Backpacking Europe is one in every of my favourite issues to do as a traveler. There isn’t a 12 months I don’t criss-cross the continent (besides 2020 when nobody was crossing Europe).
Throughout the summer time, hostels burst with life, the Mediterranean sparkles, streets fill with individuals consuming wine and having fun with the day, and the late night time setting solar results in lengthy wondrous days. Winter brings Christmas markets, snowboarding, fewer crowds, and decrease costs! And Spring and Fall carry the right combination of individuals, temperatures, and costs that make these two my favourite seasons to journey Europe.
Since beginning this web site in 2008, I’ve written lots of posts on Europe. I go to Europe a number of instances a 12 months, have been everywhere in the continent, lived there on a number of events, and I’ve even run excursions there.
With a lot content material on the weblog, I wished to create a useful resource web page that can assist you plan your backpacking journey to Europe with ease. That method you don’t miss something! On this submit, you’ll discover all my finest sources on planning a backpacking or price range journey to Europe, together with vacation spot guides, transportation suggestions, lodging data, methods to fulfill individuals, and a lot extra!
So, with out additional ado, right here’s every little thing you would ever wish to learn about backpacking Europe:
Step 1: Plan Your Backpacking Europe Journey
Learn how to Plan a Journey: A Month-By-Month Information – This submit breaks down the planning course of by month, making it tremendous simple to plan your journey to Europe. Simply observe the steps and also you’ll be in your method!
How To not Really feel Overwhelmed Whereas Planning – Planning the proper journey to Europe will be daunting and overwhelming. I’ve been there and I perceive, however I can let you know from years of expertise that the extra you intend your journey, the extra nervousness you’ll face.
Learn how to Save for Your Journey – Is cash stopping you from taking the journey of your goals? Right here is my record of simple methods to chop down in your each day bills so it can save you cash to backpack Europe.
Learn how to Discover a Low-cost Flight – Attending to Europe will be half the problem. Fortunately, there are a ton of flight offers to the continent now if when and the way to search for them. This text will present you the way to all the time get an inexpensive flight to Europe.
Learn how to Earn Factors for Free Flights and Lodge Stays – Free journey is my favourite form of journey! This submit exhibits you eight methods I take advantage of to recover from one million frequent flier factors. These will get you out of your home sooner, cheaper, and in consolation!
Learn how to (Legally) Keep in Europe for Extra Than 90 Days – Yearly, hundreds of vacationers marvel how they will keep in Europe for greater than 90 days, which is the restrict within the Schengen Zone. The excellent news is that there are a couple of alternative ways to remain. On this submit, I share what you are able to do to remain legally past 90 days and on the continent basically.
Learn how to Keep away from Paying Financial institution Charges – It is best to by no means must pay any financial institution charges while you’re accessing your cash in Europe! Right here is my recommendation on the way to keep away from financial institution charges as your backpacking Europe.
Is Europe Protected to Go to? – Right here is how to make sure you keep protected whereas touring throughout the continent.
Step 2: Get Your Gear for Backpacking Europe
Learn how to Choose the Finest Backpack – It’s vital to select a high quality backpack on your journey because it’s going to get crushed up as you journey! This information to choosing the proper journey backpack will assist you decide the most effective pack on your journey.
What to Pack for Your Journey – What do you have to pack in your journey? Nicely, there is no such thing as a one proper reply, however this record will provide you with a very good place to start out. It’s what I tackle my journeys with me (although you’ll have to make some differences due to the season, I’m certain!).
The Final Packing Listing for Feminine Vacationers – On this submit, Kristin Addis shares her packing insights for ladies, so that you could journey nearly anyplace with out spending a fortune on gear.
Learn how to Purchase Good Journey Insurance coverage – Journey insurance coverage is without doubt one of the most vital belongings you’ll want on your journey. You wouldn’t have a automotive with out automotive insurance coverage or a house with out dwelling insurance coverage, and you may’t have a visit with out journey insurance coverage!
The Finest eSIM for Touring Europe – Gaining access to cell knowledge whilst you journey cannot solely preserve you protected if there may be an emergency, but it surely ensures you’ll be able to e-book lodging, flights, and actions on the go. This submit breaks down the most effective eSIMs for vacationers in Europe, serving to you keep related on a price range.
Are These The Finest Garments for Vacationers? – Unbound Merino make sturdy, fashionable, and inexpensive journey garments. I carry them with me each time I go to Europe. On this submit, I clarify why I believe you must verify them out on your subsequent journey.
Step 3: Learn how to Get Wonderful Lodging in Europe
Learn how to Discover Low-cost Lodging – If you’re seeking to keep someplace in addition to a resort or a hostel, this text lists all of the forms of locations the place you’ll be able to relaxation your head in Europe — from couches to farms and even monasteries!
Learn how to Discover a Good Hostel – This text options my finest recommendations on the way to discover an inexpensive, clear, and enjoyable hostel the place you’ll be able to meet a number of wonderful individuals.
The Finest Hostels in Europe – This can be a record of European hostels that I might positively use once more if I’ve the prospect. Hope this helps along with your subsequent European backpacking journey!
Learn how to Develop into a Housesitter – This can be a how-to information to house-sitting, an exquisite alternative that permits you to keep in a location lease free in alternate for watching somebody’s home.
The Finest Web site for Home Swaps: My HomeExchange Evaluate – HomeExchange is a community that facilitates swapping properties with one other individual or household. It’s a tremendous platform if you wish to deepen your travels, join with locals, and get monetary savings.
For extra price range lodging recommendations, take a look at my hostel hub web page. It has all my favourite hostels round Europe!
In case you’d somewhat keep in lodges, this web page has all my favourite lodges in Europe.
And, to seek out out the place to remain in every metropolis, go to my record of the most effective neighborhoods in Europe!
Step 4: Get Round Europe on the Low-cost
7 Low-cost Methods to Journey Throughout Europe – Touring round Europe can nonetheless be pretty costly. Listed below are seven methods to backpack Europe with out breaking the financial institution.
The Final Information to Saving Cash with Eurail Passes – Everybody touring to Europe wonders if they’ll get monetary savings by shopping for a rail go or if it’s cheaper to purchase tickets as they go. This detailed submit outlines every little thing you should learn about shopping for a rail go!
In case you’re planning to take the prepare however don’t wish to use the Eurail Cross, take a look at Trainline. It’s the web site I take advantage of to seek out routes and purchase prepare tickets after I journey Europe. it’s tremendous simple to make use of!
Europe can also be a tremendous vacation spot for street journeys. International locations like Iceland, Scotland, Eire, Portugal, and Norway are all wonderful locations to discover by car.
In case you’re planning to drive round Europe, use Uncover Automobiles to seek out the most effective rental costs. They search rental firms large and small to seek out you the most effective offers.
You should use the widget beneath to get a quote. It’s quick and free:
Step 5: Save Cash Whereas Backpacking Europe
Costs range wildly in Europe. That signifies that the way you get monetary savings in a single nation won’t apply in a neighboring vacation spot. To make sure you don’t break the financial institution throughout your journey, listed below are a couple of posts that may assist preserve your price range in tact:
Learn how to Save Cash on Meals – Whereas touring Europe, meals usually turns into a significant expense. Listed below are some suggestions for saving cash on meals so you continue to can afford a pleasant meal out now and again.
Learn how to Use the Sharing Financial system to Save Cash – The rise of the sharing economic system has made backpacking Europe a lot simpler and cheaper. This submit lists all my favourite ridesharing, home sharing, native assembly web sites so you may get off the vacationer path and expertise day-to-day life with locals!
61 Tricks to Make You the Savviest Traveler – These 61 journey suggestions will assist you grow to be an skilled traveler who will get round Europe cheaper, higher, longer, and smarter!
14 Main Journey Scams to Keep away from – Dropping cash to a preventable journey rip-off sucks. Be taught what scams to look out for in Europe and save your self a possible headache!
Step 6: Discover Out What to See and Do in Europe
What do you do whereas backpacking Europe? LOTS! Listed below are all my complete price range journey guides for locations round Europe with suggestions and recommendation on issues to do and see, methods to save cash, and typical prices for every of them. You’ll discover country-specific suggestions in addition to a number of cities listed as effectively.
Moreover, listed below are a couple of of my favourite firms in Europe. These are the comoanies I take advantage of after I’m in search of issues to do, meals excursions, strolling excursions, and extra!
Walks – Walks provides in-depth historical past, meals, and cultural excursions in cities world wide (particularly Europe). Its small-group excursions provide unique behind-the-scenes entry different firms can’t get and use actually unbelievable and educated guides. I can’t suggest them sufficient.
Devour – Devour has all types of fantastic meals excursions round Europe. In case you’re a foodie who desires to be taught extra concerning the historical past and tradition behind every dish, these excursions are the most effective on the continent. I take them each probability I get.
GetYourGuide – Get Your Information is a large on-line market for excursions and excursions. The positioning has tons of tour choices in cities all world wide, together with cooking courses, strolling excursions, road artwork classes, and extra! It’s a very good useful resource to seek for particular excursions in any vacation spot.
For a whole overview of Europe in a single easy-to-read submit, you’ll be able to take a look at this free information. It covers all of the fundamentals, together with methods to save cash, issues to see and do, when to go, and extra!
This large useful resource record will assist you plan your journey to Europe in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step sample so that you gained’t get misplaced, overspend, or stress out about your upcoming dream journey. Europe is one in every of my favourite areas of the world (which is why I spend a lot time there). There’s a lot selection in meals, tradition, and language, in addition to a lot historical past. I really like the continent and hope you utilize these tricks to plan your final backpacking journey in Europe!
Get Your In-Depth Price range Information to Europe!


My detailed 200+ web page guidebook is made for price range vacationers such as you! It cuts out the fluff present in different guides and will get straight to the sensible data you should journey whereas in Europe. It has urged itineraries, budgets, methods to save cash, on and off the crushed path issues to see and do, non-touristy eating places, markets, bars, security suggestions, and far more! Click on right here to be taught extra and get your copy at the moment.
Guide Your Journey to Europe: Logistical Suggestions and Tips
Guide Your Flight
Use Skyscanner to discover a low cost flight. They’re my favourite search engine as a result of they search web sites and airways across the globe so that you all the time know no stone is left unturned!
Guide Your Lodging
You’ll be able to e-book your hostel with Hostelworld as they’ve the largest stock and finest offers. If you wish to keep someplace aside from a hostel, use Reserving.com as they constantly return the most affordable charges for guesthouses and low cost lodges.
For recommendations on the place to remain throughout your journey, listed below are my favourite hostels in Europe!
Don’t Neglect Journey Insurance coverage
Journey insurance coverage will defend you in opposition to sickness, harm, theft, and cancellations. It’s complete safety in case something goes mistaken. I by no means go on a visit with out it as I’ve had to make use of it many instances prior to now. My favourite firms that supply the most effective service and worth are:
In search of the Finest Firms to Save Cash With?
Try my useful resource web page for the most effective firms to make use of whenever you journey. I record all those I take advantage of to save cash after I’m on the street. They may prevent cash whenever you journey too.
Need Extra Info on Europe?
You should definitely go to my sturdy vacation spot information to Europe for much more planning suggestions!