This itinerary works great in either direction. Norway in a Nutshell is a packaged tour that combines a scenic ferry ride on two fjords with the train ride to Myrdal. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Ally Archer / Go Seek Explore. The best times to visit Barcelona are late April into May and the month of October. By train, travel to the Amalfi Coast, visiting Pompeii along the way. The Eurostar takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes each way as it travel between St. Pancras station in London and Gare du Nord station in Paris. Edinburgh is a small, easily walkable city. Day 1: Arrive in BarcelonaDay 2: Barcelona Day 3: Barcelona Day 4: Barcelona Day 5: Day trip from Barcelona: Montserrat Day 6: Day trip from Barcelona: Girona Day 7: Day Trip from Barcelona: Costa Brava. Fly into Rome, ideally arriving in the morning, in order to give yourself two days in the city. My Boyfriend and I are planning a 2 week vacation to Europe in October for his 50th birthday. Towns directly on the Amalfi Coast, such as Positano and Amalfi, have more charm, but it will be a little harder to get around from here. To save time, you can fly directly to Santorini and start your island-hopping vacation here. Spend all of your time on the French Riviera, using Nice as your home base to day trip to the coastal towns. Athens 2. Deauville is one of the more famous of those, and its also famous for its horse race track and as one of the epicenters of the industry in Europe. You can easily spend one week on the Dalmatian Coast, exploring the nooks and crannies of shoreline and the fairytale towns, but it is also worth a quick visit to Montenegro, a gem of a country that sits right beside Croatia. Dec 23 2023. Whether you're up for touring historical sites or down to party and eat some great food, here are 30 great starter itineraries to try if you're headed to Europefor the first time (or have yet to go to these particular places yet)! It is the easiest way to search and find the best hotels (hostels too! For each itinerary there are suggestions of other destinations that are easy to add on to the main cities. This is a bit of a whirlwind, but it is possible to visit Rome, Florence, and Venice in seven very busy days. It will be more crowded and expensive to visit at this time, so you will need to make your hotel reservations far in advance (ideally 4 to 6 months before your visit). A road trip through one small region can also easily be done if you have one week in Europe. To drive across the border from Croatia into Montenegro, you will need your passport and a green card. Next, take a road trip or travel by train to Hallstatt and Salzburg, two fairytale towns that sit almost side by side. Start in Munich. If you are flying an airline that has free stopovers in Iceland (such as the popular Iceland Air), then you can stop in Reykjavik and make a trip out of it between North America and Europe. Cities like London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Berlin, Madrid, and Barcelona are all large and packed with world-class things to see and do. Venice is small enough that you can see the main sights in about 24 hours, and its so insanely crowded that many people tire of it after about a day as well. 20. Travel by high-speed train from Paris to Colmar and rent a car to explore the Alsace wine region. With one week in Iceland, we recommend spending your time on the Golden Circle and along the south coast, where you will find the highest concentration of must-see spots in Iceland (follow our itinerary for first time visitors, but remove the Snaefellsnes Peninsula). With 7 days, you really only have six full days for sightseeing. If you want to avoid most of the tourists and still have decent weather, late spring and early fall are your best bets. If you arent much of a city person at all and you have a much stronger desire to see beautiful scenery and landscapes, then Switzerland could be a good choice for your first visit to Europe. Iberian Adventure - Porto, Lisbon, Madrid, Barcelona 1.4. During the summer months, Portugal really heats up and the Portuguese head to the beaches. Towering mountains, alpine meadows, soaring cable cars, scenic walking trails, quaint villages and hamletsthis is the Jungfrau region of Switzerland. Either pick up the rental car from the airport on day 1 (more convenient) or in Ljubljana the morning of day 3 (less convenient and you could lose some time on your day trip to Predjama Castle). According to @trav." Flair Travel on Instagram: " Ready to #explore one of the best small towns in #Europe? These cities each pack a huge punch and they are very different from each other as well. The large cities here such as Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne, and Basel are all fairly dull and very expensive, so its better to minimize your time in any of them and head straight to the smaller scenic towns. Read more aboutwhere to go in Switzerlandfor even more ideas. Spend a few days exploring the historic city of Madrid, with its stunning architecture and world-renowned art museums like . I never start a trip without having every day planned out. Are You Designing a Custom Europe Itinerary? August brings the Fringe Festival, the largest arts festival in the world. The best train pass to use to follow this itinerary is the Eurail Global Pass. If your time is short, skip York and spend more time in Edinburgh. I lay out the best options along with how long to stay in each place as a general guide. Some people stick to dividing Europe into west and east, though there is a unique flair to Central Europe and plenty of amazing destinations to consider. The largest crowds occur between May and September and during the holidays of Easter and Christmas. Youll enjoy the train rides almost as much as the cities, so focus on places that are within 5 hours of each other by train. Since traveling from one city to another will take at least half a day, you dont want to waste more time by visiting far-flung cities. This itinerary combines these three Northern Italian destinations into an irresistible experience. That is my first suggestion for that time of year and 8 days. Days 1 - 3: London We're going to start your European adventure with 3 days in London. ), Ultimate US National Parks List for 2023 (+ Printable Checklist). Days 2, 3: Paris, France. During winter months, the Bernese Oberland is a snow-covered wonderland. Each of these cities has its own unique charm, history, and artistic flair. One week in Bavaria with one week in Austria (Salzburg, Hallstatt & Vienna), Norwegian Fjords with the Lofoten Islands, Croatia and Montenegro and one week in Slovenia (as a bonus, visit Plitvice Lakes on the drive between Slovenia and southern Croatia), Visit Paris and the Alsace wine region then continue traveling south to Lucerne and the Jungfrau region of Switzerland, Combine Budapest, Vienna and Bratislava with Prague and Berlin. Then it's on to the city beaches, late-night bars and enchanting old town of Barcelona (2). Eurostar fares. France is such a rich country for tourism experiences that you could spend a month there and still feel like you are missing significant sights. The quickest way to get here is to fly to one of the two airports in the Lofoten Islands, which are located in Leknes and Svolvaer. Best Interail pass 15 days within two months (see South to the Med itinerary) or the 22-day continuous pass (354 youth/461 adult/415 senior/under 12s free). Actually, England is arguably the best choice for your first trip to Europe. Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Travel Talk. The Lofoten Islands are one of the most stunning areas of Norway. Pilatus in One Perfect Day, 10 Day Bavaria Itinerary & Road Trip Guide, How to Visit Zugspitze from Austria and Germany, How to Visit Neuschwanstein Without the Crowds, What Do Cream Puffs, Hitler, and Salt Have in Common? Spend three magical days in Paris and then road trip along the fairytale towns in the Alsace wine region. Venice is in the northeast of Italy. Ive been to Europe and have visited, London, Bern, Munich, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Milan & Cannes. For this itinerary you will need to rent a car. Pros/cons for each? It is also possible to fly into Faro (FAO). This is one of our favorite itineraries for one week in Europe. Free shipping for many products! Thanks. We are a family of 5 (children 18 and 22 twins). Paris is obviously the best first place to start exploring France and 3 or 4 nights there will feel like a very complete first visit. Return to Paris by train for your flight home. This small, mountainous country is one of Europes best outdoor destinations. Here are our recommendations on how to spend one week in Europe, depending on your traveling style and interests. And overall its just so overwhelming, do you have any ideas about cities we must visit for this 3weeks trip in between Paris and Athens please? Well fly to Paris as our first city then well depart from Athens as the last. Paris From the Louvre to the Musee d'Orsay to the Orangerie to the Musee Rodin to the Centre Pompidou, it would probably take a lifetime to enjoy all the art museums in Paris alone. Amalfi Coast, Italy: Sorrento, Positano, Capri Island, 27. You could also do Amsterdam to Paris to London to Dublin. Unfortunately, airfares to Europe are up, but the European currencies are still lower than normal compared to the US Dollar, so it should balance out somewhat. Baltics: Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. Day 4: Akershus Fortress & the Royal Palace & Mathallen Food Hall. In this situation (and weather) what would you suggest is a good itinerary for the days we are there? Nothing else planned so far, what do you reccommend? Best of Greece: Athens-Paros-Naxos-Santorini. With two weeks I think Id choose 4 or 5 total cities, as I think that 3 nights is the optimal amount of time to spend in each city so you get to see a lot without spending half your time on trains or in airports. This is a wonderful way to spend one week in Europe if you love wine, are a foodie, or want a taste of the city and country life in France. Paris, 10. Discover the full itinerary here: Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Hungary & Romania Explore more 4 week itineraries in Eastern Europe on TourRadar. They also can provide excellent value, especially compared to the price of taking trains or flights and finding new hotels in every destination. This trip is perfect for families, hikers, and those who love a great road trip. For your first trip its best to visit cities that are no more than a 5-hour train ride apart. I know that it is tempting to see as much as possible, but for each new city you add to your itinerary, you will lose roughly half a day in travel time. If you book a month or more in advance: 76 to 100. You can go to the places you want, without a group to tag along with. If you do want to see a Swiss city then the capital of Bern is the most interesting and photogenic on a short visit. With seven days, you have enough time to visit two big cities or one big city with day trips. ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. Before I start listing itineraries, there are a few important things to know, especially if this will be your first trip to Europe. Getting To Portugal. One is Lisbon (LIS) and the drive from the Lisbon airport to the Algarve is about 2.5 hours. -Roger, Spend 3 (or 4) nights in almost every major city, 3 (or 4) nights will be enough for any city on your first trip, Choose cities that are easy to reach from each other, Choose cities that are connected by reasonable train rides rather than flights, Start with one of the classic itineraries below, and then add to it if you have more time, Itinerary 5: France, Belgium, and Netherlands, Best add-ons to France, Belgium, and Netherlands, Itinerary 6: Paris and elsewhere in France, Itinerary 11: Eastern Europes best cheap cities, Is the Go Boston Pass worth it? ", Want to learn how to create a work + travel lifestyle? It leaves out London, which I think could be good for a future trip instead assuming he enjoys this one. For more travel ideas, visit our Travel Itineraries page. It is a beautiful trip through Europe, a nice mix of a few cities but outdoor destinations as well. This is the shoulder season so crowds and hotels prices are lower. ), especially based on reviews. Brussels to Bruge: 58 minutes Prague and Budapest 16. In Portugal, Lisbon and Lagos make for the perfect one week Europe itinerary. Begin your journey in the vibrant and colorful country of Spain. Sure, you can zip through five cities in seven days, but mostly you will be looking at the inside of a train and lose valuable time packing and unpacking. Once you have the must-hit places on your itinerary, plan some additional stops according to your interests. All three cities are connected by direct trains so planning your trip and getting around is a breeze. If youve decided to finally explore Europe for the first time, its quite possible that you havent considered doing it on a cruise. // Get the free starter guide sent straight to your inbox! Rent a car and drive south to Prague. Or, do 5 days in London plus our Ireland Itinerary. 25 days - which itinerary is best? You might have seen my other article about the 5 best cities for a first trip to Europe and that could be worth considering because youve got enough time for those and a couple more as well. For this itinerary, you can fly in and out of Florence airport, or you can fly in and out of Fiumicino airport in Rome (and take the train to Florence). ITINERARY 1 Budapest (2 days) - Budapest sits on the banks of the Danube and is home to Heroes' Square, Parliament House, Buda Castle, and Andrssy Avenue. -Roger. 3-Month Travel Itinerary for Europe: Holy Shit, It's the Grand Tour of Europe 1. ADVERTISEMENT. It's armchair travel that turns into real travel. 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