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First time traveling in Europe. Where should we visit?

reddit.com › r › travel › comments › 12jmfbn › first_time_traveling_in_europe_where_should_we

I would suggest taking the train from Amsterdam -> Paris -> Barcelona. You could get to see 3 great cities with different cultures! We recently did a similar trip in 2 weeks and really enjoyed it. Take note, there will be people here who say “you can’t possibly see all those places in 2 weeks” and I disagree. You’ll never get to fully see everything unless you’re somewhere for months, which is usually unrealistic. See what you can, I’ve found 3-5 days in each place is a great place to start and if you love somewhere, you can plan another trip! It will be busy and hot at that time but if that’s the only time that works for you. Go for it! Answer from saltyarcherbaby on reddit.com

reddit.com › r/travel › first time traveling in europe. where should we visit?

r/travel on Reddit: First time traveling in Europe. Where should we visit?

April 12, 2023 -

Me and my partner want to go on a trip to somewhere in Europe. It’s his first time leaving the country and my first time traveling to Europe as well.

We want to stay for 2 weeks in August and visit 2 cities (1 city per week). We know we could visit more places but since it’s our first time going alone and his first time traveling, the last thing we want is to rush things.

We would love to sight see, visit museums and go on tours, and take a day or two to relax and just walk around and try the food. I’m also a photographer so a place with nice architecture is a plus!

We are looking at Rome, Brussels and Barcelona at the moment but any recommendations would be great, we’re kind of overwhelmed with the amount of destinations in Europe.

I would suggest taking the train from Amsterdam -> Paris -> Barcelona. You could get to see 3 great cities with different cultures! We recently did a similar trip in 2 weeks and really enjoyed it. Take note, there will be people here who say “you can’t possibly see all those places in 2 weeks” and I disagree. You’ll never get to fully see everything unless you’re somewhere for months, which is usually unrealistic. See what you can, I’ve found 3-5 days in each place is a great place to start and if you love somewhere, you can plan another trip! It will be busy and hot at that time but if that’s the only time that works for you. Go for it!

I'd do Stockholm and Copenhagen. Central europe gets quite hot and full with tourists on August. Stockholm and Copenhagen are cooler and not AS touristy. And they have a bunch of museums and stuff to do.

reddit.com › r/europetravel › looking to travel to europe for the first time. how should i prepare?

r/Europetravel on Reddit: Looking to travel to Europe for the first time. How should I prepare?

March 25, 2024 -

As the title says, I am looking to travel to Europe for the first time and trying to learn advice and recommendations from others on this.

I am flying from the US and looking to most likely backpack through these possible countries: England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden. I am looking to spend around 12-14 days on travel, so I am trying to additionally figure out how many are realistic to travel around (ideally trying to get a 1-2 days per country) and see a bit of everything. It will just be myself traveling as well.

Advice on how to plan such a trip and any general travel advice is welcome. TYIA

Pick two of the countries(max) on your list and go from there. You can't treat this like "I'll never get another chance, so I need to see everything". If you go by this method, you won't enjoy any of the places and a large percentage of your time will be traveling, packing, etc. I would also focus more on cities/regions than countries.

Most people on this sub will travel at a much slower pace - maybe 3-4 nights per city and focusing on one or two countries for a 2 week trip. Some people may enjoy traveling faster, but what you're proposing is more in "Amazing Race" territory. It's a lot of time and money spent on travel to see VERY little of where you're going.

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reddit.com › r/travel › checklist for traveling to europe for the first time?

r/travel on Reddit: Checklist for traveling to Europe for the first time?

October 15, 2023 -

Long story short, my family and I are planning to go to Europe next summer and it's our first trip abroad for any of us. We all have passports ready and will be buying plane tickets soon. Besides simply having a passport and round trip tickets, is there anything we'll need in order to successfully travel to Europe? We're considering landing in either Prague or Dresden if that helps.

Edit: there's a lot of awesome advice here I didn't consider and I'll definitely use. But I'm mostly asking about entry requirements. Are there any additional entry requirements for Germany and the neighboring countries I should be aware of?

European here: Make sure your health insurance will cover your costs outside the US Get travel insurance in case of an emergency (repatriation, baggage loss, death, etc). Make sure you understand how you will be charge for using your phone abroad. What is your data roaming plan, do you get free EU roaming, or charged a daily fee, or have to pay per megabyte? Paying per MB is almost always crazy expensive. Make sure your credit cards are enabled for contactless payments or chip and pin payments. Most EU terminals don't take swipe cards any more. Ensure you have a visa and/or a mastercard credit card. Almost no other credit cards are accepted (Amex sometimes but rare). Get yourself fit for walking. Walking is the most common mode of transport in cities. Even if you take taxis or public transit there are certainly plenty of attractions that you can only get to on foot. You should expect to be walking 3-6 miles per day when being a tourist. You need to be used to it. Practice. Get good footware (comfortable shoes that won't give you blisters). Bring compeed blister plasters with you in your day bag. Pack light! Most airlines inside Europe allow one single suitcase per passenger, and either one or two carry on bags. Smaller is better, as hotel rooms are small and if you are travelling by train, you want to be able to carry your own luggage without trouble. I suggest a single small suitcase with 7 days worth of clothes and plan to do laundry. If you take 14 days worth of clothes, try and pack light. Only 1 jacket, 1 pair of shoes etc. Get yourself some outlet adapters for your electrical devices. Cheap ones available online. Don't bring any electrical device that heats (hair dryer, straighteners...) . Electric here has double the voltage, it will explode when you plug it in (even with an adapter). Just borrow from the hotel. Bring a very small backpack as a day bag and a few of those fabric tote bags (most food shops don't give bags for environmental reasons). Now a few cultural things that might make your trip more fun! Remember that most countries in Europe think of themselves as country first, European second. So things can be very different between Czech Republic and Germany for example. Learn a bit about each country before you arrive. Try and learn a few words in the language of where you are going for each place: please, thank you, 1, 2. It will get you smiles when shopping even if the staff speak English as well. Research which countries are more cash based and which take credit cards. Germany is getting better with cards but it is still a very cash based place. France is the opposite. Each country will be different. Get some foreign currency (maybe 200 or 300 euros cash) before you go, as an emergency fund. If your credit card gets blocked you don't want to be stuck without a way to pay for things. Try to train yourself now before you go on some European things: be a little quieter in restaurants and in public. Try and be OK with people staring at you. Be OK with what you might think of as slow or bad service. Look up the tipping culture of each country you're going it. Everywhere will do it differently. Both in amount and in how you leave the tip. bring clothing that will mean you can be comfortable in most weather (rain, cold, hot, humid). You'll be walking around and outside a lot.

The ETIAS isn't in force yet, who knows what the situation will be by next summer. Happy travels.

reddit.com › r/travel › taking a trip to europe for the first time and seeking advice

r/travel on Reddit: Taking a trip to Europe for the first time and seeking advice

August 13, 2022 -

Hello all! My daughter is graduating college next year and for her graduation gift, I’d like to take her to London, Amsterdam and Paris. There will be a group of six total and I’m looking to go in August or October( ideal month for me). I’d love ANY advice on flights, hotels and anything else you are willing to share. I’m truly overwhelmed as I just started the planning process.

Thanks in advance ❤️

Edit: My heart is full and smiling with all the valuable information you all shared with me. I have tons of suggestions and priceless advice for our first trip to Europe. Thank you all times ten!!!❤️❤️❤️

Book the flights direct with the airline. Don't use third party agents. Use train between Amsterdam and Paris. Book on thalys.com Can only be booked 2-3 months in advance. I recommend the train from London to whichever of Paris or Amsterdam you're going to first, as well. Book on Eurostar.com . Can also only be booked 2-3 months in advance. London, Paris and Amsterdam are hot in August (and many things are not air conditioned). If that's not OK with you then go in October. Ensure hotels, especially if going in August, have air conditioning - it is NOT ubiquitous. It will be materially cheaper to go in October. How long to spend in each place is up to you, but I would caution against trying to experience any of these cities in less than several (say 4) days, particularly London and Paris. Ideally this would be a 2 week trip for proper enjoyment. Otherwise, leave out one of them (but not London). I suggest you start with:The major sorts of thing you want to do and a few (2-3) things you all want to do. Also on the ordering, because that determines your flightslDecide on the weather or other timing questions. Choose August or October.Then check flights are possible and affordable.Check hotels are affordable and acceptable.Book flights.Book hotels, very preferably refundable.Plan major excursions but do NOT allocate all time - allocate maybe 50% now.Closer in, book trains. Book any excursions that you must book a long time ahead. Prepare a list of things you could do that aren't major excursions. When you're there, decide how you feel and choose some. Enjoy!

October will be cheaper since August is still Europe’s peak season. Flights - Use Google flights to see what your options are and the cost. Travel planning - I like to start my research and travel planning using Rick Steves’ website. There’s a lot of helpful information, tips, and suggested itineraries. It helps if you have a list of places to see/things to do that your group is interested in. https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/england/london https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/netherlands/amsterdam https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/france/paris Transportation between cities - There are several low cost carriers if you want to fly, just be aware that what you get is basic and they charge extra for things (select your seat, baggage, etc). The other option is travel by train (search Eurostar or Rail Europe). General - Please check and make sure your passport is valid at least 3 months beyond planned date of departure (6 months is recommended). No visa is required if staying less than 90 days. Good luck.

reddit.com › r/europetravel › first time traveling to europe—is this a solid plan?

r/Europetravel on Reddit: First Time Traveling To Europe—Is This A Solid Plan?

November 24, 2023 -

I am traveling to Europe for the first time in my life this year with a good friend of mine. We plan on visiting five places:

Paris, France (12/16-12/19)
Interlaken, Switzerland (12/19-12/22)
Milan, Italy (12/22-12/24)
Venice, Italy (12/24-12/26)
Barcelona, Spain (12/26-12/31)
Back to Paris France 12/31 for the flight back to US on 1/1 (We got a round trip flight into and out of Paris as it was the cheapest option)

We are taking a train inbetween every country except for from Venice to Barcelona which we will be taking a plane. Is this a doable plan? What are some must-know tips that you guys could tell me?

No. Sounds more like a logistics plan for a truck driver than a holiday.

So two full days in Paris, two full days on Interlaken, one full day in Milan, one full day in Venice and few full days in Barcelona. That's rushed AF. Have fun seeing ton of trains and airports tho!

reddit.com › r/travel › first time traveling to europe

r/travel on Reddit: First time traveling to Europe

May 8, 2024 -

Next winter my partner and I are planning a 2.5 week trip in Europe. We plan to fly into Scotland (Edinburgh) and spend 5 days there, then fly to France, spend 5 days then go to Italy and spend 5 days there before flying home. We might add a day or so to each stop. Realistically speaking, is that doable? To those who have visited these countries, can you share the travel etiquette? I do speak elementary level French so I do look forward to that and I have a rough idea of current French culture but the other areas I’m not really sure about but one of the important things is that we are respectful travelers while enjoying our time. Also- time of flights. Is it best to do a night flight for the time zone change or does it really matter? Thanks!

What do you mean by five nights in France, Italy, etc? It's doable if you mean ONE CITY in France or Italy. But you won't want to do more than that with maybe a day-trip or two.

That is doable but you can't visit a country in 5 days. You can visit cities in that time frame. I would recommend you stick to one city in each France and Italy and a Maximum of 2 in Scotland or just one in Scotland and more day trips. Paris and Rome could be good cities for you. They are large and have a lot to offer. You won't get bored in those 5 days and they offer good day trip oppurtunities. But which cities you choose depends on your interests. There is no universal travel etiquette. You are a tourist and that's fine. In larger european cities watch out for pickpockets but other than that you will be fine. Overnight flights from the US to Europe can be rough. You will lose a day to jet lag, that is just how it is. You will arrive tired and it will be morning at the places you arrive. Try to power through that day somehow and the next day your sleep schedule should align. On the way back I recommend a day flight. You will be tired when you arrive back in the US but it will already be evening so your sleep schedule will align with almost no delay. If you fly into Europe from the east, just reverse the order of the flights.

reddit.com › r/europetravel › planning my first ever european trip, what can we realistically do for 14-17 days in europe?

r/Europetravel on Reddit: Planning my first ever European Trip, what can we realistically do for 14-17 days in Europe?

February 7, 2024 -

I can’t believe I’m even writing something like. I’ve decided to finally take the plunge with my wife because I’ve realized I need to just take that first step instead of always saying “I want to travel somewhere” and then end up not doing anything about it

As of right now we are in the beginning process of planning. I would say we are pretty flexible people and have international experience traveling in the ME. I’m sure Europe is different and we are so excited

I know Spain and Italy is in our list. Do you think it’s feasible to add a few more countries on there? We are open to trains or rent a car, whichever would be cheaper. Any other tips for a couple traveling to Europe? We really are trying to see as much as we can and we don’t mind having to hop around but also we want to make sure we soak everything in as well. Thank you guys!!!

Edit: Amazing answers thank you so much! Truly an exciting time

I'd say just one of those countries is better,but if you want to see a little of Spain and Italy you can do so of course. Just don't try to cover too many places.Maximum 3-4 cities for me in that timeframe,that could be all in one country (easier because you have one language,less travel time,no need to fly between) or 1 or 2 cities in each country. As for transport,that depends where you want to go.It can be useful for the countryside to have a car,but if you want to go to big cities its pretty useless and train is a much better option. Do you have any idea which specific places you want to see in Italy or Spain?

My first trip to Europe was in 2017 and I also wanted to see as much as possible. We did Venice, Vienna, Prague, Budapest and Rome. We went for 15 days and I was exhausted for a lot of them. It was a great trip, but I'm only hitting 1-2 countries MAX next time. Don't be like me.

reddit.com › r/europetravel › first time europe trip - tips

r/Europetravel on Reddit: First Time Europe Trip - Tips

January 11, 2024 -

I have a company event in Amsterdam for 1 week (end of Feb to first week of March this year). My wife is going with me and we're planning to extend our stay in Europe for another 8 days to explore other countries:

4 days in Italy (Rome + Florence)
2 days in Paris
To be safe, we'll spend the remaining 2 days in Amsterdam before our flight home

As a first timer, what tips can you give to make the most out of our time? Be it budgeting, transportation, food, accommodation and most importantly things to do there.

Any help are greatly appreciated!

I’m speaking as someone who was CONVINCED that I was not going to regret going to so many places for a short time…. Do less. Cut a country. You’ll be glad you did. You could do all 6 days in either Italy or France and still wish it was more. I’d personally cut Paris.

2 days in Rome and Paris doesn't seem enough Cut off Paris and make 4 days Rome 2 florence

Find elsewhere

Google Bing Mojeek

reddit.com › r/europetravel › first time traveling to europe. 1 week in london, 1 in paris, 1 in rome.

First time traveling to Europe. 1 week in London, 1 in Paris, 1 in Rome. : r/Europetravel

June 5, 2025 - Even tiny towns like sancerre or ouzes to pick a random pair which are well worth the visit. But Edinburgh, nice, split, Málaga, San Sebastian are all smaller cities and have a good bit more than a cow paddock · If you just want photos of famous old buildings, buy a postcard. Continue this thread ... A first timer in Europe, who knows if they can ever come again, should definitely be seeing the most famous things in the big cities.

reddit.com › r/europetravel › first time traveling to europe on a budget – any advice?

r/Europetravel on Reddit: First Time Traveling to Europe on a Budget – Any Advice?

March 6, 2025 -

Hey everyone! My brother and I (and possibly a few others) are traveling to Europe for the first time this June, and we could use all the advice we can get. Our plan is to start in Italy and then head up to Switzerland, but that’s really not set in stone, staying for about two weeks total. We’re trying to keep things as budget-friendly as possible—staying in hostels, using public transport, and avoiding unnecessary expenses.

We’d love any general tips, but here are some specific questions we have:

Best ways to travel between cities/countries? We’ve heard about trains, budget airlines, and buses, but what’s the best mix of affordability and convenience? How to find cool, less touristy spots? Any must-see places in Italy or Switzerland that aren’t super crowded or overpriced? Budget-friendly food options? We want to experience local food without spending a fortune. Hostel recommendations or booking tips? Are there better ways to find good, cheap places to stay? Any hidden costs or things first-time travelers usually overlook? If you’ve done a similar trip (or just have solid Europe travel experience), we’d love to hear your advice. Thanks in advance for any tips is helps and means a lot!

If you’re on a budget skip Switzerland 😂

Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in Europe.

reddit.com › r/travelhacks › must haves going to europe first time?

r/TravelHacks on Reddit: Must Haves Going to Europe First Time?

August 2, 2023 -

Husband and I going to Germany for our honeymoon next month. Besides the outlet adapters what are some serious must haves you don’t generally know you need as a first time traveler? We’ve never been to Europe before and need some advice please!

In no order... Plug adapters, charging cables. Some cash; I assume a lot of place accept regular credit cards and contact less payements (apple pay ... ), skip American Express or Discover ; they are not widely accepted. Don't know if it is still useful, but notify your credit card that you will be traveling; Good shoes; no need for hiking shoes, just nice trainers (for example sketcher for her) If you want to dress up, dress up in the evening; especially if going out for a special meal. Leave anything in your wallets that you don't need at home in the US (costco cards, ... ) Carry as little as possible with you while visiting during the day; it's not a Mount Everest expedition (unless, of course if you intend to do some serious hiking); skip the backpack, opt for a small purse or a cross body bag. If you have allergies, get an allergy card translated in German, very useful in restaurants. Learn a few words/sentences in German (hello, bye, thank you, one beer, two beers, three beers, where are the bathrooms) Accept that a lot of things will be different. Be patient, be empathetic. Take pictures of your passport and send them to yourself, leave the passport at your accommodation. Get a local SIM card for your phone; or check to see if your US carrier offer "free" roaming in Europe.

This isn’t related to packing, but keep this in mind about eating at restaurants. The service is usually a lot slower than in the states. They aren’t ignoring you, they just allow customers to take their time. If you want something, like another beer, you may have to get their attention yourself. This is actually one of my favorite parts about Europe.

reddit.com › r/europetravel › first time in europe how's my itinerary?

r/Europetravel on Reddit: First time in Europe how's my itinerary?

April 13, 2024 -

First time in Europe, was wondering if my itinerary is too much for 3 weeks and if I'm spending too much or too little in some places

Days 1-3 London

Days 4-5 Amsterdam

Days 6-8 Barcelona

Days 9-11 Bologna ( Day trips to Venice & Florence)

Days 12-16 Rome ( Day trip to Naples)

Days 17-19 Dubrovnik

Days 20-21 London

For me this is way too much flying around with an airplane

I've been to all these places except Naples and traveled in Europe a lot, and I'm exhausted just looking at this itinerary. Too much flying, which is the worst part of travel. If even one flight gets delayed or canceled all your plans collapse in a jumble. My honest feedback is to cut this way down. I would do this, assuming 21 nights: Save Amsterdam and Barcelona for another trip. That's not enough time in those cities or countries to get even a small taste of what they're about. With London and Italy you're getting a good taste of two very different parts of Europe, North and South. Spend 4 nights in London to help you recover from jet lag. London is huge. You can easily do day trips to places like Oxford by train. Fly directly from London to Rome and spend 4 nights there, see the Colosseum and all the famous stuff, walk around the cool neighborhoods, eat pizza and pasta, drink, relax. Take the train up to Bologna, check in for 10 nights, and use it as a base to take day trips by train to other nearby cities like Florence, Venice, Milan, Genoa -- you can decide on these at the time based on your energy levels and enthusiasm. Take the train back to Rome, and spend a final 3 nights there. If you still have energy, you could use the high-speed trains to take a day trip to Naples and/or Pompeii during that time. Fly directly home from Rome. This would still be a very large trip, and very tiring, but at least you would cut way down on the number of flights. Trains are much less stressful than flights: you don't need to arrive so far in advance, and if you miss one train often there's another one in an hour or so. And you disembark at train stations right in the city centers, so if you research in advance, you can book accommodation a short walk or cheap cab ride from the station and eliminate the hassles of getting into the city centers from airports often located 25 miles out in the burbs. In short, you will spend your time exploring interesting places and eating good food instead of sitting in airport terminals.

reddit.com › r/europetravel › advice for first time traveler to europe?

r/Europetravel on Reddit: Advice for first time traveler to Europe?

April 7, 2022 -

Hello, I am an American female in my thirties planning my first trip to Europe and I don't know where to begin! I have traveled extensively in the US but not abroad. I have two weeks of vacation time to use up and am considering next spring (2024) as a good time to go. I'd like to hit a few countries if possible, but not rush too much and my main issue is deciding what is feasible in the amount of time I have. I'm more interested in smaller cities than the really big ones (ie I can skip London, Rome, Paris, etc). I'm mainly interested in a) walking a lot and just taking in the culture and sights, b) getting some great food c) staying in safe lodging.

I'd appreciate any tips for a first time Europe-traveler, including recommendations for places to go, travel advice, things to be aware of, and time of year to go. Honestly I am pretty flexible, just excited to finally see some of the continent! Thanks in advance.

If you like walking and smaller cities I'd recommend Croatian- Adriatic coast! You won't have a direct flight but probably through Germany. You can get culture and wonderful clean beaches. Try Googling Rovinj, Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik.

Rovinj will give you a very Italian feeling as it's fairly close to Italy, Zagreb will give you a Vienna feel without being that crowded, and Split will give you a proper Mediterranean feeling and a lot of historical sites.

You can get a train or a bus from Zagreb to Split, but Rovinj might be a bit tricky without a car, might have to do a ride share.

Since you have 2 weeks you might get 2 flights, USA to Germany and spend a few days there, and then another flight to Croatia.

Pack light. Think cobble stones, tight hallways and stairs. And more stairs. Did I mention stairs? Nothing like running to catch a train and your wheeled train of luggage slows you down.

reddit.com › r/europetravel › general tips and advice for a europe trip next year!

r/Europetravel on Reddit: General tips and advice for a Europe trip next year!

June 3, 2024 -

🚨Update! 🚨 Thank you all so much for your advice it’s been really insightful!!

So my boyfriend and I are planning to travel to Europe next year and just want some general tips! We are planning on going for 1-3 months coming from Australia. We ideally want to go to all the big places (France, Greece, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, Germany + many more) but we’re unsure of how long to spend in each place and what the most efficient way to travel from country to country is and what order we should visit each country? We will most likely start our trip in England as I have family there that we can stay with and then go from there. Also how much money should I be saving? We are currently both aiming to save around $20,000 AUD. We would also prefer to go during the summer so July-August time but I’ve heard it’s most expensive then. Please help a girl out and share your experiences and thoughts!!

Hey there. Me n the gf went from march to May. Admittedly the first week or 2 was a shock coming from nz summer. But it warmed up. We did NL, UK, Germany, France, Italy. The peak of summer can be pretty hot in the south of Europe, maybe flip the plan so you are down there before the peak of heat (there were 40+ degree days last summer) but being aussies you might be alright. What sort of interests are you into? Might be able to suggest a few things. Whatever you do, absorb the culture, compared to this end of the world there's so much age and diversity to everything. Most of the places we were in we could speak English (I could also speak passable Dutch, and took time to learn the bare basics of French Italian and German to ask for help or apologise for only speaking English, trust me it helps break the ice). If you are both planning to have that sort of money each you will be fine. Look at something like a wis3 card you can load in advance, I bought euros and pounds when the conversion rate was good. Works like a standard eftpos card. Public transport is incredible, we took trains almost everywhere, the scenery was good on some trips.took a train from florence to munich, through the brunner pass and Austria, amazing to just watch out the window.

Europe is funny in terms of a travel destination. I think as a first time visitor it’s a rite of passage to wanna see the “name” places… London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona (which I did on my first big trip there). But once you’ve done those super touristy places once I think you get fascinated by some smaller cities and being off the beaten track more, where it’s so diverse and so much cheaper to travel as well (Budapest, Croatian coast, parts of Portugal and even Eastern Europe into places like Albania etc).

reddit.com › r/travel › first time traveling to europe- how to efficiently spend 2 weeks (london, paris…madrid)?

r/travel on Reddit: First time traveling to Europe- how to efficiently spend 2 weeks (London, Paris…Madrid)?

February 27, 2025 -

Hi everyone,

My wife and I got married last year. We were planning to spend the second leg of our honeymoon in Europe, but based on availability, points conversions etc ., it’ll be better to go in September and use this as our belated First Year Wedding Anniversary travel rather than honeymoon.

We are both history buffs that learned French growing up from Grades 1-12 and also love shopping and dining. London and Paris are no brainers for us. I have heard conflicting opinions about traveling around as much as possible vs. honing in on a couple of major cities.

We would definitely start out by flying into London and spend 3-4 days there. From there, we’d go to Paris either by train or flight and spend at least 4 days here. Having an extra day in Paris is very important to my wife. We really only planned on London and Paris, so aren’t sure what would make the most sense to do with the rest of our trip. I was thinking of either going to Spain and spending 3-4 days in Madrid, or splitting that equally between Madrid and Barcelona.

I think this is how we’ll ultimately end up before returning home to South Florida:

London for 4 full days Paris for 4 full days Madrid for 4 full days

Account for 2 days spent in the air.

Would it make sense to get back to London and catch the round trip back to South Florida from Heathrow (on points), or would it be better to just do a one way back from Spain for the sake of time?

Or, are we selling our selves short? With only 14 days, should we hone in on 2 cities only? Or should we add an extra day or 2 to our trip, work and $$$ permitting?

Thank you so much!

If you are history buffs, I would stick to two cities with one definitely being London. Personally, the packing up and moving loses much of a day.

Sounds awful lmao

reddit.com › r/europetravel › first time travel to europe

r/Europetravel on Reddit: First time travel to Europe

February 12, 2023 -

Hello! I’m going to be solo traveling to Europe for 2 weeks (specifically Amsterdam, Paris, day trip to London and Brussels (was originally Zurich but there’s too much I wanna do in Zurich and will need to be a separate rate trip))

Just curious about a few things: • if $3000 USD would be enough. My airfare and hotels are all already paid for so now it would just be spending money {food, transportation etc.} • picture taking! Do people just ask others to take photos or just prop up your phone on a tripod or something? I’m worried that if I ask or leave it to take a photo it may get stolen. •is it better to use Uber to get around or to use the public transportation? (I also plan to walk if within walking distance or just to sight see) •what were some good places in each destination you’d recommend for eating?

Using Uber is a joke in those cities, the public transportation is so much better. Ubers can get stuck in the traffic, while metro and trams will just go. Even busses have better rights in traffic than normal cars, so definitely go with public transportation.

Book the Eurostar train tickets as soon as your dates are set. Last-minute tickets are very expensive and trains might be sold out.

reddit.com › r/europetravel › itinerary help! couple from us first time traveling to europe, 3 week trip.

r/Europetravel on Reddit: Itinerary help! Couple from US first time traveling to Europe, 3 week trip.

January 25, 2024 -

Hi all! My boyfriend (23) & I (22) are in the beginning stages of planning a 3 week trip to Europe next spring. We are thinking in April/May to hopefully beat peak tourist season, but if you all have any advice on the best time to go that is welcome as well. Please critique my travel itinerary / I’d love some suggestions as well!

Week 1 Spain Day 1-3 Madrid Day 4-7 Barcelona Please give suggestions in Spain! Really struggling here,

Week 2 France (6 days) Day 1-3 Paris Day 3-6 Nice

Week 3 Italy Day 1-4 Venice Day 4-8 Tuscany? Lake como? (Wine region of some sort or something more chill since we will be towards the end of our trip) We’d also like to spend maybe one night or two in Rome to do the colosseum. I’m not sure if this could be a day trip or not/from where.

Like I said, we’re in the very beginning stages so all of this is up in the air. Is this too much? I don’t want to spend our entire trip going place to place, but also want to see a lot in the time. Is there anywhere we should spend more or less time? Any and all advice is appreciated!

Jeepers. That's a lot of traveling. what are your interests? Art? Architecture? Modern and/or ancient? Museums? What types? Churches? Palaces? Castles? Cathedrals? Urban planning? Military armaments? Forts? Kings and Queens of Europe? Archeology? The Medici? Renaissance? Music? pin everything you'd like to see and do on Google maps, use maps Directions to figure out the logistics of getting from A to B within each city and between cities, your trip will plan itself, don't forget to factor time to get from each train station to your hotels, check in, unpack, and do it in reverse in a few days click on the map icons for info on open and closed days and hours

Pick one or two countries max. Don't try to see it all. Madrid is boring but will be a good jet lag harbor. Spain... Barcelonam Valencia, Granada, Sevilla, Toledo, Bilbao, Vigo, Asturias region as a whole... you can literally rent a car and discover big chunk of the country or stick to Mediterranean coastline. Italy or France... Paris, Nice, Aix en Provence, pop over to Chamonix, Versailles, Fontainebleau, Reims, Marseilles, Bordeaux... Or Rome, Florence, Naples, Milano, Venice, Aosta, Dolomiti, Lago di Como, or maybe Amalfi coast... Stop doing a country a week, try to get a chill trip to nice places which are close to each other. France and Spain are easier to combine. Look at the map, try to make an estimation how many days things take. Do you want just cities? An ocassional beach? Mountains view?

reddit.com › r/femaletravels › traveling to europe first time leaving usa :)

r/femaletravels on Reddit: Traveling to Europe first time leaving USA :)

May 27, 2025 -

Hello, 22 F , leaving California to travel in Paris , London , and Prague. I’m very excited , but also completely nervous and scared because I’ve never been anywhere outside of the USA, or been on a solo trip that long. Going to be gone 27 days between the 3 places. I was wondering if anyone has any good tips for solo traveling like that , as well as things I should plan on bringing. Just general things or even niche things I wouldn’t think about, travel apps etc.

Thanks so much :)

Make sure you have adapters for your electrical equipment.

Make sure you’re able to use your credit and debit cards overseas. You can also carry a copy of your passport instead of bringing it with you everywhere. Have emergency numbers memorized instead of in your phone only. Have some cash. Pre-book some activities in advance to avoid long lines. Get there early for same reason.

reddit.com › r/solotravel › american first time traveling to europe

r/solotravel on Reddit: American First Time Traveling to Europe

February 20, 2022 -

Hello everyone. I (23 M) was wondering if I could get some advice/tips for my first trip to Europe. I'm planning to spend 14 days (August 13-27) and I have never been outside of the American continent before.

My current itinerary is:

London - 4 Days
Paris - 4 Days
Frankfurt/Brussels/Luxembourg - 3 Days
Amsterdam - 3 Days

The third location is still a little up in the air since it depends on whether I can meet up with a cousin who lives near Frankfurt. I'm planning to fly to London, take the Eurostar to Paris, take the train throughout the rest, and then fly back to the US from Amsterdam. Does this current itinerary sound feasible? I don't want to rush anything so I tried my best to keep it to around 4 cities.

About Me:

I'm a huge history nerd so I really want to see all the museums that I can. London sounds great for that!
I'm a foodie. I'd like to try as much food as a I can. I'm open to anything but I rather visit some small stand than a fancy restaurant
I love beer, visiting bars, and raving. I would love to visit some old pubs/bars, drink local alcohol, and hopefully find some techno/house/EDM clubs
I speak mainly English but my Spanish can get me around places. I have very little to no knowledge of French or German.
I love walking around and exploring

Budget

$2500
I found a roundtrip flight for $770 and want to use the rest of the money for lodging, food, trains, etc
I have no problem staying in hostels. I would prefer a private room but that seems out of the budget and I rather use that for other things

Concerns

How are the covid restrictions? I'm double vaccinated and boosted but I was wondering if there was anything else I needed to provide. I have my CDC Vaccine card.
Phone use. Is it really as easy as getting an e sim? I want to be able to use my phone for google maps, translation, and regularly checking up on family/friends.
Excited anxiousness about traveling. I'd describe myself as an extroverted introvert and have no experience traveling to a foreign country by myself. I guess just dealing with these feelings of being away from home

My main goals are to basically immerse myself as much as I can, meet new people, and just have a good time. If there are any tips/suggestions for this trip (especially as a first-timer) I would highly appreciate it!

Edit: Thank you everyone for the advice and tips on places to go and do! I really appreciate it and I feel a lot more confident now about this trip. All of the suggestions sound amazing and have given me a lot think about as I get to the nitty gritty of planning each day. Again thank you everyone for the help!

I was very impressed when I read "American first: time traveling to Europe"

London - 4 Days Paris - 3 Days (day trip to Versailles) Brugge/Ghent - 3 Days Brussels - 1 (day trip from Brugge 1hr each way) Amsterdam - 3 Days No compelling reason to stay in Brussels. Rent a bike in Brugge and ride the canals outside the town and bike the town when you get back. Ask the bike shop's to recommend a route. It's a great memory.

reddit.com › r/travel › best "easy" european destinations for first time travelers?

r/travel on Reddit: Best "easy" European destinations for first time travelers?

February 9, 2023 -

My husband and I are from Chicago, and finally got our first passports at 35 and 40 years old. Sad, I know.

We want to start planning our first overseas trip but are so overwhelmed with choices! We are definitely thinking Europe, planning to spend 10-14 days there, and would love to visit more than one country during that time to get the most out of our trip. We both only speak English fluently, and a small amount of broken Spanish. We are interested in trying lots of different food, doing lots of walking and exploring, seeing the sights...nothing too specific.

I see a lot of "tour packages" online but not sure if I like that idea...I am sure it makes things easier, but I don't really want to be stuck with a tour guide and a group of randos for our whole trip either. What destinations would you recommend that are fairly safe and easy to navigate for noob travelers? Any tips/recs on what to do or what not to do that you can throw my way would be greatly appreciated!

Most places you would consider going on vacation in Europe are extremely easy. Pretty much anywhere in Europe is safer than the US on average. Language barrier is a non-issue in most of Europe as well - English is the international language. If you want to go somewhere that everything is super clean, super organized and such... scandinavia, bavaria or switzerland are your best bets... also some of the most expensive options. England is also a very easy choice, similar culture, language, etc. (though sort of boring to me personally for those same reasons lol). Next "easiest" (in my mind that means organized) would be central/west europe... but honestly even east/south is not at all an issue. Only some places like the Balkans have some annoying/limited infrastructure and such to deal with. I would decide what interests you about visiting and use those interests to pick 1-2 countries (2-4 cities, more than even like 3 cities is going to start eating signifigantly into your time to explore) for a 2 week trip and go at a nice relaxed pace. Do some day trips maybe from those cities. No reasn to go on a pre-packed trip. You can join various tours as you please... theres not really much to figure out honestly. Passports you have... then you book flights and then accomodation... and go from there. You have somewhere to sleep, and a way to get there and back... the rest is just what you feel like doing.

Most of western Europe is pretty easy to navigate. But I will say this , if you are only going 10 to 14 days , I would not be changing countries and locations too often. Every time you move you lose a lot of your vacation time. It's better to enjoy what you do see , then see a bunch of stuff but feel rushed the whole time. Italy is obviously amazing, probably why it's the top choice for do many. I've not been to Spain but it's another obvious favorite for so many. You really can't go wrong, Greece, France , the UK, Germany ... Best thing to do is do a bit of research ( like top 25 things to do in ??????) When most of that top 25 list is so this that appeal to you then go there !