Europe Travel Guide: Planning a First or Fifth Trip
8 min read · Written by Brenda Hoffman, Travel Meets Adventure
Planning a trip to Europe usually starts with a problem I completely understand: You want to see everything. Paris is right there. And if we're going to Paris, how far is London? What about Rome? We've always wanted to see Switzerland. And couldn't we squeeze Amsterdam in too? Technically? Maybe. But I don't want you to spend half your vacation checking out of hotels, hauling luggage through train stations, and saying, "I wish we had one more day here." Europe gives you an incredible amount of choice. The trick is deciding which experiences deserve your time on this trip.
Your First Europe Trip Can Be Different From Your Fifth
If this is your first trip to Europe and you've dreamed about seeing London, Paris, and Rome your entire life, I'm not going to tell you that you're traveling incorrectly because those places are popular. Go see them. Stand in front of the Eiffel Tower. See the Colosseum. Walk through London. Take the pictures you've imagined taking for years. But if this is your third, fourth, or fifth trip, maybe you're ready for something different. Maybe instead of racing between capitals, you spend more time in one region. Take the train to a smaller town. Rent a villa. Explore a Christmas market. Stay somewhere long enough to find a restaurant you want to visit twice. There is always more Europe. You don't have to see all of it on one vacation.
How Many Places Should You Visit?
There isn't a magic number. It depends on how much time you have, how far apart your destinations are, and how you feel about packing your suitcase. Changing cities doesn't just take the two hours shown on a train schedule. You have to check out, get to the station, travel, find your next hotel, check in, unpack, and get oriented again. Do that every other day and suddenly a surprising amount of your vacation is being spent moving your vacation. If you love that energy, we can build around it. If that sounds exhausting, we'll slow it down. My preference is to make sure you have enough time somewhere to actually enjoy being there—not simply prove that you went.
Train, Plane, Car—or a Little of Everything?
One of the great things about traveling through Europe is that you have options. For many city-to-city routes, trains can be wonderfully convenient because they take you from one city center to another without the airport experience. High-speed rail can make combining certain destinations very easy. But trains aren't automatically the best choice for every itinerary. Sometimes flying makes more sense. Sometimes renting a car gives you the freedom to explore smaller towns and countryside. Sometimes the best itinerary uses all three. I don't choose transportation because one method sounds more European. I choose it based on what makes the trip work.
When Should You Go?
Europe isn't one climate, so there isn't one “best” month. Spring and fall can be wonderful for many destinations, with comfortable temperatures and fewer crowds than peak summer periods. Summer gives you long days and works especially well for families traveling around school schedules, but popular destinations can be busy and parts of Southern Europe can get very hot. Winter brings a completely different experience. Christmas markets, decorated cities, seasonal food, snow in some regions, and fewer tourists in certain destinations can make Europe feel completely different from a summer trip. And sometimes the best time to go is simply: When you can go. I'd rather help you plan intelligently around your dates than tell you there's only one acceptable season to visit Europe.
What Should You Budget?
This is another question where the answer is: It depends. London and Paris don't cost the same as a smaller town in Portugal. A five-star hotel in Switzerland and a family-run property in Greece are not going to have the same price. Your budget will be influenced by: • Destination • Season • Airfare • Hotel style and location • Transportation between destinations • Tours and activities • Dining • Length of stay • How quickly you're moving • The experiences that matter most to you And I don't believe every part of the trip needs to be luxury. Maybe you want the beautiful hotel in Paris but you're perfectly happy taking the train in economy. Maybe food is your priority. Maybe it's a private guide. Maybe you'd rather spend more money staying longer. Spend where it matters to you. That's how I like to build a trip.
Don't Be Afraid of the Famous Places
There's a strange idea in travel that once something becomes popular, you're somehow supposed to avoid it. I don't agree. Popular places are often popular for a reason. If you've dreamed about seeing Venice, go to Venice. If you've always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower, I am absolutely not going to send you to a random village instead just so we can say your vacation was “authentic.” But I also love finding ways to get you beyond the obvious. See the landmark. Then walk a few streets farther. Try the little restaurant. Visit the market. Take the day trip. Spend some time somewhere that wasn't on your original list. You can see the famous Europe and still experience the everyday Europe.
Leave a Little Room for Something You Didn't Plan
I know. You're hiring a travel advisor and I'm telling you not to plan something. But hear me out. Some of my favorite travel experiences happen because there was enough room in the schedule to say: “That looks interesting. Let's go see what it is.” You don't need every hour accounted for. A well-planned trip should give you structure where you need it and freedom where you don't. Have the important reservations. Know how you're getting from one place to another. Book the things you would be heartbroken to miss. Then leave yourself a little room to discover something.
Practical Things to Think About Before You Go
Europe is generally very manageable for travelers, but there are some things worth preparing for. Depending on your itinerary, think about: • Passport and current entry requirements • Any required travel authorizations • Train reservations • Luggage size and how much you're willing to carry • Comfortable shoes • Cobblestones, stairs, and accessibility • Credit cards and foreign transaction fees • Local currency • Mobile data or an international eSIM • Electrical adapters • Travel protection • Prescription medications • Copies or secure backups of important travel documents Most importantly, entry requirements change. Don't rely on an old blog post, a social-media video, or what someone needed for their European vacation two years ago. Always verify the current requirements for the countries on your specific itinerary before departure.
You Don't Have to Travel Through Europe Like Everyone Else
Maybe you want five countries. Maybe you want one. Maybe your dream is an escorted tour where someone handles everything. Maybe you want trains and boutique hotels. Maybe you want to rent a house for two weeks and take day trips. Maybe you want a river cruise. Or maybe you're ready for the kind of trip where you stay somewhere long enough that the person at the little café starts recognizing you. Europe works beautifully for all of those travelers. The important part is figuring out which traveler you are.
Ready to Start Planning Europe?
You don't need to come to me with an itinerary already built. In fact, I'd rather you start by telling me the places you've been dreaming about. Tell me how long you have, who's traveling, what you'd like to spend, what you love doing, and what would make you come home saying: “That was exactly the trip I wanted.” Then we can figure out where to go, how long to stay, and how to connect it all without turning your vacation into a race across Europe.
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