This travel guide has plenty of tips on how to plan your holidays in Europe. Being called the cradle of Western civilisation, it’s also known for its medieval architecture with the most charming castles, palaces and many historical sites to visit. If you want to experience the ancient history, the Europeans have plenty of that. Plus, they can really be proud of the spectacular mountain scenery and lovely beaches for resting.
The oldest country in Europe is an ancient Greece dating back over 3,000 years ago. But, the country which has never changed its borders is The Kingdom of Portugal and the oldest one by its name is Bulgaria.
Table of Contents
What to Visit in Europe
England 
Greece 
Italy 
Spain
Europe is the called the Old Continent because it’s rich in history, mixed traditions and full of ancient landmarks. In fact, it covers over 10 million square km of land and its population is around 746 million people.
Other Things to See in Europe
When travelling to Europe, it’s worth visiting the Mont Blanc which is the highest mountain on the continent. Other places to explore in Europe are the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome which is the largest church, Wales which is the country with most castles and Norway with the longest coastline. Croatia is home to the smallest town and Bosnia and Herzegovina have the only rainforest in Europe.
In Spain, you’ll be amazed to know that the Sagrada Familia has been in construction for nearly 150 years which is longer than building the pyramids. If you want to experience the northern lights and the hot springs, than Iceland is the place to go. If you’re looking for the medieval scenery, Krakow has plenty of that.
Those planning to party should visit Amsterdam. The whiskey lovers will love exploring Ireland or Scotland, the wine tasters the French Riviera and the beer enthusiasts Germany during the Oktoberfest festival. Those looking for some thrill can try to find the Dracula in Romania and the sun seekers will be pleased to enjoy the beaches around the Greek islands.
Don’t leave Europe without seeing:
- Mont Blanc – highest peak in Europe
- St. Peter’s Basilica – Europe’s largest church
- Wales – country with most castles
- Norway – the longest coastline
- Croatia – the smallest town
- Bosnia and Herzegovina – only rainforest
- Sagrada Familia – being built for 150 years
- Iceland – northern lights and hot springs
- Krakow – medieval scenery
- Amsterdam – fun lovers
- Ireland and Scotland – whisky tasting
- Germany – beer at Oktoberfest
- French Riviera – wine tasting
- Romania – finding the Dracula
- Greek Islands – beach and sun seekers
Hiking in Europe
Certainly, the highest peak in Europe is Mont Blanc (4,810 m), located in the Alps and shared by Italy, France and Switzerland. The are many mountain ranges in Europe but the major ones include:
- The Alps (Italy, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Austria, Slovenia, Germany)
- Apennines (Italy, San Marino)
- Baetic System (Spain, Giblartar)
- Balkan Mountains (Bulgaria, Serbia)
- Bohemian Massif (Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria)
- Cantabrian (Spain)
- Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Russia, Turkey)
- Crimean Mountains (Ukraine)
- Olympus Mountains (Greece)
- Southern Carpathian (Romania)
- Tatras (Poland, Slovakia)
- Pindus (Albania, Greece)
- Pyrenees (France, Spain, Andorra)
- Scandes (Norway, Sweden, Finland)
- Scottish Highlands (UK)
- Sierra Morena (Spain)
- Sistema Iberico (Spain)
- Sistema Central (Spain)
- Ural (Russia, Kazakhstan)
The Hiking Trails in Europe
The best hiking trails in Europe are Tour de Mont Blanc (Italy, France, Switzerland), Jungfrau in Switzerland, Alta Via 2 and Alta Via Dei Monzoni in Italy, Norwegian Fjords, Retezat Mountains in Romania, El Caminito Del Rey in Spain, Mount Triglav in Slovenia, Plitvice Lakes in Croatia, Laugavegur in Iceland, High Tatras in Poland and Slovakia, Caucasus Mountains in Georgia, Via Dinarica in Balkans, Lünersee Circuit Trail, Austria, Calanque d’en Vau in France and Morskie Oko in Poland.
Read more: The Best Hiking Trails in Europe
Beaches in Europe
Europe is surrounded by waters of the Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea. It’s also separated from Asia by the Turkish Straits, the Ural Mountains and Ural River, the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black Sea.
The coastline of Europe stretches for around 185,000 km and it’s longer than the one of Africa, the US or Russia. The most beautiful islands in Europe are Corsica in France, Malta, Azores and Madeira in Portugal, Hvar in Croatia, Capri, Sardinia and Sicily in Italy, Ibiza and Majorca in Spain, Mykonos and Santorini in Greece, plus Iceland and Canary Islands.
Read more: The Most Beautiful Beaches and Islands in Europe
Where to Stay in Europe
If you want to spend your holidays in Europe, there are 51 countries to choose from. It’s worth noting that 27 of them are in the European Union (forming a single market) and 26 belong to the Schengen Area (allowing free movement with no passport control). Additionally, there are 3 European countries (Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City) which are not Schengen members but their borders remain open with the area.
Generally, Europe be divided into six parts – the Balkans, Eastern, Central, Western, Southern and Northern Europe. The list of all 51 countries in Europe below.
| Balkans | Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey |
| Eastern | Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia), Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan |
| Central | Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia |
| Western | Austria, Benelux (Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands), France, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Switzerland, UK |
| Northern | Nordic, Scandinavian (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland) |
| Southern | Iberia (Andorra, Portugal, Spain), Cypress, Greece, Italy, Malta, San Marino, Vatican City |
What to Eat in Europe
The truth is that Europeans really appreciate the traditional way of cooking. Each country is very proud of the their own cuisine as they mainly focus on roasting, braising, boiling and baking. If you find yourself in one of those countries, don’t leave without tasting:
- Croissants in France
- Pierogi in Poland
- Sunday Roast in England
- Irish Stew in Ireland
- Haggis in Scotland
- Francesinha in Portugal
- Gözleme in Turkey
- Pizza and Pasta in Italy
- Moussaka in Greece
- Tapas in Spain
- Black Risotto in Croatia
- Cheese Fondue in Switzerland
- Bratwurst in Germany
- Wiener Schnitzel in Austria
- Bitterballen in The Netherland
- Waffles in Belgium
- Khachapuri in Georgia
- Goulash in Hungary
- Šaltibarščiai in Lithuania
- Knedliki in Czech Republic
- Bryndzové Halušky in Slovakia
- Meatballs in Sweden
- Cardamom Bun in Finland
- Blood Sausage in Estonia
- Pelēkie zirņi in Latvia
- Cremeschnitte in Slovenia
- Sarmale in Romania
- Beef Stroganoff in Russia
- Borsch in Ukraine
- Draniki in Belarus
- Besbarmak in Kazakhstan
- Shopska Salad in Bulgaria
- Hákarl in Iceland
- Burek in Serbia
- Ćevapi in Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Halloumi in Cypress
How to Get Around Europe
If don’t want to spend too much time on transiting between European countries, book the cheap flights with Ryanair or Wizz Air. If you want to save money in Europe, use trains. They are cheap, especially if you get the Inter Rail or Eurail Passes allowing the unlimited travels to 33 European countries. If you love the freedom of driving, renting a car is also a good idea. The buses are not recommended for the long distance journeys.
There are many budget airlines you can use to travel around Europe. If flights are booked way in advance, they can cost as little as £10 one way. The average tickets for flying around Europe is around £100 return.
The low budget airlines in Europe:
- Ryanair
- Wizz Air
- EasyJet
- Eurowings
- Norwegian
- Transavia
- French Bee
- Vueling
- Jet2.com
There are many ferries you can use to travel around Europe. You can book the cruise liners (packaged holidays) or the ferry rides that get you from one place to another. The European ferries offers many routes across the Baltic Sea, the English Channel, the North Sea, the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.
What ferries to use in Europe?
Mediterranean Sea:
- Balearia for Spain (Balearic Islands) - Morocco - Algeria
- Blue Star Ferries for Greece (mainland and the Greek islands)
- Grimaldi Lines for Greece - Spain - Italy - Malta
- Minoan Lines for Greece - Italy
- Superfast Ferries for Greece - Italy
- SNAV Ferries f0r Italy - Croatia
Baltic Sea:
- Polferries for Poland - Sweden - Denmark
- Eckerö Line for Finland - Estonia
- Finnlines for Finland - Germany - Sweden
- Fjord Line for Denmark - Norway - Sweden
- Tallink Silja for Finland - Sweden - Estonia - Latvia
- Viking Line for Sweden - Finland - Estonia
North Atlantic:
- Irish Ferries for Ireland - France - Great Britain
North Sea and Baltic Sea
- Stena Line for Ireland - Netherlands - Great Britain - Norway - Sweden - Denmark - Germany - Poland - Latvia
The public transport in Europe is well organised. What makes your travels easy is the fact that most of the Europe (26 countries) are in the Schengen Area which means there is a free movement with no border controls.
Buses in Europe
Booking buses in Europe only makes sense if you travel the short distance because they are cheaper than trains or planes. Some routes start from as little as £5 one way. The biggest bus services in Europe:
- Flixbus (global.flixbus.com)
- Megabus (uk.megabus.com)
- BlaBlaBus (ouibus.com)
- Sinbad (sinbad.pl)
- Berlin Linien Bus (bahn.de)
- Busabout (busabout.com)
- Student Agency (studentagencybus.com/en)
Trains in Europe
Trains are a good way of travelling Europe the long distance. They are fast, reasonable priced (often cheaper than planes), comfortable with the free Wi-Fi on board. It's good to use the high - speed trains when travelling between the major cities throughout Europe. The best high - speed trains in Europe:
- AVE (Spain)
- Frecciarossa (Italy)
- NSB (Sweden, Norway)
- Elipsos (France, Spain)
- Allegro (Finland, Russia)
- Cisalpino (Switzerland, Italy)
- Oresundtrain (Denmark, Sweden)
- Trenhotel (France, Spain, Portugal)
- X 2000 (Sweden, Norway, Denmark)
- Enterprise (Ireland, Northern Ireland)
- Intercity Direct (Netherlands, Belgium)
- Eurostar (UK, France, Belgium, Netherlands)
- Belgrade-Bar Railway (Serbia, Montenegro)
- Thalys (France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands)
- EuroCity (almost all Western and Central Europe)
- TGV (France, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Luxembourg)
- Railjet (Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Czechia, Italy, Slovakia)
- ICE (Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria)
European Rail Passes
If you plan on seeing many countries in Europe during one trip, it's best to get the train pass. The European passes are cheap, fast and cost effective. The European Rail Passes include:
- Inter Rail Pass - for European residents only (interrail.eu). Tickets: The Global Pass (unlimited travels in 33 European countries, valid up to 3 months, from £165) or One Country Pass (valid up to 1 months, from £45).
- Eurail Pass - for everyone else (eurail.com). Tickets: The Global Pass (unlimited travels in 33 European countries, valid up to 3 months, from £165) or One Country Pass (valid up to 1 months, from £45).
- Balkan Flexi Pass - buy online from third party operators (from £80) or at the stations (cheaper), unlimited travels during selected days (3-5-7-10-15 days) within 2 months.
European Rail Travel Planner
Unfortunately, there is no one universal online website to help you plan your train journeys around Europe. The most reliable rail planner for Western Europe is DB German Railways (reiseauskunft.bahn.de).
If you want to explore Europe by car, it's good to know the roads in the Western Europe are different from the ones in the East. The high speed motorways on the western and the northern side are better maintained than in the rest of the union. Taking the road trips is highly recommended but big cities should be avoided. They are often congested and parking is hard to find.
International Driving Permit
IDP (International Driving Permit) is not required in Europe, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein if you own a photocard driving licence issued in the UK. If you want to find out more, you should visit the GOV UK website: gov.uk/driving-abroad/international-driving-permit
Documents
The things you must always carry with you when driving on the European roads:
- valid driving licence,
- proof of ID (passport),
- proof of vehicle insurance
- V5C certificate (the 'log book')
- European Breakdown Cover policy
- VE103 certificate (if you hire from UK)
Side of Driving
Most of Europe drives on the right side of the road. The only countries where you must drive on the left are: Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom, along with Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man.
Speeding
There rules for speeding limits vary from country to country. Generally it's between 110-140km/h with the German exception. More than half of the total length of the German autobahn network has no speed limit. That means you can drive as fast as your car is able in the designated areas. The left lane on the motorway is used as the 'passing lane' and you are not allowed to use it unless it's an emergency.
Equipment
In most European countries, you must own a warming triangle, reflective vest, headlamp adjusters, black and white country identifying sticker (1 to 3 letters). Driving in the snow requires the changing to winter tyres.
Fuel Cost
The cost of fuel in most European countries is pretty much similar. You normally pay between £1.40 and £1.60 per litre. The price of gas is cheaper than petrol and it's around £0.45 per litre.
Car Rentals in Europe
There are plenty of international car rental companies you can book from in Europe: Sixt, Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Enterprise etc.
Europe Travel Guide – Cost and Budget
Assuming you want to travel on the mid – range budget, the cheapest countries to travel in Europe are the Balkans and the Eastern plus Central parts. Your daily cost to cover the accommodation, food, transport and tourist attractions should be around £50.
Both, the Western and Southern Europe tend to be similar in prices so expect to pay between £100 and £120 daily. The most expensive part of Europe is the Northern region where you’re likely to spend £130 a day.
| Hostel | Hotel | Food | Transport | Attractions | Avg Daily Cost | |
| Eastern, Central, Balkans | £6-£12 | £25-£35 | £5-£15 | £1-£5 | £5-£10 | £50 |
| Western Europe | £20-£30 | £40-£70 | £20-£25 | £5-£10 | £15-£20 | £100-£120 |
| Northern Europe | £30-£35 | £65-£75 | £25-£30 | £5-£10 | £20 | £130 |
| Southern Europe | £15-£30 | £40-£70 | £20-£25 | £3-£10 | £15-£20 | £100-£120 |
Europe Travel Guide – Best Time to Visit
The fact is, Europe is perfect to visit any time of the year, but ideally it’s best to go in summer between June and August. Those months bring a lot of sunshine, hardly no rain and warm temperatures up to 30°C.
Summer in Europe
If you want a beach holidays in Europe, you should travel in summer which runs from June to August. Those months bring the hottest weather which is ideal to hit the beach in Greece, Spain or Italy.
Spring and Autumn in Europe
Generally, the shoulder months like spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October) are the best for the cheap sightseeing in Europe. Those months bring mild temperatures (10°C to 20°C) and very little showers.
Winter in Europe
If you want a ski holidays in Europe, winter is definitely the best time to go. It runs between December to February and brings the freezing snowy weather (-15°C), which is perfect to go skiing in the Italian Alps, Spanish Sierra Nevada or Polish Tatras Mountains.
High Season (Jun – Aug)
- Expect crowds all over
- Hotels are most expensive
- Temperature at the highest
- Hot summer months
Mid (Mar-May, Sep-Nov)
- Less crowds in Europe
- Hotels are the cheapest
- Mild avg temperatures
- Warm spring and fall
Low Season (Dec – Feb)
- No crowds (excl. skiing)
- Hotel prices are the bargain
- Temps cold to freezing
- Snowy winter months
Europe Travel Guide – Average Monthly Temperatures
Europe gets hot in summer from June to August. The hottest parts of Europe are on the western and southern sides. Countries such as Greece, Spain and Italy enjoy the warmest sunny weather all year around with the average summer temperatures between 22°C and 30°C.
Europe gets cold in winter from December to February. The coldest parts of Europe are on the eastern and northern sides. Countries such as Poland, Ukraine, Sweden, Norway and Finland enjoy the heavy snowfall and the freezing weather with the average temperatures between -1°C to -3 °C.
| Avg °C | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Eastern, Central, Balkans | -2 | -1 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 21 | 25 | 28 | 19 | 10 | 5 | -1 |
| Western Europe | 3 | 5 | 9 | 15 | 18 | 22 | 26 | 29 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 6 |
| Northern Europe | -3 | -2 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 22 | 11 | 9 | 3 | -2 |
| Southern Europe | 4 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 25 | 29 | 30 | 25 | 17 | 11 | 7 |
Europe Travel Guide – Average Monthly Precipitation
If you travel to Europe, you’re likely to experience a moderate amounts of rainfall throughout the year. The annual average precipitation in Europe is between 50 to 150 mm (20 to 60 inches). Regardless of where you decide to go, the wettest season is winter (December to February) and the driest is summer (June to August).
The truth is that the European spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) may bring some occasional showers as well. The chance of rain increases if you decide to stay in the mountains or in the southern parts of the Mediterranean coastline.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Eastern, Central, Balkans | 16 days | 15 days | 14 days | 11 days | 12 days | 13 days | 12 days | 12 days | 12 days | 12 days` | 14 days | 16 days |
| Western Europe | 10 days | 9 days | 10 days | 9 days | 10 days | 9 days | 8 days | 7 days | 8 days | 10 days | 10 days | 11 days |
| Northern Europe | 16 days | 12 days | 13 days | 12 days | 13 days | 14 days | 15 days | 16 days | 16 days | 17 days | 15 days | 16 days |
| Southern Europe | 13 days | 10 days | 10 days | 8 days | 6 days | 4 days | 2 days | 2 days | 3 days | 7 days | 10 days | 12 days |
Europe Travel Guide – Practical Information
This part of my travel guide is full of tips on what to expect during your travels to Europe. For more information on language and local time, religion, electricity plug, internet, currency, visa, safety and health matters in Europe, just follow my advice below.
Population and Language – Around 741,400,000 people live in Europe. There are 20 official languages (over 200 in total). Most countries speak English.
Religion – 74% Christians, 13% Unaffiliated, 12% Muslim, 1% Other.
Local Time– GMT/UTC Greenwich Mean Time is a clock time in Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, UK. There are 7 time zones in Europe from UTC-1 hour to UTC+5.
Electricity – Europe runs on 230V voltage. There is 50Hz and different types of plugs used. Getting an adapter is recommended.
Internet – The internet in Europe is widely available. There are many places offering a free wi-fi. It’s recommended to buy a cheap sim card and mobile internet on arrival. Best prepaid sim cards in Europe are: Orange Europe Sim Card, Three Europe Sim Card, o2 Go Card Sim Card Europe.
Money and Currency in Europe
Money – ATMs are widely available. Visa, Maestro, MasterCard Debit and Credit Cards are accepted and you can use them to pay for almost anything. Having some cash is always advisable in more rural regions.
Currency – Euro (€) (EUR) is a currency used by 19 countries (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain). There are other national currencies where euro is not available yet.
Visa Requirements for Europe
Visa – EU citizens don’t need visas for other EU countries. The UK left the European Union on 31st of December 2020. Since then the EU citizens don’t need a tourist visa to travel to England if staying up to 6 months. Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders and Americans don’t need visas to Europe for visits of less than 90 days.
Schengen Area – Allows free travel with no passport or border control in 26 EU countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark (except for Greenland and Faroe Islands), Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands (except for Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands), Norway (except for Spitzbergen), Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland). There are 3 European countries that don’t belong to Schengen Area but have their borders open with the area: Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City.
The European Economic Area (EEA) – Includes the EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and completely autonomous Switzerland which doesn’t belong to the EU nor EEA. The idea for all is to form a single internal market allowing the free movement of people, goods, services and money.
Safety in Europe
Safety Travelling in Europe is generally pretty safe. There’s a political stability and low crime in most European countries. Pickpockets and thieves in different parts of Europe (large cities in particular) can be an issue.
In countries such as Russia, Belarus and Ukraine there might be an issue with corruption and authorities misconduct. The organised crimes such as mafia is seen in some parts of Italy and Russia. The problem with the drugs and gangs are mostly found in some regions of the UK and France. The terrorist attacks may occur in the capitals and larger cities around Europe.
Emergency Numbers – The free number to dial in emergency is 112 and it’s available in all EU countries. One number for all – the police, ambulance and fire services.
Health and Travel Vaccinations in Europe
Health – There is no need for jabs for those who travel to Europe. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that everyone is covered for the diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and polio, hepatitis A, hepatitis B regardless of their destination.