks very much. So the apartment was this one which we booked via Plum Guide. I’m not sure it’s still bookable, although there is an option to message the host. I’d also recommend the Eiffel Tower guide we have here , as that as a selection of accommodation options with good views. We’ve also stayed at the Pullman Paris hotel which has excellent Eiffel Tower views for example.

Have a great trip to Europe!

19th January 2023 at 4:05 pm

I’ve subscribed, but still cannot gain printing access…please help – thank you!

23rd January 2023 at 2:17 pm

Sorry for the slow response, we’re travelling in Uganda and Internet access has been sporadic! I can see you are an active subscriber, does it still not work when you put your email address in on the print page? If not, if you could let me know what device and browser you are using and I’ll see if I can figure out what is going on!

2nd July 2022 at 3:39 am

This was a great blog. I am trying to put together a surprise trip for my wife’s 40th next year. I am gonna try to do it myself based off all the deals y’all have given. Bless

2nd July 2022 at 10:58 am

My pleasure Wayne, have a great trip and do let me know if you have any questions 🙂

alex47_in_downtown says

8th February 2022 at 2:16 pm

This was the most detailed, informative & hence the most helpful travel blogpost I’ve ever read… 🙂 Perfect itinerary for first-timers (like me)…! Lots of love from India <3

10th February 2022 at 12:11 pm

Thanks very much Alex, I was delighted to be of help! I hope you have a great time in Europe, and do let me know if you have any questions!

Ashley Salgado says

8th October 2022 at 7:19 pm

Why not have a pdf versión to be able to print. Tried to print this but it’s a whopping 100 pages with all the ads and comments. Great info I’d love to print and read with time not on a screen.

8th October 2022 at 11:23 pm

Thanks for your message! Every post is available in printable format, if you look at the bottom of the post on mobile, or the side on desktop, there is a little print icon. If you press that you can go through the steps to access a printable version without ads, comments or images. You can then print it to PDF, most devices these days let you save a webpage as a PDF from the print option.

Have a great time in Europe!

Michelle says

2nd November 2021 at 1:49 am

I’m so glad I found this blog. This is so helpful and fantastic. It really gives us a clearer picture on how to plan our first trip to Europe (16 days) and it hits the cities we want to start off with and we plan on doing. Thank you!!!

2nd November 2021 at 11:06 am

My pleasure Michelle! Have a wonderful trip across Europe, and do let me know if you have any questions!

Penny Hampton says

2nd January 2021 at 2:42 pm

Loved your blog on traveling to Europe. We have never been to Europe so this would be our first time. What you write is exactly what we are looking for. Great advise on everything from where to go-where to stay and where to visit. If Covid ever dies down, we will try to make the trip.

2nd January 2021 at 2:46 pm

Thank you so much Penny! I certainly hope you get to take a trip sooner rather than later 🙂 If you have any questions when it comes to the planning, just let me know. Happy 2021!

20th February 2020 at 4:03 am

Hi Lawrence and Jessica,

Thank you so much for this article, it has been very helpful as I try and plan out our first trip to Europe. I will be taking my sons ages 24 and 18 this summer and are hoping to say about 18 days. We are planning to go to every location except Barcelona, and would like to add a city in either the Netherlands, Belgium or Switzerland. Which would you recommend? Also we are planning to travel at the end of July/early August, so I’m sure our costs will be quite high. Any thoughts on how much I should expect a 2 week trip to cost? I know that may be a difficult question to answer, but even if it’s a broad ballpark it would be very helpful.

20th February 2020 at 12:43 pm

Our pleasure, sounds like you have a great trip coming up! So yes, this is a really hard question to answer 😉 I would suggest taking a look at our suggested costs for a UK trip here , which should help with your planning. Prices in continental Europe are fairly comparable to the UK. Everyone has a different travel style and budget, and idea of what is expensive or acceptable, so it’s hard to know. There would be a huge difference depending on if it was hostel accommodation of 5* 😉 Just be aware that capital cities tend to be more expensive as a general rule of thumb.

In terms of saving, definitely check out apartment rentals which might work out cheaper as you are in a group. Also, booking transport well in advance (planes and trains) will make a huge difference to the cost. Flexibility in timing is also useful.

In terms of adding another city, Amsterdam is obviously nice but busy. Ghent and Bruges are lovely in Belgium. We’ve actually just come back from Switzerland. There’s a lot to choose from and a great transport network, but Geneva is a good starting point.

Let me know if you have any more questions, I’m happy to try and help!

12th February 2020 at 4:36 pm

I’ve sent this to my wife, this looks amazing! I think ill try to see if we can get an overnight Rail between the far trips however, this looks fantastic! and Exciting!

It will be our 1st trip to the EU, so hitting up all these locations at once will give us a great taste of so many locations!

12th February 2020 at 5:38 pm

Thanks Ryan! I hope you guys have a great trip, and do let me know if you have any questions!

10th December 2019 at 4:46 pm

Amazing article! You have inspired me to explore Europe soon! Thanks!

10th December 2019 at 4:58 pm

Thanks very much – I hope you get to visit soon and have a great trip when you do!

19th November 2019 at 4:03 pm

Loved this article and found it very useful. I’m in the process of trying to plan a trip for next year with my 18 and 19 year olds. I can’t quite committ to exactly where I want to take them. This will be our first trip overseas and I’ve been driving myself crazy googling different locations and ideas. This article has been one of the best as I feel like I really need a step by step guide to create and book whatever vacation I decide to go with. Any tips on what you think would be a great trip for that age bracket would be very appreciated.

20th November 2019 at 3:06 pm

Awesome, delighted to have been able to help. So I think this itinerary will work for your family, the only thing might be to tweak the attractions you visit based on your interests and the interests of your family. So if they aren’t into lots of museums, or art, then maybe cut those back a bit. Perhaps they’d be more interested in food tours or more interactive things like that. The best option would definitely be to just have a chat with them and find out what they might like to do, and then you can try to make everyone happy 😉 Communication is definitely key, and if they feel they have input and control then I think everyone will have a better time.

I hope this helps a bit!

Have an amazing trip and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any more questions!

Natasha says

4th October 2019 at 1:19 pm

I might suggest taking skipping at least Barcelona. It’s not that it’s not beautiful, it definetly is. The city can’t handle all the tourist coming its way…Please do some research beforehand. I might opt for a longer stay in one city than trying to do too much. Or focus on one region. You probably wouldn’t do New York, California, Chicago and Grand Canyon in 2 weeks… It may not look like it on the map, but these aren’t such small distances.

4th October 2019 at 7:40 pm

Hi Natasha,

Thanks for your feedback. I’d disagree about Barcelona as I think it’s a beautiful city (we have visited many times – this article is based on our experiences not research). We would agree that folks should try and spend longer in each place rather than moving too fast for sure, and slower travel is something we prefer ourselves. That said, not everyone has the luxury of longer vacations, and wants to see quite a few places, hence we’ve put this itinerary together. Compared to some itineraries, we think it’s actually pretty relaxed and achievable 🙂

Thanks again for taking the time to comment!

14th September 2019 at 4:57 pm

Thanks for this detailed itinerary and plans. I really liked reading this. We are planning for a Europe trip on coming December. Do you think the itinerary you mentioned can be a difficult one to choose because of weather in December?

14th September 2019 at 5:47 pm

I think the itinerary is do-able at any time of year. December is a good month for visiting Europe as you have the pretty Christmas lights and Christmas markets. Obviously it will be colder and there’s more chance of rain, but appropriate clothing will solve that issue!

Have a great trip and let me know if I can be of any more help 🙂

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Planning a Trip to Europe: 30 Tips to Help You Plan a European Vacation

May 19, 2020 · In: Austria , Belgium , Bosnia & Herzegovina , Croatia , Destinations , England , Estonia , Europe , Faroe Islands , France , Germany , Greece , Iceland , Ireland , Italy , Netherlands , Northern Ireland , Norway , Slovenia , Svalbard , Sweden , Switzerland

Planning a trip to Europe is incredibly exciting but it can also be a bit overwhelming. After living in Europe for 6 years I frequently get asked questions about how to plan a trip to Europe.

In this comprehensive guide I will give you lots of tips on how to plan a European vacation. Everything from deciding which countries to visit, how to create an itinerary, when is the best time to go, money saving tips and more!

Creating a plan for your European travels in advance will make your trip far more enjoyable and way less stressful. So grab your pen and paper and lets start trip planning!

DON’T HAVE TIME TO READ NOW? PIN IT FOR LATER!

Table of Contents

Is Europe a Country or a Continent?

One common misconception is that Europe is a country. It is, in fact, an entire continent made up of many countries. Europeans find it hilarious when other people say that they went on summer vacation in Europe and not specify the name of the country they traveled to.

1. Where to Travel in Europe: Make a List of Your Top Choices

This is probably going to be the toughest decision to make when planning a trip to Europe. Before you even begin the planning process, you’ll want to narrow down your choices of where to go in Europe. The best way to do this is to start by making a list of about 5-7 different countries that you dream of visiting. Then choose a few different cities within those countries that you’ll want to see.

If you’re list is starting to get pretty long and you feel like it’s all over the place don’t worry. It’s completely normal to get excited and feel overwhelmed. There are so many incredible places within Europe that you’ll no doubt want to squeeze in as much as you can.

However, the main goal of writing a list is not to create jam packed itinerary but to help with narrowing things down later. You will use this list plus a number of different factors that I will discuss to help you figure out your exact European itinerary!

If you are having a difficult time deciding on a few destinations try thinking about what kind of places and experiences you’d like to have. Are you interested in doing a city trip which would include more history, architecture, cafes & restaurants, shopping and sightseeing.

Or are you interested in creating an itinerary that revolves around nature and outdoor adventures. Exploring waterfalls, kayaking in fjords, hiking mountains and road tripping through the countryside.

Maybe you’d like to combine a bit of both, city and nature? These are all important factors that will help you make your decision of where to go in Europe.

How Many Countries are There in Europe?

Let’s start by discussing how many countries does Europe have? There is a total of 51 countries within Europe. This number does not include the other territories or archipelagos that are governed by countries within Europe. Those include destinations such as the Faroe Islands, Svalbard, Gibraltar and Isle of Man just to name a few.

What Countries are Part of the European Union?

There are 27 countries that are included in the European Union. These counties abide by the same rules, regulations and policies that are agreed upon unanimously by those within the member states.

These 27 countries are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

What are the Schengen Countries & What is a Schengen Visa?

The Schengen Agreement was created in 1985 and is essentially a treaty where certain countries within Europe have chosen to remove their internal borders to allow free movement within what is called the Schengen Zone.

There are officially 26 countries that are part of the Schengen zone. These countries are Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

What European Countries Require a Visa?

What does this mean for travelers visiting from countries not within Europe? First thing you need to do is to check whether you actually need to apply for a visa to enter Europe or the Schengen Zone. You can find a list of all the countries that require and do not require a visa here.

If you do need to apply for a visa you can do so by filling out the proper paperwork and applying at your local Embassy or Consulate. You can apply for a single entry visa, double entry visa or a multiple entry visa.

If you apply for a single entry visa you are allowed to visit any of the countries in the Schengen Zone during your one entry, not just one single country.

However, be sure to guarantee that the country you are visiting is within the Schengen Zone or you could run into some issues. You can find more details about the different types of Schengen Visas, fees and validity HERE .

The best thing to do if you need a visa to visit Europe is to make an appointment with the closest embassy or consulate and discuss the details with a professional.

Make Sure You Have a Valid Passport When Planning a Trip to Europe

The most important thing that you will need to do before even booking your trip to Europe is to confirm you have a valid passport . Your passport will need to have at least 6 months validity or you could be turned away at the airport before even boarding your flight. Additionally, you will need to have at least 2 full pages in your passport that are completely free without any stamps.

2. When is the Best Time to Go to Europe?

Now that you have created your list of the top places you want to visit in Europe you can start to narrow it down based on a number of other factors. The next step in planning your trip to Europe is deciding which time of year you will go. Are you flexible or are you locked into specific dates?

This is very important because different countries and cities are better to visit depending on the season. There may be flowers in bloom you’d like to see, a festival or event that happens once a year or maybe you’re interested in attending the Christmas Markets.

You also may want to avoid the rainy season in some cities like Amsterdam or London. These are all factors that need to be considered when planning a trip to Europe.

3. Figure out your budget for a European Vacation

The third major thing to consider when planning a trip to Europe is budget. In fact, this may be the most important part of planning your European vacation once you’ve decided on a location and time frame. You’ll want to establish your budget long before you even step foot onto the European continent.

Now the key part of setting a budget is actually sticking to it once you are in Europe. I know just how easy it is to convince yourself that you need to buy that dress or have that expensive latte because when in Rome, right?

However, doing this over and over during the duration of your stay in Europe will quickly blow your budget and probably stress you out.

This is why it is important to set a budget which will include the upfront costs of the trip plus a little extra for those unexpected purchases and experiences.

How much does it cost to travel Europe?

The cost of traveling around Europe depends on a lot of different things. The destination will be one of the top deciding factors in regards to budget. Scandinavian countries are going to be more expensive than those in Eastern Europe for example.

When planning a trip to Europe consider that the popular destinations within countries like France, Italy or Spain are going to be more expensive. However, if you visit some of the lesser known spots within those same countries your expenses will be lower and you can find more budget friendly options.

If you are trying to decide on a destination within your budget you can start by researching how much accommodation is in that particular city. Another way is check out different restaurant menus and search for public transportation costs. This will give you a quick and relatively easy idea of the approximate amount you will spend once you are there.

How to Travel Europe on a Budget

There are a few easy ways that you can plan a trip to Europe on a budget. For starters look for accommodation that isn’t at the top of your budget.

Another way that you can cut costs is by visiting local markets or supermarkets and purchasing food or snacks there. This will save some money since dining in a restaurant is always more expensive.

In Italy for example, you can save money by standing at the bar to have your espresso or cafe. This will save you the cost, albeit small, of the coperto or cover charge that they add to the bil if you choose to sit down.

You can also save money while traveling in Europe by using the public transportation systems. Most airports have public buses, trains or underground metros to get from the terminal to the city center.

This will cost much less than taking a taxi or hiring a private car through your hotel. The only reason to take a taxi is if you are with a large group and the cost ends up the same once you split it.

Where to Go in Europe on a Budget

Within Europe you will find that certain countries are less expensive than others. Some of the more expensive destinations will be the big cities such as Paris, London, Amsterdam and Rome. Of course that is only a small sampling of the most popular places to visit in Europe.

Luckily, just because those particular cities are expensive it doesn’t mean that the entire country is expensive either.

You can easily travel around small towns or lesser known cities in France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, etc on a budget. That’s not to say you can’t find accommodation within your budget in the bigger cities as well. You’ll just have to do a little more research and read the reviews carefully.

The most expensive countries within Europe will be the Nordic countries, Switzerland and the UK.  The Nordic countries include Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.

The cheapest countries to visit in Europe are the Eastern European countries. These typically include the top destinations like Hungary, Czechia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia and many others.

Some of the mid-range countries budget wise would be France, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Greece, Austria, Spain and others. While this is by no means a complete list, I hope that it helps gives some perspective on the different places you might consider visiting based on your budget.

4. Determine How Many Days You Have to Travel Around Europe

Narrowing down the actual amount of days you’ll have when planning a trip to Europe will help you decide where to go and how long to spend in each destination. This is a key part of mapping out your itinerary so make sure you know the exact number of days you have before settling on your final destinations.

Don’t Forget about Travel Time

One thing that you don’t want to forget about when creating an itinerary for your European travels is travel time. Determining how long it actually takes to get from one destination to the next is hugely important when deciding all the locations you want to visit.

Keep in mind that when traveling around Europe you will spend quite a bit of time in transit if you are hopping between different countries and cities.

When you travel by plane you will have to arrive at least 1.5 to 2 hours early to the airport. Then you have to consider how long it will take to reach your final destination from the airport. If you travel by train the transit time could potentially be similar.

How to Travel Europe by Train

If you are planning to spend a month or more traveling around Europe then I would recommend checking out the Rail Europe Pass called Eurail . However, the pass is really only necessary if you plan to cover a lot of distance.

Therefore, if your itinerary doesn’t include a ton of country hopping than purchasing a European Rail pass is most likely an unnecessary expense.

An alternative option is to use the local train systems within each country. Booking train travel in Europe is not only easy but also safe, efficient and very convenient. You can check timetables, purchase tickets and inquire about other information online.

Most of the train stations have either a ticket counter and/or a kiosk where you can purchase your ticket inside the train station as well

These are a few of the common local train companies within Europe:

• SNCF (French National Railway Company) in France
• Trenitalia in Italy
• Renfe in Spain
• Deutsche Bahn in Germany
• SNCB in Belgium
• NS ( Nederlandse Spoorwegen) in the Netherlands
• CP (Comboios de Portugal) in Portugal
• ÖBB in Austria
• SBB (Schweizerische BundesBahn) in Switzerland
• VY (ACP Rail International) in Norway
• DSB in Denmark

*This is not a complete list of all the national and regional train companies throughout Europe.

How to Travel Europe by Plane

Traveling around Europe by plane is incredibly easy and relatively inexpensive. With budget airlines like EasyJet and RyanAir you will be able to find flights to your desired destinations at a very reasonable price.

Typically the budget airlines will arrive and depart out of a smaller airport rather than the main international hub. Luckily, these airports will also have very easy public transportation to get you to the city center so it is 100% worth it to fly the budget airlines.

Remember that if you book flights with a budget airline there are no extras included. This means that you will need to purchase checked baggage, food, drinks and a few other things separately. Most of the airlines will include a small carry on bag but be sure to check the dimension and weight restrictions as they are very strict.

In addition to the budget airlines, you can also book your travels through a number of main airline companies. It is worth it to check fees for both the budget airlines and the main airlines.

Sometimes you’ll be able to find that the prices are similar but with the non-budget airlines you’ll have luggage allowance and would fly into a main airport.

The Best Budget Airlines in Europe Include:

• Transavia (mostly for flights in the Netherlands)
• Norwegian Air
• WOW Air (cheap flights to Iceland)

Many of these budget airlines run special deals throughout the year. Therefore, if you are planning of traveling around Europe by air I would suggest signing up for their email list. They will send you direct emails with their exclusive deals. You can always unsubscribe later!

The best website to use when browsing for flights within Europe is skyscanner.com . The website aggregates most of the budget airline options for you with one easy click.

You can quickly navigate through the website by selecting one way, roundtrip or multiple destinations. Another feature that I love about Skyscanner is that you can select a specific departure airport but type in ‘everywhere’ as your arrival destination. The site will then show you all the cheapest destinations for your selected dates based on your departure airport.

Additionally, you can select the departure and arrival airport with no specific dates. Click the month you will be traveling and the website will show you all the cheapest flights on each day within the month. Honestly, it is a great European travel planning tool and I always recommend using it!

With that being said I almost never book directly through skyscanner, instead I go directly to the airports website and book through them. If you have the time you can manually go to each of the airlines I mentioned and search their websites.

You can definitely find the best deals doing it manually since some flights and airlines might not show up on skyscanner. However, using a 3rd party website will save you a significant amount of time.

Budget Saving Tip for Air Travel In Europe:  If you are traveling roundtrip within Europe be sure to check multiple airlines for your departure and return flight. For example, I took a one way flight via Volotea for €7 from Venice to Mykonos with a return ticket through EasyJet for €23. Traveling roundtrip using different airlines saved me a ton of money.

I’ve always been able to find great deals both through skyscanner.com and by searching manually. I’ve traveled from Venice, Italy to Paris, France roundtrip for €50 once, not even kidding! I cannot stress enough the importance of checking with multiple airlines and websites to find the best deals possible.

Should You Rent a Car in Europe?

Renting a car in Europe will depend entirely on the destination that you choose. I have personally rented a car in Europe many times and found it very handy for destinations where public transportation is not easily available. Renting a car is really only necessary if you plan on driving to destinations a bit off the beaten path or you want to do a road trip style vacation.

During my travels I always use the rental car company Europcar . Their prices are fair and their customer service was always very good. When you rent a car you can always add additional insurance and coverage to the rental policy. I would check with your credit cards prior to renting a car to see what they cover. I have the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card and they cover quite a bit so I never added extra insurance through the car rental company.

Some of the times that I’ve rented a car in Europe was to do a road trip though the Netherlands , drive around the Faroe Islands , a road trip through Southern Spain and so much more! I will also note that I previously resided in Italy for 6 years and so I used my own personal car to travel around as well. Having your own car is beneficial if you have the time and prefer to have a loose itinerary where you can add additional stops along the way.

I’ve also rented a camper van twice in Iceland to circumnavigate the country which was such a fun experience and one that I would highly recommend!

5. Create a Rough Itinerary of your European Travels

Now that you’ve narrowed down your list, determined the time when you can go and laid out your budget it’s time to create an itinerary for your trip! Use a calendar and jot down where exactly you want to be on each given day. Then dive in a bit further and start making a list of the sights you want to visit or things you want to do on each day.

This will help to give you a better understanding of how much time you’ve actually allotted in a day to see and do the things you want. Be sure not to pack too many things into one day as you will end up being overwhelmed and have to skip something anyways. You will always need to take into account the time it’ll take you to move around as most of the sights aren’t right next to each other.

When creating a rough itinerary for your European travels you’ll also want to play around with the flights. While you may be set on arriving in Paris and departing out of Rome you should also check flight prices the other way around. There are times where just by switching your starting and ending point you could save hundreds of dollars!

Which brings me to my next point. Do you want to visit multiple countries during your European travels? Or do you want to stick to just one country but travel amongst multiple cities?

6. Visiting Multiple Countries or Cities on One Trip

If you have your heart set on visiting multiple countries during your trip to Europe it can actually be quite easy to arrange. The key part of the equation is to choose destinations that are geographically close to each other. This will significantly reduce travel time and allow you to make the most of each day.

Below are a few sample itineraries that you could use to plan your European travels strategically while still visiting multiple countries:

• Northern Italy, Slovenia and Austria
• The main cities of Paris, London & Amsterdam
• Southern Spain and Portugal
• The Netherlands & Belgium
• Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia
• Finland, Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania
• Stockholm, Copenhagen & Oslo
• Norway (Bergen & Lofoten Islands) and the Faroe Islands

These are just a few ideas and all trips that I have personally done. If you want to visit non-neighboring countries the most efficient way to do so is to visit larger cities with easily accessible airports.

One of the main take aways about creating a multi country trip in Europe is to not over plan and plan strategically.

7. Start Booking Your Trip to Europe

Once you’ve created your rough itinerary and finally decided on the dates and destinations you’ll be visiting you can proceed with booking your trip to Europe. This is one of the most exciting parts of planning a trip to Europe and once you’ve hit purchase on those flights to can begin counting down the days till your trip!

Book Your Airfare to Europe

A good rule of thumb is to begin checking flights at least 6 months in advance. You can book directly through an airline or use one of the websites that aggregate ton of possible flights options. I personally use Expedia because in the past they usually have the best deals for international flights plus they offer free cancellation within 24 hours. Other reputable options are Google Flights , Kiwi.com , Cheapoair.com and Kayak.com .

Budget Saving Tips:

• If you have a VPN or IP blocker you can set it to a lower income country. Then open a new private or incognito window to check flight prices.
• Another way that you can potentially save month on flights is to search on different days of the week. Be sure to use the private or incognito window on your browser.
• Hopper app is something that you can use to track flight prices. On the app you will input the dates and airport codes of where you want to go and it will send you updates with changes in flight prices. It will also advise you if now is a good time to purchase or if they predict that prices will decrease.
• Arrive in one city and depart from another, this is called a multi-city or open jaw option. Essentially it saves time from back tracking plus its more economical and efficient.

Book Your Accommodation in Europe

Choosing the perfect accommodation in Europe is an important part of creating your itinerary. The two main booking sites that I use are booking.com and airbnb.com . There are many other booking sites out there but I used these two exclusively during my 6 years in Europe. I’ve also used only these during my year long travels throughout Asia.

Safe to say that I trust booking.com and airbnb.com although there is always that chance that you could have a bad experience. It is extremely important to read the reviews and the small print. Find out if taxes are included or what other charges may be applied upon arrival so that you aren’t blindsided by extra fees.

You can also book directly through a hotel or guesthouse website if you prefer to do so.

Travel Tip: Stay centrally located. If you’ve found a hotel that is €20 cheaper a night but 30 minutes outside the city center you’ll end up spending the same once you’ve added in transportation costs. Plus you’ll have to add on the additional travel time which will take away from your exploration of the cityIt’s always better just to spend the little bit extra to be within the city.

Book Local Tours Within Europe

When planning a trip to Europe you might want to book a few local tours. While I’m not usually a big fan of large group or guided tours, there are a few that can be pretty fun. For example I’ve done small group bike tours in both London and Amsterdam. I’ve kayaked the Norwegian fjords near Bergen with a tour, twice! . And I’ve also done glacier hiking in Iceland , just to name a few!

In addition to adventure style tours, you can book guided tours for some historical sights you might be visiting. This would be extremely beneficial when visiting places such as Pompeii, the Colosseum and many other sights within Europe that have historical significance.

Book Tickets in Advance to Some of the Main Attractions

While not everything you do in Europe needs to be pre-booked or planned in advance there are a few places that you might want to purchase tickets for before you arrive. This is different from booking a tour as these are solely entrance tickets to some of Europe’s most popular sights.

A few places that you’ll definitely want to consider pre-booking tickets would be to climb the Eiffel Tower in Paris , visit the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and the Vatican. Of course there are many other places that you would benefit from pre-purchasing you ticket.

Additionally, some sights may offer discounts if you purchase online. Follow the instructions of obtaining either a printed or electronic ticket and come prepared with all necessary documentation.

8. Must Haves for European Travel

Now that you’ve booked your flights, accommodation and tours it is time to start thinking about what to pack for your trip to Europe. There are some things that you’ll want to take care of prior to your trip so getting organized a few weeks out is key.

What to Pack When Traveling to Europe

Deciding what to pack for a trip to Europe or anywhere in general is usually one of my least favorite things to do before a trip. It is so hard to remember all the essential things that you may need and often times you end up overpacking. Just remember that if you forget to pack something you will be able to find it easily in Europe once you arrive.

One of the main things you’ll want to purchase and pack is a universal plug adaptor. These adaptors come in super handy when traveling around Europe as the plugs aren’t always the same in each country.

Another key thing that you’ll want to check is if your appliances (hair dryer, straightener, curling iron, etc) are dual voltage. In Europe they use 22 volts while in America they use 110 volts. If you check your appliance and it says “110-220 volts” then you will be just fine. If you want to use a 110 volt appliance in Europe or any country which uses 220 volts then you will need to purchase a travel converter which is different than a travel plus adaptor. 

Be sure to pack all of your daily medications as well as some additional medications that you may need. I always pack some cold medicine, sinus & allergy medication, stomach medication and headache medication. The reason is that you never know when you might feel sick and you don’t want to be out searching for medication in those instances. I also recommend packing a small first aid kit with some additional bandaids.

Figuring out how to dress for travel in Europe can be one of the most challenging parts of packing up your suitcase. After living in Italy for 6 years and traveling extensively around Europe I can tell you that wearing neutral colors is the best way to not stand out as a tourist.

By all means pack whatever you’d like but if you are like me and prefer to blend in, then I would leave the sports team t-shirts and neon colored athletic tops at home.

I also recommend that you pack a light sweater during the summer months for cooler nights. Additionally, be sure to wear a comfortable pair of shoes since you will probably doing a lot of walking around the cities.

Get a Small Amount of Euro Cash from Your Bank

Only get a small amount of euro cash out from your local bank at home if that is an option. And by small I mean no more than €200. Once you arrive in Europe you won’t have a problem finding an ATM to withdraw euros. Plus the exchange rate will be way better than your bank back home.

Additionally, most places in Europe will take debit or credit cards so there shouldn’t be any problems. You can even purchase your train tickets via credit card through their machines.

Also, be sure to call your bank or go online and put a travel alert on all the cards you will use while in Europe. This way they won’t get immediately flagged as fraud and you won’t have to make an international call to unlock your credit card.

International Phone plan or get a SIM card when you arrive

Since we are all connected through our phones you’ll most likely want to have some kind of internet connection while traveling throughout Europe. Most cell phone providers offer an international phone plan option which you can add as an extra service. Those fews however can really add up depending on how long you’ll be traveling.

An alternative to adding an international plan to your phone is to purchase a SIM card in the country where you are traveling. Keep in mind that this will only work if your phone is UNLOCKED. Most phones in the states are locked while they are under contract with your phone company. The phone will be unlocked if you have completely paid it off.

During the time I was traveling through Europe I was living in Italy. Therefore I had a SIM card from the Italian internet provider called TIM. Through TIM I was able to purchase a SIM card and then add money to my phone as needed for internet or minutes. TIM also has an inexpensive plan which you can purchase allowing you to use a certain amount of minutes and data in other countries.

You can easily do the same with any European country that you are visiting. If you purchase a SIM card I recommend getting around 8-10 GB of internet usage and adding some minutes in case of an emergency.

While wifi is widely available in most European countries it is not always advisable to rely on that for your main source of connection.

Download the free app WhatsApp. You can use your current phone number to send messages or make phone calls off of wifi or data.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is an absolute must when planning a trip abroad. There are plenty of different companies out there offering a variety of plans to fit your individual needs. Make sure you do your research and decide which plan best suits you and your travels.

You can also purchase plans that cover travel costs if you have to cancel for an emergencies. One of the companies that I can recommend is Safety Wing . They have great customer service and offer packages as low as $37 for 4 weeks of coverage.

As always when purchasing travel insurance make sure you thoroughly read the coverage details and fine print.

Download an Offline Map

Whenever I know that I am heading to a new destination I always download an offline map. For the majority of my travels I use Google Maps. However, there have been plenty of times where the data on my phone switches to no service and Google Maps stops working. Therefore an offline map can really save you in these moments!

An offline map is also super handy if you are traveling to Europe for a short amount of time and are only relying on wifi. The offline map that I use and have used for years is Maps.me . It is a free, downloadable app that you can get on an iPhone or android.

You can save space on your phone by only downloading the cities that you need and then off load them when you are done. Even when you off load the destination Maps.me will still save all your pinned locations so you can always re-download again later.

Get a Guidebook and a Paper Map of the Destination You are Visiting in Europe

In a world that revolves around technology, we have become dependent on using our phones for just about everything we do. Before your trip to Europe you’ll probably have downloaded that offline map and pinned a bunch of must see places on it. You’ll create lists on your phone of tips and tricks to remember when traveling around and you’ll probably have saved some blog posts to read later.

However, if you have the space in your luggage I would highly recommend packing a paper guidebook. Or at the very least a paper map of the destination you are visiting. You never know when your phone (and your power bank) may run out of battery and you don’t want to be stranded without your map.

The best thing to do is pack a back up paper map and jot down your must see list, places to eat and the address & phone number of where you are staying. This will help out so much if you happen to run into any issues while abroad!

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May 30, 2020 at 11:21 am

Love this in-depth guide! Thank you for sharing all this info 🙂

June 2, 2020 at 3:49 am

Thank you so much! I am so glad that you found it helpful!

May 30, 2020 at 12:44 pm

A trip through Europe is such an amazing experience! Some of my favorite countries in the world are in Europe like Italy and Greece. <3

June 2, 2020 at 3:50 am

Yes, I completely agree! Those are some of my favorite as well! Even after living in Italy for 6 years I would love to go back and spend more time there!

May 30, 2020 at 2:00 pm

Haha I’m one of those Europeans that find it hilarious that non-Europeans say they went to Europe… or don’t know that it’s a continent!! This is such a great guide though, I really need to explore more European countries. There’s so many incredible places to visit!

June 2, 2020 at 3:51 am

Thank you Sophie! It is really funny, isn’t it! And yes, Europe has so many wonderful and unique destinations that I would also love to go back and explore even more!

May 30, 2020 at 4:35 pm

Haha it’s so funny to think that many people are thinking about Europe as a country. You post has so many useful information, it will be so helpful for a first timer in Europe!

June 2, 2020 at 3:52 am

Thank you Kriszti! I’m so glad that you found the information useful and feel that it would be helpful for someone traveling to Europe!

May 31, 2020 at 5:28 am

Thank you for sharing such a detailed, useful post to help anyone plan out their next epic European holiday! There really are so many factors to take into consideration when planning and your article covers everything! I’ll be bookmarking this one for later 🙂

June 2, 2020 at 3:43 am

Thank you so much Ann Kelly! It’s great to hear that you found the post useful!

May 31, 2020 at 6:56 am

This is a very comprehensive and useful guide. I definitely will keep it handy.

Thank you so much! Hope it is helpful for the next time you go to Europe!

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Your Europe itinerary: 14 routes to explore the continent

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You can’t expect to fit everything Europe has to offer into one trip and we don’t suggest you try. For those taking a big, extended trip around the continent you could join a few countries together. You'll find that the best Europe itinerary is one that allows time to explore, relax, and take in the sights. Here's a collection of our favourite routes in Europe.

1. Britain and Ireland

2. france and switzerland, 3. the netherlands and belgium, 4. germany and austria, 5. spain and morocco, 7. slovenia, 8. balearic islands island hopping, 9. the balkans, 12. portugal, 14. czechia and hungary, planning the best europe itinerary.

This  two week itinerary will take you through England, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Start in London, on  day one. Explore iconic sights like Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London on  day two . Then, head to Dublin for a change of scenery.

You’ll spend day three exploring O'Connell Street, Trinity College, and more, capped with a lively evening at Temple Bar.  Day four takes you to Belfast via Newgrange Passage Tomb and St. Peter’s Cathedral, followed by natural wonders like Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and Giant’s Causeway on  day five .

Meander through charming towns like Sligo and Westport on  days six and seven , discovering Connemara National Park and Kylemore Abbey.  Day eight brings a visit to Galway's Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher.

Continue with a stroll through Killarney National Park on  day nine and scenic drives along the Ring of Kerry on days  ten and eleven . Wrap up with visits to the Rock of Cashel and Blarney Castle on  day twelve before bidding farewell to Dublin.  Read more .

Ireland is must when visiting Europe © Shutterstock

This 10 day itinerary will take you through France and Switzerland. On the  first day , Paris welcomes you with open arms, with a tour of the Eiffel Tower and a stroll through the vast Champ de Mars. On the  second day you’ll explore the Louvre's treasures and the timeless beauty of Notre-Dame Cathedral.

On the  third day you’ll visit the Loire Valley, where the grandeur of Château de Chambord awaits alongside delightful local wine tastings in a charming chateau. On the  fourth day , you’ll explore Bordeaux's lively city, followed by a blissful coastal escape to Lacanau or Cap Ferret on the  fifth day .

The  sixth day brings sun-soaked relaxation on the Côte d’Azur, and unwinds in Nice. The  seventh day is spent in Monaco before a returning to Nice for seaside dining.

The  eighth day is spent with scenic riverside strolls in Lyon, while the ninth day  transitions to Zurich for exploration of its Old Town. Finally, on the tenth day , you’ll have free time Zurich before jetting home.

Dealing with the complexities of your first trip to Europe? Our comprehensive planning guide will simplify the process and ensure you are well-prepared.

Chateau de Saumur, Loire Valley, France © Shutterstock

This  9 day itinerary will take you through the best of the Netherlands and Belgium. Day one kicks off as you touch down at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Once you've settled in, it's time to hit the water with a Canal Cruise, soaking in the city.

Rise and shine on  day two  for a morning exploration of Amsterdam, followed by a guided tour of must-see spots like the Heineken Experience and the ice-cool XtraCold Icebar.

Day three brings countryside bliss with a scenic tour to Zaanse Schans, Volendam, and Marken. Get ready to fall in love with those picturesque Dutch landscapes!

Next stop: Brussels. Day four treats you to a smooth ride to your hotel, where you'll kick back and relax.

Indulgence is the name of the game on  day five , with sweet visits to the Belgian Chocolate Village and a hoppy Belgian Beer Tasting in Brussels.

Days six to eight are spent in Ghent. Dive into its history with a walking tour, hop over to Bruges for a day trip, and soak up some leisure time in this charming city.

Wrapping up on  day nine , bid adieu to Ghent with some final exploration before your ride back to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.  Read more .

The best Europe itineraries will hit Brussels © Shutterstock

This  itinerary will take you through the best of Germany and Austria.

Begin your journey in Munich on the  first day . On  day two , hop on a morning train to Salzburg for a private walking tour. Explore St. Peter’s Monastery, Mozart House, Mirabell Gardens, and the Baroque Old Town. 

Day three  is all about relaxing in Zell am See after another train transfer.  Day four ? Your call—relax or dive into optional activities in Zell Am See.On the  fifth day , journey to Kitzbühel by train for more leisure time or extend your stay in Zell Am See.

In Kitzbühel on  day six , explore Innsbruck during a transfer to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, stopping at hotspots like the Golden Roof and Swarovski Crystal Worlds. 

Days seven to eight are spent in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, including a must-see at Neuschwanstein Castle on day seven. Wrap it all up on day eight with a ride back to Munich airport.  Read more .

Munich Christmas market: a great stop on your European trip  © Shutterstock

Pack your bags for this itinerary across Spain and Morocco in just five days.

Touch down in Madrid on day one , where you'll dive straight into stops at the Royal Palace, Almudena Cathedral, Plaza Mayor, and Puerta del Sol, capped off with a feast at a local tapas joint.

Day two kicks off with more of Madrid at the Prado Museum and Retiro Park before hopping a high-speed train to Seville. Check into your hotel and soak in the sights of Seville Cathedral and Giralda tower, topped off with a fiery flamenco show and dinner in Santa Cruz.

On  day three , it's off to Morocco. Discover the wonders of Tangier, from the Kasbah to mouthwatering Moroccan cuisine. Day four brings a market frenzy in Tangier before cruising to Chefchaouen for some serious photo ops amidst its iconic blue streets and a classic dinner.

Wrap it up on  day five with a final wander in Chefchaouen before heading back to Tangier to catch your flight home or  continue further into Morocco .

If you're planning a trip to Spain, don't miss our Spain itineraries and information on how to get there . 

Seville is great from a Europe trip © Shutterstock

This  itinerary is an excuse to check off those Italian must-sees with a whirlwind tour of Rome, Florence, and Venice.  Day one starts in Rome with a Vatican and Sistine Chapel visit, followed by a stroll through Centro Storico hitting up gems like the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish Steps. Don't forget to refuel with a tasty lunch before hitting the Galleria Borghese.

Day two is all about Rome's ancient vibes—early birds catch the Coliseum and Forum Romanum. On  day three , catch a train to Florence and spend the afternoon soaking in the Arno River scene and crossing the iconic Ponte Vecchio.

Day four is Florence central—hit up those top museums and churches. Take a scenic detour to San Gimignano for some Tuscan charm on  day five .

On  day six , hop a train to Venice for a leisurely afternoon of getting happily lost in its maze-like streets and canals. Wrap it all up on  day seven with visits to the Doge's Palace and a leisurely stroll in St. Mark's Square.  Read more .

Florence, Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral © Shutterstock

On this  7 day itinerary, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the treasures of Slovenia. Touch down at Ljubljana Airport on  day one . Once you're all settled, hit downtown Ljubljana for an evening stroll and local cuisine.

Day two kicks off with a hearty breakfast, followed by a stroll with a local guide to check out the city's hotspots at your own pace. On  day three , bid farewell to Ljubljana as you journey towards the Slovenian Coast, visiting the enchanting Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle along the way, and enjoying an authentic Slovenian lunch before arriving in Portorož. 

Day four is dedicated to exploring Piran with a walking guide followed by some free time in Portorož and a sunset wine tasting in Slovenian Istria.  Day five takes you on a trip through the Soca River Valley, exploring landmarks like the WW1 German Charnel House and Kozjak waterfall before landing in Bled.

Day six is all about Lake Bled—Pletna boat rides, Bled Castle visits, and a jaunt through Vintgar Gorge. Wrap it up on  day seven with a departure from Ljubljana Airport.  Read more .

Lake Bled in Slovenia © Shutterstock

Set sail for a week of Balearic bliss, hopping from Mallorca to Menorca , Ibiza , and Formentera .

Start in in Palma de Mallorca on the first day, exploring historic gems like Palma Cathedral and the Royal Palace of La Almudaina. Wind down with a stroll through the Old Town for dinner. 

On day two, soak up panoramic views from Bellver Castle and check out Valldemossa's Royal Charterhouse. Day three is spent in Sóller, nestled in the UNESCO-listed Serra de Tramuntana.

Day four brings you to Ibiza—hit up Dalt Vila's historic spots before diving into the island's famous nightlife. On day five, it's beach time in Ibiza, plus a ferry trip to Formentera's crystal-clear waters. 

On day six you’ll make your way to Menorca for a taste of Mahón's history and cuisine. Finally, on day seven, soak in Ciutadella's beauty and relax on its tranquil beaches. Wrap it up with a farewell dinner, cherishing the serene vibe of Menorca.

Sant Antoni sunset in Ibiza © Shutterstock

This  Balkan itinerary begins with the  first day  spent in Bucharest.

Day two  sees you exploring the coastal gem of Constanta, with a half-day guided city tour taking you through its charming old town. Try the local seafood at a local restaurant or unwind at your hotel.

On  day three , you’ll cross into Bulgaria via Vama Veche, stopping for some fun in this lively Romanian destination before exploring Balchik palace and its enchanting gardens.

Days four to six are a beach lover's paradise at Sunny Beach, where you'll soak up the sun and explore nearby treasures. Highlights include a half-day excursion to Nessebar to sightseeing in Burgas. You can also spend these days exploring Sozopol, Beglik Tash, and the UNESCO Heritage site of the Madara Rider.

Wrap up your journey on the  seventh day with a return to Bucharest.  Read more .

Palace of Parliament, Bucharest © Shutterstock

10. Greece 

On this  week long trip , you’ll get to discover the best of classical Greece. Touch down in Athens on day one , immersing yourself in over 3,000 years of history. After transfering to your city centre accommodation, dive into Athens' lively ambiance at your leisure.

Day two  starts with a guided tour through Syntagma Square, the iconic Acropolis, and the charming Plaka district, concluding with dinner and an olive oil tasting in Kolonaki.

On  day three , you’ll hop in a car from central Athens to uncover the ancient wonders of Epidaurus and Nafplio, passing through the Corinth Canal and exploring historic sites like Epidaurus's Ancient Theatre and Nafplio's picturesque Syntagma Square.

Days four to five  will lead you to Olympia, where the Temple of Zeus and a vineyard tour await. Venture onward on the  sixth day to Delphi, followed by an overnight stay in Meteora, where Byzantine monasteries perch on towering cliffs.

Experience Meteora on the seventh day before returning to Athens for a final day of exploration, culminating in a transfer to the airport for your journey home.  Read more .

The Acropolis on top of Athens, Greece  © Shutterstock

This five day Poland itinerary starts in Warsaw, where you’ll begin by delving into the city's past at the Warsaw Old Town and the immersive Warsaw Uprising Museum. On  day two , you’ll bask in the greenery of Łazienki Park and marvel at the imposing Palace of Culture and Science.

Next up, Kraków awaits on  day three , where UNESCO-listed treasures like the Old Town and majestic Wawel Castle beckon. Here you’ll explore the poignant history of the Jewish Quarter before  day four leads you to Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory Museum and a serene riverside walk along the Vistula.

Cap off your adventure on  day five with a half-day excursion to the extraordinary Wieliczka Salt Mine before bidding Poland adieu. 

Ready for your trip? See our other Poland itineraries for inspiration.

Poland makes for a great stop on a European itinerary © Shutterstock

This  seven day itinerary covers the most essential spots in Portugal.Touch down at Lisbon International Airport on  day one , where you'll have the freedom to wander the vibrant streets of Lisbon at your own pace. 

Day two brings a private half-day tour, unveiling Lisbon's cultural treasures like Liberty Avenue and Alfama Quarter, culminating in a mesmerising Fado Show brimming with local music and cuisine.

After breakfast on  day three , set off on a full-day escapade along Lisbon's breathtaking coastline, exploring Sintra, Cabo da Roca, Cascais, and Estoril before returning to Lisbon. 

On  day four , hop on a journey to Porto, making a scenic stop at the Serra do Bussaco Mountain Range to visit the Carmelite monastery, then enjoy a leisurely afternoon in Porto.

Days  five to six invite you to immerse yourself in Porto's allure, from private tours to strolling through Mercado do Bolhão. Opt for a scenic Douro Cruise of Six Bridges on day five before bidding farewell to Porto International Airport on  day seven .  Read more .

The best Europe itinerary stops at Sintra © Shutterstock

This  week long itinerary will take you through Turkey’s best travel gems.Touch down in Istanbul and settle into your city hotel on  day one , where you'll have time to explore the bustling streets. Day two begins with a full-day tour of Istanbul's Old City, showcasing iconic landmarks like the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar, with lunch options to sample local cuisine. 

On  day three , fly to Cappadocia for days of adventure amidst rock-carved churches and optional hot air balloon rides. 

Day four takes you on a scenic journey to Pamukkale via Konya, stopping at historical sites along the way. 

Spend  days five and six exploring Pamukkale's natural wonders before transferring to Kusadasi. Your trip concludes with a day tour of Ephesus Ancient City on the  final day .  Read more .

 Cappadocia hot air balloons © Shutterstock

On this  eight day itinerary , you’ll be taken through fairytale Czechia and Hungary, starting on  day one  with a flight to Prague. Take this moment to unwind and prep for the days ahead. 

Day two kicks off with a guided tour, leading you through Prague's storied past, from Gothic alleys to grand Baroque edifices, including must-sees like Prague Castle and the Astronomical Clock. Then, embark on a delectable four-hour food tour, savoring Czech delights and uncovering charming cafes. 

Day three is a full-day jaunt to Cesky Krumlov, unveiling its fairytale castle and the captivating Egon Schiele Art Centrum. On  day four , delve into Kutna Hora's eerie Bone Church and the majestic Church of St. Barbara before returning to Prague. 

Transitioning to Budapest on  day five , you'll explore Bratislava en route, settling in for the Budapest leg for  days six and seven . Highlights include a private guided stroll through Budapest and a day trip to the scenic Danube Bend. 

Wrapping up on  day eight , bid farewell as you head from Budapest Airport homeward, cherishing the memories of your Central European escapade.  Read more .

Czechia is a fantastic stop © Shutterstock

You can skip the hours and hours of research it takes to create the perfect itinerary and instead allow us to handle the details. Our tailor made trips are designed by local travel experts, and are completely customisable. We handle the planning and booking, and offer support while you are on your trip 24/7. See some of our existing itineraries for inspiration. 

Looking for more ideas for your holiday? Also explore our guide to the best beach destinations for holidays in Europe .

Dre Roelandt is originally from the United States but lives and works in Berlin, Germany. Dre is a freelance writer and artist with a passion for travelling. They are an in-house Senior Content Editor at Rough Guides.

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30 Days in Europe: Travel Tips & Itinerary Ideas

Discover Europe in 30 days with our tips and itinerary ideas for a diverse and enriching adventure

A budget-friendly journey blending adventure and culture awaits

Welcome, willkommen, bienvenue to Europe, one of the most diverse continents on the planet. Steeped in history, culture and tradition, Europe is famously abundant with art, antiquity, and ornate architecture –there’s good reason why the Grand Tour was a rite of passage for the 18th-century aristocracy– and a 30-day tour offers a chance to experience more than a brief snapshot of its character and beauty.

With 44 countries spanning nearly four million square miles (10m sq. km), Europe is a vast yet surprisingly connected continent. In a month, you can beach hop around the Mediterranean, trek through the Tatra Mountains, and see Amsterdam through Rembrandt’s lens with ease.

Spending 30 days in Europe costs less than you think. While it’s relatively cheap and straightforward to fly between major cities, exploring by road or rail is the most popular – and best – way to see Europe. Whether you want to scale the lofty Eiffel Tower in Paris, explore Rome’s ancient Colosseum, or see the gargantuan dome of the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, a well-thought-out itinerary can be accessible to all budgets. 

One of the most logical, convenient, and time-savvy ways to see Europe is on an organized adventure, where all the planning, logistics, and hard work is done for you. Whether you’re on a backpackers’ budget or want a once-in-a-lifetime holiday, here’s how to get the best out of Europe in just 30 days .

Top tips for planning your itinerary

1. don’t try to see everything.

Rome wasn’t built in a day. And Europe can’t be seen in a month, but you can scratch more than the surface on a 30-day traveling budget. Whether you want to tick off the top sights or spend your time more leisurely and get to know the vibe of a city, research, and planning is always the key to a successful trip. 

Feeling free and easy? Why not leave the itinerary to the professionals and book an organized adventure? With many trips starting in London, the adventures begin as soon as they hit the rails or road, traveling through key cities across Europe, including Barcelona, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, and Budapest.

2. Schedule in plenty of downtime

So many cities, so little time can be the death knell of fun when you’re traveling. While it’s tempting to pack your 30 days in Europe to the brim, it’s important to remember it’s a holiday, not a challenge. Let go of the FOMO and factor in some downtime on the beach or in the mountains to rest and recharge.

3. Pick your top destinations

Whether you want to island hop around Greece, bathe in Iceland’s Blue Lagoon or embark on a Game of Thrones pilgrimage to Dubrovnik, take time to choose what you really want to get out of your 30 days in Europe. Have a wish list as a baseline and work your itinerary and budget around it.

There are dozens of 30-day organized adventures available across Europe, many of which combine the big-hitting city stops like Amsterdam, Paris and Berlin, along with lesser-known destinations like Kotor, Tirana and Delphi.

How to get around Europe

Although vast, Europe is an accessible continent and you can cover plenty of distance in 30 days. Depending on your budget and what you want to achieve, flying is usually the quickest way to hop between major cities; however, you do lose much of the charm you get from seeing Europe from ground level.

Traveling by train is one of the best ways to explore the continent. Europe has an extensive cross-border rail network which is reliable, efficient, and reasonably priced. Eurail offers interrailing passes that fit a 30-day budget and allow more freedom to explore on your own timetable.

If keeping costs down is a major factor, low-cost coach and bus services such as FlixBus and Infobus can be good options, having routes to more than 1200 destinations in 24 countries.

Alternatively, booking an organized adventure will really make the most of your 30 days on the continent. There are dozens of brilliant itineraries covering all interests and budgets –almost always including travel, accommodation, and the services of a tour leader– it’s a great way to travel around Europe with like-minded people. 

See Also: The Seven Most Scenic Train Rides in Europe

30 days in Europe: Where to go and what to do

With 30 days to play with, Europe really can be your oyster. Amsterdam to Antwerp, London to Ljubljana, Zurich to Zagreb, you can easily check out 10 countries or more on a 30-day budget. Classic Europe itineraries include Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, while the more unique itineraries include destinations like Pamplona, Liechtenstein, and the Rhineland. Focus on one or two regions and get stuck into seeing the best of it on a 30-day European holiday. 

See Also: 50 Fabulous and Free Things to Do in Europe

Western Europe

From Anne Frank Huis in Amsterdam to the Zurich opera, most classic pan-European tours focus on the big hitters – Paris, Berlin, Rome, Venice, Barcelona – where there’s enough culture and history to fill 300 days, let alone 30. 

Some organized adventures will take a deeper dive into western Europe, starting in London and winding through 18 or 19 destinations, including Biarritz and Madrid, the French Riviera and Monaco, Florence, Venice, and Rome, while others will include a river cruise through the Rhineland, a tour of Cologne and the last few days enjoying Amsterdam.

Southern Europe

Sweeping across from Spain to Serbia, the southern Europe region incorporates Portugal, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Albania, Slovenia and more. From the temples of ancient Greece, the ruins of Rome to the beaches of Spain, Cyprus, and Albania, southern Europe is great for combining culture and kick-back time. 

For something a little different from the classic European Grand Tour, book an organized adventure that takes in the most fascinating destinations along the Mediterranean and Dardania route. Several 30-day itineraries have options that start in Tirana, Albania, and wind across the length of southern Europe, including overnights in Naples and Pompeii, Durmitor National Park in Montenegro, Sarajevo, Belgrade and Budapest.

Central and Eastern Europe

From the emerald-hued Plitviče Lakes in Croatia and the bohemian nightlife of Sofia, to the Gothic architecture and beer taverns of Prague, there are a million and one reasons to include central and eastern regions on your 30-day European trip, not least because these affordable cities will make a tight budget stretch even further.

Whether you start in Vienna or Vilnius, there are a number of organized adventures that explore central and Eastern Europe’s most captivating cities, including Bucharest, Sofia, and Plovdiv. Alternatively, choose an itinerary that ventures into the rugged landscape of the High Tatra Mountains between Poland and Slovakia.

Northern Europe

With its design-centric cities, glacial fjords and stark arctic wilderness, Northern Europe can feel like an entirely different planet, compared to the rest of the continent. From the geothermal waters of Iceland’s Blue Lagoon, and the pop culture museums of Stockholm to the fjords of Norway, there are plenty of reasons to head north on your adventure. 

From Copenhagen and Oslo to Stockholm, you can have some incredible Nordic adventures on these 30-day itineraries across northern Europe. Several include overnight cruises from Stockholm to Helsinki or crossing over the Arctic Circle to Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland. 

For more inspiration — or to book a hassle-free holiday and travel with a group of like-minded people — check out our full range of 30-day Europe tours.

See Also: The Best Places to Travel Alone in Europe

Tracey Davies

Tracey Davies is a Brighton-based travel writer, journalist and editor of 101 Singles Holidays, as well as a former co-host of “The Carry On” travel podcast.

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How to Plan a Trip to Europe (2-Week Europe Itinerary)

If you’ve been wanting to visit Europe for a while, you’re probably super excited to begin planning your trip and building your Europe itinerary. In this post, we’re going to show you how to plan a trip to Europe that you’ll never forget!

We know from experience that planning a trip to Europe can be quite overwhelming because there are so many places to go and things to see. You want to make sure you add everything possible to your Europe itinerary. Believe me, we understand how important travel planning is!

We’ve been traveling around Europe for more than 10 years. We now spend at least 2 weekends per month traveling in Europe. That’s why we’ve prepared this Europe trip planner for you.

If you have at least 10 days to spend in Europe, this itinerary will cover all the top spots you must see. Do keep in mind that traveling in Europe can be expensive. You also have to be very wise in your planning to make everything fit together perfectly.

You can fly between cities cheaply if you plan it right. Or you can plan to travel with the Eurail Pass, though this option will take longer.

Let’s get your dream European vacation started. Here’s how to plan a trip to Europe, and see as much as humanly possible in 10-14 days.

Quick. Check these necessities off your prep list!

• Travel insurance : Travelex has reliable coverage at a reasonable price. You can search for the insurance you need on their website, and filing a claim is easy.
• The right luggage can make or break your trip. These hard-sided suitcases come in all different sizes, with spinner wheels and TSA-approved lock.
• Renting a car? Discover Cars helps you search and compare offers from all the top companies. Don’t forget to check if you need an International Drivers License.

Table of Contents

Where to Go in Europe

Europe is full of history, bustling cities, incredible sights, unique places to stay , and – my favorite – amazing food! There are a good number of tourist destinations that just about anyone planning a trip to Europe would want to include in the itinerary.

But, obviously, with just 10-14 days in Europe, there’s no way you can cover them all. We’ve chosen the top destinations that we feel you can fit comfortably into 10+ days.

Planning for Europe? Here’s more…

• How to Plan a 2-Week Trip to Europe

Ultimate Summer Europe Packing Guide

• 11 Charming Small Towns & Cities in Europe

Here are the top destinations we recommend visiting in 10+ days in Western Europe: London (I’m still considering this Europe even if it’s no longer in the EU), Paris , Venice , Rome , Berlin , and Amsterdam .

We love all of these cities for different reasons as you’ll see below, but if you can’t fit them all in, you might need to decide between them. For instance, if you’re wondering if should I visit Paris or Rome , consider aspects like cost, activities, and your own personal interest in those activities.

If you have additional time, you could add Munich , Barcelona , Dublin , and/or Edinburgh . We also suggest checking out some of the more charming and small towns in Europe . Or maybe you’re into history – there are so many great medieval towns to visit .

You might want to take a look at this post with 50 of the best street food destinations in Europe before you decide where to go. There are quite a few that would persuade me.

How to Spend 2 Weeks in Western Europe

There are really two perfectly acceptable ways to take a vacation in Europe. Either way can be quite rewarding, but it depends greatly on your travel style how much time you want to put into planning, and what trips you are looking to book for.

Option 1: Book a pre-planned guided tour

A guided tour is the easiest option, by far. While Europe is very easy to get around for travelers, it can be difficult to figure out how to get from place to place, and very tedious trying to decide what to do in each location.

A pre-planned tour won’t give you the same freedom to do what you want, but it is completely planned out for you and you will always have a guide along to help you with anything you need.

Option 2: Plan your own trip

Planning your own self-guided tour of Europe gives you ultimate freedom to choose what you want to do and when. You can go to the places you want, without a group to tag along with.

The drawbacks are that you have to plan it all out yourself, which can be daunting.  Check out these additional Europe travel tips to help with your planning.

We will give you the options for both below, including a pre-planned tour we highly recommend and a 14-day self-guided itinerary to follow.

Guided Tour of Europe

If you want to try a guided tour, I recommend a Classic Europe 14-day tour.

This tour is run by Expat Explore Travel and includes everything except International airfare, extra excursions that aren’t in the tour itinerary, and personal incidentals.

» See more information about the Classic Europe tour .

The 14-day itinerary includes:

• Start in Amsterdam
• Drive through Brussels for a quick stop en route to Paris
• Visit Burgundy and the breath-taking Swiss Alps
• In Italy , see Pisa, Tuscany, Florence, Rome, and Venice
• Travel into Munich and Bavaria in Germany , then to Nuremberg and Berlin
• Head back to Amsterdam

There are other Europe tour options with varying destinations. Check out the website to see all options with this tour operator .

Self-Guided Tour of Europe – Plan Your Own Travel Itinerary

With a good plan of action, your 2-week Europe trip will run smoothly and provide you with a comprehensive overview including some of the main countries in Western Europe.

If this schedule seems too ambitious for just a 10 day Europe trip, you can always extend your stay in the cities that interest you most and decide not to visit others.

There’s no right or wrong way to do it. It’s entirely up to you.

Day 1-2: London

Arrive in London . Take the Heathrow Express from the airport to your hotel.

You’ll want to stay in West London for easy access to all the top sights. London is very walkable. To get around to all the sights in a day or two, you’ll want to get your walking shoes on.

You can take a hop-on-hop-off bus tour if you’re not up for the walking. For foodies, we highly recommend spending some time doing any of these fun foodie activities in London .

The city is one of the best for restaurants in the world. If you want to take a day trip from London, we suggest Stonehenge , Bath , or Windsor . They’re all very close by and offer a fantastic experience.

In London, be sure to see these sights:

(You can purchase tickets in advance for these activities. These links are affiliate links to activities we’ve done and recommend.)

• Tower of London (with the Crown Jewels)
• Tower Bridge Experience
• Shakespeare Globe
• Churchill War Rooms
• Westminster Abbey & Big Ben
• View from the Shard
• Kensington Palace
• Kew Gardens

How to Spend One Day in London

Things to Do in Windsor: A Perfect Day Trip From London

21 Fun Foodie Things to Do in London

Where to Stay in London: We recommend the Trafalgar St James by Hilton . It’s in a historic building in a really prime location. The hotel and rooms are designed in art deco and the rooms are really spacious and bright. ⇒  Read reviews on Trip Advisor .

Day 3-5: Paris

Travel to Paris on the Eurostar train . The journey takes just 2 hours from St. Pancras Train Station.

Don’t forget to take a picnic lunch and a bottle of wine with you to enjoy on the train. There are so many things to do in Paris . In only two days, you can cover a lot of ground. You can do a few of these great foodie activities , see the top sights on a walking tour, or join this fun gourmet bus tour for a multi-course meal on a double decker tour bus.

You’ll want to either plan on walking a lot, or acquaint yourself with the Paris Metro map and take short trips in between sights. You can also take the Paris hop of hop off bus to get between sights.

Check out our 3-day Paris itinerary that will help you plan what to see.

In Paris, be sure to see these sights:

• Eiffel Tower
• Notre Dame (closed for renovations)
• Seine River Cruise
• Luxembourg Gardens
• Arch d’Triomphe
• The Avenue des Champs-Élysées
• Louvre Museum
• Sacre Coeur & Montmartre

How to Spend One Day in Paris

3-Day Paris Itinerary for First Timers

9 Fun Foodie Things to Do in Paris

Where to Stay in Paris: The best location to stay in Paris is 6th Arrondissement. It is the Latin Quarter. The heart of Paris. And it’s the best location for tourist who are planning to see everything. Here are 8 top hotels with an Eiffel Tower view . We recommend the boutique 4-star  Hotel Parc Saint Severin . The rooms are larger than most in Paris and they’re nicely refurbished. Plus it’s a really great location. The metro is really close.  ⇒ Read reviews on Trip Advisor.

Day 5-7: Venice

Venice is just one of those places you have to visit at least once in your life. It’s an incredibly enchanting city, with so much character that you feel a little like you’re floating around in a Disney movie.

The views across the Grand Canal are so beautiful, and the narrow alleys can lead you to get lost in a city of charm. Everywhere you turn is another incredible view, and a gondola floating by in the distance. It’s one of a kind.

With so many great things to do in Venice, you really need to set up a good itinerary before you leave, to make sure you fit everything in. 

Check out our shortcut guide to all the best parts of Venice, which will help you plan. Definitely make time for a Venice food tour .

The food in Venice is great, if you know where to look. And you can check out our YouTube video for the top 10 things to do in Venice , if you need more ideas.

You can pre-book some of the activities. I would definitely pre-book the activities below, so you don’t miss out.

• Venice Gondola Ride and Serenade
• Eat Like a Local: 3-hour Venice Small-Group Food Tasting Walking Tour
• Legendary Venice St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace

Essential Travel Guide to Venice, Italy [Infographic]

Top Foods to Try on a Venice Food Tour

Guide to the Best Wine Regions in Italy

Where to Stay in Venice:

Ai Patrizi di Venezia   If you’re staying for 3+ nights, I highly recommend this apartment. It’s in the perfect location, is incredibly comfortable and clean, and has a kitchenette. We sometimes prefer an apartment to a hotel so we’re not being bothered by housekeeping. This place is a gem. | Read Reviews or Book a Stay Hotel Londra Palace   If you’d rather stay in a hotel because you like the extra amenities, then Hotel Londra Palace is a great choice. It’s in a very good location, only 5 min walk from St. Mark’s Square, with free wifi and a restaurant. Some rooms have a balcony and an incredible view. | Read Reviews or Book a Stay

Day 8-10: Rome

Rome is a city that will capture your heart the moment you arrive. It’s amazing to see so much history packed into one place, and so much of it is scattered right in the middle of a modern city. There’s really no where else like it. Plus the food. You have to go on a food tour and witness it first hand.

If you’re planning a trip, we’ve got you covered with our shortcut travel guide to Rome : an informative and helpful infographic that will give you a quick peek at all the top things you should plan to do in Rome. Here’s our 3-day itinerary to help plan it all out.

Top things to put on your itinerary:

• The Colosseum : This monumental amphitheater is one of the most recognized symbols of Rome, offering a peek into the world of ancient Roman gladiators. Try to book a guided tour to get the full historical context.
• Roman Forum & Palatine Hill : Located near the Colosseum, the Roman Forum was the political, commercial, and judicial center of ancient Rome. The Palatine Hill, according to Roman mythology, is where the city was founded by Romulus.
• Pantheon : This best-preserved monument from the Roman Empire is a marvel of architectural design, with its impressive dome and the oculus at its center.
• Vatican City : Here, you can visit St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel, with Michelangelo’s renowned frescoes. Be sure to dress modestly as a sign of respect.
• Trevi Fountain : Throw a coin into this iconic fountain to ensure your return to Rome. It’s beautiful during the day, but consider a visit at night when it’s lit up.
• Piazza Navona : This square is home to Bernini’s famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers), as well as various artists, musicians, and street performers.
• Spanish Steps : Climbing these steps from Piazza di Spagna to Piazza Trinità dei Monti offers a wonderful view. The nearby shopping district is a must for fashion enthusiasts.

PRO TIP: Skip the line tickets are necessary in Rome, especially during high season. You won’t waste time waiting in huge lines.

• Eating Europe’s Twilight Trastevere Tour  (We loved this tour! Read about it here .)
• Faster Than Skip-the-Line: Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica Tour (definitely worth it)
• Colosseum and Ancient Rome Small-Group Tour

What To Do in Rome in 3 Days

Essential Travel Guide to Rome, Italy [+Infographic]

Eat Like a Local on a Rome Food Tour

Where to Stay in Rome

The best location in Rome depends on what you want to accomplish during your stay, but it’s always best to be centrally located so you can walk to all of the main attractions. 

Two great choices in the affordable luxury range are  The Inn at the Spanish Steps  (with a gorgeous roof-top pool) and  Il Palazzetto . We also really enjoyed staying at  Nerva Boutique Hotel  in the popular Rione i Monti area.

Day 10-12: Berlin

Berlin is a very modern city with a good art scene, many museums, great food options, and cultural/historical things to see and do. It’s a sprawling city so you’ll want to be ready for public transportation. 

There are a few Berlin attractions and sights you don’t want to miss like these we’ve listed here:

• Brandenburg Gate : This iconic symbol of Berlin was once a symbol of division during the Cold War, but now stands for German unity and is a must-see.
• Berlin Wall Memorial and Checkpoint Charlie : No visit to Berlin is complete without learning about its Cold War history. The Memorial provides an insightful look into the era of the city’s division.
• Reichstag Building : The seat of the German Parliament, the building’s glass dome offers a panoramic view of the city. It’s a good idea to register in advance for a visit.
• Museum Island : Home to five world-class museums, including the Pergamon Museum and the Neues Museum. The latter houses the bust of Nefertiti, an ancient Egyptian queen.
• Alexanderplatz and TV Tower : A large public square and transport hub in the central Mitte district, featuring the iconic TV Tower (Fernsehturm) which provides excellent views over the city.
• Holocaust Memorial (Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe) : A poignant, powerful monument to one of history’s darkest times.

The best way to see all of these sights is on this Discover Berlin half-day walking tour . The tour is really inexpensive and is the best way to learn the historical and cultural past of Germany, while see the top sights.

Foodies will also want to check out Markethalle Neun , an indoor market with international food vendors, especially on Street Food Thursdays! Also plan for a beer tour and a Berlin food tour in order to taste the best parts of the city!

Essential Travel Guide to Berlin, Germany [Updated 2024]

Berlin is a city that holds a certain mystery, due to its interesting history that forever changed the world. ...

Where to Stay in Berlin

One of my favorite hotels is the  Hotel am Steinplatz, Autograph Collection . It’s located right in the center of the city, conveniently located for transportation, so you can easily get around to the top sights. There’s a bar, restaurant, and really comfortable rooms. ⇒ Read reviews on  Trip Advisor .

Day 12-14: Amsterdam

As a tourist, you’ll likely find Amsterdam to be a very welcoming and fun place to explore. The canals and old cobblestone streets make it the quintessential European city, and it’s just so easy to get around. Read our full guide to 3-days in Amsterdam for the full rundown.

The many activities in Amsterdam include history, art and food. I think a good plan to tackle the city includes a bit of walking tour, interspersed with stops to try the local food and drinks.

Be sure to try bitterballen, poffertjes, and frites (which you can get with dozens of different sauces), along with all the cheese. There are dozens of different canal cruises you can take that are often paired with cheese, beer, wine or even pizza.

For drinks, we recommend stopping at some of the beer bars , like Proeflokaal Arendsnest and Beer Temple, as well as the top cocktail bars like Tales & Spirits and Flying Dutchman. And don’t forget to sample the genever at Proeflokaal ‘t Kelkje, one of the best places in Amsterdam to taste genever!

Here are a few links to our favorite tours and activities in Amsterdam so you can purchase your tickets in advance:

• Amsterdam Canal Cruise in Classic River Boat
• Skip-the-line Rijksmuseum & Van Gogh Museum Guided Combo Tour – Private Tour

Eat like a local in Amsterdam with Eating Europe Food Tours – there are 5 tours available:

• Jordaan Food Tour
• Jordaan Food & Canals Tour
• Amsterdam at Twilight Food Tour
• Food Tour in Haarlem
• A Taste of Life in Haarlem

Essential Travel Guide to Amsterdam [Updated for 2024]

Where to Find the Best Beer in Amsterdam

Where to stay in Amsterdam

We like staying near Dam Square in central Amsterdam. It’s fun and lively, close to or within easy walking distance of many of the top attractions, and easily accessible for public transportation. 

Radisson Blu – This is a nicely-decorated 4-star hotel located directly on a canal near Rembrandt Square. Great place to stay.  Read Reviews on Trip Advisor

Tips for Planning a Trip to Europe

Best time to go to europe.

When you decide to go to Europe should be based on what type of experience you want to have. A lot of people make it a priority to go to Europe in the summer because that’s when they take vacation, or when the kids are out of school. 

However, everyone else is doing the same thing. That means July-August is high season and there are a lot of visitors. Attractions are packed, lines are long, prices are high, and it can be really hot outside.

The best weather in Europe can be found from late March to early June and from late September to early December. This is considered the shoulder season in Europe and there will be less people and lower prices.

We prefer to travel during these times because it’s just so much easier. And the nicer weather makes all the difference.

We especially caution against traveling in Italy in August. It is one of the hottest months and the weather can be a real hindrance to your happiness.

Getting to Europe

Many top airlines from around the world have direct flights into London. It’s probably one of the easiest cities to get into.

Check Skyscanner for great deals on airfare. We prefer to fly into London for the ease of it all, but you can skip London and fly directly into Paris, if you wish.

Also keep in mind that airfare is lower on the shoulder and off season than it is during the summer. (See this article for more on how to find great airfare ).

We also recommend flying into one city and out of another, so you don’t waste some of your holiday time flying back to the starting point. Using the multi-city option on Skyscanner , you should be able to find this option without the fares getting to high.

Getting Around Europe

When planning your Europe itinerary, keep in mind the distance between each destination. Europe seems small, but it takes a while to get between destinations. In most cases, you’ll need at least a half day to get between locations, more if taking the train.

Once you arrive in Europe, you can either fly or take the train between cities. We prefer to take early morning or late night flights, to avoid burning active hours in our destination.

Flying is relatively cheap on budget airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet . We fly with them all the time.

There are fees for any extras you add, and checking luggage can be expensive, so do be mindful of that.

See here for an idea of what it costs and the flight times for each of the legs in our itinerary:

• London to Paris: $50
• Paris to Venice: $85
• Venice to Rome: $70
• Rome to Berlin: $95
• Berlin to Amsterdam: $70

Via Train – Eurail Pass

Another way to travel around Europe in by train. You can purchase individual train tickets for each journey you wish to take. That will help you mix and match, if you want to fly between some cities and take the train between others.

However, a more economical way to go by train is with a Eurail Pass. The price of the Eurail Pass varies depending on your needs. They range from $250 to over $1000. For the itinerary we laid out in this post, you would need a 5 days within 1 month pass, which costs $326 (updated 2019).

This allows you to travel on any 5 days over a period of a month. There’s also a 7 days in one month pass for $388, if you think you’d like to tack on another destination. These passes entitle you to travel on specific trains only.

You can’t just show up and get on any train, but you don’t need reservations except for the high-speed and overnight trains (which also require an extra fee). They’re only for non-European travelers. And they can only be used for the class of service booked.

Travel Documents – Schengen Area

Always verify the entry requirements and travel documents needed for each specific country you are trip planning for as requirements can vary. You can check with the embassies or consulates of the countries you’ll be visiting or use official government travel websites for the most accurate and current information.

Ensure that your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your planned return date. Some countries may have different requirements, so it’s always a good idea to check the specific entry requirements for the countries you plan to visit.

Depending on your nationality and the specific European countries you plan to visit, you may or may not need a visa. Citizens of the United States can generally enter the Schengen Area (a group of 26 European countries that have abolished passport control at their mutual borders) for short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period without a visa. However, if you plan to stay longer or visit countries outside the Schengen Area, you may need additional visas.

Tipping in Europe

Yes, you do need to tip in Europe. However, it’s not at the custom level of the U.S. There are some key differences.

First of all, 10% is the norm for tipping in a nice restaurant. You can give more if you had a stellar experience, but that’s more like 12%. Not 20%. In a cafe or deli, just round up your bill to the nearest dollar. If it was €3.80, leave the .20 cents as a tip.

In pubs in London and bars in Europe, tipping isn’t expected on small amounts.

Whatever you do, always check the bill for a service charge. There are MANY places throughout Europe now that charge a set service fee and include it in the bill. This is often 10 or 12%. If this fee has been added to your bill, there is no need to tip.

Eating in Europe

Since you’ll be visiting many different countries while in Europe, the food will be very diverse. You will have the best overall experience if you’re willing to try all the foods you come across and have an open mind that you mind really like something you’ve never tried before.

• In London, you should have a Sunday roast , Fish and Chips , a Steak & Ale pie . See our foodie guide to London for more.
• In Paris, are you daring enough to try frog’s legs or escargot ? Definitely make room for crepes and a Croque Monsieur . See our foodie guide to Paris for more.
• In Italy, you’ll find an unimaginable array of pasta dishes , pizza, dried meats, and cheeses. Berlin has a very international food scene. It’s not just Schnitzel and sausage anymore.
• And in Amsterdam, you must try the frites , the bitterballen and the  Poffertjes (pancakes).

In every city, there is now a food tour taking place. We always recommend going on a food tour first thing when you arrive because it gives you a very good overview of the foods you should look out for and where to find them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is $5000 enough for a trip to europe.

With careful planning and budgeting, $5000 can allow you to have an enjoyable and fulfilling trip to Europe. However, the amount of money you need for a trip to Europe can vary widely depending on several factors, including the duration of your trip, the countries you plan to visit, your travel style, and the activities you want to experience.

How early should I plan my Europe trip?

Starting to plan your Europe trip 6 months in advance is a good timeframe, especially if your trip involves multiple destinations, is during the peak season, or requires visas. This allows you to also get your accommodation booked in advance. However, if your trip is relatively simple and during the off-peak season, you might be able to start planning 3 months before your travel dates.

What’s the best time to visit Italy?

Italy is a year-round destination, but many people prefer the spring (April to June) and fall (September to October) when the weather is pleasant, and tourist crowds in Italy are generally smaller at this time of year.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

21 Most Charming Small Towns & Cities in Europe

8 Unique Places to Stay in Europe & UK

21 Best Places to Spend Christmas in Europe

Now you know how to plan a trip to Europe, and we’ve given you a 2-week itinerary to follow. What are you waiting for? Whether you take a guided tour or do this Europe 2-week itinerary on your own, I am certain you will find it to be the most exciting and rewarding trip you’ll ever take.

Europe is fascinating and full of surprises. Let us know how your trip to Europe turns out!

Be Prepared For Travel Planning is the most important part of any successful trip. Do it the easy way:

🧳 Travel Packing List | ✔️ Why You Need Travel Insurance | ✈️ What to Do Before You Leave Home

• Find and book the best hotel (our favorite booking site is Expedia)
• Research flight options (our favorite tool is Skyscanner )
• Book a tour (we always use Viator to find the best tours)
• Rent a car through Discover Cars (they search the best deals for you!)

21 of the Best Cities to Visit in Europe

18 Best Wine Regions in Europe for Wine Lovers

Like this post? Why not save it to your Pinterest board ?

Laura Lynch, creator and writer of Savored Journeys, is an avid world traveler, certified wine expert, and international food specialist. She has written about travel and food for over 20 years and has visited over 75 countries. Her work has been published in numerous guidebooks, websites, and magazines.

15 thoughts on “ How to Plan a Trip to Europe (2-Week Europe Itinerary) ”

A great two-week itinerary for those looking to see the capital cities of Europe Laura – and totally agree with the London food choices! We are heading to the UK early next month and the Sunday roast and fish and chips ( with curry sauce) are high on our agenda;) Also an afternoon tea with clotted cream! 🙂 Thanks for sharing this thorough article. Shelley x

I always love a good cream tea!

I am planning on visiting Europe – more like a backpacking trip. And believe, I probably have read all the possible articles about “How to Self Organize Europe Trip” and this is the first article which covered everything I needed to know in a simple and minimal way. I couldn’t thank you enough, Laura. Really helpful!!!!!

Glad you found it useful, Sneha. Enjoy your trip.

This is awesome, thank you ❤️

Thank you for ALL of this great information. I’m in the beginning stages of planning a vacation for my family of 6. We will fly out of JFK – probably late June 2023 and we would like to visit: London, Paris, Venice, (Rome maybe) and Barcelona. Does the order of countries make sense? And know we would do train from Paris to Venice – but what would you suggest for the rest of the trip as far as traveling between countries? Thank you!

Hi Jill. That trip route sounds good. You can actually do all trains, if you don’t mind overnight travel, to save time. I would likely take the Eurostar from London to Paris, fly to Venice, train to Rome, and flight to Barcelona. You can easily get low-cost airline flights between all of those places.

Hi Laura, do you know whether the flight from Paris to Venice would be very busy? We definitely want to hit up London, Amsterdam, Paris and Italy (Venice/Florence/Rome) but felt that 14 days was ambitious for us. We also were hoping to avoid flights as much as possible due to the mass flying and worry it might take forever at the airport during August/September.

Hi Linda. The flight from Paris to Venice is likely always full, but it’s not a bad experience. We fly these routes all the time. You could also take the train! If you want to take a slower journey and actually cover it well, I would recommend 3 weeks for that trip. It is quite ambitious to do it in 2 weeks, but most people don’t have that much vacation time.

Hi and thank you so much for sharing all of this information! I am planning a summer trip for next year and am just researching to get a jump start on things and saving up!

I have a question…is there a way to add in the Almafi coast in this itinerary easily? What would you suggest as far as when you would add that? Before or after Venice…etc. and how many days would you recommend there? I was planning to do a boat day there.

Hi Cassandra. We were just in the Amalfi coast! You’ll love it. If you have time, I would suggest doing this itinerary the opposite way – starting in London and ending in Naples. Then you can visit the Amalfi coast and travel home from Naples.

Thanks so much for the in-depth wonderful article you turned out here .God Bless You

Hi there! This is really helpful!! I’m just confused, and trying to follow the map you post at the top. Just underneath your header “Self-Guided Tour of Europe – Plan Your Own Travel Itinerary”, there’s a map with a travel route posted. But that map does not match up with the route that is detailed below. The map appears to start in London and go to Paris, and them double-back to Amsterdam. But in the written itinerary, you talk about going from Paris to Venice, but this is not shown as the route on the map, and there’s no mention of how to get from Paris to Venice. Just trying to figure out if I follow what’s posted on the map, or what is outline in the written itinerary?? THANK YOU!!!

Hi Sherry. It looks like Amsterdam just got inserted in the wrong place on the map. I’ve updated it to be last instead of 3rd. Although if you wanted to fly into London and out of Rome, you could still put Amsterdam 3rd in the itinerary.

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Planning A Europe Trip: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Trip You’ll Love

by  Annie  

Published:  January 4, 2022

So you want to start planning a Europe trip. Where do you start? There are so many questions running through your mind -- where should I go? How much time do I need? What will I do while I’m there? How do I get around? What do I pack? The list seems never-ending. I feel you, my friend, and that’s why I wanted to create this guide for you! Though these examples are specific to Europe, you can apply these same steps to any international trip. 

The first trip I ever planned was for work. My supervisor told me I needed to leave the next day and I’d visit five different facilities in four countries across Europe. Talk about trial by fire! After three hours of booking flights and hotels, shooting off emails, and packing up my desk, I sped home like a madwoman to pack the biggest suitcase you’ve ever seen. I still cringe when I think about that mammoth I hauled around for eighteen days. 

Even though it was totally rushed and I had zero experience, everything went smoothly! The biggest takeaway from that experience was that planning an international trip isn’t nearly as difficult as it seems. This is true even if you know next to nothing about the place you’re going, and don’t have time to research! If I can pull it off in twenty-four hours, I guarantee you can do it with much less stress if you give yourself time to bring it all together. 

*** This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a booking using the link, I receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps me keep the lights on around here. I ONLY recommend products and services I personally use and love. ***

In a hurry? Pin it for later...

How to Use this Guide for Planning a Europe Trip

In this guide, we’re going to cover everything you need to know about planning a Europe trip so you can create the experience you’ve always wanted! We’ll talk about what to do before you even start researching, the process of creating your itinerary, booking all the necessities, and how to have a great time once you arrive.

This travel planning guide is for independent travelers who want to travel to Europe on their own terms. You won’t find information about multi-day group tours, or cruises. In each section of this guide, I’ve answered the most common questions people have at each step of the process when planning a Europe trip. 

There are four parts to this guide that follow the steps for planning your trip: 

• What to do before you start researching and booking. 
• What goes into creating your itinerary and booking the necessities. 
• What happens between booking and leaving on your grand adventure! 
• All the info you need to make your trip to Europe run smoothly.

Bookmark this post so you can come back to it at each step of your travel planning process!

Planning a Europe Trip Part 1: Getting Started

An incredible view of Prague Castle and the city from Petrin Hill

For international travel, I like to start laying the groundwork at least six months before I plan to leave. You can do it in less time, but having plenty of time to find the best deals, research your destination, book accommodations before they sell out, will keep you from feeling overwhelmed. You won’t be booking everything that far in advance because there are decisions to be made before you start researching and booking anything at all. In this section, you’ll find answers the most common questions and everything you need to lay the foundation for an amazing trip. 

3 steps to start planning a Europe trip:

• Passports and documentation
• Setting the parameters for your trip
• Choosing your destination(s)

What documents do I need if I’m traveling to Europe?

The most important thing you’ll need for your trip is your passport! I know this seems totally obvious, but hear me out. Depending on the backlog, the process can take up to six months if you don’t have a passport already. 

When going to Europe, you’ll need to make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after you arrive. Many countries want to ensure your passport won’t expire while you’re visiting. The renewal process is pretty simple. The last time I did it, I went to my local Walgreens to get updated photos and sent them in with my old passport and renewal paperwork. I had my shiny new passport in about three weeks. Super simple!

Consider applying for Global Entry (US Citizens)

Global Entry is a program for US citizens that allows you to have a fast pass through passport control when you’re returning to the United States. It also comes with TSA Pre-Check, making getting through security a breeze for domestic and international flights. 

It’s $100 for five years and well worth the money if you plan on traveling internationally just once a year! Since I got mine, it’s never taken me more than ten minutes to get through passport control and customs. Previously, I’d be stuck in these lines for hours! Honestly, this is one of the best tips I can give you in this travel planning guide to make your trip to Europe less stressful. 

The application process is simple. You can get all the information and start your application from this government website . You’ll have to complete a full background check and then meet with a TSA agent for an interview. My interview was at the airport, but other options may be available in your area. The interview was about ten minutes long, and they asked questions about my travel plans. It was really easy!

Global Entry is especially handy if you’re like me and piece together flights on different airlines to get the best deals. Having the “fast pass” through passport control and customs makes the whole process of switching airlines and getting back through security much easier and more predictable. 

What’s the best way to start planning a Europe trip? 

The first step to planning a Europe trip is to decide how much time and money you have to spend. This will make every other decisions easier! Time and money are the parameters every part of your Europe trip will fit within. This article will help with planning your travel budget . Once you know how much money you have to spend determine the priorities for your Europe trip . 

When it comes to maximizing the time you have to spend, build around long weekends and holidays if you’re using PTO. Look for holidays that aren’t celebrated in your destination to avoid crowds. This article about planning an itinerar y can help you decide how to spend your days once you arrive. Research the most popular times to visit - or the peak season - and plan to go when fewer tourists are there. Traveling just outside these times (aka shoulder season) will help you save money and avoid huge crowds. If you go when everyone else is visiting, it’s harder to find deals and reservations book up faster. 

You don’t need to have multiple weeks available to create an incredible trip to Europe! All you need is 7 to 10 days. Seven days in a place you’ve wanted to visit for so long is better than zero days, I promise! If you have a more flexible schedule and can work remotely or take long periods off, your primary consideration will be budget. Your budget will go much farther in Romania than in Norway!

Where should I travel in Europe?

If this is your first time planning a Europe trip, destinations that speak your native language will be the least intimidating. If you’re a native English speaker, the United Kingdom and Ireland are great places to start! However, there are plenty of other considerations when deciding where to visit, so keep reading. 

Choosing a destination is the hardest part of planning a Europe trip, in my opinion. It’s tough to take all the amazing places and narrow your trip down to only a few you can string together! Also, there’s no one place that’s going to be perfect for everyone. 

Knowing which type of traveler you are can help you choose a destination you’ll love. If you’re a Nature Lover, then a bustling city may not be the most enjoyable experience for you. You can use this article to learn about different types of travelers and discover which one(s) resonates with you. Once you understand your travel style, it’s easier to decide which European destinations will provide the experience you want. 

Another thing to consider is the average daily cost of visiting. If your destination is less-popular, it may cost more to get there and back so look at flight prices. Also, consider how long it will take to get to your destination and home again if your timeline is less than ten days. These are important considerations, but there are a few other questions to think about.  Here’s an article that covers choosing a destination in more detail. 

Additional Considerations for Choosing Your Destinations

There are a few other elements to think about when deciding where to go on your Europe trip. The climate and any local events happening are two big ones. If you want to go to Scotland in August, the weather is lovely, but you may not know that the city will be packed because the Fringe Festival and Military Tattoo are both in full swing. Taking the time to learn a little more about the places you’re considering before making your final decision will help you choose the best place for your trip. 

There are some easy ways to get information about your top destination choices. Start by looking at the tourism site for the country or city. You’ll learn more about things to do there, how to get around, and other details that can help you plan. Then get a guidebook for the destination(s). Personally, I love real books, so I buy used guidebooks at Thriftbooks.com to read through. The big things don’t change that much over time -- what to see, different regions, history, etc., so I don’t mind having a book that’s out of date. Plus, I’m a fan of reusing rather than purchasing new when I can. 

Finalize Your Destination

Do some basic research on flights and accommodations. This will help you fill in your travel budget and outline your itinerary options. 

1. Research entry requirements for each place on your list.

Do you need any specific documents or health screenings? Do they have a cost associated with them? When I start this phase, I create a spreadsheet to organize the information for each place to compare them easily when it’s time to make a final decision. 

2. Get an idea of what flights and accommodations will cost.

Skyscanner.com is my go-to for finding a ton of flight information in one place. You can search for multi-city and open jaw flights on this site too. Here’s an article with tips for finding cheap flights for your trip to help you get started. For accommodations, Booking.com is my favorite for finding awesome places to stay in Europe. You can see a variety of accommodations all in one place! There are different types of accommodations to choose from, so check out this article for information about each and ways to save money. 

3. Research how you’ll get from place to place.

You’ll need to get from the airport to the city, around the city itself, and from one place to another if you want to visit multiple places on your trip, which isn’t nearly as intimidating as it sounds, I promise! In this article, you can learn about the different ways to travel around Europe and how to decide which is best for your trip. Right now, all you need to know is what options you have, an idea of what they will cost, and how long they take. 

Once you’ve done this preliminary research, it’s time to finalize your destination choices so you can start building your Europe itinerary. You can map out an itinerary for more than one option; just know that’s going to take extra time. 

For the rest of this guide planning a Europe trip, we’ll assume you’ve chosen one place or a few close together for your trip.

Back to Top

Planning a Europe Trip Part 2: Creating Your Itinerary

Getting off the beaten path to see the Callanish Standing Stones in Scotland.

Now that you’ve chosen a destination, we’ll start putting together the itinerary for your Europe trip! In this section of the travel planning guide, we will cover the six steps that go into creating your itinerary. You’ll find answers to common questions that include details steps for filling in the details of your travel plans. 

6 steps to planning a Europe trip Itinerary:

• Entry requirements
• Basics of building an itinerary
• Mapping out dates for flights and accommodations
• Booking flights and accommodations
• Planning for transportation
• Planning for sights and activities

What do I need if I’m traveling to Europe?

Some European destinations may require a visa to enter or documentation regarding your health, especially with Covid on the scene. A quick internet search should provide all the information you need. A website from the local government will have the most accurate and up-to-date information. There may be certain timelines for applications, so set a reminder in your phone calendar for any dates you need to remember.

The requirements are subject to change quickly when it comes to health information. Make sure you know what the process and timelines are for your destination. Some require testing, even if you’re vaccinated. Others require you to complete a health form in advance like I had to do when traveling to Turkey. This site will help you find a test in your destination for testing while traveling. Also, at-home tests can work in many situations. This article has great information on at-home tests and other resources. 

How do I make an itinerary?

There are an endless number of ways to spend your days in any European destination. First, decide any “must do” items for your visit. You’ll build your timelines around these. You can always refer to which type of traveler you are and look at the suggested activities. If you’re not sure what’s available in your destination, start by looking at the tourism board website (or your guidebook). They have great information about attractions and events. Locals run tourism board sites to promote their home to tourists, so they know!

Once you have a list of your “must-see” activities and sites, plan to do one or two per day. I know, you’re thinking, “But I can do WAY more than one or two things in a day!” Yes, you can. However, you’re going to find more things that interest you once you arrive. 

Also, leaving time for a pint in the pub around the corner and a stop in the interesting little shop you find yourself walking past will make your trip to Europe all the more enjoyable. Honestly, the highlights of your days will often be the things you didn’t plan but stumbled upon as you went from one of your must-do activities to the next. 

If your trip includes major cities, look at where the attractions you most want to see are located. You can bookmark them on your Google maps, so they’re easily accessible on the go. You’ll probably find things you want to see clustered close together in different parts of the city. Dedicate a day to each area rather than going back and forth. Spending most of a day in one area gives you time to get off the beaten path and see what else is around. 

Did I mention leaving time for wandering? Trust me on this one. 

There are many different ways to get around while you’re visiting, so research what’s available. Here’s an article that tells you more about each one and how to decide what’s best for you.

What is the best way to plan flights and accommodations?

Always start this part of your travel planning with affordable flights! Here’s an article with tips for finding cheap flights . Because flight prices vary widely from day to day and week to week, building around the most affordable flights will help you maximize your travel budget. 

Start your search on Skyscanner by looking at a whole month at a time to see which block of days will be the cheapest. If you insist on specific dates, then you’re at the mercy of airline prices. There are plenty of other ways to save money on your trip!

Once you’ve found cheap flights , look at accommodations that match up with those dates; make sure to note any date changes for your arrival if you’re flying through multiple time zones. Booking.com   is where I start because they have so many types of accommodations in one place, and it’s easy to see prices. Here’s an article where you can learn about the different types of accommodations , tips for saving money, and how to choose the best option for your experience. 

Choose the top three accommodations for your dates based on your priorities. Make a pro/con list for each or send a message to the property with any questions you have. This is why an early start to planning a Europe trip is really helpful. It gives you plenty of time to get the information you want to make the best decision for your experience! Last-minute planning can leave you scrambling, feeling overwhelmed, and getting stuck with whatever’s left. 

How soon should I start booking things while planning a Europe trip?

After you’ve mapped out your timelines, it’s time to start booking your trip. This is where we go from just planning a Europe trip to making it reality! Hitting the “purchase” button for those flights is its own kind of adrenaline rush. Keep a spreadsheet or document that you’ll organize by date to help you make sure everything lines up so you’re not accidentally without a place to stay one night or double-booked somewhere else.

Start by booking your flights. I always book directly through the airline rather than one of the online travel sites. This way, if there’s any kind of problem, you can work directly with the airline instead of having to go through a third party. 

Once you’ve booked, make a note in your spreadsheet or document of:

• the airline
• your confirmation number
• departure date and time
• any layovers
• your arrival date and time

Next up, it’s time to book places to stay. Match up the arrival date of your flight with the check-in date of your accommodation. If you’re staying in more than one place, match the next check-in date with the check-out date of your previous stay. Sometimes this can get confusing, which is why having your planning document organized by date is helpful. 

Make a note in your spreadsheet or document of: 

• the property name
• check-in and check-out dates
• phone number
• confirmation number. 

Then bookmark your accommodation on Google Maps, so it’s accessible when you arrive.

A note on booking multiple accommodations and then canceling what you don’t want -- this puts the local accommodation in a real bind. If you prefer to stay in a small, locally-owned place, it can be difficult for them to fill last-minute cancellations, affecting their livelihood! Please, choose the place you want to stay and only book one.

What is the best transportation in Europe?

There are a number of transportation options for planning a Europe trip. I’m always a fan of public transportation because it’s affordable, efficient, and a more sustainable option. You can reference this article for more information about planning for the different types of transportation . 

You’ll need to plan for getting from the airport to your accommodation and around your destination. If your itinerary includes multiple stops, you need to plan how you’ll get from one place to the next. There are many different ways to travel around Europe , so make sure you explore your options. A rail pass or bus pass can be a great way to save money, if you want to create a multi-city itinerary. 

If you’re choosing an option other than flying, you may not be able to purchase tickets more than 90 days in advance. Set a reminder in your calendar for train or bus tickets for when tickets will be available, so you don’t forget to book them. Make a note in your spreadsheet or document of departure and arrival locations, dates, and times. Bookmark these on your Google Maps as well. 

You may need to print a physical paper ticket for some of these before leaving like I had to do for my bus rides in the Balkans. For other options, you may be able to access everything from an app. Make a note of what’s required, so you’ll know what you need when it’s time to start gathering everything before you leave. 

What should I see and do during my Europe trip?

Research any popular attractions or activities you want to include on your trip. Find out if you can or need to pre-book tickets. I made the mistake of trying to book tickets to the Anne Frank House only a few days before my first trip to Amsterdam and missed out because all the visiting times were already booked for two months out! Lesson learned. 

Also, check out the Go City passes available for major cities. They include many of the most popular sights and sometimes let you skip the line to get in. The pass can also save you money over paying each entrance fee separately, and some include public transportation!

Back to T op

Planning a Europe Trip Part 3: Preparing for Departure

Soaking in an iconic view of the canals in Amsterdam

Whew, we’ve already covered a lot of information for planning your Europe trip, but there's still more! I told you this was a complete guide! You’ve chosen an amazing destination for your European vacation and laid the foundation for an incredible experience. Now that you have those big pieces in place, let’s fill in the details. 

What needs to happen between booking and getting on the plane? In this section of the travel planning guide, you’ll find nine things you’ll want to know before leaving on your trip. I’ll answer the most common questions and give you all the information you need to feel fully prepared when it’s time to go. 

9 tips to prepare for your Europe trip:

• Decide on travel insurance
• Resources for researching your destination
• What to know about packing
• Make sure you can charge your devices
• Decide how you’ll using your cell phone
• Get your home ready
• Print documents to take with you
• How to get ready for departure day
• Getting ready for a long-haul flight

Do I need travel insurance?

In my early years of traveling, I never purchased travel insurance. Thankfully, I never needed it, though there were times it could have helped with canceled flights or delayed luggage. Over the years, I’ve seen how things can go sideways, and now I’m a fan of having the extra peace of mind. Travel insurance is really affordable, making it easy to insure your trip without too much additional expense. When you're planning a Europe trip, making room for this in your budget could save you a bundle in the long run.

World Nomads is my favorite for general travel insurance. Some of their policies cover Covid-related expenses, but not all, so double-check. If you want to make sure your trip is covered for Covid-related expenses, look for policies that cover “Cancel for Any Reason.” Here is a great list of travel insurance options that do cover Covid . 

I chose one of these for my 40-day trip through the Balkans, and the comprehensive policy was less than $200. Thankfully, I didn’t need it, but it would have saved me much more than that if I had! Honestly, I don’t remember the specific one I went with. I made quite a few coverage comparisons and chose the one that worked best for my needs. 

How do I find cool things to do in my destination?

You’ve already done preliminary research about your destination, and now it’s time to get into the details. 

As I’ve mentioned, when planning a Europe trip, you can use Google Maps to bookmark different places you may want to visit in your destination. I love this feature! It means you don’t have to make a rigid plan for your days but can bookmark a bunch of things and decide what sounds awesome in the moment. 

If you’re at an attraction on your “must-see” list, when you’re finished, you can look at your map and see what else is nearby! Don’t get so focused on going from place to place that you miss the magic in between, though. 

If you are using public transportation, check to see if there’s an app you can use, which will often have a map of the system and allow you to purchase tickets directly on your phone. If you want to take a guidebook, you can cut out the pages you need instead of lugging the whole thing around. 

Personally, I’ll put the important information on my phone or a separate paper to take and leave the book at home. For big cities, the DK Top 10 guidebooks are a great option. They’re lightweight and small! Here’s a great collection of ones for Europe . 

Other things to research about your destination

Map out the best way to get to your accommodation from the airport, so you’re not trying to figure it out when you arrive tired and jet-lagged. Use this post to help you find the way that makes the most sense for you. 

Find out if cash or credit card is preferred where you're going. You can get local currency from an ATM at the airport when you arrive. Depending on where you’re going, a taxi may not take credit cards. 

Finally, save the numbers for your accommodations, local emergency services, the airlines you’ll be using, and the customer service numbers for your credit cards in your phone contacts. 

What should I pack for a trip to Europe?

Packing is one of the most overwhelming parts of planning a Europe trip! It really deserves its own type of travel planning guide, which I’ll get working on for you right away! 

You will want to take anything there’s even a chance you’ll need because you’re not sure you’ll be able to get it at your destination. This is not the case at all! Packing only the necessities is especially important if you’re traveling on a budget flight where there are restrictions for the size and weight of your luggage. 

I fly with only a carry-on whenever possible. Spending three days wearing the same clothes in Copenhagen because our luggage didn’t make it with us was less than ideal. So, I usually do a round or two of practice packing to see how much will fit. Then I have to make the hard decisions about what to leave behind. If you trip is more than a week, plan to do laundry along the way.

If you have any prescription medications, talk to your insurance about getting a vacation refill. Usually, they will let you get one extra refill, so you have everything you need for your trip. Find out far enough in advance that you can make other arrangements with your doctor, if necessary. 

Additional Packing Tips

You’ll probably have a souvenir or two to bring home with you, so plan to have a little extra room for this. I have a duffel bag that folds down flat to pack in the bottom of my luggage, just in case I want to check a bag on the way home. I’ll fill the duffel with my dirty clothes since I don’t care if those are delayed and put fragile items in my carry-on. I don’t buy many souvenirs anymore, but this has been useful over the years! You can find them at Target or REI. 

No extra room to spare? Tickets to attractions and maps make great, lightweight souvenirs, plus you don’t have to spend anything extra. 

Perhaps you want a smaller day bag for when you’re out sightseeing instead of the personal item you took on the plane. Because I travel with my laptop and don’t want to haul it or the bigger backpack every day, I have a little backpack from REI that folds in half so it can be flat in the bottom of my carry-on. When I’m out and about, I prefer that to the laptop backpack. It’s low-key and much smaller, so it doesn’t stand out. 

Do I need an adapter for my electronics?

You’ll need an adapter to plug in your electronics when traveling abroad. I take two with me -- one for my laptop and one for my USB block that plugs into the wall. My husband has a small powerstrip he takes with him, which means you’d only need one adapter! Most of Europe uses the same adapter, except for the United Kingdom, but double-check, just to be sure you have what you need.

Ladies, if you have hair styling tools you want to pack, there are some things you’ll need to consider. The voltage is different, and using them overseas can ruin your products if done incorrectly. I did this on my first trip! My blow dryer sparked, let out a puff of smoke, and died. The end. 

Since that first experience, I’ve gone the natural route, and now my hair takes approximately 30 seconds to do, so I’m not the best person to give beauty advice for traveling! Your accommodation may provide a hairdryer. If not, don’t worry; I did find some information for you! Here’s an article about using styling tools overseas .

How do you I access my money while traveling in Europe?

It’s quite easy to access your money and use your credit cards while traveling to Europe. 

First, let your bank know where you’re traveling and the dates. Ask them if there are any special requirements for accessing your money while you’re gone. When you take money out of the ATM, your bank will calculate the exchange rate and charge you a fee for using an out-of-network ATM. I usually get a few hundred dollars at a time if I’m in a destination that prefers cash. That means I don’t need to use the ATM as often, which saves money on fees. 

You’ll want to alert your credit cards as well. Many of them have a place where you can enter this information online. Others don’t need you to notify them because they have systems set up to detect fraudulent activity on their end. If you’ve never done this with your card, call to find out. They’ll let you know, and it will make things easier for future trips. 

How do I use my cell phone in Europe?

There are a few different ways to do this, depending on your carrier. If you’re planning a Europe trip that's longer than a month, you may want to consider getting a SIM card when you arrive at your destination. This will allow you to access data and make local calls like you would at home. It also changes your phone number to a local one, so having a Google Voice number set up at home is helpful. Here’s an article with more information about using a local SIM card .

Because my trips are usually less than two months at a time, I go with one of the plans my carrier offers. I’m a Verizon user, and they have a monthly add-on that gives me a little bit of data, text and call minutes to use while I travel. Since I want to spend my time being present while I’m out and about, my phone time is reserved for when I’m in my accommodation or a cafe with wifi. The data has come in handy when I need to map my way somewhere or call an accommodation, but I don’t use it otherwise. 

Check with your carrier to see what options they offer, then choose what makes the most sense for you. 

What do I need to do with my home before I go on a trip?

This is one of the easiest parts to forget when you’re getting ready to travel! We get so focused on going to the place, and we forget to make sure everything is taken care of at home. 

Make sure you put a hold on your mail, so you don’t come back to a pile overflowing your mailbox. If you have plants or pets, make arrangements for their care. I assume you wouldn’t leave your pets without care, but you’d be surprised what can slip your mind when you’re getting ready for a big trip! If you’re going in summer and have a yard, get someone to take care of that as well. 

Find a low-wattage light you can leave on somewhere in the house for security purposes. It’s a good idea to make it look like someone is home, or at least like someone might be home. Let a neighbor you trust know that you’ll be gone and ask them to keep an eye on things for you. If you have a friend or family member nearby, see if they’ll stop over to check things out once a week.

What travel documents do I need to print?

As you're planning a Europe trip, keep any digital files in one place on your computer. Also keep your physical documents (passport, global entry, visas, etc.) together so they'll be easily accessible when it's time to go. It’s recommended to make a color copy of your passport and keep it somewhere separate from your actual passport. It’s also a good idea to give a copy to a family member or friend you trust.

Once you’ve finalized all your arrangements, you’ll want to make sure you have all the details easily accessible. Print any tickets you need for transportation or entry into attractions. Also, turn your document where you listed your reservation information into a one-pager (front and back) that you can print to keep with you. I share this document with the same friend or family member that keeps a copy of my passport, so someone knows where I’m supposed to be and when. If you’re traveling alone, this is an especially good idea. 

What should you do before leaving for the airport?

Have a plan in place to help things run smoothly. On the day of your departure, your mind will be going a thousand miles a minute, if you’re anything like me.  Jet lag can be a beast, but thankfully there are apps to help you start the transition to your destination’s time zone before you leave home. I’ve heard great things about Timeshifter , though I haven’t used it myself yet. It’s one of those things I forget and just have to deal with once I arrive. Someday I’ll remember!

Ensure you know how you’re getting to your departure airport and how much time you need. I always build in extra time to ease the anxiety when I travel. Nothing makes me want to crawl out of my skin more than worrying I’m going to miss a flight! I would much rather sit in the airport with a drink in hand for an extra hour than feel rushed and anxious as I start my epic trip.

If you don’t have someone to take you to the airport, you can schedule a pickup time hours in advance with Lyft , use a park and ride facility, pre-book an airport transfer, or call a traditional taxi. Here’s a post about the different ways to travel to and from the airport . 

When I was flying home from Istanbul, my flight was at 6:55 AM, and the airport was at least 45 minutes from where I was staying. Having a transfer already arranged and the ability to confirm it the night before let me actually get some sleep until my 4 AM pickup. 

What should I bring on a long haul flight?

• Refillable water bottle.
• Books, music, games, and movies loaded on your devices.
• Snacks in case you don’t like the food or get hungry between services.
• A pair of socks and underwear in case of delayed luggage, if you’re checking a bag.
• Medication or toiletries you will need during the flight. Pack a few day’s worth, just to be safe, if you’re checking a bag.
• Any documentation you’ll need to show at your destination. 

If you’re crossing an ocean, you’ll most likely be spending the next eight hours or more in the process of getting to your destination. I wish I could say something to make the time pass more quickly. Long flights are one of the parts you just have to get through to get to the places you want to visit. Below you’ll find a few more tips for making your transit and arrival in Europe easier. 

Tips for Making Travel Days More Comfortable

If my flight has more than ninety minutes until boarding, I’ll see if I can visit one of the lounges. Accessibility varies by airline, your frequent-flier status, etc. The lounge is a much more pleasant experience than sitting in the main terminal. 

I have the Delta Platinum American Express because that’s the largest airline in my home airport. This card gives me access to the lounge for $39 where all the drinks and snacks are free (remember to tip your bartender!). I spend way more than $39 sitting at an airport bar for the same amount of time, and it’s not nearly as comfortable.

You’ll be asked to turn your phone on airplane mode before departure. Depending on how you’ve decided to use your device when you arrive, you may want to turn off your data as well. You can map the route you’ll take to get to your accommodation and download it, so you’ll have it available when you arrive. You’ll be able to see your location and surrounding area on Google Maps without data or wifi as long as you’ve looked at the area previously and leave your location on.

Planning a Europe Trip Part 4: Arriving In Your Destination

Exploring Triglav National Park in Slovenia

Woohoo! You've spent all this time planning a Europe trip and you’ve made it! Now it’s time for all the fun! In this part of the travel planning guide, we’ll answer your questions about making the transition to your destination as smooth as possible. 

 In this section of the travel planning guide, you’ll find seven tips that will make your arrival go smoothly and set you up to have the most amazing time! I’ve answered the most common questions and provided all the resources you need to make things super easy. 

7 tips for a smooth arrival in your destination:

• Navigating passport control and customs
• Getting local currency
• Securing your belongings
• Gathering essential items for your stay
• Overcoming any language barriers
• Finding your way around
• How to get to your next destination, if you have one

What should I expect at passport control and customs in Europe?

Going through passport control is a simple process, though it can take a while. You’ll wait in line with the other passengers and approach the border control agent with your travel companions when it’s your turn. They’ll ask how long you’re staying, the purpose of your visit, and possibly where you’re staying, so have that information ready. 

Once you’ve received your shiny new passport stamp, you’ll go through baggage claim and customs. Look around for an ATM, just in case they have them in this part of the airport. As long as you haven’t packed anything you plan to sell or more than $10k in cash, you can just go through the “Nothing to Declare” lane, which will be marked in green. As a standard traveler, you’ll always use this lane. I only mention this now in the travel planning guide because I didn’t know what to do when I encountered this on my first trip. 

Can I get currency at the airport?

Yes! You can find ATMs in baggage claim or in the main terminal when you exit the secure area. I’ve never been to an airport that didn’t have one, but you may have to look around for a bit. 

Once you’ve got your cash, it’s time to find your ride. You planned for this, so look for the signs pointing you in the right direction -- taxis, public transportation, etc. 

How do I protect my belongings when traveling?

Let me start by saying that, in my experience, most people are kind and helpful. There isn’t a thief lurking around every corner waiting to mug you and steal your things. When planning a trip to Europe, the absolute best security is common sense. Do what you would do when visiting a big city in your home country and you should be just fine. Paying attention to what’s happening around you and who is in your space will deter the most questionable activity. 

Safety is one of people's biggest concerns when visiting a place they’ve never been. First of all, don’t bring a bunch of valuables with you. Depending on your accommodation, there are different options for keeping your things secure while you’re out sightseeing for the day -- safes, lockers, etc. If you take more cash from the ATM than you want to carry around, stash it in a random place in your luggage that no one would find, like inside a pair of socks. 

Tips for Securing Your Belongs While Sightseeing

When you’re getting ready to head out for the day, make sure your wallet and passport are somewhere you have to dig them out. The idea is that a thief would have to take your entire bag to get them. For me, this is inside a pocket inside a zippered part of my backpack. The only thing I ever carry in my pockets is my phone and loose change, and my pockets have zippers. 

If you’re not going to carry a bag, make sure your pockets have zippers, and you keep your valuables in your front pockets. When I sit down in a park, at a café, etc., I make sure my bag isn’t in a place where someone can walk by and grab it. Sometimes I’ll set it on the ground and put my chair leg through one of the straps, just for another level of security. 

How do you shop in a foreign country?

You’re definitely going to need to eat, but you may also find yourself needing toiletries, pain killers, or a bottle of wine. Depending on the destination, you might find what you need in separate shops instead of a grocery store like in the US. Even food items can be separated -- a cheese shop, an open-air produce stand, a butcher, and a dry goods store. For me, one of the fun parts of experiencing life in a foreign land is this simple act of gathering what I need. 

Use your Google Maps while you have Wi-Fi to look for the different shops and bookmark them. It’s also fun to wander around your neighborhood to see what’s there. Sometimes small shops won’t be listed on your app, but you’ll find them tucked away on side streets. In my experience, the shopkeepers are helpful and kind. Depending on where you find yourself, you may be a novelty to them! On more than one occasion, I’ve found myself engaged in conversation because they’re curious about why I’ve chosen to visit and want to tell me about awesome things in the area. 

How do you overcome language barriers in Europe?

Typically, people who work in tourism will speak some English, but it’s never guaranteed. When planning Europe trip, it’s helpful to learn a few basic phrases in the local language before you arrive, even if it's just “hello,” “please,” and “thank you.” Those few words and your willingness to try can go a long way. That being said, I’ve found that the language barrier has rarely been an issue when traveling in Europe.

You’d be surprised at how much you can actually communicate with pointing and a few hand gestures. Once, at a campground near Plitvice National Park in Croatia, I managed to get my clothes washed even though the washing machine labels were in German and my host was trying to explain to me in Croatian! 

The Wordless Travel Book is a great little resource to take along if you’re concerned about the language barrier. It’s full of pictures you can point to and use to communicate. Plus, you can always turn on your data and use Google Translate in a pinch, too. 

Will my Google Maps work in Europe?

Yes! Google Maps makes getting around in Europe easy. Make sure your phone is fully charged before setting out for the day. If you’ve bookmarked places, you’ll still see them on your map even if your data is off. You can pick up a paper map at the local tourist information office, which is always worth visiting. They’ll be able to tell you about any fun events and answer questions you might have. I’m a fan of walking, so that’s always my go-to for getting around a new place. However, in larger cities, a bus or metro may be a better option. This article has a ton of information about the different ways to get around and how to choose the best one(s) for your needs. 

Tips for Getting to Your Next Destination

If your itinerary includes multiple stops, you’ll need to do the whole departure and arrival thing over again. If you’re using a different mode of transportation than you did on the first part of your trip, I recommend scouting out the place you’re leaving from, especially if you have an early departure. 

When I was taking the bus from Albania to Montenegro, I went to the bus station the day before to know exactly where I needed to go the next morning. It’s a good thing I did because the bus terminal was tucked behind a gym, and it took me a bit to figure out that it was around the back. 

The next morning, I knew how long I needed to get there and didn't feel stressed about finding the right place. Bonus, it’s a chance to do more exploring! I found more cool places around the area that I may have missed otherwise. 

Go Forth and Adventure!

At this point, I hope you’re feeling more confident about planning a Europe trip. There’s a ton of information in this one travel planning guide, so be sure to bookmark it so you can come back at the different stages of putting your trip together. 

If you’ve made it this far and found this information helpful, I’d love to stay connected! You can find me over on Instagram , where I share travel tips for creating your trips, my own adventures, and highlights from other travelers worldwide. You can also subscribe to the newsletter where you’ll receive updates, travel deals, inspiration, and resources for your upcoming adventures. 

If you’d like to talk about the details of your travel plans or destination to get more insight, you can schedule a one-hour consultation with me. I love helping other indie travelers like you create the travel experiences they’ve always wanted to have! I’ll answer your questions and give you every last resource and bit of insight I’ve collected over the last thirteen years. You can schedule and purchase a consultation using this link . 

Now get out there. The world is waiting for you!

What have you done to plan your own trips in the past?  

Share any tips with your fellow indie travelers in the comments!

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About the author 

Fun Lover. Food Eater. Bold Explorer. Big Dreamer. Annie is a fiercely independent traveler who loves to create unique and interesting experiences. She thrives on finding the magical moments and hidden gems waiting around every corner. Her passion for helping others make their travel dreams come true fuels her work as a travel planner, consultant, educator, and community builder.

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Thank you very much for the greeting!Happy New Year for you too…! Thanks for the very comprehensive travel tips/step by step guide too…!I have read it with a absolutely great interest.

Happy New Year to you! I’m so glad it was useful! 🙂

That is quite a comprehensive guide. I plan to visit Ireland on my next visit to Europe.

Ooh, Ireland is lovely! You won’t be disappointed!

What a beast of a post! This is such a great resource for newbie travellers – amazing!

Ha! I know, it’s a big one! I wanted to create something that has all the basics in one place. 🙂

fantastic points altogether, you just gained a new reader. What could you recommend in regards to your post that you just made a few days ago? Any sure?

I’m so glad you enjoyed the post! I’m not sure which recommendations you’re looking for. Feel free to fill out the contact form to send me an email!

I was recommended this website through my cousin. I am no longer positive whether this post is written by means of him as no one else understand such specific approximately my trouble.

You’re amazing! Thank you!

Thank you! I’m glad he recommended it. 🙂

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11 Best first-time Europe itineraries for 1, 2, or 3 weeks

Europe is going to be very busy in the summer of 2024 as the world is back to normal and travel demand is higher than ever. One other key factor is that most European currencies are still hovering at lower levels historically compared to the US dollar, which means that Europe will feel somewhat cheap again this year. In fact, according to our World Backpacker Index , European cities like Lisbon, Madrid, and Munich are about 30% cheaper to visit than Boston, Chicago, and New York City. In other words, flying to Europe might seem expensive, but most things will be cheaper once you get there compared to the costs of visiting a large US city.

Below you’ll find 11 of the most popular and best itineraries for a first visit to Europe. Your first visit is not really the time to be different or creative, and the famous destinations tend to be popular for a reason. In other words, it’s kind of silly to visit, say, Bulgaria, if you’ve not yet been to France or Italy. I lay out the best options along with how long to stay in each place as a general guide. I also discuss Mediterranean cruises, which can actually be an amazing way to see a lot of Europe on your first visit, especially if you don’t like going back and forth to train stations and airports every 2 or 3 days.

For a bit of fun you might be interested in the cheapest 5-star hotels in Europe , which start at US$80 per night for really nice hotels. It helps show that if you choose some of the cheaper cities, you can treat yourself to some luxury that you can’t afford in most other places.

This article was last updated in March, 2024.

There are 11 starter itineraries described in detail below

• Classic London and Paris
• England and Scotland
• Paris and Italy
• Mediterranean cruise
• France, Belgium, and Netherlands
• Paris and elsewhere in France
• Switzerland
• Best of cheap eastern Europe

For each itinerary there are suggestions of other destinations that are easy to add on to the main cities.

Note: This article was most recently updated in March, 2024

Building the best itinerary for your first trip to Europe

Below there are 11 popular itineraries for one week in Europe. If you’ve only got a week then choose one of them and assume you’ll return again to conquer more of this amazing part of the world. If you’ve got more time then you can choose from some of the top add-on suggestions for each one.

Start in the most famous cities

Your first visit to Europe is no time to try to be different or edgy. I recommend that you  focus on these 5 great cities  before you start branching out into cheaper or more obscure places.

Keep your travel days to a minimum

Spend 3 (or 4) nights in almost every major city

So many first-time visitors are initially planning on spending only 1 or 2 nights in major cities that I wrote a detailed explanation of why  3 nights is ideal for almost all European cities , even if you want to see as much as possible.

3 (or 4) nights will be enough for any city on your first trip

Most first-time visitors are tempted to move too quickly, but it can also be a mistake to move too slowly. It’s really amazing how much you can see in two full sightseeing days. If you spend too long in one city you’ll end up seeing things that are way down your list, while you could be in another city seeing things at the top of your list there.

Choose cities that are easy to reach from each other

For your first trip it’s best to visit cities that are no more than a 5-hour train ride apart.

Choose cities that are connected by reasonable train rides rather than flights

To build on the point above, finding cheap flights within Europe is easy, but train travel is about a million times more enjoyable and less stressful. You’ll enjoy the train rides almost as much as the cities, so focus on places that are within 5 hours of each other by train.

Start with one of the classic itineraries below, and then add to it if you have more time

If you only have 7 days then you’ll find a list below of classic itineraries that are well-suited to a first visit to Europe. Hopefully you have more than 7 days though, and if you do you can add in one or more of the suggested add-on cities to build an itinerary that appeals most to you.

Best 1-week itineraries for the first time in Europe

Itinerary 1: classic london and paris.

• London  (3 or 4 nights)
• Paris  (3 or 4 nights)

Fly into either city and take the 2-hour Eurostar train between them

London highlights

• Big Ben and Parliament
• Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral
• Tower of London and Tower Bridge
• West End shows (Broadway equivalent) and classic pubs
• Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle

Paris is actually far more beautiful than London and the food is famously much better as well. Since Paris gets so many tourists from non-French speaking countries, it’s easy to get by on just English, and the Metro system makes it fast and easy to get around. The architecture of both cities is amazing from the Tower of London, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey to the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. These cities each pack a huge punch and they are very different from each other as well. Actually, England is arguably the best choice for your first trip to Europe .

Paris highlights

• Eiffel Tower
• Louvre Museum and Museum de Orsay
• Arc de Triomphe and other monuments
• Montmartre neighborhood and Sacré Coeur Cathedral
• Probably the world’s best affordable restaurants and wine

Best add-ons to London and Paris

• Edinburgh  (2 or 3 nights, from London)
• Amsterdam  (2 or 3 nights, from Paris)
• Bruges  and  Brussels  (2 nights, from Paris)

>>> Best one-week London and Paris itinerary in detail >>> Check London hotel deals >>> Check Paris hotel deals

Itinerary 2: England and Scotland

• York (1 night)
• Edinburgh, Scotland  (2 or 3 nights)
• Inverness, Scotland (2 or 3 nights)

York is a small Roman city with intact city walls and one of the most famous cathedrals in Europe. Edinburgh is not only the capital of Scotland, but it’s easily the second most interesting city in all of Britain. If your time is short, skip York and spend more time in Edinburgh.

If you prefer to focus on the south of England on your first trip then the best option is to go to Bath or nearby Bristol after London. Bath is another of England’s top destinations and it’s a gorgeous city that has been a spa resort for many centuries. It’s also reasonably close to Stonehenge. You can also easily get to Cornwall in England’s southwest corner from Bath, and that’s a whole different and fascinating experience (with nicer weather than up north).

If you’ve got more than a week and want to spend more time in Scotland, especially in the summer months, the place to head to is Inverness. It’s a small town that is considered the gateway to the Scottish Highlands, but it’s an interesting and charming place on its own. You can take day-trips by bus to the highlights of the Highlands including the Isle of Skye and Loch Ness. Between you and me, it’s better to minimize time in Loch Ness or skip it altogether because it’s not one of the more photogenic parts of Scotland and the monster has always been a hoax.

Travel times between the recommended places

• London to York by train: 2 hours
• York to Edinburgh by train: 2.5 hours
• London to Edinburgh by train: 4 hours
• Edinburgh to Inverness by train: 3.5 hours
• London to Bath by train: 85 minutes

Best add-ons to England and Scotland

• Paris  (3 or 4 nights from London)
• Amsterdam  (3 nights from Paris)

If you think you want to spend your whole trip in Britain you should have a look at our article on the  best itineraries in England, Scotland, and Wales .

>>> Check London hotel deals >>> Check Edinburgh hotel deals

Itinerary 3: Paris and Italy

• Paris (3 or 4 nights)
• Venice (1 night)
• Florence (2 or 3 nights)
• Rome (3 nights)

From Paris you can easily fly to Venice (or nearby Treviso) where you should try to spend about 24 hours. Venice is small enough to see in a full day, and so crowded that most people are satisfied to leave after that day. The key is to stay in the main part of the main island so you can enjoy Venice before the cruise passengers and day-trippers arrive, and also after they leave for the day. Two nights in Venice would not be wasted time, and it’s possibly the most gorgeous city in the entire world, but you can see the best of it in a bit over 24 hours.

Rome also lives up to the hype and spending a day in the Vatican City will be a highlight even for non-Catholics, but it’s also a crowded and busy city so three days is usually enough for most people. Similar to Paris, Rome is an unusually beautiful city from almost any angle when you are in the historical center. You’ll walk through a stunning piazza (town square) and then turn a corner and you’ll see gorgeous buildings or public statues that are as nice as anything in the museums. Seriously, it’s worth a visit.

Paris to Venice flight: 1 hour 35 minutes Venice to Florence by train: 1 hour 53 minutes Florence to Rome by train: 1 hour 16 minutes

You can of course instead fly from Paris to Rome and then go north to Florence and then to Venice and fly home (or back to Paris) from there, and it would be just as enjoyable.

Best add-ons to Paris and Italy

• Nice/Cannes/Monaco  (2 or 3 nights)
• Avignon (2 nights)
• Bourges (2 nights)
• Bordeaux (2 nights)
• Aix-en-Provence (2 nights)
• Reims (2 nights)
• Dijon/Burgundy (2 nights)
• Milan  (1 or 2 nights)
• Lake Como (2 nights)
• Siena (2 nights)
• Cinque Terre (1 night)
• Naples / Sorrento /Amalfi Coast/Pompeii/Capri (3 to 5 nights)
• Sicily (3 to 4 nights)

>>>Much more information in this article about the best France and Italy itineraries >>> Check Paris hotel deals >>> Check Venice hotel deals >>> Check Florence hotel deals >>> Check Rome hotel deals

Itinerary 4: Mediterranean cruise

In spite of the reputation of cruises to be floating buffets, they can actually be an excellent way to visit a great number of amazing European cities in a short time. The ship typically is in port from the early morning until mid evening, often giving you the opportunity to have dinner in the city (unlike Caribbean cruises). Better still, the cruise ports are often near the center of town, so you can just walk off the ship and do sightseeing on foot or by public transportation.

Mediterranean cruises usually start at 7 nights but can go up to 3 weeks, which can provide an amazing tour of the entire region without having to pack and repack your bags more than once. They also can provide excellent value, especially compared to the price of taking trains or flights and finding new hotels in every destination.

Most popular Mediterranean departure ports

Barcelona, Spain – It’s an easy port to reach. Ships generally go from Barcelona with stops in France and then Italy.

Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy – The port isn’t very close to Rome, but it’s easy to get back and forth. Ships go west to France and Spain as well as south around the tip of Italy and then on to Croatia, Venice, and to Greece.

Venice, Italy – The cruise ships no longer dock close to the best tourist areas, but it’s easy enough to visit Venice for a day or two before boarding a ship. Ships starting in Venice go south and then head west and to Rome and then to France, or they go south to Croatia and then head east to Greece.

Athens, Greece – The cruise port of Piraeus is just south of Athens and easy to reach. Ships from Athens usually head west towards Croatia, Italy, France, and Spain, but there are also ships that visit Greek islands and Turkey.

>>> Check for deals on Mediterranean cruises

Alternative to consider: a river cruise

Amsterdam ,  Budapest , and  Prague  are some of the most popular river cruise ports, but there are dozens of others including many smaller towns in France where few other tourists will be when you stroll off the ship. There is little or no entertainment on the river cruise ships, but passengers don’t miss it because the entire day and into the evening is spent just steps from local cultural offerings and restaurants.

>>> Check for Europe and river cruise deals

Itinerary 5: France, Belgium, and Netherlands

• Paris  (3 nights)
• Brussels  and  Bruges  (1 or 2 nights)
• Amsterdam  (2 or 3 nights)

Paris to Brussels: 1 hour 22 minutes Brussels to Bruge: 58 minutes Bruges to Amsterdam: 2 hours 45 minutes Amsterdam to Paris: 3 hours 17 minutes

Spending 4 nights in Paris and 3 nights in Amsterdam would be a great trip, but if you want to see something else you’ve got a couple options in between. My advice is to spend an afternoon looking around the Grand Place (main square) in Brussels and then hop a 58-minute train ride to Bruges for a night or two. Brussels isn’t a great tourist city, but Bruges really is so it’s a better option for most people. Whatever you choose out of this group, you can be back in Paris on another high-speed train for your flight home.

Best add-ons to France, Belgium, and Netherlands

• Luxembourg City  (1 or 2 nights)
• Cologne, Germany (1 or 2 nights)
• Interlaken, Switzerland  (2 or 3 nights)

>>> Check Paris hotel deals >>> Check Bruges hotel deals >>> Check Amsterdam hotel deals

Itinerary 6: Paris and elsewhere in France

And a choice of:

• Normandy (2 nights)

While Nice is a wonderful tourist city for a look at the French Riviera, the other larger cities of Lyon and Marseilles are probably better saved for a future trip because they are light on key sights compared to many smaller towns. Wine lovers can rent a car or take trains into Bordeaux or Burgundy. Since you can get between most of these towns by train in 2 hours or less, spending only 2 nights in each one is a reasonable option if you want to see a lot in a short time.

Normandy is an interesting choice and easy to reach in only about two hours by train from Paris. Some visitors like to see the famous WWII beaches and memorials, while others (especially in summer) like to check out one or more of the beach-resort towns. Deauville is one of the more famous of those, and it’s also famous for its horse race track and as one of the epicenters of the industry in Europe.

Best add-ons to Paris and elsewhere

• More France, of course

>>> Check Paris hotel deals >>> Check Nice hotel deals

Itinerary 7: Italy

• Rome  (3 nights)
• Florence  (2 or 3 nights)
• Venice  (1 or 2 nights)

Rome to Florence: 1 hour 16 minutes Florence to Venice: 1 hour 53 minutes

Venice is small enough that you can see the main sights in about 24 hours, and it’s so insanely crowded that many people tire of it after about a day as well. It’s better to pay more for a hotel to be on the main island and visit quickly than to save money with a hotel on the mainland where you’ll be in crowds going back and forth as well. Florence is the most relaxing of the 3, and also a great base for side trips to Pisa, Siena, and Cinque Terre, just to name a few.

Going to Italy? Here are the  best first-time Italy itineraries for 3 days to 2 weeks  (in much greater detail)

Best add-ons to Italy

>>> Check Rome hotel deals >>> Check Florence hotel deals >>> Check Venice hotel deals

Itinerary 8: Spain

• Madrid  (4 nights) (including day trip to Toledo)
• Barcelona  (3 nights)

Madrid to Barcelona: 2 hours 30 minutes

A huge part of Spain’s tourism industry is built around its southern beaches and islands such as Ibiza, Mallorca, and Tenerife (in the Canary Islands). For most people it’s best to ignore those places on your first trip because none of the beaches are special enough to spend days on them compared to the culture of the cities.

Best add-ons to Spain

• Valencia  (2 nights)
• Seville  (2 or 3 nights)
• Granada  (2 or 3 nights)
• Lisbon  (3 nights)

By popular demand, I’ve added a full article on where to go in Spain with itineraries from 7 to 10 days up to two weeks .

>>> Check Madrid hotel deals >>> Check Barcelona hotel deals >>> Check Lisbon hotel deals

Itinerary 9: Germany

• Berlin  (3 nights)
• Munich  (2 or 3 nights)
• Rothenburg ob der Tauber (1 night)
• Füssen (1 night)

Berlin to Munich: 6 hours 2 minutes Munich to Rothenburg ob der Tauber: 2 hours 56 minutes Munich to Füssen: 2 hours 4 minutes

Those two cities are the keys to a Germany visit, and after that you’ve got a wide variety of choices. I cover most of the popular choices in my article on  where to go in Germany , which covers several smaller towns that are major highlights.

Best add-ons to Germany

• Cologne (1 or 2 nights)
• Hamburg  (2 or 3 nights)
• Amsterdam  (3 nights)
• Prague  (3 nights)
• Salzburg  (2 or 3 nights)
• Vienna  (3 nights)
• Interlaken, Switzerland  (3 nights)
• Lucerne, Switzerland  (2 or 3 nights)

>>> Check Berlin hotel deals >>> Check Munich hotel deals

Itinerary 10: Switzerland

• Interlaken  (3 nights)
• Bern (1 night)
• Lucerne  (3 nights)

Zurich Airport to Interlaken: 2 hours 10 minutes Interlaken to Bern: 53 minutes Bern to Lucerne: 1 hour 50 minutes Lucerne to Zurich Airport: 1 hour 3 minutes

Interlaken is the best hub for the most dramatic Alps views and experiences. The one-hour cable car ride up to the Schilthorn observation deck is something you’ll never forget, and the only thing that might be more dramatic is the train ride up to the Jungfraujoch station, which is the highest in Europe. Lucerne is almost as beautiful with a scenic lake at its heart and also great mountaintop views nearby. If you do want to see a Swiss city then the capital of Bern is the most interesting and photogenic on a short visit. Read more about  where to go in Switzerland  for even more ideas.

Best add-ons to Switzerland

• Munich  (3 nights)
• Italy (as long as you’ve got)

>>> Check Interlaken hotel deals >>> Check Lucerne hotel deals

Itinerary 11: Eastern Europe’s best cheap cities

• Budapest  (3 nights) and/or
• Krakow  (3 nights)

Each of these cities is beautiful and historic, but English is less widely spoken so they can also be quite a bit more challenging for a first-time visitor. Another difficulty is that the trains between them are still quite slow compared to the high-speed rail in the West, so it takes most of a day from one to another, and a bus is often a better choice. I cover this best cheap Europe itinerary more fully in the linked article.

Prague to Budapest: 6 hours 41 minutes Budapest to Krakow: 9 hours 54 minutes (flying might be better)

Best add-ons to cheap Eastern Europe

• Cesky Krumlov, Czechia  (2 nights)
• Ljubljana, Slovenia  (2 or 3 nights)
• Split, Croatia  (3 nights)
• Belgrade, Serbia  (2 or 3 nights)
• Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina  (2 or 3 nights)
• Sofia, Bulgaria  (2 or 3 nights)

>>> Check Prague hotel deals >>> Check Budapest hotel deals >>> Check Krakow hotel deals

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Hi Roger, was reading your article and reply to various questions and its actually too good and kind from you. if you pls,help me out a route plan for 15days. but my catch is, i have to start from Stockholm.i like to end in rome to head back home. in between what should be my plan?thanks

I’m happy to help. Stockholm to Rome could be done in 15 days, but it would require skipping quite a few great places along the way. My recommendation would be to choose 5 or maybe 6 cities total and spend 3 days in each. If Stockholm is one of your cities you’d only have 12 days left but even if Stockholm didn’t count on the 15 days I think it’s probably best to fly from Stockholm to a city closer to Italy and then do the rest of it on shorter train rides. You could do Stockholm to Copenhagen by train, but those are pretty long train rides and honestly those two cities are pretty similar to each other.

So maybe Stockholm and then a flight to Paris and then trains to Venice, Florence and Rome? That sort of thing. Stockholm is just so remote that it would require at least 3 or 4 longer train journeys but if you flew from Stockholm to Paris (or Berlin or Prague or Budapest or wherever) the remaining train rides would be relatively short. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger

Firstly, I would like to thank you for the article and itineraries; they are very helpful.

My wife and I are planning a 3 to 4-month trip around the EU (Western Europe). Before I delve into the specifics of our itinerary, I am wondering if the same 3 to 5-day in each-city principle applies for cases where travellers will spend more time travelling around?

I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks Raf

Wow. That sounds amazing! Even when traveling for longer periods like that I’d recommend a minimum of 3 nights in almost any place you go. The main reason is your travel days tend to be kind of long when you factor in everything from checking out of one hotel to getting to the train station and waiting and then the journey time and then getting to your next hotel and getting situated. All of that usually takes 4 to 6 hours even when the train journey is only an hour or two, so you just don’t get much sightseeing done on those days. So if you only stay 2 nights in each city it means every other day is a travel day and that just takes up too much time.

That said, I think 3 or 4 days is enough time in most places as well. If you really want to get to know Paris, for example, you might stay a week there. But for most cities there are diminishing marginal returns starting on day 3 or 4. In other words, you’ll be able to see the 10 things that most interest you in 3 days or so, and at that point you might be ready to see the Top 10 things in the next city instead of the #11 through #20 things in the first city.

Another thing that is important with longer trips like that is to plan some down time at least every few weeks. If you try to do sightseeing 7 days per week for weeks at a time it starts to feel like a job. What I like to do is every two or three weeks find a smaller town or cheaper place where I can rent a little apartment or some place larger and more comfortable than a typical small European hotel room. And I like to stop in places without many sights otherwise it’s too tempting to keep sightseeing every day.

I’ve actually done quite a few long trips like this and I’m happy to help with any other advice if you like. -Roger

Comment*We are planning on Athens to Amsterdam from June 4, 2024 to Amsterdam June 24th.

We are thinking trains to major cities inbetween Athens and Amsterdam. We are open to anything and everything.

Priorities: Parthenon in Athens, Art Museums in Amsterdam (3-5 days in Amsterdam) Can you help us?

That is a tricky one. Both Athens and Amsterdam are great and very worthwhile, but once you go north of Athens to Thessaloniki in northern Greece, the train service is spotty and very slow all the way until you reach Budapest. Strangely enough, buses tend to be faster and much more frequent in those “eastern” countries like Bulgaria and Romania. Also, being perfectly honest, most of those in-between cities such as Sofia and Belgrade are kind of dull by European standards, although they are quite cheap.

If you really want to visit Athens I’d definitely start there and then after a few days fly to Budapest or some other city in that area that interests you and then carry on from there by train. In fact, Athens to Budapest and then trains to Prague then Berlin and then Amsterdam could be perfect. You could even add in a couple of days in Cesky Krumlov near Prague if you want to include a gorgeous smaller town among the big cities.

Those are all first-class cities and several of them are quite affordable as well. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger

Hi, my wife and I would like to visit Rome, Florence, Italy, Venice, Prague, Berlin and maybe Switzerland. This will be the first time travelling to Europe and I would appreciate your help in planning where to start, where to stay, how to get there and where to go. We will be coming from Trinidad and Tobago for 2 weeks. If possible, i would like a day-to-day plan.

Unfortunately I don’t have time to do a day-by-day plan for you, but I can help get you started. If you’ve got 14 nights I would keep the list to 5 total cities. If you tried to include Switzerland on this trip it would mean spending only 1 or 2 days in some cities and that means spending every other day on trains.

I think the best thing to do would be to fly into Berlin or Prague and then spend 3 days there and then take a train to the other one and spend 3 days there and then fly to Venice. Spend 1 or 2 days in Venice and then take a short train ride to Florence for 2 days or so and then a train ride down to Rome for your final 3 days and then a flight home or back to your starting city if that is cheaper. I’m happy to help if you have any other questions. -Roger

Hi, Roger. My wife and I (56 and 63) want to do our first trip to Europe from Canada and would like to start by visiting Portugal (Lisbon and Porto) and Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Granada y Sevilla with day trips to close small cities in between). What it would be your suggestion for: 1. Stay in each city for a 15/17 days trip? 2. any additions/modifications? 3. Train over flights internally? 4. If we travel with one suitcase of 50 Lbs would it work to take public transit when required? 5. Instead of this plan, would it be better to visit 1/2 famous city in different countries? Would appreciate your inputs. Than you Roger

If you’ve only got about 16 days I’d recommend choosing 5 or maybe 6 cities in total. I strongly believe that 3 nights is the best amount of time to stay in each city so you have two full sightseeing days in each one, although some smaller cities can be done a bit quicker. I go over the reasons in detail on this other article about how long to stay in each European city , but the main point is that if you stay only two nights it means literally spending every other day on trains or in airports and such and you just don’t get much sightseeing done on those travel days with all of the packing and unpacking and checking in and out of hotels.

I’d definitely include Lisbon, Madrid, and Barcelona. You could add a 2-day visit to Porto and 2 or 3 days each in Sevilla and Granada. I’d save Valencia for a future trip. It’s nice, but aside from the new buildings clustered in one area, it’s more generic than any of the others on your list.

The only train between Portugal and Madrid goes over night and I’m not a fan of those so I’d fly on that leg. But from there I’d definitely take the high-speed trains, which are fast and comfortable. Buy your tickets at least a couple months in advance for the best fares.

There will be room for a 50 lb suitcase on the flights (of course) and on the trains as well. On older trains they have you put them on racks above the seats, but on most of the more modern ones (like the high-speed trains) they also have room for larger bags at each end of the carriage. If you can lift them, there will definitely be room for them.

I think your plan sounds really good and those are all great cities. That said, for most first-time visitors to Europe I’d recommend Paris and Italy as those are really more dramatic and interesting, although also more crowded and somewhat more expensive as well. I think once you do the Iberia trip you’ll be hooked and you’ll start planning a trip to France and Italy for the coming years. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger

Hi, Roger. Thank you for your comments and recommendations and also for your prompt response. I have modified my plan as I have now 22 days. My Itinerary is Porto(3), Lisbon(3), Seville(2), Malaga(2), Madrid(3),Barcelona(3), Zaragoza(2) and Bilbao(3). What do you think? is this a good plan? Any suggestions? I am still debating between Malaga and Granada though. I included Bilbao to visit friends. The question on the luggage was more related to the comfort to pull a large back in public transit than the allowance in the planes or trains. I will appreciate your inputs. Thank you again, Roger

Those six more days will help a lot. I think your new plan looks really good. You can probably enjoy Porto in 2 days and add an extra day somewhere else, but you might also be dealing with jet-lag so 3 days might be better. Your itinerary looks efficient and logical.

I really like Granada and Malaga, but I think if I were to choose between the two I would go with Granada. Malaga is (in my opinion) an underrated city that is close to some extremely popular beach towns and it’s got a lot going for it, but if you aren’t also going to be staying by the beach I think I’d save it for another trip. Granada has got the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens and those are unlike anything else in Spain or the world for that matter. Granada is small enough to enjoy in two days and I think seeing the Alhambra will be more memorable than anything in Malaga.

Buy your train tickets as early as possible for the best times and fares, and the flight for Lisbon to Seville (or you could take a bus).

And again, your 50 lb suitcase will fit on city to city trains (although not as well on buses or trams within a city), but still (as the saying goes) no one ever went on a trip around Europe like this and swore they would pack more stuff the next time. In other words, 40 lbs is much easier than 50 lbs and getting laundry done cheaply in a country like Spain is quite easy. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger

Comment*Hi travelling first time to europe next year we are 55 years age group any suggestions for 10-12 days itenary with guided tour would be nice if any suggestion are there also april or may better time to visit there anil

Actually, all of my best suggestions for first-time visits to Europe are in the article above. If you specifically want a guided tour you’ll obviously just be choosing from the ones that are available from the companies you look it, although many of those should resemble the itineraries in my article. Planning your own trip to Europe is actually quite easy, and especially if you are going to the classic and most popular cities. I’ve got lots of articles that could help you.

I’m not sure how many guided tours you’ve done, but one thing to consider is that they always move at the speed of the slowest person in the group. If YOU are the slowest person in the group then it’s fine, but if you are 55 then you should be much faster than most other people on a guided tour. For example, if you have a coach/bus tour for a day with 5 or 6 stops, you always have to wait for the slowest people to get on an off the bus. I’ve done countless day tours this way and it can be frustrating waiting 10 extra minutes many times each day as slow people are trying their best.

I think my top two best suggestions are London and maybe another stop or two in England and then Paris and other stop or two in France, OR, Paris then another stop in France and then Venice, Florence, and Rome. It obviously depends whether England or Italy sounds more interesting. Let me know if I can be of any other help. -Roger

Planning a family trip with a adult and nearly adult children. Hoping to be able to do 18 to 20 days. Must sees are Paris, Venice, England, and Prague but would adore seeing more! What route would you suggest and should we rent a car, fly, train, river cruise? There are so many options and I’m completely overwhelmed! A suggested itinerary would be amazing!! Thank you!

That sounds like a great start to a plan. As far as “England” is concerned it’s probably best to just think of it as 3 or probably 4 nights in London. With 4 nights you’d have enough time for a good day trip to Bath/Stonehenge and Windsor or to Oxford or even York, but London is big enough to keep you busy and it’s probably best to just stay there and then take the Eurostar train to Paris for 3 or 4 nights.

Prague is a bit out of the way, but you can fly there cheaply enough if you want and then after 3 nights fly to Venice. After 2 nights in Venice I’d take a train down to Florence for 2 nights and then another train to Rome for 3 nights. That would be just about a perfect 18 to 20 day trip including Prague. I definitely wouldn’t rent a car as they tend to be counter productive when visiting a string of large cities that have bad traffic and expensive parking. Your itinerary doesn’t really work with a river cruise at all, but hopefully you can plan one in the future.

It would probably be cheapest to fly from Rome back to London for your flight home (being careful of which of London’s 5 airports you fly into because your flight home will almost certainly go out of Heathrow), but if you can get a flight home straight from Rome for a good price, that would be even better. Getting around by train in Europe is by far the best way wherever it’s close and fast enough, so I’d focus on trains in the places I mentioned. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger

Yes, I meant London. Thank you for picking up on that. After reading though your site and many, many of these informative comments, I think I have figured out a basic itinerary and would love your feedback and suggestions!

-Fly into London London(3 days) -Eurostar Train to Paris Paris (3 days) -Train to Switzerland – unsure which train company Switzerland (3 days) -Train to Venice?? Venice (2 days) -Train to Florence – which train company? Is there a pass? Florence (2 days) -Train to Rome Rome (2 days) -Fly to Prague Prague (3 days) -Fly home out of Prague

Very interested to hear your feedback. I know you suggest 3 nights but I am ok with missing out on some things in Rome/Florence if needed. Would love train suggestions and if passes are best. NO idea on how the trains operate in Europe.

Thank you so much for your time!

This itinerary looks amazing. My only real suggestion would be to spend only one day in Venice and three days in Rome, or at least a day and a half in Venice rather than two, but you’ll enjoy it no matter what. The thing is that Venice is about the size of a theme park like Disneyland and from 9 AM until 5 PM it feels even more crowded than Disneyland. It’s absolutely amazing, but also easy to get tired of the crowds and you’ll do your best sightseeing in the mornings before the day-trippers come and in the evenings after they’ve left. And Rome is huge with a long list of really cool sights so with only one full sightseeing day you’ll miss quite a few of them. But again, you’ll enjoy it no matter how you divide your time.

In most of Europe including between France and Switzerland and Italy, there is just one rail company per country so just book whatever comes up. From Paris to Basel, Switzerland you’ll take the France national service and then change trains to a Swiss train for your ride to Interlaken or Lucern. Then from Switzerland you’ll take (probably) a Swiss train to Spiez or Brig and then change there for an Italian train to Venice. You’ll buy it just as one ticket and it’ll include all the legs required to get from one city to your final city, and usually come with seat reservations as well (except in Switzerland).

My favorite site for checking schedules all over Europe is the Trainline . But you can also check the official rail sites of each country involved and I’d definitely check those prices before booking anything. My article on buying European train tickets in advance is still pretty much up to date and it has links to the various national train companies.

It will be cheapest if you lock in your dates and buy all of your train tickets as early as possible, which will be around 3 months out in most cases. The tickets start off really cheap and go up in price as more seats are sold on each train, so earlier is always better. There are no rail passes that would be helpful on a trip like this, but that’s mostly because the tickets will be pretty cheap already, especially the ones within Italy.

Trains in Europe are really fun and shockingly easy once you get started. All the important signs will be in English as well as a local language. For most of them you can literally walk aboard just before it leaves and you are fine as long as you have a reserved seat, but the Eurostar works more like a flight with security and such so you have to be checked in at least 30 minutes in advance. Let me know if you have any other questions.

I won’t have time to update that other older article about trains vs planes vs buses, partly because these days there is a clear choice depending on which two cities you are going between. There are places in eastern Europe where there are advantages to each mode, but for the cities you’ll be doing the train is going to be the fastest, by far the most enjoyable, and probably the cheapest as well, at least once you factor in airport transportation costs. It’s going to be a great trip! -Roger

Thank you SO much for all of your help. Your in-depth website is an amazing resource! I get so lost in it and spend hours scouring your resources and links – it has everything anyone could need! And, the fact that you are also personally answering comments and offering personalized advice is mind blowing! Thank you for all that you do to inform us!

If you could suggest on a 14-15 day iterinary covering Athens, rome Milan paris London and Finland from New Delhi / Mumbai.

If you have 14 to 15 days I’d suggest choosing about 5 cities in total to visit. So your list should work out fairly well, although it depends on how much of Finland you’d hope to see. I’m guessing you must have a specific reason for wanting to go there? Finland normally isn’t very popular and honestly there isn’t much to see. Helsinki is, in my opinion, the least interesting of the Nordic capitals, although it’s pleasant enough and the country has some nice forests. If you are visiting relatives or something, that requires different planning of course.

It might be easiest to fly from Mumbai to London and then use that as a base. You could spend a few nights there and then fly to Helsinki and back after that or Helsinki to Paris for a few days. After Paris you could fly to Milan or Rome and then take a train to the other and then fly to Athens to finish your trip.

Milan actually isn’t a popular tourist city. It’s the home of most of Italy’s big banks and fashion brands, but neither of those are accessible to most tourists. Italy has amazing fashion shopping in Rome as well as Florence. Venice is also more popular. I hope this helps and I’m happy to help more if you have questions. -Roger

Comment* Planning first trip to Europe Want to do tour of England, Scotland, Wales and then to Paris for sites and Monet Gardens. Might take train to Brussels and Bruge. Then to Switzerland and home. Any suggestions what tour group to contact. Want slower pace trip…at least 3 weeks. Thank you.

I enjoy helping people plan independent trips, and I honestly don’t know much about booking all-inclusive tours like you are after. I’d imagine you’d have to do at least a few different tours to cover all the places you have in mind. The one outfit that I am familiar with is Rick Steves, who I am a huge fan of for his Europe travel guides and I know he has a big tour organization. I’d start with them and see if they have anything that fits what you are looking for. Best of luck. -Roger

The Best European Country To Visit Every Month Of The Year

Planning a European trip can be tricky. You want the best weather, fewer crowds, and just the right vibe.

The good news is, Europe has something magical on offer every month of the year. From winter wonderlands to summer beaches, the right timing can make all the difference.

Here’s my month-by-month guide to help you plan your trip and pick a European destination when it’s at its very best.

After all, no one wants to accidentally pack for a beach holiday and end up mastering the art of layering.

Someone once told me that they were planning a trip to the Amalfi Coast in the winter and I was horrified!

Month By Month Guide To Where To Go In Europe

January: norway.

January transforms Norway into a winter wonderland, making it the ideal time for snow lovers and adventurers.

The country’s snowy landscapes come alive, especially in destinations like Tromsø and Svalbard.

For winter sports enthusiasts, the opportunities are almost endless—snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and husky sledding are all popular activities.

But the real highlight? The Northern Lights.

Tromsø , often referred to as the Gateway to the Arctic, is one of the best places to witness this magical natural phenomenon.

When the day ends, you can retreat to a cozy cabin, warm up by the fire, and enjoy a hot drink as the snow falls softly outside.

If you like cities, in Oslo, you can explore the stunning Vigeland Sculpture Park covered in snow.

Or visit the Nobel Peace Center to learn about the city’s rich history and the Munch Museum to see the haunting paintings of Edvard Munch.

For outdoor activities, head to the Holmenkollen Ski Jump for great views and a ski museum, or try ice skating in Spikersuppa, a charming rink in the heart of the city.

Oslo’s winter markets and cozy cafés are also perfect for warming up after a day of exploring.

February: Austria

In February, Austria becomes a paradise for ski lovers. The Alps are blanketed in snow, creating the perfect conditions for skiing and snowboarding in famous resorts like Innsbruck and St. Anton.

Austria is known for its world-class ski resorts.

St. Anton am Arlberg is widely regarded as one of the best ski resorts in Austria. Known for its world-class skiing, it offers a mix of challenging runs, excellent off-piste opportunities, and a lively après-ski scene.

For a cultural twist, Vienna offers something extraordinary: the Vienna Opera Ball. The event is a glamorous affair with elegant gowns, classical music, and a historic setting in the grand Vienna State Opera.

You can explore the grand Schönbrunn Palace, which was once the summer residence of the Habsburgs.

Another must-visit is the  Hofburg Palace , the former imperial palace that now houses museums and stunning rooms showcasing royal history.

For art and culture lovers, head to the  Belvedere Palace , home to famous works like Klimt’s  The Kiss .

The MuseumsQuartier is also a great spot to explore contemporary and classical art in multiple museums, including the absolutely magnificent Kunsthistorisches .

If you’re craving picturesque winter scenery, Hallstatt’s snow-covered village and frozen lake provide a postcard-perfect scene, making February a delightful time to visit.

March: Spain

March marks the arrival of spring in Spain, especially in the southern region of Andalusia .

With temperatures warming up, but still mild, it’s the perfect time to explore cities like Seville , Granada , and Cordoba before the crowds arrive in the summer.

Wander through Seville’s enchanting streets, visit the Alhambra in Granada, or discover the quirky beauty of Cordoba’s Mezquita.

Visiting Madrid in March is also a fantastic choice, as the city starts to come alive with the arrival of spring. The weather is mild and pleasant, perfect for exploring the city’s many sights without the intense heat of summer.

You can stroll through iconic spots like the Plaza Mayor, Retiro Park, and Gran Vía without the intense summer crowds. Or dig into Madrid’s vibrant cultural scene at the Prado , Thyssen-Borizima , and Reina Sofía .

One of Spain’s most exciting festivals also takes place in March: Las Fallas in Valencia.

This lively event is known for its huge bonfires, stunning fireworks displays, and intricate papier-mâché figures that are ceremoniously burned at the festival’s end.

It’s a thrilling cultural experience that brings the city to life.

April: Netherlands

In April, the Netherlands blooms into a colorful spectacle. This is the prime time for tulip season, with vibrant fields stretching as far as the eye can see.

Keukenhof, just outside Amsterdam, is a must-visit, showcasing millions of tulips in every color imaginable.

April is also perfect for exploring Amsterdam’s charming canals and famous flower markets.

Visit the Rijksmuseum to see masterpieces by Dutch artists like Rembrandt and Vermeer, or explore the Van Gogh Museum for a deeper look into the life and works of the iconic painter.

Another must-do is the Anne Frank House, where you can learn about her story and see the secret annex. 

Toward the end of the month, the country bursts into celebration for King’s Day, with parades, parties, and streets filled with locals dressed in bright orange.

The festive atmosphere paired with the beauty of the tulip fields makes April an unforgettable time to experience the Netherlands.

May: Greece

May is the sweet spot for visiting Greece, just before the heavy influx of tourists.

The weather is warm but not too hot, making it ideal for exploring the islands like Santorini, Crete, and Mykonos.

Without the summer crowds, you can enjoy a quieter experience in charming villages, visit ancient ruins, and relax on stunning beaches.

Athens is another excellent destination in May.

You can explore the Acropolis and other historical landmarks in comfortable temperatures. Then visit the amazing Acropolis Museums to see the Parthenon marbles.

Plaka is one of Athens’ oldest and most charming neighborhoods, filled with narrow, winding streets, colorful buildings, and lively cafés.

It’s the perfect place to stroll, shop for local crafts, and enjoy traditional Greek food at one of the many tavernas. 

Greece offers both culture and relaxation, and May is one of the best times to fully appreciate its beauty.

June: Italy

By June, Italy starts to heat up, but it’s still manageable before the peak summer temperatures arrive. This makes it the perfect time to visit iconic cities like Rome , Florence , and Venice .

The weather is warm enough to enjoy outdoor dining, strolls through historic streets, and sightseeing without being overwhelmed by the heat.

Venice and Cinque Terre are especially beautiful in June, offering a more relaxed experience for hiking before the peak tourist season.

The canals of Venice sparkle under the early summer sun, while the colorful cliffside villages of

Florence is a feast for the senses, with its art, history, and lively streets, while Rome offers the chance to unwind in charming cafes and explore ancient ruins in comfort.

For those seeking hidden gems, June is also a great time to explore less-visited spots like Lake Orta, a quieter alternative to the busier Italian lakes.

The Val d’Orcia region in Tuscany is another secret escape, where rolling hills, vineyards, and small villages offer postcard-worthy views.

You can also head to the Dolomites for hiking, where the wildflowers start to bloom and the trails are still peaceful. June in Italy is all about finding those magical moments without the summer rush.

July: France

Long, sunny days make July the perfect month to explore France.

Paris comes alive with outdoor cafes, bustling streets, and beautiful parks.

You can stroll through the Luxembourg or Tuileries gardens, enjoy a picnic along the Seine River, or visit iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum. 

It’s also an ideal time to visit Provence . The lavender fields will be in full bloom, creating a sea of purple across the landscape.

The French Riviera offers sparkling beaches and sophisticated charm. You can unwind in the sun and indulge in fine dining.

The Dordogne is a wonderful place in Europe to visit in summer (though it’s important to note that this is also peak season).

The region’s lush landscapes, fairytale villages, and towering castles really come to life then.

The warm weather is perfect for exploring the area’s stunning countryside, river valleys, and medieval towns like Sarlat and Beynac et Cazenac.

On July 14th, Bastille Day brings festivities across the country, with fireworks, parades, and lively celebrations. It’s a perfect opportunity to experience French culture at its most vibrant.

August: Scotland

August in Scotland is all about the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world.

This lively city transforms into a cultural hub with performances, street art, comedy, and live music. If you love creativity and the arts, this is an amazing time to visit Edinburgh.

Scotland’s natural beauty also shines in August. The weather is mild, making it a great time to explore the Scottish Highlands and the country’s famous lochs.

Loch Ness is famous for the myth of the Loch Ness Monster, and a visit to Urquhart Castle along its shores provides stunning views.

The Isle of Skye is a must-see, with dramatic landscapes like the Old Man of Storr, the Quiraing, and the Fairy Pools.

Glencoe’s deep valley, surrounded by towering mountains, offers breathtaking scenery and a tragic history.

September: Germany

Germany in September marks the beginning of Oktoberfest in Munich .

This iconic celebration is a must for beer enthusiasts and those who love traditional Bavarian culture.

Beer gardens, music, and lively festivities make it an exciting time, although crowded, to visit Munich.

Aside from Oktoberfest , the cooler September weather is perfect for exploring other cities like Berlin and Hamburg.

In Berlin, if you can bear the cold, you can explore iconic landmarks like the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Wall, dive into history at the Holocaust Memorial, and stroll through Museum Island.

In Hamburg, visit the historic Speicherstadt warehouse district, explore the bustling harbor with a boat tour, and check out the striking Elbphilharmonie concert hall.

Or you can opt for road tripping to the cute villages of Bavaria like Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Bamberg .

October: Portugal

Portugal in October offers the very best of both worlds: sunny, warm weather and fewer tourists.

The cities of Lisbon and Porto are perfect for autumn exploration, with their historic architecture, scenic river views, and cobblestone streets.

In Lisbon, explore the historic Alfama district, visit the iconic Belém Tower, and ride the famous Tram 28 through the city’s winding streets.

The vibrant neighborhood of Bairro Alto is perfect for nightlife, while a visit to the Jerónimos Monastery gives you a glimpse of Portugal’s rich history.

In Porto, stroll along the Ribeira waterfront, cross the Dom Luís I Bridge for stunning views, and tour the famous port wine cellars.

Don’t miss Livraria Lello , one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. And be sure to climb the Clérigos Tower for a panoramic view of the city.

The Algarve is also still warm enough for coastal walks and beach days.

The wine regions, especially the Douro Valley, are at their best during the grape harvest season. You can enjoy wine tastings and beautiful vineyard landscapes without the crowds that summer brings.

November: Hungary

November brings cooler weather to Hungary, but the beauty of Budapest only intensifies.

The fall colors transform the city’s parks, and the iconic thermal baths offer warmth and relaxation.

The Széchenyi Thermal Baths, set against Budapest’s grand architecture, provide a cozy retreat from the chilly air.

As November rolls on, Budapest’s Christmas markets start popping up.

The festive atmosphere, with twinkling lights and the scent of mulled wine, creates a magical experience in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities.

From Budapest, a popular day trip is to Szentendre, a charming riverside town known for its colorful buildings, art galleries, and cobblestone streets. It’s perfect for a relaxed stroll and a taste of local culture.

Another great option is Eger, famous for its historic castle, thermal baths, and nearby wine region, where you can sample the renowned “Bull’s Blood” wine.

READ : Day trips from Budapest

December: Germany

Yes, another plug for Germany. Germany is famous for its Christmas markets, and December is the perfect time to experience their charm.

Nuremberg , Cologne, and Munich host some of Europe’s most enchanting markets.

They’re chock full of holiday decorations, handcrafted gifts, and festive treats. The atmosphere is straight out of a fairy tale.

Snow-dusted medieval towns, warm mulled wine, and festive lights make December in Germany feel truly magical. It’s a fantastic time to explore these historic cities and get into the holiday spirit.

Beyond the famous Christmas markets, there are loads of other fun winter activities.

Head to Bavaria for skiing or snowboarding in the Alps, where resorts like Garmisch-Partenkirchen offer excellent winter sports.

Take a scenic train ride through the snow-covered Black Forest, where you can explore charming villages and enjoy cozy mountain lodges.

In cities like Berlin and Munich, museums and art galleries remain vibrant year-round.

You can also visit historic sites like Neuschwanstein Castle , which looks magical under a dusting of snow. Or warm up in traditional German spas like those in Baden-Baden.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my month by month guide to Europe’s top travel destinations. You may find these European itineraries useful:

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Last Updated on September 24, 2024 by Leslie Livingston