how much are trips to europe

Wondering How Much a Trip to Europe Costs? Find Out What to Expect in 2024

When I first starting taking my family to Europe, I got a lot of side eye from other parents. You could almost see the thought bubble that says, “you must be rich.” There were also a lot of off-hand comments about how they couldn’t afford to go to Europe (from families that frequently dropped a few thousand dollars on trips to Disney.) TL;DR, we aren’t rich, but we do prioritize spending money on travel. The fact is, there are some misconceptions around how much a trip to Europe costs.

There were actually times when we decided to go to Europe because the flight was cheaper than getting to Florida! Of course, when, where, and how you travel can greatly impact your European trip budget. But after visiting 14 European countries, many multiple times, I’ve learned a lot about how much a trip to Europe costs.

Now I won’t lie, it can get REALLY expensive, especially if you are traveling with a family and need two or more rooms (this is why we have used Airbnb ), prefer private tours (worth it with kids!), or if you can only travel during the expensive summer months.

But, I have some tips to help you lower those costs and choose more affordable destinations. I’ll also walk you through average costs for a European vacation , including airfare, accommodations, activities, food, and transportation .

First, if you are interested in a specific country, I have very detailed cost breakdowns for:

• Iceland trip cost
• Ireland trip cost
• Scotland trip cost
• London trip cost
• Amsterdam trip cost
• Paris trip cost
• Portugal trip cost
• Italy trip cost
• Greece trip cost

Ways to Save on Your European Trip Cost

f you are looking for ways to save some money on your trip to Europe cost, here are some ideas;

Visit Less Expensive Countries

If you want to go to Iceland or Scandinavia, you are going to need a healthy budget. Even places that used to be considered budget-friendly, such as Portugal, have gotten pricier in the last few years as tourism has increased (although it is still cheaper than other Western European countries.).

However, if you go the bit off-the-beaten path, you can find great deals, it may just be a bit trickier to find direct flights. Look at destinations like Scotland , Wales , and Eastern European countries like Hungary or Slovenia.

Avoid Big Cities

Everyone wants to visit Paris , London , and Rome , but the less time you spend in these large European capitals, the better it is for your budget. Sevilla is going to be cheaper than Barcelona, and so on.

You can also stay in less-popular countryside destinations, like Piedmont or Umbria instead of Tuscany in Italy or Languedoc instead of Provence in France. We have stayed in gorgeous chateaus in the Languedoc region of France for half the cost of our hotel in Paris.

Stay in Rentals

If you are visiting Europe with kids , one way to save money is to find an apartment or villa rental through Airbnb, vrbo, or other vacation rental alternatives . Since it is hard to find family rooms in Europe that sleep four or more, often the cost of a two or three-bedroom apartment is cheaper than renting two hotel rooms or an expensive hotel suite.

Even couples will benefit from staying in agriturismos, which are farms that offer accommodations on-site in Italy, or something similar.

Travel Outside of Peak Season

I know it is hard to travel during shoulder season or low season if you have kids, but remember that Europe has different holidays and school schedules. You can find great deals around our U.S. Thanksgiving. And, if your kids get out of school early, you can still find better deals and availability in June than July or August, when European schools have summer break.

If you have more flexibility, traveling in late October through May (outside of holiday weeks) will save you some money. Just do some research about half-term or school break weeks.

Use Points and Miles or Low-Cost Carriers

There are a lot of ways to hack your way to free flights to Europe using sign up bonuses and flexible points transfers if you can easily meet the minimum spend amounts with your current spending. However, even if that isn’t an option, you can often find great deals on flights to Europe.

We have flown to London and Vienna for under $500 each. I highly recommend signing up for a  flight deal subscription service such as Going . With the premium level you can set up your preferred airports and dream destinations and receive alerts on airfare sales and even points deals.

There are also a number of low cost carriers that offer flights from the United States including Norse Atlantic Airways, Condor, and French Bee. You can also use Play Airlines, which connects through Iceland.

Fly to a Hub and Then Use a Low Cost Carrier

If you find a great flight deal to a major European city, you can then use a low-cost carrier such as Ryan Air, EasyJet, Vueling, or others to connect to your final destination. These flights are typically under $100 per person, but make sure you are aware of the luggage restrictions on weight and size, which are different from U.S. carriers.

Trains are also another option, but don’t assume they will be cheap, especially if you book first class with assigned seats and luggage storage. Be sure to research your options before you book.

How Much Does a Trip to Europe Cost

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you.

Now let’s look at some average costs for a trip to Europe. I’ve based these on two people traveling to Europe from the United States for a one week (7 night) trip.

Airfare to Europe Cost

Airfare from the United States to Europe can range from $500 per person (if you find a great deal) to over $2,000 (if you book late and travel during high season on a standard carrier.) As I mentioned above, you can save money by looking for flight deals, traveling off-season, or using low-cost carriers or connecting flights.

However, you can assume an average cost of $1,000 per person.

Total Airfare Cost = $2,000 ($1,000 x 2 people)

European Accommodations Cost

Accommodation costs can vary greatly depending on if you are staying in a big city or elsewhere, or if you are in a luxury hotel or a rustic rental. You will usually want to split your trip between a city and somewhere in the countryside. If you only have a week, I’d suggest three nights in the city and four nights elsewhere. Think Rome or Florence + Tuscany, Milan + Piedmont, Paris + Burgundy, Edinburgh + Highlands, London + Wales, etc.

In the city, expect to spend $250-500 per night and $150-350 per night in another location. Remember, you can refer to each of my detailed cost breakdowns for specific hotel and itinerary recommendations for those various destinations.

Total Accommodations Cost = $2,050 ($350 x 3 nights + $250 x 4 nights)

European Transportation Cost

Even if you plan to stay in one city for your entire trip to Europe, you will still need to spend some money on transportation. For example, when we went to Amsterdam for three days, we walked all over the city but we still took a transfer to and from the airport. So whether it is Uber, taxis, public transportation, or private transfers, you will need to budget for transportation expenses.

More likely, you will need to also either rent a car or take a train between destinations. If you are renting a car, be sure to book it early as the prices go up the closer you get to your arrival. Automatic transmission cars are also more expensive than manual transmission. Try to pack in carry on suitcases if possible so that you can rent a small to mid-size car. Driving in some countries (especially Ireland, the UK, and parts of Italy) can be challenging on small roads so you will appreciate it for more than the price point! Also keep in mind that gas is more expensive in Europe than the United States.

Total transportation cost = $800 (estimated)

European Activities Cost

Your activity costs vary greatly depending on where you go in Europe. For example, if you are visiting Scotland or Wales and you just want to spend a lot of time in the outdoors and maybe visit a few castles, your expenses will be minimal. But if you are going to Paris or Rome and you want to explore historic sites and museums and get the most of the experience, you will want to take a tour.

When in Greece, you can spend your days by the pool or the beach, but you will probably want to at least take a sunset sail and maybe a food or wine tour. I know it can get expensive, but don’t skimp on your activities. This is what you will remember most about your trip. More than your hotel. More than your airplane ride. It is also what matters the most when visiting a foreign country. After all, you want to experience the local culture. You want to learn more about the destination’s history. And you will want to see what makes a place unique.

Total Activities Cost = $1000

European Food Costs

It used to be that food in Europe was more expensive than in the United States but in the last couple of years, I have not found that to be the case. You can still spend a bundle on food if you elect for hotel breakfasts or fancy chef’s tasting menus. But in general, you can find affordable meals especially in destinations like Scotland, Wales, Portugal, and Italy.

You can also save money by preparing some of your own meals if you rent an apartment or stay in an aparthotel with a kitchenette. Remember, you don’t need to tip as much in Europe (or sometimes at all) and the alcohol is usually a lot cheaper because it isn’t marked up as much. These factors can make a big difference in your bottom line.

As a rule of thumb, plan to spend:

• $10 per person for breakfast (stop at a bakery for pastry and coffee or juice)
• $15-20 per person for lunch (think pizza, sandwiches, or street food)
• $25-50 per person for dinner (maybe plan for one splurge dinner too of up to $100 pp)

Total Food Cost = $1150

You may also want to budget some money for souvenirs and travel insurance.

Total Trip to Europe Cost

A seven-night trip to Europe for two people will cost an average of $7,900, or $564 per person, per day.

Save this to Pinterest

Tamara Gruber is the Founder and Publisher of We3Travel. A former marketing executive and travel advisor, Tamara is an award-winning travel writer and recognized expert in family travel. Tamara is a member of SATW and the Adventure Travel Trade Association, and serves on the Board of the Family Travel Association. She is also the publisher of YourTimetoFly.com and the co-host of the Vacation Mavens travel podcast.

Find this useful? Share it!

Publish Date: March 12, 2024

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER & RECEIVE A FAMILY VACATION PLANNING KIT!

We3Travel.com will use the information you provide on this form to send you newsletters. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting [email protected] . By clicking below, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.

Start typing and press enter to search

Accommodations

As you can imagine, your Europe trip cost will vary greatly depending on your style and where you visit. I recommend budgeting $150 a night for your hotel, which works out to $2,100 for 13 nights. From hostels to luxury hotels, Europe gives you many options to easily find accommodations that fit your budget.

If you’re backpacking through Europe, hostels will probably be your choice of accommodation. If you decide to go that route, the average price is $15 – $20 a night. Alternatively, there are a lot of great boutique hostels out there that cost more but offer a better experience since they’re competing with hotels and Airbnb.

Recommendations:   YHA London Central  (London),  Barnacles hostel  (Dublin),  The Flying Pig Uptown  (Amsterdam),  Goodmorning Hostel  (Lisbon)

Mid-range hotels

For those who think $150 is expensive, I would argue that it’s on the cheaper end. The reality is that hotels are expensive these days, so getting one for $150 a night is a pretty good deal. Remember, this is just an estimate. In some European countries, some hotels will cost you more while others will cost you less. You can also follow my guide on  how to save money on hotels .

Recommendations:  Alhambra Hotel  (London),  Stauntons on the Green  (Dublin),  Hotel Nicolaas Witsen  (Amsterdam),  Hotel Excelsior  (Lisbon)

Luxury hotels

There will likely be luxury hotel options regardless of what city you’re visiting. If you like the experience or don’t mind spending the extra money, you may want to budget another $200 – $300 a night. Your Europe trip cost will skyrocket if you’re going for luxury stays.

Recommendations :  The Langham  (London),  Clontarf Castle  (Dublin),  Amsterdam Marriott Hotel  (Amsterdam),  Iberostar Lisboa  (Lisbon)

Depending on the city, I sometimes prefer to use Airbnb. I’ve been able to find private apartments in good locations for about $100 a night. If you’re travelling with kids or family, Airbnb can be a great deal since you should easily be able to find a space that fits your entire party. I do admit that Airbnb has become more expensive over the years, but it’s still a good hotel alternative.

If you have the right credit card, you can save a fair amount of money on hotels. Americans should strongly consider the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card since you can earn up to 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy points and $300 back at U.S. restaurants as a welcome bonus . Canadians should consider the Marriott Bonvoy American Express , which gives you up to 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. That’s enough points for a few free nights at some hotels, which could easily have a value of over $500.

Local transportation

Since I assume you’re doing thee cities during this trip, you’ll need to factor in flights and/or trains to each destination. I’m also assuming you’re booking a multi-destination ticket, so you don’t need to backtrack. Realistically speaking, budgeting $400 for location transportation may be a bit high, but remember, you must also pay for trips to/from the airport, day trips, and any other public transportation you use.

Generally speaking, getting a Eurail pass won’t be worth it if you’re in Europe for just two weeks and visiting three cities/countries. If you’re going to neighbouring countries or taking day trips, buying tickets as needed is fine. That said, buying your train tickets well in advance (even before you depart) is usually worth it, as you’ll get better prices and a confirmed seat.

Attractions

This is where things can get tricky. Attractions aren’t expensive, but if you keep going into them, you will naturally spend more. First off, always do the free things in every city. That means checking to see if any museums or art galleries have no entrance fee. Note that even museums with an admission charge (including big, famous museums like the Louvre Museum in Paris) usually have a free day, so you must see if the timing works out.

Parks are always free, and quite often, simply walking around neighbourhoods is the best way to see a new city, and that doesn’t cost you anything. In Europe, there are also many free walking tours – well, you need to pay a tip – but that’s a cheap way to learn about the city.

Finally, check to see if museum passes will help you save money. Many cities offer something such as free entry into a bunch of attractions for a fixed price for a set period of time, e.g. 24, 48, or 96 hours. You would need to do the math to see if the cost of the attractions you’re interested in makes up for the cost of the pass.

If you plan to pay for some attractions or do day trips into the countryside to see some of the local landscapes, check to see if  Klook  sells tickets. Buying your tickets in advance usually means you can get a small discount and skip the lines when you arrive.

Food and drink

The food and drink budget will vary by person, but a rough estimate for a meal, including drinks is as follows:

• Breakfast – $5
• Lunch – $10
• Dinner – $30

That works out to $45 per person per day, which some people think is too much, while others think it’s too low. If you like to drink alcohol, you’ll need to budget more. What I personally try to do is balance eating street/fast food with restaurants. I also go to grocery stores to get breakfast and snacks, which saves me a lot of money. Cutting back on eating out will help you see Europe on a budget.

Every city and country you visit will have some local delicacies which I highly recommend you try. To this day, I’m still mad at myself for not having tapas in Spain because I thought it was too expensive. I’m not suggesting you blow your budget on food, but it’s okay to splurge occasionally. Even then it doesn’t need to be fancy. A baguette and cheese in Paris is pretty cheap but also delicious.

Random spending

Many people forget to include shopping when planning their vacation budget. It’s silly to think that you’ll spend nothing on random things; you’ll buy gifts for people, right? Plus, you’ll want to pick up plenty of souvenirs for yourself, regardless of how tacky they appear. There’s nothing wrong with buying gifts for yourself or friends; you just want to make sure you budget for it.

As you can imagine, some cities have better shopping experiences than others, so you must consider where you’re going and budget accordingly. For example, you may be headed to Italy and intend to buy a leather purse. There’s nothing wrong with that. Just make sure you’ve set aside some money for that purchase.

As a general rule, you should set aside $200 or 200 Euros for those random expenses that come up. Heck, even spending some extra money on sightseeing can be worth it.

Cost to go to Europe

So how much does it cost to go to Europe for two weeks? You know the answer – it depends! But, a good estimate is about $4,280. One time I spent just $2,300 because I focused on doing it for as cheap as possible. Another time I spent closer to $8,000 (for two people) when visiting just three cities. The cost of a Europe trip depends on you, but it’s not hard to stretch your travel budget.

For more European inspiration, check out my guides to  Scotland ,  Italy ,  Croatia ,  Austria ,  Malta ,  Greece , and  Amsterdam on a budget .

Frequently asked questions

Is it possible to see europe on a budget.

Absolutely! But it will take some planning. The biggest thing to remember is what countries or cities you visit. Places like London, England, Paris, France, Copenhagen, Denmark, and Florence or Milan in Italy will cost a lot more than places like Romania, Poland, Bosnia, Slovenia, and even Croatia. There are also several other ways to help cut costs and see Europe on a budget, even in the pricier destinations. Take a look at my  Europe on a budget  article for more tips and advice on how to see and do more for less.

Is it safe to backpack Europe?

Generally speaking, yes. This is somewhat of a blanket statement as Europe is a huge place and different countries and even cities will have some not-so-savoury places that are best avoided. But that’s the same everywhere. Some cities are very backpacker-friendly, such as Berlin, Zagreb, Luxembourg, and Munich.

You should be fine if you travel smart, follow basic safety protocols, and trust your gut. At the end of the day, use common sense. Don’t go to a bar with strangers and get black-out drunk. That’s not a good idea anywhere.

If you are uncomfortable or unsure about doing it yourself, you can always book a package tour or even a cruise. However, these will dramatically increase your costs and don’t allow for as much flexibility. 

Are rail passes worth it?

It depends. Rail passes, such as the Eurail Pass , can be great because they take out a lot of planning and leg work and make it easy, but you pay for that convenience. Oftentimes there are more affordable transit options that are just as comfortable. Many countries have slower local trains that you can take advantage of. In some places, like Ireland, the bus system is better connected (and cheaper) than trains, etc.

If you are trying to figure out how much does it cost to go to Europe because you are on a tighter budget, it’s worth taking the time to do a bit of planning and do it on your own. If money isn’t an issue and you are more concerned about convenience, then a rail pass might be worth it for your Europe tour.

What are some fun things to do in Europe?

Europe is a popular destination for North Americans because it’s so different from here in many ways. The history and architecture are incredible; it’s wild to think some buildings are centuries older than Canada. Food is another huge perk to travel in Europe. It’s so varied across the continent, and while we have plenty of food options from different cultures in Canada and the USA, it’s always better from the source.

You may also be interested in visiting Europe for specific events. Perhaps St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland, or Carnival in Venice, or the Christmas markets of Germany. Don’t worry about finding things to do in Europe, and there’s plenty.

What are the best places to visit in Europe?

This depends on your interests. Are you interested in history? Maybe cities like Berlin and Vienna will be the most interesting for you. Love art? Perhaps Paris is the best option. More into beaches and nature? Try Croatia. Some people have dreamt about the canals in Venice and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, so they make Italy their priority.

What are the five most important tourist attractions in Europe?

It depends on your likes and interests. What is interesting to me might not be interesting to you. That being said, the most popular tourist attractions in Europe include:

• The Eiffel Tower in Paris
• The Colosseum in Rome
• Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany
• The Acropolis in Athens
• Stonehenge, England
• Aurora Borealis in Iceland

What are some unusual things to do in Europe?

Europe has plenty of weird and wonderful things to do that you wouldn’t necessarily find in North America. A few recommendations include the following:

• Visiting Sedlec Ossuary just outside of Prague (It’s made of human bones)
• Eat haggis in Scotland
• Attend a Krampus Run in Austria (Krampus is essentially a Christmas demon that kidnaps and tortures children. Like an anti-Santa)

When is the best time to go to Europe?

This can depend on your goals and the destination itself, but generally speaking, the shoulder seasons (September/October and April/May) are great. It’s not too crowded, the weather is pleasant, and you can avoid peak season costs. 

How long can I stay in Europe?

While many backpackers love to do European tours, you need to be mindful of the amount of time you are allowed to spend not just in a specific country but in an area. Many European countries are part of the Schengen Zone, and Canadians and Americans can only spend a total of 90 days within a 180-day period in these places. Examples of Schengen zone countries include Austria, Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Italy, Iceland, and more.

About Barry Choi

Barry Choi is a Toronto-based personal finance and travel expert who frequently makes media appearances. His blog Money We Have is one of Canada’s most trusted sources when it comes to money and travel. You can find him on Twitter: @barrychoi

128 Comments

Great post. Our vacation plans for this year is to go to Denmark and Sweden. I heard that Scandinavia is really expensive. I found airline tickets for $1,600 for 2 people. Still looking for accommodations at Airbnb. My plan is not to go over our budget of $5k for our 11 day trip.

I’ve actually heard Scandinavia is expensive so let me know what the real costs are after. The good thing is, flights to Scandinavia have never been cheaper. You can get cheap flights if you fly via Iceland and I’ve also seen cheap airfare on Noreweigian.

Hi Barry! I’m planning an all girls trip (around 6 girls) to Europe from Pakistan. Which countries/cities would you recommend? Also we all have a budget of $2500 per person. Do you think it would cost less on accommodation as the cost would split? And would love if you can give some tips?

So I recommend talking to your girlfriends and asking what cities/countries they’re most interested in first. From there, you can try to figure out logistics. Your flights will be the biggest expenses. If you fly into one city and out of another, you won’t need to backtrack. E.g. fly into Paris and out of London.

As for accommodations, since there are 6 of you, you could look for a hostel that has rooms for 6 – 8 with a private room. If you buy out every bed in the room, you’ll have the entire place to yourself. That will likely be cheaper than getting 2-3 hotel rooms each night. You could also look for an Airbnb that accommodates 6, but that might be tough.

$2,500 a person is doable (depending on the destinations) and how long you go for, but I always recommend budgeting extra. This sounds like a really fun trip for you and your friends, the last thing you want is to be watching your budget the entire time you’re there.

Hi I’m from south Africa and I’m looking to travel to barcelona for 2 weeks.

I’m a student so I’m looking for as cheap as possible but I dont want to miss out on anything.

I have a friend living in barcelona so accommodation is already paid for which is a big expense luckily.

We are looking to travel to Greece and Amsterdam during this time.

Was wondering if I take 2000 euros if that would be enough for the two weeks.

Kind regards Jonathan

Hi Jonathan, if you’re staying at hostels or inexpensive accommodations when you’re in Greece and Amsterdam, that should be enough. I’m assuming your flight isn’t part of that 2000 Euro budget.

Nice post but the airfare costs seem to have gone up from your estimates.

Lowest price to Germany from Toronto was $1000 and that was a deal where you are estimating $850 CDN. Plus $200 travel insurance.

Hey Heather,

Yes flight prices have gone up this summer. I expect them to drop during the fall, but I haven’t researched it thoroughly yet.

Thanks, Barry! You always have the best budget/travel advice 🙂

[…] is one of few places that actually has a decent choice of accommodations that won’t burst your travel budget. Hostels are always a favourite among solo travellers, and there are plenty to be found around the […]

I know this is a little old of a thread. I was able to backpack europe with a friend, and only staying in Airbnb. 980$ is what was spent on lodging. We were gone for 4 weeks. The total trip was $5,000 which included souvenirs, trains, rental cars, ferries to the Greek Islands and 4 flights. Two were one way tickets from JFK to Paris, then London to JFK. One of the flights was also $400 from Croatia to Greece. Some of the trains and ferries were accidentally booked first class (which after doing so, I recommend).

Thanks for sharing. Europe can definitely be cheaper if you want it to be. My prices were rough estimates with hotels in mind instead of Airbnb. I love how travellers can see Europe on any budget and as you mentioned, they may still get the luxury experience unintentionally.

Thanks for putting this site togehter. Im planning for a trip to Budapest and Athens, 1 week each, the first 2 weeks of October. Is it still tourist season at this time? Some say prices only drop mid way or end of October. Can you confirm or deny this?

October tends to be slower for Budapest, but depending on where you go in Greece, parts may still be busy since it’s now cruising season in Europe

Thanks for the rapid response, I’m planning on Athens since I’m greatly interested in the historic sites. Not going to any islands like Crete, Rhodes etc. Also out of interest a question if you don’t mind: do you think the recent economy stabilisation (although it probably won’t last long) will change the price of visiting Greece?

Generally speaking, October is the lower season, but since Athens is so popular, it’s not like you’ll see NO tourists, it’ll still be busy. As for their economic situation, I don’t there will be much change as their economy has been tanking for years without prices at hotels or restaurants falling.

I am planning a Euro trip from Canada. I am intending to visit Croatia, Amsterdam and France if possible London. My budget for me and my wife is 7000 USD.

Any advise is much appreciated. Such as where to start and end must visit places and best time to go.

With that budget, you should have no problems seeing those countries. London, Amsterdam, and Paris are quick train rides away from each other. Although Amsterdam and London can be a bit pricier, during the fall, you shouldn’t have many issues finding a reasonably priced hotel. Paris can be inexpensive if you choose a hotel outside of the main areas, just find a place near the metro.

Adding Croatia gets a bit tricky since it’s not really close to the other countries. THat being said, you can find discount air carriers from London, Amsterdam, or Paris to get there. Most people who visit Croatia see more than just one city which is why you need to decide how much of the country you want to see when planning your trip.

Hello! I’m planning out a ways (gives me something to look forward to) for Europe in spring, 2021. We’ll start at a friend’s relative’s in the Black Forest, then on to Paris by train, then Italy by train. Goals are Rome, Florence and Venice. I’m very excited, as I’ve never been to Europe. With staying free the first few nights in Germany, and then four of us sharing AirBnbs, I’m thinking (depending on airfair) that we might be able to do this for around $2,500 each. That’s the goal. I love the idea of looking for special food everywhere we go. In Puerto Rico, we ate the fried plantains, and I enjoyed those. Not sure what tapas is, but hope you get to go back and eat it!

That sounds like a reasonable budget since you have some of your accommodations covered. As for tapas, it’s basically small plates meant for sharing. I actually went back to Barcelona earlier this year and splurged on tapas this time around. It was worth it!

Good for you. Thanks for the tips. Anne

Hi there, I’ll be visiting Europe for 9 days in Feb-Mar flying directly from Newark to Rome, from there to Paris and end the trip in Madrid. On airfare I spent USD 500, in lodging thru AirBnb and hotels a total of 225. I was wondering how much money should I expect to spend on attractions and food? Note: the amount mention above is per person and we are going to be 6 people in total. Note 2: thank you for reminding me to have a category of random expenses!

How much you spend on food is really up to you. Generally speaking in Rome you can get takeaway pizza, sandwiches, or pasta for 5 – 7 Euros per person. Sit down places will probably cost you 10 – 15 Euros per person. I rented an apartment when I was in Rome last and saved a bunch by stocking up on water, drinks, and alcohol from the grocery store. That being said, food in Rome is EXCELLENT so you could easily end up spending more if you want to try more things. I ate gelato twice a day because it was so good there. I wasn’t even hungry, I just wanted it! I STRONGLY advise checking yelp or tripadvisor before dining at any restaurant as the quality can vary quite a bit. Be sure to ask your host for recommendations.

The costs in Paris will likely be similar to Rome, probably a little cheaper (wine is cheaper than water). I haven’t been to Madrid so I can’t comment there, but I would suggest splurging on tapas one day.

Random expenses ALWAYS come up which is why I always budget a little more.

Planning a 10-11 day vacation for family of three( two adults one 7year old) in July 2019 to London, Amsterdam and Paris planning for a 7000 budget. Does this seem reasonable? Round trip from lax to Heathrow are about 2400 planning on doing Airbnb and we are not shoppers. Most likely spend on food, drinks and attractions. First time big vacation so exited!!!!!! Any feedback would be appreciated

That sounds more than reasonable assuming you’re not staying at hotels that cost you $1,000 per night =D. In Paris, it’s easy to find cheaper accommodations. London hotels can be pricey, but there area areas that are more reasonable. Amsterdam tends to be expensive in general unless you stay in Amsterdam SOuth and the take the train into the main areas. That being said, with your budget, you can likely find hotels in good locations.

We are going to Budapest, Kiev, Chisinau, and a couple stops in western Europe (Paris and somewhere else) in June, 2019, for about 23 days. International tickets aside, and with free lodging in Kiev, do you think $50 per person per day is reasonable? Two adults and one 17 ye old are our ages. We are not backpacking and we feel too old to sleep on someone’s couch for three weeks. Thanks for your input.

Does that $50 a day include accommodations? If not, that’s probably way low for an estimate. Food alone will cost you $50 if not more per day. You also need to factor in local transportation, attractions, and any souvenirs you may buy.

Thank you for this article. I am planning an European vacation for next year during the summer, Our trip can be any time between the months of July and August, there will be three of us, myself and my two daughters, 18 and 12. My budget is about 20,000 USD, I´m going to try to make it as long as I can stretch it, maybe 3 weeks, could it be stretched to 4?. I am not sure where exactly to go, I am thinking England, Paris, Italy for now, but that might change depending on where we can fly in and out of the cheapest. I guess my questions are, given that summer is the most expensive time to travel, which cities would you recommend traveling into and out of? I´m in the east coast. Also, I have read about hostels and I’m aprehensive about using them with my daughters, what is your take on them? Another concern of mine is traveling with my daughters, with me being a woman, are there any cities I should stay clear off because of crime? Any help, guidance is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Hi! Im playing on going on a 16 day eastern european trip to several countries with a budget of around $2500-2700. I plan to save a lot by going to grocery stores and using airbnb. However, I will be going in the wintertime when the world junior ice hockey championship is so the tickets of a couple games might cost $50-100. Is this a reasonable budget for 1 person?

It can be done, but your flights and accommodations will eat up a lot of your costs. It also depends on how many countries you plan on going to. If you’re going to do Airbnb, try renting a private room as opposed to a private apartment since they’re cheaper.

Is it reasonable to expect to find a ticket to Greece or Italy for the $650 estimated price if we book now for July? I haven’t flown much so not sure, but looking at prices from US on Google seem to be more in the $1000-1500 range. Do I just not no where to go for a reasonable deal on a ticket? Any help is appreciated.

July is the summer so prices tend to be higher. For whatever reason, it’s usually a bit more expensive to fly into Greece as opposed to other destinations within Europe. It might be cheaper to fly into a major hub such as London or Amsterdam and then catching a discount carrier from there.

Note, sorry, I just realized I commented on the wrong place before. I apologize.

That budget is pretty healthy so I think you’ll do alright. Here are some things to consider. Have you talked to your daughters about where they want to go? It may be worth letting each daughter choose one destination or country ad then you pick one. That will give you three spots to build your itinerary around. I do believe you could stretch our your itinerary to 4 weeks as long as you don’t go all out on everything. That being said, even at $250 USD per night for hotels, you’d only spend $7,000 for 28 nights.

Figure out your destinations first and then you can work out flights. Getting to Europe will be more expensive in the summer, but getting around once you’re there is realtively inexpensive due to discount carriers.

Hostels can be okay to save money, but again, your budget is quote high so you’d be better off getting a hotel. ALternatively, Airbnb can be a great option for 3 people. That being said, some hostels have private rooms that sleep 4 and have their own bathroom so they might be worth considering. I just think it would be better to use Airbnb.

As for crime. I don’t think it’s fair to say one city is more dangerous than the other. You should obviously do some research about local scams and find out if certain areas are less safe than others, but use common sense when you travel e.g. don’t show off valuables, don’t walk down dark streets alone.

Thank you for your quick response! I will definitely ask my daughters to pick a city/country they want to visit, and then go from there. I´ll also be reading more of your posts to help me along, and will be asking you questions as well,

Hi, I am trying to plan a 15 day trip (not counting 3 days for travel to and from the United States). We want to spend 3 days in Amsterdam, take a night sleeper train to Munich on night 3. Spend maybe a half day exploring Munich before heading to Italy for 5-6 days. From Italy we want to travel to France for 2 days. From France we will travel to Spain for the last few days and fly home from there. Its myself, my husband and our teenage children. I will probably only have between $10,000-$11,000 for our trip, our flights would not be coming out of that. Normally when we travel, we do bananas and oranges for breakfast to save money but we’ve only traveled in the US so I’m not sure how that would work. Is a trip like this doable on that budget?

It’s probably doable on that budget, but I think you’re packing in too much. You have 15 days and you want to go to the following:

Amsterdam Munich Italy (where I assume you’ll go to more than one place) France Spain

You’ll essentially be on the road every 3 days which is crazy busy. Based on your itinerary, Munich seems like the easiest destination to drop. I’d also even consider dropping Spain so you can spend more time in Italy and France.

There are plenty of grocery stores in Europe so you can eat for cheap for breakfast if you like.

Hi Berry, thank you for your reply. Originally my plan was Amsterdam, Italy and Spain but the sleeper train from Amsterdam to Germany makes since so we can sleep while traveling so we aren’t really losing time there and my husband wants to see France over Spain and its closer to Italy so I guess Spain is out. Yes in Italy we want to do Venice and Rome.

ALthough you would save on accommodations and technically travel, you’re still adding another destination. Right now you’re looking at:

Amsterdam Munich Rome Venice France

This is all in two weeks. Are you going to skip Florence? How much of France are you planning on doing?

Hello Barry!

My husband and I are planning a trip to Europe this summer around July for two weeks. We’re budgeting about $4000 (or a bit over depending) each person and want to visit at least 4 cities while we are there. Our top picks are London, Amsterdam, Paris, and somewhere in Italy! Is it doable with our budget? And will we have enough time in each city? We’re flying out from LA and wondering where we should start first. I think a lot of people fly out to UK and start there. Would that be the best course? And flights look most expensive in July and August. Will we be able to plan something in June or is that too soon?? (It’s almost April already) sorry I just bombarded you with so many questions. Any help is appreciated!! We’re super excited and want to make sure we get the best scenario for our trip!

I second this question from Gloria please!

We have 14-15 days and right now thinking spain, italy, france. Leaning towards warmer time of year where we can maybe go to a couple beaches. However we are open to weather in 60s or above. How soon in advance should we be booking this trip? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Yikes, I don’t know how I missed Gloria’s question last year.

With 14-15 days, I personally would stick to three locations at max with maybe a few day trips on the site. You could easily spend 14-15 days in each of the three countries you’ve listed. I personally recommend going with what your top priorities are. If you want beaches, Spain and France are probably your best bets. Maybe start in PAris, head to southern France and then make your way to Barcelona where you can fly home? I would save Italy for another trip where you do that country on its own.

Hello! My boyfriend and I are leaving May 9th and returning on June 5th (27 days). We are going to London (staying with family), Brussels, Bruges, Munich, Vienna, Salzburg, Interlaken, Milan, Barcelona & Madrid. We booked all of our hostels & aribnbs, bought the eurail pass and paid for our flights. How much should we bring with us for food, attractions, etc for those 27 days?

It really depends on how many attractions you want to see and if you’re foodies or not. Many attractions (especially in London are free), but you could also spend 10 – 20 Euros per museum which adds up quickly. Be sure to do your research to see what’s free and pick one attraction in each city that you’re willing to pay for. Food can be cheap if you visit the grocery store your entire trip and make sandwiches, but that gets boring fast. Between the two of you, you could spend $20 – $100 a day depending on what you like to eat. That being said, many hostels offer free or cheap breakfast so you won’t need to buy every meal.

I think we planned on doing a grocery store breakfast, street food for lunch, and a sit-down/casual meal for dinner. Naturally, we are trying to stick to free attractions. We both enjoy doing things on our own but definitely will at some point pay to get in.

I think we were each planning to bring $3,000 for 27 days ($6,000 total). This would be for food, miscellaneous transportation & attractions. Do you think this is enough? We don’t plan on living lavishly but also not living like “bums” 🙂

I truly appreciate your reply. I have been reading your articles and you are fantastic. Thank you for your advice!

Hey Audrey,

I think that’s a great budget and you’re being smart about your meals. One piece of advice, don’t save just for the sake of saving while there. Enjoy this month with your boyfriend. I personally would rather save money at home where I skip coffee/snack breaks and pack more lunches. You should be able to enjoy as much gelato as you want in Italy guilt free.

Don’t forget to factor in spending on things such as local transportation and souvenirs. You won’t spend a ton on that stuff, but it’s something many people forget to account for.

Hi, i’m planing to travel to Europe next year around Easter time with my teenage son for 2 weeks, our plans are to visit Barcelona, Madrid (soccer game) Paris and Italy, i estimated $6000 for our budget , planning on using Airbnb and trains and lot of walk , which it could be the more economic order to visit those countries?

Hi Alexandra,

Booking an award flight for 4 persons is challenging.

Hawaii being a popular vacation destination, finding award seats can be difficult. I would suggest to set up price alerts for Hawaii flights as this is a very competitive route. It’s often a better value to pay for the flight than using miles.

As for Asia, the biggest challenge is to find the transpacific flights. But if you book well in advance and are flexible on your dates you can find 4 award seats in business class on Air Canada to several destinations in Asia. You can also often find availability on Air China if you don’t mind a layover in China. United could also be a solution for some routes via one of their major hubs like Chicago, Houston, Washington or San Francisco. Finally, you can be lucky and find flights on EVA directly to Taiwan as they fly to Toronto, Vancouver and several US cities.

Once in Asia, you will have more options since there are more Star Alliance airlines to choose from including Asiana, Singapore Airlines, Air Nippon and Thai Airways. Finding availability is also easier since there are more flights and some airlines like Singapore Airline releases more business class award seats for short hauls than they release for long international flights.

Note that since Aeroplan search engine has limited capacity for long and complicated itineraries, you will have to search for each leg one by one as one-ways to see if there is availability.

In conclusion, it is possible to make such a trip for 4 people in business class, but it will require a fair amount of preparation and luck!

It depends on where you’re flying from and what direct routes you have available. Paris, Rome, and Barcelona are all major hubs so it might not be that difficult to figure out a route. You also need to factor in if there’s a certain date you need to be in Madrid for the soccer game.

Hi there! I came across this post while trying to research info about traveling to Europe. My 2 friends and I are trying to plan a trip to France, UK, and possibly Austria within 8-10 days in mid-December. We’re trying to figure out about how much the trip might cost for each of us if we are able to stay with people we know at these destinations. We threw around the number $2000-2500 USD, but I was wondering if you even thought this would be possible (esp so close to the holidays)? We are planning on taking in the sites as much as we can, and want to experience the culture of each of these places, yet we want to do it on a tight budget! Would love to know your thoughts and any advice you might have.

It’s possible, but your flight alone would eat up a fair amount of your budget. You also need to factor in the train and flights when you’re in Europe. Food can be cheap, but it can add up unless you’re just eating fast food or getting groceries. Many attractions are free, but there will be ones you want to pay for.

I think it would be tight, not impossible, but I’d personally budget a little more.

Thank you for a quick response! We’ll see what we can do – hopefully the trip will all work out!

I think it’s doable but just note that you’re choosing 4 expensive destinations. In Paris and Italy, you can likely find reasonable accommodations but London and Amsterdam are a bit on the more expensive side.

For two weeks, I think 4 cities is the maximum you can do. If you need to drop one, drop Italy as that country deserves a trip on its own. London, Paris, and Amsterdam are all within train distance which will make your life easier. Where you start and begin depends on what direct routes you have available to you and prices. Once you’re on the ground, it’s easy to get around. Heck a flight from London to Amsterdam might only cost you $110 USD one-way.

June is a great time to go, those cities don’t require too much planning.

Thank you so much Barry! We are so excited! 🙂

I will be in England, France & Scotland for 2 weeks in June. Thankfully, I will be staying with a friend. I’m not into buying tons of souvenirs, and I don’t expect we’ll be eating out much. Planning to go to lots of free museums & walks in London. We will take train into London & Paris. I’ve been reading every bit of advice I can. Thank you for your helpful articles!

Hi Barry, Im planning to go Europe trip 2 weeks.What 3 -4 cities can you suggest.Mostly do sightseeing, eat from grocery stores, staying at budget Airbnb or hostels, Do free stuff as possible.How much should be the cost.Including air fare.i will be going with my husband as our wedding anniversary. Thanks

My article gives you a good estimate of costs with some recommended cities. If you’re trying to do things cheap, you should look at eastern Europe. You also need to consider what flights you have available to you e.g. is it cheaper for you to fly direct to say Paris or Rome? There are so many variables in play that I can’t just give you a blanket statement or estimate.

Hi Barry Thanks for getting back to me. We plan to start from Paris then 1 day in Prague then Rome Italy to finish.I want to visit Amsterdam but this city is a bit pricey.I hope 2 weeks is enough to cover major attractions, try food and wander around.

Paris, Prague, and Rome aren’t close together but you can get to each one by taking discount carriers. You should probably restrict your itinerary to 4 cities at max or 3 with day trips. Every city can be affordable if you stay outside of the major tourist areas and use public transit.

Helpful site! But you don’t say where you are based out of, when you mention airfare costs. Info please! And thanks.

Hey Catherine,

I’m based out of Canada, but with flight prices, I tend to give an average from North America.

Where in North America? Big difference between east and west coast!

The east coast.

Hi Barry, So glad I stumbled upon this article, very useful info and helpful advice. Thank you! I am planning a trip to Europe perhaps end 2020 for my family of 6 (3 adults, 2 teenagers & a 11yo) for 2 weeks or max 3 from Malaysia/Singapore. 1st trip. Staying with friends in Manchester, hope to take a trip to London. Also visit friends in Geneva. What other cities would you recommend? possible for a budget of usd15k? Mainly Airbnb, groceries, some eating outs, buying food stuff home, minimal souvenirs, mainly doing free stuff if possible. Thanks Barry.

If you’re staying in Manchester and you plan on going to Geneva too, I would just look for another stop in between the two via a discount carrier. Paris and Amsterdam are likely cities that fit your route.

I think your budget is pretty reasonable. It’s the flights that will cost you the most.

We are currently living in Dubai. We (with my boyfriend) are planning to do a Europe Tour. Which country would you recommend most? Planning for a 3-4 week vacation. Would love to see Paris,Rome, Amsterdam, London, Norway,and Prague. What do you think? Any recommendations for perfect destination for us? And propose budget for both of us?

If you have 3-4 weeks, you can do quite a lot, but I would recommend to sticking to a route that’s logical and limits the amount of time you’re on sitting on trains. Right now you’ve listed all the major cities but Norway is sort of out of the way. If you’re going to Rome, you should probably check out Florence too.

I would recommend choosing 3-4 MUST SEE destinations first and then building your itinerary from there. I can’t recommend you the perfect destination as I don’t know what type of traveller you are or the type of person you are.

Thanks Barry, appreciate your input.

Me and my husband are planning to visit to Amsterdam, paris and swiss by the end of August 2019 from India. we have no clue how to plan a budget travel as we never been there in europe. please give your input to plan our budget travel. thanks in advance 🙂

Just start researching everything. Look up the cost of flights from India first then start looking at hotels or Airbnb in the destinations you want to go to. AMsterdam and Paris are a quick train ride away from each other, but if you want to go to Switzerland, you may need to fly. Switzerland can be quite expensive.

I am glad I stumbled across your website. I have not travelled much at all and never internationally, but I want to take my daughter, who just graduated from high school to France and possibly Germany in the next couple of months.Can you recommend what cities or areas we should see, definitely Paris, but I wasn’t sure if I should consider other areas? I was planning on probably 8-10 days in Europe. We love history and museums and music (my daughter is a cellist and singer). Also, since it’s just the 2 of us and we don’t have any international travel experience, do you think it would be better for us to stay at hotels or Airbnb?

Thank you for all your great suggestions!

Hi Stefanie,

If this is your first time travelling to Europe, you should ask your daughter what city she wants to see most and build around that. 8-10 days will give you enough time to see two cities with maybe one day trip. If she’s a cellist and singer, perhaps Vienna will appeal to her? Hotels or AIrbnb likely wouldn’t make a difference. Just go with what fits your budget.

Im planning a 2 and a half month, Western Europe trip in summer of ’21 and was wondering, if I am backpacking through France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Czechia, Austria, Italy and Switzerland could I reasonably get by with 10,000? Airfare and a eurorail pass to get around wouldn’t be included. Just wanted to know if I am out of my mind or if thats a reasonable price if Im spending 100 a day, on hostels and food and then would have around 2.5 for a little bit of wiggle room. Just wanted someone who has done this before to get their opinion on it please!

If you’re slow travelling and staying in hostels, that amount will likely be more than enough. Some countries will cost more than others but everything should balance in the end.

This was great and gave me better idea’s on a visit to Europe, thank you very much. I’m a 68 year young woman and thinking about going to see my friend in Portsmouth. I don’t have a clue on budget. I’ve never been to Europe so I thought on a budget of $2000. I could possibly do this for 7 to 10 days staying with my friend of course. I’d like to see a couple of places, Rome and Paris.

That budget is tight and likely wouldn’t leave you much wiggle room. Even though you’ll stay with your friend in Portsmouth, you’ll need to get there first which may eat a lot of your budget depending on where you’re flying from. You’ll then need to factor in flights and hotels in Rome and Paris. There’s also food and attractions to consider.

Hi! I’m looking to plan a trip with a friend from LAX to Switzerland. I found round trip tickets to Zurich for $550 and definitely want to go to Grindelwald (we’re both hikers and Harry’s potter fans). It looks like accommodation in Grindelwald can work out to about $100 per day, so $50 per person. Is that a reasonable budget for Zurich as well? We’re not looking at hotels but Airbnb and hostels. We plan to eat maybe 1 meal a day at a restaurant and definitely breakfast at the hostel or Airbnb. Does a budget of about $1,000 per person for one week sounds reasonable to you? I was surprised while pricing it out that accommodation, travel etc. basically double the cost of the trip. Any recommendations for Switzerland (specifically near the Zurich and Grindelwald areas)?

The above $1,000 is for 6-7 days.

If you’re able to keep your accommodation costs down it’s doable, but note that Switzerland, in general, is expensive. You’ll also need to budget for food, transportation and attractions which can add up quickly.

Really a great article. I need your suggestion on my itenary and budget. I am from India and planning a first time trip to Europe covering 14 countries stating from Turkey to Greece (10 days), Italy(10 days), Paris (only) 5 days, Swizterland(4days), Luxembourg 3days, Belgium 4 days, Netherlands 4 days, Austria 7 days, Budapest 3 days, Prague 3 days, Denmark 3 days, Sweden 3 days, Norway 5 days and finally 10 days in Iceland. A total of 75 days in Schengen Area. and 5 days in Turkey. Me and my wife and our 1yr old son will be doing this trip and I plan to start in March 2020. My budget is 13000 Euros. I am planning on getting a EU global pass most of my europe travel will be in trains apart from a few places like India to Paris, Iceland to India and Athens to Venice, etc and staying at airbnb everywhere I go. I also want to do food cheap apart from eating/tasting local delicacies once per city, Only going to free attractions or buying citypasses.

Is this doable? what are your suggestions and comments?

Hi Shankar,

Thanks for reaching out. I think your budget is reasonable, but I think you’re being a bit ambitious with your itinerary. You could likely do it if it was just your wife and you, but with a 1 year old, it’ll be torture.

Train travel sounds easy with a 1 year old, but your son will be on your lap the entire time. Every time he gets adjusted to a new spot (don’t forget about jetlag), you’ll be on the move again.

When I traveller with my wife and 9 month old, we originally planned to do Copenhagen, Stockholm, Amsterdam and Brussels in about 21 days. We realized that we didn’t want to be on the move so much so we ended up doing Rome for 7 days and Amsterdam for 14 days. This made travelling and the experience much easier.

If I were you, I would personally cut back on locations quite a bit.

Thank you Barry. Will do and what locations should I remove If I reduce it to say 45 days If I start in March 2020. What would be my must see locations around March/May timeline.

Really appreciate the quick turn around and please help me with your suggestion

I think you and wife should just choose the locations you want to see most and work from there. I personally quite enjoyed Turkey and it’s not that expensive compared to some other cities. Italy is a bit more expensive but I loved it. March is still a bit cold in England and Scandanavia so maybe start from the east and make your way west?

With 45 days, you’ll still have LOTS of time. It’ll also allow you to enjoy cities more. I mentioned I did 15 days in Amsterdam, that’s considered long since the city doesn’t have much to see, but we enjoyed just going for walks and living like locals.

I’m going to Scotland and Ireland for 10 days in early September. Right now the budget is at $3870 per person. We booked a guided tour which includes all of our accomodations, bus transportation, tours and 19 meals. Plane tickets were $645 per person round trip from North America. Does that seem expensive? My significant other thinks that $387 a day is expensive for Europe. Some meals are not included based on the nature of the tour so we will be on our own.

It definitely seems on the higher side compared to if you booked things on your own, but it’s not an apples to apples comparison. As you mentioned, just about everything is included in your tour including a guide which is why prices are likely higher.

You could do Ireland and Scotland on your own for cheaper, but then you need to figure out all the logistics on your own.

We(4 members) are planning for Europe trip next year. Can i know best time to travel and what is the avg budget during that season. Do also have any travel tips and places to visit for sure. My trip will be 2 weeks period.

Hello I am planning for a family vacation to europe: paris, london, rome, for 4 adults, 2 kids, and 1 infant with budget of $10k which include ticket, hotel, for 10 days on january. Any thought. Do u think that is enough budget.. Is it doable for three places to go. Thanks

How and where can I get best deal for airline tickets

That budget is going to be tough as you’ll need 6 flights and probably two hotel rooms in each location. With just 10 days, doing 3 different locations is likely too much. I would personally stick to two or just one country. As for the best deal for airline websites, I like using Google Flights or KAYAK.

Hi, first thank you for your site and information! I’m planning a solo trip to Europe but not sure how much I should save. I’m flying from NYC and as of today the tickets to my top 3 destinations (Italy, Spain, Greece) are only $350 or less RT. I’ll only be going to only one of the countries and will only have 6-7 days to work with. I’d like to stay in a 3-4 star hotel. What are your thoughts on budget? Should I consider multiple destinations? I honestly don’t want to go over $2k-$3k but I want to pull the plug since the tickets are so cheap.

I know this is vague :/. Thank you so much for your help!

I am planning a trip to Germany – 4 nights, Austria 2 nights and Slovenia – 4 nights. With hotels, flights and innercity transfer its about $2200. I expect my total trip to cost around 3,400 after food, souvenirs, day trips etc Is that good for a solo travel or can i cut it down a bit?

I think that budget is fine. You’ve budgeted a lot for food, souvenirs and day trips, but I don’t think you’ll spend that much.

Hi! Do you have any suggestions for traveling with a wheelchair? We are planning a trip to Europe this summer, July, for 5 people including my son (mobile but in a wheelchair for any distance) and my 82 year old father. Do you have any suggestions? We have a little over two weeks and the only must do is Paris (and Disney). We don’t have a set budget yet but probably about 10,000 not including flights from US.

Unfortunately, as I’ve never travelled with a wheelchair, I can’t really comment. All I can really say is that many cities have quick a few stone roads e.g. Rome and Amsterdam where it may be slightly difficult with a wheelchair.

Hi Barry What is the most cheapest month to travel France? I’ll travel 20 days to France, specifically Le Havre, and the planned date to trip is October 2020.

I find October and April to be the cheapest but since you’re going to be in a smaller town, prices don’t tend to go down that much.

Hello Bary ,

so i’m from Egypt anyways yet I’m planning for an European round tour for around 15 days as max. ( Greece, Italy , Spain , France, Germany , Netherlands , Amsterdam ) with a plan of 2 days per city , The thing is this is my first solo trip abroad and also this is my first ever trip abroad and i am a bit scared from where to go and so on and also i don’t know how much money i should keep on me and how much should i expect to pay like on airplanes and hostels or even coach serving , i am also aware that this trip would be perfect if i made it on September or October so if you could help that would be awesome and highly appreciated , Thank you so much .

I’m Actually a bit torn between what i just mention and South Korea round tour as it’s my dream country anyways ! ♥

I just flew through Egypt. DO NOT try to do 6 countries in 15 days. Think about what you just said. 2 days per city and you’re not factoring in transit times. Each country also has multiple cities. You will NOT enjoy it. I recommend 4 cities at max in 15 days even that’s rushing things. 3 is safer with day trips when you can.

Hostels and airfare will be paid in advance. You can easily find out costs before you depart. Daily costs on food and attractions are up to you. Credit cards are widely accepted and you can just withdraw cash as you need it from ATMs.

If South Korea is your dream destination, I would personally go there first. If you want to do a tour, just look for a good tour operator. G Adventures is one of the best.

https://www.gadventures.com/destinations/asia/south-korea/

Hi Barry! I will be going to Europe for 12 days in March. (London, Paris, Switzerland and Italy). I have already paid for flights, hotels, transportation and breakfast. It was all a total of about $3,800. Now I have to focus on saving up for lunches, dinners, and little miscellaneous things (gondola rides, the louvre tickets, souvenirs, etc.) and that’s pretty much it. I have $5,000 saved up. Do you think that’s enough or should I save up more?

If all your flights, hotels, transportation and breakfast is covered, $5,000 is more than enough unless you like to eat and shop A LOT.

me and my friend are planning to follow an artist on tour through Europe and see him around ten times in maybe 2 months, how much would we have to save up for this trip? we’re both from the Netherlands which means we don’t need plane tickets to fly over from another continent.

i calculated it might be around €5000 euros each including food, hotels, concert tickets, random spendings and train/plane tickets.

also, would you advice going by train or by car?

I think your estimate is decent, but it shouldn’t be hard to get an accurate estimate since you know where the artist is playing. Just look at the tour dates and start figuring out when it makes sense to train and fly.

This is best budget and good information for travelling Europe. I want to travel Europe then I find best Europe Tour Packages from USA.

Hi Barry ! I am planning for 6 nights trip to europe for 2 of us in mid Feb 2021 flying from Canada

Want to visit Paris, London, Rome, Santorini and also Iceland(if possible) Will appreciate your advice for budget including transportation (trains or car rentals) and accommodations for 6 nights in different cities.

It is impossible to do 5 destinations in 6 nights. If you only have 6 nights, I would choose two destinations at max. A better idea would be to choose 1 spot and then do day trips. Once you narrow down your choices, I can help you out.

Hi barry, priceless article and info you have here. im planning a trip starting with st. petersburg and entering the eu at helsinki. i want to do stockholm, malmo, copenhagen with a side trip to ystad somewhere and then iceland. We are a family of 2 adults, a 14 yr old and an 8 yr old. We will be staying in airbnbs. We are ok with budget food options, take away food, fast food and such. how much should we budget for a month, excluding airfare and accomodation? Thanks.

I haven’t been to those areas, but from what I hear, Scandanavia is much more expensive compared to western Europe.

That said, if you’re not factoring in flights and accommodations, your food costs will likely be similar, or maybe to your monthly grocery / eating out budget at home. I assume you’ll cook some meals, but enjoy yourself at the same time.

Local transportation also needs to be factored in, but it shouldn’t be crazy expensive.

I appreciate these messages, questions and answers. We plan to go to Europe next year, considering the status of the CoronaVirus. We live in Texas. We know that travel from the East coast is much more convenient and less expensive. Would you suggest flying from Texas? Or would you travel in some other way to the East coast? I assume the flight or a train or car would take us to the East coast from which we would fly to England.

Can you also give us a guestimate of the cost of traveling to England from Texas?

Thank you. S. Briggs

All you need to do is just check the flight prices from where you live to London. That way you have an accurate estimate of flights. Once you do the search you can see if it’s cheaper to fly direct or via a connection.

All the other estimates in my article would still apply.

Hi Barry, thank you very much for all this information! I’m planning on doing and Europe trip next year for two weeks (preferably on the cheapest months I can find ex: September November I think?)

So how much do you think I would need if I only plan on doing Italy (Rome and/or Venice if possible) and part of Switzerland in two weeks since it’s close and I would love to do the train trip to Switzerland, it’s only for One person and I can adjust to anything.

Would you say $2500 is enough? Or how much would you say is a safer bet? Don’t wasn’t to be having second thoughts about having enough money for the whole trip while being there but I can definitely accommodate my expenses, would be my first trip to Europe specially 2 countries in 2 week but would love to know more from someone with much more experience! Thanks in advance.

Italy can be done on a budget, but Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in Europe. I’m not sure where you’re coming from, but your airfare could eat up a fair amount of your budget. I personally recommend budgeting more and not trying to do Europe super cheap. I made that mistake the first time and I regretted it.

You can save money by staying at hostels or in cheaper parts of the city. You could also do Airbnb. Saving money on food is easy if you go to grocery stores. But, why go all the way to Italy and not try the local cuisine?

Here are some guides on Italy and Switzerland.

https://www.moneywehave.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-go-to-italy/ https://www.moneywehave.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-go-to-switzerland/

Thanks for your comments, I was just thinking if it would be possible to do a quick trip for Switzerland but spend most of the two weeks in Italy, I was more interested in the train trip to switz and watching some natural landscape anywhere in the country than actually visiting through the whole country, not sure if that would still be out of budget, but I’m thinking about what other train trips I can think of near Italy that go into the budget, do you have any recommendations if Switzerland if way out of budget even for a very quick trip? (Not sure about France since I’m not sure it would be as interesting) But I’ll have to keep an eye out for other train alternatives, thanks again!

Italy is big enough that you could spend two weeks, but if you’re looking to just cross the border since you’re nearby, it’s not a terrible idea. I would just prioritize what you want to see first.

I personally would only do Switzerland if you’re flying in or out of it. E.g. fly into Zurich, make your way down to Italy, fly out of Rome.

I loved reading this article and the comments. For the last 6 years we have been traveling internationally as a family of five. We were unable to travel in 2020 due to Covid. We have been to 15 countries so far (six of them twice). We tend to go to 2-4 cities/ countries each trip. We stay in AirBNB’s, eat out 1-2 times per day nothing too fancy and we eat fruit for breakfast. I splurge on guides and museums. I like to book through AirBNB Experiences. We usually travel 15-17 days. I usually spend $12,000 total for five people. This year we are traveling 26 days through Egypt- Spain- Turkey and we are spending $18,000 which feels very expensive to me. Our travels have meant the world to me as we have gotten to share so many amazing experiences with our children, however it’s not friendly on the wallet. If you have any suggestions of how I can do things cheaper please let me know. We take public transport, use miles for our tickets most of the time (not this coming trip) and eat breakfast at the AirBNB. I can’t give up the guides, day trips, and museums. I love history and want my family to have an appreciation for the history of other cultures and the guides truly bring everything to life and make everything so much more interesting (my children tend to listen to them intently). We did not have guides on our first trip through Japan and we missed out on so much. Interestingly enough I found out on our second trip to Japan how reasonable guides are in Japan compared to other countries. Please let me know how you think we are coming in on our budget.

I wish someone would write an article on traveling through Turkey and The Czech Republic because they are so affordable and interesting. I have truly enjoyed every country that we have been to. Thank you again for writing such a great article.

Hey Lizzie,

When you’re travelling as a family of 5, it’s hard to cut back on costs. I think you’ve already established your priorities and you’re spending accordingly.

The thing I would suggest (and you may already be doing this), is to try to save money when you’re not travelling. Any funds you save can be put towards your travel budget.

I personally try not to eat out much when I’m home. When I’m travelling, I have no problem splurging.

Also, you’re right about Turkey, it’s one of the cheaper places I’ve been. Egypt was cheap too relatively speaking. Jordan is a another destination that’s budget friendly. I enjoyed Jordan more than I did Egypt.

I am wanting to go to Jordan! We went to Israel and loved it. I feel like if we weren’t going to Egypt and Turkey this year we would be spending a lot more than 18k for our 26 day adventure. My children’s favorite country is Turkey. They loved all of the stray cats. I would love to see someone write an article on traveling on the cheap’s most yucky experiences 🙂 When we went to Turkey five years ago I rented an AirBNB that was VERY inexpensive ($60 a night for five people) there were slugs coming up through the wet bathroom drain….my husband dealt with that. The funny thing is my children loved that AirBNB more than any other and want to return to it because of the stray cats that snuck in through the open windows (we were on the third floor) in the middle of the night. They loved waking up with cats cuddling them hahaha. I hope that you write more articles I enjoyed reading this one very much 🙂

Ha, Airbnb is still great for families, but it’s getting pretty expensive in some destinations. I remember booking an Airbnb in Manhattan for $90 USD a night before Airbnb was a household name. Now it would be triple that price, plus cleaning fees.

As for other articles, I actually have a ton on different countries and cities – https://www.moneywehave.com/?s=how+much

Fabulous!! I am excited to read these articles 🙂 My husband doesn’t like AirBNB as much as I do. I like that all of our children can have their own beds and that we are all in the same apartment. I have splurged on maybe two AirBNB’s that had amazing views (France and Santorini) I am a sucker for a good view. I feel like one thing that has been really important to us enjoying our trips is staying within walking distance to the attractions, restaurants, and shopping areas. My children love to window shop, or “lick the windows” as they say in France. In Santorini we stayed out in the middle of nowhere. My family felt like they missed staying out late (9-10pm) walking around and people watching after dinner. I am going to have a great time reading your articles!! Thanks again 🙂

Hi. Planning to do trip in June. It’s a honeymoon trip and we are planning to cover Amsterdam, Switzerland, & Berlin. We are travelling for the first time. Can you please tell how much it will cost to us? We will be taking bus or train, plus hostels. Our trip is of 11 days. And we are coming from India. Please share your feedback of cost plus what places should be visit

These articles should give you a rough idea of costs. Note that 11 days for 3 cities for your honeymoon is A LOT. You’d be rushing many things and may not enjoy yourself.

https://www.moneywehave.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-go-to-amsterdam/ https://www.moneywehave.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-go-to-switzerland/ https://www.moneywehave.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-go-to-germany/

Hi, We. are planning a trip next year November 2023, for 12 days, there’s 6 of us. Is Euro trail a good idea to hit just main capital in 10 days? From Paris, France, Amsterdam, Netherland, Berlin, Germany? Our budget would be $3000 each not including airfare.

Hey Ellene,

3 cities in 12 days is doable. I think a budget of $3,000 each is pretty good.

Hi Barry. Great information. Summer of 2024 I would like to take my family of four (Wife, myself and two kids). We would like to visit a few countries in Europe including England, France, Germany, Austria, and Italy. We would like to go for three weeks to a month.

We live in Vancouver. What city should we fly in to and what city should we fly out of? We really have no idea about traveling in Europe. Thanks for any insight.

So first I’d consider the age of your kids and determine how much they can handle. Three to four weeks is a lot of time in Europe so you could easily see quite a few places. That said, I would probably stick to 3-4 destinations and then do some day trips.

Try to figure out which is the top place you want to go to and make that your priority. You’ll then base your decisions around that. Alternatively, you could try to find the cheapest flights to Europe first and then determine where you want to go from there.

Generally, the earlier you book, the better chance you have at finding flights for a reasonable price. Google flights is a good way to quickly see the cheapest way for you to get to Europe.

We are planning a trip to Strasbourg for a wedding in August. We have our accommodations for 3 nights at the venue but we have contacted a travel agent to plan a 10 day trip. We will fly to Munich from Green Bay, WI. USA. Spend 3 nights. One day hopping on and off site seeing on own. One full day on the Romantic road trip. Then by train we go to Strasbourg and we have our hotel for 3 nights. She did book an optional wine tasting? We want to spend one day going to tourist sites and the other 2 with the wedding festivities. We are still trying to find out if there is a way to get around Strasbourg similar to the hop on and off like Munich. Our hotel is about .8 of a mile from some tram? The last leg of our trip takes us to Innsbruck via train thru Switzerland. Here we spend 3 nights and have 2 gondola excursions one goes up to the 007 Element. We wanted something where we get see the Alps not so much the Bond experience. We then go back to Munich for the night and fly home. Our cost is coming in around 5000.00 per person. Does this seem about average or high?

Considering where you’re flying to and from, plus everything else included, that sounds like a pretty reasonable cost.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Get a FREE copy of Travel Hacking for Lazy People

Subscribe now to get your FREE eBook and learn how to travel in luxury for less

• EN - English
• PT - Portuguese
• ES - Spanish
• How it works
• Become a Host
• Download the app

Top Destinations

• United States
• United Kingdom

What type of experience are you looking for?

• Non-Profit School
• Permaculture project
• Eco Village
• Holistic Center
• Guest House
• How Worldpackers works

Learn from the most experienced travelers of the community

Traveling with worldpackers, planning and budgeting for travel, make a living while traveling as a lifestyle, travel with worldpackers.

• Using Worldpackers
• Work exchange
• Social impact

Plan your trip

• Women traveling
• Budget travel
• Solo travel
• Language learning
• Travel tips
• Get inspired
• Digital nomads
• Travel jobs
• Personal development
• Responsible travel
• Connect with nature

Top destinations

• South America
• Central America
• North America
• More destinations
• WP Life WP Life
• Exclusive discounts Discounts
• Europe travel tips

What is the average cost of a trip to Europe?

A summary of what a trip to Europe may cost, based on different travel styles, time frames, and destinations.

Gabrielle Budget Travel With Gabby

Mar 05, 2024

Europe is one of the most fascinating continents in the world. With 44 countries packed into a relatively small area, you can hop from country to country quickly and cheaply.

And between each country, the landscapes, cultures, and histories vary so much. You can jump on a bus or train for a few hours and end up in a completely different world from where you started.

Currency, language, architecture, traditions, cuisine, and lifestyles are so different in various European countries. It’s such an amazing place to travel because you can experience and learn so much in a shorter time than you could on other continents.

So for anyone who is planning a trip to Europe , you may be wondering how much money you need. As a whole, Europe is one of the more expensive continents to travel around. South America or Asia would be much cheaper.

But it is possible to explore Europe on a budget . And it is important to note that every traveler is different, so the average cost of a trip to Europe could vary greatly from person to person.

But we’ll provide a general Europe trip budget that can be used as a guideline. We’ll also explain some of the main factors that may affect your Europe trip cost, such as where you go, how long your go for, and your travel style. So let’s dive into the average cost of a trip to Europe.

Important to consider when creating a Europe trip budget

The cost of a European vacation will be different for every person because every traveler is different. But there are some factors that will greatly influence your Europe trip cost . Here are some important things to consider when planning a trip to Europe and estimating how much money you will need.

Some countries are cheaper than others

As I mentioned earlier, countries in Europe are completely different from each other despite being so close together geographically. When thinking about the average cost of a trip to Europe, it is important to think about which countries you will be visiting .

Generally speaking, countries in Eastern Europe are much more affordable than countries in Western and Northern Europe. Most tourists tend to head to Western Europe, whereas the eastern side of the continent isn’t as touristy. That means you get much better value for money in the east.

Some of the cheapest countries to visit in Eastern Europe include Albania , Romania , Bulgaria , Serbia , Montenegro , Hungary , and more. Countries like Greece and Croatia are a bit more touristy and expensive, but they are still generally cheaper than Western Europe. If you spend more time in these countries, your money will go much further.

The most expensive countries in Europe to visit include France , England , Sweden , Norway , Denmark , Switzerland , and Germany . All of these are in Western or Northern Europe, with Scandinavia being one of the most expensive regions in the world. If you spend lots of time here, you’ll need more money for your trip. Countries that are mid-range include Italy, Portugal, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Spain, Latvia, and more.

What is your travel style?

Another factor that will affect the average cost of a trip to Europe is your travel style. Are you a frugal budget traveler? Or do you enjoy luxury? The way you choose to spend your money will greatly affect your Europe travel budget.

For example, a luxury travel style may look like this: staying in 5-star hotels, eating in nice restaurants, getting cocktails in bars, booking expensive excursions and guided tours, shopping for clothes or souvenirs, taking private taxis everywhere, etc. This type of travel style means you will need a lot more money than the average person. 

A budget traveler in Europe may have a travel style that is more like this: staying in backpacker hostels , couchsurfing, doing work exchanges , cooking their own meals, eating street food, taking public transport, hitchhiking, prioritizing free attractions, avoiding tourist traps and souvenir shops, flying budget airlines, drinking cheap beer and wine at happy hours, shopping at local markets, etc. With this type of travel style, you won’t spend as much money so you can do more with a smaller budget.

A mid-range traveler will be somewhere in between. It’s a good idea to have balance while traveling. You can travel longer with less money if you use some budget travel tips, but it’s fun to treat yourself as well. 

Work exchanges are a great way to travel in Europe because you can save money on accommodation, get to know the locals, and use your saved money for other things like tours and attractions. Some examples of popular work exchanges in Europe include:

• Work in an organic kitchen at a sustainable community in Germany 
• Volunteer at a permaculture project in Bulgaria 
• Help take care of the local dogs at a homestay in Spain 
• Work as a yoga teacher on an island in Greece 
• Help with gardening and animal care at a guest house in Sweden 
• Take care of the horses at a homestay in Ireland 
• Work at a fun, social hostel in Croatia 
• Learn to grow food at an eco farm in Slovenia 
• Work with a local family at a winery in Italy 

These are just a few examples of top-rated work exchanges in Europe where you can lower your trip costs.

Average cost of traveling to Europe on a budget

For the purpose of this article, I’ll be breaking down the average cost of traveling to Europe on a budget . This is the bare minimum you’ll be spending on your trip if you travel on a backpacker budget. So take into account your travel style and tack on more money accordingly.

Accommodation

Budget travelers in Europe have a few different options for accommodation . Hostels, work exchanges, and couchsurfing are the most popular. All of these options are significantly cheaper than staying in a hotel.

One night in a hostel dorm room in Europe will cost around 20 Euros , on average. This will vary depending on where in Europe you are staying. For example, expensive cities like London , Paris , Reykjavik ,  Amsterdam , Berlin , Stockholm , or Interlaken will have prices closer to 30 Euros per night. Cheap cities like Warsaw , Budapest , Sofia , Bucharest , and Tirana will have prices closer to 10 Euros per night.

And if you want to find free accommodation in Europe , work exchanges or couchsurfing is the way to go. Accommodation is usually the biggest expense while traveling, so finding free places to stay will significantly lower the average cost of a trip to Europe. 

For a work exchange, you’ll work around 20 hours per week to get free accommodation and sometimes free meals. Couchsurfing is another option - It's an online platform where you can find locals that open up their homes to travelers for free.

Average cost of meals

How much money you spend on food in Europe is hugely dependent on the individual. Eating out can get very expensive, so budget travelers tend to mix in some nice meals with some cheap street food or cooking at your hostel or work exchange kitchen.

The cost of a meal in a restaurant also varies greatly around Europe. An average estimate is also about 20 Euros per meal . Lunch and breakfast are usually cheaper than dinner, especially if drinks are involved. In Western Europe, you’ll easily spend 20 Euros on just breakfast or lunch with a coffee or drink. Dinner could be 30 or 40 Euros with wines and cocktails. In Eastern Europe, you can eat a massive meal in a restaurant for 15 Euros or sometimes less.

Street food and cheap takeaway places around Europe sometimes sell sandwiches or meals for around 10 Euros. So if you’re a budget traveler, let’s say you’d spend an average of 30 Euros per day on food . Again this will vary, especially if you’re doing a work exchange and you get some or all of your meals provided. But if you’re buying some groceries, snacking on street food, and eating out for one meal a day, you’d spend roughly 30 Euros on average.

Transportation in Europe

If you’re a budget traveler, stick to public transport to save money . The amount you’ll spend on transport depends on where you are and how far you want to venture. Many cities in Europe are walkable, so if you get some comfy shoes you can walk to many attractions. But if you’re traveling in more rural areas, public transport, taxis, or renting a car may be necessary.

For the sake of this article, let’s just say you’re staying in a city. To get from place to place, you take public transport, whether it be the train , bus, metro, or anything else. You try to walk as often as possible. Public transport is usually affordable around Europe, even in expensive cities like London. A single journey is only a couple of Euros .

So in one day in a European city, you’ll probably spend around 10 Euros on public transport . Some days you may spend more, such as when you travel to and from the airport or take day trips, which usually cost more than an inner-city journey. But some days you may not use any, so we’ll say 10 Euros is average.

European attractions 

Europe is full of touristy, paid attractions, and free attractions. Many churches, beaches, lookouts, museums, markets, statues, parks, gardens, and galleries are free around Europe -but many have a steep entry fee.

The average cost for museums and galleries around Europe is 10-20 Euros. Day tours are around 100 Euros, but lots of stuff is free as well. We’ll put an average spend of attractions at 20 Euros , to account for the cheaper and the more expensive options.

Keep in mind, this is just an estimate. Extreme budget travelers can very easily avoid paid attractions and just enjoy the sights around Europe for free. So you could definitely spend less than 20 Euros per day. But you also don’t want to miss out on things.

So to recap, the average cost of traveling to Europe on a budget is:

• Accommodation: 20 Euros per night
• Food: 30 Euros per day
• Transportation: 10 Euros per day
• Attractions: 20 Euros per day

This will vary from person to person, and of course, costs will be lower if you’re sticking to Europe’s cheaper countries. But it’s just a quick estimate.

Average cost of a 2 weeks trip to Europe

Now let’s look at a two-week trip to Europe. Based on the information I just gave, you have an idea of what the daily expenses look like for a budget travele r in Europe. I’ll now summarize what the average cost of a 2 weeks trip to Europe might look like for each type of budget range (backpacker, mid-level, and splurge).

Backpackers traveling through Europe will be sleeping in hostels or doing work exchanges , cooking some meals at home, eating at cheap local restaurants or street markets, drinking local alcohol, and choosing free attractions.

Based on the prices I estimated in the above section, here is what 2 weeks in Europe may look like for a budget traveler:

• Accommodation: 20 Euros per night for 14 nights = 280 Euros
• Food: 30 Euros per day for 14 days = 420 Euros
• Transportation: 10 Euros per day for 14 days = 140 Euros
• Attractions: 20 Euros per day for 14 days = 280 Euros

So for 2 weeks in Europe, a budget traveler may spend around 1,120 Euros . This could be lower if you budget to the extreme. Keep in mind, a work exchange cuts your accommodation costs down to 0, and your food, transport, and activity costs may be lower as well depending on what your host offers.

Mid-level budget

Two weeks in Europe on a mid-level budget will give you a combination of budget travel tips as well as plenty of opportunities to treat yourself. You may stay at a few hostels and a few nicer hotels, or maybe you’ll spend all of your time in affordable budget hotels.

You may also eat out somewhere nice once per day, and mix in some nights out with some affordable meals. Transportation will still be relatively low , unless you opt for taking taxis instead of buses or metros. And attractions will be about the same, with maybe a few expensive day trips or tours to take your trip to the next level.

Here is an estimate of what 2 weeks in Europe might look like for a traveler with a mid-range budget:

• Accommodation: 40 Euros per night for 14 nights = 560 Euros
• Food: 40 Euros per day for 14 days = 560 Euros
• Attractions: 50 Euros per day for 14 days = 700 Euros

So your total might be around 1,960 Euros for two weeks.

Splurge in Europe

If you have a budget with no limits, you can really live like a king or queen in Europe . There are so many fancy hotels, restaurants, and services that you can indulge in. The real luxury options will have outrageous price tags that suit the rich and famous, but even if you’re an average person who wants to splurge, you can keep the budget reasonable without missing out on anything.

Splurging in Europe, within reason, means staying at nice hotels, taking taxis, dining out, getting cocktails, and booking every attraction you want to regardless of the fees. Here is an overview of what two weeks in Europe on a high budget may look like:

• Accommodation: 200 Euros per night for 14 nights = 2,800 Euros
• Food: 80 Euros per day for 14 days = 1,120 Euros
• Transportation: 30 Euros per day for 14 days = 420 Euros
• Attractions : 70 Euros per day for 14 days = 980 Euros

That adds up to 5,320 for two weeks of luxury in Europe.  This could easily be more, but it’s just a starting point.

Average cost of a trip to Europe wrap-up

The main factor you should take away from this article is that you are in charge of your own trip.  These estimates are designed to help you formulate your own budget that suits your destinations and your travel style.

Also be sure to budget for flight costs , travel insurance , and any other purchases you think you might make abroad. And if you’re looking for the best way to cut costs while traveling in Europe, work exchanges are the way to go.

Check out our full list of work exchanges in Europe if you want to save money during your trip!

Join the community!

Create a free Worldpackers account to discover volunteer experiences perfect for you and get access to exclusive travel discounts!

Gabrielle Boucher

Budget Travel With Gabby

Hello! I am a 25 year old from the USA with a knack for traveling on a budget. I fell in love with traveling while studying in Europe, and that love grew even more when I started volunteering abroad in South America. Since then, I've worked odd jobs and volunteered all over the globe while cultivating passions for hiking, wildlife photography, food, wine, animals, permaculture, and more!

Be part of the Worldpackers Community

Already have an account, are you a host, leave your comment here.

Write here your questions and greetings to the author

May 10, 2023

my name is Arslanbek I need a job I can assemble furniture can you help me

May 14, 2023

How to pour from me

Jul 10, 2023

How to come...........?

I'm interested how can I contact you?

More about this topic

Germany on a budget: a guide with the best tips and the cheapest places to visit

Best way to travel europe: all you need to know to plan your trip.

Backpacking through europe: all you need to know

How do worldpackers trips work.

As a member, you can contact as many hosts and travel safely as many times as you want.

Choose your plan to travel with Worldpackers as many times as you like.

Complete your profile, watch the video lessons in the Academy, and earn certificates to stand out to hosts.

Apply to as many positions as you like, and get in contact with our verified hosts.

If a host thinks you’re a good fit for their position, they’ll pre-approve you.

Get your documents and tickets ready for your volunteer trip.

Confirm your trip to enjoy all of the safety of Worldpackers.

Have a transformative experience and make a positive impact on the world.

If anything doesn’t go as planned with a host, count on the WP Safeguard and our highly responsive support team!

After volunteering, you and your host exchange reviews.

With positive reviews, you’ll stand out to hosts and get even more benefits.

• January 19, 2022

Budget for a trip to Europe: How much do i need?

Table of Contents

That Europe is one of the most sought after destinations for tourism travel everyone already knows, we even have a list of 5 most visited countries in Europe and their incredible sights that certainly corroborates this conclusion! However, planning this trip can be a difficult task, since there are so many things to think, research and organize that can leave you lost, even more with the high costs that are a big problem for your plans, right? That’s exactly why we are here! We can help you with the basics or, if you prefer, you can start by taking a look at how to plan a trip to Europe during the pandemic and then come back here to create your budget for a trip .

So, have you gone and come back? Or did you prefer to stick around here? Well, roll your mouse over and find out all you need to know about how to make a cheap trip to Europe !

ON THE POINT: Writing down expenses

To plan a trip you should go through a basic itinerary of where you want to go, how many days you intend to stay, which places to visit and make reservations . This will all be part of your budget. As we are here to help you we recommend that you take into account two very important things: the external conditions and the standard expenses .

External conditions

When we talk about external conditions, we talk about a tip that can change everything! This is because each one of them greatly influences your pocket when it comes to buying and booking. They are:

• The country : some countries are cheaper than others and the difference can be quite significant, as you can check in Little Money: 3 countries to visit in Europe with little money ,
• The period : times with less tourist movement is called low season, and this term, like its name, is synonymous with low prices, ranging from tickets to accommodation and attractions.
• The European currency quote : the value of each currency is constantly changing and it is important to be aware of its current value to catch its best times.

Standard spending

The standard expenses are the essential costs of the trip – or at least the basics of a complete and still economical trip – that you should write down considering the above conditions and the time you intend to stay abroad:

• Return air tickets;
• Travel insurance;
• Accommodation;
• Tourist attractions.

Now that your expenses are organised, open your browser, take out your pencil, paper and calculator and get to work!

WHAT TO DO TO SAVE MONEY?

Before starting the calculations, it is best to follow a few steps thinking about the external conditions of your trip, so you will have an overview of the expenses, besides finding the cheapest prices for when you calculate the rest of your budget for a trip.

Step one: plan everything in advance!

• When it comes to planning, even more so when you want low prices, you have to be willing to be flexible with dates and times , plus the earlier you book the better it is!
• So the first step for your planning and subsequently your budget is to choose dates well ahead, such as booking tickets 2 to 6 months in advance .

Step two: look for a cheap city!

• The cities located in Eastern Europe are a bargain! With a list that includes Budapest , Krakow , Istanbul , Prague and Sofia and prices of up to 40 euros per day .
• Others between Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal have a cheap average spend, between 50 and 60 euros per day .
• And there are still some very popular tourist destinations such as Berlin , in Germany, London , in England, Paris, in France, and Rome , in Italy, as well as Amsterdam , Barcelona , Brussels and Lisbon , with average prices ranging from 60 to 70 euros per day .

Step three : choose the best time!

• The period of your trip matters a lot, after all you can catch the low season at the right times, besides, of course, less suffocating with queues and crowds.
• In most places it occurs in the winter period as seen in some countries mentioned in 5 incredible places to visit in the European winter , starting in late autumn . From November to March are the months with the lowest prices .
• Spring is also a good time. In general, the landscapes in the season of dry leaves and flowers in bloom are beautiful and unite natural beauty with good prices.

Step four: keep an eye on the European currency!

• The value of the European currency changes constantly and even small amounts make a big difference when it comes to paying.
• Many hostels and locations only accept European currency.
• Therefore, you have 2 options: one is to convert it when calculating the expenses, always keeping in mind a margin of error; and the second and more practical option is to exchange the currency of your country for the Euro, so you reduce the difficulties of your trip.
• As the currency can overvalue or depreciate depending on the weather, it is good to exchange in advance.
• Also bear in mind that although the Euro is the official European currency, some regions make use of other currencies such as England with the Pound Sterling and the Swedish Krona and Czech Koruna , respectively of Sweden and the Czech Republic.

Step five: search for reliable sources and websites!

• Once you find it, you can search and book (in advance) your tickets and accommodation.

Lean more at How Much Does it Cost to go to Europe?

PRE-TRIP EXPENSES

After following the recommended steps, start to really calculate each of the standard expenses, starting with those that must be done in advance, because then it is less of a worry and it is enough to save for when the day of the trip comes.

As the item that should be purchased the furthest in advance, tickets should be your priority, and remember:

• As the goal is cheap tickets, we will follow the previous tips aiming at the low season period;

Flights booked in December with a date in March of the following year, that is 3 months, 4 days of stay in the city, being the time that interchanges the outward and return trip, and for 1 adult in economy travel, stay around

• Flight with (1) connection NY – Lisbon: from 181,22 euros;
• Direct flight NY – London: from €257.73;
• Direct flight NY – Paris: from 250.83 euros
• Direct flight NY – Rome: from 316.04 euros

* These cities were just some examples, the values may change depending on the place of embarkation and disembarkation.

Ps: don’t forget to look for flexible airlines! So, if necessary you can change the date of your trip without problems or having to pay extra for it.

Travel insurance

I’ m sure you’re already tired of hearing about travel insurance when it comes to Europe, right? But that just goes to show how essential it is. And if you’re lost about it, we recommend you check out how to travel safely to Europe during the pandemic in 2023 to learn how important it is. But to put you in context, this obligation is a guarantee that, in case you have an accident or something similar happens, you will be able to pay for the medical-hospital expenses.

So what do you need to know about them for your budget for a trip?

• Which countries require travel insurance . Not all of them, but many countries do, including the member countries of the Schengen Treaty (if you haven’t seen the first article mentioned, take the opportunity to check it out now, there is a list of all of them);
• What insurance covers . Of the main services offered from travel insurance, medical-hospital and pharmaceutical costs are top of the list, however insurance still covers other issues such as:
• Flight cancellation due to medical emergency or otherwise;
• Tracking and compensation in case of lost luggage;
• Compensation for disability or accidental death, as well as funeral assistance;
• Legal costs and bail bonds;
• The best plan for you . Depending on the length of your trip or what collateral you find most essential, you can choose an insurance plan that covers what you want, for the most affordable price. You can do this using simulators.
• The price of insurance is from 2,35 euros per day;
• From 13,80 euros per day without luggage insurance;
• And a more complete plan around 20 euros per day.

Ah, keep an eye on the European Travel Visa! Soon the Schengen Visa Waiver will come into effect, which will have a fee for the service, but its cost-benefit is also great, as it will be valid for 3 years. You can see more in United States and Europe: will you need a visa in 2023 ?

Accommodation

As well as the time of year, the country and the location of the accommodation you choose will also influence the price of the accommodation you choose, whether it is a simpler or more elegant hostel, budget hotels or flats for rent, always keeping the focus on the low price.

Best hostel options

• Lisbon (daily rate – 1 person): from 12,49 to 78,47 euros;
• London (daily rate – 1 person): from 12.24 to 70.39 euros;
• Paris (daily rate – 1 person): from 21,81 to 39,08 euros;
• Rome (daily rate – 1 person): from 12.56 to 53.52 euros.

Best options for flats

• Lisbon (daily rate – 1 person): around 53.83 to 152.86 euros;
• London (daily rate – 1 person): from around 47.87 to 166.67;
• Paris (daily rate – 1 person): from 45.36 to 137.64 euros;
• Rome (daily rate 1 person): from about 55,40 to 180,80 euros;

Best hotel options

• Lisbon (daily rate – 1 person): from 12 euros;
• London (daily rate – 1 person): from 18,05 euros;
• Paris (daily rate – 1 person): from 24.48 euros;
• Rome (daily rate – 1 person): from 33,27 euros.

Expenses during the trip

Now that you have seen the expenses before the trip, you need to know how much you will spend during the trip, which on average is around 50 euros per day for one person. Let’s break this down?

Sightseeing and tourist attractions

When talking about saving money, you have to be aware that it requires a lot of searching. Attractions are no different. They can vary a lot, from attractions that cost nothing or have very low prices , as is the case of Serra da Estrela, in the Portuguese winter period, or can be quite high, depending on its fame and how much is demanded.

However, on average the cat cost with attractions is 20 euros per day for a person, enough to visit the main sights. Even because, with the incredible landscapes

that there are, walking a little bit through the streets enjoying the view, is one of the best experiences and doesn’t cost anything! Of course you don’t have to miss out on an attraction you like because of the price, just make sure you control how many you go to so you don’t lose your hand on the budget and a lot of money in your pocket.

Transport when travelling is essential, especially if you don’t want to get lost in unknown lands. And it is even possible to go from city to city only with train rides , so it is a very interesting expense, don’t you agree? But you have to think well about the cost-benefit before spending. So, decide if you want to stay in one city only or travel between several.

• If you choose to stay in only one city, bus or train rides are very cheap, ranging from 1 to 3 euros . You can also buy 24 to 72 hour passes.
• From Lisbon to Madrid: 16 euros;
• From Madrid to Rome: 26 euros;
• From Rome to Paris: 23 euros;
• From Paris to London: 38 euros.

If you are interested, read more about how to travel by train in Europe: the best itineraries!

The cost of food to be cheap just depends on you! There are many famous restaurants in Europe, but the price can be discouraging. However, you can still choose a good option, get to know the cuisine and culture you want without having to spend too much!

• The first tip is: book hotels or hostels with breakfast included ! Even if it doesn’t, opt for the cheapest, so you can spend between 3 and 5 euros .
• The same tip goes for lunch; if possible, eat at the hotel . Or just leave lunch as your “out of town” meal. A simple meal will cost you around 12,56 euros .
• For dinner, you can eat at the hotel, which is much cheaper, or you can try the fast food at those times, which are always cheaper, and can be as low as 5 euros !
• Another cheap option is the “ Tourist Menu “, going for 9 euros .
• And then there are the markets, with excellent prices and a great alternative for buying meals.
• On average, opting for good quality and still economical, your meal will be around 20 to 25 euros per day.

SUMING IT ALL UP: How much does a cheap trip to Europe cost altogether?

After writing down all the expenses before and after the trip, choosing the best periods and following the tips for an economical trip, and taking the average of tickets and hotel accommodation for 4 days, the expense that a person would have to visit Europe for four days is 500 euros . Very economical, isn’t it? With this you can even spend a little more, since it is impossible to do a tour like this and not buy anything or take souvenirs home – which by the way are an expense of about 30 euros a day! And now, do you know everything to plan a budget for a trip and start your journey?

If not, we have a complete budget for a trip: Holidays in Portugal: how much money do I need?

If so, how about doing some more extensive planning and a 10-day trip to Europe?

Want to keep up with our blog?

Get our most valuable tips right inside your inbox, once per month!

• budget for a trip , Europe , travel cheap , travel cheaply , Travel in 2022

Related Posts

Madeira Expedition: Sunrise at Pico Ruivo and Camping in Encumeada

I woke up early, around 6:30 am, my goal there was to capture the best

Madeira Expedition: Lunch at Pico do Areeiro and camp on Pico Ruivo

I woke up there in Pico Alto, it was cold, it was 8 am, I

Madeira Camping Expedition: Funchal to Pico Alto

This is the article number 1 of this series I left work on a Friday

Exploring Lauterbrunnen: A Day in the Swiss Paradise

This was a special Saturday. It was a cloudy morning, rainy weather in Switzerland, and

Swiss Hiking Adventure: Lucerne to Mount Pilatus

That day I had arranged with my cousin to go to a lake near Estavayer-le-lac.

Venice to Lucerne: Exploring Swiss Beauty and Italian Flair

We got up early in Venice to catch the flixbus to Milan. We went from

LATEST ARTICLES

© all rights reserved. 2021.

Travel Europe on a Budget

The Savvy Backpacker

City Guides .\33 a132798-3f3b-4585-954d-7e70cf863447{fill:#231f20}

How much does it cost to travel europe | in-depth breakdown real travel costs.

Let's take a look at how much you should budget for your trip to Europe!

Money & Budgeting

Everyone who has ever dreamed of visiting Paris, London, Rome, Barcelona, and other great European cities has had the same question— how much does it cost to travel to Europe?

Trying to wrap your head around all the travel costs is daunting, so that’s why I’ve analyzed the average food, accommodation, transportation, entertainment, and other prices from many of Europe’s top destinations to help you more accurately budget your travel expenses.

I’ve also factored in other common travel costs you might forget like pre-departure spending, airfare, train tickets, rail passes, travel gear, and more.

And since many of you have different travel styles, I’ve been sure to include the price breakdowns for backpacker-style travel , budget-conscious travel , and mid-level/higher-end travel — since that will obviously greatly affect your budgeting and spending.

Quick Look At Daily Europe Travel Costs By Travel Style

Before we dive deep into the costs of visiting Europe, let’s take a high-level look at typical day-to-day travel costs broken down by travel style.

Note: I’ve gone much more in-depth into these travel costs further on in this article — the prices in this section are ballpark figures.

Backpacker-Style Travel Costs: €45-€90/Day ($50-$100/day)

THIS IS YOU IF YOU’RE staying in hostels, eating cheap meals, or making your own food. You’re only drinking in dive/local bars, during happy hour, or buying alcohol from the grocery store. You’ll seek out cheap/free entertainment options. For transportation, you’ll use a rail pass or carefully pre-booking train tickets. You don’t mind foregoing creature comforts in the name of saving money.

In short, you’re looking to travel as cheaply as you can .

Average “Backpacker” Travel Cost Breakdown:

• Hostel Prices: A cheap bed in a quality hostel will cost anywhere from €15-€45/night. However, I’ve seen hostels run as high as €50-€75/night and as low as €10-€15/night depending on location, time of year, inventory, and room configuration. Check out Hostelworld to see hostel prices.
• Breakfast: I typically budget €3-€5/day for breakfast. This won’t get you much but it’s usually enough for a coffee and a croissant/pastry + maybe a piece of fruit. Sometimes hostels will provide a free breakfast.
• Lunch: If eating out, I budget anywhere from €6-€12 for lunch. This will get you a simple takeaway meal but you can cut this cost down if you make your own meal from a grocery store.
• Dinner: As with lunch, a takeaway meal will cost around €7-€10 but a meal at a cheap sit-down restaurant will cost around €8-€17. Obviously making your own meal will be a cheaper alternative.
• Alcohol: Beer and wine are cheap in grocery stores — a decent bottle of wine is €5-€6 and a 6-pack of beer is €5-€8. In bars/restaurants, a glass of wine is typically €3-€6 and beer is around €3.5-€7.
• Coffee: I budget €1-€1.5 for an espresso for a cheap caffeine fix.
• Desserts and Treats: I have a sweet tooth so I budget €2-€3 for random goodies.
• Attraction and Sightseeing Prices: I’m a big fan of free walking tours and I typically tip around €5-€8. Many museums have free days/times so that’s a good way to save — otherwise, museum tickets are typically €8-€20.
• Public Transportation: I tend to mostly walk so many days I don’t spend anything on transportation. Otherwise, I recommend budgeting €3-€5/day for the subway/buses.

Budget-Conscious Travel Costs: €90-€200/Day ($100-$220/day)

THIS IS YOU IF YOU’RE staying in affordable rental apartments, budget hotels, or you might get a private hostel room. You’re happy to spend €15-€25 on a meal now and then and you’ll splurge on a few treats as you explore. You don’t mind paying for experiences, and you’re happy to travel via train without booking weeks early to save a few dollars.

In short, you’re smart with your money but you don’t mind spending money on good values.

Average “Budget-Conscious” Travel Cost Breakdown:

• Rental Apartments: Airbnb is huge in Europe so it’s easy to find an affordable place in just about any city. A basic studio/1br will typically cost €60-€180/night.
• Budget Hotels: You can typically find a basic, yet clean and comfortable hotel for around €80-€120/night. I mainly use Booking.com when traveling in Europe.
• Private Hostel Rooms: Most hostels have private rooms that are about the same quality as a budget hotel — which is a nice option if you like the social vibe found in hostels. Expect to pay €60-€100/night for a private room.
• Breakfast: I typically budget €5-€6/day for breakfast since I need energy as I walk around all day. Different countries have different breakfast traditions so I tend to eat what the locals eat — which rarely tops €6. But, at the minimum, most cafes will have breakfast deals that include espresso and a pastry for around €3.
• Lunch: A cheap takeaway meal will set you back €5-€7. I try to seek out fixed-price lunch specials which typically run €9-€13.
• Dinner: A quality meal at a budget-friendly restaurant will set you back around €12-€20.
• Alcohol, Coffee, Treats, Etc.: Beer and wine are cheap in grocery stores — a decent bottle of wine is €5-€6 and a 6-pack of beer is €5-€8. In bars/restaurants, a glass of wine is typically €3-€6, and beer is around €3.5-€7. Cocktails can set you back €6-€12+.
• Coffee: I budget €1-€1.5 for an espresso. A cappuccino might cost anywhere from €1.50-€3.50.
• Desserts and Treats: I have a sweet tooth so I budget €3-€5 for random goodies like gelato and pastries.
• Attraction and Sightseeing Prices: Even as a budget traveler, I’m still a fan of free walking tours so I typically tip around €5-€8 for those — but a paid walking tour starts around €15-€20/person. Museum tickets are typically €8-€20.
• Public Transportation: I tend to walk everywhere but I still recommend budgeting €3-€6/day for the subway/buses.

Mid-Level Travel Costs: €150-€300/Day ($170-$340/day)

THIS IS YOU IF YOU’RE staying in nice (but not luxury) hotels or rental apartments. You’re not dining in high-end restaurants but dropping €25-€35 on a random meal isn’t that big a deal. You’re perfectly fine spending a little extra on train tickets for convenience and flexibility. You’re happy to visit all the museums/attractions without fear of busting your budget. You might even book a few “experiences” like a paid walking tour or a cooking class.

In short, you’re not “living large” but you’re comfortable spending a little extra here and there to enhance your experience and get the most from your travels.

Average “Mid-Level” Travel Cost Breakdown:

Budget Hotels, Rental Apartments, and Private Hostel Rooms: Accommodation prices are all over the place and constantly changing based on multiple factors. Obviously, traveling with other people will lower the per-person travel costs if you’re sharing a room/apartment.

• Rental Apartments: Airbnb is huge in Europe so finding a nice rental apartment isn’t difficult. A nice studio/1br will typically cost €120-€200/night.
• Hotels: A nice, but not fancy, hotel in a good location will typically cost €120-€180/night. I mainly use Booking.com when traveling in Europe.
• Breakfast: I typically budget around €6/day for a basic breakfast but a heartier one will be closer to €10.
• Dinner: A quality meal at a budget-friendly restaurant will set you back around €12-€20. A slightly nicer meal will be around €20-€30.
• Alcohol: In bars/restaurants, a glass of wine is typically €3-€6 and beer is around €3.5-€7. Cocktails can set you back €6-€12+.
• Coffee: Espresso starts around €1 and fancier drinks are €2.50-€4.
• Desserts and Treats: I have a sweet tooth so I budget €3-€5 for random goodies like gelato, pastries, and other sweet treats.
• Attraction and Sightseeing Prices: Museum tickets are typically €8-€20 each. Paid walking tours are anywhere from €15-€35. I enjoy cooking classes and those are anywhere from €45-€100+.

Pre-Departure Europe Travel Costs

Alright, let’s start doing a deeper dive into discovering how much it costs to go to Europe. We’ll start with pre-travel costs that should be factored into your budget.

High-Speed Mobile Data: $3-$10/Day

You can survive traveling to Europe without having mobile data on your phone but I don’t recommend it.

Your current mobile provider likely has their own international plan which will be around $10-$15/day. Or you can buy a European SIM or eSIM data plan that will cost under $5/day—for example, eSIM data plans from  Orange  or  Holafly  will cost you around $2-$4/day.

You can learn more on The Savvy Backpacker’s guide to the best eSIM for Europe and my guide to Data Plans and Smartphone Phones in Europe .

Travel Insurance: $30/Week

Travel insurance can really save your butt financially, so I build it into my travel budget. It’s usually fairly cheap and it might save you thousands of dollars in medical and travel costs. I use and recommend World Nomads for most travelers but there are a handful of other travel insurance companies.

As a rule of thumb, plan on spending around $30/week on travel insurance.

Luggage and Travel Gear: $0-$500+

In many cases, you might already have a suitcase or travel backpack so you may not even need to buy any special clothing for your trip to Europe.

But many people still choose to buy travel gear and/or clothing to help make their trip easier. Obviously, the amount you spend on this stuff can be $0 or it can easily top $500.

I’ve created a few packing lists and gear guides to help guide you:

• Backpacking Europe Packing List
• Travel Europe Packing List for Women
• Europe Packing List
• Winter Packing List for Europe
• Best Travel Backpacks
• Best Travel Backpacks for Women  
• Best Carry-On Backpacks
• Best Travel Shoes

My Most-Recommended Travel Gear

Here are some things I never travel without (but see the guides above for more in-depth gear recommendations).

• Portable Phone Charger: I use my iPhone a ton when traveling and this kills the battery. That’s why I carry a small charger everywhere I go. You can find many options for $20-$30. Check Out Prices/Selection On Amazon
• I prefer carrying a stylish bag that doesn’t scream “tourist” — like something from Fajallraven , Herschel , and Aer . These bags range from $50-$90.
• Comfortable Shoes: A nice cool pair of comfortable sneakers will be your best friend when you’re traveling around Europe. Here is an article I wrote about wearing sneakers in Europe .
• Quality Socks: Treat your feet well and they’ll reward you with comfortable travel. I stick with socks from Smartwool and Darn Tough . A nice pair of socks will be $8-$14.
• Guide Books: Call me old-fashioned but I’m still a big can of guidebooks. For budget travel, I prefer Rick Steves and Lonely Planet. Check Amazon as they have a great selection of Europe guidebooks. Most guidebooks are around $20.
• Packable Rain Jacket: I hate umbrellas so I always pack a lightweight rain jacket that’s easy to store away in my daypack. The Patagonia Houdini  weighs in at a crazy light 3.6oz and can be found online for $75-$99 (Available via  REI  and  Amazon ).
• Apple AirPods: I love my AirPods. They make listening to music and watching movies on my iPad so much more convenient — especially on planes/trains. They’re cheaper on Amazon than from Apple.

Passport: $110+

It will cost you around $135 if you need a passport. Be sure to apply early because it will cost you another $60+ if you need one in less than 4-6 weeks. Passport photos will cost you about an extra $10 or you can print your own for free at  ePassportPhoto .

Airfare Prices To Europe ( $750-$1200 )

It’s hard to nail down how much you’ll spend on your flight to Europe. Prices fluctuate wildly based on your location, the time of year, what days you’re traveling, where you’re flying to, how early you’re booking your flights, your flexibility, etc.

I’ve paid as little as $280 for a ticket from NYC to Copenhagen and I’ve paid $1,200+ for other flights to Europe. That said, I recommend budgeting at least $750-$1100 for your flight — hopefully, you’ll be able to find cheaper flights but this is a pretty good ballpark figure.

I use Google Flights and Momondo to look for flights. I also subscribe to Scott’s Cheap Flights newsletter which sends out daily cheap flight deals.

Estimating Transportation Costs Within Europe

Another large travel cost will be transportation — i.e. how much you’ll spend physically traveling around Europe.

There are generally four main modes of transportation:

• Train: My favorite travel option. It’s generally fast, convenient, comfortable, and affordable (if you book in advance). Train travel is also the most romantic way to travel around Europe.
• Plane: For long distances, I prefer flying as there are plenty of very cheap flights throughout Europe.
• Car: Driving can be a nice option if you’re traveling in a group as the cost gets spread out between multiple people. And you can visit smaller destinations more easily with a car (although just about every town in Europe is accessible via train). That said, I’d avoid driving in any major European city if possible.
• Bus: I’ve never like traveling via bus but it can be a very cheap way to travel.

Europe Train Ticket Prices

Each country prices its train tickets differently — some charge via distance traveled (€/mile) but most have dynamic pricing that fluctuates based on demand (i.e. similar to how airlines price their tickets). For this section, we’ll focus on high-speed trains as that’s what most travelers will use to travel between major cities.

For more information, read our  Complete Guide To Train Travel In Europe .

Example High-Speed Train Prices For Popular European Routes

Note: I used Omio to find these train ticket prices — I’ve been using Omio to book all my European train tickets for the past few years. I love that their tickets are mostly digital/mobile (via their App) so no more standing in line to buy/collect tickets.

• Booked a few weeks before departure: €66-€100
• Booked two or three days before departure: €190-€250
• Booked a few weeks before departure: €70-€100
• Booked two or three days before departure: €135-€155
• Booked a few weeks before departure: €13-€22
• Booked two or three days before departure: €20-€40
• Booked a few weeks before departure: €45-€75
• Booked two or three days before departure: €45-€75
• Booked a few weeks before departure: €45-€70
• Booked two or three days before departure: €45-€70
• Booked a few weeks before departure: €24-€43
• Booked two or three days before departure: €24-€60
• Booked a few weeks before departure: €25-€35
• Booked two or three days before departure: €25-€35
• Booked a few weeks before departure: €91-€100
• Booked two or three days before departure: €91-€100
• Booked a few weeks before departure: €14-€30
• Booked two or three days before departure: €20-€35
• Booked a few weeks before departure: €99-€120
• Booked two or three days before departure: €133-€145
• Booked a few weeks before departure: €35-€45

Source: Omio

Eurail Pass Prices

If you want flexibility then you might consider picking up a Eurail Pass. These passes aren’t dirt cheap like they were in the past, but for many travelers, this is still an affordable way to travel. There are dozens of Eurail passes available to suit almost any need.  Prices range from about $100 for a super basic pass to $2000 for a 3-month unlimited pass.

For more info, read our  Guide To Rail Passes in Europe .

Airfare Prices Within Europe

Many first-time travelers are amazed at the number of budget carriers offering crazy low airfare within Europe — we’re talking €20 flights from London to Amsterdam and €35 from Paris to Rome. I’ve even seen flights for under €10.

That said, you can essentially fly between any two major European cities for less than €70 — but don’t forget to budget extra cash for transportation to/from the airport (train, taxi, Uber) bag fees, etc.

Quick Note About Budget Carriers and Cheap Fares: Budget carriers offer the bare minimum in terms of service and everything costs extra (bags, seat assignment, drinks, etc.). Also, many budget airlines fly out of smaller airports that are outside the cities they represent — for example, the Paris-Beauvais airport is more than an hour away from Paris so that’s an extra cost and inconvenience.

Example Cheap Airfare Prices For Popular European Routes

Note: These example fares are for one-way tickets—I suggest checking Momondo for your exact travel dates since prices constantly fluctuate.

• London To Paris : €32-€52
• Paris to Rome: €32-€100
• London to Rome: €60-€100
• Rome to Lisbon : €35-€45
• Paris to Lisbon: €70-€120
• Amsterdam to Berlin: €32-€45
• Madrid to Lisbon: €45-€70
• Paris to Barcelona : €25-€35
• Paris to Lyon : €50-€85
• Copenhagen to Paris: €65-€100

Cost To Rent A Car In Europe

Renting a car can be a reasonably affordable way to travel Europe — especially if you’re traveling in a group of three or more.

I just did a search for a weeklong rental in France for a compact car and it was around €200 total. However, there are other costs associated with driving in Europe:

• Gas ($6-$8/gallon)
• Tolls (I’ve seen €3-€30 per toll)
• Random taxes
• Extra insurance ($10-$20/day)
• Parking (€40+/day in major cities)
• Extra random fees

Here is our guide to renting a car in Europe that goes into more in-depth detail.

Cost of Coach/Bus Travel In Europe

Taking long-distance buses is probably the cheapest way to travel in Europe but it’s also the slowest and arguably the most uncomfortable. Personally, I won’t even consider the bus if the trip is more than a few hours as 8 hours on a bus sounds terrible. Either way, I use Omio to find and book bus tickets.

Example Long-Distance Bus Prices For Popular European Routes

• Paris to Strasburg: €17-€20
• Munich to Berlin: €22-€24
• Rome to Florence: €22-€30
• Barcelona to Madrid: €36-€38
• Munich to Salzburg: €17

Accommodation Costs For Traveling Europe

For most travelers, accommodation will be the largest expense so it’s important to know how much you should budget. Let’s dive into how much you’ll spend on accommodation (hotels, hostels, and rental apartments) while you’re traveling in Europe.

Average Hostel Prices in Europe

Here’s a look at the average nightly hostel price for Europe’s most popular cities. These prices reflect the cheapest option in well-rated hostels during a late June booking. These prices are from Hostelworld (my preferred hostel booking website).

• London: €30-€65/night
• Paris: €33-€65/night
• Dublin: €30-€60/night
• Amsterdam: €30-€60/night
• Munich: €35-€65/night
• Berlin: €20-€39/night
• Krakow: €14-€25/night
• Budapest: €16-€25/night
• Barcelona: €25-€45/night
• Rome: €23-€50/night

Source: Hostelworld

Average Hotel Prices in Europe

Here’s a look at the average nightly hotel price for Europe’s most popular cities.

Note: These prices reflect the cheapest option in well-rated hostels during a late June booking. These prices are from Booking.com (my preferred hotel search engine).

Nightly Price For A Budget Hotel in Europe

The prices on this list reflect budget hotels that are small, no-frills, and a little “rough around the edges” but they should be clean, comfortable, and located within the city. They get good ratings from past guests so these aren’t the bottom-of-the-barrel options.

• London: €80-€115/night
• Paris: €90-€110/night
• Dublin: €115-€140/night
• Amsterdam: €125-€145/night
• Munich: €90-€115/night
• Berlin: €85-€100/night
• Krakow: €50-€95/night
• Budapest: €50-€93/night
• Barcelona: €75-€100/night
• Rome: €80-€105/night

Source: Booking.com

Nightly Price For A Mid-Level Hotel in Europe

I consider a mid-level hotel to be clean, comfortable, fairly modern, and centrally located. The rooms will still be small and there might not be many “frills” but the hotel will be a noticeable step above the “budget” level.

• London: €140-€180/night
• Paris: €135-€190/night
• Dublin: €135-€195/night
• Amsterdam: €165-€200/night
• Munich: €110-€175/night
• Berlin: €110-€180/night
• Krakow: €75-€120/night
• Budapest: €125-€170/night
• Barcelona: €110-€160/night
• Rome: €110-€175/night

Average Rental Apartment Prices in Europe

Short-term rental apartments are plentiful and often affordable in Europe, so it’s one of my favorite accommodation options when I travel.

Note: I’ve listed rental apartments from a price range for well-rated, and centrally located studio/1br Airbnb rentals that get solid reviews from former guests — I also tried to only include Superhosts to ensure a high level of service. You’ll be able to find cheaper options if you’re less picky.

• London: €190-€280/night
• Paris: €105-€160/night
• Amsterdam: €220-€300/night
• Berlin: €93-€160/night
• Krakow: €50-€85/night
• Budapest: €70-€105/night
• Barcelona: €140-€190/night
• Rome: €120-€165/night

Source: Airbnb —check out my guide to Airbnb Alternatives for more options.

Food & Alcohol Costs in Europe

Food, meals, and alcohol are other major costs that are difficult to estimate since there is a huge variation in prices. In general, I recommend budgeting higher than you think since it’s easy to go over budget without even realizing it.

To help give you an accurate idea of food prices, I’ve searched through actual menus from restaurants that span multiple price points. I’ve broken this list down by city to help you more accurately predict your potential food expenses.

Note: These prices come from well-rated restaurants that are recommended by locals. I’ve also linked to their restaurant’s Google listing.

Paris Food Prices

• Croissant: €2
• Cafe au lait: €3
• Espresso: €1-€1.50
• Sandwich from Grenier au Pain : €3.50-4.50
• Chicken and lamb kebab from Urfa Dürüm : € 6- € 8
• Burger and fries from Joe Burger : € 8- € 10
• Falafel and shawarma sandwich from L’As du Fallafel : €7-€9
• Crepes and sandwiches (takeaway) from Chez Alain Miam Miam : €7-€11
• Duck Confit from Le Petit Vendome : €17
• Duck Confit from Cafe de l’Industrie : € 13- € 14
• Crepes from Breizh Cafe : €7-€12
• Beef bourguignon (beef stew) from La Petite Rose des Sables : €13
• Pho from Pho 14 : €9
• A glass of wine: €3-€5
• A glass of beer: €4-€7

Note: See our guide to the best budget restaurants in Paris .

London Food Prices

• Full English breakfast from Breakfast Club : £10-£12
• Cappuccino from Kaffeine : £3.10
• A standard cup of coffee: £2.50
• Lamb Shawarma wrap from Hiba : £5.25-£6.25
• Vietnamese noodle dish from Phat Phuc Noodles : £8
• Traditional pie and mash from The Windmill. Mayfair : £13-£16
• Fish and Chips from Masters Superfish : £ 9- £ 10
• Fish and Chips from P oppie’s : £ 4- £ 18
• Mid-range Indian dish from Darjeeling Express : £13-£16
• Takeaway Indish dishes from TIFINBOX – Indian Street Food : £6-£8
• Dip and Flip burger from Dip & Flip : £10
• A pint of beer: £4.50-£6.50
• A glass of wine: £5.50-£7
• Mixed drink and cocktails: £8-£14+

Rome Food Prices

• Cornetto pastry and a cappuccino from Antico Forno Roscioli : €1 + €1.30
• Espresso from La Casa Del Caffè Tazza D’oro : €1
• Sandwich/panini from Panino Divino : €5-€6.50
• Takeout pizza (two slices) from Pizzarium or Pizza Florida : €5-€8
• Takeout pasta from Pasta Imperiale : €5.50-€6.50
• Pasta dish from Felice a Testaccio : €11-€15
• Cacio e Pepe from Trattoria Da Cesare al Casaletto : €11
• Carbonara pasta from Trattoria Perilli : €13
• Pizza from Ai Marmi : €7-€10
• A glass of wine: €4-€6
• A pint of beer: €4-€6

Berlin Food Prices

• Brunch and pancakes from Le Bon : €9-€10
• Breakfast and brunch items from Distrikt Coffee : €8-€11
• Espresso and Flat White from THE BARN Café : €3 & €4
• Doughnuts from Brammibal’s Donuts : €2.50
• Crepes and breakfast quiches from Cafe Creperie Melt : €3.50-€8
• Currywurst from Curry61 : €2.50
• Takeaway schnitzel from Scheers Schnitzel : €5.50-€8.50
• Burger from Burgermeister : €4.50-€5.56
• Kebab from Mustafa’s Gemüse Kebap : €4-€5.50
• Goulash and schnitzel from Tiergarten Quelle : €10.50 & €11.50
• Half chicken from Henne : €8.60
• Hearty traditional German dishes from Gasthaus Krombach : €11-€15
• A pint of beer: €2.50-€3.50

Amsterdam Food Prices

• Omelets and breakfast sandwiches from Omelegg : €6-€10
• Dutch and American pancakes and breakfast options from Prins Heerlijk : €4-€10
• Breakfast and lunch toasted sandwiches from Toastable Nieuwendijk : €5-€10
• Assorted pastries from Bakhuys : €3-€6
• Espresso and pour-over coffee from Bocca Coffee : €2.5 & €4
• Baked potatoes w/ toppings from Jacketz : €9-€14
• Roman-style pizza by the slice from Sugo Amsterdam : €3.50-€4.50/slice
• Kebab from Beste Doner : €5
• Fries with choice of sauce from Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx : €3-€4.50
• Fish and chips from The Good Companion : €14-€15
• Burgers from Burger Bar : €8-€11
• Simple pasta dishes from Hasta La Pasta or Pasta Pasta : €8-€14
• Traditional Dutch dishes from Hap-Hmm : €10-€14
• Wood-fired, thin-crust pizzas from Il Sogno : €10-€13
• A pint of beer: €3.50-€6.50

Barcelona Food Prices

• Churros dipped in melted chocolate from Churreria Laietana or Granja M Viader : €3.80
• Pancakes and granola/acai bowls from Brunch El Petit Princep : €4.5-€7
• Croissants and similar pastries from Baluard Barceloneta : €1.60-€3.50
• Double espresso and Flat White from Satan’s Coffee Corner : €3.20
• Espresso and drip coffee from Nomad Coffee Lab & Shop : €2.50-€4 & €3
• Affordable tapas and other local favorites from Bar Xapako : €2-€4/tapa
• Fixed menu of Spanish staples from Bar Casi : €12
• Pizza by the slice at Com a Italia : €3/slice
• Lebanese sandwiches and wraps from Teddy’s Saj Sandwiches : €4.50-€6
• Classic regional dishes from Can Culleretes (the oldest restaurant in Spain): €9-€19
• Regional rustic fare from El Glop : €9-€20
• Tapas from Quimet & Quimet : €2-€5/each
• Tapas from La Tasqueta de Blai : €5-€9/each
• Fish and chips from The Fish & Chips Shop : €8.50
• Beer (small glass): €1-€1.30
• Beer (bottle): €1.40-€3
• A glass of wine: €2.50-€4
• Glass of vermouth from Quimet & Quimet : €2.80

Madrid Food Prices

• Churros and hot chocolate from Chocolatería San Ginés : €4.20
• Torrijas (similar to french toast) from  La Casa de las Torrijas : €2.50-€4
• Napolitana con Chocolate pastry from  La Mallorquina : €2
• Espresso or coffee from Martina Cocina or Hola Coffee : €1.50-€3
• Fried calamari sandwiches from Bar La Campana : €3
• Small pork sandwiches from Bocadillos Oink : €4-€7
• Pizza by the slice or full pizza at La Pizzateca : €3-€4/slice or €9-€13/pizza
• Assorted tapas from Gandario , El miniBAR , and Tinto y Tapas : €2-€8/each
• Homestyle Spanish dishes from La Sanabresa : €18 (fixed price menu)
• Tortillas (Spanish omelet) from Pez Tortilla : €3/slice
• Deep-fried croquetas from Casa Julio : €7-€12
• Huevos Rotos (fried eggs and ham over french fries) from Los Huevos de Lucio or Antigua Huevería : €9-€18
• Glass of vermouth from Bodegas Ricla : €1.50

Lisbon Food Prices

• Double espresso and cappuccino from Fabrica Coffee Roasters : €2 & €2.80
• Pasteis de Nata from Pasteis de Belem , Manteigaria , or Fabrica da Nata : €1.15/each
• Various pastries from Pastelaria Alfama Doce : €.80-€1.20/each
• Pancakes and eggs from Quase Cafe : €4.50-€7.50
• Breakfast bowls and smoothies from Frutaria : €5 (breakfast bowls) & €5 (smoothies)
• Traditional local dishes at good prices from A Provinciana : €6-€9
• Pork sandwich ( bifanas ) from O Trevo : €2.50
• Burgers from Cultura do Hamburguer : €7-€10
• Grilled chicken, ribs, and sausage from Frangasqueira Nacional : €7-€1.50
• Hotdogs from Frankie : €3-€6
• Gyro from A Gama do Vasco : 7-9
• Traditional Portuguese dishes from husband and wife team at Crisfama : €9-€15
• Traditional Portuguese tavern favorites from Tasca Zé dos Cornos : €9-€13
• Large portions (enough for two) of traditional local dishes from Zé da Mouraria : €17-€22
• Beer at a bar or restaurant: €1.50-€3
• Beer at a grocery runs about €1.10
• A bottle of wine is around €4.50

Copenhagen Food Prices

• Double Espresso from  The Coffee Collective : $4.20 (28 DKK)
• Cinnamon Roll from  Skt. Peders Bageri : $2.75 (18 DKK)
• Breakfast Porridge from  Grød : $7-$10 (45-65 DKK)
• Burger from  Gasoline Grill : $11.50 (75DKK)
• Kebab/Turkish Dish from  Kosk Kebab : $5.35-$11.50 (35-75 DKK)
• Hotdog from  Hotdog Stand , John’s Hotdog Deli , or DOP $5.35 (35 DKK)
• Pizza from  Gorm’s : $15-$19 (100-125 DKK)
• Classic homemade Danish cuisine from Restaurant Klubben : $16-$35
• Authentic Mexican food from Hija de Sanchez : $15 (three tacos)
• Vietnamese sandwiches, noodles, and other dishes from District Tonkin : $10-16
• High-End Cocktail from  Ruby :  $16.75-$20+ (110-120+ DKK)
• Craft Beer from  Mikkeller Bar : $6.80-$10 (45-65 DKK)

Prague Food Prices

• Fancy pancakes from DEN NOC: Pancakes start under $5-$7.50
• Coffee from Cafe Ebel : $2-$4.50
• Gourmet doughnuts from Donuterie : $2.50/each
• Hot chocolate, waffles, and sweet treats from Chocafé : $3 (hot chocolate), $3.5 (waffles), $1.50-$3 (treats)
• Pancakes and coffee from Cafe No 3 : $2 (coffee) and $6 (pancakes)
• Traditional open face sandwiches from Sisters Bistro v Dlouhé : $2-$3
• Traditional Czech cuisine from Ferdinanda : $10-$14
• Traditional Czech cuisine from Restaurace Pod Vysehradem : $8-$14
• Large burgers from Sad Man’s Tongue Bar & Bistro : $11-$14
• Pizza and pizza slices from Johnny Pizza : $6.50 (pizza and soda)
• Hotdogs w/ toppings from Mr.HotDoG : $5-$6.50
• A pint of standard beer at the bar: $1.00-$2.00
• Pint of beer from a grocery store: $.65

Budapest Food Prices

• Cappuccino and espresso from 9BAR : $1.50-170
• Coffee and granola from VINYL & WOOD : 1.50 (coffee) & $4-$4.50 (granola)
• Huge cinnamon rolls, and chocolate rolls from Bite Bakery Cafe : $2.25
• Bagel sandwiches from Inez Bagel Shop : $3.50-$5
• Traditional Hungarian breakfast sandwiches from Duran Szendvics : $1-$4
• Authentic Hungarian food from Klauzal Cafe : $8-$12
• Sandwiches and soups from Bors GasztroBar : $4-$5
• Traditional Hungarian food from Regos Restaurant : $7.35-$12
• Hungarian sandwiches and burgers from Hoppacska : $5.60-$9.00
• Cheap burgers from Buddies Burger : $4-$5.50
• Local Korner: Excellent pizza in a super fun atmosphere.
• Pho from Hai Nam Vietnamese Bistro & Pho Bar : $5.75-$6.50
• A pint of standard beer at a bar: $1.30
• A pint of beer from a grocery store: $.85
• Bottle of (drinkable) wine from the grocery store: $4.75

Day-To-Day Travel Costs For Europe

As you travel you’ll run into various daily costs that you should take into account when you’re estimating your travel budget. Here are a few of the most common things you’ll spend money on when traveling.

Museums, Sightseeing, and Entertainment Costs

While you may not do something that requires an admission fee every day, we suggest budgeting $15-$20. Below is a list of admissions prices at some popular attractions in Europe so you can get a feel for how much things cost:

• Louvre Museum (Paris): $19.50
• Sagrada Familia: $19
• Centre Pompidou Museum (Paris): $17
• Tower of London: $35
• Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam): $22
• Prague Castle: $3.50
• Neuschwanstein Castle: $15
• Acropolis: $12
• Colosseum: $15
• Szechenyi Baths in Budapest: $18
• Walking Tours: Free (guides work on tips) or $15-$35 for paid tours
• Bike Tours: $30-$60
• Food Walking Tours: $50-$100+
• Cooking Classes: $50-200+
• Venice Gondola Ride: $90-$110

Note: Many museums offer discounted or free tickets to students and/or people under the age of 26.

I briefly mentioned alcohol in the food section but I wanted to highlight it again since many travelers end up spending way more on alcohol than they anticipate — after all, one drink tends to lead to a few more.

Listed below are some sample alcohol prices from around Europe:

• London (pint of beer): $3.20-$8.50 but expect to pay more at trendy clubs/pubs.
• Paris (wine): $7-$15 for a cheap bottle of good wine from the store.
• Prague (pint of beer): $2 at a restaurant and around $.70 from a grocery store.
• Budapest (pint of beer): $2-$4 at a bar.
• Munich (beer): $10 for a huge mug at a beer garden and around $1.25 for a liter of beer from the store.
• Copenhagen (pint of beer): $9-$14 for a pint of craft beer from a bar.

Public Transportation, Taxis & Airport Transfers

Public transportation in most European cities is cheap and reliable. In general, you probably won’t spend more than $4-$6/day taking subways and buses.

However, taking taxis and Ubers can quickly become expensive. This is especially true when you’re going to/from the airport — which many travelers forget to factor into their budgets.

For reference, here are some taxi fares from major airports to the city center:

• Paris/CDG Airport: €50-€55
• London/Heathrow Airport: £45–£70
• Rome/Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport: €48
• Amsterdam/Schiphol Airport: €39
• Milan/Malpensa Airport: €90
• Lisbon/Lisbon Portela Airport: €20
• Copenhagen/Copenhagen Kastrup Airport: 300 DDK ($45)

Snacks and Treats

I have a sweet tooth so I always know that things like ice cream, chocolate, pastries, and other random treats I see in store windows will catch my eye. That’s why I give myself a few extra Euros each day to be safe.

Souvenirs and Shopping

Don’t forget to put aside some cash for souvenirs and other shopping that you might do as you travel. I know I always end up buying a bunch of random things along the way. You might also end up spending money on random toiletries.

I hope this Europe price guide helped give you a better grasp of how to budget your trip to Europe. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions!

• Recent Posts
• The Best Travel Backpacks | In-Depth Buyer’s Guide & Backpack Reviews - April 28, 2024
• Best Prepaid UK eSIM | Data Plan Buyer’s Guide - April 21, 2024
• How to Avoid Pickpockets in Europe — Tips for Outsmarting the Thieves - April 19, 2024

No Funny Business

The Savvy Backpacker is reader-supported. That means when you buy products/services through links on the site, I may earn an affiliate commission—it doesn’t cost you anything extra and it helps support the site.

Thanks For Reading! — James

Questions? Learn more about our Strict Advertising Policy and How To Support Us .

Related Reads

Money & Budgeting , Trip Planning

Is Travel Insurance Worth It? Helping You Understand Travel Insurance

Everything you need to know about buying travel insurance

How Much To Tip In Europe | Guide To Tipping In Europe By Country

A country-by-country guide to tipping and gratuity customs in Europe

The Ultimate Guide To Using Credit Cards, Debit Cards, & ATMs in Europe

Everything you need to know about using your credit cards and debit/ATM cards in Europe.

Backpacking Through Europe Cost | How Much Does It Cost To Backpack Europe?

How much to budget for traveling to Europe.

City Guides

Choosing travel insurance, travel packing lists, budget travel newsletter.

The best budget travel tips sent straight to your inbox.

Join My Journey

Europe travel tips, advertising & privacy policies.

TheSavvyBackpacker.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

© 2010 - 2024 The Savvy Backpacker

Website Design by FHOKE

• How Much Does A Trip...

How Much Does a Trip to Europe Cost?

Content and CRM Executive

Every non-European has at least one big border-crossing adventure in them, but the question is, what kind of budget do you need for a trip to Europe ?

Countless backpackers, inter-railers and twenty-something hostel-hoppers traverse the ever-changing landscapes of Europe every single year. There are plenty of luxurious hotels, glamorous cities and premium experiences on offer, but thankfully Europe is also more than used to catering for the traveler with one eye on their bank account. Budget accommodation, long-distance travel passes and costless Euro city-strolling culture makes traveling in Europe on a budget more than doable.

This is all you need to know about the cost of a trip to Europe .

How much do flights to Europe cost?

With so many different destinations, prices can vary drastically for flights from the US to Europe. It can be as low as $400-500 but also well over $1,000. The strength of flight connections to your chosen destination can impact cost, as can peak season and travel demand. We always recommend the usual money-saving tricks, like checking multiple flight comparison tools, looking for airline discounts and always planning ahead and booking early. Being flexible with dates and flight times can also save you significant sums of money.

Luckily, peak season prices are pretty easy to track, since nearly all of Europe shares the same peak season – summer. July and August in particular, when most European schools break for several weeks, can be extremely expensive. So travelling off-peak, or even during shoulder season, is a great money-saving alternative.

Winter in Europe can be so charming, especially in countries like Germany , where fairytale towns are lit up by festive decorations and traditional Christmas markets. Springtime is glorious across all of Europe, as the weather becomes pleasant and rural areas blossom in color. In fact, city breaks in Spain , Greece or Italy can be much more pleasant in spring, when the heat is gently warming rather than scorching. Even fall is a great option for European travel, with luscious forests in country’s like Scotland and Georgia developing a gorgeous auburn tint.

Regional prices are not fixed and can vary significantly, but generally you can expect to pay more when flying to Scandinavian countries, as well as tourist favourites like Paris, Rome, Amsterdam and London. Central and Southern Europe tends to be cheaper, with flights to the likes of Barcelona, Budapest, Athens and Warsaw often more affordable.

How much does it cost to travel around Europe?

As we said, a European travel budget can be very flexible. If you’re a carefree, cash-splashing globetrotter then you can have quite the glamorous time sunning it up in the French Riviera or skiing in the Alps, but you don’t need to be loaded to see this continent at its best.

The more expensive countries and cities – think northwestern Europe and major cities like Paris and London – have a pretty similar general cost to major US cities. Whether it’s food, transport or accommodation, you will need to set a budget aside. There are lots of extremely cheap destinations, however, especially the further east you go. Central and Eastern European nations have a far cheaper daily cost, while even large stretches of the glorious south will set you back far less for the basics.

There’s a great hostel culture throughout Europe, and most of mainland Europe is super connected by good quality train networks, which can be very affordable if you shop around or buy a travel pass. Food, meanwhile, plays such a big part in most cultures here that getting delicious authentic treats rarely breaks the bank.

The best thing about budget traveling in Europe is obvious – so much of the continent can be explored without spending a penny! Whether it’s giant mountain national parks or gorgeous beaches , the splendid countryside throughout Europe is yours to discover. Meanwhile Euro city culture is totally different to the US. You can quite easily spend a day in a European city doing nothing but meandering down cobblestone streets, taking in wide-open piazzas and visiting free-entry galleries and museums, stopping only for a tasty coffee and the local’s favourite pastry.

Of course a lot of museums are ticketed, as are major sightseeing spots like the Colosseum or Eiffel Tower, but generally it is very easy to discover the true joys of laid-back European life without paying a booking fee ahead of time.

Berlin to Budapest: Central Europe by Train

If there’s one trip in our collection that perfectly captures the spirit of traveling through Europe, it’s our 10-day border-crossing Rail Trip through Central Europe.

Our itinerary, carefully curated by experienced Travel Experts, is an ode to the romance of traversing the continent by train. Picture alpine lakes and forested mountains whizzing by your window, interrupted only by the occasional fairytale town. Imagine exploring some of the continent’s oldest and most culturally rich capitals by foot. All we’ve done is swap the dingy hostels for comfortable boutique hotels and brought in a knowledgable Local Insider to guide you around, bringing priceless insight and bang up-to-date recommendations to the table.

We’ll start off in Berlin – the perfect place to gain an understanding of Europe’s long and turbulent history. You’ll get to learn about it all in the German capital, but you’ll also get to experience the city’s vibrant, multicultural present day. Truly a city like no other to kick off our trip.

Next is Prague, the Czech capital, famous for being one of the most picturesque gothic medieval cities on Earth. You’ll be guided around the old town, castle and Charles Bridge before winding down with a beer tasting at a local brewery.

Next it’s onto the home of classical music, Vienna, for schnitzel, sachertorte and a little detour down the Danube, as we go cycling and wine tasting in the stunning Wachau Valley.

Our penultimate city is the hidden gem of our trip. Bratislava, the Slovakian capital, boasts one of the most beautiful old towns in all of Europe. You’ll get a full day and night here before hopping onboard a train to our final destination, Budapest. The Hungarian capital is teeming with history and European cafe culture. You’ll get to have a well-deserved soak in thermal baths, before getting together with the group at a trendy ruin bar to reflect on the ultimate European adventure .

So, with Culture Trip, a 10-day Europe trip’s cost is $2,375. Factor in good flights to Berlin and from Budapest, and you’re looking at easily less than $3,000.

Check out the full itinerary and book your spot today.

Other European trip suggestions

We have a beautiful selection of trips all over Europe. There’s another Rail Trip in Scotland , featuring a ride on the real-life Hogwarts Express, as well as an island-hopping exploration of Croatia’s shimmering Dalmatian Coast. Speaking of island-hopping, our Greek Island Odyssey is as dreamy as European travel gets – you can also read our guide to budgeting a trip to Greece .

You can get a little more adventurous with our Iceland adventure, or really go off the beaten path with a trip to Georgia (not that one, this gorgeous country is far east on the borders of Asia). Then, of course, we have a stunning selection of itineraries in Italy , from the classics of the north to the beaches of the south and the foodie delights of Sicily .

Finally, why just stick to Europe? We have two incredible itineraries that cross continental borders. Firstly there’s our Madrid to Marrakech Rail Trip , chartering the cultural, historical and culinary evolution from Iberia to North Africa. Alternatively, you can start with us on the European side of Istanbul , before heading across into Asia by visiting Cappadocia and Antalya on our Majestic Turkey trip .

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Guides & Tips

The best private trips to book in southern europe.

The Best Places in Europe to Visit in 2024

The Best Private Trips to Book in Europe

Places to Stay

The best private trips to book for your classical studies class.

The Best Trips for Sampling Amazing Mediterranean Food

The Best Places to Travel in May 2024

The Best European Trips for Foodies

The Best Private Trips to Book With Your Support Group

Five Places That Look Even More Beautiful Covered in Snow

The Best Places to Travel in August 2024

The Best Rail Trips to Take in Europe

The Best Private Trips to Book for Your Religious Studies Class

Culture trip spring sale, save up to $1,100 on our unique small-group trips limited spots..

• Post ID: 1002242175
• Sponsored? No
• View Payload

Expedia Rewards is now One Key™

Cheap flights to europe from $122.

Bundle Your Flight + Hotel & Save!

Add a place to stay

Direct flights only

Featured airlines

• trending down icon Be in the know Get alerts if flight prices drop or rise*
• bex rewards loyalty icon Book smarter Save up to 30% on select hotels after you book a flight*
• one key icon Earn twice Earn your airline miles on top of our OneKeyCash Learn about One Key

Top Cities to Visit in Europe

How much is the cheapest flight to Europe?

Prices were available within the past 7 days and start at $122 for one-way flights and $347 for round trip, for the period specified. Prices and availability are subject to change. Additional terms apply.

Are last-minute flights to Europe cheaper?

Booking last-minute plane tickets to Europe could save you some cash. However, it could end up costing you a whole lot more! To secure those cheaper airfares, there are a few insider tips to keep in mind. Be flexible with your travel dates and carriers, and consider flights with stopovers to get the best price. Mixing and matching fare types can also help you save money and get you on your way to Europe for less.

What are the most popular months to visit Europe?

Peak season in Europe is summertime which is June through September. Depending on what kind of traveler you are, you might consider booking flights to Europe in the shoulder seasons. Spring and fall are fantastic times to escape the long lines and hustle and bustle of the high season. You're likely to score cheaper airfares during this time too. The weather will be a bit cooler and in some regions, you may experience more rainfall than in summer, so be sure to pack accordingly.

Which airlines fly to Europe?

As Europe is one of the most sought-after destinations in the world, most international airlines offer flights to this continent. Lufthansa , British Airways and United Airlines are just some of the airlines that frequently fly to Europe from continental USA, but there are plenty more. Simply enter your departure and arrival airport into Expedia for a list of airlines that fly to Europe.

What are some of the best places to visit in Europe?

Europe is a continent rich in history, culture and natural beauty with an abundance of amazing places to visit. Whether you're an adventurous traveler or more of a city-sightseeing type, we have vacations to suit all interests. City goers will love bustling London in the United Kingdom, known for its history, museums, parks and restaurants. For a mix of city and countryside, Porto in Portugal is a must-see. Renowned not just for its stunning riverfront, shopping, nightlife and dining, you'll also be just a stone's throw from the picturesque Douro Valley wine region which makes for an unforgettable day trip. Or, head to some of the top cities in Croatia, like Dubrovnik or Hvar, for beautiful cobblestone streets, stunning beaches with turquoise water and mouthwatering seafood. The possibilities are endless.

What are some of Europe's most popular airports to fly into?

London Heathrow Airport (LHR) , Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG) , Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) and Frankfurt am Main International Airport (FRA) are some of the most popular airports to fly into, based on the volume of flights recorded to these airports in 2022.

Europe Flights Information

Explore europe, trending flights to europe.

These prices were available within the past 7 days. Prices quoted are per person, round trip, for the period specified. Prices and availability are subject to change. Additional terms apply.

• Top Flights Destinations

More Popular Airlines

• Expedia's Latest Trends

Top Flight Destinations In Europe

• Flights to London
• Flights to Paris
• Flights to Rome
• Flights to Barcelona
• Flights to Amsterdam
• Flights to Berlin
• Flights to Venice
• Flights to Istanbul
• Flights to Madrid
• Flights to Dublin
• Flights to Lisbon District
• Flights to Prague
• Flights to Milan
• Flights to Vienna
• Flights to Munich
• Flights to Edinburgh
• Flights to Athens
• Flights to Hamburg
• Flights to Budapest
• Flights to Copenhagen

Top Flight Destinations In the World

• Flights to Italy
• Flights to Brazil
• Flights to Philippines
• Flights to United States of America
• Flights to Indonesia
• Flights to Mexico
• Flights to Argentina
• Flights to Germany
• Flights to Türkiye
• Flights to South Korea
• Flights to Switzerland
• Flights to Sweden
• Flights to India
• Flights to Russia
• Flights to Spain
• Flights to United Kingdom
• Flights to Australia
• Flights to Colombia
• Flights to Norway
• Flights to Greece
• Darwin Airline SA Lugano
• Evergreen International
• Ghadames Air Transport
• Aircompany Kokshetau
• Royal Airways Limited
• Vietnam Air Service Co.
• West Caribbean Costa Rica
• Olympus Airways
• Bulgarian Air Charter
• Branson Air Express
• Deutsche Bahn

APRIL SALE:   Book now and get   up to 60% off!

Europe Tours & Trips

With so many cultural experiences, it's no wonder why a European tour is top of mind for many. Step back in time when visiting London 's famous landmarks, sample the finest wines in Paris, or get lost in the alleyways of Rome . Whether you want to relax on a Danube cruise , or don your hiking boots in Iceland , there's so much to see on a tour through Europe.

250+ Europe tour packages with 84,349 reviews

• Coach / Bus

Europe Escape

Great experience. Very fun.

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Europe Jewel

Good route which covered the main attractions of Mid Europe. The trip is compact and efficient and the optional excursions add on the contents. Tour leader Matt is full of knowledge about various area’s history and events, he also looked after the team well and tried to accomodate customers’ needs, A really caring and professional tour leader. Pascal is not only a brilliant driver who tried to park the coach as close as possible for group’s access, he was also taking care of the team in many ways and his warm greetings and kind words won our hearts. If you haven’t or only seen a couple of European countries, this trip will be the one to open your eyes or the one to expend your European experiences. Additionally, the trip is good value for money.

• In-depth Cultural

The Best of Eastern Europe

Very well planned and organized. CEO was round-the-clock attentive to the trip and each individual. Lodgings were excellent and well selected geographically. My only criticism would be that the name of the tour should be Central and not Eastern Europe. Would definitely recommend Gadventures to fellow travelers.

• Christmas & New Year

The Great Adventure

I had an amazing experience on the 14 day tour. After Covid lockdowns, my daughter and I were eager to travel overseas and see places we haven’t been to. Everything on the tour was so well organised and the tour guides Enmanuelle, Phillipe and Oksana were very informative and knowledgeable. They all did an exceptional job. All the hotels we stayed at were very clean, spacious and had a big variety for breakfast. The only suggestion would be to have the option for travellers to return to hotels earlier. Days started early and involved lots of walking and the free time should be an option to return to hotel. A note to travellers would be to be cautious In Amsterdam of dodgy uber drivers asking you to cancel trips and to pay in cash. Also in shops if you don’t see the price for an item don’t tap your card for purchases because you will be in for a big shock when you check your account balance.

Best of Central Europe

To be honest, part of what made the trip fantastic was our group of 12- could not have had a better group to travel with- which is clearly luck, but a piece of our group being so cohesive was Nejca, our guide. She was perfect! Available but not pushy. Laid back, but willing to assert herself to make our experience the best. She made each person in the group feel special and appreciated. Thank you, Nejca! The itinerary was quite good as well. Although there were places I could have stayed for a day longer, I think it’s important to not stay too long and feel like time is wasted on a certain place on the tour. Transportation was efficient and Nejca did a great job getting us to our destinations easily and without rushing. Accommodations were very good- with the exception of Prague. Although our apartment was nice, it was clear that the residents of Prague feel that their space is being taken over by tourists- which is clearly true. I would have preferred to have stayed in a hotel in Prague-honestly, I would have paid more for it. Other than that, cannot day enough good things about the trip! Thank you!!

• Walking Adventure
• Sightseeing

European Discovery (Summer, Start London, Classic, 12 Days)

The trip was fantastic, I had the best time ever, making memories that will last a lifetime.

• €100 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

European Delight

We really enjoyed our 16 Day tour from Rome to Paris. We met some lovely people and of course some tour guides are more experienced than others and we understand this. We hope to use Europomundo again in the future. The only complaint would be the Spanish translation seemed more detailed( went on longer than the English) as I don’t understand Spanish, I feel they were told more about the towns and cities than we were.

Zagreb to Athens: Adriatic & Ancient Capitals

Excellent tour with fantastic tour guide (Noddy). It's a tour aimed at younger (under 40) travellers, so the accommodation is mainly hostels and the pace is pretty fast but we still managed to spend a reasonable amount of time in each place. There was a good balance of history/culture and activities, and there is a lot of flexibility with the optional activities and free time to spend more or less time at the beach, museums, etc. Highly recommended as an introduction to the Balkans!

• Photography

European Discovery (Summer, Start Amsterdam, Classic, 12 Days)

• Train & Rail

Berlin to Venice (15 Days) (including Salzburg)

All About Balkans (4 Star Hotels)

Excellent tour company. My request for optional tour to Medjugorje Apparition Hill of the Virgin Mary was accommodated since it’s on the way to another option tour to Kravice Falls. The tour guide Simon from Travel Talk operator is the best keeping the group interact with each other that everyone bonded well. Simon made sure that my sister is taken cared of waiting at the meeting place while the group do the walking tour during the heat wave. One of the group got lost when it’s time to leave and Simon went to look for him in the town square full of tourists and luckily found him going the opposite direction from the meeting place. Simon treated all of us like family. Chris the driver is also an excellent tour bus driver. He made sure that everyone is safe with his driving skills in narrow roads and highways. He takes selfies group picture for all of us including him of course because he is part of the group family. Overall this is the best land tour company my family has ever been and we had several before this. I would highly recommend Tour Radar to everyone going to do All about Balkans 12 days.

• €150 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Balkan Discovery (4 Star Hotels)

The tour was fantastic! The Balkans are beautiful, the people are warm and welcoming, and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of travel companions. Cheers to Boyan, our tour director, and Nico, our driver. They’re lovely people and TravelTalk is fortunate to have them!

• River Cruise

Romantic Rhine (Southbound) 2024

Far exceeded my expectations. To be clear, I hate traveling, I did it for 40 years and was loath to start again retired. But was I wrong, this was a great trip and vacation. I’ve been on ocean cruises but river cruising is so different. The boat is small, one meets many people, the food (except for one meal) was very good, wines good, excursions good, just well done, well organized, no problems, no mess, just enjoy. Truly is one price. I can’t wait to go back.

European Cavalcade (End Paris, 18 Days)

Mimi was great. Only thing I would change is a better break about half way through. The older people were exhausted by the end.

Britain and Ireland Delight (Summer, 8 Days)

Was great both Christian and our bus driver were amazing .had a great time with some great people . Thanks very much

What people love about Europe Tours

The tour was awesome. Too bad it was short. Our Tour leader Noddy perform extremely well job organizing and controlling our big group so we was on time everywhere. Our driver Dennis professionalism is off the charts. Especially when we was driving through narrow streets of Italy. I would recommend this tour to others

Very good tour , something’s we didn’t find out right until the moment. But, overall good tour.

Destinations

• Western Europe tours (6911)
• Mediterranean tours (4760)
• Central Europe tours (2355)
• Balkans tours (2309)
• UK and Great Britain tours (739)
• Nordic / Scandinavia tours (600)
• Eastern Europe tours (502)
• Baltic tours (174)
• Italy tours (1200)
• Greece tours (877)
• Turkey tours (658)
• Germany tours (649)
• France tours (607)
• Spain tours (568)
• Croatia tours (400)
• Portugal tours (317)
• Iceland tours (271)
• Ireland tours (256)
• Austria tours (255)
• Romania tours (203)
• Scotland tours (185)
• England tours (163)
• Albania tours (136)
• Norway tours (115)
• Finland tours (96)
• Switzerland tours (95)
• Slovenia tours (90)
• Bosnia tours (81)
• Netherlands tours (73)
• Poland tours (56)
• Czech Republic tours (54)
• Bulgaria tours (47)
• Sweden tours (40)
• Montenegro tours (27)
• Serbia tours (23)
• Malta tours (22)
• Slovakia tours (21)
• Moldova tours (15)
• Svalbard tours (15)
• Hungary tours (15)
• Macedonia tours (14)
• Estonia tours (12)
• Wales tours (10)
• Northern Ireland tours (10)
• Lithuania tours (9)
• Belgium tours (9)
• Denmark tours (6)
• Latvia tours (6)

Travel Styles

• Small Group (2976)
• Budget (1144)
• Luxury (1453)
• Singles and Solo (8830)
• For Couples (4740)
• Young Adults (444)
• Seniors (5166)
• Group (7835)
• Fully Guided (6773)
• Family (6097)
• Explorer (5796)
• Personalized (3243)
• In-depth Cultural (2812)
• Private (2052)
• River Cruise (1620)
• Partially Guided (1544)
• Self-Guided (1521)
• Coach / Bus (1193)
• Bicycle (869)
• Hiking & Trekking (782)
• Active (703)
• Sailing (349)
• Intl. Flights Included (248)
• Custom (184)
• Food & Culinary (161)
• Self Drive (158)
• Ocean Cruise (140)
• Train & Rail (112)
• Northern Lights (95)
• Festival & Events (57)
• Romantic (26)
• Educational (18)
• Honeymoon (18)
• Health, Spa & Wellness (17)
• Gay Travel (7)
• Jeep & 4WD (6)
• Hop On/Off (5)
• 3 Day Tours (575)
• 7 Day Tours (2801)
• 10 Day Tours (4156)
• 2 Week Tours (1488)
• 3 Week Tours (963)
• 4 Week Tours (188)
• 1 Month+ Tours (50)
• Spring 2024 (5574)
• Summer 2024 (7823)
• Fall / Autumn 2024 (7967)
• Winter 2024 / 2025 (3047)
• Spring 2025 (3944)
• Summer 2025 (2975)
• Fall / Autumn 2025 (2926)
• Winter 2025 / 2026 (1077)
• May 2024 (6287)
• June 2024 (7073)
• July 2024 (6863)
• August 2024 (7007)
• September 2024 (7325)
• October 2024 (6411)
• November 2024 (3328)
• December 2024 (2816)
• January 2025 (1921)
• February 2025 (1940)
• March 2025 (2462)
• April 2025 (2568)
• May 2025 (2835)
• June 2025 (2749)
• July 2025 (2640)
• August 2025 (2649)
• September 2025 (2683)
• October 2025 (2228)
• November 2025 (1267)
• December 2025 (1066)

Europe Tours starting in

• Starting in Athens (764)
• Starting in Istanbul (534)
• Starting in Rome (444)
• Starting in London (443)
• Starting in Amsterdam (341)
• Starting in Madrid (329)
• Starting in Paris (278)
• Starting in Budapest (253)
• Starting in Bucharest (239)
• Starting in Dublin (236)
• Best 3 Weeks Europe Itineraries 2024/2025 (with Reviews)
• 10 Best Luxury River Cruises & Lines 2022
• Hiking in Europe in February
• Hiking in Europe in January
• Hiking in Europe in March
• Hiking in Europe in April
• Hiking in Europe in May
• Hiking in Europe in June
• Hiking in Europe in July
• Hiking in Europe in August
• Hiking in Europe in September
• Hiking in Europe in October
• Hiking in Europe in December

Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

Travel Better, Cheaper, Longer

Europe Travel Guide

Last Updated: April 18, 2024

From beautiful Paris to smoke-filled coffeeshops in Amsterdam, Oktoberfest to La Tomatina, Europe is a massive, diverse continent with an unlimited assortment of things to see and do. You won’t have any problem filling your time, whether you’re backpacking Europe for a few months on a budget or just spending a few weeks there on a well-earned vacation.

The continent boasts wonderful beaches, historical architecture, amazing wine, and tons of world-class festivals. Every country is incredibly different from the next too, providing limitless variety in what you do during your trip.

I first backpacked Europe in 2006 and was hooked immediately. I’ve been visiting every year since, have run tours around the continent, and even wrote a book on traveling in Europe . It’s a destination I love and never get tired of exploring.

This guide will give you an overview of Europe and the tips and tricks you need to start planning your trip. I’ve also written extensive travel guides to each country on the continent (linked below in this post) so you can get more in-depth information for your specific itinerary too!

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• Where to Stay
• How to Get Around
• How to Stay Safe
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on Europe

Click Here for Country Guides

Top 5 things to see and do in europe.

1. Tour the Greek Islands

These islands are the mecca of summer beach fun and each is unique in its own great way. There’s Ios (beach party central with archeological ruins and awesome boat tours); Kos (ancient ruins and nature); Crete (Bronze Age ruins of Knossos, hiking, beaches, and wine), Santorini (iconic blue water, white buildings, and local wineries); Mykonos , (the upscale party island with beautiful beaches, villages, and sunsets), Naxos (best island in the Cyclades). Plus, Milos, Corfu, Lemnos, Zakynthos, and so many more! With hundreds of islands in the country, you can always find what you are looking for!

2. Ride the rails

Europe is famous for its international rail system. Rail passes like the Eurail Pass have been around forever and still make it very easy to get from country to country on a relatively small budget (and with lots of flexibility). Europe has some of the fastest trains in the world that travel up to an incredible 217 mph (350 kph). The whole continent is connected by trains and there’s a growing push for even more connections and long-distance, high-speed trains in order to reduce flying and help combat climate change. There’s nothing more quintessential than riding the trains in Europe and I encourage you to take as many trains as possible. It’s one of the best ways to see the continent.

3. Get lost in Paris

The “City of Lights” is everything people say it is. I fell in love with it the first time I stepped foot in Paris . The city is just magical. You have a ton of museums, cafes, jazz clubs, famous art, and beautiful architecture. I love just strolling around the streets of the Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter) or Montmartre neighborhood as it makes for a breathtaking day. Another one of my favorite things to do here is just sit in the Jardin des Champs-Élysées park and picnic like the Parisians. For something a bit different, check out the famous Catacombs and Paris Sewer Museum. With so much to offer in the way of culture, history, and gastronomy, it would take years to see everything here but you can still get a good feel of the city in a few days.

4. Go city hopping

There are so many amazing cities in Europe that we’d need a top 100 to list them all. Here are some of my personal favorites and must-see cities: London is rich in history, culture, and the famous Big Ben clock; Edinburgh is a vibrant medieval city with cozy pubs and a famous castle with a huge New Year’s Eve Party; Amsterdam has cozy coffee shops and canopied tree-covered canals; Berlin has a wild party scene, street art, and the Berlin Wall; Barcelona has tapas, beach, and unique Gaudi architecture; coastal Lisbon has colorful tiles, old tramcars, cobblestone streets and plenty of fresh seafood; Prague has a beautiful intact Old Town, incredible architecture and eclectic bars; Tallinn Estonia has beautiful medieval buildings with colorful roofs. Florence  is a mecca for Italian Renaissance architecture, art history, and gelato; Stockholm mixes medieval architecture and modern art and design. Crisscross the continent, take in the culture, and enjoy all the historic cities!

5. Hit the Alps

Whether you go skiing in the winter or hiking in the summer, the Alps hold some of the most breathtaking views in all the world. You don’t even need to be an expert hiker because there are mountain trails for all levels and crystal-clear Alpine lakes. Check out the spectacular Eibsee trail loop in Bavaria at the foot of Die Zugspitze, Germany’s tallest mountain, for the clearest, multi-colored, sparkling lake you’ve ever seen. Or the Männlichen Kleine Scheidegg Panorama trail in Switzerland’s stunning green and snow-capped Alps. Or visit Italy’s Dolomites in South Tyrol for the scenic Seceda trail. The Alps have trails for every fitness level and in every season.

Other Things to See and Do in Europe

1. tour amsterdam.

I love Amsterdam so much that I lived here for a short period of time in 2006. Here cobblestone and brick streets weave around lovely canals as people ride their bikes to and fro. My favorite things to enjoy here are Amsterdam’s vibrant art and music scene and there are also a ton of interesting museums here like the Anne Frank House, FOAM, the history museum, and the hemp museum. Be sure you get out of the center into Jordaan and Oost with their wonderful outdoor cafes and fewer tourists. Also, a visit to Amsterdam wouldn’t be complete without a canal cruise to visit the many islands and there are many to choose from that include snacks and drinks, sunset cruises, live guided tours, and more.

2. Hang out in Barcelona

Barcelona is a city that goes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It truly could give NYC a run for the “city that never sleeps” title. Be prepared for late-night dinners and parties until dawn. Besides a great food and nightlife scene, there is a wonderful beach, tons of Gaudi architecture (including the fairytale-like Parc Güell, as well as the iconic Sagrada Familia , which has been under construction for over 100 years!), incredible food tours, one of the best history museums in the country, and lots of outdoor spaces. What I love about Barcelona is that when you’re ready to chill, you can wander around Parc de la Ciutadella and marvel at the majestic fountains, plant life, and buildings created from an ornate military fortress.

3. Visit Berlin

Hip and trendy Berlin is an energetic destination. It is one of Europe’s most affordable capital cities, with a vibrant music and art scene and a growing foodie movement. Be sure to spend some time learning about the city’s darker history via the many excellent museums, memorials, and landmarks. The East Side Gallery, a section of the Berlin Wall that’s now painted with murals, and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe are two especially powerful reminders of Germany’s past. For all periods of German history, don’t miss the Deutsches Historisches Museum (German Historical Museum) – it’s one of the best history museums in the world. Once you’ve had your fill of history, relax in Berlin’s many green spaces, from Tempelhof Field, the site of a former airfield and popular local hangout spot, to Tiergarten, a tree-covered former hunting ground for 17th-century aristocrats.

4. Drink beer at Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest is a must for anyone going to Germany at the end of September. While not a budget option since beers now cost 15 € a maß, I love the energy and friendly camaraderie this event inspires. For two weeks, millions of people from all over the world gather for lots of beer, excitement, music, and wild fun. Watching thousands of people sing together, raising quart-sized beer mugs for endless toasts, and enjoying the general party atmosphere makes you feel good about the world. (Or maybe that’s just the beer?) Just be sure to book your accommodation well in advance and be prepared to pay top prices for them. If you don’t have an outfit, don’t worry, there are plenty of shops even at the main train station where you can buy a Bavarian dirndl dress and men’s lederhosen.

5. Experience London

Get a taste of English culture in diverse London . The museums here are some of the best in the world (most are free) and include the Tate, the British Museum, the City Museum, the National Gallery, the Historical Museum. There’s no shortage of iconic sights here as well, with Big Ben, the House of Parliament, the London Eye, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and of course, Buckingham Palace. I love London’s diversity because of the countless international eateries with great food and wonderful pub culture, perfect for after a long day seeing the sights. Head to Brick Lane on the weekends for some amazing food and craft markets. I prefer Paris to London, but there is something sophisticated and fun about London. Just watch those pints — London is not a cheap destination!

6. Get outdoors in Scandinavia

My favorite region in Europe is Scandinavia. The quality of life here is high, the people are beautiful and friendly, and the cities are clean and historic. Cycling the cities, taking canal tours, hiking the vast forested areas, archipelago hopping, enjoying fika (a Swedish coffee break), and warming up in saunas are just a few of the popular activities that await you here. True, this area of Europe is not cheap, but there are plenty of ways to reduce your expenses. Don’t let the high prices scare you away. Highlights for me include Copenhagen , Stockholm , Gotland, Norway’s fjords, and Lapland in Finland .

7. Get enchanted in Prague

Prague has an amazing history and is one of the most beautiful and picturesque cities I’ve ever seen. Highlights include the 9th-century Prague Castle, the magnificent Charles Bridge (built in the 14th century and one of the oldest standing bridges in the world), the 10th-century old square with its iconic astronomical clock, and the winding Jewish Quarter. Even if you only have a few days there don’t miss the free walking tour which is one of my favorites in Europe and the best way to learn about the Old Town and the tragic history of the city that went from thriving Bohemian capital of art, music, and literature to part of the Iron Curtain after WWII. Some of my favorite gems here include the fantastic black light theater shows in 4D and the one-of-a-kind medieval dinner show in an old tavern complete with musicians and jugglers not to mention hearty food and drinks. During the weekends it heaves with people enjoying the bars, cheap beer, and delicious food so try to visit during the week (and in the spring or fall) to beat the crowds.

8. Relax on the French Riviera

Here, you can pretend to live the high life for a little bit. Have fun in the sun, relax on the beach, swim in azure blue water, hobnob with the rich and famous, and sail on (or gaze at) gigantic yachts. As for cities, Nice is nice with its palm-tree-lined promenade, old town, and many art museums. If you want to go see how the rich and famous live, spend an afternoon checking out Cannes to soak up some glamorous vibes on La Croisette where they hold the famous Cannes Film Festival. The kingdom of Monaco with its tiny streets, beautiful buildings, and world-famous casino is just a skip away too.

9. Enjoy the great outdoors in Interlaken

Located in the beautiful mountains of Switzerland, Interlaken is a gorgeous place to unwind with fantastic hiking, delicious hot chocolate, and plenty of outdoor sports. The area is full of natural attractions to explore, including the St. Beatus Caves (complete with a legendary dragon), the cascading 500-meter-high (1,640 feet) Giessbach Waterfalls, the Jungfraujoch mountain railway (which leads to the highest train station on the continent), and a plethora of lakes (hence the town’s name). It’s a good alternative to all the cities and museums. Interlaken is also a popular party destination for backpackers and other young travelers. By far, my favorite scenic and visually stunning trail was the Oberberghorn panoramic hike, where you can wander the green mountain ridge ogling the amazing views and the turquoise-blue Brienzersee.

10. Experience history in Rome

In this thriving historical city, you can’t walk two feet without stumbling over a ruin, making Rome a history buff’s dream. Its tiny streets are perfect for wandering as you explore the Colosseum, see the Forum and Palatine Hill, visit the Pantheon, spend time in Vatican City, admire the Spanish Steps, and toss coins into the famous Trevi Fountain. The skip-the-line tickets can definitely be worth it so you don’t waste time waiting outside attractions. Rome also has amazing food (it’s Italy, after all) and nightlife. Visit the Trastevere area for a taste of “local” Rome and chill bars. It’s my favorite area in the city because you feel like you’re in a small village in the middle of a big city.

11. Hike around the Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre is my favorite part of Italy. These five beautiful cliffside towns are perched near warm waters and beautiful olive and grape groves. There are wondrous and strenuous hikes in these hills; for a real challenge, take trail #8. Or just walk the coastline for something less difficult. Many activities here revolve around the coastline: kayaking, swimming, having a beach picnic or visiting the Technical Naval Museum. If you happen to be here in December or January, don’t miss the Nativity Manarola, the world’s biggest lighted nativity scene.

12. Tour Krakow

Krakow looks like it stepped out of a medieval postcard. It’s a hip, trendy, and youthful city that’s the center of education in Poland, meaning there are a lot of university students here. Most travelers come to party here (the vodka is cheap) but try to enjoy the city’s history and food besides just the bars. Walk the Royal Road through the Old Town to the 13th-century Wawel Castle, tour Schindler’s Factory (where Schindler saved over 1,200 Jews during World War II), and visit the sobering Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. You can also take a fascinating day trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Wieliczka Salt Mine, a 13th-century mine with cavernous chambers, statues, chapels, chandeliers, and cathedrals all carved out of salt.

13. Visit the ruin bars in Budapest

The coolest nightlife in all of Europe is found in Budapest . Built in abandoned buildings, ruin bars feature funky art installations, repurposed furniture, and quirky decor. They are amazing, fun, and great places to meet locals, as people of all ages flock here. Open since 2001, Szimpla Kert is the original ruin bar and one of my favorites, along with Instant-Fogas Complex, which takes up an entire building and is actually many different bars in one. Don’t skip the ruin bars — they’re one of the most unique things about the city!

14. Explore Cornwall

The best part of England is outside London, yet unfortunately, not a lot of travelers leave London. Head west to the area of Cornwall for cheaper prices, welcoming locals, natural beauty, great hiking, rolling hills, plenty of medieval castles, and picturesque small towns. If you like biking, the Camel Trail from Bodmin to Padstow is worth the trip and you even pass by a local vineyard. It’s an easy way to spend a day (and it’s pretty flat so it’s not too hard to do.) Plus, I had the best fish and chips in Cornwall! Overall, it’s what you think of as “traditional England.”

15. Walk the Camino

El Camino de Santiago (The Way of Saint James) is an ancient pilgrimage route that stretches from France all the way across northern Spain. It is a 500 mile (800 km) trail that winds through incredible terrain, ending in Santiago de Compostela at the cathedral where St. James is supposedly buried. As a pilgrim, you get a “pilgrim’s passport” which allows you to stay in affordable pilgrim-only hostels, making this a surprisingly budget-friendly adventure. While it usually takes over a month to complete, you can just walk a section if you don’t have the time. To receive a “Compostela” (certificate of completion), you just need to walk the last 62 miles (100 km), which generally takes 4-5 days.

16. Throw tomatoes during La Tomatina

By far my favorite festival, the largest food fight in the world happens during the last Wednesday of August in Bunol, Spain. What started in 1945 as a local brawl has turned into a massive event drawing tens of thousands of people from all over the world. For about an hour, everyone throws tomatoes at each other, leaving streets ankle-deep in tomato juice. Afterward, everyone walks down to the river, cleans off, and then heads to the town square for sangria and music.

17. Find Dracula in Romania

Not a lot of people visit Romania but this underrated country in Eastern Europe has undiscovered yet picturesque medieval towns like Brasov (home to “Dracula’s castle”), Sighisoara, and Sibiu; gorgeous beaches on the Black Sea; and incredible hiking in the Fagaras Mountains — all at dirt-cheap prices. Other major sights include frescoed Byzantine monasteries, the steepled wooden churches of Transylvania, the hip university town Cluj-Napoca, the post-communist capital of Bucharest, and the Danube Delta, a huge nature reserve.

18. Drink whisky in Islay

Whisky has a long history on Islay , an island off Scotland’s west coast. It’s been made there since the 16th-century — first in backyards and then, starting in the 19th-century, in large distilleries. Over the years, whisky from the island came to be considered a specialty and was used to flavor a lot of other blends on the mainland. There are currently nine working distilleries on the island, all located along the island’s shores, with Laphroaig, Ardbeg, and Lagavulin being the most famous. Most distilleries here make single-malt Scotch, meaning that only one type of grain (barley) is used. My visit here was amazing and, even if you don’t like whisky, there are tons of good hikes and walks throughout this magnificent island.

19. Explore Iceland

Iceland is a magical country with majestic waterfalls, hidden hot springs around every corner, and sweeping vistas unlike anywhere else in the world. After my first visit, the country quickly became one of my favorite countries. With whale watching in the summer, the northern lights in the winter, and geothermal baths for soaking in year-round, there really is no bad time to visit! While Iceland’s main draw is the epic natural landscapes, it’s worth spending a couple of days in Reykjavik with its café culture, artsy feel, and brightly colored wooden row houses.

20. Sail the Croatian coast

With calm winds, short distances, a coastline littered with over 1,000 islands, and countless historical sites, Croatia is one of the world’s best sailing destinations. If you can, go during the shoulder season when you can find some great deals. Plan to stay at least a couple of days on one of the islands, with the most popular being Brac, Hvar, Krk, Cres, and Lošinj. However, don’t be afraid to get off the beaten path and explore some of the lesser-known islands such as Silba, Vis, and Lastovo. If you want to splash out and spend a week partying on a yacht, check out The Yacht Week, which hosts week-long parties, complete with DJs, from May-September. You can book a full boat to share with friends or just a cabin if you’re traveling solo. Prices start at 5,250 HRK per person and go up to 9,300 HRK.

21. Explore the Balkans

While the Balkans have become more popular with backpackers in recent years, it’s still largely overlooked by most budget travelers, despite being an extremely budget-friendly region. The Balkan peninsula is home to great (and again, overlooked) wine, beautiful medieval towns like Kotor and Mostar, stunning mountainous landscapes, beautiful pebble beaches, coffee culture, fresh, hearty yet inexpensive food, and museums covering the area’s history, including the most recent turbulent events of the early 1990s. I especially loved my time in Albania . Don’t miss the beautiful beaches in Ksamil, nicknamed the “Maldives of Europe’ as well as the mountain village of Gjirokastër, which was occupied by Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans. The Balkans have so much to offer for every budget and every country has its unique cultural flavor.

22. Take a wine tour in the Loire Valley

Located in central France, the picturesque Loire Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site and stretches 280 kilometers (174 miles) along the Loire River. One of the major wine-producing regions of France, the area is home to some of the best wines in the world, with over 1,000 vineyards open to the public. Even those who don’t drink wine will enjoy the beautiful small towns, great food, and the region’s over 300 impressive chateaux. I loved the medieval Chenonceau Castle and Chateau Villandry and the small villages like Saint-Florent-le-Vieil. Spring and Autumn are my favorite times to visit because you can go biking and do outdoor activities when it’s not too hot and there are fewer people. It’s an area not to be missed.

23. See Fado in Portugal

Fado is an important musical tradition in Portugal , originating in Lisbon and stretching back some 200 years. The word “fado” likely stems from the Latin word for fate, and it’s very haunting, poetic, and emotional music. Most of the songs follow themes of loss and mourning, and the music was popular with the working class (especially sailors). Performances normally take place in restaurants during dinner. In Lisbon, head to Clube de Fado, Tasca do Chico, Parreirinha de Alfama, or Senhor Vinho.

24. Tour green Slovenia

Slovenia is one of Europe’s least-visited destinations, which is mind-blowing to me because it’s an amazing place to visit. Slovenia offers all the beauty of Western Europe but at a fraction of the cost and with a fraction of the crowds. Perfect for outdoor adventure lovers, Slovenia offers rugged mountains, untouched landscapes, fantastic ski resorts, plentiful wine, sprawling cave systems, incredible food, and postcard-perfect lakes, such as the famous Lake Bled with its castle on an island. I loved Piran, Slovenia’s often overlooked coastal Venetian-style harbor town that was actually founded 3000 years ago. Stroll around its beautiful windy cobble-stoned streets, beautiful plazas, and take advantage of the many affordable restaurants right on the water. Make sure to also spend a few days in the country’s capital, Ljubljana, known as one of the continent’s greenest and most livable cities. Take a river cruise to see the city and enjoy the friendliness of the locals.

  For more information on specific countries in Europe, check out the guides below:

• Albania Travel Guide
• Austria Travel Guide
• Belgium Travel Guide
• Belarus Travel Guide
• Bosnia & Herzegovina Travel Guide
• Bulgaria Travel Guide
• Czechia Travel Guide
• Croatia Travel Guide
• Denmark Travel Guide
• England Travel Guide
• Estonia Travel Guide
• Finland Travel Guide
• France Travel Guide
• Germany Travel Guide
• Greece Travel Guide
• Hungary Travel Guide
• Iceland Travel Guide
• Ireland Travel Guide
• Italy Travel Guide
• Latvia Travel Guide
• Lithuania Travel Guide
• Malta Travel Guide
• Moldova Travel Guide
• Montenegro Travel Guide
• Netherlands Travel Guide
• Norway Travel Guide
• Portugal Travel Guide
• Poland Travel Guide
• Romania Travel Guide
• Scotland Travel Guide
• Slovakia Travel Guide
• Slovenia Travel Guide
• Spain Travel Guide
• Sweden Travel Guide
• Switzerland Travel Guide
• Ukraine Travel Guide

Europe Travel Costs

Accommodation – Accommodation prices vary greatly by region. In Western Europe, hostel dorm rooms cost between 25-45 EUR per night, depending on the room’s size and the popularity of the hostel. I stayed in a 6-bed dorm in Berlin for 20 EUR, while the same one would have cost me around 45 EUR in Paris. A room in Paris costs on the higher end and a room in cheaper Athens costs on the lower end.

In Eastern Europe, hostel dorm rooms cost between 10-15 EUR per night depending on the size of the dorm room and the popularity of the hostel. The further east you go, the cheaper it gets. Expect to pay around 30-60 EUR per night for a private room that sleeps two.

In Scandinavia, hostel dorm beds cost around 25-45 EUR, while private rooms are 65-80 EUR. Budget hotels start around 85 EUR.

Most accommodations offer free linens, free Wi-Fi, and a lot offer free breakfast, but it’s important to check specific websites for exact amenities.

Campsites cost between 10-15 EUR per night for a basic plot for two without electricity.

Food – Food traditions in Europe run deep, stretching back centuries to become integral parts of each country’s culture. From baguettes in France to tapas in Spain, from hearty Eastern European stews and goulash to the fresh vegetables and olive oils of the Mediterranean, European cuisine varies as much as the countries themselves. Food prices differ greatly across the continent, so check individual country guides for specifics.

But no matter where you are, even in the more expensive countries, finding places to eat within your budget is easier than you might think. Throughout Western Europe, you can find small shops, street food stalls, or food trucks where you can get sandwiches, gyros, kebabs, slices of pizza, or sausages for between 3-7 EUR. These shops are most often found in train stations, bus stations, and main pedestrian areas, and offer cheap food alternatives that can have you eating on 12-17 EUR per day. Fast food (think McDonald’s) costs around 7-10 EUR for a combo meal.

Turkish, Middle Eastern, and Vietnamese eateries abound in Germany, while Indian food is incredible and everywhere in the United Kingdom. Meals at these restaurants usually cost between 8-12 EUR.

Restaurant meals in casual, traditional eateries generally cost around 13-25 EUR for a main dish and drink. Food is much cheaper in the east than in the west, and in the west, northern regions like Scandinavia and the UK are more expensive than southern countries like Spain, Portugal, and Italy.

In Eastern Europe, even if you are eating out for all your meals, you can still get by on a food budget of as little as 15 EUR per day.

For drinks, a pint of beer is 2-5 EUR, a glass of wine is 2-7 EUR, a cappuccino is 2-5 EUR, and cocktails range from 6-14 EUR.

If you eat out, do so at lunch and get the prix-fixe menu (two-course or three-course set menu). Restaurants offer this set menu during lunch, and with prices between 10-20 EUR, it’s a way better deal than the regular dinner menu. You can also get affordable lunches at outdoor markets. So many European cities have huge fresh food markets throughout town.

You can cook your own food for around 45-65 EUR per week. This gets you basic staples like rice, pasta, seasonal produce, bread, and some meat. You can save money by shopping at discount supermarkets like Profi, Lidl, Aldi, and Penny Market.

If you want to save big money on meals, head to one of the markets, pick up some cheese, wine, bread, meats, or anything else, and go to the park for a picnic. (Or grab a sandwich for later!) You’ll find the locals doing the same thing, and it’s one of the cheaper ways to get a true taste of local food.

Backpacking Europe Suggested Budgets

Prices for travel in Europe vary greatly depending on how far north, east, south, or west you travel. If you stick to the budget accommodations, food, and tours listed here and use all my tips on saving money, you need about 65-110 EUR per day in Western Europe, 40-50 EUR in Eastern Europe, and about 85-130 EUR in Scandinavia.

Those numbers reflect a traveler who stays in hostels, cooks some meals and eats out cheaply, enjoys a few drinks, and sticks to free and cheap activities like hiking, walking tours, and enjoying nature. This is your typical backpacker budget. You aren’t going to have a fancy time, but you aren’t going to want for anything either.

However, by getting tourist cards and rail passes, avoiding flights, occasionally Couchsurfing or camping, cooking all your meals, and not drinking, you can travel a lot cheaper. On this budget, you could do Western Europe on 35-45 EUR per day, Eastern Europe on 20-25 EUR, and Scandinavia on 50-65 EUR. That would require you to take a train or a bus or hitchhike everywhere, skip most museums, and limit how often you go out.

Generally, the suggested daily budget for Europe is 80-120 EUR. You can use the chart below to get an idea of how much you need to budget daily. Keep in mind these are daily averages – some days you’ll spend more, some days you’ll spend less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in EUR.

Europe Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

Individual country guides have more specific information on how to save money in them but here are some general tips on cutting your costs while you explore Europe:

• Picnic – This continent has a lot of little shops where you can buy pre-made sandwiches or ingredients to make your own. Many supermarkets have delis as well where you can get food to go. Buy some food, eat outside, and watch the city and its people go by. It’s a much more enjoyable and cheaper way to eat.
• Eat local and cheap – Not into picnicking? Eat at local sandwich shops, pizza parlors, Maoz, Wok to Walks, and outdoor street vendors. Avoiding restaurants and eating at a lot of the local “grab n’ go” places gives you a taste of the local cuisine at a much cheaper price. If you’re really on a budget, use your creative cooking skills to prepare meals at the hostel as well.
• Stay with a local – Hostels can add up really quickly. If you don’t have any friends with whom you can stay, consider using Couchsurfing , which connects you with locals who let you stay with them for free. Plus, they tend to also have meetups to meet other locals and travelers. It’s a great way to save on accommodation and meet a local who can share their insider tips and advice.
• Camp in a garden – A very good camping service specific to Europe is Campspace , which allows you to pitch a tent in someone’s backyard for free or for a small fee (around 10-20 EUR). All of the garden owners have profiles that tell you what services and facilities they offer. Also, many countries allow wild camping (like Sweden), which can save you a fortune if you have a tent.
• Take the bus – Budget bus companies like Flixbus can take you across the continent for cheap. I personally feel it’s best for day travel as sitting up for an overnight bus isn’t really ideal for sleeping. It isn’t glamorous, but with tickets starting at 5 EUR, you really can’t complain!
• Get a Rail Pass – Eurail Passes have saved me hundreds of dollars. If you are traveling far distances and through many countries, they are a great deal.
• Take the free city tours – One of the great things about Europe is that you can find free walking tours in all the major cities. They can be a great way to see the city attractions, take in some history, and learn your bearings without spending any money. Just make sure to tip your guide at the end!
• Plan accordingly – Plan your trip around Europe so you avoid doubling back. Transportation is a big expense so proper planning can save you a lot of money (and time). Go in a straight line or a loop. Booking your accommodation ahead helps you save as well since cheap, good places unsurprisingly get reserved first. One thing I’ve learned is that waiting until the last minute means you get stuck with expensive places or cheap places no one wants.
• Fly cheap – If you know where you are going and a train won’t do, try to book flights early. You can often get round trip fares for as little as 5 EUR from many of the European discount airlines like Ryanair or Wizz. Many capital cities have smaller airports farther from the city with ‘inconvenient’ times but cheaper fares. Keep in mind you might need to factor in an early morning Uber or taxi if the busses aren’t running and you have an early flight!
• Drink less – Those 5 EUR beers add up. Hit happy hours or pick and choose when you party. Hostel bars are a good place to get cheap drinks or buy your alcohol at the supermarket. Plus, in Europe, it’s legal to drink outside in parks, plazas, by the lakes or rivers. You’ll find you can save a lot of money by not going to bars and clubs. Partying your way across the continent will destroy your bank balance in no time.
• Get a city tourist card – Many local tourism offices sell a tourism card for all their attractions, tours, and restaurants. This card gives you free entry and substantial discounts on all the attractions and tours in a city, free local public transportation (a huge plus), and discounts at a few restaurants and shopping malls. They save a ton of money. If you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing, get one of these cards.
• Rideshare – If you’re flexible in your schedule, use the ridesharing service BlaBlaCar to catch rides with locals between cities (or countries) by paying a small fee. It’s like Airbnb but for rides. I used this service in Switzerland and, not only did I save a lot of money, but I got to meet interesting people and learn about local culture and life. Drivers are verified and it’s perfectly safe, though sometimes rides cancel at the last minute (which is why you need to be flexible). Check their ratings first and try to use rides where the person has done many trips.
• Bring a water bottle – The tap water is safe to drink in most of Europe, so bring a reusable water bottle to save money and reduce your plastic use. LifeStraw is my go-to brand as their bottles have built-in filters to ensure your water is always clean and safe.
• Get a HostelPass – HostelPass is a discount membership for hostels in Europe. Members get 10-20% off select hostels around Europe, as well as perks like free breakfast or free drinks. There are discounts on tours and activities too. It’s a great way to save money if you’re bouncing around Europe as they have hostels in 18 countries around the continent.

Where to Stay in Europe

Europe has a ton of budget accommodation options. The individual country and city guides have tons of recommendations but here’s a short list of some of my favorite budget hostels and hotels around Europe:

• The Flying Pig (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
• Hotel 54 (Barcelona, Spain)
• Generator Hostel (Copenhagen, Denmark)
• Harcourt Hotel (Dublin, Ireland)
• Castle Rock (Edinburgh, Scotland)
• Ios Palm Pansion (Ios, Greece)
• Greg and Tom’s Party Hostel (Krakow, Poland)
• Largo da Sé Guest House (Lisbon, Portugal)
• Sophie’s Hostel (Prague, Czech Republic)
• The Yellow (Rome, Italy)
• City Backpackers (Stockholm, Sweden)

How to Get Around Europe

Public transportation – Transportation around most European cities is by tram, subway, or bus. Prices are typically around 2 EUR for a one-way ticket in Western Europe and closer to 1 EUR in Eastern Europe. Most large cities also have day passes available that offer unlimited public transportation. These passes are usually 5-12 EUR per day.

In large cities with international airports, there is usually a bus or train available that ferries travelers from the downtown core to the airport. Expect to pay around 5-15 EUR to get to/from the airport.

Bus – Buses are not quite as comfortable as Europe’s trains, although certain lines do have great amenities (like roomy seats and Wi-Fi). While buses are not the most efficient way to travel around the continent, they’re certainly dependable, reliable, and cheap. You can find last-minute rides for as little as 5 EUR. A route from Berlin to Munich is about 25 EUR, while Paris to Bordeaux can be as low as 10 EUR. Longer routes, like Amsterdam to Copenhagen, start at around 47 EUR.

Each country has its own national bus service, but some lines also take you long distances internationally. Megabus and Flixbus (which now owns Eurolines) are the most popular companies.

Train – Train travel is a great way to see Europe. Intercity train prices vary wildly from country to country, depending on whether you take the slow train or a high-speed train and how far in advance you book. For example, a high-speed train from Berlin to Munich costs around 38-60 EUR, Bordeaux to Paris is about 50-85 EUR, and Madrid to Barcelona ranges from 45-85 EUR. Non-high-speed trains and other intercity lines are a lot cheaper, generally costing about 40-50% of the price of high-speed trains. Eastern Europe inter-country trains usually cost between 45-100 EUR when the ticket is booked last minute. Short train rides of 2-3 hours within countries cost about 27 EUR.

To find routes and prices for trains around Europe, use Trainline .

You may also want to consider getting a Eurail Pass , which allows travelers to explore Europe by providing a set number of stops in a specific time period. These passes are continent-wide, country-specific, or regional. It can potentially save you hundreds of dollars.

Ridesharing/Car sharing – If your schedule is flexible, use a ridesharing service and catch rides with locals between cities (or countries). Drivers are verified and it’s perfectly safe. BlaBlaCar is the most popular.

If you’d rather rent a car yourself and find passengers to share a ride with, use Discover Cars to find the best car rental prices.

Flying – Budget airlines are so prolific that competition helps keep fares low. You can often find tickets where the fare is just 5 EUR round-trip! Companies like EasyJet, Ryanair, Wizz, and Vueling offer mind-blowingly cheap flights throughout Europe. Book at least a month early to scoop up great deals.

Make sure that the airport they fly into isn’t too far out of your way (transportation from the secondary airport sometimes negates the savings from using the budget airline itself).

Keep in mind that you’ll have to pay to check your baggage on these cheap flights. It costs about 25-39 EUR for one checked bag. If you wait to pay for your luggage at the gate, you end up paying almost double. Travel carry-on only to avoid this added cost.

Hitchhiking – Hitchhiking in Europe is very safe, but it’s not for everyone. Hitching is quite common around the continent and I’ve met a number of travelers who have done it (I, myself, traveled this way in Bulgaria and Iceland). Some countries are very supportive (Romania, Iceland, Germany) while others may be a bit more time-consuming (Italy, Spain). HitchWiki is the best website for hitchhiking info.

Here are my suggested articles for how to get around Europe:

• 7 Cheap Ways to Travel Across Europe
• Are Eurail Passes a Giant Scam or Do They Save You Money?
• The Ultimate Guide to Finding Cheap Flights

When to Go to Europe

There’s no wrong time to visit Europe. Peak season is summer, when Europe gets crowded and August is the time most European families are at the beach so everything becomes more crowded and expensive. But the overall atmosphere and weather are great during this time, so it’s still worth visiting during peak season (just book your accommodation in advance — especially in August). Keep in mind it’s much hotter in summer so if you like AC, be sure to check that your hostel or hotel has it before you book. You can expect the most crowds in Western Europe. For this reason, I feel summer is a great time to visit the Balkans and the Baltics because many people head to the beaches in Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, and Greece.

Shoulder season is spring and fall (April-May and September-October). It’s still warm during this time but there aren’t as many crowds and prices are cheaper. This is my favorite time to visit hotspot places like Spain, Croatia and Greece, where it’s still hot enough to swim in the sea but you have way more room on the beach. It’s also a good time to go hiking in the Alps in Germany, northern Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland because it’s cooler during the day so you’re much less sweaty on the mountain without shade. The weather is good, the crowds are smaller, and the prices lower.

Winter is from November to February but in much of Central Europe, it’s wet and cold until March or April. It gets cold, even as far south as it gets (like Greece). On the other hand, the Christmas season has Christmas markets and festivals galore! Even if it’s cold, this is a cultural tradition you can’t miss and why I love Europe in December. There is hot mulled wine, sweets, and plenty of hot snacks, which vary by country. One of my favorites is Prague because the Old Town Square is lit up with a gigantic tree with aromas of crispy cinnamon pastries and mulled wine. Berlin takes their Christmas markets very seriously, so there are around 80 different markets with special themes.

Winter is fantastic in Europe for skiing and snowboarding but it doesn’t have to break the bank if you plan carefully. While Switzerland and France are probably the most famous, they are also expensive, but there are plenty of budget winter options.

How to Stay Safe in Europe

Europe is very safe for backpacking and solo traveling, even if you’re traveling solo, and even as a solo female traveler. Violent crimes against tourists are very rare. In fact, some of the safest countries in the world are in Europe. (I wrote a whole article about how Europe is safe to visit right now .)

That said, there are scams and petty crimes you should watch out for, especially around popular tourist landmarks. The most important thing to be aware of is pickpockets in crowds and on public transportation. Zip your bags and don’t put your mobile phone in a jacket pocket where someone could quickly take it. This should be obvious but don’t flash your money to let everyone know you have a huge wad of cash.

When choosing a hostel, look for ones with lockers. It’s always a good idea to carry around a padlock or combination lock. Most hostels are safe and travelers respect each other and I’ve rarely seen things happen to people’s valuables. Nevertheless, I always think that prevention is better.

As anywhere, the standard precautions apply (never leave your drink unattended at the bar, never walk home alone intoxicated, etc.). When at the bar, always keep an eye on your drink. Avoid walking home alone at night if you’re intoxicated.

For female travelers in particular, it’s always a good idea to have a bit of extra money on you just in case you need to take an Uber or taxi back by yourself so you don’t take unnecessary risks to save money. If you’re using apps to date people while traveling, please use common sense and meet in public places. Since I’m not a female traveler, please check out the numerous female bloggers who have first hand knowledge of this.

If you’re worried about scams, you can read about common travel scams to avoid here.

If you rent a vehicle, don’t leave any valuables in it overnight. Break-ins are rare, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Be aware that the UK drives on the left and that most rental cars in Europe will have manual transmissions unless you request otherwise.

When hiking, always bring water, sunscreen, and bandaids or foot plasters. There is nothing worse than being halfway up the mountain with a blister and nothing you can do about it!

Likewise, when at the coast, don’t forget not only to wear sunscreen! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people get burnt to a crisp the first day. Be sure to check the weather before you depart and dress accordingly.

If you do experience an emergency, dial 112 for assistance.

Always trust your gut instinct. Make copies of your personal documents, including your passport and ID. Forward your itinerary to loved ones so they know where you are.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. You can use the widget below to find the policy right for you:

Europe Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• HostelPass – This new card gives you up to 20% off hostels throughout Europe. It’s a great way to save money. They’re constantly adding new hostels too. I’ve always wanted something like this and glad it finallt exists.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• The Man in Seat 61 – This website is the ultimate guide to train travel anywhere in the world. They have the most comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions. If you are planning a long train journey or some epic train trip, consult this site.
• Rome2Rio – This website allows you to see how to get from point A to point B the best and cheapest way possible. It will give you all the bus, train, plane, or boat routes that can get you there as well as how much they cost.
• FlixBus – Flixbus has routes between 20 European countries with prices starting as low 5 EUR! Their buses include WiFi, electrical outlets, a free checked bag.
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
• Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!

GO DEEPER: Nomadic Matt’s In-Depth Budget Guide to Europe!

While I have a lot of free tips on Europe, I also wrote an entire book that goes into great detail on everything you need to plan a trip here on a budget! You’ll get suggested itineraries, budgets, even more ways to save money, my favorite restaurants, prices, practical information (i.e. phone numbers, websites, prices, safety advice, etc etc), and cultural tips.

I’ll give the insider view of Europe that I got from years of traveling and living here! The downloadable guide can be used on your Kindle, iPad, phone, or computer so you can have it with you when you go. Click here to learn more about my book on Europe!

Europe Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more tips for your trip? Check out all the articles I’ve written on Europe travel and continue planning your trip:

The 6 Best Hotels in Copenhagen

The 6 Best Hotels in Florence

The 7 Best Hotels in Madrid

The 6 Best Hotels in Vienna

The Best Walking Tours in Barcelona

How to Be a Digital Nomad in Europe

Get my best stuff sent straight to you, pin it on pinterest.

• Where To Stay
• Transportation
• Booking Resources
• Related Blogs

Cheap flights to Europe from $127

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 10/1. fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. click the price to replicate the search for this deal., flights to europe in 2024, find the latest flights to europe in 2024, with up-to-date prices and availability. in the last 7 days, cheapflights users made a total of 2,948,547 searches and data was last updated on april 30, 2024., find flights to europe, browse one-way and round-trip flights deals to europe on cheapflights. flight deals are based on user searches and were last updated on april 30, 2024, explore europe, cheap flights to europe in april & may 2024, discover affordable flights and deals to europe in april and may 2024. in the last 7 days, cheapflights users made a total of 2,948,547 searches and data was last updated on april 30, 2024., europe 2024 flight deals, explore flight deals for europe in 2024, offering the best prices and options to suit your preferences. in the last 7 days, cheapflights users made a total of 2,948,547 searches and data were last updated on april 30, 2024., flights to europe departing soon, discover available last-minute flight options to europe, providing immediate availability and potentially lower prices. in the last 7 days, cheapflights users made a total of 2,948,547 searches and data was last updated on april 30, 2024., one-way flights to europe, explore one-way flight options to europe for greater flexibility in your travel plans. find up-to-date pricing and availability for one-way flights. in the last 7 days, cheapflights users made a total of 2,948,547 searches and data was last updated on april 30, 2024., direct flights to europe, average price of flights to europe by month, plan your trip to europe by taking into account the cheapest months to travel. the average price of a one-way flight to europe is currently $140 while a round-trip flight costs $420. price data was last updated on april 28, 2024..

Currently, January is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight to Europe (average of $531). Flying to Europe in June will prove the most costly (average of $1,120). There are multiple factors that influence the price of a flight so comparing airlines, departure airports and times can help keep costs down.

Peak Season:

The peak season in Europe depends entirely on where you are going. You’ll find flights to Europe more expensive during the summer and school holidays, and generally from May until September is the peak months. However Southern Spain and parts of Greece have very pleasant weather during the winter too, so it all varies because of how big Europe is. You’ll want to secure your flight tickets early though to make savings on your flights to Europe, especially if you are visiting during a festival or half-term holiday.

Off Season:

Again this varies tremendously depending on where your flights to Europe are taking you. Countries such as Bulgaria and other Eastern European countries suffer from extremely low temperatures and lots of snowfall, however they have great ski and Winter sports activities on. Most popular destinations such as Spain, France and Germany are in the quietest period during the winter, so you’ll find cheap flights to Europe then, as well as good deals on your accommodation too. The cost of flight tickets also vary drastically depending on your country of choice so research several countries and find one that suits you before booking your flights to Europe.

Temperature and rainfall in Europe by month

Plan your trip to europe by taking into account the average temperature and rainfall totals by month..

If weather is an important factor for your trip to Europe, use this chart to help with planning. For those seeking warmer temperatures, July is the ideal time of year to visit, when temperatures reach an average of 62.6 F. Travelers looking to avoid the cold should look outside of January, when temperatures are typically at their lowest (around 39.2 F).

When is the best time to book a flight to Europe?

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a round-trip flight to europe. price data was last updated on january 28, 2024., aim to book your flights to europe at least a month or two in advance the save money on your flight tickets. this is especially necessary during the summer and during festivals as the cost of flights to europe will shoot up during the peak season. in the winter you can grab bargains on flights to europe and on accommodation, and while you can find deals last minute it’s still suggested to secure your flight tickets early. if you are flexible then you can find great deals on flights to europe, but the price will vary drastically from one european country to the next so decide on your ideal vacation destination before looking for flights to europe., reviews of airlines servicing europe, get insights into the airlines that provide service to europe. read reviews, discover amenities, and learn about the overall travel experience offered by airlines. use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to europe. reviews last updated april 30, 2024..

Entertainment

Food could have been better they served beef on the flight to India so they did not have enough option of the veg option for customers and half the flight did not get a meal

Where are the most popular flight destinations in Europe?

According to our users, the most popular flight destination in europe is united kingdom, followed by spain, italy, france and germany..

In terms of land area, Europe may be the second-smallest continent but the 50 or so European countries offer an extraordinary diversity, from Russia in the north to Greece in the south, west to the Azores and east to the border of Asia.

The countries of Western Europe are prosperous and stable and first in mind for family holidays, while some of the Central and Eastern European states are luring budget-minded travelers keen to enjoy the sun outside the pricey Eurozone.

Travelers visiting Europe have a wealth of holiday itineraries from which to choose: touring Ireland’s Burren limestone plateau, seeing the Northern Lights in Sweden or Norway and exploring the French villages in Provence, skiing in the Swiss Alps or relaxing on a beach in the Greek islands.

Europe’s jewel-like capitals have a captivating charm, with unique cultural, architectural and historic characters and sites. Romantic Paris is renowned as the beautiful City of Lights; stately Vienna was the center of the Habsburg Empire for more than 600 years; stunning spire-dotted Prague is a gem of art and architecture, while medieval Krakow was once Poland’s capital and seat of kings.

Getting to and around Europe

You can get the Airport Express directly from the airport, although it only makes 3 stops before returning the airport. Due to this you’ll have to jump on the metro to get to your final destination in Madrid, so if you’re carrying lots of baggage this can be quite tiresome and inconvenient. Another option is to get a taxi directly from the airport, although this can be quite costly. If there are a few of you to split the fare though, a taxi can be an ideal transport option. Perhaps the easiest way is to jump on the metro from T1 or T4 and go straight to the center of the city. The metro runs regularly and is an effective way to travel.

The easiest and one of the quickest ways to get to the center of Paris is to jump on the metro directly from the airport. A slightly cheaper option, although not as quick, is to get a bus. There is a regular bus service that operates from the airport and you can find times and destinations at the airport. Lastly you can opt for a taxi, although taxis in France are quite expensive. This is a quick way to get to your hotel so if you’re travelling with friends it can be a great option.

From Frankfurt airport you can get trains to any major city in Germany, as well as to the center of Frankfurt. You might also get a free shuttle transfer from your hotel, so once you’ve booked your flights to Europe, browse accommodation and see if you can find a hotel that offers this service as it makes getting to the city easy and cheap. If you want you can also get a taxi, it’ll take around 20-30 minutes depending on traffic but will cost more than the train. The cheapest option is to get one of the many buses that operate to and from the airport, you can find more information out regarding times and specific locations once you’ve arrived in the airport.

Europe is very well connected by planes, trains and buses. There are regular flights between major cities, especially from busy airport hubs in the UK, Germany or France, where low-cost airlines offer cheap flights around Europe.

Trains run throughout mainland Europe, with the Eurotunnel connecting the UK to France.

Buses (coaches) are a cheaper alternative, however, they are typically much slower and often less comfortable than trains.

If you’re driving, consider renting a diesel car, which often gets better mileage. They can be a good deal in countries that subsidize diesel. The UK and Ireland operate left-hand traffic but in the rest of Europe they drive on the right.

If you’re traveling independently, it is still worth checking out tours (such as a one-day city or 14-day country tours) that can be combined with your itinerary.

Tips for your stay in Europe

• Take only what you need so you can travel as light as possible. You’re going to have your luggage with you more than you think, and carrying around heavy bags all day doesn’t make for a fun vacation.
• Visiting in the off-season, which is anytime besides the summer months, is a great way to see more and avoid crowds. You can also meet more locals this way, since many Europeans vacation elsewhere in the summer.
• Spend at least five days in each city you visit instead of trying to cram several places in one trip. You get to know the neighborhood better this way and have a more fulfilling experience

What’s the weather like in Europe?

Mediterranean summers are hot and winters mild. In central and northern Italy and France, the climate is more temperate with humid summers and cold, damp winters. Spain and Portugal can be very hot and dry in summer, with cold and wet winters. Winter in Madrid and Spain’s high central region can be quite cold. Central Europe has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are hot to warm and winters cold with temperatures below freezing. Snow can fall as early as mid-September in the Alps, and the ski resorts start opening in November and remain open until April. A continuation of the Gulf Stream (North Atlantic Drift) keeps the climate in Scandinavia, the UK, Ireland, and Iceland fairly mild. Iceland’s climate is close to that of New York, and Scandinavia is more like New England or the Great Lakes region in the U.S. In the UK winters are cold and wet with occasional snow, and summers generally warm with showers. Most Europeans are on vacation in August. Some shops and attractions are closed in the cities, and the beaches and mountains are mobbed. Check your favorite travel website for tips on peak and off seasons.

Which airlines fly to Europe?

The major U.S. carriers that offer direct flights to Europe are American Airlines, Delta and United. If you have an international departure point, take a look at flights with Brussels Airlines or Air Berlin.

What should you pack for a flight to Europe?

European fashion tends to be a touch more formal than American fashion, so nice jeans and long-sleeve shirts are good choices for everyday wear. Bring comfortable shoes, as you’re going to do a lot of walking and Europe is known for cobblestone streets. The season and your destination play a large role in what you pack. You’re fine with only lighter clothes on a summer getaway in Madrid, whereas a winter trip to Berlin calls for heavier layers to stay warm.

What are some things to do in Europe?

If you find yourself in Rome, head north of the city center to experience Vatican City. Even those who aren’t religious appreciate the beauty of St. Peter’s Basilica and the art collections in the Vatican Museums. Those museums house works of some of the most famous Renaissance artists, including Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel. There’s so much to see here and it’s such a popular area that you should visit in the morning so you have plenty of time to take it all in. In the Wiltshire area of England about 2 hours outside of London is Stonehenge, considered one of the seven wonders of the Medieval world. The ring of massive stones is much more impressive in person than in pictures, and you can learn about it in the nearby visitor center or on a tour. To get as close to the stones as possible you need to book special access tickets. Keep in mind that these are very popular and require you to book well in advance. Even without special access, you can still get close enough for some great photos. After walking miles every day seeing the sights, there’s no better way to relax than dipping your toes into the white sand of one of Spain’s gorgeous beaches. To get away from it all, reserve a camping space on the Illas Cies, a group of three islands near Galicia. You get there by catching a ferry from Vigo. If you’d prefer something closer to the city, La Concha Beach is an exciting option right by San Sebastian.

What is the best way to travel around Europe?

Once you have compared flights to Europe, it’s time to consider how you’ll get around once you land. In general terms, Europe has very developed public transportation systems, including extensive railway networks. For example, many will book flights to Europe and then travel by train; for example, from Calais, France through the “Chunnel” to Dover, England. Other times it may be more convenient to find cheap flights to Europe arriving in one country and then riding a bus into another, such as from Geneva, Switzerland to Chamonix, France. Flying to Europe can also include European flights deals within countries, such as from Stockholm to Helsingborg. In this scenario, you may be surprised at how affordable European airfare can be.

How long is the flight to Europe?

Flights to Europe from the United States can vary quite a bit in duration depending on where you leave from. For example, a flight from Seattle, Washington, to London, England, can take just over 12h, including at least one layover, perhaps in Keflavik, Iceland. Then again, a flight from New York City to Brussels, Belgium, may take around 7h 15m, including a layover in Amsterdam, Holland. Chicago is a major departure point from the United States, with cheap flights to Europe departing from O’Hare International Airport and arriving in Berlin about 11h 30m later (including a layover in London). In general, it is best to compare flights to Europe at different times to make up for the time difference between continents. Book flights to Europe early in the morning, or even on “red-eye” flights so as to arrive in the evening, rather than late at night.

What do I need to do before my flight to Europe?

Europe flight deals are only the first part of your journey. Next, you will need to prepare by making sure your passport is current and valid and remembering to inform your credit card company or bank that you will be traveling. Remember to take note of any foreign exchange charges that may apply at European ATMs or points of sale. It’s also a good idea to confer with your mobile phone carrier to see if you will have service in Europe. Seasoned travelers will know that it’s helpful to begin adjusting your sleep schedule before traveling to avoid jet lag once you arrive.

Can I find cheaper flights to Europe if I am willing to have layovers?

Yes, flights with layovers are often cheaper than direct flights. Keep an eye out for flight deals to Europe on Cheapflights that require 1 or 2 stops for potential cost savings.

What is the best airline to fly to Europe?

Based on reviews from Cheapflights users, WestJet is rated the highest out of the airlines that fly to Europe.

What is the cheapest airport to fly to in Europe?

Malaga Airport is currently the cheapest airport to fly to in Europe. One-way flights to Malaga Airport typically cost $10, while round-trip flights cost around $10.

How much is a round-trip flight to Europe?

A round-trip flight to Europe will typically cost around $75, however they can be found for as little as $21.

Where does the fastest flight to Europe depart from?

For those looking to save time traveling to Europe, New York offers the quickest one-way flight (2 hours 0 minutes).

Does Kastrup Copenhagen Airport have rental cars?

Yes. Those touching down at Kastrup Copenhagen Airport can take advantage of the rental car services offered upon their arrival.

Are there hotels close to Kastrup Copenhagen Airport?

Yes. Kastrup Copenhagen Airport has hotels nearby for those requiring accommodations. Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport is the closest property to Kastrup Copenhagen Airport (0.0 mi away from Kastrup Copenhagen Airport).

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

Toggle through the tabs below to find thousands of options on cheapflights for your next trip., popular flight searches, check out other popular destinations found by fellow travelers in 2024, search flights to europe by cabin class, find flights to europe, based on your preferred cabin class, be it economy, premium economy, business, or first class., book a flight to one of these trending destinations, user searches for flights to these destinations increased 20% or more in the past 90 days compared to other destinations, book with flexibility, travel smart.

Winter is here! Check out the winter wonderlands at these 5 amazing winter destinations in Montana

• Plan Your Trip
• Budget Travel

How To Budget A Trip To Europe

Published: December 6, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Rozele Kuo

• Travel Essentials & Accessories
• Travel Guide
• Travel Tips

Introduction

Planning a trip to Europe can be an exciting and fulfilling experience, but it’s crucial to have a well-structured budget in place to ensure a stress-free journey. With proper planning and careful consideration, you can make the most of your limited funds and still have an incredible adventure exploring the diverse landscapes, rich history, and vibrant cultures that Europe has to offer.

In this comprehensive guide, we will take you through the essential steps to effectively budget your trip to Europe. From determining your travel dates to estimating transportation costs, accommodation expenses, meals, sightseeing, and other daily expenses, we’ll cover it all so you can plan your trip with ease and confidence.

Whether you’re a solo traveler, a couple, or a group of friends, these budgeting tips will help you make the most of your resources while giving you the freedom to indulge in wonderful experiences along the way.

Remember, budgeting requires careful consideration and flexibility. As you dive into the planning process, keep an open mind and be prepared to adjust your plans as you discover new opportunities or unforeseen expenses. This article aims to provide you with a solid foundation to start your budgeting journey and help you make the most of your trip to Europe.

So, let’s get started with step one: determining your travel dates.

Step 1: Determine your travel dates

The first step in planning a budget trip to Europe is to determine your travel dates. This will help you set a timeline for your trip and allow you to plan your budget accordingly.

Consider the time of year you want to travel. Europe experiences different seasons, each with its own advantages and drawbacks. The peak tourist season typically falls during the summer months when the weather is warm and the days are long. However, this also means that popular destinations will be crowded, and prices for accommodation and flights will be higher. On the other hand, traveling during the shoulder seasons (spring and fall) can provide pleasant weather, fewer crowds, and more affordable rates.

Once you have a general idea of your preferred travel dates, do some research to find out if there are any major events, holidays, or festivals happening in the destinations you plan to visit. These occasions might affect the availability and prices of accommodations and transportation. If you have specific events or festivals on your bucket list, make sure to factor them into your itinerary and budget.

Another important factor to consider when determining your travel dates is your personal schedule and commitments. Check with your employer, school, or any other relevant parties to ensure that your chosen dates won’t clash with any important obligations.

Lastly, be flexible with your travel dates if possible. Flights and accommodations tend to be more expensive during weekends and holidays. By adjusting your travel dates by a day or two, you may be able to save some money.

Once you have finalized your travel dates, you can move on to the next step: researching destinations and creating an itinerary.

Step 2: Research destinations and create an itinerary

Researching destinations and creating an itinerary is a crucial step in planning your budget trip to Europe. Having a well-planned itinerary will not only help you stay organized but also optimize your time and budget.

Start by making a list of the countries or cities you wish to visit during your trip. Consider factors such as your interests, must-see landmarks, and cultural experiences you want to have. Look for destinations that offer a variety of attractions and activities that align with your preferences.

Once you have your list, conduct in-depth research on each destination. Look for information on popular tourist spots, local customs, transportation options, and budget-friendly attractions. Take note of any entrance fees, transportation costs, and the availability of free or discounted passes like city cards or museum passes.

Consider the geographical proximity of the destinations you plan to visit. Exploring neighboring countries or cities can significantly reduce travel time and costs. Take advantage of Europe’s excellent train and bus networks, which often offer affordable and convenient intercity travel options.

When creating your itinerary, strike a balance between popular tourist destinations and off-the-beaten-path gems. While iconic landmarks are worth visiting, they are often more crowded and expensive. Discovering hidden gems and lesser-known attractions can offer a more authentic and budget-friendly experience.

Be flexible with your itinerary. Allow some open days in your schedule for spontaneity or to include any recommendations you receive from locals or fellow travelers along the way.

Consider the length of your stay in each destination. Allotting sufficient time in each city or country will allow you to explore at a leisurely pace without feeling rushed. Avoid overpacking your itinerary, as this can lead to exhaustion and unnecessary expenses.

Use online travel resources, guidebooks, and travel forums to gather information and gain insights from fellow travelers who have visited the destinations on your list.

By thoroughly researching destinations and creating a well-balanced itinerary, you can make the most of your budget and ensure a memorable trip to Europe.

Step 3: Calculate transportation costs

Transportation costs can significantly impact your budget when planning a trip to Europe. To effectively manage your expenses, it’s important to calculate and budget for transportation costs in advance.

Start by determining the most suitable mode of transportation for your trip. In Europe, you have a variety of options including flights, trains, buses, and even ferries. Each mode has its own advantages and price range, so consider factors such as travel time, convenience, and cost.

If you are traveling long distances between countries or cities, compare flight prices from budget airlines. Be sure to factor in any additional fees for baggage, seat selection, or priority boarding. Keep in mind that flights can be cheaper when booked in advance, and midweek or early morning flights often have lower fares.

Trains are a popular and convenient mode of transportation in Europe, offering scenic routes and easy access to city centers. Research the train networks and compare ticket prices, especially if you plan to travel extensively within a specific country or region. Look for discounted rail passes or regional tickets for additional savings.

Buses are another affordable option, especially for short to medium-distance travel. Many bus companies offer budget-friendly fares, and some even have overnight options that can save you money on accommodation for one night.

If you’re considering visiting multiple countries or regions, look into Eurail passes or intercountry travel deals. These can provide significant savings on transportation costs, especially for frequent travelers.

Once you have identified the modes of transportation that best suit your needs, create a transportation budget by estimating the costs for each leg of your journey. Don’t forget to account for transportation to and from airports or train stations, as well as any local public transportation you may need to use within cities.

Keep in mind that prices can fluctuate depending on the time of year and travel demand. Be flexible with your travel dates if possible, as this can help you secure lower fares.

It’s also a good idea to monitor travel booking websites or sign up for fare alerts to stay informed of any discounts or promotions. Consider using travel apps that compare prices across different modes of transportation to find the best deals.

By carefully calculating and budgeting for transportation costs, you can ensure that you have enough funds allocated to get you from one destination to the next without breaking the bank.

Step 4: Estimate accommodation expenses

When planning a budget trip to Europe, estimating accommodation expenses is a vital step. Accommodation costs can vary significantly depending on the destination, type of accommodation, and the time of year you plan to visit.

Start by determining your preferred type of accommodation. Europe offers a wide range of options, from budget hostels and guesthouses to mid-range hotels and luxurious resorts. Hostels are a popular choice for budget travelers, providing affordable dormitory-style rooms or private rooms at a lower cost. Guesthouses or bed and breakfasts can offer a more local and affordable experience. If you prefer more privacy and comfort, consider budget-friendly hotels or apartments.

Research the average cost of accommodation in your desired destinations. Use online booking platforms and hotel comparison websites to get an idea of the price range for different types of accommodations. Keep in mind that accommodation prices can vary depending on the city, neighborhood, and proximity to tourist attractions.

Consider the location of your accommodation. Staying in the city center or popular tourist areas tends to be more expensive. However, opting for accommodations in the outskirts or in lesser-known neighborhoods can often save you money without sacrificing convenience or safety.

Look for deals, discounts, and promotions. Many hotels and booking platforms offer early-bird discounts, last-minute deals, or discounted rates for longer stays. Additionally, consider using websites or apps that offer alternative accommodations like homestays, guesthouses, or vacation rentals.

Another option to lower accommodation costs is to consider sharing your room or apartment with other travelers. This can be done through websites or apps that connect travelers looking for roommates or complete apartments to rent together.

Be sure to read reviews and ratings of accommodations before booking. Look for honest feedback from previous guests to ensure that you are getting good value for your money.

Factor in additional costs such as taxes, city taxes, resort fees, or any required deposits. Some accommodations may also provide complimentary breakfast or amenities, so consider these perks when comparing prices.

As a budget traveler, don’t be afraid to opt for more affordable accommodations. Remember, you will be spending most of your time exploring the destinations and soaking up the local culture, so a comfortable and budget-friendly place to rest is often sufficient.

By estimating accommodation expenses and allocating a reasonable amount within your budget, you can ensure that you have suitable and affordable lodging throughout your trip to Europe.

Step 5: Plan for meals and daily expenses

Planning for meals and daily expenses is a crucial aspect of budgeting for your trip to Europe. By being mindful of your spending on food and other daily necessities, you can make your budget stretch further, allowing for more memorable experiences.

Start by setting a daily budget for meals. Research the typical cost of meals in your chosen destinations. Keep in mind that eating out at restaurants can be more expensive compared to grabbing a quick bite from local street food stalls or markets. Take advantage of the diverse culinary scene in Europe by sampling affordable yet delicious local dishes.

Consider cooking some of your own meals. If you have access to a kitchenette or are staying in an apartment-style accommodation, grocery shopping and preparing your own meals can save you a significant amount of money. Visit local supermarkets or farmers’ markets to buy fresh ingredients and experience a more authentic taste of the local cuisine.

Stay hydrated with tap water whenever possible. In many European countries, tap water is safe to drink and readily available. Avoid purchasing bottled water to save money and reduce plastic waste. Carry a reusable water bottle that you can refill throughout the day.

Plan for other daily expenses such as public transportation, sightseeing fees, and miscellaneous items like toiletries, souvenirs, and laundry. Research the cost of public transportation passes, such as day passes or weekly cards, as these can often provide better value compared to individual tickets. Look for free or discounted days at museums and attractions, and prioritize visiting budget-friendly or free attractions.

Keep track of your daily expenses and adjust your spending accordingly. Use budgeting apps or keep a journal to record your expenses, making it easier to identify areas where you might be overspending. By being conscious of your financial habits, you can make informed decisions and stay within your budget.

Consider purchasing a local SIM card or a portable Wi-Fi device to stay connected without incurring high roaming charges. This will allow you to access maps, translation apps, and travel information that can help you navigate and make informed choices while on the go.

Lastly, be open to experiencing the local culture without breaking the bank. Take advantage of free activities such as walking tours, exploring public parks, or attending local festivals and events. Engage with locals and fellow travelers for recommendations on hidden gems or budget-friendly activities.

By planning for meals and daily expenses in advance, you can ensure that you have sufficient funds allocated for essential needs while still embracing the local culture and enjoying your trip to Europe within your budget.

Step 6: Budget for sightseeing and activities

As you plan your budget trip to Europe, it’s essential to budget for sightseeing and activities. Europe offers a wealth of cultural, historical, and natural attractions that can enhance your travel experience.

Start by researching the popular landmarks and attractions in your chosen destinations. Look for entrance fees and any additional costs, such as audio guides or guided tours. Check if there are discounted tickets for students, seniors, or specific time slots with lower prices. Take note of any free or low-cost attractions as well.

Prioritize the attractions that interest you the most and allocate a budget for them. Determine the must-see sights and experiences that you don’t want to miss, and set aside a portion of your budget for these activities. Be realistic about what you can afford and create a list of alternative attractions in case some are beyond your budget.

Consider exploring the local culture and history through free or low-cost activities. Visit local markets, parks, and neighborhoods to get a sense of the local lifestyle. Attend free events or festivals that showcase the traditions and customs of the region you’re visiting.

Be open to alternative ways of experiencing attractions. For example, instead of purchasing a ticket to enter a museum, explore the exterior and gardens, or find free guided tours or audio guides online that offer insightful information. Take advantage of walking tours or self-guided tours available for free or at a lower cost.

Seek out local recommendations for hidden gems or off-the-beaten-path attractions that are often less crowded and more budget-friendly.

Utilize city tourist cards or sightseeing passes that offer discounted or bundled admission to multiple attractions. These cards can also include free public transportation, providing additional savings.

Remember to factor in any additional costs such as transportation to and from the attractions, meals, and souvenirs. It’s important to have a clear understanding of the total cost associated with each activity to avoid any surprises.

Lastly, be open to spontaneous discoveries and experiences. Some of the most memorable moments during your trip may come from unexpected encounters and hidden gems that aren’t necessarily part of your initial itinerary.

By budgeting wisely for sightseeing and activities, you can enjoy a fulfilling and enriching travel experience in Europe without stretching your budget too thin.

Step 7: Consider travel insurance and visa fees

When planning your budget trip to Europe, it is important to consider two crucial aspects: travel insurance and visa fees. These are essential components to ensure a smooth and worry-free journey.

Firstly, research and evaluate the importance of travel insurance for your trip. While it may seem like an additional cost, it provides protection and peace of mind in case of unexpected events such as trip cancellations, medical emergencies, or lost belongings. Determine the level of coverage you need, considering factors such as the length of your trip, the activities you plan to engage in, and the value of your belongings. Compare different travel insurance providers to find a policy that fits your needs and budget.

Be aware that some credit cards might offer limited travel insurance coverage. However, it is essential to carefully review the terms of the coverage to ensure it meets your specific requirements. If necessary, consider purchasing additional coverage through a dedicated travel insurance provider.

Secondly, check the visa requirements for the countries you plan to visit in Europe. The visa fees can vary depending on your nationality and the duration of your stay. Research the specific requirements for each country you plan to visit and find out if you need to apply for a visa in advance or if you can obtain one upon arrival.

Calculate the total cost of visa fees for all the countries you plan to visit and include this as part of your budget. It’s crucial to factor in the processing time for visa applications and any additional costs such as passport photos or transportation to the visa application centers.

It’s important to note that some countries in Europe are part of the Schengen Area, which allows for visa-free travel for certain nationalities. However, even if you are visa-exempt, you may still be required to fulfill specific entry requirements, such as having a valid passport and providing proof of sufficient funds for your stay.

By considering travel insurance and visa fees as part of your budget, you can ensure that you are adequately prepared for any unforeseen circumstances and meet the necessary requirements for your travel to Europe.

Step 8: Allocate funds for miscellaneous expenses

When budgeting for your trip to Europe, it’s important to allocate funds for miscellaneous expenses. These expenses are often overlooked but can arise unexpectedly during your travels. By setting aside a portion of your budget for miscellaneous expenses, you can ensure you are prepared for any unforeseen costs that may arise along the way.

Start by considering transportation to and from the airport or train station in your home country. This can include taxi fares, airport shuttles, or public transportation costs. Additionally, be prepared for any transportation-related expenses within Europe, such as local buses, trams, or taxis.

Be mindful of baggage fees charged by airlines if you plan to check in luggage. Some budget airlines have strict baggage weight and size restrictions, and exceeding these limits can result in expensive fees.

Keep some funds aside for emergencies or unexpected situations that may occur during your trip. This can include medical expenses not covered by travel insurance, unforeseen transportation changes, or last-minute accommodation needs. It’s better to have some extra money set aside as a safety net, just in case.

Factor in costs for communication, such as purchasing a local SIM card or using data roaming services. Staying connected while traveling can be essential for navigation, staying in touch with loved ones, and accessing important information. Research the various options available and budget accordingly.

Consider any tipping customs in the countries you plan to visit. In some European countries, tipping is customary, while in others, it may not be expected or required. Familiarize yourself with the local customs to avoid any confusion or awkward situations.

Allocate funds for souvenirs and gifts. Europe is known for its unique crafts, artisanal products, and local specialties, making it tempting to bring back souvenirs for yourself or loved ones. Determine a reasonable budget for souvenirs to avoid overspending.

Lastly, keep in mind any bank fees or currency exchange charges. Research the fees associated with using your debit or credit cards abroad and budget for any necessary currency exchanges. Consider utilizing options such as prepaid travel cards or online currency exchanges to minimize fees.

By allocating funds for miscellaneous expenses, you can have peace of mind knowing that you have prepared for the unexpected and have the necessary resources to handle any unforeseen costs that may arise during your trip to Europe.

Step 9: Track and adjust your budget throughout the trip

Tracking and adjusting your budget throughout your trip to Europe is crucial to stay on top of your expenses and ensure that you are making the most of your allocated funds. By monitoring your spending and making necessary adjustments, you can prevent overspending and maintain control over your budget.

Start by keeping a record of your daily expenses. Use a notebook, budgeting app, or spreadsheet to track all the money you spend, whether it’s on accommodation, transportation, meals, activities, or miscellaneous items. Make it a habit to record your expenses every day, noting the amount spent, the category, and any relevant details.

Regularly review your budget against your actual spending. Take a moment to analyze where you are over or under budget. Identify any patterns or areas where you may be spending more than anticipated. This will help you make informed decisions and adjust your spending habits accordingly.

Look for opportunities to save money without sacrificing your travel experience. Can you find more affordable eateries or cook some of your meals? Can you take advantage of free attractions or public transportation instead of paying for expensive tours or taxis? Consider making adjustments wherever possible to align your spending with your budget.

Stay informed of any currency exchange rates, as they can impact your budget. Monitor fluctuations in exchange rates and choose the most favorable time to convert your money. Use currency conversion apps or websites to ensure you are getting the best value for your money.

Be flexible with your itinerary and budget. As you explore Europe, unexpected opportunities may arise, such as special events or recommendations from locals. Don’t be afraid to adjust your plans or allocate additional funds for worthwhile experiences.

Take advantage of discounts and promotions that may become available during your trip. Look for discounted tickets, meal deals, or special offers at attractions, restaurants, or local shops. Stay updated with travel newsletters, apps, or local tourist information centers to learn about any current deals.

Lastly, remember that a budget is a tool to guide your spending, but it should not restrict your enjoyment of the trip. Find a balance between staying within your limits and allowing yourself to indulge in memorable experiences or once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. It’s important to prioritize the experiences that truly align with your interests and make your trip to Europe unforgettable.

By consistently tracking your expenses and being mindful of your budget, you can make educated decisions about your spending, ensure financial stability throughout your trip, and make the most of your time in Europe.

Congratulations, you have successfully navigated the steps to budget your trip to Europe! By following these guidelines, you have taken essential measures to ensure a well-planned and financially responsible adventure. From determining your travel dates and researching destinations to calculating transportation costs, estimating accommodation expenses, planning for meals and daily expenses, budgeting for sightseeing and activities, considering travel insurance and visa fees, allocating funds for miscellaneous expenses, and tracking and adjusting your budget throughout your trip, you have covered all the crucial aspects of budget travel planning.

Remember, budgeting for your trip to Europe is not just about saving money, but also about making smart choices and prioritizing your preferences. It’s about finding a balance between experiencing the iconic attractions and discovering hidden gems, indulging in local cuisines while making cost-effective meal choices, and creating a personalized itinerary that reflects your interests and budget.

As you embark on your European adventure, stay open-minded and be willing to embrace unexpected opportunities along the way. Immerse yourself in the diverse cultures, fascinating history, and breathtaking landscapes that Europe has to offer. Connect with locals, fellow travelers, and the vibrant atmosphere of the places you visit. Remember, some of the most memorable experiences are often the ones that cannot be planned in advance.

Throughout your journey, keep your budget in mind and track your expenses to ensure you are staying within your limits. Be adaptable and open to adjusting your plans when necessary, allowing room for spontaneity and unexpected discoveries that could enhance your overall experience.

By effectively budgeting your trip to Europe, you have empowered yourself to make the most of your resources and create unforgettable memories without compromising on financial stability. Whether you’re exploring the charming streets of Paris, marveling at the historical landmarks of Rome, or immersing yourself in the vibrant nightlife of Berlin, your budget travel skills will guide you towards an incredible European adventure.

So go forth, explore, and enjoy your budget-friendly journey through the wonders of Europe!

• Privacy Overview
• Strictly Necessary Cookies

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

• Travel Planning Guide

The Prices of Tours to Europe

• Package Tour Options
• Typical Tour Costs
• The Best Tours
• Budget Tours
• Luxury Tours
• Three-Day Tours
• Other Types of Tours

Are group tours to Europe worth it?

Is a group tour cheaper than solo travel to europe.

• Group Tours vs. Indepenent Travel in Europe

How far in advance should I book my tour to Europe?

How many people are in group tours to europe, how much time do i need for a group tour to europe.

Recommended

Grand classical tour of greece plus mani and…, what are the package tour options in europe.

You'll be surprised at the array of tours in Europe, as there is something for everyone. It's no wonder that visitors can't get enough of these tours, boasting an impressive average guest rating of 4.43 out of 5 stars. Picture yourself joining a group of like-minded adventurers, with an average maximum size of 47 people, ensuring a fantastic blend of social and personalized experiences. The average tour length spans 9 days, with tours ranging from 2 to 229 days long. For physical activity , the tours are marked as easy, moderate, relaxing, serious, and heart-pumping, with a prevalent number on easy tours. When it comes to transportation , tour options are organized as coach / bus, ocean cruise, self drive, and train & rail, with a majority being coach / bus tours. For travel styles , you'll find tours classified as family, romantic, honeymoon, and gay travel, with most of them being family. With our thorough analysis of 9,595 tours, we've found the best. So rest assured that Europe has something to captivate every kind of traveler.

• The length of tours range from 2 to 229 days.
• The maximum group size of tours range from 1 to 2500 people.

The tour packages are also categorized as follows:

• Easy (6432)
• Moderate (1300)
• Relaxing (542)
• Serious (282)
• Heart-pumping (23)
• Coach / Bus (1143)
• Ocean Cruise (142)
• Self Drive (112)
• Train & Rail (109)
• Family (5898)
• Romantic (27)
• Honeymoon (18)
• Gay Travel (7)
• Tours Available 9595
• Average Rating 4.43
• Average Group Size 47
• See More See Tours in Europe

How much do organized tour packages to Europe cost? Are tours expensive?

When we look at all available tours, there's a world of exciting options for travelers. Considering the financial aspect, the average daily price for tours in Europe stands at a remarkably economical $318 per day . Analyzing the comprehensive data gathered from 9,595 tours, the overall average cost of all tours is calculated to be $3,251 . Delving further into the pricing details, the cheapest tour starts at an attractive $30, while the most luxurious experience tops out at an impressive $55,890. So, whether you're looking for a wallet-friendly adventure or aiming to pamper yourself with opulence, Europe boasts an array of tours that cater to diverse preferences and ensure an unforgettable experience.

• Tours to Europe range in price from $30 to $55,890, based on data from 9595 tours.

How much should I pay for a tour through Europe?

This table shows the range of guided, organized, and all-inclusive tour prices that visit, start in, or end in Europe. If you're trying to figure out how much you should pay for an organized tour, this table breaks down the costs by price range.

(All tour prices are in US Dollars before taxes, and come from a base price that is reported by TourRadar. Peak season prices can vary significantly, particularly in destinations where seasonal travel fluctuates dramatically. Price costs can also vary by group size, amenities offered, transportation type, promotional sale prices, and addons not inlcuded in the base prices.)

Prices for the Best Tours to Europe

What are Europe's top rated tour packages? And how much do they cost? These tours are the highest rated tours by previous guests.

Considering only the top 25% highest rated tours, Europe has you covered with an array of fantastic options. You'll be thrilled to know that the average daily price for the highest-rated tours is a very economical $272 per day . Looking at the bigger picture, the overall average cost of all tours comes in at a reasonable $2,643 , based on data from 2,399 incredible options. The cheapest tour available is a great deal at just $40, while the most lavish option reaches up to $16,857. Rest assured, these tours have captured the hearts of visitors, as they boast an impressive average guest rating of 4.81 out of 5 stars. So, get ready to explore Europe and its amazing destination, and prepare for an unforgettable journey filled with awe-inspiring experiences.

What are the best tours to Europe?

These are the highest rated tours from previous customers.

12 Days Grand Tour of Iceland

Splendid off-season tour in greece: unesco sites and other beautiful…, grand classical tour of greece plus mani and monemvasia (small…, 17 days self-drive | complete iceland tour, prices for the best budget tours to europe.

When looking at tours in the budget category , the array of tour options available in Europe is diverse. The average daily price for budget tours stands at a very reasonable $198 per day . Drawing from an extensive analysis of 1,208 tours, we've determined that the overall average cost of all tours is a modest $1,930 . It's worth noting that among these options, the cheapest tour can be enjoyed for as little as $36 per person, while those looking to splurge a bit more can opt for the most expensive tour at $20,081. The popularity of these tours speaks volumes, with an average guest rating of 4.37 out of 5 stars, showcasing the satisfaction and appreciation expressed by previous customers.

What are the best budget tours to Europe?

6 day - iceland ring road small-group tour, iceland group overland tour, authentic ireland - multi-day - small group tour of ireland, georgia on my mind, prices for the best luxury tours to europe.

Considering only luxury level tours, visitors will find a wide range of terrific options when choosing a tour to Europe. The average daily price for luxury tours to Europe is a surprisingly affordable $293 per day , with the overall average cost of all tours being $2,934 (based on data from 6,505 tours). The cheapest tour is $39, and the most expensive tour is $51,880. Also, visitors tend to love all of these tours because the average guest rating is 4.42 out of 5 stars.

What are the best luxury tours to Europe?

The great round tour: around iceland in 13 days, prices for the best 3-days or less tours to europe.

Considering only the shorter 3-days or less tours, a wide range of terrific options in Europe are offered. Based on data from 574 tours, the average daily price for 3-day tours to Europe is a surprisingly affordable $282 per day , and the overall average total price is $695 . The cheapest tour is $30, and the most expensive tour is $10,000. Also, previous customers have mostly enjoyed these tours because the average guest rating is 4.62 out of 5 stars. If you're looking for a 3-day tour to Europe, these are some terrific options.

What are the best 3-days or shorter tours to Europe?

The peloponnese wine roads (3 days - small group/escorted/cultural/culinary, 3 days 4×4 jeep tour in south albanian coastline, 3 day south iceland tour - private tour, 3-day lake district explorer small-group tour from manchester, prices for family tours to europe.

Considering these specific tours, visitors will find a wide range of terrific options when choosing a tour to Europe. The average daily price for family tours to Europe is a surprisingly affordable $278 per day , with the overall average cost of all tours being $2,735 (based on data from 5,898 tours). The cheapest tour is $30, and the most expensive tour is $50,249. Also, visitors tend to love all of these tours because the average guest rating is 4.38 out of 5 stars.

What are the best family tours to Europe?

Prices for in-depth cultural tours to europe.

For this specific type of tour, in Europe you'll discover plenty of fantastic in-depth cultural options. Get ready to be pleasantly surprised, as the average daily price in this category is an affordable $272 per day . Furthermore, the overall average cost of all tours stands at a reasonable $2,704 , based on data from 2,882 available tour options. Now, for the overall price range: the cheapest tour available comes in at a pocket-friendly $36, while the most luxurious option reaches a maximum of $28,461. What's more, visitors can rest assured that these tours are well liked, as they boast an impressive average guest rating of 4.43 out of 5 stars. So, get ready to explore Europe and embark on an unforgettable journey that will make the memories of a lifetime.

What are the best in-depth cultural tours to Europe?

Prices for historical tours to europe.

For these tours, the array of tour options available in Europe is diverse. The average daily price for historical tours stands at a very reasonable $299 per day . Drawing from an extensive analysis of 2,437 tours, we've determined that the overall average cost of all tours is a modest $3,500 . It's worth noting that among these options, the cheapest tour can be enjoyed for as little as $39 per person, while those looking to splurge a bit more can opt for the most expensive tour at $39,980. The popularity of these tours speaks volumes, with an average guest rating of 4.33 out of 5 stars, showcasing the satisfaction and appreciation expressed by previous customers.

What are the best historical tours to Europe?

Italian indulgence, ultimate italy (standard, 22 days), prices for river cruise tours to europe.

For this specific type of tour, a wide range of terrific options in Europe are offered. Based on data from 1,274 tours, the average daily price for river cruise tours to Europe is a surprisingly affordable $521 per day , and the overall average total price is $5,969 . The cheapest tour is $40, and the most expensive tour is $31,480. Also, previous customers have mostly enjoyed these tours because the average guest rating is 4.32 out of 5 stars. If you're looking for a river cruise tour to Europe, these are some terrific options.

What are the best river cruise tours to Europe?

German riverscapes from passau to trier (passau - trier), paris & normandy (2025) (paris to paris, 2025), prices for coach / bus tours to europe.

For these tours, visitors will find a wide range of terrific options when choosing a tour to Europe. The average daily price for coach / bus tours to Europe is a surprisingly affordable $249 per day , with the overall average cost of all tours being $3,067 (based on data from 1,143 tours). The cheapest tour is $143, and the most expensive tour is $15,841. Also, visitors tend to love all of these tours because the average guest rating is 4.32 out of 5 stars.

What are the best coach / bus tours to Europe?

Prices for discovery tours to europe.

When analyzing this category of tours, Europe has you covered with an array of fantastic options. You'll be thrilled to know that the average daily price for discovery tours is a very economical $478 per day . Looking at the bigger picture, the overall average cost of all tours comes in at a reasonable $5,265 , based on data from 965 incredible options. The cheapest tour available is a great deal at just $39, while the most lavish option reaches up to $35,780. Rest assured, these tours have captured the hearts of visitors, as they boast an impressive average guest rating of 4.34 out of 5 stars. So, get ready to explore Europe and its amazing destination, and prepare for an unforgettable journey filled with awe-inspiring experiences.

What are the best discovery tours to Europe?

The volcanic trails, prices for sightseeing tours to europe.

Looking at this type of tour, in Europe you'll discover plenty of fantastic sightseeing options. Get ready to be pleasantly surprised, as the average daily price in this category is an affordable $276 per day . Furthermore, the overall average cost of all tours stands at a reasonable $3,030 , based on data from 947 available tour options. Now, for the overall price range: the cheapest tour available comes in at a pocket-friendly $60, while the most luxurious option reaches a maximum of $35,780. What's more, visitors can rest assured that these tours are well liked, as they boast an impressive average guest rating of 4.37 out of 5 stars. So, get ready to explore Europe and embark on an unforgettable journey that will make the memories of a lifetime.

What are the best sightseeing tours to Europe?

6 day tour to mythical castles of peloponnese, olympia, delphi,…, scenic norway, prices for bicycle tours to europe.

For just this category, the array of tour options available in Europe is diverse. The average daily price for bicycle tours stands at a very reasonable $259 per day . Drawing from an extensive analysis of 773 tours, we've determined that the overall average cost of all tours is a modest $2,071 . It's worth noting that among these options, the cheapest tour can be enjoyed for as little as $59 per person, while those looking to splurge a bit more can opt for the most expensive tour at $10,795. The popularity of these tours speaks volumes, with an average guest rating of 4.59 out of 5 stars, showcasing the satisfaction and appreciation expressed by previous customers.

What are the best bicycle tours to Europe?

Grand cycling tour of sicily, bike split north traditional ensuite, prices for active adventure tours to europe.

Considering these specific tours, a wide range of terrific options in Europe are offered. Based on data from 634 tours, the average daily price for active adventure tours to Europe is a surprisingly affordable $285 per day , and the overall average total price is $2,561 . The cheapest tour is $39, and the most expensive tour is $20,081. Also, previous customers have mostly enjoyed these tours because the average guest rating is 4.56 out of 5 stars. If you're looking for a active adventure tour to Europe, these are some terrific options.

What are the best active adventure tours to Europe?

7 day self-drive tour | geysers, glaciers and waterfalls, iceland complete: around iceland in 10 days, prices for hiking & trekking tours to europe.

When we look at this type of tour, visitors will find a wide range of terrific options when choosing a tour to Europe. The average daily price for hiking & trekking tours to Europe is a surprisingly affordable $246 per day , with the overall average cost of all tours being $1,946 (based on data from 632 tours). The cheapest tour is $39, and the most expensive tour is $18,379. Also, visitors tend to love all of these tours because the average guest rating is 4.6 out of 5 stars.

What are the best hiking & trekking tours to Europe?

Best of the spanish camino, sicily grand tour walking & hiking, prices for sailing tours to europe.

For these tours, in Europe you'll discover plenty of fantastic sailing options. Get ready to be pleasantly surprised, as the average daily price in this category is an affordable $451 per day . Furthermore, the overall average cost of all tours stands at a reasonable $4,566 , based on data from 314 available tour options. Now, for the overall price range: the cheapest tour available comes in at a pocket-friendly $51, while the most luxurious option reaches a maximum of $33,080. What's more, visitors can rest assured that these tours are well liked, as they boast an impressive average guest rating of 4.39 out of 5 stars. So, get ready to explore Europe and embark on an unforgettable journey that will make the memories of a lifetime.

What are the best sailing tours to Europe?

Sailing greece - santorini to athens, prices for self-guided cycling tours to europe.

When analyzing this category of tours, the array of tour options available in Europe is diverse. The average daily price for self-guided cycling tours stands at a very reasonable $179 per day . Drawing from an extensive analysis of 303 tours, we've determined that the overall average cost of all tours is a modest $1,340 . It's worth noting that among these options, the cheapest tour can be enjoyed for as little as $219 per person, while those looking to splurge a bit more can opt for the most expensive tour at $4,070. The popularity of these tours speaks volumes, with an average guest rating of 4.31 out of 5 stars, showcasing the satisfaction and appreciation expressed by previous customers.

What are the best self-guided cycling tours to Europe?

Moselle bike & barge, cycling in sardinia, prices for wine tasting tours to europe.

Looking at this type of tour, a wide range of terrific options in Europe are offered. Based on data from 295 tours, the average daily price for wine tasting tours to Europe is a surprisingly affordable $396 per day , and the overall average total price is $4,052 . The cheapest tour is $120, and the most expensive tour is $17,080. Also, previous customers have mostly enjoyed these tours because the average guest rating is 4.55 out of 5 stars. If you're looking for a wine tasting tour to Europe, these are some terrific options.

What are the best wine tasting tours to Europe?

Paradisial peloponnese (all inclusive & guided in-depth tour).

While independent travel is an option in Europe, the complexities of planning and navigating the challenging transportation options can make booking a tour a better choice. Considering the convenience and potential challenges of visting the region, most travelers find the investment in a package tour to be well justified. Given the potential difficulties of creating your own itinerary, verses leaving the transportation, lodging, activities, and meals to experienced experts with a tour ensures a stress-free experience, allowing you to fully enjoy your trip.

Navigating the travel costs of Europe often reveals that tours can be a pocket-friendly alternative to independent travel, depending on the tour's specifics such as the destinations, travel style, duration, and other factors. Naturally, every tour and independent trip will be different and have its own cost. Typically, tour providers bundle an array of offerings into an attractively competitive price, often rivalling the expenditure of an independent journey with a similar level of luxury. The average daily expenses for a tour in Europe is calculated to be approximately $318, yet numerous tours fall below this price. Prices for tours in Europe span from $30 to $55,890. When comparing tour costs against independent trips in Europe, it's wise to factor in that most organized guided tours include accommodations, transport, guides, meals, entry tickets, and much more. So, when comparing tour packages with trips planned by yourself, keep in mind the differences because it's not always an equal comparison. To paint an accurate picture of the trip and its costs, make sure you know what is included in the tour package before comparing its price against your own trip plans. Also, diving deep into the costs of independent travel in Europe is also necessary to find an accurate comparison.

Group Tours vs. Independent Travel in Europe

For many travelers, the decision between an organized tour package and independent travel can be quite challenging. However, considering the variety of enticing deals and sales available, traveling in Europe during 2024 or 2025 presents an excellent opportunity to explore the benefits of organized tour packages. These packages, which typically cover accommodations, entry tickets, food, and transportation, offer exceptional value. Moreover, the inclusion of knowledgeable guides ensures a seamless and enriching experience, alleviating the need for extensive trip planning. Conversely, independent travel provides the advantage of greater flexibility and control over your travel plans, allowing you to adjust your schedule and budget to suit your preferences. It also facilitates a closer connection with local cultures and enables you to visit destinations that may not be included in organized tours.

What are the benefits of a package tour to Europe?

Opting for a tour while traveling brings numerous benefits. One of the best parts of a tour is the unmatched convenience of having every aspect of your journey meticulously arranged. With transportation, accommodations, and activities planned out, you can enjoy a stress-free experience, knowing that all the essentials have been taken care of. This eliminates the need to worry about finding suitable accommodations, organizing logistics, or potentially overlooking any key attractions. Furthermore, the majority of tours offer all-inclusive pricing, allowing you to know the exact cost of your trip beforehand. Benefits of a tour include

• fixed budget
• reliable service and schedule
• knowledgeable guides
• comfortable amenities
• not having to plan
• meeting other like-minded travelers
• eliminating risks

What are the benefits of independent travel in Europe?

Independent travel provides freedom, control, and flexibility that that many travelers love. By traveling on your own, you have the freedom to choose your accommodation, visit the attractions that interest you, eat at your preferred times, and explore the destination at your own pace. This level of independence also allows you to have more control over your budget, schedule, itinerary, and the level of comfort you desire during your travels. Benefits also include:

• flexible budget
• flexible schedules
• in-depth cultural opportunities
• off-the-beaten-path destinations

For your tour to Europe, it is advisable to plan and book well in advance, ideally a few months or more beforehand. While it is not uncommon for some individuals to secure their tours up to a year in advance, our experience suggests that reserving your spot approximately 6 to 9 months prior to the departure date is usually sufficient. It is important to note that many tours tend to reach full capacity early, so booking early guarantees your place on the trip. Additionally, booking early often comes with the advantage of potentially significant cost savings, as tour companies frequently provide early booking sales and discounted prices. However, it is worth noting that some tour companies may occasionally offer last-minute discounts for tours that have available spots. Yet, waiting for such discounts carries the risk of missing out on a spot if the tour becomes fully booked.

The number of travelers on tours in Europe can vary greatly, ranging from 1 to 2500 individuals, with an average group size of 47 people. However, it is important to note that the size of the tour does not necessarily determine its quality or price.

You'll likely need around 9 days for a tour to Europe, as this is the average length of most organized tour packages. Tours in Europe can last anywhere from 2 to 229 days, or sometimes longer. Keep in mind that longer tours tend to cost more money, but will actually get cheaper by the day. Also, longer tours will usually allow you to see more destinations at a reasonable pace, making them a generally better value.

Where do group tours go in Europe?

When it comes to tours in Europe, there is no shortage of options that take you to different locations within the region. These tours are known for their popular stops at Athens, Rome, Vienna, Budapest, Amsterdam, Venice, Florence, and Paris, giving you the opportunity to discover the variety and allure of the region.

What tour and travel companies offer packages to Europe?

A wide range of tour companies offer trips to Europe. Some companies are large international brands, while others are more regionally or locally based. The benefits and challenges of each company can vary based on its size and level of experience. International companies often have well-established reputations, and tours are rarely canceled due to low turnout. However, they might not have the same local perspectives and insights that you'll find with a smaller, locally based company.

The most popular companies offering tours in Europe are Europamundo , Avalon Waterways , On The Go Tours , Exodus Travels , and Remaz Tours GmbH . Some are larger than others, while some are focused on specific regions or types of trips.

What is the best tour company offering trips to Europe?

TravelShop Turkey stands out as the top tour operator in Europe, boasting the highest-rated tours. Their commitment to excellence and memorable adventures has resulted in a large number of rave reviews from satisfied travelers.

More Information

See also The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Europe , The Best Wildlife Tours to Europe , The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Europe , The Best Historical Tours in Europe , The Best 10-Day Tours in Europe , The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Europe , The Best 3-Day Tours in Europe , The Best 2-Week Tours in Europe , The Best 3-Week Tours in Europe , The Best 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in Europe , The Best Extended Trip Tours in Europe, One Month or Longer , The Best River Cruises in Europe , The Best Bicycle Tours in Europe , Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Europe , The Best Christmas & New Years Tours in Europe , The Best Christmas Market Tours in Europe , The Best Coach Bus Tours in Europe , The Best Adventure Tours to Europe , The Best Eco Tours in Europe , The Best Train & Rail Tours in Europe , The Best Thrill-Seeking Tours in Europe , The Best Cruise Tours and Packages in Europe , The Best Art History, Museums, and Cultural Tours Tours in Europe , The Best Sightseeing Tours in Europe , The Best Cultural Tours in Europe , The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Europe , The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Europe , The Best Music Tours in Europe , The Tours for Animal Lovers in Europe , The Best Photography Tours in Europe , The Best Camping Tours in Europe , The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Europe , The Best Self Drive Tours in Europe , The Best Polar Tours & Cruises in Europe , The Best Nightlife Tours in Europe , The Best Religious Tours in Europe , The Best Walking Tours in Europe , The Best Northern Lights Tours in Europe , The Best Honeymoon Tours in Europe , The Best Tours Under $1000 in Europe , The Best Luxury Tours to Europe , The Best Budget Tours to Europe , The Best Tours for Seniors to Europe , The Best Contiki Tours to Europe , or The Best G Adventures Tours to Europe for more tour ideas. With so many options, there's a guided tour or vacation package for every type of traveler.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

By signing up for our email newsletter, you will receive occasional updates from us with sales and discounts from major travel companies , plus tips and advice from experienced budget travelers!

Budget Your Trip

Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.

• Privacy / Terms of Use
• Activities, Day Trips, Things To Do, and Excursions

Personal investors

Workplace retirement

Employers and plan sponsors

Financial professionals

Wednesday , May 01, 2024

How to budget for a European vacation

By Erin Gobler

Europe is one of the top travel destinations in the world. But for many people, it may seem out of reach (or out of budget). The good news is that it doesn’t have to be the case, and it’s entirely possible to travel to Europe on a budget.

Our goal is to help you figure out just how much you can expect to pay on a trip to Europe and how to save money along the way. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about how to budget for a European vacation.

How much does a European vacation cost?

The cost of a European vacation can vary widely depending on where you’re traveling to and the type of vacation you’re planning. One person might plan on a budget trip for just a couple thousand dollars, while someone else might plan a $10,000 vacation. It’s easy to spend a lot on a trip to Europe, but it’s also easy to cut costs when traveling.

The table below shows how much you can expect to pay for the major components of your trip to Europe:

Keep in mind that if you have an unlimited budget, you could easily spend far more than the estimates listed above. For example, if you eat at high-end restaurants each day and eat out for every meal, your food costs could easily top hundreds of dollars per day. However, the numbers above are designed to cover what people would typically spend.

Budgeting for your trip to Europe

Your airfare is likely to be one of the most expensive parts of your European vacation. The amount you’ll pay for a plane ticket depends on many factors including:

• Your airport of departure
• Your airport of arrival
• The airline you fly with
• Whether it’s a direct flight
• The time of year you travel
• When you book your flight
• The day of the week

You’ll find that airfare prices vary, even from one day to the next. A flight to London might cost $1,200 during one part of the week but $500 less during a different part of the week. Sites like Google Flights make it easy to see flight trends, including what airlines and days are cheapest to fly.

You’ll be able to save the most on airfare if you can be flexible with your travel and adjust your itinerary to fly on the cheapest days. You can also save by being flexible with your destination, opting to fly to the cheapest airport in the area.

Your accommodations will be another major cost on your trip to Europe. You have many options for where to stay, including Airbnb, hotels, hostels, and more.

Hostel travel is quite common in Europe, and you can expect most hostels to be relatively safe. Some have dorm-style rooms with many beds, while others offer private rooms. If you aren’t comfortable with the style of accommodation, you might consider a hotel or Airbnb.

When booking your lodging, ask yourself what you really need. Is it worth paying for a hotel that has all the bells and whistles if you’ll be out most of the time? Many people don’t spend much of their trip in their hotel room, meaning a fancy hotel may not be worth the splurge.

Transportation

In addition to considering your transportation to Europe, you should also think about your transportation once you arrive. If you’re traveling to a large city, public transportation is likely sufficient to get you where you need to go. Many cities have trams and buses that are easy to navigate and can bring you all over the city.

If you’re not staying in a large city or are visiting multiple cities, you’ll have to put more thought into your transportation.

Europe makes it incredibly easy to travel around the continent on a budget. Trains, buses, and budget airlines can get you from one city to another — even one country to another — at a fraction of the cost you’d pay for travel in the United States.

Depending on the type of trip, it may also be worth renting a vehicle. You might consider a rental car if you’re planning to hit many different spots in a country, especially if you’ll be traveling to some less urban areas.

Food and drink

Food and drinks end up being one of the biggest costs of many European vacations and more expensive than many people plan for.

The good news is that food and drinks can cost as much or as little as you want. Just like your food spending at home, you can save money by buying groceries and cooking budget meals, or you can splurge by eating out for most of your meals.

You can save money on food by booking lodging with a kitchen or staying somewhere that offers at least one free meal per day. Consider choosing one meal per day to eat out while buying groceries for your other meals.

When it comes to eating out, there are still ways to save money. First, consider eating like a local and avoiding touristy restaurants. European cities have many hidden gems that are beloved by the locals. And the food is probably more authentic.

You may also save money by choosing lunch as your meal to eat out each day. Because dinner tends to be more expensive, consider cooking your dinners at home and enjoying a nice long restaurant lunch each day.

More tips to save money on a trip to Europe

In the section above, we talked about how to budget for and save money on the big-ticket expenses for your European vacation. But your airfare, lodging, transportation, and food aren’t the only decisions that will impact the cost of your trip. Below are some additional tips to help you save money on your trip to Europe.

Take advantage of credit card points

One of the best ways to reduce the out-of-pocket cost of your European vacation is to use credit card points instead.

There are plenty of credit cards that allow you to earn points on various purchases. Most rewards cards let you earn a small number of points on every purchase. But some offer elevated point levels for certain spending categories. For example, some credit cards may offer 5X the points on travel or 3X the points on dining.

A major advantage of saving for your trip in this way is that you’re earning “free” points with purchases you were already going to make. We would never suggest that you make unnecessary purchases to earn credit card points. But you’d be surprised just how quickly the points rack up when you use your credit card for your regular spending on groceries, gas, and more.

Once you’ve earned your credit card points, many credit card companies allow you to redeem them either by transferring them to a partner airline or hotel chain or by booking your travel directly through the credit card company’s website.

Save for your trip ahead of time

No matter how much you plan to spend on your trip to Europe, it’s important to save ahead of time to make sure you can afford the trip.

One of the best way to save for your trip to Europe is to set a monthly savings goal. For example, if you’re budgeting $3,000 for your trip and it’s nine months away, you’ll need to save about $333 per month to reach your goal.

It can be tempting to just put the trip on a credit card and pay it off later. The downside — other than spending money you don’t have — is that your trip can actually end up being more expensive. Interest rates on credit cards are notoriously high, meaning you could end up spending hundreds of dollars more by the time you pay off the trip.

Track your spending during your trip

Just as it’s important to save for your trip ahead of time, you’ll also want to track your spending throughout the trip. It’s easy to get carried away with spending, and if you aren’t tracking it during your vacation, you may find yourself arriving back home to find you’ve gone way over budget.

 A simple way to track your spending during your trip is to create a travel budget in whatever budgeting app you already use. You can also create a spreadsheet that you can access from your smartphone that has room to enter your spending each day, as well as your running total. That way, you can quickly check to see whether you’re on track or if you need to cut back a bit.

Opt for cheaper cities

It probably comes as no surprise that some countries and cities within Europe are cheaper to travel to than others. Cities like Paris and Venice might be popular, but they’re also pricey.

Generally speaking, the most expensive part of Europe to visit is Scandinavia. Cities like, Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm will be the priciest to travel to. On the other end of the spectrum, you can save money by traveling to Eastern Europe instead of Western Europe or Scandinavia.

Because these countries may not be as popular as tourist destinations, they also tend to be more affordable. Don’t let the price tag fool you, though. These countries still have plenty to offer.

Choose cheap or free attractions

Expensive attractions can increase the cost of your European vacation in a big way. Of course, everyone wants to see famous museums and popular tourist spots. But every European destination has just as many — if not more — cheap or free attractions.

If you have an expensive attraction on your wishlist, you don’t necessarily need to skip it altogether. But find a balance so that you’re visiting mostly cheap and free attractions, with one or two more expensive ones sprinkled in.

Visit in the off-season

Everyone wishes for perfect weather on their vacation, but you can actually save by traveling during the off-season. Because most tourists tend to visit during the peak season, flights, accommodations, and other travel expenses may be more affordable when fewer people are traveling.

The off-season depends on where you’re traveling to, but in Europe, it typically lines up with the off-season in the United States. Most travelers tend to visit between June and August. April through May and September through October are the shoulder season, meaning costs might be slightly lower. But the real savings will come from traveling in November through March.

Travel within Europe

If you’ve traveled to Europe — or even just window-shopped for flights — you know it can be expensive to get there. But the good news is that once you get to Europe, it’s relatively cheap to get around.

One way to save on your European adventures is to extend your trip and travel within the continent. Using trains, buses, and cheap airlines, you can check multiple destinations off your wishlist in one trip. As a result, you can see all the places you want to in fewer trips, saving you money in the long run.

Enjoy free city tours

Taking a guided tour of your destination can help you learn about its history and see all of the most popular spots in the city. And many popular tourist spots have these tours for free. You simply sign up and meet the guide at a designated spot in the city. You’re encouraged to tip your tour guide but can still save money over a traditional paid tour.

Another type of tour to consider — though it’s not free — is a hop-on-hop-off bus tour. These bus tours exist in many large European cities.

The benefit is that, while you have to pay, you can get on or off the bus at any popular tourist spot, and it essentially serves as both your tour guide and your transportation during your trip. It can help you save a lot of money on public transportation, especially if you would otherwise be relying on Uber and other cab services.

Plan the trip you can afford

There is no shortage of beautiful places to visit within Europe. And it’s easy to feel FOMO when you see travel influencers and friends visiting destinations or staying at hotels that may be out of your budget.

At the time, it may feel worth spending more than you can afford to experience the European dream vacation. But you truly can enjoy Europe on a budget. And in the long run, you’ll thank yourself for not sacrificing your other financial goals for one trip.

Need help navigating your finances?

Our free money tools bring your accounts together in one place so you can monitor your investments and plan for your big financial goals.

RO2729425-0223

Want to stay in the know?

Power up with the latest money news, sent every week to your inbox.

*If you’re already registered with Empower, please use the same email address as your existing account. 

Email Subscribe

Recent Articles

Capital markets perspective: No going back

Earnings, consumer sentiment, and reports on economic activity dominated last week's calendar. This week will be another full one for capital markets. Here's our perspective.

One thing: AI enters the earnings chat

One thing that’s moving markets is the ongoing AI enthusiasm in the first quarter earnings season. Here's what (and how much) is being said.

🧳 Pack it up

Relaxation and exploration are top of mind for the majority of Americans planning to travel domestically in 2024 (90%). Before catching your flight, catch the latest money news. 

Erin Gobler

Contributor.

Erin Gobler is a money coach who helps people pay off debt and reach their big financial goals without giving up spending on the things they love. She is a freelance writer for Empower.

Author is not a client of Empower Advisory Group, LLC, and is compensated as a freelance writer.

The content contained in this blog post is intended for general informational purposes only and is not meant to constitute legal, tax, accounting or investment advice. You should consult a qualified legal or tax professional regarding your specific situation. No part of this blog, nor the links contained therein is a solicitation or offer to sell securities. Compensation for freelance contributions not to exceed $1,250. Third-party data is obtained from sources believed to be reliable; however, Empower cannot guarantee the accuracy, timeliness, completeness or fitness of this data for any particular purpose. Third-party links are provided solely as a convenience and do not imply an affiliation, endorsement or approval by Empower of the contents on such third-party websites.

Certain sections of this blog may contain forward-looking statements that are based on our reasonable expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Past performance is not a guarantee of future return, nor is it indicative of future performance. Investing involves risk. The value of your investment will fluctuate and you may lose money.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design), and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

• Help Center
• 1-866-921-7925

Start Searching

• Packages  
• Hotels  
• Cruises  
• Rental Cars  

* Indicates required fields

Rental Period:

pickUpDate - dropOffDate

Pick-Up: pickUpTime - Drop-Off: dropOffTime

Pick-Up Location:

pickUpAddress

pickUpAgencyName

pickUpAgencyAddress

Drop-Off Location:

Same as Pick-Up Location

dropOffAddress

dropOffAgencyName

dropOffAgencyAddress

Coupon Override

Please call.

For drivers under the age of 25, additional fees and/or restrictions may apply.

For information and assistance in completing your reservation, please call:

We're unable to find your location.

Alaska Cruise Tours:

A cruise tour is a voyage and land tour combination, with the land tour occurring before or after the voyage. Unless otherwise noted, optional services such as airfare, airport transfers, shore excursions, land tour excursions, etc. are not included and are available for an additional cost.

Vacation Packages

Choose your european adventure, choose your own european adventure; discover secret beaches in greece, explore ancient castles in ireland or hunt down the best wine in france..

Explore the museums of Madrid, sip espresso by the canals of Venice and witness the Changing of the Guard in London. Europe has something to offer everyone.

• Netherlands

Featured Deals

Best of italy: your way.

Daily Breakfast Private Airport Transfers and Rail Tickets

London and Paris: Your Way

Daily Breakfast $400 London Tour Credit Rail Tickets on Eurostar, Executive Member Benefits

Madrid, Seville and Barcelona: Your Way

Daily Breakfast Airport Transfers and Rail Tickets on RENFE Additional Executive Member Benefit at Select Hotels

Athens, Santorini and Mykonos: Your Way

Daily Breakfast Choice of Accommodations

Venice, Florence, Rome and Sorrento: Your Way

Daily Breakfast Executive Member Benefit at Select Hotels

Ireland: Your Way Package

Dublin, Killarney and Galway Daily Breakfast Self-Drive Countryside

Amsterdam, Paris and London: Your Way Package

Daily Breakfast $400 London Tour Credit Rail and Private Airport Transfers

Athens, Santorini and Central Crete: Your Way

Edinburgh and scottish countryside: your way.

Daily Breakfast Self-Drive Countryside

The Costco Traveler Blog

Eating through italy, amazing amsterdam, epicurean paris, more about europe.

Europe blends its rich history and modern innovation seamlessly. From the catwalks of Paris fashion week to the awe-inspiring ruins of Greek temples you'll find it hard to fit everything into one vacation. The vast expanse of Europe is covered in numerous cultures, languages and landscapes that can make you feel like you've been transported onto the set of a movie. Sit down for a cup of tea in London, learn how to make your own pasta in Italy or simply take time to stare in wonder at the amazing Highlands of Scotland. Whether you're traveling with family, friends or your special someone, a trip to Europe will be a vacation to remember.

Content provided by Costco Travel experts. Copyright © Costco Travel. All rights reserved.

Before You Go

• To make it easier to replace your passport if it’s lost or stolen, in addition to your passport, take a photocopy of your passport information page (keeping it separate from your actual passport).
• Carry only a limited amount of cash, just enough for gratuities and incidental purchases. Major credit cards are widely accepted and can be replaced if lost or stolen.
• Always lock your hotel room door (including patio and balcony door on any level of the building) and use the peephole before opening the door.
• Store your valuables (such as cash, credit cards and airline tickets) in the hotel’s in-room safe or front desk safety deposit box.
• If you must carry valuables on your person, do so in a pouch or money belt concealed under your clothing. Purses and backpacks can be easy targets for thieves.
• For complete and current safety and security information, including travelers' tips, public announcements, travel advisories and more, please visit the website of the U.S. Department of State at www.travel.state.gov.
• December through February: 49° to 49° (Winter)
• March through May: 54° to 66° (Spring)
• June through August: 72° to 76° (Summer)
• September through November: 70° to 54°

Explore More Travel

Europe by land or sea.

Choose from Vacation Packages or Cruises

Experience Culture, Cuisine and History

Last-Minute Summer Travel

It's Not Too Late To Book!

Member Value in Every Package

Rental Car Savings

Book Now, Pay at the Counter

No Cancellation Fees

Member reviews become available after at least 5 are received in order to provide you with an accurate picture of this travel product.

We are processing your payment.

Do not refresh your browser or exit this page.

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My Portfolio
• Latest News
• Stock Market
• Premium News
• Biden Economy
• EV Deep Dive
• Stocks: Most Actives
• Stocks: Gainers
• Stocks: Losers
• Trending Tickers
• World Indices
• US Treasury Bonds
• Top Mutual Funds
• Highest Open Interest
• Highest Implied Volatility
• Stock Comparison
• Advanced Charts
• Currency Converter
• Basic Materials
• Communication Services
• Consumer Cyclical
• Consumer Defensive
• Financial Services
• Industrials
• Real Estate
• Mutual Funds
• Credit cards
• Balance Transfer Cards
• Cash-back Cards
• Rewards Cards
• Travel Cards
• Personal Loans
• Student Loans
• Car Insurance
• Morning Brief
• Market Domination
• Market Domination Overtime
• Opening Bid
• Stocks in Translation
• Lead This Way
• Good Buy or Goodbye?
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Yahoo Finance

15 cheapest european countries to visit in 2024.

This article looks at the 15 cheapest European countries to visit in 2024. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis of Tourism in Europe and ways to budget your vacation, you may skip ahead to 5 Cheapest European Countries to Visit in 2024 .

Tourism in Europe

Europe is by far the most popular tourist destination among all continents. According to UNWTO , in 2023, 54% of the world's international tourist arrivals were in Europe, with the southern/Mediterranean region being the most visited destination. Europe is extremely appealing for tourists due to its friendly visa policies, a diverse range of destinations, and the fact that it is considered safer than other global destinations.

Like most of the world, tourism in Europe has still not managed to recover to pre-pandemic volumes. In 2023, Europe had 700 million tourist arrivals across the continent, which was 94% of the arrivals witnessed in 2019. This is despite the fact that many southern European and Mediterranean destinations have surpassed pre-COVID levels of tourism. The European Travel Commission reports that countries such as Serbia, Portugal, and Montenegro all hosted 10% more tourists in 2023 than they had in 2019. In comparison, 65% of destinations in Europe are still falling short of pre-pandemic volumes. The most sluggish recovery has been witnessed in the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, each of which has failed to attain even 75% of pre-COVID tourist arrivals. This stark disparity in the recovery of tourism across the continent poses a challenge.  Despite the enormous volume of tourists that fly over to Europe each year, many of its most exquisite locations continue to be dejected in favor of hotspots such as the beaches of Ibiza, the bustling streets of Paris, or the canals of Venice. Owing to such a rapid inflow of tourists into only a handful of destinations, the sustainability of tourism in Europe falls under threat. Recently, more and more vacationers are becoming critical of tourist hotspots, criticizing them for being “tourist traps” and are instead looking to venture towards less crowded destinations. Another factor that unsettles tourists is the rate of inflation witnessed in post-pandemic tourism. According to Allianz Research , the daily rate for a hotel room (global median) jumped to $212 in the first quarter of 2023, up from $156 in Q1 2022 and $129 in Q1 2021. Moreover, a recent survey by Travel Weekly showed that 87% of European travelers are taking measures to reduce costs in their vacations. This includes opting for cheaper accommodations, reducing the budget used on excursions, and switching towards more affordable destinations.

As more and more tourists become irked by the overcrowded and inflated vacation experiences in particular hotspots, it is possible that tourists in 2024 will set their sights on destinations offering budget-friendly vacations with similar itineraries. With websites such as Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABNB ), Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG ), and Sun Life Financial, Inc. (NYSE: SLF ), tourists have the opportunity to map out their entire vacations at the most affordable prices, exploring new and exciting destinations in the process.

Budgeting your trip

Some would argue that the true beauty of Europe lies in destinations that have been spared from the tirade of excessive tourist inflows. In the past, there were either no avenues for the common tourist to arrange a vacation to such areas, or they would be considered as being unreliable, unsafe, and unfit for tourists. However, over the last decade, this perception has shifted as people have access to more and more avenues to plan trips to some of the most remote recesses of the world.

Websites like Booking, property of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG), and Budget Your  Trip provide data for locations, resorts, and excursions. This enables previously unknown tourist spots all over Europe to market themselves without investing the same level of resources as world-renowned hoteling brands. Tourists can use Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG) and similar services to break down each leg of their trips into exact monetary terms, without being beguiled by the fame of prominent destinations.

Similarly, Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABNB) is the world's largest platform for alternative accommodation. Alternative accommodation is a relatively new manner of lodging that involves living in rented apartments, hostels, or even a spare guestroom. In comparison to hotels, such accommodation is cheaper and can be found in rural travel destinations as well. In providing this service, Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABNB) has diverted a large number of tourists away from saturated hot-spots towards less crowded communities.

If you’re looking to visit a cheap European country in 2024, you may also consider obtaining travel insurance such as the packages offered by Sun Life Financial, Inc. (NYSE: SLF). These cover medical treatment and hospitalization bills in the unfortunate circumstance that you or a family member fall ill. Obtaining insurance from companies such as Sun Life Financial, Inc. (NYSE: SLF) allows you to venture into the wild and vivaciously enjoy your vacation.

Methodology

To develop our list of 15 cheapest European countries to visit in 2024, we traversed through similarly recommended lists on the web to develop a shortlist of budget-friendly countries. For these countries, we used Google Flights to obtain data on the cheapest available flight from the US (using JFK as the reference point for departures). Moreover, we used Budgetyourtrip to obtain the average amount required to spend a week-long couple’s vacation in each country. Accumulating these data points allowed us to calculate the total expected amount required on a trip to each country. Each country was ranked in ascending order with respect to this metric, and the top 15 countries were selected as the cheapest European countries to visit in 2024.

By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years ( see the details here ). Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.

Here are 15 Cheapest European Countries to Visit in 2024.

Cheapest Return Ticket: $1011

Average expense during stay: $1722

Total cost: $2733

Latvia has a number of beautiful beaches along the Baltic sea, while the capital city of Riga features prominent Art Nouveau architecture. There are many historical castles present in towns across the country. Thus, there is plenty to enjoy in a week-long trip, all for the low price of $2,733.

14. Estonia

Cheapest Return Ticket: $941

Average expense during stay: $1544

Total cost: $2485

Another Baltic state, Estonia is one of the cheapest European countries to visit . It offers a blend of scenic landscapes, diverse wildlife, and Soviet era landmarks. The Lennusadam Museum in the capital city of Tallinn is an excellent starting point if you wish to be accustomed to the rich Estonian culture.

13. North Macedonia

Cheapest Return Ticket: $1083

Average expense during stay: $1388

Total cost: $2471

If you’re looking for a location that offers picturesque scenery whilst not requiring you to take on a second mortgage on your house, forget the shores of Madeira and journey east to the country of North Macedonia. You’ll get the chance to explore one of Europe’s deepest lakes and some of its most stunning peaks, along with the historically rich city of Ohrid.

12. Croatia

Cheapest Return Ticket: $868

Average expense during stay: $1436

Total cost: $2304

Croatia makes for a very cheap vacation that also offers the chance to explore roman heritage, mesmerizing coasts, and modern attractions. Zagreb is becoming an increasingly popular tourist spot; however, it is still a very affordable destination where you can enjoy museums, festivals, and vibrant street life. The city of Split offers a chance to visit the iconic Diocletian Palace and venture off to one of the country’s various islands within the Adriatic Sea.

11. Czech Republic

Cheapest Return Ticket: $741

Average expense during stay: $1548

Total cost: $2289

Whilst the capital city of Prague is famous for its State Opera theater and other orchestras, the rest of the country sees far and few tourists. Czech Republic is an amazing destination for adventure travel, with places like the Bohemian Switzerland National Park and the caverns of Moravian Karst. Moreover, if you steer clear of certain excursions in the capital, there are plenty of ways to immerse yourself in the local culture at an affordable cost.

10. Lithuania

Cheapest Return Ticket: $872

Average expense during stay: $1393

Total cost: $2265

Lithuania is the cheapest European country to visit in the Baltics. In just $2,265, you and your partner can entertain yourself to a comprehensive getaway. Your itinerary can include museums, Baroque monuments, serene national parks, and pristine beaches.

Cheapest Return Ticket: $1765

Average expense during stay: $461

Total cost: $2226

If you have managed to rack up some airline miles, Georgia is one of the cheapest European countries to visit in 2024 . With an average expense on transport, accommodation, and food of just $461 a week for 2 people, the foothills of the Caucasus mountains are the perfect place to enjoy a budget friendly European vacation.

Cheapest Return Ticket: $1018

Average expense during stay: $1170

Total cost: $2188

Budapest is regarded as being one of the most beautiful capital cities in the world. Sprawling on either side of the Danube River, it features a sea of Gothic, Romanesque, and Art Nouveau architecture. One of the country’s unique features is that it contains over 1,300 thermal springs, many of which are now used to operate year-round spas and baths all over the nation.

Cheapest Return Ticket: $1727

Average expense during stay: $398

Total cost: $2125

Until mid-2023, the US Travel Advisory had classified a visit to Armenia under the Level 4 category. However, barring a few locations bordering Azerbaijan, the country has been deescalated to Level 2. Since tourists are still acclimatizing to this change, Armenia happens to be one of the cheapest European countries to visit in 2024.

6. Bosnia & Herzegovina

Cheapest Return Ticket: $1079

Average expense during stay: $1040

Total cost: $2119

If you’re looking for a destination with historical significance, Bosnia & Herzegovina happens to be the most underrated destinations in the world. Featuring monuments and shrines from the second world war, the cold war, and the Bosnian war, it is one of the most insightful vacation spots in the world. In terms of scenery, a day trip to the Kravice Falls is a common part of any traveler’s itinerary.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Cheapest European Countries to Visit in 2024 .

Suggested Articles:

20 Most Underrated Travel Destinations in Asia

15 Best Places To Retire In Arkansas

15 Worst Places in Texas for a Couple to Live on Only a Social Security

Disclosure: none.  15 Cheapest European Countries to Visit in 2024 is originally published on Insider Monkey.

What To Pack For A Trip To Europe

I generally stick to a few self-imposed rules when it comes to packing for Europe and after many years of travel, my formula is down rather pat at this point. If you have European travel on the horizon, my packing tips should be helpful to both inspire and help you plan.

Related: My Travel Essentials , What to Pack for a Flight to Paris

What to Pack for a Trip to Europe

When deciding what to wear in Europe, one of the keys to packing is to choose items that you can mix and match. I recommend you bring several pairs of pants or shorts (depending on the season) that can be dressed up or dressed down, dresses or skirts for evening, a trench coat, a leather jacket or some other mid-layer depending on the time of year, a neutral blazer or tweed jacket, one pair of shoes for evening and 2-3 pairs of comfortable shoes for daytime. 

I like to buy minis of my morning and evening skincare routine products to bring with me. For a toiletry bag, I store them all in Truffle cases (seen in All My Travel Essentials ). Many European countries are incredibly strict with their liquid restrictions (more so than TSA) so keep this in mind if you’re carrying-on for your return flight.

If you’re spending time in a city, you’ll likely encounter noisy evenings so I always travel in Europe with a pair of earplugs .

But of course! Remember you’ll need to bring this with you to fly but also to do any luxury shopping (for VAT refunds if the country you’re visiting allows) and to check into your hotel.

Many European countries have lifted their restrictions so you likely won’t need this moving forward, but I keep mine in my passport cover just in case.

Carding isn’t really a thing in Europe, but since you won’t want to be out and about with your passport it is good to have your license with you – especially should you need to go to the doctor or hospital.

If you’ve purchased travel insurance, be sure you have documentation of your policy.

Bring along the credit cards you plan to use that don’t have foreign transaction fees. And if you want to get cash out, be sure to have a debit card with you as well. Don’t forget to upgrade your card to a tap-to-pay if you can!

I like to keep photos of all my important documents on my phone in a folder so I can easily access them.

Electronics & Accessories 

Remember that Europe is on a different electric system than the US, and even within Europe there are varying systems. The UK and Ireland have a three-pronged outlet, while the rest of Europe has a two-pronged outlet. You’ll need to bring converters , and things like your Dyson Airwrap or steamer or blow dryer won’t work even with a converter. Leave them behind and instead bring dual voltage electronics.

This is the dual voltage curling iron I use when in Europe. This is a great dual voltage travel steamer . 

Having a portable charger is a must! This one is my preferred model as it is slim enough to fit in purses without taking up much space. This is a great USB plug to have on hand for your hotel room or Airbnb in the UK, and this one for the rest of Europe.

If you also worry about losing your luggage, buy a few  Apple AirTags  and pop them into your suitcases so you can track your luggage. 

If you want to capture family photos or the likes and don’t have time or the budget for a professional photographer – don’t forget the power of a  handy tripod to do so!

If you’re traveling to Europe in the summer, keep in mind that air conditioning is not as widely employed as it is here in the US. So if you run hot, I’d recommend bringing a portable fan  to help cool off.

Many European cities are making a conscious effort to be more green, so I always try to bring a reusable water bottle with me (plus I don’t have to waste money buying water when I’m out and about). Just don’t forget to empty it before you go through airport security!

I always bring  this collapsable duffle with me when I go to Europe to fill up with whatever shopping I do. It fits a lot and easily goes over your suitcase handle as well. I’ll bring it back with me along with the tote I bring on the airplane as my personal item.

If your luggage is over weight you will endure an extra cost so it is a good idea to have a back up bag in case you need to put overflow from your suitcase in there.

Good luggage is a must. I swear by  Away luggage . I have the Bigger Carry On, the Medium and the Large which is my preferred suitcase for when I spent time in Paris. They fit so much! The link included should score you $20 off of your first purchase if interested!

And don’t forget to add  luggage tags  to them, too!

I’m not a backpack girl myself, but I know some people love them for traveling! I’ve heard great things about Calpak’s travel backpacks.  

I know things like money belts used to be considered a “must-have” item for travel to Europe, but nowadays I find a crossbody does the trick. It keeps my personal items close to me and still looks cute. I love the Senreve Aria belt bag that you can wear a few different ways, and if you want to make it more nighttime just add a  chain strap !

Best Packing Tips For  Europe

Consider the weather.

Of course the biggest consideration when packing is the weather. Be sure to check the weather forecast as you are packing! Usually a few weeks out from my trip I begin looking at the weather to see how things have been – has it rained a lot? Has it been colder in the evenings?

Prepare for rain

Regardless of the time of year, I always prepare for rain – that way, I’m not disappointed! Don’t forget to have a good umbrella ( this is the one I bring) in your suitcase and pack a chic trench coat .

Consider getting around

Be sure you check to see if where you’re staying has an elevator. Many places in Europe don’t, so you’ll want to plan (and pack light) should you need to be carting suitcases up narrow stairwells. Also keep in mind the type of public transportation you’ll be using and how accessible it will be with a luggage – this may also affect how you pack.

Stick to a color palette

I always stick to a color palette when I pack for Europe. I want my looks to be stylish, yet comfortable and extremely ready for mix and match wear. I’ll pack a blazer that can go with jeans as easily as it can go over a dress or pair with dress shorts or dress pants. 

I’m a neutrals person when it comes to my wardrobe so usually my looks fall in a variety of color palettes such as the neutral colors of Black/Ivory/Camel or Black/Cream/Navy.

Don’t forget the power of accessories

A purposeful accessory can change an entire outfit – a silk scarf can be donned on your bag or around your neck to switch up the look of the sweater you’ve backed. Or a broach could add a bit of glam for evening on the blazer you also wore during the day time. 

Be thoughtful when planning what shoes to wear

We’ve all heard horror stories of people being unprepared for the miles and miles of walking that come with visiting Europe, so be sure you’re not bringing new shoes that need breaking in. Prioritize comfort but also give consideration to what shoes won’t have you looking like a tourist. Say it with me: comfortable walking shoes are a must. You will be doing lots of walking – trust me.

The Best Shoes to Wear in Paris

Make a packing list

As you prepare for your trip, begin a packing list for Europe in your Notes app to outline the pieces you’d like to bring. Then reference that list when it comes time to pack so you won’t over pack.

Write down your outfits

I always write down my outfits for both daytime and evening when I go to Paris. This ensures I actually wear what is in my suitcase and don’t forget what’s in there. This also helps me not overpack. I have friends who also try on and take photos of the outfits they’re packing to have handy on their phone. You can also organize packing cubes by outfit to keep things organized. Pro tip: if you’re an iPhone user, use the “touch-to-copy” feature and copy the outline of your outfit photos and paste them into the Notes app.

Europe Packing List

Pin this image for later and shop the pictured styles here . 

You May Also Like:

• London Packing List.
• Paris Packing List.
• Scotland Packing List.

This post contains affiliate links. Should you purchase something from an affiliate link, I may earn commission, at no cost to you. Thank you for your support of my work!

The Rick Steves guide to life

Travel mogul. philanthropist. legal weed champion. the real rick steves is so much more complex than who you see on tv..

EDMONDS, Wash. — At first glance, it is hard to tell that Rick Steves is protesting.

In the center of his hometown, America’s favorite travel host is perched on the edge of a fountain roundabout engaging in some friendly civil disobedience. As cars circle the intersection, Steves smiles and waves, looking more like an Elf on a Shelf than an angry picketer. This is his way of reminding people he wishes they’d stop driving here.

Steves’s family moved to Edmonds when he was 12, and the 68-year-old is still happy to call it home. Rather than relocate to his beloved Europe, he dreams of bringing some European sensibilities to the edge of the Puget Sound, less than 20 miles north of Seattle.

When he’s not traveling around Europe, writing about Europe or running his multimillion dollar European tour company, the prolific TV host and author likes to squeeze in some local activism. The roundabout routine is his push to block off Edmonds’s very American Main Street for pedestrians. If you squint at it, you can see what Steves sees: this would be the perfect place for a lively town square.

“I like a lot of things about Europe but I love the urban energy of Europe. I love the piazza,” Steves said in a wistful tone you might recognize from PBS. “We don’t have a piazza.”

Unfortunately for Steves, the voting majority of the city does not love the idea of parking their SUVs farther away to shop. So despite his Boy Scout enthusiasm, the most famous man in Edmonds must keep up the perch-and-wave. This is not his only crusade.

Spend any amount of time with Steves, and you’ll encounter a total ham who loves a zany bit. But if you ask him about serious issues like car-free zones, he’ll bring up other causes that are dear to him: affordable housing, supporting the arts, creating senior centers for the elderly to age with dignity.

He’s anti-Trump and pro-cannabis. He does not care if that is bad for business.

The average Rick Steves fan has likely missed this side of him. On TV they see an always-sunny history lover who makes going abroad feel approachable for the average American. That’s an incomplete picture, like thinking you know Paris because you’ve seen the Eiffel Tower on YouTube.

Meet him in Edmonds, and he’ll fill in the rest.

It may look like a lot of gallivanting, but being Rick Steves takes a lot of work.

He spends three months of the year overseas, researching, writing, recording, refining tours, updating guidebooks. If he’s not planning or producing content, he’s often doing promotional events across the United States. This year Steves is celebrating the 40th edition of his first book, “Europe Through the Back Door.” Over the course of his career, he’s built a privately held company that generates $120 million in revenue a year, published 110 books, filmed 12 seasons of “Rick Steves’ Europe” and produced more than 750 podcast episodes.

“It’s just like coordinating a three-ring circus,” Steves said.

That is: really fun, sort of exhilarating and extremely complicated. To pull this off, Steves does not observe the French 35-hour workweek. He’s a workhorse with a reputation for keeping a frenetic pace year-round.

“It’s more of an American work culture,” Amy Duncan, Steves’s communications director, told me. “He’s an unapologetic capitalist but he is also a socialist.”

He makes enough money to fly first class, but he only sits in economy, claiming he doesn’t mind being cramped.

“It never occurred to me that I’m suffering,” he said. “As long as I’ve got an aisle and a seat that reclines, I’m happy.”

Actually, Steves believes airlines should only have one class. It’s part of his egalitarian worldview. He’s also anti-points and anti-miles, refusing to sign up for airline loyalty programs because he believes they bully us into complicating our lives.

Steves also enforces a self-imposed “ carbon tax ” on his tour company, which takes more than 30,000 people to Europe annually. For every customer, Steves invests $30 to atone for emissions created by their flights between the United States and Europe. Last year, that added up to $1 million donated to a portfolio of organizations, Steves said.

“I don’t need to be a slave to the quarterly profit statement. I want to be around and profitable in 10 years from now in a world that you can travel in that’s stable,” Steves said. “This is a smart investment and it’s an ethical expense that I should pay for.”

Rick Steves will tell you he’s motivated by making money; the more he can earn, the more good he can do with it.

“Vicarious consumption, that’s one of my things,” Steves said.

After amassing a windfall from the 2001 George W. Bush tax cuts for high earners, Rick Steves donated $1 million to support the local symphony and performing arts center. In 2005, he used retirement savings to buy a 24-unit apartment complex for the local YWCA’s use as transitional housing for women and children. He figured he’d eventually sell the complex and live on the earnings. About a decade later, he changed his mind and donated the complex valued at $4 million.

He also gave more than $4 million to help build the Edmonds Waterfront Center, a vibrant gathering place for seniors where his daughter had her wedding in 2021. And he gave another $2 million for a similar center in the nearby city of Lynnwood, which broke ground in mid-April .

“Rick puts his money where his mouth is,” said Nancy Leson, a former Seattle Times food critic who used to let Steves’s daughter babysit her son. She’s appreciated his regular presence in the community, like hosting events for local politics at his house and shopping at the farmers market .

“He changed travel,” local resident Karen Howe said on her way into the Waterfront Center with a friend. She’s used Steves’s guidebooks for years. “He’s introduced us to places that most of us would never think of going.”

Rick Steves hasn’t won his piazza battle, but he has brought European touches to Edmonds. At the Rick Steves’ Europe headquarters, there’s an E.U. flag hanging from the mocha brick facade. And gargoyles that drain rainwater, just like at the Notre Dame cathedral.

“Gargoyles scare away evil spirits,” Steves points out, unable to suppress his inner tour guide.

Here Steves employs more than 100 people: editors, audio producers, tour specialists and cartographers such as Dave Hoerlein, his first employee. That’s excluding the fleet of guides and drivers he contracts across the pond to shepherd tour customers.

Inside, he bounds through a maze of cubicles, his neck craned forward, always at an eager pace. His 6-foot frame appears leaner than previous seasons of his life, but his signature look is familiar. No, not khakis and a button-down. That’s vintage Rick. These days, he wears dark jeans and a button-down, plus a thin scarf and leather sneakers.

During a day of meetings, Steves’s fjord-blue eyes lit up at the minutia of the business. He went over new maps with Hoerlein. He and longtime co-author Cameron Hewitt addressed problems like finding a “less glitzy” stop on the Amalfi Coast that’s not Sorrento. They discussed whether a place is worth visiting after it’s gotten too popular, and Steves indulged in some gallows humor.

“It’s going to be like holding the corpse of a loved one who just died,” he said.

His critics argue the “Rick Steves Effect” can turn a charming village, restaurant or museum into a tourist magnet. Matthew Kepnes, the travel writer behind the blog Nomadic Matt , points to the Swiss town Zermatt, which he says Steves put on the map, and has since dealt with overtourism . You’re bound to bump into groups with Rick Steves guidebooks in Italy’s increasingly crowded Cinque Terre.

Whether Steves is actually to blame for changing a place is up for debate. There are plenty of destinations he’s covered that haven’t been inundated with swarms of Americans (see also: Gdańsk).

Steves says he assesses whether a place wants tourism, if it can handle it gracefully. If they don’t or can’t, he may mention it but not promote it.

He has faith — maybe too much — that his clients share his values.

“Does [my work] change the personality of a town? It can. Am I a dramatic impact on Europe? No,” he said.

“There’s a handful of places I really promote aggressively that I’ve had a serious impact on, but otherwise ... my travelers are the kind of people that take only pictures and leave only footprints ... they’re good travelers.”

You don’t have to spend much time in Edmonds to see why Rick Steves never considered leaving.

The city — population roughly 42,000 — sits on a majestic inlet. You can get to a major international airport in about an hour. The community is so courteous, it has an “umbrella share” program in case people forget their own on a rainy day. As Steves walks around town, he greets people by name. He lives within walking distance to both his favorite diner and a pétanque court, the French answer to Italian bocce. He plays bongos at his church on Sundays.

In 1967, Richard “Dick” Steves moved the family here because he was worried about Rick Junior.

“I was hanging out with dangerous kids and going down the wrong trail,” Steves said. Seriously.

His dad, an Army veteran, got by in the upscale suburb as a piano technician and importer. When Steves was 14, his parents dragged him on a work trip to Europe to visit piano factories; it was a radical experience that sparked his lifelong passion for travel.

Back in Edmonds, Steves started teaching piano, eventually turning his savings into trips abroad of his own — not only to Europe, but Turkey, Nepal, Afghanistan. He went to college nearby, earning degrees in European history and business from the University of Washington, where he played in the Husky Marching Band.

After graduation, Steves figured he could keep up his routine: give piano lessons during the school year, then travel during the summer. He started teaching travel classes in the same recital hall where his piano students performed. This was back when there was no internet and few guidebooks to consult for trip planning.

The classes were a hit. At 25, Steves turned his lecture materials into a 180-page book, and self-published “Europe Through the Back Door,” in 1980.

Four years later, he hosted his first European minibus tour group, serving as both bus driver and guide.

His businesses have evolved — his bus tours now take up to 28 travelers, a number Steves says is a sweet spot between making the tour more affordable yet enjoyable for customers and profitable for the company. But his mission has remained the same: to be the best resource for European travel and help Americans travel better.

“I just focus on that and I love it,” he said. “It takes my life out of balance — which is not good — but it lets me do a lot of stuff that I believe in and that’s good.”

Steves has been open about the challenges of being a travel mogul. As he built his empire, he was also raising a family. Being “married” to both took a toll. In 2010, Steves and his wife, Anne, divorced after 25 years of marriage.

Up the hill from his junior high, Rick Steves’s modest beige home offers a window into his many lives. There are family photos on the walls, from older relatives to his baby grandson, Atlas. He hosts political fundraisers on the sprawling deck. A painting of Kerala, India, nods to one of his favorite countries (people forget Steves did four editions of “Asia Through the Back Door”).

Next to his grand piano, there’s a stuffed creature that Steves calls his “Silver Fox” baring its teeth and wearing novelty sunglasses with cannabis leaves on the lenses — a nod to two of his interests: taxidermy and marijuana activism.

“It’s the civil liberties … it’s the racism … everything about it is wrong,” he said of keeping weed illegal.

As for the toothy fox, Steves doesn’t do typical souvenirs anymore, but he makes an exception for stuffed animals.

“The wooden shoes and the pewter Viking ships are so obvious,” he said. “I like to do something a little more organic and a little more striking and it takes me back there — I like it.”

He’s a very good piano player. He can also play the sousaphone and the trumpet — which he did regularly during the pandemic, performing taps for his neighbors at sunset.

Covid-19 was a nightmare for the travel business, but a miracle for Rick Steves’s love life.

After running in the same social circles for years, he and Shelley Bryan Wee, a prominent local bishop, started dating at the end of 2019. They had a lot in common. Both are progressive Lutherans. Both are divorced with adult children. But neither worked a typical 9-to-5, and one of them spent three months of the year in Europe.

Then lockdown happened. Steves, who couldn’t remember if he’d ever had dinner in the same place 10 nights in a row, spent 100 nights at the same table with Wee. It solidified their relationship.

“Shelley is a constant,” Steves said. He still struggles with the balancing act between work and love.

When the stars align and they’re both in Edmonds, Wee cooks, and Steves plays sous chef. They walk Jackson, Wee’s labradoodle, creating their own version of the passeggiata, Italy’s traditional evening stroll. They play table tennis before dinner.

When the world reopened, they started traveling together. They’ve made time for a few big vacations: a trip to Morocco, where they were caught in a windstorm that blew the windows out of their car; a luxury barge cruise through Burgundy, France, “that was embarrassingly expensive,” Steves confessed, followed by a week hiking in the Swiss Alps; and another hiking trip between remote lodges on Mont Blanc.

Before their first trip, Steves edited the contents of Wee’s suitcase, because packing light is part of his philosophy.

“What do you say?” she asked. “You’re talking to Rick Steves.”

Editing by Gabe Hiatt. Additional editing by Amanda Finnegan. Design editing by Christine Ashack. Photo editing by Lauren Bulbin. Videos by Monica Rodman. Senior video producer: Nicki DeMarco. Design by Katty Huertas. Copy editing by Jamie Zega.

More travel news

How we travel now: More people are taking booze-free trips — and airlines and hotels are taking note. Some couples are ditching the traditional honeymoon for a “buddymoon” with their pals. Interested? Here are the best tools for making a group trip work.

Bad behavior: Entitled tourists are running amok, defacing the Colosseum , getting rowdy in Bali and messing with wild animals in national parks. Some destinations are fighting back with public awareness campaigns — or just by telling out-of-control visitors to stay away .

Safety concerns: A door blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jet, leaving passengers traumatized — but without serious injuries. The ordeal led to widespread flight cancellations after the jet was grounded, and some travelers have taken steps to avoid the plane in the future. The incident has also sparked a fresh discussion about whether it’s safe to fly with a baby on your lap .

• You can still find affordable flights to Europe this summer April 18, 2024 You can still find affordable flights to Europe this summer April 18, 2024
• See how jamón gets made in the heartland of Spanish pork April 16, 2024 See how jamón gets made in the heartland of Spanish pork April 16, 2024
• What to know about Schengen zone, Europe’s ‘border-free’ travel system April 3, 2024 What to know about Schengen zone, Europe’s ‘border-free’ travel system April 3, 2024

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

What to Know About Venice’s Fees for Day Trips

Venice is trying to mitigate overtourism with a small fee on busy days. City leaders hope it will make visitors more aware of the city’s fragility.

By Elisabetta Povoledo

Reporting from Rome

After years of debate , Venice on Thursday began charging day visitors five euros to visit its fragile historic center on peak days, making it the first city in the world to adopt such a measure to counter overtourism.

Critics question whether a nominal fee will put people off from visiting one of the world’s most desired destinations. But officials hope that it might encourage some to rethink their plans and decide to come on weekdays or in the off-season.

That might help mitigate the impact of the estimated 20 million visitors who descended last year on the city’s beleaguered residents, who number fewer than 50,000, according to municipal statistics . About half of those visitors came only for the day, city officials said. Overnight guests are exempt from the fee.

The spirit of the initiative, city officials have said, is to make people aware of the uniqueness — and fragility — of Venice. Overtourism is creating an economy solely based on tourism that risks killing the city by pushing its dwindling residents out, said Nicola Camatti, an economics professor and expert in tourism at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.

When will Venice start charging?

The fee went into effect on Thursday, a holiday in Italy. For 2024, city officials have singled out 29 peak days when single-day travelers in Venice between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. have to pay. The days run until mid-July and are mostly on national holidays and weekends. The access-fee website provides a list of the dates.

Who must pay?

While just about everyone visiting the city has to register to obtain a QR code, not all visitors have to pay the fee. Overnight guests at registered accommodations like hotels or Airbnbs are exempt, because they already pay a daily tourist tax, as are people who study or work in Venice and those visiting relatives. There are other exemptions as well.

Residents of Venice, those born there and minors under 14 are among those who do not have to register. But they must have documents that prove their status.

It is possible that different fees will apply next year on a sliding scale that will depend on how many people city officials expect on any one day. City officials said the fees could be as high as 10 euros per day.

How will the system work?

Before coming to Venice on peak days, visitors should use the website to register and get a QR code.

The code will be scanned at points where visitors enter, like the train station, the city parking lot, the airport and the sprawling waterfront along the San Marco basin where boats dock. The access points will have one line for tourists and another for residents and what officials call city users, who are coming into Venice for reasons other than sightseeing.

At least for now, those who do not register ahead of time can do so at some access points or on their cellphones, officials said. Assistants will be available.

Initially, the controls will be “very soft,” said Michele Zuin, the municipal councilor responsible for the city’s budget.

Speaking to reporters at the foreign press association in Rome this month, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said the fee was not about cashing in on tourists. “The costs of the operation are higher than what we’re going to make,” he said.

Why is Venice doing this?

City officials hope to relieve some of the stress that tourists put on the city by encouraging them to come on less busy days. They also say that by knowing ahead of time how many visitors to expect, the city can better deploy services.

“We want to better manage the numbers of tourists and disincentivize mass tourism” that makes it difficult for residents and visitors to “live in this city,” Mr. Zuin said this month.

To track the flow of visitors, the city already monitors them via phone location data and surveillance cameras, a system some critics have likened to Big Brother .

Venice has also fallen under the scrutiny of the United Nations’ culture agency, UNESCO, whose experts are concerned that not enough is being done to protect the city. Last year, Venice risked being added to UNESCO’s list of Endangered World Heritage Sites after experts at the agency listed mass tourism , along with climate change and development, as a major threat to its future. It urged City Hall to take steps to ameliorate the damage.

The municipal council approved the access fee just days before UNESCO was to vote on its status, and Venice stayed off the “in danger” list . But UNESCO officials said in a statement that “further progress still needs to be made” to conserve Venice.

Critics of the access fee note that officials have not capped the number of visitors, and they say that the nominal fee is hardly a deterrent. As recently as Friday, city officials said that about 80,000 visitors swelled the city’s narrow calli, as the streets are known, and the gardens of the 2024 Venice Biennale , still the world’s principal place to discover new art .

How else is Venice trying to restrict visitors?

Venice also has taken other steps it hopes will reduce what city officials call “mordi e fuggi” tourism, or “eat and flee,” referring to those who seek the city’s greatest hits — the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark’s Square — and who bring packed lunches and dump their garbage, contributing little to the local economy.

After years of heated debate and protests by vocal Venetians, the city banned cruise ships from its inner canals in 2021 , though Mr. Camatti, the tourism expert, said the ban on the ships had not reduced the number of day visitors.

This year, the city imposed a limit of 25 people per tour group and also banned the use of megaphones.

Elisabetta Povoledo is a reporter based in Rome, covering Italy, the Vatican and the culture of the region. She has been a journalist for 35 years. More about Elisabetta Povoledo

Xi Tries to Drive a Wedge Between Europe and the U.S.

April 29, 2024 at 4:21 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Chinese President Xi Jinping is heading to the European Union for the first time in five years with a clear message: Beijing offers much more of an economic opportunity for the bloc than the U.S. wants to admit,” Bloomberg reports.

“The Chinese leader will begin his five-day trip to France, Serbia and Hungary on May 5, according to the Foreign Ministry in Beijing. Those nations are seeking investment from China, despite a litany of EU probes into Beijing’s industrial policy and the warnings from officials in Washington about the risks.”

Recent Posts

Extra bonus quote of the day.

“I didn’t eat my dog. I didn’t shoot my dog. I loved my dog, and my dog loved me.” — Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), quoted by HuffPost, dismissing comparisons to…

Court Tosses New Map in Louisiana

“A panel of federal judges has tossed out Louisiana’s new congressional map, striking the state’s second majority-Black district just months after it was signed into law,” Politico reports. “The ruling,…

Tim Kennedy Wins Special Election In New York

Tim Kennedy (D) is projected to win the special election for New York’s 26th congressional district, the Washington Post reports. “When Kennedy is sworn in as a member of the…

Hundreds of Police Officers March Onto Columbia Campus

“Hundreds of police officers in riot gear marched onto the campus of Columbia University in Upper Manhattan late Tuesday, where protesters had occupied a campus building, as clashes over the…

Right-Wing Pastor Claims Jesus Told Her To Run

Drenda Keesee (R), a right-wing pastor and broadcaster, said that she’s running for office because Jesus personally told her to. Said Keesee: “He was holding my cheeks, and I was…

Trump Justice Department Lawyer Faces Disbarment

“The District of Columbia’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel issued a recommendation this week battering the credibility of former Donald Trump Justice Department attorney Jeffrey Clark, saying Clark’s ‘dishonest attempt to…

Former Ohio Treasurer Ordered to Jail

“Josh Mandel (R), the former Ohio state treasurer and multiple-time U.S. Senate candidate, is facing a threat of jail time due to his years-old and increasingly contentious divorce case,” the…

Louisiana GOP Punts on Rape Exceptions to Abortion Ban

Louisiana Republicans pushed back votes on several bills that would have added exceptions to the state’s near-total abortion ban, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. Save to Favorites

Bonus Quote of the Day

“This gag order is totally unconstitutional. I’m the Republican candidate for president of the United States. I received this honor in record time. Nobody has ever gone faster… And I’m…

Appeals Court Denies Trump Bid to Have Judge Recused

“An appellate court has denied former President Trump’s bid to have Judge Juan Merchan recused from his hush money trial,” ABC News reports. Save to Favorites

Elon Musk Convenes Anti-Biden Dinner

Puck: “On a brisk Friday evening earlier this month, David Sacks and Elon Musk convened a dozen or so of America’s most powerful business leaders for dinner at Sacks’ $23…

Republicans Face Little Backlash Over Ukraine Vote

New York Times: “The reactions suggested that even as Republicans are waging an internal war over aiding Ukraine — one that is continuing even after the funding package cleared Congress…

Trump Appears to Fall Asleep at Trial

Donald Trump “appears to have fallen asleep while listening to testimony — at times appearing to stir and then falling back to sleep,” NBC News reports. “Trump’s eyes were closed…

Trump Removes Posts Cited in Gag Order Ruling

Donald Trump has begun to remove the social media posts cited by Judge Juan Merchan in today’s gag order ruling, ABC News reports. Save to Favorites

Biden and Democrats Seize on Trump’s Striking Interview

“The Biden campaign is mounting a concerted push to attack former President Donald J. Trump over statements he made to Time magazine in a wide-ranging interview published Tuesday morning, particularly…

Trump to Hold Rally In Wisconsin

“Donald Trump will make another stop in Wisconsin this week for a campaign rally as his criminal hush money trial continues in New York,” USA Today reports. Save to Favorites

Rishi Sunak Seeks ‘Greatest Comeback’ Ever

“Rishi Sunak urged Conservative Party faithful in a pre-election speech to take part in ‘the greatest comeback in political history,’ a tacit admission of the long odds the prime minister…

Fox News Quietly Takes Down Hunter Biden Videos

“Fox News appears to be taking Hunter Biden’s lawsuit threat quite seriously,” the Daily Beast reports. “The network has quietly pulled down its six-part ‘mock trial’ series from its digital…

Marijuana to Be Classified as Less Dangerous

“The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, a historic shift to generations of American drug policy that could have wide ripple effects…

Trump Wants Presidential Immunity — But Not for Biden

“When a lawyer for former President Donald Trump argued before the Supreme Court last week that his client should be immune from charges of plotting to subvert the last election,…

About Political Wire

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC .

Praise for Political Wire

“There are a lot of blogs and news sites claiming to understand politics, but only a few actually do. Political Wire is one of them.”

— Chuck Todd, host of “Meet the Press”

“Concise. Relevant. To the point. Political Wire is the first site I check when I’m looking for the latest political nugget. That pretty much says it all.”

— Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report

“Political Wire is one of only four or five sites that I check every day and sometimes several times a day, for the latest political news and developments.”

— Charlie Cook, editor of the Cook Political Report

“The big news, delicious tidbits, pearls of wisdom — nicely packaged, constantly updated… What political junkie could ask for more?”

— Larry Sabato, Center for Politics, University of Virginia

“Political Wire is a great, great site.”

— Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”

“Taegan Goddard has a knack for digging out political gems that too often get passed over by the mainstream press, and for delivering the latest electoral developments in a sharp, no frills style that makes his Political Wire an addictive blog habit you don’t want to kick.”

— Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post

“Political Wire is one of the absolute must-read sites in the blogosphere.”

— Glenn Reynolds, founder of Instapundit

“I rely on Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire for straight, fair political news, he gets right to the point. It’s an eagerly anticipated part of my news reading.”

— Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist.