Traveling to Europe for the first time? Europe is a popular all-year-round destination suitable for families, honeymooners, backpackers and solo travelers. A successful Eurotrip requires prior planning and brainstorming. Our mission is to organize you an unforgettable experience in Europe, customized to your needs and budget. Here are some tips and tricks to make this initial process easier:

Pick your destination (and be realistic)

This is the first and most important step in your trip planning. It’s tempting to try to fit in as much as possible; you want to stand on top of the Eiffel tower, eat an authentic Italian pizza in Rome, learn everything about Berlin’s rich history, take a boat ride on the canals in Amsterdam and party in Ibiza. Let’s be realistic: you can’t do it all. We hate to be a party pooper but Europe isn’t as small as you imagine. It’s a very diverse continent full of bucket-list, picturesque destinations that require time to visit and to get to. You don’t want to spend most of your time on buses, trains and planes, right?

So our main advise is to choose a few countries that are a must-visit for you. Some locations or activities you’ve always dreamed of (strolling around Venice’s cobblestoned streets, tasting German beer during the Oktoberfest, visiting Gaudi’s masterpiece in Barcelona, etc). Mark those down and we will plan your itinerary around them.

Transport

Once we know which countries/cities to include in your itinerary, we will research the easiest way to travel around. Trains are an easy, fast and comfortable transportation method to move between cities. You can relax and watch the landscape go by. A train pass is a great choice that will save you some euros if you plan to take several train journeys! If you’re traveling on a budget, we can change a train journey for a bus ride; buses cover (almost) the same routes as trains but for less money.

For longer distances (for example Paris-Berlin) we will research flights. Budget airlines like Ryanair or easyJet make flying inexpensive and if you book well in advance, you can fly across Europe for less than $25.

If you want to focus on one or two specific countries, we can set up a road trip. Driving in Europe is easy and a perfect way to slow down the pace and explore the sights en route. Each country has its own driving regulations and speed limits so we will give you country-specific advise.

Budget

What’s your total budget? As for every trip, this is one of the first questions our Travel Consultants will ask you. As a general rule, the further east and/or south you travel, the cheaper it gets. It’s no secret that Scandinavia and Switzerland are some of the most expensive countries in Europe. This doesn’t mean you have to discard them. The good news is that you don’t need to spend all your savings on a Eurotrip! Hostels offer cheap accommodation and are a great place to meet fellow like-minded travelers. We’ve mentioned before that traveling by bus can save you some euros but did you know that you can carpool around Europe?

If your budget is higher, we can spend the extra euros on a nice boutique accommodation. A room with view over Lake Como, a romantic villa overlooking the ocean in Santorini or a boutique hotel set in the vineyards in Portugal; the options to get pampered in Europe are endless!

Whatever your budget is, we will set up a tailor-made itinerary including accommodation that suits your budget and style.

Avoid Summer

We understand that many people are tied to school holidays but if your dates are flexible, we strongly advise you to avoid the summer period (July and August). During these months, rates are much higher and the major tourist destinations tend to get overcrowded. It can also get very hot, especially in Southern Europe, which can make your travel experience unpleasant.

Shoulder season (right before and after Summer) is an excellent period to travel to Europe! You will get more value for your money and will find less tourists (and shorter or no queues) at the main touristic attractions.

Can you only take time off in Summer? No worries, we will always try to enhance your experience by suggesting you some alternative, less-known, destinations with fewer crowds or buy you skip-the-line tickets to minimize waiting lines.

 

Contact our Travel Consultants to get a customized itinerary for your next trip to Europe! Our European team has extensive knowledge of the area and will be happy to share their insider tips with you.