COVID-19 had put a halt on all the fun activities including exciting travel journeys. But as the things are getting better due to massive vaccination, it is high time to revive your travel diaries and remove dust from forgotten travel buckets. Be it Asia, Europe, America, or Africa, no one can beat the excitement and craze of a multi-country Europe trip. So, bookmark all the “How to plan a trip to Europe” blogs to get a quick head start.
People are increasingly locking their travel spots in Europe right now, and there are endless reasons on the board to do so. A trip to Europe is quite an exhilarating journey as you get to experience diverse cultures, historical marvels, picturesque landscapes, and mouthwatering cuisines. Be it Italian Pizza, Belgian beer, or ice wine, one cannot resist these culinary temptations while deciding on a trip to Europe.
How to plan a trip around Europe? It is quite a tensing question, especially when it is your first trip to Europe. Starting from finalizing budget to taking care of the never-ending booking of hotels and restaurants, loads of things require attention and time to be settled smoothly. Be it your first trip, or a millionth trip, you would always be tripping on something new yet exciting. It not only adds to your experience but also retains the fun of travelling.
Stay with us to get an insight into where to start planning a trip to Europe, and some example itineraries. As a treat, we will let you know of the exciting features of Passero to perfectly plan your vacations in Europe.
Where to start planning the trip?
Planning a trip perfectly is no less than coding a software program. If you miss even a single detail, you might have to start all over again. You can still work around your mistakes, but that comes only with experience. Therefore, the right move is to do extensive research before planning your trip to Europe so that you may not go wrong at any stage.
1. Narrow Down List
Europe cherishes several glistening gems in its surroundings that it becomes much harder to choose one or the other. The tip is to not stuff your itinerary with multiple destinations. In an effort to visit as many spots as possible, you would lose the essence of the trip and would end up returning tired, broken, and dissatisfied.
The most significant obstacle is travel time and jet lag, so choose destinations that are closer to each other. Spend more time in one place to truly absorb the charm and aura of it before moving on to the next travel spot. Depending on your available days, you can visit three countries in 10 days or two countries in 5 days.
2. Determine Budget
People often save round the year for their dream destination. So, it is quite hard for them to go over budget on their travel plans. Determining a budget is tightly linked to narrowing down travel destinations. Therefore, a travel budget helps you construct a realistic travel plan.
First of all, determine the money that you want to spend on the vacation. Following that, break it down into a different set of costs like airfare, local travel, accommodation, food, shopping, and expense for getting around in the town. By the end of this drill, you would have a premature travel plan in your hand, which is all that you need to get a kick start.
3. Plan a Rough Itinerary
A rough itinerary will help you in the later stages of planning your first trip to Europe. Use trip advisor or Google to search about the famous tourist spots in your chosen cities. Look for the reviews of the dining corners. Divide the chosen places by the number of days. Do not forget to designate hours for travelling and rest. The golden tip is to stay flexible with your travel plans. Things often do not work out as planned so have a backup plan for such OUCH! moments.
4. Look for Flights
Stay flexible with your dates, and we assure you of cheap flights to your dream destination. Planning a trip 4 to 5 months ahead of time let you unlock many cheaper flights which might not be the case if you are planning last minute. Weekdays are cheaper as compared to the weekends. The same goes for the favourite season vs. the less crowded season for a certain tourist spot.
Use the incognito tab to search for the flights. Use flight booking websites such Skyscanner, and Flyscanner etc. to get an idea of the flight rates of different airlines. You can also go for the open jaw flights or flights with a layover to go an extra mile to fully enjoy your travel journey.
5. Book Accommodation
Both Hotels and Airbnb homes are favourite options among the tourists depending on budget and personal choices. If you are tight on budget and do not mind doing your laundry and preparing meals, then Airbnb will work best for you. You can opt for an option that is central or at least nearer to the tourist spots. Look for the accommodation options in all of the intended cities and try to book them at the earliest to save some dollars. You can use Hotels.com, Airbnb.com, and Booking.com to get the best offers and rates.
6. Explore Cities
The next stage is to vote for the most favourite destination keeping in view the cost, type of location, and weather. You can use custom design surveys to get people’s opinions on the suggested ideas. You can design surveys at your convenience followed by summarizing the answers to get to a final decision. It will let you avoid the exhaustive WhatsApp chats, which often end up in no conclusion.
Let’s Check Out Some Sample Itineraries
How to plan a trip to Europe? The idea is quite overwhelming in itself. But we can further break it down for you.
Sit back, relax, and do not panic, as we are here to resolve your worries with some sample itineraries. With these itineraries, you can make sure that you are not missing out on anything when planning an extended yet fun-filled trip to Europe.
Italy never fails to mesmerize tourists with magnificent architectural marvels, picturesque mountains, glittering beaches, and scenic views. Endless reasons to visit Italy make it a perfect tourist hotspot.
Are you a party person? Why not head towards Portugal which is all set to amaze you with its renowned cuisine, spectacular beaches, and dramatic landscape.
Breathtaking views on Tenerife, stunning beaches of Coste de la Luz, oozing aroma emanating from Costa Brava, we are talking of none other than the mesmerizing land of Spain. A Spain itinerary is everything you will ask for.
Next on our list is the ancient land of Greece, which is known for its spectacular history, delicious cuisine, and its hospitable people. Do not miss out on Greek wine, and coffee while on your trip to Greece.
Let’s Plan the Trip with Passero
Passero is a 100% free tool with which you can effortlessly plan your Europe itinerary. You can take care of the finest details and all the nitty-gritty of your trip. This travelling application allows you to organize your travel plans with your friends in three simple steps.
- Capture
- Vote
- Go
It is that simple and easy. So, let’s get started.
1. Capture
In the Capture section, you can randomly collect all your ideas. The board works like a Pinterest board where you can pin your ideas while importing as many boards as you like. The idea is to have all the suggestions and relevant information in one place for a summarized view. It can include restaurants with positive reviews, friends’ recommendations, must-visit destinations, YouTube videos, and travel blogs etc. In a nutshell, anything that you consider relevant in deciding for the trip, you can put it on the board. You can brainstorm these ideas later with your friends.
2. Vote
The next stage is to vote for the most favourite destination keeping in view the cost, type of location, and weather. You can use custom design surveys to get people’s opinions on the suggested ideas. You can design surveys at your convenience followed by summarizing the answers to get to a final decision. It will let you avoid the exhaustive WhatsApp chats, which often end up in no conclusion.
3. Go
You can travel smartly with this application as it allows you to drag and drop ideas from the board to quickly organize the trip. You do not have to manually enter everything in the sheet as key information is pinned on the board, such as boarding time, ticket information, travel activities, and city travel etc. You are all ready now to sail on your dream trip to Europe. Enjoy!
