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Europe Travel Guide

Looking for an in-depth Europe travel guide?

Then you’re in the right place!

If you love to travel, chances are a trip to Europe is high on your travel bucket list. With a wide variety of different countries and cultures to explore the content of Europe has something for every kind of traveler at any time of year.

Of course, with so many destinations to choose from, planning a trip to Europe can feel overwhelming. You’ll need to do a bit of research and organization to figure out where you want to go and when.

There are plenty of Europe trip planners and tools online, but if you’re looking for in-depth guides to many of Europe’s top destinations, we’ve got you covered.

Many travelers like to explore Europe by choosing one region of the continent and hopping between countries in that area.

Western Europe is a particularly popular region for travelers. It’s home to many top European cities like Paris, London, Amsterdam, and more, so you definitely won’t run out of itinerary ideas.

You’ll find some of the most iconic sites here, from world-famous museums like the Louvre to medieval castles in Switzerland.

And with plenty of train, bus, and plane routes between cities, it’s very easy to get from one destination to the next.

One thing to note about Western Europe, though, is that its popularity makes it more expensive than Eastern Europe. There are plenty of ways to stretch your money in this region, though. Head to our destination pages below to learn how to get the most bang for your buck in Western Europe.

Looking for something a little different?

Consider a trip to Eastern Europe, home to trending destinations like Latvia and Slovenia.

Eastern Europe has so much to offer travelers, from cities that blend old and new to gorgeous mountains perfect for hiking.

And though things are always changing, parts of Eastern Europe are not quite as Westernized as the rest of the continent, so you’ll definitely feel like you’re a world away.

Additionally, Eastern Europe is a great destination for budget travelers, as prices for food, lodging, and transportation are generally lower than in the western half of the continent.

It’s also become a top spot for solo female travel as most countries are very safe and welcoming.

Ready to book?

Keep reading to dive into resources that will help you with planning a trip to Europe.

Note: This ultimate guide to European travel contains affiliate links to trusted partners!

Map Of Europe

Use this Europe travel map to begin planning your trip to this incredible country!

Europe travel

Click here for an interactive Google Map version of the above graphic.

Austria Travel Guide

Plan an unforgettable trip to Austria with the following guides!

Croatia Travel Guide

These Croatia travel tips, destinations, and itinerary suggestions will help you plan the perfect trip!

Czech Republic Travel Guide

Plan the perfect trip to the Czech Republic!

Denmark Travel Guide

Have a blast visiting Denmark with the following tips!

England Travel Guide

These guides can help you plan the perfect England travel itinerary!

France Travel Guide

These France travel tips, destinations, and itinerary suggestions will help you plan the perfect trip!

Paris Travel Guide

Use this Paris city guide section to plan the perfect trip!

Lyon Travel Guide

Plan a memorable trip to Lyon with the help of these ultimate guides to the city:

Nice Travel Guide

This Nice tourist guide section shares fun things to do in this beautiful city!

Marseille Travel Guide

Looking for a fun Marseille tourist guide? The following resources have you covered!

Provence Travel Guide

This guide to Provence section will show you the best this region has to offer!

South Of France Travel Guide

Explore fun things to do in one of the best French holiday destinations! You can also peruse the above sections on travel in Nice, Marseille, and Provence for bonus South of France trip inspiration.

France Travel Tips

Important advice for traveling in France!

Germany Travel Guide

These Germany travel tips, destinations, and itinerary suggestions will help you plan the perfect trip!

Greece Travel Guide

These Greece travel tips, destinations, and itinerary suggestions will help you plan the perfect trip!

Iceland Travel Guide

These Iceland travel tips, destinations, and itinerary suggestions will help you plan the perfect trip!

Ireland Travel Guide

These Ireland travel tips, destinations, and itinerary suggestions will help you plan the perfect trip!

Italy Travel Guide

These Italy travel tips, destinations, and itinerary suggestions will help you plan the perfect trip!

Top Italy Destinations

Looking for the best vacation places in Italy? These travel guides to Italy can help!

Tips About Italy

This Italy travel advice will help you plan the perfect trip!

Tuscany Travel Guide

You can’t go to Italy without visiting Tuscany. Learn why through these Italy travel guides.

Florence Travel Guide

Looking for a city guide to Florence as well as to learn about the best day trips from Florence? Check out:

Cinque Terre Travel Guide

If you’re looking for the best Italy places to visit you can’t miss Cinque Terre. Here’s why.

Rome Travel Guide

Rome is home to some of the best sights to see in Italy, which you’ll discover in these guides.

Latvia Travel Guide

The following guides can help you plan the perfect Latvia travel itinerary!

Portugal Travel Guide

These Portugal travel tips, destinations, and itinerary suggestions will help you plan the perfect trip!

Scotland Travel Guide

Plan an epic trip to Scotland with the help of the following advice:

Slovenia Travel Guide

These Slovenia travel tips, destinations, and itinerary suggestions will help you plan the perfect trip!

Spain Travel Guide

These Spain travel tips, destinations, and itinerary suggestions will help you plan the perfect trip!

Sweden Travel Guide

Explore Sweden with confidence with the following guides:

Switzerland Travel Guide

These Switzerland travel tips, destinations, and itinerary suggestions will help you plan the perfect trip!

Turkey Travel Guide

These Turkey travel tips, destinations, and itinerary suggestions will help you plan the perfect trip!

Europe Travel Tips

The following Europe travel advice can help you plan the perfect trip!

Best Europe Tours

Explore local culture with a Europe tour guide through these unique excursions:

  • Best of Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland Day Trip from Prague- Hiking Tour (Czech Republic)
  • Off the Beaten Track: Guided Bike Tour of Paris Local Districts and Stories (France)
  • Cooking Class and Lunch at a Tuscan Farmhouse with Local Market Tour from Florence (Italy)
  • Canyoning Adventure in the Salzkammergut from Salzburg (Austria)
  • See the Unknown Copenhagen by Bike (Denmark)
  • Banya experience & Sergiyev Posad Monastery Onboard A Classic Soviet Van from Moscow (Russia)
  • Wine Tour of Etyek from Budapest (Hungary)

Click here for a full list of Europe travel tours!

Renting A Car In Europe

Need a rental car for your Europe trip?

Use Discover Cars to quickly compare your car rental options.

Their comparison tool does the homework for you, so there’s no need to have up 10+ tabs trying to figure out which company is the most affordable. Actually, you can save up to 70% using their tool!

Europe Train Travel

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!

Europe Hotels

Click here to browse the best Europe travel hotels!

Prefer self-contained stays?

Click here to check out unique local rentals!

You can also use this map to search for local stays:

Europe Travel Insurance

It doesn’t matter if you’re traveling solo or with a group on a Europe tour. When visiting Europe — or any other country in the world — make sure to get travel insurance to protect your health and safety.

In my opinion, 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.

With coverage, you’ll have peace of mind as you embark on your Europe travel itinerary.

Click my referral link here to price out travel insurance for your trip in just a few clicks.

Europe Travel Guide FAQ

Below, find answers to frequently asked questions about traveling in Europe.

Q: What is a suggested itinerary if I’m planning a trip to Europe for 2 weeks?

Europe’s size and generally open borders make it easy to see a fair amount of the continent in just two weeks.

If you only have a limited amount of time to travel, though, you might want to focus on just one part of Europe or a group of countries when building your itinerary. This will allow you to spend a few days in each destination and explore them in-depth.

A particularly popular itinerary is a tour through Western Europe, traveling through countries like France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands. This will allow you to visit major cities like Paris, Rome, and Amsterdam as well as more off-the-beaten-path locations like the Swiss Alps and the Dutch countryside in between.

You can customize your itinerary to fit your personal travel bucket list, too. For instance, maybe you want to throw in a few days in Barcelona or Munich!

If you’re leaning more towards an Eastern European adventure, you have plenty of options. Again, focus on a few countries in the region that you want to visit and build your itinerary around them.

For example, a tour through Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, and the Czech Republic is very doable in two weeks, with plenty of time to enjoy each country and city on your schedule.

Q: What is the best way to tour Europe?

When it comes to getting around Europe, you have a lot of options. Travel between most countries is easy, with almost every country offering some form of international travel service. This is great if you’re more of a DIY traveler; whether you want to travel by bus, train or plane, you’ll find plenty of options within your budget.

Alternatively, you can rent a car or camper and take a little road trip through the continent. Just make sure your driver’s license is valid in every country you’re passing through and that you’re aware of all local traffic laws.

Not sure where to start? Check out Omio, an amazing search tool that helps you find travel deals and routes on every mode of transportation across Europe and around the globe.

Guided group tours are another fun and easy way to see Europe. Tour companies take the guesswork out of planning a multi-city or -country trip and give you the opportunity to see Europe with a group of like-minded travelers. It’s also a great option for solo travelers, particularly those heading out on their own for the first time.

Intrepid Travel has been leading small group tours around the world with a focus on sustainable and responsible travel. Their catalog features tours to nearly every country in Europe and they even cater to specific types of travelers like young adults, families, foodies, and cyclists.

GAdventures also plans a wide range of European tours and truly unique experiences like hikes through Madeira and cooking classes in Croatia. GAdventures tours go beyond the simple multi-city bus tour to give you an in-depth look at the diverse cultures of the continent and are a great option for travelers looking for that wow factor.

Q: What are some Europe train travel tips?

Europe’s robust rail system makes it easy to travel from country to country. Interrail, also known as Eurail outside of Europe, is a pass that allows for unlimited travel through Europe by train for a certain period of time. This is probably the most flexible way to travel by rail as you’re not bound to a timed ticket and can change up your plans whenever you like.

The downside? It’s expensive.

Global passes start at around $220 USD and you may still need to pay extra to reserve seats on certain routes.

In some cases, you may be better off just booking individual tickets, so be sure to compare prices before you book.

Overnight trains are also a great option if you’re taking a longer journey and don’t want to lose a day of exploring to travel. Don’t worry about having to spend the whole night in a regular train seat; bunk beds are available on most trains and are usually pretty affordable.

Another great time-saving option is Europe’s high-speed rail. Germany’s ICE network is probably the most robust system in Europe, but many other countries throughout the continent have instituted some high-speed trains.

While many train lines have food service options ranging from snack carts to full dining cars, others do not. Be sure to do your research when booking your fare, particularly for long journeys. You don’t want to arrive at your destination completely ravenous.

And make sure to familiarize yourself with a few common transportation phrases in the languages of the countries you’re visiting. This will save you a lot of time and confusion at the train station!

Q: What are some travel tips for Europe?

Comfortable shoes and clothing are an absolute must when traveling through Europe. Yes, we’re all aware of the stereotypical tourist look of a baseball cap, slogan t-shirt, and white tennis shoes. While you want to blend in to a certain extent — especially to avoid becoming a mark for pickpockets — you still need to keep comfort in mind.

You’ll be walking a lot throughout your trip, particularly if you’re visiting major cities like Paris, and cobblestone streets are generally not compatible with heels. Make sure to pack clothes and shoes you’re happy to walk around in for several hours because that’s exactly what you’ll be doing.

While in Europe, you’ll find that most places use 24-hour time, or military time on schedules, clocks, and basically anything that tells time. If you’re not used to reading time this way, consider switching your phone or digital watch over to 24-hour time a week or so before your trip to acclimate to this system. You don’t want to accidentally show up for a 9am tour of the Vatican at 9pm!

You should also know that you won’t see everything you want to see in one trip. Every European country is chock full of things to see and your must-do list will probably be pretty long when you start planning.

Remember that there are only so many hours in a day; you may have to skip one activity in order to do another. Narrow down your list to your absolute priority activities and find time in your itinerary for each one.

And be sure to pace yourself; you don’t want to load up your first few days with activities and find yourself burnt out halfway through your trip. Schedule time to rest and give yourself some buffer time between activities.

Q: Is it safe to travel in Europe?

While the level of safety varies from country to country, Europe is generally quite safe for travelers.

Every place is different, so there will be different things to watch out for wherever you travel. It’s best to keep an eye on the news and any travel advisories for specific countries from government organizations ahead of your trip.

The main things you’ll want to be wary of are pickpocketing and petty theft. This kind of crime is common in many European countries, particularly in heavy tourist areas.

Always stay aware of your surroundings and make sure you’re not flaunting any obvious signs of wealth. Keep any valuables close to you or locked away in your accommodations.

Q: When is the best time to visit Europe?

Summer is Europe’s peak season for a reason. Throughout the summer months, you’ll find warm weather, long days, and plenty of opportunities to explore. This is also when you’ll find the biggest crowds, so make sure you have everything booked in advance so you’re not shut out of any must-do activities.

The “shoulder seasons” of spring and fall are also great options for a European vacation as the weather is cooler but generally pleasant and the crowds are much smaller.

You can also find some pretty good deals in certain countries during the shoulder seasons and the winter, so keep that in mind when booking your trip.

Q: How long can a tourist stay in Europe?

While it varies by country, visitors from many countries like the United States and Canada can typically stay in Europe for up to 90 days without engaging in any professional activity during your stay (for example, in the Schengen area).

This is very general advice, so make sure to check individual country rules.

Q: Do I need a European travel visa?

Visa rules differ by country, so you’ll need to check your country’s International Travel Information page for your destination for the most up-to-date information on entry and exit requirements.

You can also contact the embassy of your destination.

Q: Where is Europe?

Located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere — and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere — Europe is a continent that sits north of Africa and west of Asia. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean (north), the Atlantic Ocean (west), the Mediterranean Sea (south), and Asia (east).

Q: Are credit cards accepted in Europe?

Credit cards — particularly Visa and Mastercard — are widely accepted around Europe, particularly in tourist areas, though this does differ by country and region.

It is always wise to carry some cash for smaller establishments and in case of emergency. Additionally, you’ll want cash in more rural areas and small towns.

Q: Can you drink the tap water in Europe?

While it is safe to drink the tap water in many European countries, you’ll want to check the water quality of the specific country you’re visiting.

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