If you are traveling to Europe for the first time, here I propose an optimized route that includes cities such as London, Paris, Brussels, Bruges, Amsterdam, Madrid, Barcelona, Venice, Rome, Florence and Berlin.
The basic europe route It is recommended for those who are making their first trip to the continent and want to visit the most emblematic places of the old continent such as: the Eiffel Tower, the Roman Coliseum, the Brandenburg Gate or Big Ben. So here I leave you information on how to do it (according to my own trips), where to stay and approximately how much it costs.
Travel tip. If you only have 15 days for your trip, I propose a route to visit Europe in 2 weeks. Click here for more information.
🌍 If you are organizing your trip to Europe on your own, here is how to do it step by step.
I propose doing this route in a “logical” order that can go from north to south or vice versa. Depending on your interests, more cities such as Milan, Lisbon or Dublin could be included.
First trip route to Europe
To do a route of this style, I propose that you start it at one point and end it at another, this way you save money and time on a journey. To have a flight to Europe like this, when searching for your flight select the “multiple destinations” option with arrival in one city and departure from another. Another option is to look for two single flights. If you want to know how to get cheap flights click here.
London
The capital of the United Kingdom is one of the basic destinations in Europe. I propose it as an entry to the continent considering that London has several international airports. If you do not have a visa, you could start the route at the next point, which is Paris.
London is a city that requires at least two days, but five is ideal to visit nearby cities such as Oxford or Stonehenge.
👉 Complete guide to London here.
🌍 Book tours and activities in London here.
🏨 If you are looking for accommodation in London Here I tell you which is the best area and the best options.
Recommended hostel in London: Hostel One Notting Hill 1.8 km from Hyde Park in the Kensington and Chelsea area. Beds in a shared room start at $29. More information and reservation here.
Paris
Paris is a city that requires you to dedicate 3 to 5 days to it. And there is a lot to see and do in the French capital. In fact, my recommendation is 3 days in Paris:
- You can dedicate a day to the city center with staples like the Arc de Triomphe or the Eiffel Tower.
- On the second day you can dedicate your morning to the Latin Quarter and the afternoon to Montmartre. And in fact, I have good news for you, you will find free tours in these two areas of the city. You can reserve here.
🏨 Recommended hostel: Les Piaules in Paris. Modern hostel surrounded by shops and restaurants. It was my decision on my last trip to Paris and the quality-price ratio is really good if we consider how expensive the city of Paris can be. More information and reservation here.
Brussels
The capital of Belgium can be easily seen in one day, especially if you concentrate your visit in the city center where you will find attractions such as the Grand Place, one of the most beautiful squares in Europe and the world.
🏨 If you are looking for accommodation in Brussels click here.
Witches
Bruges, the city that travelers fall in love with in Belgium, is one of the most popular destinations in Europe. You have to dedicate at least one day to Bruges and if you want to know how to get there, what to see and, of course, how much it costs, here is the complete information.
👉 If you want a free tour of Bruges click here.
Amsterdam
It is a city that can be seen in one day but to enjoy at least one of its museums, two are recommended. Here are the lodging recommendations in Amsterdam.
🏨 Recommended accommodation: There are very good hostels in Amsterdam, here you can see the selection of the most popular ones.
Berlin
Berlin, the capital of Germany, has experienced important stages in world history and is one of the European capitals that most attracts travelers. Currently it is one of the places where you can spend incredible moments outdoors, learn first-hand about World War II, see vestiges of the Berlin Wall and shop in places like the largest shopping center in Europe or in small local designer stores, this before or after eating a delicious Currywurst. Two to three days are perfect to get to know the most important things about this city.
🏨Here are the lodging recommendations in Berlin.
Venice
One day is enough to stroll through the famous Italian canals, although of course to get to know the city and its secrets in depth, staying a little longer will not be enough. The big drawback of this city is its costs, so if you decide to stay here, there are cheap accommodation options in Venice.
Rome
At least two days are needed in Rome, one for the city and one for the Vatican, but ideally four would be. Here are the lodging recommendations in Rome.
👉 Rome guide available here.
🏨 Recommended hostel: The Yellow, a hostel characterized by a very good atmosphere, and which has a bar and a club. In addition, its location is very good, steps from Termini. Of course, it is mainly recommended for young people, due to its style, so below are other alternatives. More information and reservation click here.
And although I do not include it in this route, if you are interested in including Greece this would be a good time to take an optimized logical route. You could fly from cities like Rome or Milan to Athens and from there move to the Greek islands that are of interest to you.
Barcelona
It takes 3 to 5 days to tour Gaudí’s city. More days They allow you to make different getaways from the city.
👉 Barcelona guide available here.
🌍 Tours in Barcelona
🏨 Recommended Hostel: A great option is the Rodamón Hostel. If you want more recommendations of the best places to stay in Barcelona click here.
🚗Transfers in Barcelona
😉 Tips for visiting Barcelona like a local
Madrid
The Spanish capital requires at least two days, a little more is ideal to visit nearby cities like Toledo. If you want to know which is the best area to stay click here.
👉 Complete guide to Madrid here.
🏨 Recommended hostel: The Hostal Go Inn Madrid is located in the central Gran Vía, next to a metro station and 300 meters from Puerta del Sol. More information and reservation here.
How do I move around Europe?
Below I explain how to go between the main destinations in Europe to be able to take the route that I propose. And to buy your transport in Europe I recommend using Omnio. This way, you can compare train, bus and plane here.
How do I get from London to Paris?
The fastest and most comfortable way to get around is on the Eurostar train. The tour takes just over 2 hours and can be purchased from 52 euros at a promotional price. However, you will hardly get this price, so I recommend setting aside at least 100 euros if you buy your ticket at least a month in advance and up to 200 euros if you buy it days before the trip. Buy your trip here.
If you want to save time and money you can spend the night on the bus and make the trip from 35 euros (remember to buy it in advance and it may not be the most comfortable for sleeping, due to the document reviews that are done during the trip).
How do I get from Paris – Brussels?
A journey that can be made by train or direct bus. The train is the fastest with a journey of less than two hours and costs between 50 and 150 euros, depending on how far in advance you buy it. However, if you want to save you can do it by bus for 10 euros in 4 hours. You can buy it here.
How do I get between Brussels and Bruges?
A journey that is made by direct train for 17 euros in one hour or by bus in two hours from 5 euros. Both options are comfortable and reach the same point in Bruges, so the decision will depend on your budget.
How do I get between Bruges and Amsterdam?
A journey that can be made by train or direct bus for practically the same time: 2 hours and 45 minutes. The difference is in the price. The bus costs about 10 euros while the train costs about 40 euros. So here I would definitely recommend using the bus.
How do I get from Amsterdam to Berlin?
A trip that can be done by bus with promotional prices from 8 euros but if you don’t look for it in time it can cost up to more than 70 euros. So it’s not exactly convenient. It is much simpler in this case to take a plane.
How do I get from Berlin – Milan or Venice?
A recommendable plane ride that can be had for 50 euros. I suggest you fly to Milan or Venice because they are two important entry points to Italy by air. This means that you can find cheap flights to these cities and from there start a route through Italy.
Travel tip. If you have more time, you could include more Italian cities. If you want to know how to make a route through Italy click here.
How do I get from Venice to Rome?
To go between Venice and Rome there is a direct train that connects these cities in 4 hours. The cost depends on when you buy it: from 35 euros if you buy it a couple of months in advance to more than 80 euros if you buy it a day or two before your trip. By bus you will travel almost 9 hours but the cost can be from 7 euros and the journey can be done at night, saving you one night of accommodation.
How do I get from Rome to Barcelona?
The best option is to travel by plane with prices starting at 30 euros. For this example we will take 45 euros. The option of using the train would involve about 24 hours of travel. With the airline Vueling you can fly cheaply between Rome and Barcelona.
How do I go between Barcelona-Madrid?
There are several ways to get from one city to another, by train, bus or plane. Without a doubt the train is the most comfortable, you just need to buy in advance to get a good price (If you want information about it click here). Another alternative, for travelers looking to save as much as possible, is to take the night trip by bus. All the alternatives in detail here.
How long to go to Europe?
To complete this route I recommend you spend between 25 and 30 days. And everything will depend on the schedules of your journeys and the transport you use.
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How much does it cost to travel to Europe?
Considering that you will spend 27 days in these cities, below is an estimate in USD of your budget considering staying in hostels. Budgets consider prices…