Travel Europe

Travel Europe – Europe is the sixth largest continent in the world, and despite its small size, it is packed with history, innovations, and 50 countries and sovereign states.

Europe is a fascinating place to explore and kick-start a travel bucket list. We are on a mission to explore all of Europe, and currently sitting at 50% of countries visited.

Collage of places we visited in Europe
Europe Planning Guide

Europe is dominated by beautiful and mass popular tourist destinations like Paris, London, Amsterdam, Munich, Venice, Rome, Barcelona, and more.

Blessed with great infrastructure especially rail network, cheaper flights, loaded historical remnants, cuisines, and unique sights – Europe is a must-visit for every traveler.

With 50 countries strong, Europe sightseeing is made easy with tons of guided tours, with the ability to see more in less time, due to geographical proximity. A few times, we crossed three countries in one day! Like wow!

Tours in Europe

Check out the latest – packaged guided tours offered from TourRadar.

Check out the latest – packaged guided tours offered from GAdventures. 

Did you know, the word, “Europe” is derived from the name of a Phoenician princess – Europa.

Quick Facts – Travel Europe

✔ Europe is the second smallest continent in the world.

✔ The world’s smallest country – Vatican City and the world’s largest country – Russia is located in Europe (by area).

✔ Two World Wars began (and were centered) in Europe.

✔ Of the 44 recognized countries of Europe, 27 of them belong to the European Union – a political and economic union within the continent. Citizens have an EU passport and the Euro is the official currency.

✔ Schengen Area or zone is an agreement within European nations to allow free movement of people (between the participating countries). Not all EU nations are part of the Schengen Zone and vise versa.

✔ Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein are associate members of the Schengen Area but are not members of the EU (what it means for a traveler is that – if you have a Schengen visa you can travel there, however, their official currency is not Euro. They might accept Euros, but be ready to exchange currency or take the change in their national currency. We visited 3 of the 4 countries listed here, and they are pretty expensive as compared to other EU countries like France, Spain, or Germany).

European Regions 

Europe Packing List and Map
Europe Regions
  • Northern Europe consists of the Nordic countries, including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, the Faroe Islands, etc. (Scandinavia and Nordic are two terms associated with some of the countries in northern Europe)
  • Southern European countries include Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece, and all the Mediterranean countries. (Balkans is a common term used for countries in the southeastern part of Europe)
  • Central & Eastern Europe – The term Central & Eastern Europe is often used interchangeably and are overlapped with countries such as Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Croatia (also referred to as Eastern European countries).
  • Western Europe – Western Europe is often associated with World War II politics (and a term coined as a result of that). It includes countries like Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Austria (also referred to as “Central Europe“). But again geographically and politically, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Ireland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Vatican City, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Greece, and Austria are all “Western Europe”. The westernmost point of the European continent is Cabo da Raco, located near Lisbon (Sintra Cascais Natural Park) in Portugal.

Get Europe Ready

Start your Europe exploration with these handy guides

READ THE LATEST FROM EUROPE TRAVEL

All of the European destinations explored by us are categorized by country. We have included most of the Balkan countries under Balkans, and the 6 micro-states are listed under European Microstates for ease of navigation.

Explore the capital city of Vienna, take a day trip to the beautiful Wachau Valley. Salzburg and Hallstatt are other popular destinations to visit in Austria.

You can also explore Vienna, with Budapest and Prague in one single trip or a guided tour.

One of the most stunning countries we have visited, Belgium is so delightful. Explore Brussels, and use it as a base to visit Brugges, Dinant, or take day trips to other places in Belgium and beyond.

One of the most popular Balkan states is Croatia. Use our 7-day itinerary packed with 4 samples to travel easily. We have detailed itineraries for Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik, including day trips to make the most of your time in Croatia.

One of our absolute favorite cities is Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic. Find detailed guides to accommodation in Prague as well as night tours to take in the city!

A country we hope to revisit quite a few times in the future, France is our absolute favorite. Head to explore Paris for 4 days, or take day trips to nearby areas. Versailles and its palace guided tour is a popular day option.

Also, learn about the best time to go to Paris, and finding the best neighborhood for your accommodation.

Instagrammer? Find the best photo spots in Paris. Or opt for a private tour with a photographer in Paris.

Get ready to visit Budapest for a short trip – one day or two-day itineraries. Our favorite memory from Budapest was taking a Danube dinner cruise.

Our very first European destination was Germany. Germany is a stunning place to visit and must be on your bucket list for winter, especially German Christmas Markets.

Munich was the first German city we visited, we have a 3 to 5-day itinerary, including a day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle and exploring the Dachau Memorial Site.

Don’t forget to add Nuremberg to your Germany bucket list – it is one of the prettiest cities in the country.

Iceland is a breathtaking country. One of our most popular posts is our quick and efficient itinerary to Iceland. We also have a detailed trip planning guide to Iceland plus budget activities to do in Reykjavik.

We enjoyed taking a ton of tours in Iceland, here is an all-seasons Iceland tours guide and a winter tour edition. Visit Iceland in October to experience the best of summer and winter, and beat the crowds.

One of the most popular countries in western Europe is the Netherlands. Spend a weekend or more in Amsterdam, and head out of the city to admire the iconic windmills like Zaanse Schans!

The capital city of Portugal has stolen our hearts. Lisbon is a beautiful city and deserves a place on your European bucket list. Get our detailed 3 day Lisbon itinerary and many day-trip ideas, including everything to visit the Pena Palace in Sintra.

Head to the gorgeous country – Spain and explore its pretty towns and magnificent cities. We have the perfect Spain itinerary for you – packed with 4 samples to discover more of the country in 7 days.

Barcelona was our base in the country for the first 2 visits to the country, and we have included a trip planner, itinerary, travel tips, and jawdropping views. 

Don’t forget to hit the southern side of Spain, and explore Seville, its delicious food, and embark on day trips to other cities, and even to Morocco via ferry!

Another stunning European country we hope to keep re-visiting in the future is Switzerland. It is an expensive country, but all the scenic views make it super worth it.

Stay in Zurich and once you have explored the city (itinerary for Zurich), head to discover other cities like Bern, Lucerne, Geneva, etc. All of this is doable in 7 days in Switzerland, and you can do that without a car!

Winter Tips: Things to do in Zurich in winter, and places to visit in Switzerland in winter