Backpacking Diplomacy Andy's Travel Blog: Travel tips, culture, and more
How to Plan Your Very Own Euro Trip with ease
Continental Europe is a popular travel destination for many people. Due to its densely constructed geography, a traveler is able to see many places in a short amount of time. In Europe, one is able to travel between multiple cultures, languages, and countries in a matter of a few hours. Nevertheless, Europe is a fun and exciting place to visit. Below you will find an overview, and a how to guide for planning a European backpacking excursion.
In a hurry? Jump to the bottom for a quick summary step by step guide.
First considerations:
- What do you want to see?
- How long do you have?
Just as Rome was not built in one day, you cannot expect to see everything in one day, let alone one trip. Unless of course you will be traveling long term. Then, in that case you can see a good deal. So, it is best to choose an area or region instead of jumping around and only seeing little bits of each.
Quick European Overview: In my opinion, the best time to visit Europe is between May-July or late August to September. My reasoning is because I enjoy warm weather, but dislike huge crowds. Late July and August will be very high tourist seasons. The crowds will be out of hand, prices will be the highest, and most businesses will be shut down due to owners being on vacation. You really will not be able to gain a local feel at all.
Since the advent of the European Union, the Euro has emerged as the major European trading currency. It serves most western European nations and some in the East, and it is widely accepted. The currency is not however used by all countries in Europe. The Scadanavian countries, Switzerland, Great Britain, and multiple Eastern European nations do not use the Euro and still maintain their own currencies.
Europe is roughly 7-9 hours ahead of America in time, depending on which state you are coming from. For example, let us say that you are coming from central and fly to rome. The time in Rome will be exactly plus 7 hours from your home city. Remember also that the rest of the world uses a 0-24 hour system instead of the AM/PM schedule.
Budgeting Europe
If you are planning to budget heavily my recommendations are:
- Plan early
- Be Open to new methods and ways of getting around and sleeping (More on this later)
- Be flexible with times, schedules, and other general categories.
I recommend that people account for about $40-50 a day when on a backpacking trip in Europe. This can change due to your spending habits and travel plans; therefore, it is not an exact number, but rather a good ballpark figure. Some days you will spend more and other days much less will be spent. More on general budgeting here.
Getting Around?
For anyone new to the scene of getting around in Europe, it is not completely different than the US, Canada, or another Western style nation. The major difference is that Europeans do not drive as much, but make use of public transport, trains, and buses more.
The first step of your trip after planning is to secure a flight. (Cheap Flights info here) After you have secured a flight across the pond, you have taken care of your starting point, which is good. Whether you choose to map out your exact trip or just create a loose itinerary you can start piecing together a budget by pricing bus and train tickets, or purchasing cheap budget flights ahead of time. Many bus and train companies have pricing on their website, and if they do not the price is sometimes negligible. However, this is not always the case. Knowing a route can yield great flight deals with companies like Ryanair or EasyJet. If you want to price out some bus trips, check my links page for country specific bus and train prices.
The most overlooked methods of getting around are hitchhiking and carpooling. Now, I understand that hitchhiking is a taboo subject. So I completely understand people not being open to it. Although it is quite a common practice in some areas, particularly western European nations like France, Germany, Spain, UK, and a few more. Websites like Compartir or Covoiturage, Mitfahr, and others are dedicated to connecting commuters between locations. Often you can get good deals that are much cheaper than buses, trains, or planes. I have used them in France and Spain with great success.
Where to stay?
If you are familiar with sites like Couchsurfing or have friends abroad then you can likely find places to crash for free. At least for a few nights. (New to Couchsurfing? Check out my article here.)
If you do not mind paying, then I recommend hostels. Unfortunately, for many people Hollywood has ruined the image of hostels. It troubles me at times though because I know better. I have stayed at many hostels in many places by myself and never heard of serious problems. The worst thing that I can even recall is petty theft, like a bag going missing or stolen money, both of which can be stopped by securing goods. Hostels are great because you meet people, have a wide range of amenities available to you, and can generally relax as if it were your home. A typical European hostel can cost anywhere from $5-35 depending on location and city.
What to expect?
What a backpacker, or traveler, can expect from backpacking Europe is a fun and interesting time. For some, with family history roots connecting to Europe, it may be a chance to reconnect with a long lost bloodline. For others, it may provide an opportunity to view historical sites. Other travelers, might just experience a fun party scene at one of Europe’s many destinations. Really, what you get out of backpacking Europe is different from the next person. It all comes down to what you want to get from it. If you allow it, it will change your life and you will learn a lot. Have fun and keep safe!
How to Stay Connected?
These days connecting to the world is almost thoughtless. Especially with the advance of Smart Phones and cell phones, people can easily connect with friends and family from afar. If you have a Smart Phone there are many apps and internet options such as Skype. Those who only have access to computers and internet, can use Skype or Skype Unlimited. Skype is free and requires internet connection from both parties. Skype Unlimited is a paid option, which ensures that individuals from the sending party have internet, but enables them to call cell phones and landlines in America and several other countries. The choice is yours, whatever works for you. In my experience, Skype is the cheapest.
Quick Recap
- Step 1: Decide where you want to go and how much time that you have. This does not have to be overly specific just get an idea. Build a loose itinerary.
- Step 2: See if you have any friends, family, or the like living abroad in any place that you might visit. These will be good contacts.
- Step 3: Buy a ticket (Cheap Flights) Your trip will never happen unless you buy the ticket.
- Step 4: Work on your budget. What are you working with, price out buses and trains. Schedule necessary budget flights ahead. Check budgeting or my links for more on this.
- Step 5: Travel away. Once you have secured these things, really all that you need to do is enjoy your trip. Just be sure that before you leave you take care of the things that you need to do before leaving. Check my before trip suggestions here.
Remember that depending on the season, competition for accommodation and cheap flights will become more fierce. Therefore, it is best to plan a loose itinerary if you do not like having no place to stay. With this, you can schedule busier hostels and flights that are in high demand, which will leave time in between for side trips or changes.
Conclusion
This is a quick yet hopefully explicative example of how you can plan your trip. Be sure to check my country guides and regional links in order to more realistically plan your trip. In my links section you will find links to major bus and train lines to most popular European destinations. In the country guides section you can find country specific information and profiles.
If you want to continue reading on Europe click here.