How To Plan Your Dream European Escape

Are you dreaming of an adventure-packed European trip but feel overwhelmed by the planning process? Don’t fear; you’re not the only one. Planning a European trip can be time-consuming, tricky, and frankly daunting, especially if you’ve never visited the continent.

There are countless fascinating places to choose from, millions of unique attractions, and hundreds of important things to remember. Don’t panic, though, because we’re here to help. To help you plan your dream European escape, we’ve compiled a plan that tells you everything you need to know. In this guide, you’ll find the essential steps you have to take to plan your European trip.

Table of Contents

Decide How Long You Want To Travel

Plan Your European Escape How Long to Travel — © Camille / Adobe Stock

First, you must decide how long you want to travel. This is arguably one of the most critical parts of the planning process because it dictates how many places you’ll visit during your trip. Ultimately, the longer you spend in Europe, the more you’ll see.

For example, you’ll likely visit two or three places if you can only take a week off work. However, if you can take two weeks off work, there’s no reason you can’t visit four or five places. The length of your trip will depend on personal preference, your budget, and how much time you can take off work.

Work Out Your Budget

Plan Your European Escape Budget — © Nataliya Hora / Adobe Stock

Now that you know how long you have to spend in Europe, it’s time to set a budget for yourself. Setting a budget can be tricky, but it’s vital if you’re going to see and do as much as you want during your trip. If you don’t set a budget, you might run out of money during your trip. This will cause you to miss out on other places and attractions.

To create a budget, determine how much you’re willing to spend on transportation, goods, drinks, accommodation, and activities, and then add a bit more. This will ensure you have enough money for the entire duration of your trip and a reserve should you need it.

Decide Where You Want to Go

Plan Your European Escape Decide Where to Go — © James / Adobe Stock

Once you’ve set your budget, you can start finalizing where you want to go and how many days you want to spend in each location. If you’re planning a two-week European trip, I recommend restricting yourself to four or five destinations. That way, you can spend a decent amount of time in each.

When choosing, follow your heart and consider the experiences you seek. For example, head to the Greek Islands if you’re looking for a summer vacation. Meanwhile, if you love history, visit Rome. You should also consider the time it takes to travel between destinations. To avoid overtravel, choose destinations that are relatively close together and have good transport links.

The Best Places To Visit in Europe

To help you decide where to go, let us share some of the best places to visit in Europe. Europe has it all, so you’ll quickly find many places that suit your travel style and the experiences you’re looking for. History buffs will enjoy cities like Rome and Florence in Italy and Athens in Greece.

If you enjoy natural landscapes, Zermatt in Switzerland, the Isle of Skye in Scotland, and Bled in Slovenia are abundant in natural beauty. If you want to spend a few weeks exploring the best European beaches, the Greek islands, Mallorca in Spain, and Croatia’s south coast are ideal. Meanwhile, major cities like Paris, London, and Milan are jam-packed with things to see and do.

Decide When You Want To Go

Plan Your European Escape Decide When to Go — © Kite_rin / Adobe Stock

Generally, there isn’t a wrong time to visit Europe. No matter what time of year it is, you’ll always find something going on and somewhere with relatively good weather. However, if there’s something specific you want to experience, you need to think carefully about when it’s best to visit.

For example, if you want to see the Christmas markets in Berlin, Germany, you must visit between November and December in winter. Alternatively, if you’re going to soak up the sun in the Greek islands, the best time to visit is August, when the temperatures reach their highest. Meanwhile, to avoid peak season in Europe, you should avoid traveling between late May and August.

Get Your Travel Documents in Order

Plan Your European Escape Travel Documents in Order — © MarinadeArt / Adobe Stock

You can’t travel to Europe without a valid passport, so checking if you have one before you travel is essential. You must also determine whether you require a visa for the countries you plan to visit. You should check both of these things before booking your flights and places to stay if you don’t want to risk being denied entry and losing your money.

Luckily, citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom can visit most places in Europe for up to 90 days within a 180-day period without a visa. However, your passport must be valid for at least six months from arrival.

Take Out Travel Insurance

Most of the planning for your dream European escape will be fun and exciting. Unfortunately, though, we also have to do the more tedious things, including taking out travel insurance. Hopefully, taking out travel insurance is a precaution, and you won’t use it, but it’s worth taking it out just in case.

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Taking out travel insurance ensures you have financial cover for medical expenses and medical repatriation should you need it. One of the best travel insurance providers is Safety Wing. Safety Wing provides simple, affordable, and flexible coverage for international travel. They offer insurance for over 200 adventure activities, 24/7 support, and solo, couple, and family policies.

Book Your Flights

Plan Your European Escape Book Flights — © Boris Stroujko / Adobe Stock

Now the tedious parts are over, you can get back to the exciting things. Booking your flights to Europe is a big step in the planning process. It’s likely the most expensive, too. We recommend booking flights to Europe using a flight comparison website like Skyscanner.

You can use Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights from your origin destination to your European destination. If you’re visiting multiple places, you should compare the flight prices for each destination. That way, you can identify the most affordable route. Easy things you can do to save money on flights include booking indirect flights, booking as soon as possible, traveling without checked luggage, and being flexible with your travel dates.

We compare all airlines with this search engine to get the lowest price possible for flights. You can also set ‘Everywhere’ as destination and it gives you the cheapest flight anywhere on any given day or find out when is the lowest price to fly to a specific destination.

Search for flights here

Book Any Additional Transport

Regarding transport, it’s also worth booking any additional transport in advance to avoid any issues when you arrive in Europe. This can include airport transfers, buses to other destinations, or other flights. Booking these in advance will ensure you don’t miss out and likely save you money.

Luckily, Europe is well-connected, offering travelers almost endless flight routes, bus routes, and train links. Therefore, you should easily be able to find and book onward travel. We usually use Omio to find the best routes to our next destination. This website lets you compare prices, find the best routes, and book transport. You could also purchase an Interrail Pass, which allows you to travel to most European places by train.

We use this search engine to find the best deals in bus tickets. You can compare and book journeys by train, bus and flight.

Search for bus tickets here

While trains are great in Europe, renting a car will allow you more flexibility if you want to visit more remote destinations.

We always use this search engine to find the best car rental deal. They compare all major companies, like Hertz, Sixt, Europcar, and more, and you get the lowest price. The earlier you book a car, the lower the price. You also get free cancelation up to 48 hours before pick up, which is great if anything happens

Search for rental car deals here

Book Your Accommodation

Once you’ve booked all your transport, it’s time to consider your accommodation. For decades, Europe has been a popular destination with every type of traveler, so it’s not hard to find something that suits you. Budget backpackers can find affordable hostels, families can discover family-friendly hotel rooms, luxury travelers can find 5-star hotels, and so on.

Start by identifying the main points of interest at your destination, where people like to stay, and the benefits of staying in each area. Then, use a platform like Booking.com to find the best accommodation options. This website and app allow you to find the best-rated accommodation options in a specific area. You can then use filters to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Pre-Book Activities, Tours, and Attractions

Europe is a popular place, so if there’s something in particular you want to see or do, we recommend booking it in advance. That way, you don’t risk missing out. Admittedly, you won’t have a problem purchasing tickets for tours, activities, and attractions, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

In peak season, significant attractions and tours get very busy. Take the Acropolis of Athens, for example. The government has now limited the number of daily visitors to the Acropolis. Therefore, you need to book a ticket in advance to guarantee entry. You can use Get Your Guide to find and book tickets for attractions, activities, and tours.

Pack the Right Things

Finally, once you’ve planned your dream European escape, the last thing you need to do is pack the essentials. What you need to pack for your trip will depend on when and where you visit. The most important thing to consider is the weather.

Pack summer clothes, sunscreen, sunglasses, and flip-flops if it’s hot. If you’re visiting somewhere cooler, pack warmer clothes, a jacket, and extra layers. If you plan to swim or hike, you might also need to pack specific items, such as swimming shorts and hiking boots. Don’t forget to pack crucial things like any medication and travel documents, either.