Travel Europe on a Budget
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Best of europe mega trip itinerary (travel time: 8-10+ weeks).
How to see the most popular cities in Europe in about two months.
Trip Planning
This is it… the Best of Europe Mega Trip itinerary that is designed to give you a taste of the best Europe has to offer. This itinerary covers 18+ cities throughout Europe and will take a minimum of 60 days but could be extended to 75+ days if you travel a little slower. I’d err on the side of traveling slower; this is a two-month trip, so there is a good chance you’ll burn out if you’re not careful.
Of course, no itinerary is perfect, and there is never enough time to see everything, but this itinerary will give you a great foundation to pretty much see all the highlights. We tried to keep the travel distances fairly short in most cases, so you won’t be spending all your time on a plane or a train.
Note: I used Omio to map my course and to get an idea of the travel times. Omio also shows multiple travel options (trains, planes, buses, driving, etc.) and prices. Check out my Guide To Using Rail Passes in Europe to learn more.
Ok, let’s get on with it…
Best of Europe Travel Itinerary
London – Approx. 4+ days
London is a great introduction to Europe because it’s a perfect mix of foreign and familiar — plus, London is a huge airline hub, so it’s one of the cheaper places to fly into.
London also has loads of things to see and do, so you’re guaranteed to keep busy.
Paris – Approx. 4+ days
From London, I suggest taking the Eurostar train to Paris, but book your train early because tickets get really expensive if you wait until the last minute. The train journey takes a little over 2 hours.
There are also plenty of budget flights, but then you have to deal with all the annoyance of flying. The flight takes a little over an hour, but you still have to get to/from the airports, which will add at least an extra hour.
Note: Add a few days to your time in Paris if you want to venture out of the city to experience a few of the many day trip options Paris has to offer.
Lisbon – Approx. 2-3 days
As much as we love trains, we suggest booking a cheap flight from Paris to Lisbon as it will save you a lot of time (don’t worry, you’ll use trains for most of the journey). The flight is about 2.5 hours, but you should budget about 4 hours of total travel time.
Madrid – Approx. 3 days
From Lisbon, you’ll want to take an overnight train to Madrid. The train leaves around 9:30 pm and arrives in Madrid around 8 am. Flying will take about 4 hours when you factor in all travel time.
Barcelona – Approx. 3-5 days
Take one of the nearly hourly trains from Madrid to Barcelona — the journey will take about 2.5 hours.
If you plan on partying hard in Barcelona, you may want to budget for an extra day to recover on the beach.
Nice – Approx. 2-3 days
You can either fly or take the train from Barcelona to Nice. Flights will take just under 4 hours and the train will take almost 9 hours. If you have the time, you can break up the long train ride by stopping in Montpellier, France for a day.
Cinque Terre, Italy – Approx. 2-4 days (+1 full travel day)
Take the 6-hour train ride from Nice, France to Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre is a string of five centuries-old seaside villages situated on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. If you just want to see the views and do minimal hiking, you can get by staying around two nights — there’s a train that runs between all five towns.
If you want to hike from town to town at a relaxed pace, you might consider staying around three-four nights.
Florence + Tuscany – Approx. 2+2 days
Hop the train (3 hours) to Florence, which is the capital of Italy’s Tuscany region. Spend about two nights exploring the city, but be sure to spend a few days relaxing in Tuscany’s gorgeous countryside.
Rome – Approx. 3+ days
From Florence to Rome, it’s a quick 1.5-hour train ride or about a 3.5 to 4-hour bus ride. Rome is another one of those “must-see” cities that many people love. I’d spend at least three full days in Rome, but seeing it in five days might be more enjoyable.
Venice – Approx. 2 days
The train from Rome to Venice is about 4 hours. Most people see Venice as a day trip, but it’s probably better to actually stay overnight in this beautiful city. This is because the city is absolutely jam-packed during the day — it teeters on unbearable. However, at night and in the early morning, the city is nearly empty so you’re free to explore all the little side streets in peace.
Switzerland – Approx. 2-4 days (+1 full travel day)
From Venice, head up to Switzerland to get some fresh air and stunning mountain views. If you’re into outdoor adventure, then check out Interlaken. Lucerne is a great quintessential Swiss city. Zermatt is a good option if you want to be in the mountains. There are multiple great cities and towns in Switzerland. However, Zurich and Geneva both have a reputation for being a little boring and extra expensive.
Depending on where you go, the train will take around 7-8 hours.
Munich – Approx. 3-4 days (+1 full travel day)
Depending on where you are in Switzerland, Munich is about a 6-hour train ride—both Swiss and German trains are excellent so the ride is quite nice.
There are multiple nice day trips from Munich — like the fairytale-esque Neuschwanstein Castle and the Austrian city of Salzburg (which also makes a nice place to stay for a night or two if you’d like).
Vienna – Approx. 2-3 days
Hop aboard the train for a 4-hour ride from Munich to Vienna.
Budapest – Approx. 3-4 days
The train from Vienna to Budapest (aka, “The Paris of the East”) is around 2.5 hours. We’d recommend staying at least three nights, especially if you like to party.
Kraków – Approx. 2-3 days
Take an overnight train from Budapest to Kraków and you’ll arrive around 8:35 am.
Prague – Approx. 3-4 days
Take another overnight train from Kraków to Prague (which arrives around 6:30 am).
Berlin – Approx. 4+ days
From Prague, Berlin is about a 5-hour train ride. You may want to add an extra day or two if you’re big into all-night dance clubs because Berlin is home to the best nightlife in the world.
Amsterdam – Approx. 2-3 days
Amsterdam is about a 4-hour flight from Berlin (or a 7-hour train ride).
If you’d like, Amsterdam is a good place to end the trip because the airport is a major international hub. If you want to see a little more of Europe, another option is to continue your trip to Dublin to spend a few days traveling around Ireland. The flight to Dublin is about 4.5 hours. Another option is to fly up to Scandinavia to visit Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen.
Total Trip Length 57 days – 75+ days
Doing this itinerary in 57 days is doable, but it will feel a little rushed — you definitely shouldn’t try this particular trip in fewer than that many days. Pushing it closer to 75 days or longer will give you a little more breathing room, and it will let you spend a little extra time in major cities before moving on.
You’re also well under the 90-day limit that you can stay in the Schengen area, so you won’t have to worry about visas.
And, of course, you can always tweak this itinerary to add/subtract destinations from your trip.
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20 Best Places To Travel Alone In Europe
By Jessie Festa. This guide to solo travel destinations in Europe contains affiliate links to trusted partners!
Looking for the best places to travel alone in Europe ?
Then this post can help!
As an avid solo traveler, I’m always researching fun, interesting, and safe places to confidently travel on my own.
Since I know many people in my community do too, I reached out to some of my favorite bloggers to see where they think the best destinations for solo travel in Europe are — and this post shares their responses!
Below, you’ll find 20 incredible places for a Europe solo trip, including a mix of popular cities and lesser-known spots. For each, you’ll also snag local travel tips and recommendations to plan the perfect solo vacation.
So if you’re trying to decide where to travel solo in Europe, keep reading!
💡 Quick tip: When traveling solo in Europe, it’s smart to pack travel safety essentials . One top pick is the She’s Birdie Personal Safety Alarm , which is TSA-approved and can help scare away potential attackers. Other recommendations include Clever Travel Companion Pickpocket-Proof Garments and Speakeasy Travel Supply Hidden Pocket Scarves . Additionally, one of the best tools for planning and booking public transportation in Europe is Omio . Save big while comparing fares for train, bus, and flight routes.
Table of Contents
Enjoy Solo Travel In Europe With Confidence [Free Course]
Now, before we dive into our solo Europe trip guide I invite you to grab a seat in the free Savvy Solo Traveler E-Course .
The six-day ecourse is designed to help you feel confident about booking your first solo trip and exploring the world alone.
Lessons include:
- Common solo travel fears and how to overcome them
- How to choose your perfect solo trip
- How to tell loved ones you’re hitting the road solo
- Mentally preparing for your solo journey without losing your mind
- Essential steps for staying safe on a solo trip
- How to travel by yourself and take amazing solo selfies
Once you’ve grabbed your seat, keep reading to learn about traveling to Europe alone.
Not sure where to travel on your own when visiting Europe ? Consider adding the following places to your ultimate solo travel Europe itinerary !
1. Riga, Latvia
Is traveling alone fun ? It can be, especially if you visit this unforgettable city.
When it comes to solo European travel , I am absolutely obsessed with Riga, Latvia, which is also one of my favorite solo female travel destinations of all time.
Not only is it safe with relatively low crime rates, but it’s walkable, affordable, easy to get around, and easy to use as a base for visiting other places in the country by public transportation.
Riga is also a green city that blends lovely parks with architectural beauty and opportunities to explore fascinating (and sometimes dark) history, from the Riga Free Walking Tour to the KGB Museum to the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia.
If you like history, Riga has numerous museums dedicated to exploring its past as a USSR country as well as its place in WWII when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. That being said, you’ll find plenty of cultural institutions focused on other topics like the Riga Art Nouveau Museum and the Art Museum RIGA BOURSE.
Beyond museums, there are endless things to do when traveling Riga solo . Treat yourself to a massage and soak at ESPA (the facilities are included with a treatment!), do a sunrise paddleboard at Cenas Tīrelis Preserve with SUP Adventures, wander Old Town and take in a view from the top of St. Peter’s Church, and have a local beer at Labietis Brewery on the hip Aristida Briāna (Street).
There is also the Old Town Hall Square, a cobbled 13th-century market square that was destroyed during WWII and now features reconstructions.
Beyond the city walls, a few fun day trips for solo travelers include the medieval town of Cēsis, the seaside destination of Jūrmala, and the beautiful Kemeri National Park.
-Jessie Festa from Jessie on a Journey
Riga Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Riga tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Riga hotels .
2. Lisbon, Portugal
The capital city of Portugal, Lisbon is one of the best places to solo travel in Europe . This city has everything — culture, beaches, food, and nightlife — to enjoy on a short or a longer trip.
When traveling solo in Lisbon , one must explore the Old Town (city center) area and go on a walking tour to learn about the unique Pombal architecture, which was built throughout the city after the massive earthquake of 1775.
Be sure to also visit the stunning neighborhoods of Chiado, Baixa, and Alfama. Spend half a day in the historic Alfama and soak in those city views from the various miradouros or viewpoints. My personal favorite is the Miradouro das Portas do Sol.
Other must-explore attractions in historic Lisbon are the Castelo de são Jorge, Lisbon Cathedral, and the Commerce Square. Take a moment to ride the Tram 28 as well as the Santa Justa Lift to admire the city from above. Lisbon is known as the “City Of Seven Hills,” so don’t miss a chance to explore.
From the historic city center, make your way to the neighborhood of Belem and check off the Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge, and of course the iconic Belem Tower and the Jerónimos Monastery . These two attractions are very popular so ensure you set aside a full day and book tickets in advance to explore the neighborhood.
As a solo traveler in Portugal , you can easily take a train to Sintra on a quick day trip and explore the beautiful Pena Palace. It is completely safe to stay out at night. The local public transportation system is safe and affordable, as well.
-By Mayuri from 2 Day Itinerary
Lisbon Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Lisbon tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Lisbon hotels .
3. Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Freiburg im Breisgau in Germany is one of the best places to travel solo in Europe . This quaint university city has a vibrant young population which means there are plenty of modern amenities and trendy cafes — a cool and unexpected contrast to the beautiful historic streets.
There is a great deal to do in Freiburg. Thankfully for solo travelers, much of it is within walking distance from the city center and free or cheap.
Within the old town, enjoy medieval architecture such as Martinstor and Shwabentor, the two remaining medieval gates, and the 13th-century church. The church, named Freiburger Munster, has a striking gothic structure and Romanesque architecture.
It’s also worth visiting the market on the Munsterplatz Square below the church. This is the perfect spot to pick up a souvenir or enjoy a traditional “bratwurst” hot dog. They even have vegan ones!
Other traditional food worth trying is Flammkuchen, a sort of French pizza; Raclette, a Swiss dish; and fried potatoes.
The traditional food is characterized by a mix of specialties from Germany, Switzerland, and France since Freiburg lies near the border of all three. Wash it down with a wine from one of Freiburg’s local vineyards, too.
One of the best things to do here is walking just over a kilometer up Schlossberg (Castle Hill) to see the amazing views over Freiburg and beyond.
And for real nature-lovers, you won’t want to miss hiking in the nearby Black Forest. You can easily take a day trip to nearby Shausinland, a mountain just outside the city, for some great panoramic views over the forest, too.
-By Cass from Cassie The Hag
Freiburg im Breisgau Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Freiburg im Breisgau tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Freiburg im Breisgau hotels .
4. Seville, Spain
As Europe’s hottest city, Seville blazes away in southern Spain as both the home of flamenco and the setting for the passionate opera Carmen. It’s also one of the best places in Europe to solo travel.
Christopher Colombus received both permission and funds for his history-changing voyage here in the delicate walls of the Real Alcazar. He recruited his sailors from the district of Triana and routed the wealth from the Americas back along the Guadalquivir to Seville, making it one of the most important cities in the world at the time.
As a result, it’s bursting with architectural charisma from the Torre del Oro (Tower of Gold) to the white walls of the Santa Cruz quarter to La Giralda, the distinctive tower attached to the largest cathedral in Seville.
The city center is very compact and so it’s great for solo travelers. As well as amazing architecture and tapas, the local vibe involves chatting to anyone and whiling away the hours in cafes and bars so it’s a very non-threatening place to meet people or to sit on your own with a book.
Make sure to cool off from the heat in the ice baths at the Baños Arabes, try salmorejo rather than gazpacho in one of the tapas bars (it’s the local favorite), and catch an evening performance of Carmen in one of the gardens near the Plaza España.
-By Abigail from Inside The Travel Lab
Seville Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Seville tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Seville hotels .
5. Prague, Czech Republic
When it comes to the best destinations in Europe for solo travel, it’s hard to beat Prague, Czech Republic.
Prague is nicknamed “the heart of Europe” and it’s not only gorgeous, but it’s one of the safest cities in Europe.
It’s also a smaller city and incredibly easy to navigate on foot, making it simple to wander around and take in the main sites like the Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Old Town Square, and the Lennon Wall.
Many of the locals speak several languages, including English, making it quite easy to meet people and get directions when necessary.
Pro tip: If you’re interested in meeting other travelers, try dining in one of the many outdoor restaurants in Old Town.
The clustered outdoor café tables are the perfect place to enjoy some casual dining and a pilsner while taking in the stunning architecture of the “City of a Hundred Spires” and chatting with other travelers. In winter, it’s also a great spot to sip some delicious hot grog, a Prague specialty that is similar to a hot toddy.
Traveling solo in Prague is also relatively inexpensive, especially by European standards. You can book a night at the 5-star Kings Court Hotel , just steps from Old Town Square and Prague’s famous Astronomical Clock, starting at $112/ night.
Visitors looking to explore more of the Czech Republic should check out some memorable day trips from Prague, too, like Sedlec Ossuary in Kutna Hora (aka The Bone Church), Terezin Concentration Camp (heavy but important), and Karlovy Vary , a world-famous spa town.
-By Jenn from Sick Girl Travels
Prague Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Prague tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Prague hotels .
6. Copenhagen, Denmark
Ah, Copenhagen. Home of hands-off cyclers, long canals, the longest pedestrian street in the world, hipster spots packed with perfectly groomed beards, and very tall humans. To top it all up, the Danish capital is a godsend for solo travelers. One might even say it’s the best place to solo travel in Europe – especially for first-time solo travelers.
It’s as safe as a city gets! Even if you take a stroll into one of the “rough” hoods, you’ll still feel safe. People respect traffic lights to a T. You can go at it on your own, even at nighttime, and you’ll be just fine — though, of course, always keep your eyes open and assess your surroundings.
Also, Copenhagen hosts people from all over the world, and 86% of Danes speak English fluently, and many also speak a third language like Spanish or German.
Moreover, you can bike everywhere. Biking is the way to tour the city, especially as bike lanes are typically separate from traffic. Copenhagen pioneered the art of city cycling, and visitors can truly see how ingrained in the culture this is.
Over spring and summer, you can enjoy the longest days of city touring . As a proper Scandinavian country, daylight changes drastically between seasons. During this time, days are super long. Plus, it never gets extremely hot. So, if you enjoy long days of solo touring, you can keep going for as long as you want — which is sometimes hard if you are with a travel companion!
Danes might not seem too social, but they are super curious. When you are on your own, striking conversation can be somewhat challenging. Danes are very respectful of someone’s personal space; however, if you start a conversation, you’ll find they are very curious.
When traveling alone in Copenhagen , do visit the Freetown of Christiania to understand some of the values many Danes hold up “high”.
Also spend a day at the Tivoli Gardens , one of the first amusement parks in the world. The park changes its theme and decorations every season, and it’s a stunning wonder in the middle of the city. It’s not open year-long, so check the dates beforehand.
And of course, tour the city streets like crazy! Exploring Copenhagen is an absolute joy. It’s packed with cool neighborhoods like Vesterbro and Christianshavn, huge parks, posh streets, palaces, canals, and museums.
The best part? As soon as the weather gets a tad good, everyone goes outside for a beer and a catch-up with friends — which makes Copenhagen very lively and fun!
-By Martina from The Global Curious
Copenhagen Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Copenhagen tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Copenhagen hotels .
7. Athens, Greece
What comes to your mind when you think of Greece? Like most people, I bet you see it as just a romantic destination, but what you probably don’t know is that it has some of the best places in Europe to travel solo.
The capital of Greece, Athens, has loads of interesting history to explore during the day — as well as great nightlife, so you can socialize and have fun with travelers and locals alike.
Apart from seeing the Acropolis, which is usually at the top of most people’s Athens itineraries, you can also hike up Mount Lycabettus for beautiful views, visit some of the city’s delicious tavernas, and check out some interesting museums like the Museum of Cycladic Art and the Museum of the City of Athens.
And if you wish to explore a bit more of Greece, then consider visiting some of the nearby islands — such as Aegina and Hydra –- and take some trips from Athens to Delphi, Meteora, Mycenae, and Cape Sounion.
What about what to eat while in Athens?
Well, there are many fantastic cuisines you can try while in the city. I’d suggest you have a taste of the traditional Greek salad, also known as Horiatiki. It’s made with tomato, green pepper, cucumber, Kalamata olives, red onion, and feta cheese.
If you’re the type that likes to explore different dishes, then you can also check out saganaki, Greek bouyourdi, dolmades, and souvlaki.
In terms of where to eat, visit Tzitzikas kai Mermigas, which is a downtown restaurant that is centrally located near Syntagma Square. It’s a very popular restaurant for both locals and tourists.
Finally, you can lodge at Athens Gate Hotel , which is one of the best hotels in the city with Acropolis views. But if you want to stay close to the Acropolis to enjoy easy access to the city’s main sites, then you should consider the Plaka neighborhood.
-By Theodore from Foodies Family
Athens Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Athens tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Athens hotels .
8. Innsbruck, Austria
Innsbruck is a much smaller and lesser-known gem of Austria but it’s definitely a place I would add to your solo travel Europe itinerary. I visited it during a solo trip to Austria and it became my favorite city, beating even Vienna and Salzburg. I’d even go as far to say that it’s one of the best solo travel destinations in Europe.
Located in the Alps, this is also a popular destination for winter sports. Its small narrow streets, beautiful Old Town, colorful buildings, and gorgeous mountain backdrop will melt your heart. It also features some wonderful modern and imperial architecture and even just wandering through its streets is totally worth it.
Being a university town, you will find a lot of young people in the city to chat and meet up with.
Austria is also a safe country to visit, with a very low crime rate. It’s one of the safest places to solo travel in Europe . On top of that, cities in Austria are very easy to navigate, finding convenient accommodation and transportation is never an issue, and communicating in English is very easy.
Plus, it doesn’t have to be an expensive place to visit. Things like using public transport, eating local food, and getting an Innsbruck City Card will for sure help you achieve that.
In terms of things to do in Innsbruck, make sure to hop on Nordkette Cable Car to get to Hafelekar Peak, visit the Golden Roof, get to the top of the Town Tower, and visit Swarovski Crystal World.
-By Diana from Travelling With Diana
Innsbruck Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Innsbruck tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Innsbruck hotels .
9. Barcelona, Spain
I honestly feel safer traveling solo in Barcelona than in Paris. Don’t get me wrong, Paris is great; but between these two cities that I constantly travel to, Barcelona always wins!
I first traveled to Barcelona in 2012 and fell in love right away. From that trip, I decided to visit every year and spend at least one month there. When you’re traveling by yourself, Barcelona just gives you that warm welcome — like you don’t need to worry about anything.
What I love about traveling solo in Barcelona is how easily you can meet people, especially if you stay in hostels. I literally made friends in the first hour of checking into my hostel in Barcelona as everyone was so sociable in my dorm room and I know very well that it’s because of the vibe of the city. It just makes people naturally happy and friendly.
Barcelona is also a young city and many young professionals and digital nomads from the European Union choose to live here. It won’t be difficult to meet people!
I am also fluent in Spanish so it was easy for me to go around Barcelona by myself. It doesn’t necessarily mean it will be challenging if you don’t speak the language but I always tell people that Spain is the best country to learn Spanish, which, by the way, is different from learning in Latin America. I must warn you that not everyone speaks English well but you’ll get around!
If you are also traveling solo on a budget , Barcelona is cheaper than most western European countries. When I stay here for a month, I pay less than €1,000 EUR for a studio in the city. Beer is around €3 EUR and I can get my daily coffee for less €2 EUR.
When it comes to things to do, Barcelona never runs out. What I love the most about this city is that you can easily go to the beach — which is unlike many other European cities in the west! If you’re looking for a solo beach trip , it’s definitely a top pick.
Don’t skip Barcelona when you’re planning your solo Euro trip. I promise it’ll be worth it!
-By Trisha from PS Im On My Way
Barcelona Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Barcelona tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Barcelona hotels .
10. Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm, Sweden is a must-see destination for solo travelers with its reliable public transit and affordable hostels.
Whether you’re traveling by foot or vehicle, places in the city are simple to get to. Plus with English being spoken by 90% of the city’s population, you can easily communicate with locals.
So, why embark on a Stockholm solo travel adventure?
The synergy of historic and modern architecture is what draws most travelers. Plus, I felt safe and comfortable traveling solo around the city.
Apart from exploring the city on foot, there are five things you must do in Stockholm:
First, check out a preserved 17th-century Swedish warship inside the Vasa Museum.
Then, tour the Royal Palace, the official residence of the Swedish royal family.
Next, travel back to the mid-1700s in Gamla Stan with its medieval architecture, streets, and alleyways.
Then, learn how the locals live through a free walking tour in Söder, one of Sweden’s trendiest neighborhoods.
Finally, walk through the Brunkeberg Tunnel, an 1886 tunnel that stretches out to 231 meters (758 feet).
If you haven’t fallen in love with Stockholm yet, here’s another reason:
Stockholm is considered one of Europe’s most sustainable cities and a global role model for its efforts to combat climate change.
In fact, the Arlanda Express train that connects Stockholm Arlanda International Airport to Stockholm Central Station runs on 100% renewable energy and most of Sweden’s buses run on biogas.
-By Rasika from Bae Area And Beyond
Stockholm Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Stockholm tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Stockholm hotels .
11. Krakow, Poland
Ever since my trip to Krakow last summer, I’ll tell anyone who’ll listen that they quite simply have to visit. Although I completely fell in love with Poland as a whole, Krakow in particular stood out as a fantastic solo travel destination.
Boasting one of Europe’s largest central squares — which was largely undamaged during the war — Krakow really is one of the most stunning cities I’ve ever visited.
Not only that, Poland is still one of Europe’s truly affordable destinations, where you can get a fantastic meal for PLN 30-40 (~US $8-$10). I recommend trying restaurants like Smakolyki and Szalone Widelce for delicious homemade food.
Although Krakow is Poland’s second-largest city, its main center is surprisingly compact. Personally, I love walking around a new city to get my bearings, and Krakow always felt like an easy and safe place to do so. It has a relaxed and friendly vibe with so much to see and do!
The main market square in Krakow’s Old Town is a fantastic place to start your solo trip. Head up the tower at St. Mary’s Cathedral for a bird’s-eye view of the square, which is dominated by the old Cloth Hall where you can pick up a variety of souvenirs.
A little outside the Old Town, stunning Wawel Castle is a truly impressive sight. Strolling around the beautiful grounds is completely free and you can pick and choose which parts of the castle you want to pay to enter. If you’re looking to hang out with the locals, head to the hillside underneath the castle facing the Vistula River at sunset.
Also, take an afternoon to soak up the atmosphere in Kazimierz, Krakow’s Jewish quarter. You’ll find lots of lovely artisan shops and numerous cafes and restaurants in the area. And, if history is your thing, a visit to Schindler’s Factory Museum is well worth your time.
There are a few good day trips within easy reach of Krakow, too. Of course, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum is an obvious choice, and a very poignant experience if you decide this is something you’d like to do. You’ll likely join a tour for this, so it’s a great activity as a solo traveler.
The Wieliczka Salt Mine is another unique day trip option, and can easily be visited independently by bus from Krakow and then joining a guided tour there.
-By Joannda from A Zest For Travel
Krakow Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Krakow tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Krakow hotels .
12. Bruges, Belgium
Bruges is a lovely medieval city in the West Flanders Provience of northwest Belgium. The cobbled streets, tranquil canals, and beautiful medieval buildings bring you straight into a fairytale place that’s perfect for exploring solo.
Known as one of the most picturesque cities in Europe, you can’t leave your camera home when visiting Bruges. The reflection of the buildings in the canals can be perfectly captured on a sunny day or at night when the lights reflect in the water.
The city is also small enough that you can walk everywhere. That is a huge benefit when traveling alone so you don’t have to figure out public transport or negotiate for a taxi.
Another great way to see the city is to cruise the waterways by boat.
The canals of Bruges make their way through the historic city center and stretch off into the city beyond. Boats depart from several jetties in the city throughout the day and evening and captains provide information and anecdotes about Bruges.
Another one of the top things to do in Bruges for solo travelers is visiting the Belfry Tower and making the 366-step climb up. From the tower, you’ll have a superb view of the Bruges skyline.
Looking for something beautiful? The Lake of Love is a serene spot in the middle of Minnewater Park. The beautiful Lover’s Bridge makes it a perfect photo spot as well.
For the market lovers, on Wednesdays in Bruges there is a local market. During the winter months, this square transforms into a winter wonderland with a yearly Christmas market.
When exploring a historic European city, you can’t miss visiting a church. Bruges has the Basilica of the Holy Blood which is a beautiful Renaissance building. It is best known for a small vial that is kept there which contains a cloth with the blood of Jesus Christ on it.
For the best season to visit Bruges you can either go for springtime when the Loppem Castle gardens are in bloom or winter if you’re a Christmas market lover.
Weekdays are also better than weekends if you want to avoid the crowds.
Note that the official language of Bruges is Flemish (similar to Dutch), but English is spoken almost everywhere.
-By Ilse from Digital Travel Couple
Bruges Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Bruges tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Bruges hotels .
13. Lyon, France
The third-largest city in France has a population of over 700,000. Lyon is known for gastronomy and silk, as well as for being where the Lumiere brothers invented photographic equipment that created the first projector cinema.
One of the main reasons Lyon is a great place to visit for solo travelers is it’s an easily walkable city that is safe and has plenty of sights to see. The city is a beautiful place for solo travel in France as it has lovely cobbled streets and historic buildings.
Lyon is home to some of the most famous landmarks in France, too, such as the World Heritage Lyon Cathedral, Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière (for the best view across Lyon), and Musée des Beaux-Arts. The latter has exhibits of famous European artists such as Picasso, Monet, and Matisse and is built over a former Benedictine convent.
Additionally, Lyon is one of the best places for solo travel because it’s close enough to Paris and easy to get to. Solo travel in Paris is also worthwhile.
But, that’s not all.
You can get around on foot alone without being hassled in Lyon, and many of the attractions are free to visit. English is also widely spoken, and it’s a fantastic city to see if you’re on a budget.
It’s not just about sightseeing, though, as Lyon has so much going on after hours, whether you want to go clubbing, have fun dancing until dawn, or relax by the pool.
Love to eat?
Lyon is a city for foodies, with a high concentration of Michelin-star restaurants and lots of great spots to party at night. Head to the Vieux Lyon area for pubs and to mingle with an English-speaking crowd. Along the Rhone, some riverboats serve as nightclubs, lounges, and wine bars.
There are also several festivals in Lyon, including the Fête des Lumieres or the Festival of Lights, which turns the city into a magical fairyland of twinkling lights.
For those who love shopping, Lyon offers everything from designer boutiques to street markets selling local produce. If you’re looking for a unique item, head to one of the many antique shops or flea markets around town.
In short, solo travelers will feel right at home in this cosmopolitan French metropolis. It’s truly one of the best places to travel solo in France . Whether you have time for a weekend in Lyon or a longer trip, make sure to visit this incredible city!
-By Christina from Travel2next.com
Lyon Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Lyon tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Lyon hotels .
14. Istanbul, Turkey
With its vibrant food scene, incredible history, and picturesque sights, budget-friendly Istanbul in Turkey is easily one of the best cities in Europe for solo travelers.
Formerly the capital of the Byzantine Roman Empire, Istanbul has a plethora of historical sites that are easily accessible on foot or by public transport. Make sure not to miss the Hagia Sophia , Blue Mosque , and Suleymaniye Mosque in the Sultanahmet area, as these architectural wonders are so beautiful they’ll take your breath away.
Once you’ve had your fill of history, jump on a bus to Balat, a quaint neighborhood with colorful houses, cobbled streets, and a lively cafe scene. It’s perfect for a relaxing afternoon in the city!
Alternatively, head to the Grand Bazaar — one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world — to get your shopping fix. Just remember to haggle when you buy something; this is a Turkish tradition after all!
Istanbul has some fantastic farmer’s markets, too. If you happen to be in the city on a Wednesday, don’t miss the sprawling market in the Fatih District which sells spices, cheeses, fruits, and vegetables.
In the evenings, take a leisurely stroll around the Galata Tower area, which is packed with lively cafes, bars, and bakeries, all of which are great places to strike up a conversation or while away the time with a drink or a book.
Those traveling Istanbul solo should also make sure to indulge in at least one Turkish breakfast — an extravagant meal with a minimum of 10 different dishes, though sometimes more than 30. It’s an introduction to Turkish food and culture that is like no other.
By the way, Istanbul has a great variety of accommodation options, from fancy hotels to apartments to simple BnBs, meaning that solo travelers have plenty of choices on where to stay. In my opinion, the Cihangir, Beyoglu, and Sisli areas are some of the best neighborhoods.
One of the main reasons that this city is so brilliant for solo travel is the super friendly local people who are always more than happy to recommend places to visit and food to try. Sitting down with an Istanbulite over a cup of Turkish çay (tea) is one of the best ways to get to know the city and if you’re lucky, they’ll tell you about some under-the-radar places to visit, too!
– By Sasha from Mog And Dog Travels
Istanbul Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Istanbul tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Istanbul hotels .
15. Valencia, Spain
Want to experience life as a local in Spain? Like exploring on foot? Love great food? Then consider Valencia, Spain!
A little less visited than some other cities, Valencia is a great solo destination if you are looking for a more authentic Spanish experience.
Plus, Valencia really does have it all when it comes to things to see and do.
The city center in Valencia is historic with tiny streets, cobbles, landmarks, and historic buildings to explore.
Hungry? The food market is an absolute must for delicious treats and there are plenty of squares and courtyards with cafes to enjoy. The food is fabulous, with the best orange juice in Spain from Valencian oranges.
The historic center is hugged on two sides by the old river which is now a public park. Complete with sports areas, gardens, and water features, this is a fantastic place to walk and see local life happening around you. The park leads from the historic center to the City of Arts and Sciences complex with its futuristic buildings in a stunning park setting.
In March, there is the crazy Fallas Festival where teams compete to see who can make the loudest noise with the same amount of gunpowder as each other. There are daily heats in the main square and the festival builds up to an incredible finale where the huge figures made by local groups are set on fire, signifying the end of winter and the start of spring.
The Fallas Museum offers fascinating insight into the history of this event and the hidden meanings behind the figures, which often make strong political statements. Each year one figure is chosen by locals to be saved for the museum.
Valencia is very friendly, with a large town rather than a big city feel. Its smaller size makes it easy to get around on public transport and on foot.
Finally, I would recommend seeing Flamenco in Valencia. The smaller venues mean the emotion of the dance is even more powerful.
– By Melanie from The Professional Traveller
Valencia Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Valencia tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Valencia hotels .
16. Bologna, Italy
If you’re a solo traveler looking for one of the best places to travel to in Europe, look no further than Bologna, Italy.
Although Bologna is a very old city, dating back to the 9 th century BC, it’s a remarkably young city demographically because of the historic University of Bologna, which happens to be the oldest university in the Western World. The students of the university, founded in 1088, infuse a vibrant buzz and energy into this beautiful city.
Need a change of scenery for a day? Or maybe some world-class wine for a weekend? Bologna is just a quick 45-minute train ride to the more popular and touristy Florence and the Tuscan countryside.
The other large cities of Rome (2 hours 15 minutes) and Venice (1 hour 45 minutes) can be reached pretty easily and quickly by train, making Bologna a great hub for traveling all over Italy’s main attractions.
Stroll through the miles and miles of porticoes — which is just a fancy word for “covered walkways” — in and around Bologna (almost 30 miles in city proper) and visit some of the major landmarks like the iconic dual-leaning towers. These are very matter-of-factly nicknamed “Due Torri” and are protected from anything Mother Nature can think of.
If you’re up for a quintessential Bologna experience involving some good exercise, walk the longest uninterrupted portico in the world!
A total of about 2.3 miles of covered walkway leads you from the historic city center all the way up to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca, which overlooks Bologna from atop its perch. Along the way, you’ll pass under 666 arches — the meaning of this devilish number has been speculated for years — many of which contain paintings, sculptures, or chapels.
In addition to the rich historical sites, many believe that Bologna is one of the premier “foodie” cities in Italy — if that can even be a thing. And no, we aren’t talking about bologna sandwiches!
But in all seriousness, the food in Bologna is some of the best in Italy! Think Parmesan, prosciutto, balsamic vinegar, tortellini, and tagliatelle al ragù — which you may know better as spaghetti Bolognese. Yum! They all call this region home so you can only imagine the options that await.
With more affordable prices than some of the other major cities, you can enjoy a variety of mouthwatering food at a food hall near the city center.
Don’t forget about the local craft beer movement, either! There is a budding craft beer scene where travelers can make small talk with the Bolognese over some cold local beers.
– By Samantha and Chris from Boozing Abroad
Bologna Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Bologna tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Bologna hotels .
17. Madeira, Portugal
Madeira — which is one of my favorite solo travel destinations in Europe — is a relatively remote island in Portugal. Closer to the African continent than to Europe, it is an autonomous region and a well-developed archipelago comprising four islands.
The island is a true hidden gem, and they call it the “Hawaii of Europe”.
And for this reason, the destination is known for its cliffs and dense rain forests that offer unique landscapes. It is a true heaven for photographers and hikers. Madeira is known for its endless trails — which are some of the best hikes in the world — waterfalls, and scenic mountain peaks.
Lately, Madeira has become a hub for solo travelers and digital nomads. The government has been going to great lengths to make it such a destination, and they succeeded.
Funchal, the main city of Madeira, offers a unique charm for independent entrepreneurs. Being financially very affordable and safe, the city has attracted thousands of nomads, especially after the pandemic.
Madeira has lately even opened a digital nomad village. It offers unique opportunities for independent entrepreneurs in terms of stay, networking, and great internet. Launched in mid 2021, the villages witnessed more than 5000 registrations from 90 countries.
-By Achraf from Walk Beside Me Blog
Madeira Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Madeira tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Madeira hotels .
18. Cinque Terre, Italy
The Cinque Terre in Italy is a picturesque, compact, and activity-packed destination for solo travelers to consider.
The five villages of this UNESCO World Heritage site are built around coves and beaches with the jewel-box-colored houses seeming to cling to the cliffs. Below is the Ligurian Sea and rising behind the towns are olive groves, orchards, and ancient defensive fortifications.
The Cinque Terre is not accessible by car, and trains, buses, and walking between the towns make for an interesting and hassle-free holiday. The infrastructure is good, trains run very frequently, and English is spoken fluently in many hotels, hostels, restaurants, and by tour companies.
The crowded coastline doesn’t lend itself to large hotels or resorts — the largest ones are up in the hills rather than in the towns themselves — and it is likely as a solo traveler that you’ll meet fellow travelers in the small and charming hotels in the five towns.
Solo women travelers find it safe and it’s common to see women hiking and dining alone in and between the five towns. This also makes it one of the best places in Europe to travel alone as a woman .
Hiking and walking is the reason most people love the Cinque Terre National Park. Trails wind between the five towns, linking them together. These paths all have their own names.
Even seasoned travelers to Italy will fall in love with the country again when they walk through olive groves, fragrant orchards, and past wildflowers with the sparkling sea down below.
Swimming and boating trips are also wildly popular, but so too is visiting the towers, castles, and churches that can be found along the Cinque Terre coastline.
-By Monique from Trip Anthropologist
Cinque Terre Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Cinque Terre tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Cinque Terre hotels .
19. Paros Island, Greece
Paros Island is one of the Cyclades’ gems and the perfect paradise for solo traveling. Traveling to Paros Island is relatively inexpensive with round trip flights from Dublin , Ireland at around $470 — which is great, because Dublin solo travel is also a great experience.
But, back to Paros.
On the island, you’ll find a wide variety of accommodation options to fit all budgets and socializing preferences, from camping to luxury hotels.
Paros is often described by locals as a more authentic Santorini — and that is exactly what it is. It’s just as beautiful, too.
You can experience this authenticity while roaming the towns of Parikia and Naoussa. Parikia is a typical town with traditional white houses and small touristy streets. You can also watch a beautiful sunset over the Mediterranean Sea from the windmill at the beginning of the Promenade.
Naoussa is another town you should visit. With its port and restaurants right by the water, it is the perfect place to have dinner and enjoy some time by yourself. Recommendation: Order a gyro while you’re there!
While on Paros Island, it’s also recommended to visit the many beautiful beaches. Some of the beaches you should check out are Santa Maria Beach and Golden Beach. Paros is also the perfect place to snorkel or have a drink on the beach.
As for transportation, you have a couple of options on Paros. You could rent a car — although when traveling solo, it can feel like it’s too high of an expense for just one person.
Alternatively, you can take the bus. Paros’ bus system is well organized and inexpensive and take you around to the most famous beaches and towns.
If you want to explore more of the island, you can rent an ATV. ATVs are very common on the island, are easy to drive, and you just need a regular driver’s license to rent one. They are also rather inexpensive and can be rented for one or several days.
Finally, Paros is extremely safe for solo travelers. The locals are very friendly, helpful, and often love giving visitors recommendations.
-By Mary from Be Right Back
Paros Island Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Paros Island tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Paros Island hotels .
20. Ljubljana, Slovenia
If you’re wondering what the best places to travel alone in Europe are, I highly recommend getting Ljubljana in Slovenia on your radar.
Not only is the city beautiful, clean, and one of the safest places in Europe for solo female travelers , but the Center District is car-free, which leads to a peaceful atmosphere for exploring the local restaurants, bars, cafes, and markets.
Ljubljana is known for its architecturally-interesting bridges, many museums and cultural institutions, and lovely Ljubljanica River running through the Center District, which adds to this city’s charm — especially when you sit outside with an inexpensive glass of wine or beer. TOZD Bar is a nice place to do this at.
A few other must-have Ljubljana experiences for solo travelers include taking a tour with Watermelon Ljubljana Bike Tours, exploring local eateries with Ljubljananjam Foodwalks, wandering the nature trails around Rožnik Hill, and viewing the experimental art at Metelkova City.
In terms of day trips, getting out into nature is a must! Visit the beautiful Lake Bled in the Julian Alps and hike in the nearby Triglav National Park, do a homestay in the Slovenian countryside , and enjoy one of the many hiking trails in Slovenia .
Ljubljana Travel Resources
Click here for a list of top-rated Ljubljana tours .
Click here for a list of top-rated Ljubljana hotels .
Solo Travel Europe Tips
To help you make the most of your time traveling solo in Europe, here are a few helpful tips.
– Know how to meet people. One of the biggest fears people have when planning for solo travel in Europe is how to overcome loneliness .
The truth is, there are many ways to meet locals while traveling as well as other travelers, such as taking group tours and free walking tours, booking experiences that take you into local homes, attending local meetups through sites like Couchsurfing.org, and going to places frequented by other travelers like bars and cafes.
Fun fact: While traveling solo in Prague I actually made a friend at a local money exchange!
-Consider places with excellent public transportation. Traveling solo means you won’t have anyone to split cab and car rental costs with. Being able to get around by bus and train makes for a more budget-friendly solo trip.
You should also look into a Eurail Pass, which can help you save money if you’ll be traveling around Europe solo by train.
-Pick a travel destination that can also be a great homebase. This may be a personal preference, but for a place to be one of the best places in Europe for solo travel this is a requirement. I like being able to have more time in a place to meet people and get to know the destination.
That being said, I also appreciate places from where I can do day and weekend trips without having to move all of my things constantly. For instance, if traveling solo in Ireland , Dublin is a great homebase.
-Ask your hotel/hostel for an annotated map. In terms of solo travel safety , I recommend always asking your hotel to mark up a map to show you where it’s safe to walk alone and where it’s not. Or, at the very least, ask them to tell you and just note it in your phone so you’re aware.
-Pack important travel safety items. When it comes to travel safety gear , I’m never without a personal alarm . Moreover, knowing how to avoid pickpockets with things like Clever Travel Companion pickpocket-proof garments and hidden-pocket scarves is wise.
Tours In Europe For Solo Travelers
One great way to meet other people while traveling solo in Europe is to book group tours. A few highly-rated Europe tours include:
- Amsterdam Alternative Culture Walking Tour with Local Food Sampling
- Best of Prague: City Walking Tour, Boat Cruise, and Typical Czech Lunch
- 3-Hour Berlin Street Art Tour
- Athens All Included: Acropolis and Museum In a Cultural Guided Walking Tour
- Small-Group Wine Tasting Experience in the Tuscan Countryside from Florence
Click here for a full list of tours in Europe .
Renting A Car In Europe
For many destinations in Europe, it can make sense to rent a car, especially if you’ll be exploring remote areas or beautiful countryside places.
Recommendation: Use Discover Cars to quickly compare your rental options.
Public Transportation In Europe
Getting around Europe by train, bus, or ferry?
Omio is a must! I use this tool for all of my public transportation needs when traveling Europe.
The site is straightforward and user-friendly — and you can pre-book your tickets in advance at a discount.
They even offer flight and car deals!
Hotels In Europe
Looking to pre-book hotels for your Europe solo trip?
Click here for a full list of European hotels !
Prefer self-contained stays?
Click here to check out unique local rentals !
You can also use the map below to search for local stays. It’s set to Paris, though you can easily change it based on where you’ll be traveling solo in Europe:
Europe Travel Insurance
When visiting Europe solo — or anywhere else in the world — it’s wise to get travel insurance.
One of the best travel medical insurance for travelers is SafetyWing as they’ve got a large network and offer both short-term and long-term coverage — including coverage if you’re traveling for months as well as limited coverage in your home country.
Additionally, SafetyWing is budget-friendly and offers $250,000 worth of coverage with just one low overall deductible of $250.
Click here to price out travel insurance for your trip in just a few clicks .
Best Places In Europe To Travel Alone As A Woman [Bonus Guides]
The following guides can help you plan an incredible Europe solo travel itinerary!
Solo Travel In Paris: A Romantic Guide For One
Here’s What Happens When You Travel Latvia Solo
Slovenia Travel: Local Ljubljana Experiences For Solo Travelers
Solo Travel In Prague: How To Have An Amazing Trip On Your Own
Solo Trip To Amsterdam: How To Have An Amazing Time On Your Own
Rome Solo Travel: How To Have An Amazing Time Traveling Rome Alone
50 Fun Things To Do In London Alone
Best Solo Travel Destinations Europe FAQs
Still trying to decide where to travel alone in Europe? These questions may help you decide!
Q) What are the best places for solo travel in Europe?
Some of the best solo trips in Europe include Riga in Latvia, Freiburg im Breisgau in Germany, and Innsbruck in Austria. But that’s just a few options – much of Europe is ideal for solo travel.
Q) What are the best European cities for solo travelers?
When it comes to solo travel to Europe, some of the best major cities include Prague, Copenhagen, Athens, Istanbul, Barcelona, and Lisbon.
Q) What are the best European countries for solo travel?
Some of the countries you’ll want to consider for your solo trip to Europe include Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Italy, and the Czech Republic.
Q) Is it a good idea to travel Europe alone?
Absolutely – it’s a great idea! Solo trips to Europe are incredibly rewarding – and fun! Most European countries are ideal for solo travel with endless things to do and great public transportation for getting around.
Q) Can you travel to Europe alone as a woman?
Yes! Solo traveling to Europe as a woman is both easy and safe, especially to the destinations listed above. Just keep your wits about you and use common sense and you’ll have a great time.
What do you think are the best places to travel alone in Europe?
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This guide is incredibly helpful for europe traveller’s. Thank you for this great resource.
I guess all of these places are worth visiting as what I read in your blog. Thanks for sharing these beautiful European places. This is very helpful and informative for every traveler and tourist who wants to visit and travel to Europe 🙂
We were just in San Sebastian, Spain last year with our oldest daughter who was playing soccer in the Donosti Cup. We started off in Barcelona, went to Madrid, and then made our way over to Hondarribia. It was an incredible trip!
You have so many great places on your list, but Slovenia and Portugal are up there for me! Cheers to great travels!
For solo travelers, Prague stands out in Europe. It’s safe, affordable, and rich in culture and history. The city’s walkable layout and friendly locals make it ideal for those exploring alone. Plus, Prague’s stunning architecture and vibrant nightlife offer a perfect blend of exploration and entertainment.
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Europe Bucket List: 50 Places you must visit
If you are planning your first visit to Europe and don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to cut straight to the chase and answer the question: Where are the best places in Europe to visit? And with this Europe bucket list, we’ve listed the creme de la creme to help you plan your visit from start to finish.
1. Wake up in Positano, Italy
Let’s begin with perhaps my favourite small town in all of Europe to wake up and see the sunrise: Positano . Located in Italy’s Amalfi Coast, Positano is something out of a fairytale or film set. Quiet and serene, the town is built into the cliffs of the coastline, with colourful facades and terracotta rooftops. And what exactly do you do with your time on the Amalfi Coast, I hear you ask? Start by renting a Vespa and exploring the surrounding towns on a daily basis. There’s no shortage of adventures to be had – visiting Ravello , a quintessential town nestled into the hillside, or Capri , a popular island destination you can reach by ferry.
2. Visit Annecy, France
France has no shortage of photogenic towns to visit. But Annecy , located in southeastern France, is surely one of the most beautiful. Known for its Vieille Ville (old town), Annecy is characterised by cobbled streets, winding canals and colourful houses. In the backdrop of the city, you will notice snow-capped mountains and the expansive Lake Annecy, where you can enjoy rowboats in the summer and take in the stunning surrounds.
3. Spend a weekend in Copenhagen
There are few destinations in Europe I looked forward to as much as Copenhagen . Having long had an obsession with Denmark’s capital city, I eagerly visited in my early twenties and couldn’t wait to step foot off the train. Once on the ground, I was not disappointed. There are endless quaint cafes and bakeries to pop in and out of, especially in winter if you are bracing the cold weather. Then of course you have Nyhavn, the cities’ 17th-century waterfront harbour lined with colourful houses and merchants. If you ask me, this is a destination not to be missed if you find yourself venturing into Northern Europe.
Read more: This is how much each city in Europe costs (from most expensive to cheapest)
4. Bathe in the Blue Lagoon, Iceland
Before I visited Iceland for the first time, I had a vision in my mind of what that trip would look like. And you’d better believe it included a visit to bathe in the Blue Lagoon, Iceland’s most famous attraction. With healing properties and water rich in minerals like silica and sulfur, the blue lagoon is said to aid with skin diseases. And despite being a major tourist attraction with crowds and pricey tickets, given it is such a unique experience that can only be had here in Iceland, we’d say it is worth your while. Just be sure to spend at least a week exploring elsewhere in Iceland, as there are many more incredible sites and attractions on the horizon.
Read more: How to make the most of a stopover in Iceland
5. Visit Pena Palace, Portugal
Europe has no shortage of castles. In fact, you’ll be pressed to find a city or town that doesn’t boast a castle or two. But there are a handful of castles that rise above the rest (in this case, quite literally hidden in the clouds), making them worthy of a visit. Pena Palace in Sintra , Portugal, is one such castle worth visiting. This Romanticist castle in São Pedro de Penaferrim, a municipality of Sintra, overlooks the town from above. On a day with low mist, you won’t even see the castle from the town as it sits above the fog and appears to be floating in the clouds.
Read more: The best pastel de nata Recipe
6. Visit the Old Town of Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn, Estonia’s capital, has one of the most beautiful old towns in all of Europe. This fairytale-like city has long been a World of Wanderlust favourite, since I first visited back in 2013 on my first full year of adventures solo across Europe. Tallinn’s cobblestoned Old Town exists inside an imposing wall, with many of the cities’ most preserved cafes and bakeries existing inside. You’ll also find plenty of authentic Baltic cuisine within the city walls, so be sure to allow time to perch up and watch the world pass you by. Be sure not to miss Raeapteek, the oldest pharmacy in Europe. Here you will find fascinating therapies, like Unicorn horn dust.
Read more: Cities to visit for your first time in Europe
7. Visit Peleș Castle, Romania
There are few castles in Europe as beautiful and ethereal as Peleș Castle in Romania’s Carpathian Mountains. Located near Sinaia in Romania, this castle exists on a medieval route linking Transylvania and Wallachia. Built between 1873 and 1914, the castle is commonly considered one of the most beautiful in all of Europe.
Read more: These are the 12 prettiest castles in Europe
8. Spend Christmas in Prague
Prague is an incredible city to visit any time of year, but there is nothing quite like Christmas time in Prague. Suddenly the streets come to life as living markets, with mulled wine and pretzels ready at your disposal. Central Europe as a whole really comes to life with the arrival of Christmas markets, so if you fancy a fairytale visit to Prague, this is certainly the best time of year to find yourself strolling across the Charles Bridge in search of Christmas magic.
Read more: What to know before you visit Prague
9. Visit Vienna, Austria’s capital
Speaking of Central Europe, there is nowhere quite like Vienna . Once described to me as a more refined version of Paris, Vienna certainly feels regal and refined. There are so many wonderful things to do in this city, ranging from indoors to outdoors. I would recommend spending most of your time slowing down, enjoying cultural immersion in the cafe culture of Vienna and feeling as if you have stepped back in time.
Read more: The 6 Best Coffee Houses in Vienna
10. Visit the Red Square, Moscow
Moscow is hands down one of the most exquisite cities in Europe. As the capital city of Russia, you can expect to see opulence on overdrive as you stand in the Red Square, the historical centre of the city of Moscow. Regarded as one of the most famous cities in Europe, from here you can view the Kremlin, Russia’s centre of governance, the ornate 16th-century St. Basil’s Cathedral, the State Historical Museum and the GUM Department Store.
Read more: Sights to see for your first time in Moscow
11. Make your way to Rome, the Eternal City
If you are yet to visit Rome, the eternal city, you might have asked yourself, what makes Rome so special? This being the centre of the universe for a long period of time throughout history, the city of Rome has so much to offer visitors by way of history, culture, food and hospitality. There are too many must see attractions in Rome to list, so be sure to check out our Rome bucket list for a full list of all the places you cannot miss.
Read more: The 12 Best Kept Secrets in Rome
12. Discover Gaudí Architecture in Barcelona
The city of Barcelona is brimming with incredible architecture, sights, sounds and smells at every turn. A sensory overload, this city can often be overwhelming given it has so much to offer travelers. For this reason, we’d recommend centring your adventures in Barcelon around a theme. That could be food, culture, or in this case, Gaudí architecture. The city is full of masterpieces – namely Parc Güell (pictured), Casa Milá, Casa Batlló and so many more.
Read more: The 15 Best Things to do in Barcelona
13. Swoon over the Eiffel Tower in Paris
There is of course nothing or nowhere more iconic in Paris, than the Eiffel Tower. This monument is by far one of the most iconic monuments in all of Europe and under a blanket of night sky, it only becomes more magnificent. The best view of the Eiffel Tower is of course from afar and if you ask us, one of the most iconic views of the tower can be found atop the Arc de Triomphe. But don’t let that stop you from visiting the tower up close, as it becomes more and more clear just how large this impressive structure really is.
Read more: The 20 most Instagrammable locations in Paris
14. Walk the Canals of Amsterdam
Amsterdam is certainly one of my favourite cities in all of Europe and if we’re talking about winter travel, I’d say Amsertdam takes the cake for my number one city to spend time in. But regardless of the season, this city is beautiful year-round. The canals are of course the main drawcard in Amsterdam, seamlessly lining the streets and adding to the undeniable romance of the city.
Read more: The solo traveler’s guide to Amsterdam
15. Explore Santorini on foot
Greece is full of incredible islands to explore, so if you’re planning to stop in during your European travels, be sure to give yourself plenty of time. And if time is not on your side, then skip straight over to Santorini for arguably the best Greek island to explore.
Read more: 20 Places to visit in the Balkans
16. See the London skyline from above
London is not only the most visited city in all of Europe, but often tops the list as the most visited city in the entire world. With a history that dates back to Roman times, London as we know it today is a blend of cultures and history, leaving much to be discovered. And as a sprawling city that takes days to discover, we recommend making your way to the top of The Shard building for a view of the city in its entirety. From here, you will really start to understand the layout and size of this city as a whole.
Read more: The best book stores in London
17. Discover Florence, Italy
One city that is always a favourite for travelers is Florence or Firenze as it is known in Italy. This city is highly regarded for its culture, musuems, architecture and fascinating history. Oh, and did we mentioned you will find gelaterias on almost every corner? You will need at least a few days in Florence to discover the must visit attractions, but even more if you want to scratch the surface.
Read more: A complete guide to Tuscany
18. Road trip around Ireland
Ireland is one of those countries where it is more about the journey than the destination. Granted, there are a vast number of sites and attractions throughout Ireland to visit, but we really think the journey itself is where the magic happens. Driving around Ireland is arguably the best way to see the country, so be sure to look into car rental before you go and plan for the long journey.
Read more: You can stay at Ireland’s most impressive castle
19. Visit Lisbon, Portugal
If you fancy a capital city with vibrancy on overload, then head over to Lisbon, Portugal. This city has long flown under the radar, but in recent years has found its footing as one of the must visit cities in Europe. The city is sprawling, hilly, and offers incredible views from the higher points. Be sure to save at least half a day to explore Alfama, a central neighbourhood with flavour and flair.
20. Visit Lapland, Finland
If you don’t mind the cold, a visit to Lapland in Finland is an experience like no other. It is here where you have a great chance of seeing the Northern Lights, as well as having the opportunity to partake in a number of unusual winter activities – like dog sledding, visiting a Reindeer farm, or hiking in the forest.
21. Go yachting in Croatia
Chances are you have heard of the yacht week in Croatia, but have you ever thought of joining it? Croatia is one of the best destinations to visit in the summer months, as it offers a huge coastline to enjoy and island hop, as well as being more affordable than Western Europe alternatives.
22. Follow the trail of the Sound of Music in Salzburg
For fans of the Sound of Music, there is no city more appealing than Salzburg, which is also considered the most beautiful city in Austria. You can reach Salzburg by train from Vienna in around two hours, making it an option for a day trip but preferably a destination in itself. The city is incredibly beautiful to explore in itself, but many travellers make their way to Salzburg to join a Sound of Music tour. And if you loved the film, why wouldn’t you!
Read more: 101 Cities to Visit Before you Die
23. Visit the Mamma Mia Island of Skopelos, Greece
With so many Greek islands to choose from, the hardest part will be choosing which islands to visit and which to leave out. But for fans of the Mamma Mia film, the island of Skopelos is a great option. Not only was this one of the most used filming locations for the film, but it is also an incredible island to experience Greek culture.
24. Explore Montenegro in the Balkans
The Balkans offer some of the most underrated and undervisited countries and attractions in all of Europe. But with many travelers looking to get off the beaten path, that truth is slowly changing. If you fancy going out of your comfort zone and visiting somewhere out of the ordinary, Montenegro should be top of your list. There are endless small towns and cities to visit in Montenegro, many of which are located in the Bay of Kotor.
25. Road Trip through Tuscany
A region in central Italy, Tuscany has long been considered the most romantic and ethereal region in Italy to discover. And if you want to see all that Tuscany has to offer, the best way to do this will be via road trip. With the freedom to take your travels at your own pace, you will be able to discover many small towns the locals will share with you as insider secrets, plus some of the more popular cities and towns.
26. Visit the Algarve, Portugal
Located in the South of Portugal, the Algarve will always have a special place in our heart – as this is where we hosted our first ever World of Wanderlust trip! This is Portugal’s most loved holiday destination, for both locals and tourists visiting the country. And for good reason! There are many small coastal towns to discover, but the beaches are so beautiful, they are destinations in themselves.
27. Ride the train on Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scotland
Also known as the Harry Potter train, the Glenfinnan Viaduct in the Scottish Highlands is a surreal experience to have in real life, because it looks just the same as it does in the films! Be sure to book your train ticket in advance, as this has become one of the most popular things to do in Scotland.
28. Visit Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Bosnia & Herzegovina is a country that ofter goes overlooked by travelers, especially if you don’d already find yourself in the Balkan region. But if you make your way to Croatia, then you’re really just a short day trip away! Although we think Mostar is worthy of more than a day visit, it has become an increasingly popular day trip from Dubrovnik, Croatia. This small town offers great insight into the history of the country, so be sure to join a walking tour to get a running history of the town and country.
29. Slow down in the Cotswolds
Outside of London, there are endless cities and towns we could recommend across England. But no destination is more worthy than joining London on the Europe bucket list, than the Cotswolds. This is a great opportunity to slow down and take your time in the English countryside. Must visit towns include Bourton-on-the-water, Stow-on-the-wold and Bibury. But there are of course many more!
30. Visit Bruges, the most charming town in Belgium
Bruges is commonly considered one of the most beautiful towns in Europe and indeed, we have ourselves made the claim. So if you fancy photogenic small towns that are so beautiful they feel fairtytale-like, then Bruges cannot be missed.
Read more: These are the 25 most beautiful small towns in Europe
31. Visit Cesky Krumlov
Speaking of beautiful small towns, Cesky Krumlov in Czech Republic is another one of our choices that tops the list. This small town is just a short drive south of Prague, toward the border to Austria. So if you’ve got time to spare in Central Europe, there really is a lot to unpack in this region. And by way of small towns, Cesky Krumlov is a must visit.
32. Explore Lake Como, Italy
Lake Como is one of our favourite destinations in Italy and until you visit for yourself, you never can truly grasp the beauty of this region. There are countless small towns located along the lake, many of which are best explored on foot. So jump on board one of the local ferry services and make your way in and out of the towns, starting with our handpicked favourite: Bellagio (pictured).
Read more: The best lake towns to visit across Europe
33. Explore the Rhine River, Germany
Germany is full of incredible towns to visit but if you ask us, many of these are located along the Rhine River. Certainly for romantics and couples, there are endless small towns to be discovered in this region of Germany. So if you fancy a cruise along the Rhine River or perhaps a road trip trailing through these small towns, you’ll be sure to stay busy journeying through this ethereal region of Germany.
34. Discover the Fjordlands, Norway
Norway is a destination in itself and if you ask us, you’ll need a week or two to even scratch the surface. But this being one of Europe’s most expensive countries to visit, a great way to visit Norway is in fact as part of a cruise. This way, you’ll get to experience all of the magic of the country without major expenses like hotels, food and travel from one place to the next. I travelled through the fjordlands of Norway this way a few years ago and it is a trip I will never forget.
35. Spend a weekend in Stockholm, Sweden
There are many beautiful cities in Scandinavia to discover, but perhaps my favourite of them all is Stockholm, Sweden. This city offers a bit of everything for design lovers – by way of museums, architecture, galleries, cafes, and beautiful Scandinavian furniture stores. You could spend an entire week here but for the sake of time and budget, give yourself a weekend instead.
36. Explore Budapest, Hungary
Despite once flying under the radar of European travel itienraries, Budapest has well and truly become discovered. This city is now considered a must visit destination on any Europe bucket list, so be sure to add it to yours. Located in Hungary in the heart of Europe, the city is buzzing with beautiful buildings, monuments, and of course, the famed public bath houses.
37. Visit the Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are most popular during the winter months but if you ask us, there’s never a bad time to visit. Exploring this region by train is an easy way to kick back and take it all in, all the while traveling from one town to the next. There are many great cities to visit in Switzerland too, but once you’ve visited the alps, you’ll see why this heart stopping region is a popular destination for travelers every year.
38. Row a boat on Lake Bled, Slovenia
Fancy visiting the most romantic lake in all of Europe? Then head on over to Lake Bled, Slovenia’s most famous tourist attraction and for good reason. There are many ways to see and experience the lake – including swimming in the summer, walking or riding a bike around the rim of the lake, but my personal favourite is to row a boat to the island in the heart of the lake.
39. Visit Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
As we said earlier, Europe has no shortage of castles. And in Germany, there are certainly many to be discovered. But if you pick just one, we recommend visiting Neuschwanstein Castle in the South of the country, neatly tucked away in Bavaria. This castle has a unique history and has since been dubbed the “Disney Castle” given its similarity to the logo. You can visit and tour ths castle seasonally, which is a great day trip on offer from Munich.
40. Visit Hallstatt, Austria’s prettiest lake town
Meanwhile in the central region of Europe, you might also want to add a little town by the name of Hallstatt to your Europe bucket list. This town is commonly considered the most beautiful lakeside town in all of Europe – and it isn’t hard to see why!
Read more: The prettiest lake towns in Europe
41. Ride a Gondola in Venice, Italy
If you find yourself in Italy, you are likely to stumble upon Venice, as it is one of the most visited cities in the country alongside Rome, Florence and Milan. And if you find yourself in Venice, you really must experience a gondola ride to get the full Venetian experience.
42. Visit the Acropolis, Greece
While Athens can often get a bad wrap in travel blogs and guides, there really is something so impressive and grounding about visiting the Acropolis . This ancient citadel is still preserved to this day and is certainly worthy of a visit while you transit en route to the nearby islands.
43. Attend Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany
This list of Europe bucket list items would not be complete without mention of Germany’s Oktoberfest. The beer festival takes place annually and has become a huge drawcard for international travelers, especially those in their 20’s and 30’s seeking a fun social experience.
44. Explore Edinburgh
Many years ago we named Edinburgh the most underrated capital city in all of Europe and to this day, we stand by it. However, since then, visitors to Edinburgh have skyrocketed and the popularity of this city is now something to behold. But that doesn’t mean the charm has worn off and if you ask us, this is one of the most beautiful large cities in all of Europe. Especially for Harry Potter fans, as this is where soem of the books themselves were written.
45. Explore the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia
Russia’s two biggest cities are often where you will find international travelers and that’s for good reason. St Petersburg was once the capital city of Russia, and as such has a long list of attractions to offer. But there is one such attraction we’d argue surpasses all the rest. And that is, of course, the Hermitage Museum. Once a winter palace, the Hermitage today is home to countless artefacts, art works and is itself a living history.
46. Walk the city walls of Dubrovnik
If you find yourself in Croatia, then be sure to stop by Dubrovnik, the coastal city that has become a hot spot for international travelers. This walled city is as beautiful as it looks in films. And if it looks familiar, you might recognise the city as one of the main filming locations for popular HBO series Game of Thrones .
47. Explore Ljubljana, Europe’s most underrated Capital City
Speaking of underrated capital cities (at this point we have named a few), you really must add Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia, to your Europe bucket list. This city is quaint, charming, and especially so in the summer months.
48. Walk through history in Poland
There are too many cities and towns in Poland you must visit to name just one, so we’ll name two: Warsaw (the capital) and Krakow (the gatway to Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps). Both of these cities offer insight into Poland’s turbulent past, and both are worthy of a visit on your tour of Eastern Europe.
49. Visit the most celebrated failure in architecture
The leaning tower of Pisa was in fact never supposed to be this way. But this work of architecture is perhaps the most celebrated failure of its kind, with many travelers makeing their way to Pisa just to take a photo with the icon.
50. Visit the wonders of Istanbul
Some may say we’ve saved the best ’til last and others may catch us out on a technicality – but we’d be doing you a disservice to not mention the wonders of Istanbul! This city is the largest in Turkey and straddles both Europe and Asia, separated by the Bosphorus Strait. Across the city you will notice the many empires that have once ruled here and the many names this city has held, at the hands of various rulers. There is no other city in the world quite like it – so be sure to add Istanbul to your bucket list.
Brooke Saward founded World of Wanderlust as a place to share inspiration from her travels and to inspire others to see our world. She now divides her time between adventures abroad and adventures in the kitchen, with a particular weakness for French pastries.
Find me on: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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The Ultimate 2-Week Eastern Europe Itinerary: 6 Great Routes
Last Updated on January 3, 2024
by Maggie Turansky
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Planning the perfect Eastern Europe itinerary when you only have a finite number of days or weeks to play around with can be a head-spinning and frustrating undertaking. It’s only until you sit down and pull out a map (or, more realistically, open up Google Maps) that you realise how vast this region of the continent is and how much there really is to see.
Do you want to head to the Central European favourites like Budapest or Prague ? Do you venture up north and explore the charms of the Baltic states? Or do you head southeast and devote your time to one country like Romania or Bulgaria?
So if you’re in the process of planning a trip to Eastern Europe and are a bit stuck on what the optimal route is for you, then look no further.
Table of Contents
Which countries are in Eastern Europe?
For those who haven’t travelled extensively around the region, it may not seem like the term “Eastern Europe” is even that loaded, however, you will soon learn that it is not so much a term that defines a region and can be far more political and cultural than meets the eyes.
Many people will jump to thinking that the term “Eastern Europe” refers to the Warsaw Pact countries or the countries that were under Communist rule from WWII up until the early 1990s. This typically includes the countries in former Yugoslavia and anything east of Germany or Austria (excluding Greece and Turkey).
Where things can get complicated is that many residents of certain countries don’t like to be referred to as Eastern European. For instance, the countries of Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia often would prefer to be referred to as Central Europe – and geographically, that is where they are.
And the countries of Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia and Bulgaria are best referred to as the Balkans. And Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania? They’re the Baltics.
So which countries are actually in Eastern Europe? It’s still complicated, however, you’re generally safe to assume that countries like Romania, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and Russia are all in Eastern Europe.
I would also go so far as to consider the countries of Georgia, Armenia and even Azerbaijan all the way in the South Caucasus as a part of Eastern Europe. I say this because, although geographically they may rest in what is technically Asia, culturally they are far more European.
So, as you can see, Eastern Europe is generally quite a vague term that encompasses a number of vastly different regions and nations. However, it is also one of our absolute favourite regions to travel in the entire world and visiting anywhere in this vast corner of Europe is sure to spark your wanderlust.
How to get around Eastern Europe
Depending on which area of Eastern Europe you intend to travel to, the best way to get around will vary. However, what’s good is that, especially if you only plan to visit major cities, it’s very easy to get around most areas relying only on the train or bus. Just what form of public transit will depend on where you are.
If you plan to do the classic “Eastern Europe” itinerary (ie Central Europe) and hit top cities like Budapest, Prague, or Krakow, then you can easily get around while relying on the train.
Train connections in Central Europe are frequent, reliable and relatively affordable — especially if booked in advance through platforms like Omio. You can click here to view schedules.
It can be popular to plan to use night trains to save on accommodation or time in transit, but keep in mind that these can book out quite early in high seasons and they can be quite expensive, depending on where you’d like to go.
If you want to save some money, you will find that the bus is a cheaper option and offers just as many routes. Companies like FlixBus offer numerous routes between cities at affordable price and buses are generally fairly comfortable and reliable. There are also overnight bus routes, but this is quite a tiring and uncomfortable way to travel.
If you happen to be travelling in the Balkans or Baltics, you are going to have to forget about any visions you had about taking the train. Rail routes are few and far between and where they may exist, they will be painfully slow, exceptionally outdated, and rather uncomfortable.
The vast majority of the Balkans and Baltics aren’t actually on a rail network, anyhow, so your best bet is going to be taking the bus if you’re relying on public transit.
In the Baltics, there is a wonderful bus company called Lux Express that is arguably going to be the nicest bus that you will ever encounter. They are comfortable, have wifi and entertainment systems and serve most major routes throughout the Baltics and even into Poland and Russia. You can book bus tickets for the Baltics here.
In the Balkans, FlixBus operates in some countries, but there are far more bus companies available and finding out the schedules can be tricky depending on where you are. Your best bet is to check out the bus timetables at the station when you arrive so you have an idea because information on the internet may be incomplete or incorrect.
If you don’t want to rely on public transit, then you can always rent a car when travelling in Eastern Europe. This will allow you to have more flexibility with your itinerary and not be at the mercy of erratic timetables and long bus or train journeys.
However, please make sure to double-check that the rental company will allow you to cross borders and that the car is provided with the adequate insurance in order to do this.
The rental company should handle this and it isn’t the consumer’s responsibility, but do make sure that you are properly equipped before starting your Eastern Europe travel itinerary.
If you want to rent a car while travelling in Eastern Europe, we recommend using RentalCars.com to find the best deals on a car hire.
Finally, it’s worth making sure you have travel insurance for your Eastern Europe trip. If you’re travelling on a budget and are only after travel medical insurance it’s worth checking out SafetyWing’s nomad insurance.
How long to spend in Eastern Europe
So how many days or weeks should you dedicate to your itinerary through Eastern Europe? With the region encompassing so many countries and sub-regions, it can feel like there is never enough time to see everything and deciding the ideal trip length can seem incredibly overwhelming.
The first thing that you need to understand is that it is impossible to see everything in a limited period of time and if you try to cram in too much, you are going to spend the vast majority of your time in transit between cities and destinations rather than actually enjoying and exploring the destination itself.
We always encourage slow travel and that doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to take numerous weeks off in order to travel to Eastern Europe, it just means that you should absolutely spend a bit longer in each destination that you visit. So, if you only have time for a one-week itinerary, then we would suggest limiting your trip to just two cities.
If you want to see a good portion of the region you’ve decided to visit while still not taking a tonne of time off work or away from home, then we think that planning for two weeks is the ideal amount of time. Within a fortnight, you can get a good taste of whichever region you plan to visit and really experience some diverse and dynamic destinations.
Obviously, if you have longer and are looking to spend 3 weeks in Eastern Europe, then you can very much find a multitude of ways that you could fill your time.
3 weeks really is optimal to begin to dig deeper and get a bit off the beaten path and to see some cities and towns away from the major capitals. This will give you a broader idea of the general culture of whichever country or region you are visiting and help you gain a better understanding of the area.
There are always options if you have longer than 2 or 3 weeks in Eastern Europe as there are a myriad of regions and countries that you could visit.
You also could take the opportunity to base yourself for a longer period of time in a particular city and explore more of the surrounding area via day trips and even venture off the beaten tourist path in the city itself.
The possibilities are endless in Eastern Europe no matter how long you’re able to spend, just make sure that you can do each destination justice by spending enough time there.
For the purposes of this article, all of these itineraries are meant to be for about 2 weeks. If you’re looking for a one-week or 10-day Eastern Europe itinerary, then just take away one or two destinations mentioned as they interest you. Again, it’s best to keep in mind that it is impossible to pack everything in just a short time period.
Second, as mentioned earlier, there are lots of different regions that encompass greater Eastern Europe and we’ve put together itineraries for each of these.
If you want more information once you’ve decided where it is that you want to in Eastern Europe, we have dedicated itineraries for Central Europe , the Balkans , the Baltics , and even the Caucasus if you are feeling intrepid.
Central Europe Routes
Central Europe is what most people are looking for when they think to plan an itinerary for Eastern Europe. Filled with some of the most beautiful cities in all of Europe and packed with interesting culture and fascinating history, this region is sure to delight all those who venture there.
Classic Central Europe Route
This two-week itinerary will take you past some of the most popular and beautiful places to visit in what many believe to be “Eastern Europe”. This route starts in Budapest and ends in Prague, but you can easily reverse it if it makes the most sense to you.
Budapest – The capital of Hungary is an excellent place to start any trip to Eastern Europe. It is something of the gateway to Eastern Europe and a great jumping-off point to visiting Central Europe, the Balkans, or Romania.
Budapest is one of the most beautiful and dynamic cities in all of Europe and you’re sure to fall in love with it instantly with it’s incredibly picturesque skyline set along the mighty Danube River. Plan to spend about 4-5 days in Budapest to really do the city justice before moving onto your next destination.
Vienna – Though not technically Eastern Europe, Vienna is an essential addition to an itinerary of this sort. Austria’s grand capital is a lovely place to explore for about 3-4 days and it is highly recommended that you take a day trip to the nearby capital of Slovakia, Bratislava .
Brno/Olomouc – Spend 2 days exploring one of Czechia’s other cities and while Olomouc is a personal favourite of ours, Brno is a more direct stop and also offers another great perspective of the Czech Republic beyond the capital city.
Prague – No itinerary of this sort would be complete without including the Czech Republic’s inimitable capital of Prague . The city is very popular, however, there are lots of places to visit within it that are off the beaten path. Plan to spend about 3-4 days in the city itself and then give yourself more time to go on a day trip or two.
Have More Time? If you have a bit more time to dedicate to this itinerary, please consider exploring more the Czech Republic . There is so much to see in this incredible country beyond Prague – and very few international visitors tend to dig deeper and explore the country.
If you want to get out in nature and see some of the countryside, then head to the Jeseniky Mountains or Bohemian Switzerland National Park, or if you want to experience some more Czech cities, it can be worth it to head to Brno or even industrial Ostrava . For smaller towns and cities, head to Karlovy Vary , Cesky Krumlov or Pilsen.
Alternative Central European Route
If you’re still after a Central European route but want to visit more countries, consider spending a bit of time in Poland rather than Czechia.
Budapest – Again, start your itinerary in Budapest and plan to spend 4 days exploring this incredibly beautiful city. There is so much to see and do in Budapest that you’re sure not to be bored.
Vienna – From Budapest, head onto Vienna for 3 days and make sure to do a day trip to Bratislava in order to see another amazing Central European city.
Prague – Plan to spend at least 3 nights and two full days exploring Prague, taking in the city’s top sites and learning about its vast and complex history. Also, Prague has some of the best beer in the world at some incredibly affordable prices!
Wroclaw – From Prague, head over to spend a day in the charming city of Wroclaw , Poland. This lesser-visited city is dotted with interesting sites to see and full of endearing quirks — including a myriad of little dwarf statues that can be spotted throughout the city!
Krakow – End your itinerary in Poland’s second-largest city of Krakow . This city is filled with history, both heartbreaking and fascinating, and it is worth taking the time to explore that along with it’s beautiful Old Town.
It is also possible to take a day trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mine or to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp Museum. You could even take a day trip to the Tatra Mountains, if that suits your fancy.
Have More Time? If you have more time to devote to this itinerary, consider exploring more of Poland, including heading to the capital of Warsaw or to some smaller cities like Poznan or Gdansk , where you may find fewer crowds than in cities like Krakow and, in the latter city, even enjoy a beautiful Baltic beach. You could also combine this itinerary easily with a route through the Baltic countries if you have around 4-5 weeks to play around with.
Baltics Routes
The Baltics are one of Europe’s most underrated regions but also happen to contain some of the most charming spots in all of Eastern Europe. Filled with fairy-tale-like cities, incredible cuisine and fascinating history, this is how you should spend two weeks in the Baltics.
Classic Baltic Route
If you’re interested in dipping your toe into the Baltic countries and just want to get a feel, then this two-week route through the capitals is a great option for you.
Warsaw – Poland’s capital is one of the easiest places to begin this route. Plan to spend about 2 days exploring this historic city while taking in its refurbished Old Town and visiting some of the great museums.
Vilnius – The capital of Lithuania has been subjected to some great marketing campaigns, however, it still doesn’t get nearly the amount of visitors that it deserves.
Home to one of Europe’s largest old towns, a great cafe culture, and its own “independent republic,” plan to spend about 3 days in Vilnius to get the most out of the city and maybe take a day trip.
Riga – Next, head up to Latvia’s cosmopolitan capital of Riga. There is so much that Riga has to offer, but it is a real joy for architecture geeks — boasting one of the best collections of Art Nouveau architecture in Europe. Riga also has a lovely Old Town, great restaurants, and an incredible Central Market. Plan to spend 2-3 days in Riga to get the most out of the city.
Tallinn – The Estonian capital may well be the most beautiful city in the entirety of Europe (move over Paris or Seville!) however, very few visitors give it the time it deserves.
The medieval old town packs a significant amount of charm, but there is so much more to see in Tallinn that it’s worth spending at least 3 or 4 days to really do Estonia’s capital justice.
Alternative Baltics Route
If you are looking for an itinerary through the Baltics that allows you to really dig deep into the region, then this route commencing in Vilnius and ending in Tallinn is a great option for you.
Vilnius – Start your trip in Lithuania’s capital and plan to spend 2-3 days here exploring the top sites, going for a day trip, and enjoying the laid-back nature before moving on.
Kaunas – Lithuania’s second-largest city can be seen in about one full day, but it is still very much worth exploring. Kaunas boasts a lovely old town, one of Europe’s longest pedestrian streets, fantastic street art, fascinating museums, and an imposing medieval castle making it a can’t-miss stop in Lithuania.
Riga – Now it’s time to visit Latvia’s beautiful capital city. Take the time to enjoy its cosmopolitan energy, enjoy the cuisine, and maybe take a day trip to the seaside town of Jurmala located just outside of the city.
Tartu – Estonia’s second-largest city is far too often ignored by visitors to the Baltic, but it really shouldn’t. There are lots of things to do in Tartu that can easily occupy one or two full days including exploring the old town, visiting museums, enjoying its art scene, and indulging in some of the city’s fantastic restaurants.
Tallinn – End your itinerary in Tallinn, trying to spend at least three days enjoying this incredible city. Tallinn is so cool and dynamic and has so many layers that you are sure to be charmed and itching to explore more.
Have More Time? If you have more time to dedicate to the Baltics, there are so many more places that you could visit. Consider heading to the coast of Lithuania and exploring the city of Klaipeda and the beautiful Curonian Spit . Or, head to the seaside town of Liepaja, Latvia and take in its laid-back charms.
Alternatively, you could head to the Estonian seaside in cities like Parnu or Haapsalu or, even more offbeat, head to some of its countless islands – like peaceful Saaremaa . And though it’s definitely not Eastern Europe, many people like to continue onto Finland and the Nordics from Tallinn.
Southeastern Europe Route
If you would rather head southeast when planning your Eastern Europe travel itinerary, then these are the routes for you. Heading into the Balkans is a great choice if you want to experience a number of different cultures and learn about a different history than you would in other areas of Eastern Europe.
Central Balkans Route
This itinerary begins in Budapest and takes you through some south-central European capitals.
Budapest – There are few cities better to commence an Eastern European route in than Budapest. For this 2-week itinerary, plan to spend 4-5 days in the Hungarian capital.
Belgrade – Belgrade is a gritty, lively, energetic and dynamic city that is just so cool it is sure to take you by surprise. Known for its incredible nightlife, Belgrade is also packed with history, culture and interesting things to do that you could easily occupy yourself for the recommended 3 days in Serbia’s capital .
Zagreb – Croatia’s oft-overlooked capital is normally put on the back burner for those more eager to head to the country’s coast, however, it is worth spending a day or two exploring . There are also numerous great day trip opportunities — please try to get to Plitvice Lakes, it’s breathtakingly beautiful — from Zagreb, as well.
Ljubljana – End this itinerary for Eastern Europe in Slovenia’s capital of Ljubljana. This beautiful city is so incredibly charming that it is a strong contender for the most beautiful city in Eastern Europe (Tallinn has some competition).
Plan to spend 2 or 3 days in Ljubljana , giving yourself longer if you’re interested in going for a day trip to Lake Bled , Lake Bohinj , lovely Maribor or even the seaside village of Piran.
Classic Balkans Route
If you’re after a more classic Balkans route for your trip to Eastern Europe but only have two weeks to do it in, then plan to begin your trip in Belgrade. The central Balkans are fairly off the beaten path compared to the rest of the places on this list, however, they pack so much that it’s worth exploring.
Belgrade – Begin your trip in Belgrade, Serbia taking in all of the eclectic sites the city has to offer, experiencing its inimitable energy and learning about its vast and complex history – there are tons of walking tours here where you can learn all about this city. 3-4 days in Belgrade should be sufficient, but one can always spend more.
Sarajevo – Next, head to Bosnia & Herzegovina’s incredible capital of Sarajevo. One of the most fascinating cities to visit in this part of the world, Sarajevo has an absolutely heartbreak history that is very much worth learning about in a number of the city’s excellent museums.
Take the time to learn about its not-so-modern history, as well, enjoy the historic city centre, and take its east-meets-west vibes at this cultural crossroads. You need about 2-3 days in Sarajevo to really do the city justice.
Mostar – From Sarajevo, head south to the beautiful city of Mostar. Far too often visited only as a day trip, Mostar is best experienced over two days to really learn about this city and its complex history.
Kotor – To round out this two-week itinerary, head to the Montenegrin port city of Kotor. This city is quite popular amongst tourists — especially as a cruise ship port — but it’s definitely worth spending 2-3 full days here to get to know the city and take some day trips to the surrounding area.
Have More Time? If you have more time to spend in the Balkans, your opportunities really are endless — one could easily spend months on end in this region alone and still feel as if they’ve only scratched the surface.
From Kotor, one could easily head into Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and onto Greece, if you want to stay further south. Or, you could head west of Kotor to Dubrovnik and explore more of Croatia.
Alternatively, you could continue on east into Bulgaria, which deserves at least a week or two to explore on its own. Planning a Bulgaria itinerary on top of this Eastern European route is a fantastic idea.
If you end up in Bulgaria and have a lot of time to play around with, then it would also make sense to head into Romania.
Again, Romania is a massive country and visitor could easily dedicate two full weeks solely to this country – take time to see sites like Bran Castle, explore the vibrant capital of Bucharest and wander through the towns and cities in Transylvania.
Booking Accommodation in Eastern Europe
Once you’ve figured out your itinerary and where you want to go in Eastern Europe, the next step is booking accommodation. Luckily, there are so many options out there to book the best places to stay that cater to all tastes and budgets.
If you’re planning on backpacking in Eastern Europe, are on a tight budget, or are just looking for some great social opportunities, then hostels are going to be your best bet. We like to search for and book hostels online through Hostelworld , which is excellent to find the best hostels and keep all of your bookings in place.
If you’re looking for a broad array of accommodation options at great prices, then you can’t go wrong with Booking.com . This is our platform of choice when we are booking traditional hotels and B&Bs and even, sometimes, whole apartments!
And finally, if you’re looking for a private apartment rental or would like to save some money while staying in a private room in a local’s home, we recommend booking your stay through Airbnb. There are countless properties available on the platform all over Eastern Europe that will ensure you have a unique and authentic place to rest your head.
There are countless options when planning the ultimate Eastern Europe itinerary and it can seem overwhelming when confronted with all of them to figure out where to go. However, this region has so much to offer that no matter where in it you end up visit, you’re sure to have an incredible time!
Are you visiting Eastern Europe? Have any questions? Let us know in the comments!
Related Posts:
The Perfect 5 to 7 Days in Romania Itinerary
The Perfect 1, 2 or 3 Days in Bucharest Itinerary
One Day in Brasov Itinerary: A Day Trip from Bucharest
About Maggie Turansky
Maggie is a co-founder and writer for The World Was Here First. Originally from the US, she has lived in five different countries and has travelled to dozens more, both solo and with her partner, Michael. She particularly loves exploring Spain and spending time in the Caucasus and the Baltics. Read more about Maggie
Hello, this was a great explanation of what eastern europe really is, and some excellent itineraries for central europe, baltics, and balkans. But after you defined eastern europe to include Romania, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and Russia, you left out an itinerary for that very thing. Do you have such a guide? Thank you.
Hi Kyle, unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of information about those countries (yet!). All of those places are definitely on our list though so hoping to change that in the future
Amazing info, thanks. I will put together a trip for a month. I plan to surprise my daughter in Prague where she goes to Uni. Appreciate all your hard work and easy reading style. Stay healthy and happy! <3
Thanks so much for your comment and kind words, Lynn! Hope that you and your daughter have a great trip 🙂
I sincerely hope that in 2022, I shall be able to visit eastern Europe which I have been planning for last three years! Your writings are very informative and absorbing. Please continue your excellent efforts of writing such pieces. Thanks a lot. PS: Add some information also about expenses of different categories, if possible.
Thanks for your comment and I hope that you’re able to go on your trip this year!
Hi, woderful detailing of East Europe tours. Can you please help me to figure out my trip with inclusion of Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Croatia.we wish to travel by rental car. We are planning to visit these places in November 2023 , a trip for 10 days. please suggest. Dr, Neera Mittal
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Home » Europe » Backpacking Travel Guide
The COMPLETE Backpacking Europe Travel Guide | 2024
Where in the world can you comfortably pass 3 countries and 3 different languages in a day? That’s the wonder that travelling Europe offers you. This continent has cultural variety, wild parties, mind-boggling history, world-class hostels, and new friends in spades.
I was born in Europe, so my travels here go back as far as my memories do. I’ve basked on the glorious Spanish beaches, skied in the Italian Alps, and dived into the depth of Roman history.
And yet, my crazy adventures in Europe are still only just beginning. I’m ALWAYS craving more.
Whether you’re thinking of a quick beginners’ trip or a full-blown, life-changing interrailing affair, you’re bound to fall in love. Maybe it’ll be a place, or a person or two. 😉
Although, if you don’t already know, backpacking Europe is no cheap thrill. Especially in the likes of Paris, Barcelona, and Amsterdam, even a hostel dorm can set you back and send you home with your tail between your legs if you’re not careful. I’ve heard one too many backpackers calling home asking mummy to pay their return ticket.
But you don’t need to be like them. Because you’ve got this backpacking Europe travel guide!
I’m here to dish it all. I’ll give you the low down on costs, the best travel itineraries, and all the tips and tricks you’ll ever need.
It’s so beautiful I’m going to cry.
Why Go Backpacking in Europe?
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Backpacking Europe has no equal. There is no region on earth with such a diverse range of landscapes, cultures and languages contained within such a small(ish) space. Everywhere else is frankly boring when pitted against the technicoloured dream coat of Europe.
From alcoholic Bavarian breakfasts, ancient ruins and train rides so pretty they could briefly render a local politician speechless, the breadth and scope of Europe is enormous. Not forgetting we can make a mess in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia too, you’re basically screwed unless you have about a year.
For many people, backpacking Europe is about ticking off a list of the famous and well-known cities . Let me tell you now. GET THIS SILLY IDEA OUT OF YOUR HEAD. You’re not hitchhiking with the Jehovah’s Witnesses or conquering Triglav, Olympus or Korab from a Starbucks/Costa/Pret a Manger are ya?!?
Find the balance. Visit some awesome cities, but make time to head out into the sticks and see the side of Europe you didn’t expect. There is an impeccable backpacking vibe in Europe, and you are bound to take some truly questionable stories home with you…
…If only you knew where to look… 😉
How to Tackle Europe Like a Pro
Right children, as a native European with more travel experience than Leonardo di Caprio’s wandering eyes, I have some juicy advice for you. First things first: Europe is expensive. Learn how to mooch through Europe on a budget !
Staying at a hostel in a well-known city (e.g. London, Rome, Paris, Barcelona) can set you back around $70. If you’re trying to make your trip last, it is worth knowing which are the cheap countries , and how to get some sleep in the ones that aren’t.
It’s also worth remembering which countries aren’t in the Schengen zone. Not only might you need to make additional travel adjustments, but it is worth knowing if you want to extend your stay in Europe . Basically, this is just the UK, a large swathe of Eastern Europe, and Turkey. Good for long stays!
You may want to grab an interrailing ticket if you’re travelling far and wide. These can work out much cheaper than paying for each individual train, which is another great boost for the budget. Taking a tent can also save you some serious bank whilst backpacking Europe.
Europe is fucking huge and it packs a punch too. This means that even on a (hypothetical) lifetime Europe backpacking trip, just accept it: you’re never going to see it all.
Backpacking Europe is best when you can travel it slowly . But don’t stress it because there’s plenty of ground you can cover even on a shorter trip to Western Europe.
If you only have a week or so, I recommend that you focus your Europe trip on either A) just one country or B) a few close-together cities. Luckily, the travel infrastructure is really good: train travel is a dream and buses are frequent. Plus, thanks to the European Union and its open borders, once you’re in one country, you can basically keep crossing borders as often as you’d like.
Here are a few ideas for an awesome backpacking trip to Europe.
2-Week Travel Itinerary for Europe – The Big Bois of Backpacking Europe
Start your travels from Berlin . Germany’s capital is like its own little islet – nothing like the rest of the country. Explore its history and party at world-famous clubs before heading out to Hamburg – you know, to get a taste of “normal Germany”. I highly recommend staying in St. Pauli which is the coolest area in Hamburg!
From Germany, cross over to Holland’s boozy, breezy, fun capital Amsterdam . From there, it’s easy to take a train or a bus to Brussels, in Belgium. (You could also stay in Ghent which is much prettier. Do take a day trip to Bruges, though!)
The next stop is dazzling Paris , undoubtedly the capital of romance in Europe. From Paris, take the Eurostar train to visit London .
This is the last stop in your itinerary. Wherever you’re headed next, London is one of the biggest transportation hubs in Europe.
1-Month Travel Itinerary for Europe: Southern Europe Gems
One month is the ideal Europe backpacking trip for first-timers. You’ll have time to explore a few countries and stay an extra few days in the places you fall in love with. In this itinerary, we’re diving into Southern Europe.
Start your trip in Lisbon , Portugal’s capital and one of the liveliest cities in Europe. Take trips to Sintra and Porto . Sintra can be done as a day trip whereas visiting Porto warrants at least a night’s stay.
Next, cross the border to Spain to explore Madrid . From the Spanish capital, finding onwards transportation to Barcelona is super easy. (Barcelona is also a long-time backpacker favourite!)
From Barcelona, cross over to France and spend a couple of days on the French Riviera. You could also do a lil’ side trip to Monaco to gawk at the rich&richer. But just a warning – this area is expensive as hell!
Next up, we head to Italy where you’ll spend the rest of your trip. First, explore Milan ; the fashion capital.
Then head to the floating city Venice, then the ultra-beautiful Florence . Lastly, end your trip in a highlight with a stay in Rome .
3-Month Travel Itinerary for Europe: Holy Shit, It’s the Grand Tour of Europe
Having 3 months or more for backpacking through Europe is an awesome experience. Make the most of the 90-day Schengen Zone liberty (plus the UK). You can move at your own pace and take the time to enjoy the places you love.
Still – need I remind you? – Europe is fucking massive. 3 months is a great trip but you’ll still struggle to cover everything possible. Sometimes it might even be the best option’s better to take a cheap plane ride between destinations rather than waste a day on a bus.
Stop first in Greece . Staying in Athens is really epic and it is a great gateway to the famous Greek Islands. ( Mamma Mia , anyone?)
Next up – Italy . Explore Naples for the origins of that pizza in Naples. See the remnants of a super-influential ancient culture in Rome, and hike along the coast in Cinque Terre.
From Italy, visit Switzerland , AKA ‘the pit of doom’ when it comes to backpacking Europe on a budget. However, the Swiss Alps are some of the most beautiful parts of Europe so it’s worth a splurge.
Continue on to Vienna, Austria . It may look fancy but it has a punk rock heart.
Then, we move on to Germany . Munich is your gateway to experiences in Southern Germany and it has great connections to other awesome cities in Germany: Nuremberg, Frankfurt, Cologne, Dresden, and eventually, Berlin.
Travel through the Netherlands and Belgium to Paris, France . From there, you can easily get to London and further explore the UK . I highly recommend making a stop in Edinburgh to get a taste of Scottish life.
From the UK, you can fly down to Barcelona and conclude your trip by adventuring around Spain and Portugal .
If you are going to be spending a whole month in Europe bouncing between different countries, then we recommend downloading the HolaFly Europe eSim package before your trip begins. Packages start at just $1.20 per day and can offer data access and internet connectivity all over Europe for the entire duration of your trip.
Wherever you decide to go on your Euro backpacking trip, the magic will surely blow your mind. Each country in Europe is unique, full of surprises, and requires its own individual approach and strategy with regard to your travel budget in Europe.
Uh, just one thing: Europe, as a whole, has dozens of countries. (44 or 51, depending on what kind of geographical allowances we’re making…)
As I’m writing a blog and not a book, this Europe travel guide is focused on Western and Southern Europe . Meaning I’m only covering 11 countries and a bit today. Boo.
But don’t despair! There’s plenty more to explore in Europe.
- Backpacking Scandinavia travel guide
- Backpacking Turkey travel guide
- Backpacking the Balkans
- Backpacking the Caucasus
Backpacking Italy
Italy has been a popular vacation destination for a looooonggg time. Tourists have been coming here for years to see the likes of the Colosseum, drink wine in Tuscany , tour the canals of Venice – all that touristy stuff.
Consequently, few people stray far from the main backpacking route in Italy and, unsurprisingly, many say that tourism here has become a bit calcified. Some might say that Italy can offer nothing else besides the same postcard views and disgruntled baristas.
But there’s a lot more to see in Italy besides the usual attractions because, let’s be honest, everything in Italy is beautiful . Pound for pound, Italy might be one of the most beautiful countries in the world and you’d be hard-pressed to find a single ugly stone here.
The beaches of Puglia and Sardinia are among the most brilliant in Europe (they don’t compare the former to “The Maldives” for no reason). The Dolomites are truly one of a kind and few other mountains can really compete.
Rome … Rome is amazing . Where else can you find masterpieces from almost every era of western civilization?
Italian food, which has received a similar treatment, should be explored with equal enthusiasm. Sicily with its miles of coastline produces some of the finest seafood in the country, not to mention amazing desserts. The tagliere (deli meats) of Toscana are the best you’ll find.
So give Italy a chance! Don’t let the jaded, bitter tourists tell you there’s nothing new to see or do here; you just need to get off the beaten path a bit. Visit Florence , see the Almafi Coast but set aside some time for exploring the lesser-visited regions, like Marche, Umbria, Calabria, and so on.
But also – what’s wrong with seeing the same stuff as everyone else? There’s a reason Rome is popular. A gorgeous reason…
Backpacking Europe can never be completed without dipping a toe into Italy.
What to Know Before Visiting Italy
- Don’t miss out on … staying in Bologna . It evades most people’s radar even though it’s arguably the coolest city in Italy. Amazing food, beautiful architecture, and a nightlife that doesn’t quit.
- You know what’s overrated… the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Soooo many horrible selfies and awkward poses. Take a moment to actually appreciate the nearby duomo and baptistry guys.
- The coolest hostel is… The RomeHello Hostel . Offering some top-tier communal spaces, many activities for the guests, comfy beds, a great location, and good vibes atmosphere.
- The best food is found… everywhere! Really – you’re in Italy – you can’t go wrong here. Genoa, Bologna, Naples, and Sicily all take top honors.
Backpacking France
France might just be one of the most diverse countries you’ll set your foot in whilst backpacking through Europe. In addition to two coasts and two mountain ranges, France has a wide variety of cultures, landscapes, and food packed into one country.
Paris is amazing and seriously one of the most exciting cities in the world. It’s a city of romance, famous art, morbid history, and grand architecture. But don’t stop your exploration at the capital!
The Mediterranean coast, so-called French Riviera , is something straight out of your dreams. Trekking or skiing in the Alps is an unforgettable experience.
Bordeaux is one of the coolest cities I’ve ever visited, and staying in Lyon and Marseille are just as pretty. Let alone all the tiny little towns that are straight out of a postcard…
There are so many places to stay in France . Wherever you turn, you will find different kinds of wine, cheese, and even variations of the French language. If you love food, culture, and outdoor playgrounds, a stopover in France is an obvious choice for backpacking Europe.
Forget about the old stereotypes about the French being rude and uptight. The French can be like soft-boiled eggs: they have a shell on the outside but with it removed they are softies at heart. France is full of lovely soft-boiled eggs, uhm I mean humans…
Since France is quite a large country in European terms, there are so many hidden gems that I have lost track. From stunning medieval castles to picturesque villages and cities, backpacking in France is truly an unforgettable experience.
What to Know Before Visiting France
- Don’t miss out on… Staying a night at a mountain refuge in the Alps. Le Refuge de la Charpoua is particularly epic.
- You know what’s overrated… paying to go up the Eiffel Tower. Paris is expensive . Save money and see it from below.
- The coolest hostel is… The People – Paris Nation . Excellent location. It has beds with curtains (I love privacy), a cozy cafe/bar where to chill and work, and a great terrace to see the sunset.
- The best food is found in… Can’t go wrong with a bit of Brie and a bottle of Bourdeaux. But that’s just the beginning; as they say there, is a different wine and cheese to try every day of the year…
Backpacking Portugal
Portugal is a grand paradise of sorts. The pace is slower than other European countries (and compared to other offenders on this list, cheaper, too).
The country is packed with friendly locals, charming villages, fun parties, and one of the most chill vibes you will come across anywhere on earth.
Backpacking in Portugal is very easy and Portugal is my favourite country to solo travel in Europe too. Ultimately it’s a great place to begin your international adventure, solo or not.
Spot the famous blue tiles in Porto. Feel like a royal at the castles in Sintra.
Eat seafood in Lisbon. Drink ice-cold beer and smile like a fool whilst taking in an epic sunset over the ocean in Algarve.
Most backpackers start their trip in Lisbon as it appeals to just about everyone. There’s amazing food, good weather, great parties in Bairo Alto, and lots of places to see nearby. Definitely don’t skip Sintra ; the epic village full of fairytale castles is one the top places to see in Portugal.
The south of Portugal, also known as the Algarve , is the more Mediterranean part of the country. It resembles more southern Spain not only in the scenery but in vibes.
Expect a lot of tourists and more than a few drunken, wandering Aussies. But hey – the coastline is gorgeous and stays warm all year round. You can also find some of the best surf in the Northern Hemisphere off Portugal’s many beaches .
In Northern Portugal, Porto is a popular student city. It’s also bustling, busy, fun, and beautiful. Some backpackers even prefer it to Lisbon!
Portugal also has two semi-autonomous island regions: the Azores and Madeira. Both are very different from the mainland and absolutely magical.
Hiking in Madeira is uniquely epic! But visiting Azores is like backpacking a mini-New Zealand.
What to Know Before Visiting Portugal
- Don’t miss out on… Porto. Backpackers love Lisbon , but its northern neighbour is just as cool. Keep an eye out for its famous blue tiles.
- Keep an eye out for… drunken backpackers in Lagos. It’s not widely advertised but this place is a SHITSHOW at night. If you’d like to be one of them, stay in one of the party hostels.
- The coolest hostel is… Home Lisbon Hostel – The people’s favourite: mama’s cooked dinner, free walking tours, and a super homey feeling. You feel so welcome here.
- The best food is found in… the Mercado da Ribeira in Lisbon. This is the Mecca of all food markets, the cream of the crop.
Backpacking Spain
Many backpackers claim Spain as their favourite country. Are they right?
I think so. You do not have to look too far to see why this country, in addition to producing some lovely human beings, is a magical land for backpackers.
Like to sleep? You came to the wrong country. The Spanish have breakfast at 10, lunch at 4, and dinner at midnight.
Spain is a country that truly never sleeps. It’s in the culture to practice sleep deprivation in style. Maybe all those midday siestas help?
Spain just has a certain charm to it. Small plates of delicious tapas , cool, cold wine served with sweet orange and melon…
Is it those fine beaches? Old olive groves running through tiny villages? Or the church in Barcelona that is a perpetual construction project?
My suspicion is that my love of Spain is deeply rooted in all of the little nuances you experience daily whilst travelling here. Many backpackers just roll through Barcelona and maybe go visit Madrid . Whilst those cities are not to be missed, backpacking through Spain without exploring its other regions is a mistake.
In the north, you can hike majestic mountains in Asturias and eat awesome seafood in San Sebastian . Track down the origins of paella when staying in Valencia .
Explore Andalucia in the south with its Islamic architecture, free tapas, and the cheapest prices in Spain. (Seriously – Granada, Seville, and Cordoba are AWESOME.) Go to a football game. Find some flamenco.
Doesn’t that sound like fun? This is Spain.
What to Know Before Visiting Spain
- Don’t miss out on… the Basque region. It’s like a completely different country, with epic landscapes and an extremely fascinating history. San Sebastian is the best place to stay.
- You know what’s overrated … bull fights. The Spanish hardly go to them – it’s cruelty set up for tourists’s entertainment. Opt for a flamenco show or tapas tour instead.
- The coolest hostel is… The Central House Madrid Lavapiés . Everything a hostel should have. Relaxation, work and social areas. A pool, a bar, a terrace, lockers, and curtains on comfortable beds.
- The best food is found in… Granada. Andalucia has some of the only totally free tapas in Spain, and Granada has the best tapas restos. Asian fusion or Moroccan tapas? You’ll find it here.
Backpacking Switzerland
If you are planning on spending time in the Alps, a hiking trip to Switzerland is an obvious choice. Switzerland is a land full of the Alps, quaint villages, and hip cities.
Heard of the Matterhorn mountain? (That’s the Toblerone mountain.) It lives in Switzerland.
In addition to its powdery peaks, Switzerland is also home to gorgeous alpine lakes. Take in some of the ancient castle fortifications lakeside by day and sip the legendary Swiss hot chocolate by night.
Zurich may be the financial heart of Europe but it’s still surprisingly cool. Lausanne is small but gorgeous, and the capital Bern is equally so. Don’t skip Luzerne since it just might be the most beautiful city in Switzerland. But these are just a few ideas of where to stay in Switzerland – numerous hidden gems await.
You do have to pay for the pleasure in Switzerland . For better or worse, the Swiss people have this whole thriving economy thing down to a T.
As a country long resistant to changing over to the Euro, the Swiss Franc is as strong as ever before. For backpackers, this translates into a scenario of high cost, high reward.
That said, Switzerland will certainly do anything but disappoint. It’s worth the splurge even if you are backpacking Europe on a budget.
What to Know Before Visiting Switzerland
- Don’t miss out on… the Bernese Oberland. This region features probably the most famous and stunning hikes in Switzerland . Check out the trails around Eiger and the Lauterbrunnen Valley.
- Keep an eye out for… the prices; the pure, unadulterated, merciless, eye-gouging, seemingly unreal prices. You’ll need to employ every trick in the book to keep costs down.
- The coolest hostel is… Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof Interlaken. It offers a ton of freebies!
- The best food is found in… the grocery stores. Swiss food is just ok; certainly not worth the prices at the restaurants!
Backpacking Germany
After gaining a (justified) terrible reputation on the world stage in the first half of the 20th century, Germany has emerged over the last 50 years as an economic powerhouse and centre of culture in Europe. Modern-day Germany is an awesome place to go backpacking through Europe – and a fan favourite among many gap year kids and older travellers alike. You won’t be hard-pressed to find a great hostel in Germany .
As a lover of cool cities and good beer, I am totally enamored with Germany. While famous for its fast cars and pretzels, there is so much more to see whilst backpacking Germany: historic towns, medieval monasteries and fantastical castles , culture-filled cities, fairy-tale forests, and majestic mountains.
To top it off, Germany has one of the strongest economies in the EU, yet traveling here is surprisingly affordable in comparison to the rest of Western Europe. (Pro tip: Eastern Germany is even cheaper than Western Germany.) Backpacking Germany is a great addition to any European travel itinerary!
Most backpackers gravitate towards Berlin , and for good reason: its nightlife is unbeatable and there is a wealth of culture to keep people interested. But the capital is its own thing – it doesn’t resemble the rest of Germany at all. For European backpackers, there are tons more awesome spots to uncover.
Dresden , beaten to shit during WWII, has been wonderfully restored. Hamburg is one of the coolest cities in the country, at least if you’re staying in the St Pauli neighbourhood.
Bavaria in the South is known for the Black Forest area (one of Germany’s National Parks ), an unintelligible dialect of German, and beautiful scenery. Finally, Regensburg may be the prettiest town in the country. But there are SO MANY others – some completely micro-sized.
What to Know Before Visiting Germany
- Don’t miss out on… visiting a beer hall. No one can drink like the Germans and by that, I mean with such control and enjoyment at the same time.
- You know what’s overrated… Munich. The city itself, whilst pretty, doesn’t offer a lot in the way of attractions. The locals can be pretty arrogant too.
- The coolest hostel is… Hostel die Wohngemeinschaft . A cozy social vibe. A bohemian retro-style hostel with a cafe that becomes a bar at night. And a common area open 24 hours with free coffee and tea.
- The best food is found in… Berlin. The gastronomic scene is incredibly diverse, unlike many other German cities where food tends to be homogenous. Vegetarianism is alive and thriving here!
Backpacking The Netherlands
Coffee. Canals. Cannabis. Windmills. Those are some of the things that come to mind when thinking about The Netherlands.
Visiting Amsterdam has long been a favourite backpacker haunt and is well worthy of exploration. It is THE place in Europe to (legally) rock into a coffeeshop, order a joint, and sit down to smoke it.
If you like riding bicycles long-distance, The Netherlands is a perfect country in which to feed that urge: The Netherlands is almost entirely flat. If you have had long challenging days trekking or biking in the Alps, the flatness here will be a welcomed change.
You will find that Dutch people often speak perfect English which is impressive as Dutch sounds nor looks anything like English. Because the country is relatively small, you can travel around here with ease whilst taking in a majority of it.
Most backpackers make a stop in Amsterdam and leave the rest of the country be. Don’t get stuck in the capital city – at least take a day trip from Amsterdam .
What to Know Before Visiting The Netherlands
- Don’t miss out on … partaking in some magic mushrooms while visiting Amsterdam. Seriously, those Van Gogh paintings are mental when you’re frying.
- You know what’s overrated… staying in the HEART of Amsterdam – it’s overly expensive and crowded. One could stay outside the city, save a bundle, and then take the train in. I suggest finding a hostel in Utrecht instead.
- The coolest hostel is… Stayokay Hostel Amsterdam Vondelpark . All the services that you need as a backpacker. Nice areas to chill, work, and hang out. Great atmosphere to meet other travellers. Probably the best location in Amsterdam. The park and Museumplein right next to you.
- The best food is found … while staying in Amsterdam , only because of the stroopwafels! These are one of the greatest treats ever.
Backpacking Belgium
Let’s be honest: Belgium doesn’t offer much in way of stand-out attractions. There is no Colosseum, no Montmartre, no legalized drugs, or raging Berghains. Just a lot of charming houses, calories, and dreary weather.
And for these reasons, I LOVE Belgium. How amazing is it that Belgium places beer in such high and hallowed regard? Bless the Belgians who seem to have no problem smothering their fried potatoes in aioli and mussels with heavy cream. I love that you can go backpacking in Belgium with zero expectations and still be impressed.
It’s almost as if Belgium is a guilty pleasure of sorts. The whole country is just one big bar where you can eat and drink to your heart’s content and no one gives a shit.
If you’re traveling between France and the Netherlands, it is absolutely worth stopping over in Belgium for a little while. Antwerp would be the best place to base yourself although Ghent and Bruges are worth seeing . Bruges gets absolutely zombified with tourists, though – prepare yourself.
And you shouldn’t skip the nation’s capital Brussels . It’s also the capital of the European Union but in addition to stiff people in suits, there are also many cool things to see in Brussels .
If you wanted a really enjoyable backpacking Europe experience, consider sleeping at a brewery for a few days! Most have guesthouses attached. In particular, Het Anker is great. Otherwise, Brussels’ hostels are the best place to stay on a budget.
What to Know Before Visiting Belgium
- Don’t miss out on… staying in Ghent , the prettiest medieval town in Belgium. It’s mostly known for its canal houses and local mustard. Gruut, a precursor to today’s beer, is also made in Ghent.
- Keep an eye out… when you’re in Brussels. Whilst certainly “edgier” than most European cities, Brussels can be a little too rough at times.
- The coolest hostel is… Hostel Uppelink Ghent . Though the building may be a bit old, the location is unbeatable. It’s literally next to the city’s famous Sint-Michielsbrug bridge.
- The best food is found in… the “brown bars”, where they serve the fried potatoes and mussels in excess.
Backpacking the UK
The UK is just one of those places that I have fallen in love with over the years. If you are in the mood for a wonderful campervan and trekking adventure, backpacking in the UK is the journey you have been waiting for.
Note to my geographically challenged friends – the UK is a country comprised of 4 countries: England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. And the Brits WILL get mad at you if you refer to the whole area as “England” ( Ed: Sounds about right).
England and Wales have large sections of coast that are far off the beaten path and offer up excellent hiking/camping possibilities. The Highlands in Scotland have some of the last true wilderness areas in Western Europe. The Scottish Islands look like something out of a fairytale book.
Along with stunning natural landscapes, the UK is home to major centres of culture in Europe. In England, the ineffable London is an icon for obvious reasons. I also highly suggest chasing down ghosts in Canterbury , getting smart in Oxford , and basking on the beach in Brighton . And the Lake District in Northern England is incredible!
Scotland is a world of its own. The Scottish capital city of Edinburgh is full of awesome things to do. This region has landscapes so green that the hills seem to have been spray-painted in every sense of the word.
It has remote islands dotted with whiskey distilleries, lochs, and cascades. One could easily spend all their time backpacking in Scotland and could totally forget about “the south”.
The hiking trails and huts in the Highlands offer up an endless supply of hiking opportunities in a breathtaking environment. Throw in the vast cultural richness of the big cities and small villages and you have yourself one great place to go traveling.
Backpackers don’t go to Wales as often but for no good reason. It also offers awesome hiking opportunities, and Cardiff is a small-ish but cool, cultural city.
What to Know Before Visiting the UK
- Don’t miss out on… going off the beaten path in the Scottish Highlands. If you really want a unique experience, try island hopping in the Hebrides.
- You know what’s overrated… Buckingham Palace. Just skip it.
- The coolest hostel is… Onefam Notting Hill . This award-winning hostel is one of the best locations in the capital. It’s perfect for solo travellers to make friends for life.
- The best food is found in… The Indian food in the North (Manchester and Yorkshire). For that matter, the vegan scene nationwide is thriving and varied.
Backpacking Ireland
The lush, green, enchanted, and enchanting island of Ireland perches serenely at the furthest boundary of Europe. Beyond it, there is nothing but the Atlantic until it reaches the New World.
Somehow, Ireland’s location and geography are encapsulated in its culture. It is European but only just; civilized, yet it’s wild and rugged. It rains a lot but remains perpetually pleasant and inviting.
Sometimes crudely dismissed as the UK’s little cousin, backpacking Ireland offers visitors the chance to explore the most plucky nation in the world and get a glimpse of a simpler world that has sadly vanished forever elsewhere. That is not to patronize though, Dublin is every bit the cosmopolitan ( and expensive ) EU capital, and the once-troubled Belfast wears its gritty history with pride.
But head out to the Burren , or the lanes of Cork , and you will find warm taverns ringing with the sound of the fiddle and a way of life where time still takes its own time.
The headline draw in Ireland is the capital Dublin where you can visit Kilmainham Gaol and pull a pint at the Guinness brewery. But not to be missed are the Cliffs of Moher, the ancient streets of Galway , and the colored houses of Cork in the capital of “authentic Ireland”.
For the edgier side of the Emerald Isle, cross the (porous & invisible) border to the North and check out the murals of Belfast. From here you can easily visit Game of Thrones locations or check out the geologically wondrous Giants Causeway .
What to Know Before Visiting Ireland
- Don’t miss out on… Watching an Irish sport (hurling or Gaelic football) game in a pub.
- You know what’s overrated… kissing the Blarney Stone. You’ll wait sometimes hours in line just to share spit with other people over a hole in the wall. Yes, it’s as unnecessary as it sounds.
- The coolest hostel is… Jacobs Inn . Offering a super cool bar area and rooftop terrace, the pod sleepers will make sure your ready for a top day tomorrow.
- The best food is found… at the Galway Seafood Festival. If you happen to be staying in Galway in September and October, don’t miss out on this.
Backpacking Greece
Getting to know Greece is one of the most rewarding backpacking trips to be had in Europe. Those blue and white houses and perfect Mediterranean landscapes you have seen on postcards live up to their hype in real life.
Greece is a charming, laid-back country. Backpacking the Greek Islands has been one of my favourite travel experiences. This is due not just to the beautiful views, but to the food, beaches, wonderful people, and plethora of history.
Island hop the Cyclades. Pop over to Crete . Experience life with no cars on Hydra. Whatever you get up to in the Greek islands, a Europe backpacking trip that makes it here is hell of a good time.
But wait! Greece may be best known for its islands but there is a whole mainland of INCREDIBLE stuff to explore, too! (Also, it’s way cheaper than the tourist-crowded islands.)
Visit Athens , the capital full of ancient history and cool graffiti. I know the city gets a bad rap but it’s actually pretty cool. For one thing, the nightlife here is fantastic – rebellious, wild, and absolute fun. Another draw is the Acropolis.
Close to Athens, you’ll find Delphi , an adorable little town with the ruins of a once-famed oracle’s home. Meteora is known for its unique monasteries built on top of stone pillars. Thessaloniki , Greece’s second city, is full of good vibes and great food.
If you’re a history and/or mythology geek, backpacking Greece is gonna get your socks spinning out of excitement.
What to Know Before Visiting Greece
- Don’t miss out on… the Ionian Islands. This part of Greek islands receives a fraction of tourists yet hosts some of the most beautiful places in the country. Zakynthos has good places to stay .
- You know what’s overrated … Santorini. It’s overcrowded, expensive, and on the verge of being spoiled.
- The coolest hostel is… Athens Quinta . Travelling is all about finding those magic places that make you feel at home. This hostel takes that idea and runs with it. Including, free breakfast!
- The best food is found in… Crete. It’s well-known for its culinary culture. It’s far enough away from the mainland that the food is quite different as well.
Off the Beaten Path Adventures in Europe
Europe gets BUSY. Hundreds of millions of people, both from Europe and elsewhere, travel around it every year.
And you know what? 80% of those people do one of two things. Either they just visit a few cities or they go on cookie-cutter tours where they are shuffled around from one famous attraction to another, plowing through a sea of baguettes, gelato, and, tapas along the way.
(Actually – that doesn’t sound half bad…)
It’s easy to get off the beaten path by visiting Europe’s hidden gems . In the Netherlands, go anywhere that’s not Amsterdam; in the UK, anywhere that’s not London ( Ed: not quite sure about that, but close).
But there are also a few countries that have not been included in this guide yet, and I’d like to give them a little shout-out. They are not traditionally on the backpacker trail but they are awesome, plus they’re right on your route so it’s very easy to visit them!
For starters, Vienna in Austria is easily amongst the most beautiful cities in Europe. While visiting Vienna , everywhere you look there is some regal remnant of the Hapsburgs: a palace here, a monument there, and plenty of museums to go along with them.
Checking out Luxembourg can also be nice since it’s easy to get to and fro from the Netherlands or Germany. It’s expensive as fuck and the eponymous city doesn’t offer much to see but there are some awesome Luxembourg Airbnbs including enchanting countryside castles.
Check out some of the micro-nations, too. Vatican City is super easy to include since it’s literally smack-bang in the middle of Rome – the world’s smallest country measures less than a square kilometre. Visiting Monaco is an easy day trip from the French Riviera, and San Marino from Bologna, Italy.
Staying in Andorra , on the border between Spain and France, is a great idea. It’s particularly gorgeous in the autumn. Liechtenstein is one of the weirdest places in Europe. Full of cool stuff, most tourists visit the town Vaduz for a day but the Liechtensteinian Alps are worth a couple of days of hiking!
Other than that, explore small villages. Go on multi-day treks. Climb the mountains that aren’t the Alps (though they are stunning). You could also just fuck off to Georgia for a bit to extend your stay (who cares if it is actually in Europe or not).
Couchsurf with locals. Spend a few extra days getting to know a popular city. Do things that aren’t on the “must-see sights” in backpacking Europe travel blogs.
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Well, with dozens of countries and countless cities in Europe to visit , it’s a bit hard to pinpoint the BEST things to do in Europe.
But you gotta start from somewhere. So here are some of the top things to do whilst backpacking Europe on a budget.
1. Go to a one-of-a-kind festival
Europe loves to celebrate every little occasion they can, be it the death of a saint, a harvest, or even just a long weekend. Between the cultural holidays – of which there are MANY – the seasonal festivals, and the more modern musical festivals, you’ll have many opportunities to just let loose. And let loose is what you should do.
You could check out the Carnival at Venice, get wasted in Dublin on St. Patrick’s Day, and get tomatoe’d at La Tomatina in Valencia. Let alone some of the world’s best music festivals like Boom Festival (psytrance), Glastonbury (pop-adjacent), and Roskilde (also pop-adjacent).
2. Go island hopping in Greece
Greece is composed of over 227 islands – which means there are over 227 places to go on an adventure. Live out your mythical fantasies on the islands of Ithaca or Crete, escape the hecticness of life on Sikinos, or join the hordes of partiers on Ios and Mykonos. Your choice.
2. Eat all the tapas in Spain
In Spain, tapas are not just a plate of food; they’re a way of life. They require time, attention, company, and most of all, love, to truly appreciate.
When visiting Spain, it is absolutely mandatory to sit down to a tapas meal with friends and to converse over them, preferably for an entire night. The best tapas are found in Andalucia, especially in Granada .
3. Hike in the Alps
Of all the great mountain chains in the world, the Alps are probably the most accessible. Over the years, it has been tamed and crisscrossed with so many trails that just about anyone can visit here. Tours around the 3 highest mountains in the range, Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, and the Grand Combin, as well as the otherworldly Dolomites, are all exhilarating experiences and among the best hikes in the world .
5. Get cultured in Italy
The most historically significant and consequently most popular cities to visit in Italy are Rome, Venice, and Florence. These “museum cities” deemed culturally significant by the government are preserved as best as possible.
They are like interactive history lessons that you can walk amongst or even get lost in for days at a time. I highly recommend you make time for the Colosseum, the work of Di Vinci, and the Vatican museums.
6. Dance like no one’s watching
The party cities in Europe are on a different scale than the rest of the world. I’m talking about Berlin, Amsterdam, and Manchester. The stories from the clubs are the stuff of legends.
The level of freedom and debauchery is enough to make even the most open-minded do a double-take. Even if you aren’t able to get into the infamous Berghain, you can take your nights (or days) whichever way you please.
7. Change your plans
It’s always good to have an idea of itineraries while you’re backpacking Europe. But there’s nothing more heartbreaking than falling in love with a place (or person? ) and having to leave for your next destination. So leave a bit of wiggle room in your route for surprises.
Extend your stay at the cheap hostel with the cute bartender. Buy the last-minute plane ticket to meet that travel buddy again. Let the universe take control a bit too.
8. Take the scenic route
Europe has one of the most developed train travel networks in the world. You can get just about everywhere by rail, which is fantastic news when Backpacking through Europe!
These insane views and comfy carriages make some of the best train journeys in the world . It’s a classic; characters in The Murder on the Orient Express and Dracula have traversed the same rails. It’s damn romantic too, so settle down.
Granted, it’s more expensive than the bus so it’s not the best way to save money. But with high-speed trains, you can really make the most of your time on a Euro backpacking trip. So sometimes it’s worth the extra Euro.
9. Get High in Amsterdam
Would this really be The Broke Backpacker if I didn’t encourage you to sample some grade-A Dutch weed? The Dutch are very progressive when it comes to mind-altering substances so if you’re looking for a place to do some drugs safely and legally, Amsterdam might be to your tastes!
Just be respectful about it – residents of Amsterdam are not big fans of the hordes of drug tourists wandering the streets of the city.
10. Deep dive into London
London is one of those amazing cities that you could spend a lifetime exploring. It has a reputation for being expensive – and there’s good reason for that.
But there are so many museums and attractions to visit – many of which are absolutely free! With cheap flights, free walking tours, and a London Pass , it can actually be a surprisingly budget-friendly destination. The British Museum, Buckingham Palace, and the London Eye are all worth putting on your Europe itinerary.
Wanna know how to pack like a pro? Well for a start you need the right gear….
These are packing cubes for the globetrotters and compression sacks for the real adventurers – these babies are a traveller’s best kept secret. They organise yo’ packing and minimise volume too so you can pack MORE.
Or, y’know… you can stick to just chucking it all in your backpack…
Hostels are the most affordable accommodation option for backpacking Europe on a budget. Well, aside from dreamy mountain huts, your awesome tent, and a stranger’s couch. Lucky for you, Europe is THE place for living da hostel life in all its glory.
This continent might hide some of the best hostels in the world – but arguably also the worst…
These incredible hostels in Europe come in all shapes and sizes. But remember, a cheap hostel isn’t necessarily a perfect hostel. In fact, it rarely is (but, yes, you can occasionally hit the jackpot).
But not all of them are dedicated to parties. You’ll also find loads of boutique hostels for flashbackers, quiet rooms for families, and even some female-only hostels for solo female travellers .
Well, back to the good stuff. When you’re backpacking Europe, you find accommodation is generally very safe, clean, and fun. Pub crawls and get-togethers are a staple in almost any hostel.
But if you’re wanting to plan a trip to Europe on a budget… well, you’ll have to make do with sharing the bigger dorms. Even hostels can sometimes be a bit pricey in Europe, especially in France or Switzerland. Still, they’re way cheaper than Airbnbs or hotels.
Airbnb is a great option if you want some space away from travellers and a more authentic experience. Though they’re not always the cheapest way. If you’re in a group, the prices can be more reasonable.
- Where to Stay in Spain
- Where to Stay in Portugal
- Where to Stay in France
- Where to Stay in Italy
- Where to Stay in Scotland
- Where to Stay in Ireland
- Where to Stay in Switzerland
- Where to stay in Greece
Backpacking Europe does not have a reputation as a budget-friendly place for travellers . The prices in the popular tourist destinations have sky-rocketed in recent years, and it doesn’t look like they’re slowing down any time soon.
It’s pretty cunning actually. The cheap flights entice you in and BOOM: you’re stuck paying the price for it – literally.
For most travellers, booking hostels is your cheapest option. Cheap hostels range from around $25 – $50+ a night for a bed. If you’re in a group, Airbnbs can (but not always) be cheaper.
Though, where there’s a will, there’s a way. There is, and always have been, savvy travellers making their way around Europe with clever tricks to save money.
I recommend both of these options over hotels mainly because you usually get a kitchen to prepare your own food. Doing this can bring your food bill down to around $10 – $15 a day. You could easily spend more than this on one meal of you eat out. You can find street food for around $6 but it’s not always the best quality.
Booking flights, trains, and buses in advance is the best way to save money. That way, flights go for as little as $20 and buses $10. The same goes for accommodation: the sooner you book, the better deal you will get.
If you want to let loose a bit, drinks in bars are generally quite expensive which can be up to around $10 in some places! So most people in Europe pre-drink (buy cheap drinks from the supermarket to drink a home before they go out) . Hostel bars usually have the most reasonable prices.
One budget-saving tip for first-time backpackers is to sort out your travel banking . Currency conversions and ATM fees stack up.
Get a travel card like Wise (formerly Transferwise) . With this, you can easily combat extra charges. Especially if you’re backpacking trip through Europe has many countries, this will make things much cheaper.
A Daily Budget For Europe
I have broken down the average daily travel costs in Europe you can expect in order to help you get to grips with your own Europe backpacking budget.
Travel Tips – Europe on a Budget
Okay, so now that you got an idea of the average costs for backpacking in Europe… What if I told you that you could save even MORE? Here are some of the best money saving tips for travelling Europe on a shoestring budget.
- Camp : With plenty of awesome beaches, forests, stunning countryside, and far-flung mountains, camping whilst backpacking Europe on a budget is a great option. Grabbing a solid backpacking tent is never a bad idea! Just be aware that wild camping is illegal in most of Western Europe. So if you want to do it, you gotta be a little sneaky about it.
- Cook your own food: Travel with a portable backpacking stove and cook your own food to save some serious cash whilst backpacking across Europe. If you are on a tight budget, cooking grocery store food is your best option to save. With a stove in tow, you can do this even without a kitchen.
- Hitchhike : Hitchhiking is a 100% free and adventurous way to get around. In Europe, it’s pretty safe and easy although some countries are tougher than others.
- Couchsurf: The Portuguese, Greeks, Spanish, Germans — they are all awesome folks. Get to know some! Check out Couchsurfing to make some real friendships and see a country from the perspective of locals.
- Dive some dumpsters: Dumpster diving helps if you’re a little broke for a store-bought meal, too. There’s an art to it but you can soon get the hang of it.
Why Should You Travel to Europe with a Water Bottle?
Plastic washes up on even the most pristine beaches… So do your part and keep the Big Blue beautiful!
You aren’t going to save the world overnight, but you might as well be part of the solution and not the problem. I hope you become more inspired to continue being a responsible traveller .
Plus, now you won’t be buying overpriced bottles of water from the supermarkets either! Travel with a filtered water bottle instead and never waste a cent nor a turtle’s life again.
Drink water from ANYWHERE. The Grayl Geopress is the worlds leading filtered water bottle protecting you from all manner of waterborne nasties.
Single-use plastic bottles are a MASSIVE threat to marine life. Be a part of the solution and travel with a filter water bottle. Save money and the environment!
We’ve tested the Geopress rigorously from the icy heights of Pakistan to the tropical jungles of Bali, and can confirm: it’s the best water bottle you’ll ever buy!
So precisely when is the best time to visit Europe on a budget?!
Western Europe is a total madhouse in the summer; millions upon millions of tourists descend on the continent. Cruise ships fill the harbours, tour buses clog the road, and flight prices increase.
Whilst the middle of the summer can be a very beautiful time to visit, the summertime is the most crowded season and it is also the hottest. Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, and Greece can be so hot in July and August that all you want to do is switch places with that white wine bottle sitting in the bucket of ice.
Europe is also very prone to seasonal pricing. Prices rise with the temperatures in the summer.
Point being, come in the summer if you must, but I don’t recommend it. The spring and the fall seasons are the best time to visit Europe on a budget. The temperatures are mild, and a majority of the people who were here on summer holiday have now sulked back to their offices and suburban hells.
Springtime in Paris and other European cities is as romantic as it sounds. Flowers are blooming and the birds are out. You can go in a t-shirt during the day without having the sun cook you alive.
You will find the lowest prices in most regions in the winter. Southern Europe – Algarve in Portugal, Andalucia in Spain, and Greek islands – is still pretty warm in the wintertime.
If you love winter sports, a winter visit is an obvious choice to explore the French, Swiss, or Italian Alps. Just note that pricing in ski destinations goes heads-up in the winter. The snow season is hugely more expensive than the summer.
Also, note on common European holidays: Europeans get around on their own continent a LOT during peak school holidays. This doesn’t necessarily mean higher prices but it DOES mean impenetrable crowds. Times to avoid outside of the peak summer season are usually mid-September, mid-February, Easter, and New years/Christmas.
What to Pack for Europe
When you’re backpacking Europe, depending on where you’re going and WHEN you’re going will change your packing list. Spain in the summer looks very different from Germany in the winter. But on every adventure, there are some things that are an excellent addition to your backpacking packing list that will really help your Europe backpacking trip.
On every adventure, there are 6 things that are an excellent addition to your backpacking packing list. They will greatly enhance your Europe backpacking trip too.
Snoring dorm-mates can ruin your nights rest and seriously damage the hostel experience. This is why I always travel with a pack of decent ear plugs.
Hanging Laundry Bag
Trust us, this is an absolute game changer. Super compact, a hanging mesh laundry bag stops your dirty clothes from stinking, you don’t know how much you need one of these… so just get it, thank us later.
Sea To Summit Micro Towel
Hostel towels are scummy and take forever to dry. Microfibre towels dry quickly, are compact, lightweight, and can be used as a blanket or yoga mat if need be.
Monopoly Deal
Forget about Poker! Monopoly Deal is the single best travel card game that we have ever played. Works with 2-5 players and guarantees happy days.
Grayl Geopress Water Bottle
Always travel with a water bottle! They save you money and reduce your plastic footprint on our planet. The Grayl Geopress acts as a purifier AND temperature regulator. Boom!
In order to get the most of your backpacking trip around Europe, you want to ensure that you get your phone plugged in and connected to a local network as soon as possible. That way you can use map apps to save yourself hours of being lost in city streets, get on Tinder to find yourself some company, and order in food on those days when you just can’t be bothered to go outside.
Note that if already have an EU SIM then it will work seamlessly in all over EU member states. However it will stop working when you leave the EU (such as when you cross from Eire to Northern Ireland or Montenegro to Serbia) . Likewise if you are visiting Europe from the US or Australia, you may find yourself having to change sims multiple times during your trip…unless…
Our recommendation is to get yourself the HolaFly e-SIM Europe package . It works in 32 different European countries and offers unlimited data. There are a number of different packages available and the 30-day one costs $64 USD. What we particularly love about e-Sim is that you don’t need to remove your native sim, and can download your e-Sim package before you even leave home!
We have previously written a full HolaFly eSIM review which you can check out or else you can just hit the button below and check out the European Packages.
So how safe is Europe ? Very, very safe, actually.
There’s very little violent crime in Europe, traffic is mostly organised, and there are few natural disasters… The possibility of something bad happening to you on your journey backpacking Europe is slim, to say the least.
Your biggest concern is probably pickpockets and thieves. They particularly target crowded markets and train stations. Always be alert when moving about in big cities especially if you have all of your gear with you.
And those operating in big European cities are true pros – it’s not always enough to just keep your wallet in a purse instead of a back pocket. Keep a keen eye out, especially in Paris, Barcelona, and Rome.
The most popular European tourist sites are also teeming with scammers. With a little research on the most common tourist scams in Europe, it’s not hard to avoid them at all.
It is never a good idea to be out shit-faced drunk, alone, and loaded with cash – especially not at 3 am. Be smart, make good choices and it shouldn’t be too difficult to guard yourself and your belongings.
A few years back, Europe faced a string of terrorist attacks. Nothing new has arisen in the past few years so travellers shouldn’t feel worried about terrorism… And besides, unfortunately, we now know that these kinds of attacks are not only happening in Europe.
These events were rare but they did receive a lot of attention and negative press. That led to a lot of pro-nationalist anti-Muslim rhetoric across Europe even though plenty of other groups were also committing acts of violence.
And as diverse as a lot of cities in Europe are, Europeans, in general, are pretty damn white, and everyday racism is still well and alive. This doesn’t necessarily make Europe unsafe, it just means that it’s not impossible that ethnically diverse travellers might hear some snide commentary.
However, there are some happy news for other possibly-vulnerable backpackers: solo female travellers and LGBTQ+ travellers can thrive in Europe since Western Europe is generally safe for them.
- Is Amsterdam Safe?
- Is London Safe?
- Is Barcelona Safe?
- Is Naples Safe?
- Is Berlin Safe?
- Is Paris Safe?
Sex, Drugs, and Rock n’ Roll in Europe
Europe likes to party, a lot .
And not just one kind of partying, but all kinds of European Backpacking trip debauchery. There are your squats in Paris, beach clubs in Ibiza , warehouse raves in Berlin, music festivals in the Netherlands, all of that, and then some. You can’t beat chilling on some church steps at 3 am sipping negronis with friends either.
When it comes to partying, each culture has its own way of doing things. The Italians like the slow burn, starting with a spritz at aperitivo, then a nice dinner with wine, a cocktail at a local bar, before finally moving on to shots at the bar.
The Spanish are similar except they start all of this at 9 pm and go until 4 am. The Dutch appear to be hydrating all the time, but don’t be so sure; they’re big fans of the molly water.
You get the gist though. If you’re going to tour the party cities in Europe , you need to choose your parties well .
There are a couple of parties that shouldn’t be missed:
- Staying at one of the legendary party hostels .
- Going to a nightclub in Berlin. (Berghain is overrated – there are multiple that stay open 24/7!)
- Drinking in the piazzas of Rome.
- Dipping into a baggy in Amsterdam.
- A night in the Delirium Brewery in Brussels.
Also, be aware that not all European cultures take kindly to drunkenness. The Mediterranean cultures tend to frown upon people who can’t handle their shit. The further north you go, the less people care about your state of mind.
Getting Insured BEFORE Visiting Europe
Europe is a safe place to travel but that doesn’t mean you’re completely invulnerable. Sometimes you fall down the stairs in a club in Athens… or get your iPhone nicked on the Paris metro…
Going anywhere without travel insurance is too risky – so do consider getting good backpacker insurance sorted before you head off on an adventure. The best kind of travel insurance will cover both your material stuff as well as your physical self. Backpacking Europe can be a dangerous occupation.
ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing .
They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.
SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!
Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.
Of course, there is no one answer to this question. Where do you want to go backpacking?!
Once you dial in where you plan to go, it is only natural to start your backpacking Europe trip in the country first on your list. Easy!
Whilst looking for cheap airfare to your destination, I advise that you look at multiple cities and find cheap flights – even if that city isn’t in your targeted country. You can easily fly between capitals in Europe on the cheap, or take a super-cheap bus.
For example, if you want to begin your backpacking Europe adventure in Spain but the tickets to Paris are going for $200 less, odds are you can score a budget flight to Madrid or Barcelona from Paris for less than you would have paid flying directly to Spain.
Be wary that the Schengen zone is threatening to introduce a nice new piece of red tape for anyone outside of the EU for 2024. Keep up to date on the ETIAS website , where the EU are concocting new ways of making it hard to travel.
Insider tip : Those budget-friendly flights often charge an arm and a leg for baggage. If you just travel with hand lugagge, you’ll save money and spend less time in the airports. That means more time to actually visit Europe.
Entry Requirements For Europe
If you want to travel long-term in Europe , then you may need a Visa. Entry and Visa requirements vary between different European countries although many of them do follow broadly similar criteria.
For travel in EU countries, a Schengen Visa is required (unless you are from another EU country in which case all you need is your passport/ID). Note that some EU countries are not part of the Schengen agreements and separate visas are required for visiting. Thanks to almost borderlessness of the EU though, travelling between EU/Schengen countries is usually super easy.
The ETIAS system will begin working in 2024, so make sure you stay prepared for that!
Out of the countries covered in this guide, countries that are not part of the EU are the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.
Citizens of the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore can usually obtain visas for most European countries on arrival. It can be significantly harder for everybody else. Overstaying visas is not recommended.
It is very wise to work out which countries you wish to visit and check their individual entry requirements before you set off. Regarding overland travel, note that even if you are only passing through a country en route to another, entry requirements will still apply.
There are many great ways to get around Europe – and it’s super easy! Western Europe has excellent transportation networks and usually booking tickets online is hassle-free.
The cost of travelling around Europe CAN lighten your wallet though, especially if you travel a lot. To be able to travel Europe cheaply, you have to know the tricks to do it.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the best ways to travel Europe.
Long-distance buses are probably the cheapest option, though they tend to be the most time consuming as well. A 9-hour journey with a company like Flixbus is likely to cost you between 25-50 Euros depending on when you book.
I like Flixbus because, if plans change, you can cancel for a small fee and re-book when you’re ready. You can score long-distance buses for as little as 10 Euros if you’re really on it.
Many Western European countries might also have their own national budget bus lines.
Train travel is an awesome way to backpack Europe. Many backpackers specifically build their backpacking Europe itineraries around travelling on a train – this is called interrailing.
They’re really easy to use and there are all different kinds. Smaller domestic trains connect all corners of the countries.
High-speed trains and sleeper trains connect countries. The central train stations are usually right in the middle of the major European cities, often making it more convenient than flights.
If you plan on hitting up multiple countries in Europe, the Eurorail Pass is a great option. You can buy a rail pass for one country or for all of Europe. Buying train tickets individually adds up fast, so buying a pass is a great trick to travel Europe on a budget.
Renting a car is surprisingly affordable in Europe and will give you unrestricted freedom to go and do what you want. And finding a car rental is no trouble at all.
Booking in advance is the best way to ensure you score the lowest price and your choice of vehicle. Often, you can find the best car rental prices when you pick up the rental from the airport. You can easily rent a car from any major city in Europe.
Driving in Europe is also pretty easy with lots of well-maintained highways and clear signage ahead!
You don’t feel like driving yourself? BlaBlaCar is a great website for connecting drivers with people interested in carpooling. You do have to pay for the ride. However, it’s usually cheaper than a train, faster than a bus, and more fun than travelling alone!
Travelling by campervan is the most classic, most awesome option. You have unparalleled freedom and access to places you would not otherwise have. You also eliminate the need to pay for accommodation every night.
If you’re travelling long term, it can be a great way to travel Europe on a budget if you buy your own campervan. For shorter term travellers, renting a campervan is easy to do all across Europe. Then you get complete freedom within the contient.
Those long, long highways of Europe are just begging for someone to get on them on two wheels… Europe is an excellent destination for long-distance motorbikers and bicyclists.
For motorbiking, France and Germany are particularly popular. For bikepackers , the Netherlands is pleasantly flat to cycle around.
Europe is one of the best places in the world to hitchhike, even long distances. I recommend studying a map before sticking your thumb out there.
Try to get an idea of which roads you need to take to get to your destination. Europe is full of tiny, winding backroads that splinter off in all directions.
It goes without saying that you should not try hitchhiking in major cities. While hitchhiking in Europe is safe generally, it is important to be on your guard and use good judgement when accepting rides.
From personal experience, hitching rides in Western Europe can be tricky. Finding rides along major highways – that Western Europe is full of – can be hard as there aren’t good places for cars to stop (looking at you, Germany and Northern Greece).
In other places, like Spain, I struggled to find rides because lots of people (falsely) seemed to think that hitchhiking was illegal. Plus, Western Europeans’s got places to be and might not be receptive to picking up a stranger.
The best hitching luck I had was in Switzerland, Austria, and France. I highly recommend trying it everywhere though!
Onwards Travel from Europe
Europe is home to many major global travel hubs and international airports. This means you can get anywhere in the world – often with a direct flight – depending on where you’re going. If you are on a grand European or world tour, heading to Eastern Europe and making your way into Turkey and beyond is a straightforward affair.
In fact, you can fly from London or Paris to Istanbul for as little as 20 Euros with some forethought (although rare). Plus, you’ll find lots of train options going to Istanbul from all over Europe.
Keep in mind as well that countries in North Africa are sometimes just an hour or two flight away. Backpacking Morocco and Tunisia are great options after travelling Europe on a budget. There are also daily boats from Southern Spain to Morocco for about $40 USD – not too pricey at all!
Boats run to North Africa from Sicily too, so if you fancy marauding in Tunisia , you can easily hop over from Italy. I would strongly advocate for this, because backpacking Europe is not complete without a little Africa.
Want to spend more time in Europe? No problemo!
While the cost of living in most Western European countries is quite high and work visas can be tricky to navigate, there are lots of options available for industrious backpackers. (Though you DO need a work visa pretty much everywhere.)
The UK and Ireland are especially popular for native English speakers; there are tons of Aussies living in London.
EU nationals don’t usually need visas to work in other EU countries so things are easier for them.
And you didn’t hear this from me… but there might be a chance for backpackers to do a bit of work under the table as well. Get chatting with locals, stay open, and keep your ears perked. There are lots of backpackers earning a bit of extra cash from helping out in bars, farms, and festivals, especially in the summer travel season.
A new country, a new contract, a new piece of plastic – booooring. Instead, buy an eSIM!
An eSIM works just like an app: you buy it, you download it, and BOOM! You’re connected the minute you land. It’s that easy.
Is your phone eSIM ready? Read about how e-Sims work or click below to see one of the top eSIM providers on the market and ditch the plastic .
The Digital Nomad Scene in Europe
Despite certain weather challenges, Europe is HUGE for digital nomads. Sure, most countries in Western Europe are real expensive to live in. That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t attract digital nomads.
London, Berlin and Amsterdam all have massive digital nomad communities. However, these nomads may not stay in the city all year. They are also usually more high-earning nomads.
Those just starting to learn how to be a nomad prefer to head to eastern Europe – Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, and Hungary are all top destinations for broke nomads.
Portugal is hands down the best country for digital nomads in Europe. It’s one of the more affordable countries (although getting more and more expensive), extremely nomad-friendly both in terms of community and locals’s attitudes towards nomads, and super fun. The weather also isn’t half bad! In the Algarve, you can get +30 Celsius temperatures even in the winter.
If Lisbon and Porto are not your speed, definitely consider staying in Madeira . The Portuguese island is rapidly becoming one of the top destinations in the world for digital nomads.
Other cool places for nomads are Greece (especially Athens) and the Canary Islands in Spain. Both are affordable on Western European standards.
Internet is pretty much a non-issue in Europe . Most of the major cities have high-speed fiberoptic cables lain and the more remote villages have decent coverage. Whilst hiking the Dolomites, I even got 4G using my local SIM card. I could’ve worked in a local rifugio for a few days!
Is this the best digital nomad-friendly hostel in the world?
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Bali’s most special backpacker hostel is finally open…. Tribal Bali is a custom-designed, purpose-built co-living hostel – a place to work, rest, play and stay. A place to find your tribe and hands down the best place in Bali to hustle hard and make new friends…
Volunteer in Europe
Volunteering abroad is an amazing way to experience a culture whilst helping your host community. There are plenty of different volunteer projects in Europe including teaching, construction, agriculture, and pretty much anything.
The list of volunteering opportunities in Europe is pretty much endless. Will you run pub crawls at a hostel in Spain? Help herd sheep in the French Alps? Give hand to a music festival in the UK? The sky’s the limit.
Short-term volunteers usually won’t need a permit, but anyone from outside the EU will need a Schengen Visa to volunteer in Europe for over 90 days.
There are many ways to find volunteer opportunities but the best way is to start online. Check out some of the best work exchange websites to get started.
The team at The Broke Backpacker have used and can personally recommend Worldpackers . I feel like Workaway is the biggest platform but that doesn’t make it the best.
A heap of the European cultural identity is built on its history. Italy and Greece are home to some of the most brilliant ancient cultures; France is considered the origin of enlightenment; Portugal has a strong (although complicated) history in seafaring and exploration.
It’s no coincidence that Europe has more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other continent. When it comes to art, heritage, sports, and music, Europe is considered by many to be the heart and origin of Western culture.
The first and absolutely most important thing that you need to know about culture in Europe is that people are not “just European”. In fact, using “European” as a blanket term for everyone who lives on the continent is pretty ridiculous since it doesn’t really begin to describe anything.
According to Britannica , there are over 160 distinct cultures in Europe, though if we’re being honest this number could be higher. Within each of these cultures are sub-sections and divisions with their own national, religious, and historical identities.
There are over 160 distinct cultures in Europe , though if we’re being honest this number could be higher. Within each of these cultures are sub-sections and divisions with their own national, religious, and historical identities.
What this means is that many people are very proud of their cultural identities and can be mildly offended if you try to paint everyone in the same colour. For example, the Scots are very proudly Scottish, and you definitely shouldn’t try to call them English.
At best, culture in Europe shows in celebration. At worst, rising tensions related to immigration have given wind to some ultra-right nationalist ideals. (Yikes.)
Europe is also, overall, very modern. Expecting “traditional” stereotypes is a bit silly. People mostly don’t dress in national costumes; at Oktoberfest, the people wearing the fake lederhosen and dirndl are tourists. Not everyone knows flamenco in Spain – in fact, it’s a dance that originated from the Romani community especially in Southern Spain.
Football fans are crazy everywhere though, that much is true.
What to Eat in Europe
The food in Europe is so varied that my mind reels just trying to think about it. Where do I even begin?
First off, people are extremely proud of their culture’s cooking. Italians sing praise about the quality of ingredients and the simplicity of their style. The French boast about their prowess in the kitchen and complex techniques. The Spanish of course love to talk about their tapas culture.
Secondly, though European culinary traditions have very long histories, most changed completely in the last few centuries. The introduction of new ingredients from the new world was nothing short of revolutionary. The Italians received the all-important tomatoes, the English imported curry, and the Germans got the Turkish kebab.
Most European culinary traditions have very multicultural pasts. North African traders and immigrants have had a profound effect on the Mediterranean diets and cultures as distant as China have purportedly influenced the creation of pasta.
All I can say is that a backpacking trip through Europe will be like a tour of heaven for your stomach. There are so many different kinds of food to try and a staggering amount of diversity. My best advice: try the usual suspects but be sure to experiment a bit.
Must-Try Dishes in Europe
Here are some of the best foods you have to try while backpacking in Europe:
- Pasta (Italy) – A VERY general term: pasta can mean a lot of things. Be sure to have more than just spaghetti.
- Coq Au Vin (France) – A simple, yet delicious stew made from chicken, wine, mushrooms, and garlic.
- Pies (UK) – A staple of just about every pub and inn in the UK. Simple and satisfying.
- Haggis (Scotland) – A slightly spicy mixture of internal organs cooked in a lamb’s stomach is actually really delicious.
- Pastel de Nata (Portugal) – A small, custard-filled egg tart that originates in Lisbon.
- Paella (Spain) – Rice prepared in a special pan and often prepared with seafood.
- Moules Frites (Belgium) – Mussels prepared in different kinds of sauces and served with fried potatoes.
- Souvlaki (Greece) – What most people imagine to be “gyros” when gyros is just a general term for shaved meat.
- Schnitzel (Germany) – Meat flattened, breaded, and fried.
- Sachertorte (Austria) – A delicacy of Vienna and perhaps one of the best cakes in Europe.
- Stroopwafel (Netherlands) – The best sweet treat ever.
Europe’s super-varied landscape and wealth of cultures mean that there are heaps of cool new experiences to have. Go beyond your regular pub crawls and walking tours and check out some unique experiences you can only have in Europe.
Things go wrong on the road ALL THE TIME. Be prepared for what life throws at you.
Buy an AMK Travel Medical Kit before you head out on your next adventure – don’t be daft!
Hiking in Europe
Europe is a land blessed of incredible hiking opportunities with trails both for expert trekkers and beginner hikers . Each country has a wide range of day hikes and multi-day treks on offer. Trekking is a great way to get to know any country by experiencing its wild side.
In addition to well-maintained trail systems, many regions in Europe have a network of mountain huts. For a fee, you can enjoy these super comfortable and unique fixtures of the European mountains.
Here are a few of the best hikes in Europe to get you psyched for an outdoor adventure of your own.
- Mt. Etna Trek, Sicily, Italy : Climbing an active Volcano in Sicily is as much fun as it sounds.
- Walkers Haute Route, France-Switzerland (Chamonix to Zermatt): A famous high route from Chamonix to Zermatt. The trek features absolutely classic alpine scenery, snowy peaks, glaciers, high meadows and deep valleys, and close-up views of such icons as Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn.
- Tour Du Mont Blanc, France: The unforgettable circuit around the Mont Blanc massif. Outstanding views up to Mont Blanc, Western Europe’s highest at 4,810m, and out across the dramatic peaks, glaciers, and deep green valleys of the high Alps. If you have the time, this might just be the most scenic (and most trafficked) hike in Western Europe.
- El Camino de Santiago, France – Spain: Perhaps the most popular long-distance trek in the world , El Camino is an important trek in the hearts of religious pilgrims and outdoor enthusiasts alike. The Camino is actually multiple trails leading to Santiago de Compostela and eventually Finisterre, “the end of the world”.
- Mount Olympus, Greece: The fabled mountain where the ancient Greek Gods were supposed to have lived is very climbable in just one day.
Surfing in Europe
Many backpackers are unaware that there is some killer surf to be found all across Europe. Portugal is certainly famous for having massive waves and the associated surf competitions.
That said, if you are keen on surfing at some point as you’re backpacking through Europe, you do have some options. Below I have provided a shortlist of surfing hotspots in Europe.
- Biarritz, France : One of the oldest known surf meccas of Europe. The surfing here is great for beginners as well as seasoned rippers.
- Newgale, Wales : Surfing on this beautiful stretch of coast facing out towards the Irish Sea; the waves here are powerful and the views are epic.
- Belhaven Bay, Scotland : This surf spot is only an hours drive from Edinburgh! Make sure you have a good wetsuit. Not the warmest water in the world, but the waves are good at times.
- San Sebastian, Spain : When not eating and drinking, it is easy to hit the beach and catch a few waves before resuming the former.
- Lagos, Portugal : Probably the unofficial capital of surfing in Portugal. There are many surf schools across Lagos that will help you tune up your surfing game in no time.
Museums in Europe
Europe is the world’s best continent to tour museums, both art and history adjacent. (That might have something to do with plundering other countries’ national treasures and refusing to return them… But uh, let’s not focus on that.)
Europe’s best museum city is London. Most of London’s museums are free to visit, and they have some of the best collections of art and historical relics from everywhere in the world. (Again, for certain reasons…) My favourite museums in London are The National Gallery, The Natural History Museum, The British Museum, and Victoria and Albert Museum.
Paris is strong in the museum game too. Definitely visit the Louvre and its most iconic resident Mona Lisa. Don’t grumble about it being small, it’s still awesome. For more morbid explorers, the Paris Catacombs offer a cool glimpse into the city’s history.
More honourable mentions to go Reina Sofia in Madrid, Rijksmuseum and Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, and Dachau concentration camp in Germany (it counts).
Bring your ID – some places, like the Louvre, have free admission to students and people under 25.
Got questions about backpacking Western Europe? I’ve got the answers!
Where should I start backpacking through Europe?
Backpacking through Europe is a momentous task, but starting in Britain or Portugal will stop you having to make tedious back and forth journeys. You don’t want to be doubling back on yourself when distances are so large! That said, you can really start anywhere, just make sure you’ve got enough cash to fly home 😉
How long is the average backpacking Europe trip?
On average, backpackers make a 2-3 week route travelling around Europe. If you want to visit Europe properly, you can easily spend 6 months or more pedalling around. Try going for 2-3 months if you want to get a much fuller picture of what it is like.
What is the Cost of Backpacking Through Europe?
As with anywhere, the cost of backpacking Europe will be down to you, where you go, and how you spend. Western Europe is more expensive and will most likely require $50-$90/day, whilst heading east can put your budget lower, at around $30-$60/day. On top of transport and flights, Europe can seriously add up…
Where are the hottest people in Europe?
I’d say Finland. Source: I’m Finnish. Apparently Nordic people are, statistically, very sexually liberated on a global scale. But I would personally like to guide your attention towards Southern Europe… Greek Tinder is something else, hey.
Who feeds the Loch Ness monster in Scotland?
The park rangers feed the sea snake with tourists that behave badly and/or ask stupid questions. There’s also a bloke who has been on the lookout for years and never seen it. Take from that what you will.
Congratulations! You made it to the end of my Europe travel guide!
I hope the information I have provided will help you navigate the exciting European journey you have decided to embark on. Backpacking in Europe will be one of the most fun experiences of your life, I have no doubts about that.
Europe can be one hell of a place to let loose and have a good time. Between the party-hearty music festivals, discotheques, rave scenes, pub crawls, and other venues of hedonistic tendency, there is ample opportunity for backpackers to get down.
Have fun on your Europe backpacking journey – but like my mum would say, not too much fun! Partying every day is one of the most common backpacker traps that travellers fall into.
When visiting historic sights or religious monuments, be respectful. Certainly do not climb on old ruins or touch priceless paintings. Europe is full of historical treasures. Don’t be that dickhead that contributes to their demise and destruction.
When you can, make an effort to learn at least a few words of the local language of the country you are backpacking in. It’s a challenge as every country has a different language, but a little effort goes a long way. The world need not revolve around us native English speakers!
Do your best to support local artisans, organic farmers, and craftspeople while travelling around Europe. Keep your dollars local, especially in small villages or towns.
Never take it for granted that you are healthy and financially able to go travelling. Show the world around you some gratitude and help to make a positive impact on it.
Most of all, have the time of your life and spread the love!
Updated May 2023 by Abe Lea
And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!
Nic Hilditch-Short
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2 Week Itinerary Europe - 4 Fab Itineraries For Europe in Two Weeks (2024)
There’s so much to do in europe you could drive through 3/4 countries in a day or could spend 10 days driving through a single one while you can’t do it all these four 2 week itinerary europe should help you see the best of europe 2 weeks .
Europe sits on every person’s wish list! It is full of fascinating cultures and centuries of history!
Lucerne in Switzerland , Mykonos in Greece , Paphos in Cyprus and Venice in Italy are some of the most fascinating places in Europe, however it can get quite tricky to tackle these places in Europe in two weeks.
2 weeks in Europe is not enough to experience this vast continent.
There’s so much happening in each town, experiences that need to spend more than a day sometimes and travel does take up quite a chunk of the itinerary too!
There are 44 countries in Europe, full of fascinating cultures and experiences.
Ideally, through a Europe two weeks itinerary, you should be able to cover three or four countries at least. If you have even lesser days, this 10 day Europe itinerary should also help (there’s 8 options!)
So read on to see how to best experience this continent and get the most out of your 2 week Europe trip!
Recommended tours in Europe
- Old Town and Gothic Quarter Walking Tour in Barcelona
- Pompeii, Herculaneum, & Vesuvius Full-Day Tour from Naples
- River Seine Cruise in Paris
Here’s four – 2 week itinerary Europe for an amazing getaway!
General info – europe in two weeks.
This post has four itineraries for a 2 weeks Europe trip
Here’s some information about these itineraries which can help you plan your 2 weeks Europe trip :
A Europe trip itinerary 2 weeks should ideally be only for four to five cities maximum. This is because despite many countries being pretty close to each other, you have to take into account the time you’d need for travelling and getting to the airport/train station and from the airport/train station to the city.
These itineraries for a Europe trip in 2 weeks suggest at least two days in a city and one day for travelling between two cities.
Plan your 2 weeks Europe trip itinerary in advance especially if you are visiting in summer. June-August is the peak season for tourism in Europe.
For those who want to do a Europe trip in 2 weeks, I’d suggest you stick to the main, well connected cities. If you have only two weeks in Europe, avoid travelling to faraway places.
2 Week Itinerary Europe
Day 1, 2 – Lisbon
See the Carmo Convent ruins and Santa Justa Lift. Head to Alfama – the oldest neighborhood of Lisbon. Visit the São Jorge Castle and Lisbon Cathedral.
Enjoy the view of the city from the Miradouro das Portas do Sol, a scenic viewpoint in Alfama. Watch a Fado show and enjoy some Portuguese food.
Start Day 2 with a trip to the colorful Pena Palace in Sintra. Sintra is a 40-minute train ride from Lisbon. In the second half, spend time at the Lisbon Oceanarium, the largest indoor aquarium in Europe.
Day 3 – Lisbon to Barcelona
Fly to Barcelona (nearly 2 hours by flight)
Day 4,5 – Barcelona
Start your day by seeing the Sagrada Familia Cathedral and Arc de Triomf. Next, see the Casa Batlló and Casa Milà.
In the afternoon, you can either see the Palau Nacional de Montjuïc, visit Camp Nou (home stadium of FC Barcelona) or spend time at Tibidabo, home to Spain’s oldest amusement park. Spend your evening at Park Guell. Return to Plaza Catalunya (near La Ramblas) for the Fountain show at 9.30 pm.
For day 2, I suggest these: a Gothic Quarter walking tour ; seeing the Cathedral of Barcelona, La Ramblas, La Boqueria market, Monument of Christopher Columbus, Maritime Museum and sailing in a sunset cruise at Port Vell.
Day 6 – Barcelona to Monaco
Fly to Monaco. Train and bus journeys would be tiring: 9 hours and 12 hours at least.
Day 7, 8 – Monaco
On your first day in Monaco, see the Prince’s Palace, Oceanographic Museum of Monaco and the St. Nicholas Cathedral. Walk along the Monte Carlo Harbour or take a boat trip.
End your day by visiting one of the casinos that the city is known for. If you are planning a trip in late May or June, you can watch the Monaco Grand Prix in the city.
For the second day, I would suggest taking a day trip to Nice. It’s just a 25-minute train journey to Nice from Monaco.
Day 9 – Monaco to Naples
Fly to Naples
Day 10, 11 – Naples
Spend Day 1 in Naples seeing the Naples Royal Palace, Naples Cathedral, Underground Naples, Cappella Sansevero and Castel dell Ovo. In the evening, walk along the city’s coast. Try some Neopolitan pizza in one of the city’s eateries.
Spend the next day taking a day trip to Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii and Herculaneum .
If you’re planning to spend time in Italy in summer this post should help!
Itinerary 1
Europe two weeks itinerary for portugal, spain, france, italy, cities: lisbon – barcelona – monaco – naples – amalfi coast.
Day 12 – Naples to Amalfi Coast
You can drive from Naples to Amalfi Coast, take a bus (3-hour ride) or take a ferry.
Day 13,14 – Amalfi Coast
For your first day, take a day trip to the island of Capri, pass through Sorrento and definitely see the Blue Grotto. This sea cave is illuminated in blue due to the sunlight passing through an underwater cavity and shining through the seawater.
Spend your second day in Amalfi town. See the Duomo di Amalfi and the Museo della Carta. Spend time by the beach or drive along the coastal road. You can also visit the Positano, just a few minutes away from the town of Amalfi.
Itinerary 2
Europe two weeks itinerary for turkey and greece, cities: istanbul – santorini – naxos – mykonos – athens, day 1, 2 – istanbul.
For Day 1, I suggest visiting the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Hippodrome of Constantinople, Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. End your day by taking a sunset cruise on the Bosphorus Strait.
On day 2, see the Grand Bazaar, Suleymaniya Mosque, Spice Bazaar, Galata Tower, Taksim Square and Dolmabahce Palace.
If you have some time left, you can either do a short food tour or visit one of the many museums in the city.
Day 3 – Istanbul to Santorini
Fly to Santorini (about 4 hours)
Day 4,5 – Santorini
Here is a 2 days in Santorini itinerary
Day 6 – Santorini to Naxos
Ferries take between one to two hours to get from Santorini to Naxos.
Day 7, 8 – Naxos
The main village on the island is called Naxos town or the Chora.
The best things to do on the island are dining and shopping in the Naxos town, spending time at the gorgeous golden beaches, seeing the ruins of Apollo Temple and Temple of Demeter, hiking on one of the mountain trails and seeing the traditional Chalki village.
Plaka Beach , Agios Georgios Beach, Agios Prokopios Beach, Agia Anna Beach and Aliko Beach are some of the best beaches on the island.
Day 9 – Naxos to Mykonos
Take the ferry from Naxos to Mykonos (45 mins – 1.5 hours: depends on the ferry you take)
Day 10, 11 – Mykonos
The main town here is Mykonos town. Mykonos town is where you’ll find the best nightlife and dining options and the Old Port.
The best things to do in Mykonos are –
Enjoying nightlife in the Mykonos town, shopping and dining in the area
Visiting the Ano Mera village
Seeing the ruins of Delos island
Seeing the Kato Mili windmills
Watching the sunset from Little Venice or Armenistis Lighthouse
And of course, spending time at some of Greece’s most beautiful beaches!
Ornos and Platis Gialos beaches are great for families. Paradise, Super Paradise, and Paraga are the best beaches if you want to party.
Here’s a Greece 7 days itinerary if you’re trying to figure how many days to spend in Greece!
If you’re planning to spend April in Greece refer to this post !
Day 12 – Mykonos to Athens
Fly to Athens (the fastest way) or take a ferry (time depends on the ferry you’ll take).
Day 13,14 – Athens
Visit the Acropolis, Acropolis Museum and Parthenon during your time in Athens. There are other sites of Greek history to see, such as the Philopappos Hill, Temple of Hephaestus and Temple of Olympian Zeus.
See the changing of the guard in front of the changing of the guard in front of the Greek Parliament and spend time at the National Archaeological Museum. Try Greek food from street outlets in Monastiraki and Plaka
This is a great 2 week itinerary Europe for the summer season. Naxos and Mykonos have some of the best beaches in Greece .
If you don’t have enough time for a Europe trip 2 weeks, this itinerary can be done in 10 days too – skip one of the islands and spend only a day in Athens and Santorini.
This post has information on how you can see Athens in a day and this on spending a day in Santorini (and how many days in Santorini you actually need!).
Itinerary 3
Europe two weeks itinerary for united kingdom, netherlands, france, cities: dublin – edinburgh – london – amsterdam – paris.
These well connected capital cities in Western Europe would make for an easy 2 weeks Europe trip.
Day 1,2 – Dublin
Begin day 1 by seeing the Trinity College, Book of Kells and The Long Room. Next, see the street with the Temple Bar. Next, see the Ha’penny bridge and the GPO Museum. See The Brazen Head, Dublin’s oldest pub, Christ Church Cathedral and the Guinness Storehouse.
End your sightseeing early for a pub crawl and enjoy the nightlife in the city.
For Day 2, see the Molly Malone statue, the Dublin Castle, the Chester Beatty Museum and St Patrick’s Cathedral. Visit the Teeling Whisky Distillery for a tour or tasting session and the Irish Whiskey Museum to learn about the history of Irish whiskey.
Day 3 – Dublin to Edinburgh
Fly to Edinburgh. The journey needs a little above an hour.
Day 4,5 – Edinburgh
Start day 1 by seeing the Edinburgh Castle. After that, you can either visit the Camera Obscura or visit the Scotch Whisky Experience.
Post lunch, walk down the Royal Miles to see St Giles’ Cathedral, The Real Mary King’s Close, Cadenhead’s Whisky and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Go to Arthur’s seat for a great view of the city.
On Day 2, see the National Museum of Scotland, Scottish National Gallery and Royal Yacht Britannia.
In the afternoon, explore the Dean village, a quaint city area. Or for Potterheads, there is the Potter trail, a free tour of Old Town Edinburgh (Pre-book: the afternoon tour starts at 2 pm).
Day 6 – Edinburgh to London
Take the train or fly to London
Day 7,8 – London
On Day 1, see the London Tower, Tower Bridge and eat at the nearby Borough Market, the city’s well-known food market. See the beautiful Kensington Garden and Palace. Pick between the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum.
On day 2, see Hyde Park, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. You can see the state apartments inside Buckingham palace during the summer months.
Walk by Trafalgar Square and see the National Gallery. Take a ride on the London eye in the evening to watch the setting sun paint the city with beautiful red hues. Pop into a pub to enjoy London’s pub scene.
Day 9 – London to Amsterdam
Fly to Amsterdam or take the train (involves change at 1 station).
Day 10, 11 – Amsterdam
Visit the Jordaan neighbourhood when in Amsterdam – this neighbourhood is popular for its food and architecture. Explore Des 9 Straatjes or ‘the nine streets’, which is excellent for food, shopping and seeing the canal houses.
You should also see the Anne Frank museum, the house where the Frank family hid for two years during the war, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. Take a canal cruise during the evening time.
If you’re here in spring (end of March to May), don’t miss out on going to Keukenhof to see the incredible tulip gardens.
Day 12 – Amsterdam to Paris
Take the high-speed train to Paris or a direct flight.
Day 13,14 – Paris
A trip to Paris would be incomplete without spending time at the iconic Eiffel Tower . This is one of the most crowded attractions in Paris: buy skip-the-line tickets for the Eiffel Tower, especially if this is a part of your Europe summer itinerary
Other traveler favorites include the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, and river cruising on the Seine river . You can also visit the Sainte-Chapelle, a royal chapel with exquisite glass stained windows and Musée d’Orsay, a museum with stunning impressionist art.
If you are looking for something other than museums, consider visiting the Moulin Rouge to experience cabaret and theatre or taking a wine tour or tasting session through a local operator.
Itinerary 4
Europe two weeks itinerary for art lovers – germany, czechia, austria, italy, cities: berlin – prague – vienna – florence – rome, day 1, day 2 – berlin.
Spend at least half of your day at the Museumsinsel or Museum Island, a group of five museums in the heart of Berlin. Antiques, paintings, sculptures and artefacts galore: you’d easily need a few hours to admire and wander around this UNESCO World Heritage site.
For contemporary art, there are so many spaces that you possibly cannot cover all of these in two days. Contemporary Fine Arts, EIGEN + ART and Koneg Gallery are a few of the well-known ones.
See the East Side Gallery memorial, a large open-air museum with painted graffiti and the largest preserved section of the Berlin Wall.
Day 3 – Berlin to Prague
Currently, there are no direct flights from Berlin to Prague. You can take the bus, train, share a ride, or drive to Prague, which will need 4 to 4.5 hours.
Day 4, 5 – Prague
In Prague visit the National Museum, DOX Centre for Contemporary Art, Museum of Decorative Arts, Museum Kampa and Meet Factory. Like Berlin, there are so many galleries and spaces here, that in 2 days you will not be able to see all of them.
Day 6 – Prague to Vienna
Prague to Vienna by train needs 4 hours vs 4.5 hours through a car or rideshare. Or you can fly to Vienna in 2.5 hours.
Day 7, 8 – Vienna
There are so many museums in this city that you’ll be spoilt for choice. You’ll have to pick a few depending on your interests.
Start with the Museums Quartier, an area with 60 cultural institutions. The Natural History Museum, Kunsthalle Wien, Leopold Museum, ZOOM Kindermuseum and the MUMOK (Museum of Modern Art) are popular attractions here. You can also see the Hofberg, another speciality museum nearby.
See the Belvedere Palace and relax in its beautiful Baroque park. The Belvedere Palace also has a stunning art collection made up of paintings from famous Austrian and other European artists.
Day 9 – Vienna to Florence
The best way is to take a flight to Florence (3-4 hours). Taking a bus is cheaper, but it’ll need at least 12-13 hours or more.
Day 10, 11 – Florence
On Day 1 visit the Uffizi , Galleria dell’Accademia , Musée Marino Marini (for contemporary art) and Pitti Palace Galleries. The Pitti Palace Galleries include the Royal Apartments, Palatine Gallery, Museum of Costume, Modern Art Gallery and Grand Dukes Treasury.
Keep some time aside to visit the Duomo, a landmark of the city, Basilica of Santa Croce and see the city from the Piazzale Michelangelo.
Day 12 – Florence to Rome
Take the scenic train ride from Florence to Rome ( a little more than an hour) or drive to Rome. Most flights are indirect flights and will take longer than a train or road trip.
Day 13,14 – Rome
Vatican museums, striking architecture and contemporary art galleries; there’s art around every corner in Rome.
Here are some of the places you could visit to admire Roman art –
Vatican Museum
National Roman Museum
Galleria Borghese
Musei Capitolini.
Doria Pamphili Gallery
San Luigi dei Francesi for Carravagio paintings
For day 2, do keep some time aside to see the mighty Colosseum and the Pantheon.
Europe is full of endless possibilities and no matter which destination you pick you will leave with memories to last a lifetime!
Pick places you’ve had on the bucket list for ages for your first Europe trip, then keep returning to cover itineraries you can do in proximity of each other to get the most done and not spend time on transport!
Even if you pick the same route, there’s always more to discover in Europe!
European Itinerary 2 Weeks – frequently asked questions
How many european countries can you visit in 2 weeks.
You can visit three/four/five countries, if you want to see Europe in 2 weeks. Many European countries are very close to each other or well connected by road, rail and air. Three-four countries is ideal for a Europe in 2 weeks itinerary
What is the best way to see Europe in 2 weeks?
The best way to travel Europe in 2 weeks is to pick two/three/four countries and stick to the main cities in these countries. Stick to the main, well connected cities for a 2 week europe trip itinerary. In this way, you’d have a good number of options to travel between cities quickly and get enough time to see the highlights of the cities on the days you are not travelling.
Is two weeks enough for Europe?
Yes, if you don’t plan to visit too many places and travel frequently.
A Europe 2 weeks itinerary is definitely not long enough for Europe. Through a 2 weeks Europe trip itinerary, you can see one city in three to four countries, or five countries, if the countries are closer to each other. Seeing Europe in two weeks means you’d have to pick only a few cities and their highlights to see.
What is the average cost of a 2 week European vacation?
A low budget 2 week Europe trip would cost 1500-2000$. A mid budget two week Europe trip would cost 2500-3000$. This also depends on the season when you take the 2 week trip to Europe.
2 weeks in Europe would be the most expensive from June to August which is the peak season, so you would be paying higher for flights and accommodation.
Award-winning Analyst, multi-nominated digital content creator and photographer Lavina Dsouza's words capture stories about culture and tradition mainly through its food and people. She has written and contributed to publications such as The Washington Post, Lonely Planet and Matador Network, to name a few. She is the editor of UntraditionalHumans.com, a non-profit created to share inspiring stories from women of colour who break free from traditions and choose happiness.
She's also a speaker passionate about DEI and champions solo travel. She has collaborated with numerous renowned brands such as Intrepid Travel, TripAdvisor, Travel and Leisure and Adobe, to name a few.
She can be found on Twitter and Instagram.
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Complete Europe Travel Blog: To Help You Plan Your First Trip
THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED LINKS. FIND MORE INFO IN MY DISCLAIMER.
Read more about the countries we cover on our blog by clicking on a link below or alternatively keep reading about how to plan a trip to Europe below the links.
Netherlands
Switzerland
Europe is such an incredible destination to visit and explore!
For those of us from countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, there is something special about learning about history and exploring picture-perfect old towns, little alleys, and gorgeous castles.
We love Europe and even though this continent is so far away from our home country of Australia, we try to get visit there as often as we can.
We have enjoyed many road trips, some of our favorites in fact, and we love visiting Europe with our kids to expose them to the different cultures and different scenery as well.
Quick side story: Andrzej was born in Poland and lived there until he was 18. So we have a wee bit of European blood in our family.
So let us help you plan a magical first trip to Europe.
What Is The Best Time To Visit Europe?
Europe is lovely right throughout the year. The continent has varied climates, like tundras in the northern countries of Sweden, Finland, and Norway.
Mediterranean countries like Portugal, Italy, and France are also great any time of the year.
Wherever you go, you’ll want to keep the seasons in mind. Better weather can mean more tourists.
Expect the summer seasons from June to September to be warmer and also more crowded.
We typically try to travel to Europe during the shoulder months, my favorite month to visit Europe is in September however read this post if you are looking for the best city to visit in Europe in December or if you are looking for the best places to visit in Europe for a weekend !
If you are after a winter holiday, look no further than Germany or Switzerland. Here is a helpful post on beautiful places in Switzerland to see on your next trip.
What Is The Cheapest Month To Travel To Europe?
Traveling to Europe can become quite pricey, but there are a few ways to curb your spending.
It’s best to travel to Europe during the fall and winter months between September and March. Although, you can expect prices to increase for December.
Here is a great post on how to travel around Europe for cheap .
Even when flying during the off-season, you’ll want to fly during the week as opposed to weekends.
Book a flight on a commercial airline as well and choose the busiest routes as they’ll be more affordable. From past research, the cheapest time to fly to Europe is in February.
Subscribe to flight alerts as this can tell you when the cheapest tickets are available so that you can book your flights ahead of time.
How Many Days In Europe Is Sufficient?
This is definitely a complicated question, especially when traveling with kids.
You would want to ensure that you’ve got enough time to see cool places and give yourselves time to rest.
But, you also don’t want to rush your stay and wish that you’d spent more time thereafter.
If you’re looking to head to bigger cities like Paris, Rome, Lisbon, Athens, and London, you’ll definitely want to plan for around three to five days .
This will give you enough time to reset after the journey and explore the major attractions in the city.
If you’re hoping to cover some of the smaller cities or towns , you’ll want to keep your trip to around one to two days long.
The smaller cities/towns are lovely for sightseeing and tend to have some of the best-unobstructed views, but they won’t always have as many attractions.
If you’re a traveling family like us, you can use the smaller cities as a pit stop on your way to bigger cities.
Visiting smaller cities in between can help you save on pricey accommodation.
As we travel from Australia, the long trip means that we typically try to go to Europe for at least 2-3 weeks at a time.
Which European Countries Are The Friendliest?
When you spend a lot of time abroad, it’s best to choose some of the friendliest European countries so that you can feel safe and have a friendly face to ask for help or directions.
Knowing that locals are approachable makes the trip all the more exciting.
According to Euronews , Portugal is the friendliest European country and is 20th globally.
Other friendly countries in Europe include Greece at 12th, Ireland at 16th, and Spain ranking 19th out of 59 countries.
Certain countries are friendlier than others. In fact, 14 European nations were in the bottom 20 for friendliness—globally!
Austria was voted the least friendly, with Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic following closely.
So if the attitude of others towards you is something that can easily affect you, then I suggest you pick one of the friendlier countries for your first trip.
Which European Country Should I Visit First?
Choosing where to go will depend on your itinerary, how many days you’ve got to spend in any given country, and where you’re departing from.
But here’s a quick list of our favorite places. Make sure to even add a few of the best European cities to visit to your European travels!
The first country you choose to see has to be Italy.
We loved the beautiful scenery and enjoyed doing bucket list items like seeing the Colosseum in Rome!
Venice is also a jaw-dropping location for a romantic couple’s vacation (or even a honeymoon).
In actual fact, we love Italy so much that we have been back three times and the last time, we spent over 3 months in Italy traveling from North to South.
We love the Italian people, they are so friendly and don’t mind noisy kids. Of course, the food was an absolute delight as well.
You can’t go wrong by picking Italy for your first trip to Europe.
Use our Italy travel guide to start planning your trip and make sure to see what airlines fly to Italy for the best flights.
In my opinion, the most beautiful country in Europe might just be France.
We did a massive round trip around France and we just fell in love with the little towns and the scenery.
Of course, Paris is a beautiful location, regardless of who you’re with, but there are also stunning views from the French Riviera and Alps.
There are also a ton of things to do in France, so if you are traveling with your kids, you can rest assured knowing that your kids won’t get too bored just walking around and checking out the sights.
We took our girls to see the many castles in France and had the chance to spend some quality time in places like Colmar and Loire Valley.
You can use our France travel guide to start researching and planning your trip.
3. Greece
The Mediterranean is our third favorite, with Greece as our favorite country to visit. It’s a good place for family beach days.
There is quite a bit to see in Greece, like the Acropolis, Lake Plastira, and Santorini.
Throughout the 227 islands, there is a range of fascinating foods to try out.
It is also quite a popular destination as of late, so there are a ton of combo packages and affordable deals to keep you on track with your budget.
Due to its popularity, it is best to book flights as soon as possible. Here are our best airlines to fly to Greece to help you decide.
Use our Greece travel guide to start planning your trip. Another great resource is our post on the best places to visit in Greece for first-timers .
Should I Visit Europe With Kids?
Europe has always been a really popular destination for families. Europe is safe and offers plenty of baby and kid-friendly facilities.
The continent is easy to explore with kids in tow.
The best European countries for families include Italy, France, Spain, Portugal & the UK.
You can find a list of the best places to travel in Europe with kids here, or if your kids are older you might prefer our list of the best places to visit in Europe with teens
How to Plan A Trip To Europe
There are a few things you need to sort out first before planning your itinerary.
You’ll want to gather all your documents and make sure that your budget will allow you to travel to the country of your choice.
Once you know where you’re going, you can book your accommodation, airfare, and insurance, and plan your itinerary.
You’ll want to keep an eye out for any tours and affordable deals and keep tabs on any of the logistics sides of things.
1. Decide where to go and how long to go for
How long can you go away for? Once we know this, you can figure out how many destinations you can manage to visit on your Europe trip.
As a broad guideline, we recommend 3-4 nights for bigger cities and 2-3 nights for smaller towns.
Now it is time to figure out where you want to go. Are you going to focus on one country or visit multiple countries?
With the amazing network of trains and cheap flights, traveling to multiple countries in Europe is a breeze. The best part? You can visit some of the most popular cities in just one trip!
For example, why not try out Paris or Rome for a unique experience? Both cities are full of culture and history, so it’s up to you to decide which one you like more.
Make a list of all the destinations you will be visiting.
If you plan on traveling long-term to different countries in Europe be sure to check out this post on the 10 most beautiful countries in Europe for long-term travel !
2. Decide where you will fly in and out of
Now that you know where you will be going, figure out where you will be flying in and out.
You could choose to fly in and out of one destination (great if you are traveling on a budget), or fly into one destination and out of another (typically more expensive than getting return tickets in and out of the same city).
And then it is time to secure those flight tickets. Here is a helpful post full of wonderful airplane travel accessories – so helpful for long-haul flights!
- Flights to Europe: We personally book our flights on Cheapo Air, and we find that they are often the cheapest (even in comparison to Skyscanner). Click to check on prices for your flights .
3. Book your travel insurance
We never travel without travel insurance with Safety Wing.
We have claimed on our travel insurance more than once, claims that would have cost us A LOT out of our own pockets. Don’t skimp out on insurance!!
- Travel Insurance: Safety Wing offers incredible plans and is one of the few insurance companies that allow you to grab insurance when you are already traveling! Click to check on their plans and prices .
4. Book your accommodation
Now that you know which date you will be landing in Europe, you can start booking your accommodation for the trip.
- Accommodation in Europe: We always start our accommodation research with Booking.com.
- We find that Booking.com offers a fabulous range of accommodations, from luxurious resorts to home rentals (and we often find the prices for these rentals are cheaper when compared to sites like Airbnb). Click here to start your research for accommodation .
5. How will you get around?
Lastly, think about how to want to get from point A to point B. You might prefer to simply hop on a high-speed train (if that option is available for your destinations).
Or you might prefer to travel more lightly, stopping along the way at cute towns with a car rental.
- Car Rental in Europe: The best car rental company in Europe is Auto Europe. Auto Europe is a car rental booking service that quickly compares car rental prices across all the major brands like Hertz, Avis, and Europcar. Click to see prices for car rentals .
- Train Tickets: We love to purchase our train tickets through Omio. Click here to purchase your train tickets .
6. Plan your itinerary
Next, it is time to start planning what you will be doing at each destination. You can easily do that by using our country travel guides down below. This is the fun part that I love most.
7. Stay Connected
When you are traveling in Europe and especially when crossing multiple borders, you may need to get a local sim card to stay connected, and so on.
Well, there is an easier way these days, an more hustle-free.
Check out our recommended Best eSIM for Europe travel options here, and see which one is best for you and your needs.
European Countries Travel Guides
Click on the links below to read a Europe travel guide on each of these European countries:
Europe Travel Blog Posts
Click on the links below to read a Europe travel post about some of the best places to visit in Europe, travel tips for Europe as well as European Itineraries.
Top 10 Most Beautiful Countries in Europe for Long Term Travel
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Best eSIM for Europe Travel in 2024 (eSIM Data Plans Guide)
After the best eSIM for Europe travel in 2024? We got you covered! Exploring Europe is an incredible experience, with its stunning destinations that span … CONTINUE READING
Visiting Greece in September: Weather & Best Places to Go [2024]
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Visiting Switzerland in June: Weather & Best Places to Go [2024]
Have you been wondering about visiting Switzerland in June? I’ve got you covered! Europe is a continent full of wonders and a place that has … CONTINUE READING
35 Best Weekend Trips in Europe (Plus Where to Stay)
Have you been wondering about the best weekend trips in Europe? I’ve got you covered! Weekend trips in Europe can be a truly magical experience. … CONTINUE READING
37 The Best European Cities to Visit in 2024 (Picked by Bloggers)
Curious about the best European cities worthy of exploration? I’ve got you covered! Europe is a continent with a vast selection of countries, cultures, and … CONTINUE READING
17 Best Airlines To Fly To Europe (Complete Guide Updated 2024)
Looking for the best airlines to fly to Europe? We got you covered. How can we determine the top airlines for flying to Europe? The … CONTINUE READING
15 Of the Absolute Best Places to Visit in Europe With Kids
Whether visiting attractions or enjoying a gelato (or three), Europe with kids is the perfect opportunity to build memories with your quickly sprouting squad. When … CONTINUE READING
Holafly eSIM Review (All About Holafly Europe Travel)
When traveling through Europe, it’s ideal that your phone has easy access to the internet, so you’re never left in the dark. In our Thailand … CONTINUE READING
25 Best European Cities to Visit in December
Visiting Europe in the winter may not be on the top of your travel destination list, but many of the cities listed here are full … CONTINUE READING
5 Best European Summer Destinations For Families
If you are looking for a family summer vacation and you are craving a European holiday, you will be excited to know that Europe is … CONTINUE READING
5 Best Places To Visit In Europe With Teens
As a parent, you want to provide experiences that your teens will remember long after they’ve grown up and moved on. If you are looking … CONTINUE READING
Looking For Cheap Ways To Travel In Europe? Here Is Some Tips
The question of getting around whilst traveling in Europe has always been a significant concern for a lot of tourists and people moving to Europe … CONTINUE READING
5 Best Places To Visit In Europe In December With Family
Looking for the best European cities to visit in winter with kids? Here are our top picks for this year! Winter in Europe has plenty … CONTINUE READING
After travel guides on destinations other than Europe? A good place to start is on our Wanderlust Storytellers homepage .
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European road trips: 15 of the best journeys across the continent
Sep 13, 2022 • 13 min read
Coasting through Italy's Dolomites Mountains © Artur Debat / Getty
In light of the recent travel chaos at airports across Europe, there has never been a better time to buckle up and explore Europe’s legendary landscapes by road.
Lonely Planet's new Epic Road Trips of Europe book is the perfect inspiration to get out there and explore Europe by road. The new book offers a gorgeous collection of routes, gathered from contributors around the world. Enjoy the unique freedom a road trip allows while exploring Europe's wondrous landscapes, delicious regional food and drink and fascinating local culture and history.
From ancient ruins to some of the world's best wine, here's a first look at the new essential European road trip companion guide.
Ancient ruins and coastal views
The Peloponnese, Greece
Start: Ancient Corinth End: Nemea Distance: 395 miles (635km)
History and legend collide on this mountainous peninsula where you’ll find classical temples, Mycenaean palaces, Byzantine cities and Venetian fortresses. Combined with dramatic peaks and deep gorges that give way to turquoise seas and deserted beaches, it makes a glorious spot for a road trip. In the northeast corner of the peninsula sits Ancient Corinth, a mostly Roman city, home to Jason of the Argonauts, stealer of the Golden Fleece. From here, you can take a route that combines historic, fortified cities with beaches and some of Greece’s most interesting wineries. Head for the sanctuary of Zeus at Nemea, hilltop Mycenae or coastal Epidavros with its 4th-century-BC theatre, one of the best preserved ancient Greek structures in the country. Then loop by the mountaintop Byzantine city of Mystras, ancient Olympia, home to the original games, and the Lousios Gorge where you’ll find the cliffside Prodromou Monastery.
The best sustainable tourism experiences in Greece
The Costa Brava, Spain
Start: Girona End: Girona Distance: 118 miles (190km)
Mixing Greek and Roman ruins with medieval towns, the eccentricities of Salvador Dalí and a wild and rugged coast, Spain’s Costa Brava makes a fascinating, eclectic destination for a road trip. Begin by exploring Girona’s hilly medieval core with its web of alleys and Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque churches. From here it’s an easy trip to Besalú, its strikingly well-preserved medieval streets fanning out around the handsome 11th-century Pont Fortificat (Fortified Bridge). Heading east to Figueres things get decidedly more bizarre at the Teatre-Museu Dalí , a fittingly trippy tribute to the local hero and Surrealist artist. Dalí spent his later life nearby in Port Lligat near Cadaqués , a whitewashed village with a pretty harbor and bohemian vibe. South along the coast are the extensive ruins of the Greek city Empúries and its later Roman neighbor, while inland is Castell de Púbol, a 14th-century castle that was Dalí’s gift to his wife and muse, Gala.
5 spectacular road trips around Spain
Hvar, Croatia
Start: Hvar Town End: Jelsa Distance: 22 miles (35km)
Fought over by the Illyrians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Venetians, Hvar has long been a sought-after destination. Medieval walls topped by an imposing Spanish fortress enclose the Old Town, whose marble streets are lined with elaborate Gothic and Renaissance palaces. In high summer, Hvar attracts a party-hard international jet set, but outside the peak it’s a magical place that acts as the perfect gateway to crystalline waters and quiet villages. Head for Stari Grad on the north coast, a quieter town set on a horseshoe bay, to visit Stari Grad Plain , a Unesco Cultural Landscape whose stone walls and terraces of olives and grapes were laid out by the ancient Greeks. Drive backcountry roads through a patchwork of lavender and rosemary to discover isolated beaches and hidden coves, colorful former fishing villages such as Vrboska or Jelsa, and some of Croatia’s best wineries.
The 7 best road trips in Croatia for fans of history and epic coastlines
Captivating lakeside drives
Lake Ohrid to Lake Prespa, North Macedonia
Start: Ohrid End: Oteshevo Distance: 34 miles (55km)
Lake Ohrid is one of the oldest and deepest lakes in the world, straddling the border between North Macedonia and Albania . Despite its Unesco status and being home to a multitude of endemic species, it remains remarkably unvisited. Begin in the ancient, picturesque city of Ohrid, continuously occupied since Neolithic times. Its Grecian theatre, recently rediscovered and restored, hosts an arts festival each summer. As you drive south you pass fortresses and monasteries, teetering dramatically above the water. Leave Lake Ohrid on a series of switchbacks climbing up through Galičica National Park, where at the road’s highest point a trail leading farther up offers a view across both lakes. Descend to the tranquil Lake Prespa in time for dinner, stopping at one of the many small restaurants in Oteshevo that serve fish landed straight from the lake.
North Macedonia: how to explore this little-known gem
Annecy, France
Start: Annecy End: Annecy Distance: 25 miles (40km)
Lake Annecy found fame in Paul Cézanne’s Le Lac d’Annecy painting, a post-Impressionist masterpiece that captures all the beauty, grandeur and violence of the landscape here. But nothing beats seeking out that drama yourself. It takes just a lazy day’s driving to travel its circumference, along glimmering blue water with snowcapped Alps behind. Base yourself in Annecy and explore the gorgeous Old Town and lively markets before setting off. Impressive Château Menthon is well worth visiting and has guided tours throughout the summer months. Stop at Talloires for lunch – it has a fine selection of restaurants and good swimming beaches – and then, if you’ve still got the energy, hike one of the many trails that wind up to the peaks that surround the lake. Finish back in Annecy for a sunset drink with panoramic views across the water at the Hotel Belvédère.
The 12 best beaches in France
Finnish Lakeland
Start: Varkaus End: Anttola Distance: 86 miles (138km)
A quarter of the Finnish Lakeland region is water – there are at least 55,000 lakes here, making it the largest lake district in Europe. To drive in this area is to lose all distinction between the water and the road. From Varkaus, it’s less than an hour’s drive to the Järvisydän spa , offering every type of soaking and sweating you can imagine. It’s not all about relaxing though – as you drive across this watery landscape there is ample opportunity for swimming and canoeing, fishing and boat trips, or, in winter, skating and snowshoeing. Finland’s ‘Right to Roam’ means that camping is permitted just about anywhere, but the hotels might still tempt you. The Ollinmäki Wine Farm, just outside Anttola, has villas, fabulous food, homemade wine and nearby lakes for a final road trip dip.
Finland’s best road trips: lakes, Lapland and local delicacies (think reindeer)
Drives around Mediterranean islands
North Coast Gozo, Malta
Start: Ramla Bay End: Dwejra Distance: 10 miles (16km)
Gozo is the second-billed island in the Maltese archipelago, but for scenic appeal it easily rivals Malta proper. A drive along Gozo’s north coast reveals one of the country’s least built-up corners. Begin with a dip at Ramla Bay , a wide and largely wild beach not to be confused with the resort of the same name on the main island. Once you’ve brushed off its characteristic orange sand, take a coastal drive through the small harbor of Marsalforn, beyond which the route passes a surreal landscape of seaside salt pans. The road gets gravelly after it ducks round the inlet of Wied il-Għasri , but stick with it if you can along the clifftops to reach Wied il-Mielaħ, a natural sea arch to replace the famous Azure Window that collapsed in 2017. The location of the latter still makes a fitting trip finale, with sunset views beside the Dwejra Inland Sea.
Malta’s best diverse and delicious eating and drinking experiences
Mount Pantokrator Circuit, Corfu, Greece
Start: Pyrgi End: Pyrgi Distance: 41 miles (66km)
Mount Pantokrator is the highest point in Corfu (2972 ft/906m), and a lap of its flanks brings generous mountain and coastal views as you round the northeast corner of the island. Start in Pyrgi village and proceed north and clockwise if you want to get the climbing done early. From Pyrgi the road zigzags up past olive groves through the villages of Spartylas and Strinylas. Here you can drive east on a road up to the summit of Pantokrator itself (a car with a nimble turning circle is an advantage) where there’s a small but richly decorated monastery under a rather unfortunate communications mast. Return to the coast at the resort town of Acharavi, and head east as the road snakes round lushly wooded bays and charming villages such as c and Kalami, with views towards Albania just two miles across the water.
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Lipari Loop, Italy
Start: Lipari Town End: San Salvatore Distance: 17 miles (28km)
Lipari is the middlemost of the Aeolian Islands , and as you drive the encircling main road, each of the other volcanic islands puts in an appearance on the horizon. Lipari Town is reached by car ferries and faster hydrofoils from Sicily , and heading out north the route is a palm-lined corniche running along a yacht-filled bay. From the road skirting the shingle beach at Canneto , you’ll have views towards the islands of Panarea and – half-concealed behind it – the ever-smoking cone of Stromboli. Past the pumice quarries at Lipari’s northeast corner, twin-peaked Salina lumbers into view, and after that, more distant Filicudi and Alicudi, if summer haze doesn’t obscure them. Last to appear as you turn the southwest corner is Vulcano. It’s visible from the main road, but for a close-up, end your drive at the viewpoint beside the Geophysical Observatory in San Salvatore, at Lipari’s southern tip.
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Douro Valley, Portugal
Start: Porto End: Miranda do Douro Distance: 222 miles (358km)
Portugal kept this one up its sleeve for a long time, but oenophiles have finally clocked on to the romance – and increasingly outstanding wines – of the Douro Valley . The world’s oldest demarcated wine region (in 1756, for the record) is a real beauty, with mile after mile of twisting, terraced vineyards that rise sharply from the Douro River. Its true heart is the Alto Douro (Upper Douro), a Unesco World Heritage Site. The drive kicks off in the grand port lodges of Porto , gradually inching east to the Spanish border. En route expect to find an abundance of historic wine estates – Quinta Nova and Quinta do Crasto are names to remember. And you’ll want to linger at the Casal de Loivos lookout, where the gasp-eliciting view over the vines is the Douro reduced to postcard format. Allow five days to a week to do the drive justice.
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Lavaux Vineyards, Switzerland
Start: Lausanne End: Château de Chillon Distance: 25 miles (40km)
Easily doable in a day trip from Geneva , this short but sublime drive takes in the Unesco World Heritage-protected Lavaux vineyards , which stagger up from the northern shores of Lake Geneva in a series of sheer, stone-walled terraces that beggar belief. The road trip along Rte 9 begins in the higgledy-piggledy French-speaking city of Lausanne and takes in pretty lakeside towns like Vevey before swinging southeast to Montreux (of summer jazz festival fame) and Château de Chillon , an extraordinary 13th-century fortress, brought to world attention in 1816 in Lord Byron’s poem ‘The Prisoner of Chillon’. Painters William Turner and Gustave Courbet subsequently immortalized the castle on canvas. In the vineyards, pause at a cave to taste beautiful Chasselas white wines that are crisp, minerally and usually only produced on a small, artisanal scale. Lavaux Vinorama in lakeside Rivaz whisks you through the region’s 300 wines and offers insightful tastings.
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Chianti Road, Italy
Start: Florence End: Siena Distance: 44 miles (71km)
Toscana simply doesn’t get more bella than this classic drive on the SR222 through Chianti country. Linking two great medieval cities, the road meanders languorously through gently rolling countryside striped with cypress trees, olive groves and vines. After an art and architectural feast in Florence , it’s time to head south to Siena , crowned by its magnificent cathedral and 12th-century Piazza del Campo . In between are honey-colored hill towns, where life revolves around the town square, and is punctuated by the chiming of the campanile. Stop by enotecas (wine shops), open for tastings of the region’s revered red wines, including Chianti Classico, a sangiovese-dominated drop. The road is technically drivable year-round but is perhaps at its most photogenic during the late springtime eruption of poppies and other wildflowers.
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Trappist beers of Belgium
Start: Westmalle End: Vleteren Distance: 347 miles (558km)
Explore Belgium while tasting beers from Trappist breweries, where monks have been creating flavourful beers for centuries before the contemporary focus on craft beer. Begin northeast of Antwerp at Café Trappisten , where Westmalle beers are matched with cheeses also made by monks from the adjacent Westmalle Abbey . Heading south through Brussels , beers from the Rochefort Brewery are partnered at local cafés with venison from the nearby Ardennes region. It’s then a 50 mile (80km) drive further south to Orval for their bottle-conditioned beer, a favorite of many craft brewers around the world. To the northwest, a quick spin of the wheels through France brings you to Scourmont Abbey , the base for Chimay. At the Poteaupré Inn at the Espace Chimay visitor center, try the Chimay 150, originally brewed in 2012 to celebrate the brewery’s 150-year anniversary. From here, it’s then a two-hour drive north to Vleteren, to end the trip with some excellent beers from Westvleteren.
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Southeast Ireland suds explorer
Start: Dublin End: Cork Distance: 236 miles (380km)
Guinness in Dublin and Murphy’s in Cork are two of Ireland’s most renowned breweries, and linking these heavyweights is this itinerary visiting up-and-coming craft breweries in between. After touring Guinness’ historic St James’s Gate brewery, continue south for a hoppy Wildfire red ale from Wicklow Wolf Brewery , before making the 20-minute drive along the Irish Sea to the Wicklow Brewery. Sunday roast for lunch is always a good time to visit the brewery’s Mickey Finn’s pub. Continue through a patchwork of farmland to YellowBelly Beer in County Wexford . YellowBelly’s seasonal brews include unusual sours and farmhouse ales, while the Gallow’s Hill barley wine, found west at the Dungarvan Brewing Company, is ideal in cooler months. Complete a hop-fuelled Irish journey with a pint of Murphy’s stout at the Shandon Arms in Cork.
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German beer loop
Start: Cologne End: Düsseldorf Distance: 1130 miles (1818km)
Beer has been brewed in Germany for three millennia. It’s a major part of the country’s culture, with many regional styles. Begin with a delicate straw-colored kölsch in the shadow of Cologne Cathedral before heading southeast to Bamberg , home of interesting rauchbiers made with smoked malt. South, near the border with Austria , Munich is famous for its golden Helles lagers and the annual Oktoberfest beer festival, while to the north, in former East Germany, the traditional beer style of Leipzig is gose, a tart beer flavored with salt and coriander. Nearby, Berlin is famous for Berliner Weisse beers, refreshingly low in alcohol, and often spiked with berry syrup. To the southwest, via Hanover and Saxony , Düsseldorf is the heartland of copper-colored altbiers – the name translates to ‘old beer’, as this is one of Germany’s most historic brews.
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Road tripping through Europe with a campervan in 2024 (Itinerary)
With another eventful year behind us, where our trips were less wild and our adventures less spontaneous than they used to be. A year where we were constantly inspired by the beautiful pictures and crazy videos that our social media algorithms presented us.
Since we knew the roads would be calmer in November so we decided to follow our ‘Saved Instagram pictures’ and enjoy a wonderful autumn trip through Europe.
Our bucket list took us from the outskirts of Brussels to gorgeous medieval German castles, from the astonishing Dolomites to the picturesque Venice, and finally from fashionable Milan to the peaceful Strasbourg – How is that for an adventure?
In this itinerary, we’ve listed all the info you’ll need for a road trip through Europe with a campervan; what items to pack, how to rent a campervan, itinerary ideas, and finally: some tips for a fantastic adventure on the road.
Page Contents
Our road trip summarized in numbers.
- 1x stuck in the Italian snow
- Crossed 7 country borders
- 0 Speeding tickets
- … a thousand new adventures and stories to tell about
The roadtrip
After an earlier adventure in which we discovered the Dolomites with a campervan , we immediately knew that we wanted to travel the same way; through Europe with a campervan!
As we see it, this is the easiest solution to travel through various countries while still complying with all the COVID measurements and having a minimal risk for infection; we’d stay in our own bubble while still having all the comfort we needed: large beds, a small kitchen, and even a shower!
Our goal would be to drive from Brussels to Venice and back while discovering the most fabulous places we could find; after all, we had an immense amount of inspiration and a huge bucket list of places to visit.
Essentials for a road trip in a campervan
Are you planning to go on a campervan road trip, but want to make sure you have the essentials with you? We briefly listed the essentials that made sure our trip was a success.
Ecoflow River Pro Powerstation
As content creators, we’re always haunted by our fear of not having enough power, from the fear of being stranded in the middle of nowhere without a GPS to the fear of having a dying camera battery just when you’re about to shoot your favorite location.
Either way: We’ve all been there, so we all know these are valid worries! No wonder why one of Google’s top road trip-related searches is about finding or generating power. While there are various solutions, we found one that put our minds at ease before starting our road trip; The Ecoflow River Pro Powerstation !
In essence, the Ecoflow River Pro is a massive power bank with 2 AC power outlets and a few USB connections, generating enough power to charge our Macbook M1 Pro laptop 13 times, our smartphone 58 times, and our Sony A7III camera over 30 times. Due to its dimensions, the River Pro can usually last 8 hours, being a massive help for every road trip.
When you’re planning to cross various borders or wander around mountain passes, you’ll have to switch radio stations regularly, or you’ll end up with noise. Our trick? Make sure everyone has made their own Spotify playlist in advance! That way, you won’t be bothered by the noise and leave room for spontaneous singalong moments to occur.
Data Roaming
If you are located in Europe and are traveling through various countries, you’ll need to ensure that your data roaming is enabled on your phone to keep having an internet connection.
You shouldn’t worry about the amount of roaming you use, thanks to the European Union’s roaming regulations which say data providers can’t charge for roaming in the European Union. However, keep in mind: Switzerland is not included in this regulation! So don’t forget to turn off your Data Roaming when entering Switzerland.
What have we learned about road tripping through Europe with a campervan?
Our campervan trip through Europe confirmed something we already knew: that it’s very easy to travel between European countries. A 100 kilometers drive can bring you to a different cultural and diverse community.
Next to this, we had a few other learnings as well.
The ease of a camping site with decent facilities
While traveling in a sustainable campervan, you’ve got different options in terms of camping:
- You could visit an official campsite which has loads of facilities.
- You could park overnight at Highway stops.
- You could wild camp and stay at a new place every night.
Most European countries have different rules and regulations about camping, but generally, they (Switzerland, Italy,…) aren’t allowing wild camping … which makes it technically illegal. However, in most cases, overnight parking where you don’t set up camp or leave in less than 24 hours is allowed.
Our tip? Make sure you can drive off at any moment so that nobody can complain about it.
The thing is: If you’re on the road for over a week, you’ll need to clean your campervan and want a more luxury shower. Don’t hesitate to stop wild camping and pause at a camping site with decent facilities.
The ease of planning
Being prepared for your campervan trip ensures that you can switch gears faster and need to spend less time worrying. The things that helped us a lot were:
- Backup locations. Since we used our itinerary as a guideline, we had the flexibility to skip specific locations because of bad weather. Having backup locations made it less of a hassle to find hidden gems.
- Ecoflow River Pro . We knew we would probably wild-camp a lot, which meant not having the power to charge our electronic devices (laptop, camera,…). Luckily our friends at Dutchtravelshop.nl hooked us up with this mobile power station, which we didn’t have to recharge one single time during our 8-day trip.
The costs Tolls and Vignettes
Something we have underestimated is the fact that most European countries have toll roads, which can make your trip very expensive very fast. Luckily, there are exceptions, such as Germany, Netherlands, and Belgium.
Some countries such as Austria and Switzerland are working with a vignette, which is a prepaid motorway toll in the form of a sticker you typically purchase from petrol stations before you cross the border and which you stick on your windscreen.
Alternatively, you can always avoid tolls by picking alternative routes on Google Maps or Waze, but these will guide you through the smaller roads, resulting in a slower and longer route.
Our tip? If you have the time, save your money and go for the slower, more scenic route. If you’re in a hurry or have a tight schedule: go via the tollways.
Our road trip Itinerary
Since the lockdown started, we’ve been saving Instagram pictures of destinations that inspired us and deserved a place on our bucket list. We’ve added them all to a Google Maps collection and started planning the regions we wanted to visit.
From there on, we casually decided that we wanted to visit the Dolomites, Venice, and Milan. Because the beauty of a road trip in a campervan is that you can make up your itinerary along the way: when you’re experiencing bad weather, you can just start a few 100 km’s and adjust your itinerary as you go.
Additionally, once your start to post Instagram stories or timeline pictures of your trip, people will automatically start to recommend locations that weren’t on your bucket list to start with!
Remember that our style is to have a flexible road trip itinerary and adjust our planning accordingly. As a result, we’ll need an internet connection during our trip, which can’t always be found when traveling to rural destinations like the dolomites.
DAY 1 – Getting started
Our first day was mainly focused on picking up our campervan, unpacking the bags, and learning how to drive the campervan properly. Ultimately we already wanted to drive to our first location so that we could start our hike early!
Pickup Campervan in Brussels
We started our trip by picking up the campervan in Brussels in the afternoon, where we finally met the owners of the campervan face-to-face, received an extensive explanation of how the campervan functions, and finally managed the paperwork (for example; noting down the milage of the car, check for damages, etc).
After unpacking our bags and filling the drawers, we started driving towards our adventure! We left Brussels around 3 pm and drove straight to our first stop in Rheinland-Pfalz. Just when we crossed the steep hills of Malmedy, darkness fell over the highway, and fog started to appear.
Since the darkness prevented us from sightseeing opportunities, we quickly arrived at our first stopover and sleeping place – the “Wanderparkplatz” in Nothweiler on the German-French border . This parking is located in the middle of the woods, which explains why we came across some wild boars on our way to the parking spot.
Wegelnburg – Wanderparkplatz Nothweiler
After (wild) parking at Wanderparkplatz Nothweiler, we looked up at the sky and noticed how beautiful the stars were in the sky. We decided to unpack our Nanlite Pavotube II’s light tubes and used them to illuminate the (unlit) hiking trail, looking for the perfect spot to stargaze.
We decided to follow the winding hiking trail that crosses the German-French border until we found an open spot, which we used to capture the stars.
Day 2 – Chasing castles
We knew in advance that during our road trip to Venice, we had to pass through the German provinces of Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg. Both regions are known for their medieval castles, of which most have a panoramic view.
Our goal was to visit the most impressive castles on our route to Venice.
Wegelnburg, Germany
Wegelnburg , a ruined castle located in a forest on the French-German border, is best known for its panoramic view and incredible sunrise.
We wanted to witness that specific 7 am sunrise, so to observe this, we had to start our hike at 6 am, where we followed the zigzagging hiking trail to the Wegelnburg. This took us 5 kilometers, regularly crosses the German-France border, and passes by several other ruins on its way. The hike was covered in darkness since the sun was still about to set, making it an authentic experience. However: seeing the sunbeams roll over the mountains with such a fantastic panoramic view was just … unreal.
Be aware tho: the entrance of Wegelnburg is surrounded by fencing, so at first, we thought it was closed to visitors, but nothing could be further from the truth!
We found a shorter hiking trail on our way back, which brought us directly to the village, only 200 meters walk to the Wanderparkplatz Nothweiler.
Schloss Lichtenstein, Germany
To make our route to Venice even more interesting, we aimed to visit interesting stopovers every 2 to 3 hours (+- 200 to 300 km). In this instance, we drove towards Schloss Lichtenstein : a 12th-century fortress built on top of an 800-meter high cliff.
We noticed that the castle was managed from a commercial point of view, where everything involved a cost: parking, entering the courtyard, etc.
Nevertheless, the panoramic view over the valley and the fantastic color palette of the surrounding trees, hills, and valley made it worthwhile. It also struck us how beautifully everything had been restored and how detailed they had for their sculptures.
Hohenzollern Castle, Germany
Located less than 40 kilometers from Schloss Lichtenstein, you can find Germany’s most visited castle: Hohenzollern Castle! The castle has been known as “The Crown of all Castles” ever since 1267. Reason enough for us to visit it and admire it with our own eyes!
Our tight itinerary wouldn’t allow us to stop by the Hohenzollern Castle for an extended visit, so we decided to admire the castle from Zeller Horn’s legendary viewpoint ; It’s the mountain range located about 1.5 kilometers away, at the same height as the fortress. As a result, you have the best view of the castle and the surrounding area.
We have to be honest tho: it took us a while to find the exact location of the Zeller Horn viewpoint, but once we found it … we loved it! You can judge for yourself …
Plansee, Austria
While we had already discovered some of the most amazing places, we decided to push our luck: our goal was to visit Plansee lake, located just beyond the Austrian border, and search for its very instagrammable viewpoint that looks down over the lake.
Unfortunately, a combination of traffic jams and mandatory stops (buying our Highway Vignette to enter Austria) caused us to arrive just after sunset. We learned during our road trip through the mountains that as soon as the sun has set, it’ll be pitch dark in a matter of minutes. The same goes for our visit to the Plansee lake: as soon as we crossed the bridge, we couldn’t move without using our Nanlite lights.
After our short stop at the lake, we decided to continue our journey to a place to sleep for the night: the legendary Innsbruck city.
Innsbruck city
We’ve visited Innsbruck city numerous times, and we may even say that it’s our favorite city in Austria. This is because of its beautiful mountain background, architectural gems, alternative culture, and Innsbruck’s importance on the winter sports community.
Once we arrived, we decided to head downtown to reminisce memories from the past and see how the historic buildings (such as the Liberation Monument on Landhausplatz and the building with the golden roof) are lit up at night.
We decided to end our evening at the Hard Rock cafe to explore the same downtown area the next day after dawn before the shops opened.
Day 3 – Arriving in the Dolomites
During our previous road trip, we visited the Dolomites and missed out on a few of our bucket-list locations. Since the Dolomites were only a slight detour from our route to Venice, we decided to give some of these places a second chance … but not before we wandered around Innsbruck first!
Innsbruck, Austria
Imagine the feeling of waking up, opening the doors of your campervan, and looking out across the streets of Innsbruck with their impressive mountains as a backdrop. Well, that’s precisely how we woke up!
After a quick shower in our campervan, we decided to wander around the city again and rediscover the same historic buildings, but this time using daylight.
Another reason why we stayed in Innsbruck is that we’ve been following Holzkern Watches on Instagram for ages and noticed we could visit their shop in Innsbruck. We made an appointment, and were welcomed by their store manager Stefan who explained to us more about Holzkern’s philosophy and lifestyle, showed us how an automatic watch works and how to replace the chains of a wristband.
During our visit to the store, we fell for the charms of the La Concorde watch and the Intergalactic watch , which we took home as a reminder of our road trip.
MMM Corones
Since we visited the Dolomites last year, the MMM Corones (being designed by Zaha Hadid) have been on the top of our bucket list. When we entered the region around the Dolomites, we noticed that the lakes weren’t frozen and the roads were not covered with snow … so our first reaction was to visit MMM Corones.
Unfortunately: the ski lifts were closed because the season hadn’t started yet, and the roads were now permanently closed and accompanied by prohibition signs. So one thing is sure: MMM Corones can only be visited in a dignified manner when the ski lifts are open.
With pain in our hearts, we had to make a cross over our visit from MMM Corones, but luckily there are plenty of other places to visit in the region … so we decided to drive to the legendary Lago di Braies .
Lago di Braies
Lago Di Braies – also known as Pragser Wildsee – is the biggest lake in the Dolomites and is known as the most beautiful lake of the Alps because it’s surrounded by beautiful pine forests, towering limestone peaks, and included a unique boathouse. As a result, most people know it as (“Lago di Instagram”).
The last time when we visited the lake, it was totally frozen and covered in snow. This setting certainly had its charm, but we also wanted to visit Lago di Braies before the snow fell. Unfortunately, there was so much fog that we still couldn’t admire the lake in its best condition. Next time!
St. Johann church in Villnostal
Noticing that the sunset was approaching fast, we decided to revisit one of the most legendary sites in the Dolomites: St. Johann in Ranui Church in Val di Funes, Villnostal.
While driving over the winding roads, we noticed that the weather conditions would be utterly different from our previous visit: there wouldn’t be any snow, but the church and its surroundings were covered in fog.
Unfortunately, we didn’t notice too much of the sunset since the fog blocked all the sunbeams. By the time we left the church, it was already pitch dark.
Alpe di Siusi & Earth Pyramids Renon
We decided to drive up to Compatsch to experience the sunrise at Alpe di Siusi to save some time. Last time, we missed this view since it’s located in a nature resort and has a curfew for cars: no-one can drive by between 9 am and 5 pm.
This time, we could access the road to Compatsch, but while we were driving up the mountain, it started to snow, almost to the level of a snowstorm. When we arrived in Compatsch, our van got stuck, and a local farmer had to pull us out of the snow.
According to the local weather forecast, it would snow for the entire night, and we would miss the sunrise anyway since it would be covered in fog. In fear of getting stuck, we decided to go back down the mountain and skip our visits to both Alpe di Siusi and the Earth Pyramids of Renon.
We ended up spending the night at a truck stop next to the road.
Day 4 – The road to Venice
We knew it wouldn’t be the shortest route to Venice, but we decided to drive via Santuario Madonna Della Corona and Lake Garda since it captured our imagination.
Santuario Madonna Della Corona
What’s more astonishing than an ancient place of worship, located 800 meters into the side of a cliff? We wanted to experience it, so we drove towards Santuario Madonna Della Corona, only a 15 minutes drive from Lake Garda (the Italian part)!
We parked at Localita Santuario 1 in Spiazzi, on a parking lot that usually wouldn’t allow campervans and mobile homes, but we decided to risk it since it was empty. The reason for this might be the thick fog that stood over the mountain, on the fact that it’s not the most touristic period to visit Santuario Madonna Della Corona.
Although we could not fully admire the Santuario Madonna Della Corona due to the thick fog, the location continued to impress us. We also had the opportunity to check our fitness by climbing the steep stairs to access the sanctuary.
After arriving, we learned that this sanctuary is a place of pilgrimage that already existed before the year 1000! We’ve listed our findings in this specific destination article about Santuario Madonna Della Corona .
Lagi di Garda
In less than 24 hours, we went from a small snowstorm in the Dolomites to a 20-degree summer breeze at Lake Garda.
The small town was quite dead, considering the tourist season was already over here, so we just briefly wandered through the city. Our goal was to catch the sunset in Venice before 5 pm anyway, so we quickly left the lake.
Venice City
Where we spent the past few days in quiet or remote regions, with endless possibilities to park and wild camping … Venice would be a bit more crowded and strict. That’s why we decided to spend the night at the campsite of Venezia village, which had some fantastic facilities: decent showers, an elegant restaurant, and a clean swimming pool.
An additional advantage was that there is a bus stop in front of the campsite, with busses that go directly to Venice. The ride to the city takes no longer than fifteen minutes and drops you off at Piazzale Roma.
By 4 pm we arrived at the tourist center, where we were overwhelmed by history and architecture! Strolling with our camera in hand, we followed the small corridors of the city, arriving at a (relatively empty) San Marco square just after sunset.
Unfortunately, The darkness brought in some shady types, from aggressive salespeople who punched us on the shoulder to get our attention to pickpockets popping up from sketchy streets and following us until we noticed them. As a result, we decided to skip the rest of the city and return the following day.
Pro-tip; Gelateria il Doge’s ice creams are known as the best in the old town.
Day 5 – From Venice to Milan
By now, our road trip was already halfway through, so after enjoying Venice’s charms in the morning, we had to start on our way back. This time we chose to spend the night in the city of Milan since we wanted to discover some of their ancient buildings as well.
Be aware: Something we didn’t realize before going on this trip is how many toll stops you can find in Italy, especially between Venice and Milan.
Venice, the city of canals
Since we ended our wanderings around Venice early the night before, we decided to sleep in first… and then head back into the city!
This time we parked our campervan in Venezia Tronchetto Parking because we were only planning to stay in the city for a few hours. Ultimately, we stayed for 4 hours and realized that we had paid more for this parking spot (without any facilities except) than staying an extra night in the camping Venezia Village. Yikes!
Unlike the previous evening, where we walked to San Marco square via Basilica S.Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, we now had the time to take a different route: via Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute.
Milan and its impressive Duomo di Milano
Since we took our time to wander around Venice, we arrived in Milan during rush hour and had to endure several traffic jams before arriving in “Camping Village city of Milan.”
The campsite’s reception was already closed, but luckily google maps had a function that allowed us to know perfectly see what public transport connections would lead us to the Duomo di Milano. Our trip was a bit more delicate since we needed to transfer from the bus to the metro, in a place we had never visited before. Luckily we had google maps to fall back on.
Since this route to the center of Milan took almost an hour commute, we only found the time to discover the illuminated cathedral and the neighboring streets. To make it easy for us, we also made a quick McDonalds stop here.
Day 6 – From Milan to Strasbourg
We had less than two days to cover 1000 kilometers and go from Milan to Brussels. This gave us enough time to visit the center of Milan and then leave for Strasbourg in the afternoon.
Milan, Italy
Since Milan is such a beautiful city accompanied by ancient architecture, a sense of fashion, and art … we made a small “bucket list” of locations that we had to see during our visit to the city center.
Castello Sforzesco
Castello Sforzesco – also known as Sforza Castle – is a fortress that was built during the 14th century.
Over the centuries, the fortification was destroyed in various wars, by the troops of Napoleon and during World War II. It was extensively rebuilt in 2005 and currently houses several of the city’s museums and art collections. That’s why it’s currently one of the most famous landmarks in Milan.
Arco della Pace
Arco della Pace is a huge triumphal arc located where the ancient Romans built their city gate. The gate is called “The Porta Sempione” and refers to the district it was located in.
While the origin of the arc can be found in 1807 when Napoleon was in command of the city, the construction of the “Arch of Peace” was paused when the city of Milan fell under the control of the Austrian Empire. The construction of the Arch was resumed in 1826 and was finally completed in 1838.
Bosco Verticale
The Bosco Verticale – or Vertical Forest – are two residential towers built in 2014 and are already known as the most iconic and most recognizable buildings of the last decade in Milan.
Pictures of the building often surface on Instagram and Pinterest, as it is iconic for its pioneering incorporation of a vertical forest.
Duomo di Milano
The Milan Cathedral, known as Duomo di Milano, is without any doubt the most known building in Milan.
It is logical too since they started the constructions in 1386 and only finished working on it more than six centuries later: in 1965! What’s even more impressive is the fact that the cathedral contains over 3400 different statues.
Strasbourg, France
As mentioned: Milan is still a 1000km drive from Brussels, so we had to keep going if we wanted to back on time! We decided to pass via Switzerland, which meant buying a new vignette when crossing the border and disabling our roaming data.
Once we arrived at Strasbourg, we parked at Parkplatz Friedhof since it was close to the city center, and parking on a Sunday would be free of any charge.
Day 7 – Back to Belgium
Every fairy tale comes to an end, and unfortunately, ours too. It was the last day where we were actually on the road; we wanted to enjoy it until the end. That is why we chose to discover Strasbourg in the morning and pass quickly via Veves Castle in the afternoon.
Being a university city on the border of France and Germany, Strassbourg is a very characteristic and cultural city, with enormous history. Proof of this is the street art that can be found all around the city or the ancient buildings scattered around the city (such as their cathedral).
We had some help from some locals; we were advised to discover the part of the city known as “Le Petit Paris.”
Vives Castle
What’s a better way to end our trip than to visit a 12th-century castle? We arrived rather last-minute: 10 minutes before the castle closed, so we didn’t have the chance get to explore it from the inside … but the sunset made up for it!
If you don’t know about Veves Castle yet, make sure to read the extensive guide we wrote, it contains the history of the castle, the legends around the castle and how to reach it.
A fascinating part about the castle is that the same family has owned it for the last 800 years, and that is classified as an exceptional heritage by the region of Wallonia. As a result, the castle is referred to as Sleeping Beauty’s castle.
Day 8 – returning the campervan
Our last day was mainly focused on bringing back the campervan, where we had to pack our bags, clean the campervan in a self carwash, and ultimately fill in the paperwork again ( check for damages, note the number of kilometers we’ve driven,…).
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Hey there! I'm Elliot Clennam, a passionate photographer based in Brussels, Belgium. My love for capturing the essence of my surroundings has led me on countless adventures, from exciting road trips to bustling city escapes.
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What I Wish I Knew Before Backpacking Europe Alone
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Backpacking Europe alone after high school is one of the biggest clichés out there.
I’m proud to say that I avoided that cliché and travelled Europe alone for the first time right after University. 😉
Cliché or not, there is a reason why backpacking Europe alone is one of the most popular things for young people interested in travel to do.
Hell. I travel Europe alone as often and as frequently as I can even though it has been years since my first solo trip to Europe!
Europe is my favourite place on the planet, and the best part is it is super easy for solo travellers to explore Europe.
However, there are a few things I wish I knew before backpacking Europe alone.
These things would have saved me a lot of anxiety, money, and a few tears along the way.
If you’re planning your first backpacking trip through Europe, this is the post for you!
Hopefully you’re a little bit more prepared than I was!
Tips for planning your first solo trip
Table of Contents
You Don’t Have to Stay in Hostels
When I was researching before my first solo trip to Europe, every blog I read said that solo travellers stay in hostels.
The fact that I had to stay in hostels, and there were no other affordable options was beat into my head.
There were other reasons, such as the social aspect, that people were recommending hostels. But those reasons didn’t resonate with me as an extreme introvert.
The biggest thing I wish I knew before backpacking Europe alone is that I didn’t have to stay in hostels.
They’re a great, affordable option.
But they’re not the only option.
I spent months staying in hostels and hating it. They’re just not my jam.
If you’re like me and don’t love hostels, know that there are tons of affordable options out there!
I highly recommend you try to find guest houses to stay in or Airbnbs.
A lot of the time they are less expensive to stay in than a budget hotel and aren’t much more expensive than a hostel.
They’re a great option for people like me who don’t enjoy staying in hostels but also don’t want to spend a ton of money on lodging.
Of course, there are limits to how well this works.
If you’re in an expensive city like London, you’re going to be paying a pretty penny no matter where you stay.
Including hostels.
So, figure out what your budget is and research all your options before automatically searching and booking a hostel.
Don’t Take Internet Safety Lightly
Not enough people take internet safety seriously when they travel, and that is a mistake.
In fact, being internet safe is one of the most important travel safety tips I can give you!
As a traveller, you connect to public wifi networks on a daily basis, and this puts your devices at risk of being hacked.
And, yes, even hotel and café wifi networks that have a password are considered public wifi networks!
Anybody can access public wifi networks, and you’d be surprised at how easy it is for someone to steal your online data without you even knowing it.
I can’t imagine a worse scenario than backpacking Europe alone and having someone steal my banking information.
The hassle of canceling all your banking cards and then trying to figure out a way to fund the rest of your trip is not the type of thing you want to deal with when you’re on a solo trip.
The only way you can protect your devices when using a public wifi network is by installing a VPN on your devices.
A VPN essentially puts a forcefield around your devices and makes it impossible for prying eyes to access your online information.
It makes using a public wifi network just as safe as using your home wifi where you’re the only person who knows the password.
In my mind, installing a VPN on your devices is a non-negotiable.
It is the responsible thing to do, and there are no excuses for not protecting your online information and data when you travel.
My Favourite VPN
I’ve used quite a few different VPNs over my years of travel, and, to be frank, most of them suck.
They slow your phone down to a snail’s pace. It is so frustrating to use most VPNs that you end up turning them off and exposing your online information.
Which totally defeats the purpose of having a VPN!
The only VPN I use and trust now is NordVPN .
I’ve been using them since 2018 and have no plans change provider.
They are the fastest VPN on the market, which is why I recommend them to my fellow travel lovers.
We need our internet to be quick, and if you’re like me, you don’t have the patience to deal with lagging internet.
That is never an issue with NordVPN .
You hardly notice a difference in the speed of your internet. You can use your devices and be safe without sacrificing any internet speed.
Plus a NordVPN subscription is super affordable.
It costs less than a latte per month, and you can install a VPN on up to six devices with on subscription.
There are no excuses not to protect your online information and data when backpacking Europe alone.
My motto is that if you can afford to travel, you can afford to protect your online information and date!
Get Off the Beaten Path
One of the biggest mistakes most people backpacking Europe alone make is not getting off the beaten path and visiting less popular tourist destinations.
This includes what cities you choose to visit and what you choose to see and do in those cities.
Even if you only visit the most popular cities in Europe, there are still less common things you can do to experience a different side of the city.
Now that I’m an experienced traveller, there is nothing I love more than finding lesser known cities and exploring them.
They give you a different taste of what life in that country is like without all the tourists swarming around.
There is nothing wrong with visiting the most popular tourist sights and cities.
They’re popular for a reason!
I just think you should also go out of your way to see a different part of the place you’re travelling.
Taking a day trip to a nearby town or village is one of the easiest ways to get off the beaten path and see more of a country.
I personally like to spend three or four days in three or four different cities when I visit a country, but I know not everybody has time for that.
All I’m asking is that you do at least one thing on your backpacking trip through Europe that can’t be found on the first page of every guide book ever written.
Overrated cities in Europe
Set a Realistic Budget
This is one of the biggest mistakes I made the first time I was backpacking Europe alone.
I read a ton of blogs that said you should only spend $50/day in Europe. That’s all you need.
It created this image in my mind that $50 is what I should spend a day, and if I spent more than $50, I wasn’t a very good traveller.
Now I know that is absolute rubbish, but I didn’t back in 2015 when I went on my first solo trip to Europe.
I also failed to take into consideration the exchange rate. The blogs were referring to $50 USD/day. I was budgeting $50 CAD/day, which came out to about $32 USD/day!
If there is only one tip for backpacking Europe alone on this list you listen to, let it be this one.
Do not blindly listen to anybody on the internet who tells you how much it costs to travel anywhere.
That is their experience. You can use it is a guide, but do not take it as a hard fact.
Instead, think about what your travel style is. How you imagine your backpacking trip to Europe looks and go from there.
You’re travelling alone, so if you underestimate how much money you need, you’re kind of screwed.
There is nobody travelling with you that you can potentially borrow money from, and you need to figure out how to make too little money stretch your entire trip.
It is not a fun place to be!
So, set a realistic budget and have a little extra money saved just in case some things are more expensive than you anticipate.
You don’t want to have to skip meals or stay in terrible accommodation just because you didn’t set a realistic budget!
Digital nomad jobs for beginners
Backpacking Europe Alone Isn’t Glamorous
Backpacking Europe alone is over glamorized in the media.
Images of meeting an Italian man and falling in love, finding your true self, and becoming an influencer are attached to the idea of travelling Europe aline.
While all those things are possible, I’m here to tell you that they are not the norm.
Backpacking Europe alone is amazing- don’t get me wrong- but it isn’t quite as romantic as you might think it is.
I guarantee that you’ll shed a few tears, your clothes will stink (and you’ll hate doing laundry), you’ll get lost more times than you can count, and I see a number of cheap grocery store meals in your future.
It’s all part of backpacking Europe alone, and it also might be some of the best parts of it!
If you’re going into Europe with your rose coloured glasses on, you’ll be disappointed.
One of the fun parts about backpacking Europe alone is figuring out how to solve the little problems that pop up along the way.
Because trust me no trip goes 100% to plan!
And, in my opinion, the best way to make sure your solo trip to Europe is amazing is to have realistic expectations and know that what you see in the media probably isn’t how your trip is going to go.
But it will undoubtably be an amazing trip though!
Undeniable benefits of travelling alone
Currency Can be a Pain in the Butt
A lot of people think of Europe and see it as one big economic zone where everything is the same.
While a lot of European countries use the Euro, there are many who don’t. And that makes currency a bit of a pain.
Not only do you have to figure out how to get the different currencies you need, you also need to keep the currency conversion straight in your head.
Again, it isn’t much of an issue if you only visit countries that use the Euro , but most people visit countries with different currencies.
When you’re backpacking Europe alone, you need to have a plan on how you’re going to handle all the different currencies you need.
My recommendation is to get convert some of your money into the currency of the first country you’re visiting before you leave.
You’ll have money to pay for whatever transportation you need to take when you land and buy food.
You do not want to deal with converting currency after a long flight when you’re tired and just want to get to your accommodation!
After that, I like to use ATMs to the currency I need for the rest of my trip.
Beware of ATMs in Europe
ATMs can cause a bit of confusion in Europe.
The most important thing you need to remember is to never select the option that does the currency conversion for you and removes money from your bank account in your local currency.
Always select the option to have the money withdrawn in the local currency and let your bank do the conversion.
ATMs in Europe are notorious for giving you a horrible exchange rate, and you’ll waste a lot of money if you remove money in your home currency rather than the local one.
No matter what option you choose, you will receive money in the local currency. I know that section may sound confusing, but it will make sense once you get to Europe.
Another major tip I can give you is don’t take too much money out at one time.
I’ve been in situations where I’ve overestimated how much money I’ll need and then have a bunch of left over currency that isn’t accepted in the next country I’m visiting.
It is a fine line to walk between getting enough money versus getting too much money.
Finally, be sure you have a currency conversion app on your phone. It helps you keep track of what the local currency is doing based on your home currency.
This is a huge help for staying on budget and understanding what you’re paying for things while backpacking Europe alone.
Transportation is a Breeze
I was a bit nervous about getting around Europe on my first backpacking trip. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect and didn’t want to spend a ton of money and fly from place to place.
It didn’t take long before I learned that Europe isn’t like other parts of the world (like Asia) where it can be a challenge to get from city to city and country to country.
There are trains and buses that take you pretty much anywhere you need to go.
Even across international borders!
The last time I was in Europe for an extended period of time, I took a total of four flights in three months!
From London to Dublin and back. From London to Finland. And Prague to Paris more due to needing to be in Paris quickly for an event rather than there not being a way to overland between the two cities.
The only thing you need to be aware of is there are some countries where the price of train tickets steeply rise the closer you get to the day of departure.
The biggest culprits of this price hike are the UK and France .
If you’re travelling within or between these two countries, be sure you book your train ticket as early as possible.
Tickets go on sale three months in advance, and you want to buy your tickets as shortly after that as possible.
If you’re not a planner, the bus may be a better option than the train. Bus ticket’s don’t see a price increase the same way train tickets do.
But, transportation is not something that should hold you back from backpacking Europe alone.
It is super easy to use, and even a beginner traveller can breeze their way around Europe without too much sweat.
A solo traveller’s guide to London
A solo traveller’s guide to Paris
Don’t Ignore Eastern Europe
Okay. So, this is one thing I did know before backpacking Europe alone, but I feel like not enough people know it!
Eastern Europe is amazing and doesn’t get enough love!
I’m talking the Baltic States, the Balkans, Central Europe, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, everything outside Western Europe really.
Most of my favourite European countries are outside of Western Europe and along the road less travelled.
They are beautiful, full of history, and are home to some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.
And as a bonus for people backpacking Europe alone, they are extremely affordable.
I once got a plate of pierogi, a salad, steamed vegetables, a drink, and a piece of cake for about $10 USD in Ukraine! Where else are you going to find such great value in Europe?!
I fully understand the desire to tour Western Europe. It is home to some of the most iconic sights in Europe.
But that doesn’t mean that Eastern Europe deserves to be ignored.
I highly, highly, highly recommend you arrange your itinerary so you spend at least a third of your trip in Eastern or Central Europe.
Not only will your wallet thank you, but I have a feeling it will also result in some of the best memories that come out of your trip.
A solo traveller’s guide to Prague
Take Your Time
I’m seeing a trend here, and it is following bloggers blindly.
Says the person who is now a travel blogger writing this post.
But the blogging content put out in 2014/2015 when I was planning my trip and backpacking alone in Europe is vastly different from what is online now.
Back then, I saw post after post after post saying you should never stay in a city more than 3 days.
Yes. That includes major cities like London and Paris!
The sentiment online at that time was you have to keep moving and see as much as possible as quickly as possible or you’re not travelling properly.
Thankfully the travel blog world has change a bit, and now there is more of a focus on slowing down and getting a more in-depth taste of a city or country.
I spent the first month and a half of my backpacking trip to Europe rushing around. I was exhausted from never settling in anywhere and never having a break to people watch in a café.
Don’t be like me!
Thankfully I figured out that it is worthwhile to slow down and spend more time in each city.
It is much more enjoyable, relaxing, and it gives you a better appreciation for the place you’re visiting.
I mean it is ridiculous to think that you can get a true taste of a major European city in three days or less. That’s nonsense.
I’m not going to tell you how much time to spend in each place.
That’s super personal and changes based on what city you’re visitng.
I am going to tell you to do your research and figure out a reasonable time to stay to see everything you want to do.
I also like to add on an extra day just in case the weather is bad, I’m tired one day, or I discover something else I want to do.
Plus, you can always take a day trip if you don’t need that extra day!
Backpacking Europe Alone is Safe but Know the Local Scams
Before I went on my first solo trip to Europe, I had people in my life telling me it wasn’t safe for solo female travellers.
Or that certain countries (like Ukraine) I planned to visit weren’t safe.
I didn’t listen to them and went on my trip anyways, but I would be lying if I wasn’t a bit nervous at the start of my trip.
Especially when I got to some of the lesser travelled countries in the Balkans.
Now I know that it wasn’t something I ever had to worry about, and you don’t have to either!
Europe is very safe.
Even in less financially rich countries you don’t have anything to worry about.
You can start backpacking alone in Europe and know that you’re safe and don’t have to stress over your personal safety.
The one thing you do need to worry about though is knowing local scams.
Every country and city in the world has local scams.
These can range from something as simple as pick pocketing to something much more elaborate like people not giving you the proper change or giving your counterfeit money.
You need to be aware of what the local scams are wherever you’re going.
This will help you know what to look out for.
As a solo traveller, you are solely responsible for your safety. You don’t have a friend to watch your back, so it is even more important you familiarize yourself with local scams.
But, aside from scams, Europe is super safe. Even for solo female travellers.
Overcome your fear of solo travel
Best European Countries for Solo Travellers
There you have it. You’re now in the know and are more prepared for your first solo trip to Europe than I was!
Europe is one of the best and easiest places for solo travellers. Even if you’re a complete beginner, you can successfully backpack Europe alone.
If I can do it, you can do it. I was a horrible traveller when I first backpacked Europe alone.
It is so important to understand that not everything is going to be perfect and know that you’ll have to problem solve along the way.
Backpacking Europe alone is one of the best experiences you’ll have in your life.
The continent is so full of life, food, and beauty. And no two countries are the same!
So, book that ticket, strap your backpack on, and have the time of your life!
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Rangers fan dies in ‘tragic incident’ after Europa League tie with Benfica
- Thomas McAllister travelled to Lisbon for the match
- Glasgow club in constant contact with authorities
A Rangers fan has died in Lisbon after the club’s European match. Thomas McAllister was in Portugal for the Glasgow club’s Europa League tie with Benfica on Thursday night but later died.
Rangers issued a statement on Friday pledging to maintain “constant contact with both the Portuguese and British authorities over this tragic incident”, and offering condolences to the family and friends of Mr McAllister, who was believed to be aged in his mid-20s.
Rangers’ chief executive, James Bisgrove, said: “On behalf of the club, I want to pass on my sincere condolences to Thomas’s loved ones, family and his friends. This news has hit everyone at the club extremely hard, as I am sure it will all of our supporters.
“Nobody should ever go to a football match and not return home. The club stands ready to assist Thomas’s family in whichever way we can in the coming days and weeks.”
after newsletter promotion
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are providing consular assistance to the family of a British man who has died in Lisbon, and are in contact with Portuguese authorities.”
- Europa League
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1 1. u/homestuckinhell. • 23 hr. ago Mallorca vs Croatia in May. We're a group of college students from US (ages 22-23) studying abroad in Europe (Barcelona), and are planning a trip for the last week of May this year. We are thinking either Croatia (Dubrovnik, Hvar) or Valencia & Mallorca for 6 days.
HELP - Feeling Overwhelmed with Europe Trip Planning. I have 9 months off between when I graduate and when I start working full time in the US. I want to go visit Europe during this time (likely late winter or some time in spring 2022). I have been reading so many other reddit posts, websites, watching youtube videos and my brain is just ...
US to London flight London (2 days) Paris (3 days) Zurich (2 days) Como (2 days Venice (3 days) Rome (3 days) Rome back to US flight. London, Paris, and Rome are kind of the big stops we want to make for sure but are exploring options in between. All these locations have direct trains with no transfer which partly went into organizing them as is.
Thinking 2-3 cities in 10 days. Few cities of interest include Paris, Munich, Sevilla, Lisbon, Vienna. Open to other suggestions. Looking for suggestions on what cities are most worth it to see and what makes most sense logistically for travel in that time span. Pretty easy-going, will be happy with good food, drink, sight-seeing.
Central Europe (e.g. Germany, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary) Eastern Europe (e.g. Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova) and the Baltics (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) Southeastern Europe (e.g. the Western Balkans, Romania, Bulgaria) Concentrating on one or two regions for your first trip to Europe can make planning your trip ...
The best way to get around is by train, but taking the bus is often cheaper. If you're taking the train, you'll get the best prices by booking ahead, booking generally opens 3-6 months before travel depending on where you're looking at. As above. Train is almost always going to be nicer. Bus is almost always going to be cheaper.
16K votes, 811 comments. 5.9M subscribers in the europe community. Europe: 50 (+6) countries, 230 languages, 746M people… 1 subreddit.
r/travel is a community about exploring the world. Your pictures, questions, stories, or any good content is welcome. Clickbait, spam, memes, ads/selling/buying, brochures, classifieds, surveys or self-promotion will be removed.
🏟 Day 1-3: Rome, Italy. Start your 10 day Europe trip in the ancient capital of Italy. Rome is home to endless historical monuments, artsy squares, and scenic lookouts. Learn about the gladiators' world at the majestic Colosseum and admire world-famous art in Vatican City, where the Pope resides.. As touristy as it is, tossing a coin into the Trevi Fountain is a must.
The most iconic of the Central Europe itineraries is arguably a route through the incredible cities of Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. Visiting the capital cities of Czechia, Austria and Hungary is sure to leave you starry-eyed and ignite your wanderlust to explore the region in more depth. Taking 2 weeks for a Budapest-Vienna-Prague itinerary is ...
Cinque Terre, Italy - Approx. 2-4 days (+1 full travel day) Take the 6-hour train ride from Nice, France to Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre is a string of five centuries-old seaside villages situated on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. If you just want to see the views and do minimal hiking, you can get by staying around two nights — there ...
19. Paros Island, Greece. Paros Island is one of the Cyclades' gems and the perfect paradise for solo traveling. Traveling to Paros Island is relatively inexpensive with round trip flights from Dublin, Ireland at around $470 — which is great, because Dublin solo travel is also a great experience. But, back to Paros.
43. Attend Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. This list of Europe bucket list items would not be complete without mention of Germany's Oktoberfest. The beer festival takes place annually and has become a huge drawcard for international travelers, especially those in their 20's and 30's seeking a fun social experience.
Central Balkans Route. This itinerary begins in Budapest and takes you through some south-central European capitals. Budapest - There are few cities better to commence an Eastern European route in than Budapest. For this 2-week itinerary, plan to spend 4-5 days in the Hungarian capital.
Santorini. #13 in Best Places to Visit in Europe for 2023-2024. Visit this Greek island for its unique volcanic landscape, relaxing beaches and distinct architecture. Enjoy stunning views of the ...
Get the Europe in Winter Travel Guide. We know this is a giant, totally overwhelming post. That's why we've also created a handy-dandy printable e-book version! The Europe in Winter travel guide is stuffed with 30 pages of travel tips, printable packing lists, and all the itinerary details you need to plan your Europe in winter trip!
Barcelona, Spain, 5. Nice, France, 6. Milan, Italy, 7. Florence, Italy, 8. Venice, Italy, 9. Florence, Italy, 10. Rome, Italy. One month is the ideal Europe backpacking trip for first-timers. You'll have time to explore a few countries and stay an extra few days in the places you fall in love with.
A low budget 2 week Europe trip would cost 1500-2000$. A mid budget two week Europe trip would cost 2500-3000$. This also depends on the season when you take the 2 week trip to Europe. 2 weeks in Europe would be the most expensive from June to August which is the peak season, so you would be paying higher for flights and accommodation.
The continent is easy to explore with kids in tow. The best European countries for families include Italy, France, Spain, Portugal & the UK. You can find a list of the best places to travel in Europe with kids here, or if your kids are older you might prefer our list of the best places to visit in Europe with teens.
The Costa Brava, Spain. Start: Girona. End: Girona. Distance: 118 miles (190km) Mixing Greek and Roman ruins with medieval towns, the eccentricities of Salvador Dalí and a wild and rugged coast, Spain's Costa Brava makes a fascinating, eclectic destination for a road trip. Begin by exploring Girona's hilly medieval core with its web of ...
These routes, plus tips on rail travel, are featured in Lonely Planet's Guide to Train Travel in Europe by Tom Hall, Imogen Hall and Oliver Smith (£19.99), available at shop.lonelyplanet.com.
… a thousand new adventures and stories to tell about; The roadtrip. After an earlier adventure in which we discovered the Dolomites with a campervan, we immediately knew that we wanted to travel the same way; through Europe with a campervan!. As we see it, this is the easiest solution to travel through various countries while still complying with all the COVID measurements and having a ...
But those reasons didn't resonate with me as an extreme introvert. The biggest thing I wish I knew before backpacking Europe alone is that I didn't have to stay in hostels. They're a great, affordable option. But they're not the only option. I spent months staying in hostels and hating it. They're just not my jam.
A Rangers fan has died in Lisbon after the club's European match. Thomas McAllister was in Portugal for the Glasgow club's Europa League tie with Benfica on Thursday night but later died.