11 Best first-time Europe itineraries for 1, 2, or 3 weeks
Europe is going to be very busy in the summer of 2024 as the world is back to normal and travel demand is higher than ever. One other key factor is that most European currencies are still hovering at lower levels historically compared to the US dollar, which means that Europe will feel somewhat cheap again this year. In fact, according to our World Backpacker Index, European cities like Lisbon, Madrid, and Munich are about 30% cheaper to visit than Boston, Chicago, and New York City. In other words, flying to Europe might seem expensive, but most things will be cheaper once you get there compared to the costs of visiting a large US city.
Below you’ll find 11 of the most popular and best itineraries for a first visit to Europe. Your first visit is not really the time to be different or creative, and the famous destinations tend to be popular for a reason. In other words, it’s kind of silly to visit, say, Bulgaria, if you’ve not yet been to France or Italy. I lay out the best options along with how long to stay in each place as a general guide. I also discuss Mediterranean cruises, which can actually be an amazing way to see a lot of Europe on your first visit, especially if you don’t like going back and forth to train stations and airports every 2 or 3 days.
For a bit of fun you might be interested in the cheapest 5-star hotels in Europe, which start at US$80 per night for really nice hotels. It helps show that if you choose some of the cheaper cities, you can treat yourself to some luxury that you can’t afford in most other places.
This article was last updated in March, 2024.
There are 11 starter itineraries described in detail below
- Classic London and Paris
- England and Scotland
- Paris and Italy
- Mediterranean cruise
- France, Belgium, and Netherlands
- Paris and elsewhere in France
- Italy
- Spain
- Germany
- Switzerland
- Best of cheap eastern Europe
For each itinerary there are suggestions of other destinations that are easy to add on to the main cities.
Note: This article was most recently updated in March, 2024
Building the best itinerary for your first trip to Europe
Below there are 11 popular itineraries for one week in Europe. If you’ve only got a week then choose one of them and assume you’ll return again to conquer more of this amazing part of the world. If you’ve got more time then you can choose from some of the top add-on suggestions for each one.
Start in the most famous cities
Your first visit to Europe is no time to try to be different or edgy. I recommend that you focus on these 5 great cities before you start branching out into cheaper or more obscure places.
Keep your travel days to a minimum
The closest major European cities are at least two hours apart by high-speed train, and from the time you check out of one hotel until you are checked into your hotel in the next city, it’s going to be 5 or more hours in most cases. A travel day isn’t much of a sightseeing day, so if you change cities every day or two, you’ll have very little time to see the things you’ve actually gone all that way to see.
Spend 3 (or 4) nights in almost every major city
Cities like London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Berlin, Madrid, and Barcelona are all large and packed with world-class things to see and do. Since the day you arrive and the day you leave will offer little sightseeing time, you need at least two full sightseeing days in order to even see your choice of the top sights.
So many first-time visitors are initially planning on spending only 1 or 2 nights in major cities that I wrote a detailed explanation of why 3 nights is ideal for almost all European cities, even if you want to see as much as possible.
3 (or 4) nights will be enough for any city on your first trip
Most first-time visitors are tempted to move too quickly, but it can also be a mistake to move too slowly. It’s really amazing how much you can see in two full sightseeing days. If you spend too long in one city you’ll end up seeing things that are way down your list, while you could be in another city seeing things at the top of your list there.
Choose cities that are easy to reach from each other
Since traveling from one city to another will take at least half a day, you don’t want to waste more time by visiting far-flung cities. Krakow and Lisbon are both fantastic cities to visit, but they are on opposite ends of Europe.
For your first trip it’s best to visit cities that are no more than a 5-hour train ride apart.
Choose cities that are connected by reasonable train rides rather than flights
To build on the point above, finding cheap flights within Europe is easy, but train travel is about a million times more enjoyable and less stressful. You’ll enjoy the train rides almost as much as the cities, so focus on places that are within 5 hours of each other by train.
Start with one of the classic itineraries below, and then add to it if you have more time
If you only have 7 days then you’ll find a list below of classic itineraries that are well-suited to a first visit to Europe. Hopefully you have more than 7 days though, and if you do you can add in one or more of the suggested add-on cities to build an itinerary that appeals most to you.
Best 1-week itineraries for the first time in Europe
Itinerary 1: Classic London and Paris
Fly into either city and take the 2-hour Eurostar train between them
Honestly, unless you have a specific reason why not, this is probably the best one-week itinerary for most first-time visitors to Europe. If you can read this article then London will be easy for language reasons. It’s packed with famous sights and it’s a major world capital.
London highlights
- Big Ben and Parliament
- Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral
- Tower of London and Tower Bridge
- West End shows (Broadway equivalent) and classic pubs
- Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle
Paris is actually far more beautiful than London and the food is famously much better as well. Since Paris gets so many tourists from non-French speaking countries, it’s easy to get by on just English, and the Metro system makes it fast and easy to get around. The architecture of both cities is amazing from the Tower of London, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey to the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. These cities each pack a huge punch and they are very different from each other as well. Actually, England is arguably the best choice for your first trip to Europe.
Paris highlights
- Eiffel Tower
- Louvre Museum and Museum de Orsay
- Arc de Triomphe and other monuments
- Montmartre neighborhood and Sacré Coeur Cathedral
- Probably the world’s best affordable restaurants and wine
Best add-ons to London and Paris
- Edinburgh (2 or 3 nights, from London)
- Amsterdam (2 or 3 nights, from Paris)
- Bruges and Brussels (2 nights, from Paris)
The only efficient way to get between London and Paris is on the Eurostar train, which runs between St. Pancras station in London and Gare du Nord station in Paris. The earlier you buy tickets, the cheaper they will be. Unlike other trains in Europe, the Eurostar (which of course runs through the Channel Tunnel) has airport-style security and you have to be there at least 30 minutes before departure. Eurostar tickets to and from London go on sale 6 to 8 months in advance and will be cheapest for the first few months they are on sale, with fares steadily rising after that.
>>>Best one-week London and Paris itinerary in detail
>>>Check London hotel deals
>>>Check Paris hotel deals
Itinerary 2: England and Scotland
- London (3 or 4 nights)
- York (1 night)
- Edinburgh, Scotland (2 or 3 nights)
- Inverness, Scotland (2 or 3 nights)
If you prefer to focus your first Europe trip on England and Scotland, you can have a great time and save the Continent for next time. London is the obvious place to start and spend 3 or 4 nights before taking the train north.
York is a small Roman city with intact city walls and one of the most famous cathedrals in Europe. Edinburgh is not only the capital of Scotland, but it’s easily the second most interesting city in all of Britain. If your time is short, skip York and spend more time in Edinburgh.
If you prefer to focus on the south of England on your first trip then the best option is to go to Bath or nearby Bristol after London. Bath is another of England’s top destinations and it’s a gorgeous city that has been a spa resort for many centuries. It’s also reasonably close to Stonehenge. You can also easily get to Cornwall in England’s southwest corner from Bath, and that’s a whole different and fascinating experience (with nicer weather than up north).
If you’ve got more than a week and want to spend more time in Scotland, especially in the summer months, the place to head to is Inverness. It’s a small town that is considered the gateway to the Scottish Highlands, but it’s an interesting and charming place on its own. You can take day-trips by bus to the highlights of the Highlands including the Isle of Skye and Loch Ness. Between you and me, it’s better to minimize time in Loch Ness or skip it altogether because it’s not one of the more photogenic parts of Scotland and the monster has always been a hoax.
Travel times between the recommended places
- London to York by train: 2 hours
- York to Edinburgh by train: 2.5 hours
- London to Edinburgh by train: 4 hours
- Edinburgh to Inverness by train: 3.5 hours
- London to Bath by train: 85 minutes
Best add-ons to England and Scotland
If you think you want to spend your whole trip in Britain you should have a look at our article on the best itineraries in England, Scotland, and Wales.
>>>Check London hotel deals
>>>Check Edinburgh hotel deals
Itinerary 3: Paris and Italy
- Paris (3 or 4 nights)
- Venice (1 night)
- Florence (2 or 3 nights)
- Rome (3 nights)
The fastest version of this extremely popular itinerary that I recommend is 9 nights, but if you skip Florence you could actually do this in 7 nights if you had to. 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.
From Paris you can easily fly to Venice (or nearby Treviso) where you should try to spend about 24 hours. Venice is small enough to see in a full day, and so crowded that most people are satisfied to leave after that day. The key is to stay in the main part of the main island so you can enjoy Venice before the cruise passengers and day-trippers arrive, and also after they leave for the day. Two nights in Venice would not be wasted time, and it’s possibly the most gorgeous city in the entire world, but you can see the best of it in a bit over 24 hours.
Florence is a highly recommended stop after Venice, as it’s the capital of the Tuscany region and also arguably Europe’s most important city for a couple hundred years. Florence probably has the best food of the three most popular Italian tourist cities, which is another reason to stop over there for at least a couple days.
Rome also lives up to the hype and spending a day in the Vatican City will be a highlight even for non-Catholics, but it’s also a crowded and busy city so three days is usually enough for most people. Similar to Paris, Rome is an unusually beautiful city from almost any angle when you are in the historical center. You’ll walk through a stunning piazza (town square) and then turn a corner and you’ll see gorgeous buildings or public statues that are as nice as anything in the museums. Seriously, it’s worth a visit.
Paris to Venice flight: 1 hour 35 minutes
Venice to Florence by train: 1 hour 53 minutes
Florence to Rome by train: 1 hour 16 minutes
You can of course instead fly from Paris to Rome and then go north to Florence and then to Venice and fly home (or back to Paris) from there, and it would be just as enjoyable.
Best add-ons to Paris and Italy
France
- Nice/Cannes/Monaco (2 or 3 nights)
- Avignon (2 nights)
- Bourges (2 nights)
- Bordeaux (2 nights)
- Aix-en-Provence (2 nights)
- Reims (2 nights)
- Dijon/Burgundy (2 nights)
Italy
- Milan (1 or 2 nights)
- Lake Como (2 nights)
- Siena (2 nights)
- Cinque Terre (1 night)
- Naples/Sorrento/Amalfi Coast/Pompeii/Capri (3 to 5 nights)
- Sicily (3 to 4 nights)
>>>Much more information in this article about the best France and Italy itineraries
>>>Check Paris hotel deals
>>>Check Venice hotel deals
>>>Check Florence hotel deals
>>>Check Rome hotel deals
Itinerary 4: Mediterranean cruise
If you’ve decided to finally explore Europe for the first time, it’s quite possible that you haven’t considered doing it on a cruise. The best place to start would be one of the cruises that leaves from a popular port in the Mediterranean (and the adjacent seas). Barcelona and Venice are among the most popular departure ports and you can find cruises that go west or east from those places as well as cruises that drop you in another part of Europe or cruises that return to the departure port.
In spite of the reputation of cruises to be floating buffets, they can actually be an excellent way to visit a great number of amazing European cities in a short time. The ship typically is in port from the early morning until mid evening, often giving you the opportunity to have dinner in the city (unlike Caribbean cruises). Better still, the cruise ports are often near the center of town, so you can just walk off the ship and do sightseeing on foot or by public transportation.
Mediterranean cruises usually start at 7 nights but can go up to 3 weeks, which can provide an amazing tour of the entire region without having to pack and repack your bags more than once. They also can provide excellent value, especially compared to the price of taking trains or flights and finding new hotels in every destination.
Most popular Mediterranean departure ports
Barcelona, Spain – It’s an easy port to reach. Ships generally go from Barcelona with stops in France and then Italy.
Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy – The port isn’t very close to Rome, but it’s easy to get back and forth. Ships go west to France and Spain as well as south around the tip of Italy and then on to Croatia, Venice, and to Greece.
Venice, Italy – The cruise ships no longer dock close to the best tourist areas, but it’s easy enough to visit Venice for a day or two before boarding a ship. Ships starting in Venice go south and then head west and to Rome and then to France, or they go south to Croatia and then head east to Greece.
Athens, Greece – The cruise port of Piraeus is just south of Athens and easy to reach. Ships from Athens usually head west towards Croatia, Italy, France, and Spain, but there are also ships that visit Greek islands and Turkey.
>>>Check for deals on Mediterranean cruises
Alternative to consider: a river cruise
As alluring as cruising the Med may be, a river cruise on the Rhine or Danube might suit you even better. River cruises all over Europe have been booming in popularity lately and for good reason. They are typically more expensive than Med cruises on huge ships, but they also allow passengers to see more because they only hold a few hundred people and they often dock literally in the middle of the historic cities they visit.
Amsterdam, Budapest, and Prague are some of the most popular river cruise ports, but there are dozens of others including many smaller towns in France where few other tourists will be when you stroll off the ship. There is little or no entertainment on the river cruise ships, but passengers don’t miss it because the entire day and into the evening is spent just steps from local cultural offerings and restaurants.
>>>Check for Europe and river cruise deals
Itinerary 5: France, Belgium, and Netherlands
Paris to Brussels: 1 hour 22 minutes
Brussels to Bruge: 58 minutes
Bruges to Amsterdam: 2 hours 45 minutes
Amsterdam to Paris: 3 hours 17 minutes
If you want to save the UK for a future trip, starting in Paris on a first Europe visit is ideal. You’ll probably land in the morning so you’ll have almost 3 full days for Paris sightseeing. After that you can hop on a high-speed train for 1 hour 22 minutes to reach Brussels, or go straight to Amsterdam in a bit over 3 hours total.
Spending 4 nights in Paris and 3 nights in Amsterdam would be a great trip, but if you want to see something else you’ve got a couple options in between. My advice is to spend an afternoon looking around the Grand Place (main square) in Brussels and then hop a 58-minute train ride to Bruges for a night or two. Brussels isn’t a great tourist city, but Bruges really is so it’s a better option for most people. Whatever you choose out of this group, you can be back in Paris on another high-speed train for your flight home.
Best add-ons to France, Belgium, and Netherlands
- Luxembourg City (1 or 2 nights)
- Cologne, Germany (1 or 2 nights)
- London (3 or 4 nights)
- Interlaken, Switzerland (2 or 3 nights)
>>>Check Paris hotel deals
>>>Check Bruges hotel deals
>>>Check Amsterdam hotel deals
Itinerary 6: Paris and elsewhere in France
- Paris (3 or 4 nights)
And a choice of:
- Nice/Cannes/Monaco (2 or 3 nights)
- Avignon (2 nights)
- Bourges (2 nights)
- Bordeaux (2 nights)
- Aix-en-Provence (2 nights)
- Reims (2 nights)
- Dijon/Burgundy (2 nights)
- Normandy (2 nights)
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. Obviously you’ll want to start in Paris, and then after that it’s just a matter of what interests you most and how much time you have. The architecture all over France is a highlight, and of course Paris has some of the most famous structures on earth including the Eiffel Tower and Louvre museum.
While Nice is a wonderful tourist city for a look at the French Riviera, the other larger cities of Lyon and Marseilles are probably better saved for a future trip because they are light on key sights compared to many smaller towns. Wine lovers can rent a car or take trains into Bordeaux or Burgundy. Since you can get between most of these towns by train in 2 hours or less, spending only 2 nights in each one is a reasonable option if you want to see a lot in a short time.
Normandy is an interesting choice and easy to reach in only about two hours by train from Paris. Some visitors like to see the famous WWII beaches and memorials, while others (especially in summer) like to check out one or more of the beach-resort towns. Deauville is one of the more famous of those, and it’s also famous for its horse race track and as one of the epicenters of the industry in Europe.
Best add-ons to Paris and elsewhere
- More France, of course
- London (3 or 4 nights)
- Interlaken, Switzerland (2 or 3 nights)
- Amsterdam (2 or 3 nights)
>>>Check Paris hotel deals
>>>Check Nice hotel deals
Itinerary 7: Italy
Rome to Florence: 1 hour 16 minutes
Florence to Venice: 1 hour 53 minutes
Especially for first-time visitors to Europe, Italy might be the most popular destination of all, and for good reason. The country has a famous “Big 3” destinations in Rome, Florence, and Venice, which are all teaming with worthwhile sights and they are conveniently located fairly short train rides from each other. Rome is by far the largest of those and it’s packed with great sights, but it’s also a bit chaotic, so 3 nights is a good stay for a first visit. Rome’s architecture is an obvious highlight and fortunately you can see a lot in a fairly short time. You can visit the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Vatican Museums, and Trevi Fountain in two days if you are organized.
Venice is small enough that you can see the main sights in about 24 hours, and it’s so insanely crowded that many people tire of it after about a day as well. It’s better to pay more for a hotel to be on the main island and visit quickly than to save money with a hotel on the mainland where you’ll be in crowds going back and forth as well. Florence is the most relaxing of the 3, and also a great base for side trips to Pisa, Siena, and Cinque Terre, just to name a few.
Going to Italy? Here are the best first-time Italy itineraries for 3 days to 2 weeks (in much greater detail)
Best add-ons to Italy
- Milan (1 or 2 nights)
- Lake Como (2 nights)
- Siena (2 nights)
- Cinque Terre (1 night)
- Naples/Sorrento/Amalfi Coast/Pompeii/Capri (3 to 5 nights)
- Sicily (3 to 4 nights)
>>>Check Rome hotel deals
>>>Check Florence hotel deals
>>>Check Venice hotel deals
Itinerary 8: Spain
Madrid to Barcelona: 2 hours 30 minutes
Spain is another huge country with many things to see, but on your first visit to Europe it’s best to focus on its two huge cities. Madrid, which is the capital, and Barcelona, which is on a northern Mediterranean beach, are very different from each other and not substitutable for each other at all. A day trip on a 33-minute train ride from Madrid to Toledo is very worthwhile, although there are many other options.
A huge part of Spain’s tourism industry is built around its southern beaches and islands such as Ibiza, Mallorca, and Tenerife (in the Canary Islands). For most people it’s best to ignore those places on your first trip because none of the beaches are special enough to spend days on them compared to the culture of the cities.
Best add-ons to Spain
By popular demand, I’ve added a full article on where to go in Spain with itineraries from 7 to 10 days up to two weeks.
>>>Check Madrid hotel deals
>>>Check Barcelona hotel deals
>>>Check Lisbon hotel deals
Itinerary 9: Germany
Berlin to Munich: 6 hours 2 minutes
Munich to Rothenburg ob der Tauber: 2 hours 56 minutes
Munich to Füssen: 2 hours 4 minutes
Germany is a popular first-time Europe destination for those with family and/or roots in the country, even if other people save it for a 2nd or 3rd trip. Berlin is the capital and the most interesting city in the country by quite a bit, and it’s also pleasantly affordable compared to the other large cities in Germany. Munich is wealthier and more relaxed, and different from Berlin in many other ways as well.
Those two cities are the keys to a Germany visit, and after that you’ve got a wide variety of choices. I cover most of the popular choices in my article on where to go in Germany, which covers several smaller towns that are major highlights.
Best add-ons to Germany
- Cologne (1 or 2 nights)
- Hamburg (2 or 3 nights)
- Amsterdam (3 nights)
- Prague (3 nights)
- Salzburg (2 or 3 nights)
- Vienna (3 nights)
- Interlaken, Switzerland (3 nights)
- Lucerne, Switzerland (2 or 3 nights)
>>>Check Berlin hotel deals
>>>Check Munich hotel deals
Itinerary 10: Switzerland
- Interlaken (3 nights)
- Bern (1 night)
- Lucerne (3 nights)
Zurich Airport to Interlaken: 2 hours 10 minutes
Interlaken to Bern: 53 minutes
Bern to Lucerne: 1 hour 50 minutes
Lucerne to Zurich Airport: 1 hour 3 minutes
If you aren’t 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. The large cities here such as Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne, and Basel are all fairly dull and very expensive, so it’s better to minimize your time in any of them and head straight to the smaller scenic towns.
Interlaken is the best hub for the most dramatic Alps views and experiences. The one-hour cable car ride up to the Schilthorn observation deck is something you’ll never forget, and the only thing that might be more dramatic is the train ride up to the Jungfraujoch station, which is the highest in Europe. Lucerne is almost as beautiful with a scenic lake at its heart and also great mountaintop views nearby. If you do want to see a Swiss city then the capital of Bern is the most interesting and photogenic on a short visit. Read more about where to go in Switzerland for even more ideas.
Best add-ons to Switzerland
>>>Check Interlaken hotel deals
>>>Check Lucerne hotel deals
Itinerary 11: Eastern Europe’s best cheap cities
This isn’t really recommended for a first trip to Europe unless you are a backpacker who is sure they are going to be able to visit Europe again when they have more money. If you can get a cheap enough flight, the 3 best cheap European cities to visit are Prague, Budapest, and Krakow, which are all around half as expensive as most of the other cities on this list.
Each of these cities is beautiful and historic, but English is less widely spoken so they can also be quite a bit more challenging for a first-time visitor. Another difficulty is that the trains between them are still quite slow compared to the high-speed rail in the West, so it takes most of a day from one to another, and a bus is often a better choice. I cover this best cheap Europe itinerary more fully in the linked article.
Prague to Budapest: 6 hours 41 minutes
Budapest to Krakow: 9 hours 54 minutes (flying might be better)
Best add-ons to cheap Eastern Europe
- Cesky Krumlov, Czechia (2 nights)
- Ljubljana, Slovenia (2 or 3 nights)
- Split, Croatia (3 nights)
- Belgrade, Serbia (2 or 3 nights)
- Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (2 or 3 nights)
- Sofia, Bulgaria (2 or 3 nights)
>>>Check Prague hotel deals
>>>Check Budapest hotel deals
>>>Check Krakow hotel deals
Hi Roger,
I’m planning a trip with my 26 year old daughter to Europe for 5 weeks in June 2019.
I am planning Santorini, Mykonos & Crete. Maybe Spain, France, Amsterdam or Southern Italy. Please help.
Thanks Mary
Mary,
I’ll be happy to help if I can, but so far I’m not sure what you need help with. Those Greek islands will have some similarities with each other so most people just choose one island, but since you’ve got 5 weeks you’ll have time to see as many as you like. As I so often mention, my strong recommendation is to plan for 3 nights in nearly any place you visit because 2 nights means spending every other day in transit. So with 35 days you’ll have time for about 12 destinations. Let me know what help you need and I’ll give it a go. -Roger
hi roger,
love your website and love europe! I need your help I’m planning a trip to europe for june or july 2019… thinking of flying into london 3/4 days taking the eurostar to paris 3/4 days, fly to munich 2 days, train to salzburg 2 days, train to venice 2 days, florence 2 days, train to rome 3 days, or skip italy and go to athens for 3 days and a 4 day cruise and fly back to london and home…dont have a set timeframe…could be 21 days to a month…is this do-able???? thanks so much for your help!!
Sandra,
Thanks. Your plan looks good and it’s definitely doable. I generally recommend 3 nights in almost any destination you visit, although 4 nights can be better in huge cities like London and Paris, and 1 or 2 nights is enough for a small city like Venice. That said, Salzburg and Florence are small enough that two nights can be enough if that’s all you have.
By the way, the train from Paris to Munich is only about 5.5 hours including a change in Stuttgart, and that’s about the same amount of time it would take to fly when you include airport transportation and security and all that, AND trains are much more enjoyable with scenery and comfort, so I’d take the train if you can.
If this is your first visit to Europe I’d include Italy because it really is an amazing place that is filled with interesting sights. Athens is a worthwhile city for 2 or 3 days so it’s a good choice for history buffs, but aside from that Greece is more about relaxation and beaches and that sort of thing. But a cruise of several islands would be fun so I’m sure you’d enjoy either option. I’m happy to try to help more if you have other questions so feel free to ask. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Thanks a lot! We’ve read through the inputs you gave and also a few other blogs and gave a good thought about including Switzerland in our trip. We’ve decided we’ll go with Switzerland(it’s still expensive even after considering half ticket prices for travel, but we thought it’s still worth it), with huge hopes that weather will not be a spoilsport in April.
Also, towards the end of our trip, we’re thinking about visiting Vienna instead of Munich. One reason for that is our flight back home are cheaper, faster and at a more convenient time(night) from Vienna than from Munich. Not considering that, do you think visiting Vienna instead of Munich is OK? Read about the places of interest in both Vienna and Munich. Munich seems to have better day-trip places around it (Neuschwanstein castle, Rothenburg ob der Tauber) than Vienna, but Vienna has much more things to do in the city itself than Munich. We’ve managed to squeeze in about 5 days in our itinerary for Salzburg plus Vienna.
So here’s our current plan:
Rome –> 3 days
Florence –> 2 days
Venice –> 1 day
Interlaken area –> 3 days(includes journey day from Venice)
Lucerne –> 2 days
Salzburg plus Vienna –> 5 days (flight back home on the 5th night)
How many days should we stay in Salzburg and how many in Vienna/Munich? We’re planning to visit Hallstatt also when we are in Salzburg.
After the Swiss leg, we are planning to start to Salzburg by a night train on our second night in Lucerne. That’s because the journey from Lucerne to Salzburg is quite long(but not too long also) and we do not want to waste daytime travelling. Is that a good idea? We’re planning to take a train that reaches Salzburg too early in the AM (around 3:30 or 4). Is it safe arriving in Salzburg at that time? Also not sure what we would do for our accommodation that early..
Could you please comment on how our itinerary looks? We’ll probably hopefully go ahead with our flight ticket bookings this weekend.
Best Regards,
Aditya
Aditya,
I’m glad this has been helpful. I actually think Vienna is a more interesting stop than Munich for most people. So much of Munich was demolished in WWII that most of the city feels very new and modern (and less interesting), while Vienna feels much grander and more historic. Vienna is pretty dull for nightlife (I like a few drinks in the evening) but it is one of the best cultural cities in the world with opera and waltzing and concerts and that sort of thing.
I think I’d do 2 nights in Vienna and 3 nights in Salzburg, especially if you are doing the Hallstatt side trip. Vienna is like visiting a museum and Salzburg is extremely scenic and fun. Vienna is much larger though, and if you prefer large cities you might want to do 3 nights there, especially if you want to see both main palaces and the other top sights.
I’m not a fan of night trains, partly for that exact reason that you often arrive MANY hours before hotel check-in time, which is usually 3pm, although if it’s a slow time they might let you check in as early as 9am. However, I do think that Salzburg is safe at any time of night or day, and the train station is kind of on the edge of town and not near any late-night bars.
Overall I think your itinerary looks really good. You are choosing to go quickly, but it’s a short enough trip that I don’t think you’ll be wiped out before you get to the end. In other words, I wouldn’t go at that pace for a month, but for two weeks it should be exciting. I’m happy to answer more questions if you have them. -Roger
Hi Roger,
I am planning Europe trip from mumbai between Jul-Aug in 2019. I am planning 2 weeks (or may be 16 nights). It is my first Europe trip and I want to make the best itinerary and require your help.
I am Planning Paris, Amsterdam for sure. Near by Paris I also want to Bruges and Brussels . This onwards I am really confused. I am more of a nature lover person. I am thinking of planning Italy , which will cover Rome,Venice and Florence (but it is more of architecture and history. I want to go but not sure to include in first Euro trip).
Next I think of Switzerland , I have researched and it is increasing my budget by 30%. (Although I am dying to go to Switzerland).
If you could suggest of something which is more of a prettiest town / some offbeat place and not too expensive(compare to Switzerland).
I also want to go Prague, but it is far off from France. so is it still fine if I go Prague and include in my itinerary? Please help.
Shefali,
My strong recommendation is to consider spending 3 nights in each city you visit. It takes a good part of a day getting from one city to another and if you only spend two nights it means literally spending every other day in transit rather than seeing sights.
So let’s say 3 nights for Paris and 3 nights for Amsterdam. If you are in a hurry I’d probably skip Belgium on this trip, partly because Bruges and Brussels have many similarities to Amsterdam except they aren’t as showy or dramatic. If you are sure about Belgium I’d recommend two nights in Bruges on your way to Amsterdam, and also spending just a few hours in Brussels. In my opinion Brussels is pretty dull (and expensive) except for the area right around the main square (Grand Place), which you can explore in a few hours.
Switzerland is indeed the best place for dramatic scenery in Europe, and 3 days around the Interlaken area is the best place to experience it. It IS expensive, but you can see a lot in a short time and there is nothing else like it. A cheaper alternative that is still very impressive is Salzburg, Austria. There are no amazing Alpine peaks there, but there are lovely hills and a gorgeous town at the foot of the Alps.
Especially if you want to keep costs down AND also see more nature instead of historic cities I’d save Italy for a future trip. Those cities are fantastic, but they are also “concrete jungles” and pretty expensive and crowded that time of year.
That would give you time to visit Prague, which is another beautiful city, but at least it’s a bit cheaper than the others. You could also spend two days or so in the small and gorgeous town of Cesky Krumlov, which is about 3 hours from Prague by train or bus (the bus is the better option), and it’s quite a bit cheaper than Prague.
Another interesting option with excellent nature and scenery is Slovenia around Lake Bled and the karst hills. Also, the Plitvice Falls National Park in Croatia is among Europe’s most beautiful places, and both of those are on the cheaper side as well. Hopefully this gives you some ideas to consider. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Roger!
First, you are amazing. First trip to Europe ever… traveling with 6.
Trying to be good and do your 3 nts/city, but there is so much to see!
This is what I have ( 2 plus weeks)
Fly to London ( California)- 2 nts
Erostar to Paris-3 nts
Overnight rail to Barcelona-2 nts
Fly to Rome-3 nts
Overnt Train to Venice-1 nt
Train to Budapest or Salzburg
Too much? lol Also curious about going the other direction Paris via train Innsbruck?
And also wondering if you recommend Air BB since we are 6?
Thank you!
Sheryl,
Thank you for the kind words. That trip does look pretty busy, although not outrageously so. First off, two nights in London is a pretty short visit even if you land in the morning. I highly recommend 3 nights in almost any city you visit, with the exception of small cities like Venice. Next, the train from Paris to Barcelona takes about 6.5 hours and it doesn’t appear that they do an overnight version. Generally speaking, overnight trains are becoming very rare in Europe because of the cheap flights and fast trains, and I’m not really a fan of night trains as well.
The normal high-speed trains from Rome to Venice take about 3.5 hours and the scenery is really nice. I was just now surprised to discover that there ARE night trains on that route that take 7 to 9 hours, but I really wouldn’t recommend them based on the points in the article I linked above.
Venice to Salzburg by train is about 7 hours, and Venice to Budapest by train is about 14 hours. Salzburg is really lovely and that train ride through the Alps is very scenic, but I think you’d be better off spending more time in the cities on your list already and saving that for a future trip.
For a group of 6 I think Airbnbs are a great idea. Hotel rooms in Europe are very small, and especially in cities like London and Paris, so you’d need 3 rooms. Airbnbs that sleep 6 in central locations won’t be cheap, but they should be at least a bit cheaper than hotels and it will be more enjoyable with everyone staying together instead of in 3 small rooms in different parts of hotels. I’m not sure what you mean about going the other way to Paris via Innsbruck. Do you mean starting in Salzburg and then Italy and then Spain? I’m happy to help if you have more questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Thanks a lot for your reply. Could you please hep with my plans below? Since we are already doing Italy this time(lot of architecture and museums), we plan on doing Paris some other time.
Italy leg of the plan is common for all and is the first leg:
• Rome ? 3 days (will arrive in Rome previous night, so 3 days is excluding that extra night)
• Florence ? 2 days
• Venice ? 1 full day
Sub plan 1 (days count includes travel): Includes Switzerland
• Interlaken area (includes expensive trips to Scilthorn and Jungfraujoch; will probably base in Lauterbrunnen)? 3 days
• Lucerne (includes boat trips, Mt.Titlis/Pilatus or others)? 2 days
• Salzburg ? 2 days (includes a day trip to Hallstat)
• Munich ? 3 days (includes a day trip to Neuschwanstein castle)
We read that quite a few of the cable cars and routes will be closed in April, but the ones we are interested in will still be open most probably and can be visited if weather permitting that day. Also, we looked up train and other travel ticket prices within Switzerland which seem expensive and we think our budget would probably over shoot. So we were thinking if we could skip Switzerland leg and add more days in Austria/others. Please see the below alternative plan. I’m not sure if the below places(or others that I’m missing) are worthy enough to replace Switzerland (yes I’m that much excited about Swiss, but unfortunately, budget!), so please help me here to make a decision.
We are very interested in nature and looking for Alpine village kind of atmos probably in Austria/others where things are cheaper, to make up for the missed Swiss Alpine village experience. Also read in some blogs and websites that most cable cars across Austria(like Nordkette/Daschtein) and ice caves will be closed in April, so may have to miss those unfortunately ? Is Austria still worth visiting without those attractions? Could you please suggest what places to include(and their important surrounding day trip places) and how many days to spend?
Sub plan 2 (days count includes travel): No Switzerland
• I have 10 days that I can spend after my Italy leg of the journey. If I want to cover Austria and/or Slovenia and/or Bavaria(Munich mostly), could you please suggest what all I can include or exclude out of the below ones?
o Innsbruck, Salzburg, Vienna, Munich, Ljubljana, Anything else?
? Innsbruck ? Any day trips from here? Heard about Tirol. Anything else?
? Salzburg ? Planning to do Hallstat. Anything else? How about Wolfgangsee?
? Vienna ? Mostly city exploration I guess.
? Munich ? Planning to do Neuschwanstein castle. Anything else? Mostly city exploration I guess.
? Ljubljana ? Any day trips from here? Heard about Lake Bled. Anything else? How good is this? Can this be skipped in favour of other Austrian places?
Best Regards,
Aditya
Aditya,
You are a very thorough planner and it is impressive. I’m that way too, which is how I got into this business.
First off, it’s true that Switzerland transportation is very expensive, but it’s not as bad as it looks. You’d either want to get a Swiss Travel Pass or a Half Fare Card. The Half Fare Card is the better choice for most visitors and a 30-day card is CHF120. Once you have that card then pretty much all forms of transportation in Switzerland are half price, including Schilthorn and Jungfraujoch and the lake cruises and trains between cities. Once you invest the CHF120 the prices actually look pretty reasonable and the quality is amazing even compared to neighboring countries.
Austria is also lovely, but it doesn’t have any of the views that rival those in the Lauterbrunnen Valley including Schilthorn and Jungfraujoch. Still, even if you buy a Half Fare Card, Austria is going to be cheaper because hotels and food and such are about 30% or 40% cheaper in general. If you skip Switzerland on this trip you can always do it on your next trip. I wasn’t aware of so many closures in April so that is something to think about. However, the weather should be nice and Salzburg and Hallstatt are really gorgeous and you can do everything in those areas. Innsbruck is mostly a ski resort area without much to see if you aren’t hitting the slopes, so I wouldn’t go there just for sightseeing.
Vienna is a really “grand” city with dramatic architecture and first class culture. Munich is much more casual, although there is plenty to see there as well, and Rothenburg ob der Tauber is another really interesting medieval town to visit for a day if you have the time. Ljubljana is a charming little city that I like a lot, but it doesn’t have many interesting sights. Slovenia is actually best known for Lake Bled and the karst hills and other scenery, and I don’t think you could cover enough of that in a 2-day visit to Ljubljana, so I’d save that for another trip when you had at least 4 or 5 days there.
After Italy I think it would be nicer to focus on scenery so my recommendations would be either Switzerland or the Salzburg area for the next leg. I don’t think I got to all of your questions but I hope this helps. -Roger
Hi Roger,
This website/blog is a great starting point to me for planning my Euro trip next year in April(2019) from India. It may be a little too early to plan, but since this is my first time to Europe, just want to plan ahead and am seeking some suggestions from you to plan our itinerary. Could you please help?
We have 14 full days that we can spend in Europe. Below are the countries we think we(I and my wife) are interested in:
1)Italy –> Rome, Florence. Not sure about Venice.
2)Switzerland –> Interlaken, Lucerne/Zurich?
3)Germany(South Germany probably?) –> Munich, Anything else?
4)One of Austria/Slovenia/Belgium/Netherlands (I know it’s too vague, just wanted to cover one of these if we have extra time or if one of these is better worth than the above ones). –> Vienna/Ljubljana/Brussels/Amsterdam, just listing the important cities that I know.
Could you please share a rough idea where to start, where to end and what to include for the 2 weeks we have? We’re basically interested in nature, history and architecture. Also want to experience the beautiful train journeys you were mentioning in your replies to other threads.
Best Regards,
Aditya
Aditya,
I’m glad this is helpful. Since you have 14 days I’d recommend choosing 5 total cities to visit since 3 nights in each city is ideal in most cases. Venice is small enough to enjoy in one or two nights, and Switzerland is different because it’s mostly about the scenery and spending 2 nights in Interlaken and 2 nights in Lucerne can be enough if you are in a hurry, or just 3 nights in Interlaken.
Italy really is a fantastic place to start a Europe trip so 3 nights in Rome and 3 nights in Florence could be ideal. You could even do 2 nights in Florence and 1 night in Venice instead, as they are a short train ride from each other. From Italy you can take the wonderful train ride through the Alps into Switzerland for a stay in Interlaken and perhaps Lucerne. My recommendations for Switzerland are in another article. It’s definitely the country to experience nature and scenery, while the others are more about culture and cities.
From Switzerland you could then go to Salzburg and Munich for a small taste of Austria and Germany. Those cities are also close together so a shorter visit to each could work because you don’t lose so much time traveling between them.
Of the list of other cities you mention I think Amsterdam has the most going for it for a first-time visitor. The architecture of the historic center is really gorgeous and unlike anything you’ll see anywhere else. However, since this is your first time to Europe I’d highly recommend a visit to Paris. It really does stand out (along with Italy) as the most interesting and memorable place for first-time visitors. Those suggestions should help you some, and as your trip is getting closer I’m happy to help more if you have other questions. -Roger
Hello Roger,
Excellent article! I’m planning on spending one month in Europe with my 14-yr-old daughter, and would like your advice on when to go. I’m torn between end of May – end of June, or September – October. The idea is to avoid huge crowds but still have pleasant weather. So far I have Paris (3 nights), fly to Rome (3 nights), train to Venice (2 nights), train to Florence (3 nights), train Almalfi Coast (3 nights), and fly to Athens (3 nights), and would love to find one smaller town in France or Italy, accessible by train and walkable, that we can slow down and really get a feel for the country for 4-5 nights. Or should we lengthen our stay in Florence/Paris? We’re also open to not slowing down in a small village and visiting another big city in Europe. Any suggestions? We love architecture, art, food, and history.
Your input is appreciated!
Alice,
I’m glad this is helpful. Your plan sounds really nice and I wish I could join you. I think late May to late June and September into October is about the same in terms of weather and crowds. There will be a few more people in June and some places will be quite warm, but in June you also get much longer days and that can be worth quite a bit on a trip like this. In other words, I think either one will be wonderful.
Starting in Paris and then flying into Italy will be a great start, but it’s much more efficient to fly from Paris to Venice and then take short train rides to Florence and then to Rome and then to Sorrento, which is where you’ll transfer to the Amalfi Coast. You can then fly from Naples or probably Rome to Athens, and after 3 or so days there you can take a ferry to Santorini or one of the other islands for a few days. Actually, Sorrento is a really lovely town to slow down and base yourself in because it’s really nice and it’s perfectly situated for day trips to the Amalfi Coast, Isle of Capri, Pompeii, and Naples. I recommend seeing the Amalfi Coast this way for many people because those main towns along the coast are quite expensive and crowded in season, and if you are staying in Positano or Amalfi you are only seeing that area. Many people take a bus or taxi tour of the whole coast, starting and ending in Sorrento, and stopping a couple times along the way.
There are loads of great small towns in France that are fairly near Paris, but I don’t have one particular one to recommend. If you want to consider another blockbuster city in Europe that is unlike all the others on your list I recommend Amsterdam, which is a bit over 3 hours from Paris by train, and you can fly to Venice from there. I recently included Amsterdam on my article about the best family destinations in Europe, so you can read a bit more about it there. Even with all of those you’ll still have a bit more time for side trips. I will be happy to help with other suggestions once you get the main parts figured out. -Roger
Wow, your site is so informative!
We are looking at a 2 week vacation in Europe next September ..looking for suggestions. This year we did Venice. (3 nights) Rome (3 nights) and a western cruise..(liverno, Cannes, Palma, Barcelona, Naples )
Thinking London, Paris, ? and maybe Madrid …before flying back to Toronto …suggestions?!
Debbie,
I’m happy that you find this helpful. I think your plan for a two-week trip next year sounds fantastic. London and Paris are both great choices and each is entertaining for 3 or 4 nights. Probably the easiest way to make that into an efficient trip is to start in London and then take the Eurostar train to Paris. From Paris you can take a train directly to Barcelona in about 6 hours (about the same time as a flight when you factor everything in and MUCH more enjoyable) and then a train to Madrid in a bit over two hours for your final stop.
Barcelona and Madrid are both large cities that are very different from each other so it’s best to visit both of them. I’d imagine that you enjoyed Barcelona on your cruise, but only for 6 to 8 hours, and there is a lot more to see.
And doing your whole trip by train is much more enjoyable than flying from city to city. Three nights in Barcelona is perfect. Three nights in Madrid is good as well, although some people do four nights and use one of those days for a trip to nearby Toledo.
If you aren’t interested in doing Barcelona again and don’t mind flying then my next suggestion would be to go from Paris to Amsterdam (a bit over 3 hours by train) for three nights and then fly to Madrid or somewhere else. Or you could take a train from Amsterdam to Berlin in about 6 hours. Those are my top suggestions and I’ll be happy to help more if you have other questions. -Roger
Roger my husband and I are planning a trip to Europe for up to 10 days. I would rather go when the weather is not to hot. I would like to go to Spain, Italy and Greece and maybe Switzerland. Is it possible to do it all by train and still be enjoyed? Will we have enough time? We have never been to Europe, what itinerary would u suggest?
Any help is much appreciated!
Luisa,
If you’ve got “up to 10 days” I’d suggest choosing 3 cities to visit because it takes a good chunk of a day to get from one to another and if you visited 4 or 5 cities you’d be spending half of your vacation on trains or in airports. Another option that you might consider would be to fly into Barcelona for a couple days before departing on a 7-day cruise that will also stop a couple times in Italy.
But if you don’t want to do a cruise and you want to travel by train, which is the best way as long as the places are close enough to each other, your options are more limited. Since this is your first trip you might just focus on Italy, which is fantastic for 7 to 10 days including 1 or 2 nights in Venice, 3 nights in Florence, and 3 nights in Rome. The train rides between those cities are about two hours each, so it’s very efficient. To include Spain AND Italy it’s best to fly between the countries because the trains that run between them are still very slow (and flights are cheap). Unless you speak Spanish reasonably well I think Italy is a better choice for a first trip to Europe because more people there speak English.
The limited train service into Greece is very slow so it’s best to fly in and out. I’d save that for a future trip.
If you had 10 days you could do 7 days in Italy starting in Rome then Florence and then Venice, and then take a wonderful train ride through the Alps to Interlaken in Switzerland for 2 or 3 days. You can read more about that on my article about Switzerland. The train ride from Venice to Interlaken is about 5 hours and it’s very scenic. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger