Sunday, October 19, 2025

My 6 Step Information to Planning a Journey in 2025


Backpacking Europe is certainly one of my favourite issues to do as a traveler. There isn’t a yr I don’t criss-cross the continent (besides 2020 when nobody was crossing Europe).

Throughout the summer season, hostels burst with life, the Mediterranean sparkles, streets fill with individuals ingesting 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 quite a bit of posts on Europe. I go to Europe a number of occasions a yr, 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 needed to create a useful resource web page that may enable you plan your backpacking journey to Europe with ease. That method you don’t miss something! On this publish, you’ll discover all my finest assets on planning a backpacking or finances journey to Europe, together with vacation spot guides, transportation suggestions, lodging data, methods to satisfy individuals, and a lot extra!

So, with out additional ado, right here’s every thing you possibly can ever wish to learn about backpacking Europe:

 

Step 1: Plan Your Backpacking Europe Journey

Nomadic Matt walking towards a castle in the Loire Valley, FranceNomadic Matt walking towards a castle in the Loire Valley, France
Plan a Journey: A Month-By-Month Information – This publish breaks down the planning course of by month, making it tremendous simple to plan your journey to Europe. Simply comply with the steps and also you’ll be in your method!

How To not Really feel Overwhelmed Whereas Planning – Planning the right journey to Europe might be daunting and overwhelming. I’ve been there and I perceive, however I can inform you from years of expertise that the extra you intend your journey, the extra anxiousness you’ll face.

Save for Your Journey – Is cash stopping you from taking the journey of your goals? Right here is my listing of simple methods to chop down in your day by day bills so it can save you cash to backpack Europe.

Discover a Low cost Flight – Attending to Europe might be half the problem. Fortunately, there are a ton of flight offers to the continent now if you realize when and the best way to search for them. This text will present you the best way to at all times get an inexpensive flight to Europe.

Earn Factors for Free Flights and Lodge Stays – Free journey is my favourite sort of journey! This publish reveals you eight methods I exploit to recover from 1,000,000 frequent flier factors. These will get you out of your home quicker, cheaper, and in consolation!

(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 publish, I share what you are able to do to remain legally past 90 days and on the continent normally.

Keep away from Paying Financial institution Charges – It’s best to by no means need to pay any financial institution charges if you are accessing your cash in Europe! Right here is my recommendation on the best 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

A bunch of hiking gear in an empty fieldA bunch of hiking gear in an empty field
Choose the Greatest Backpack – It’s necessary to select a high quality backpack to your journey because it’s going to get overwhelmed up as you journey! This information to selecting the best journey backpack will enable you decide the most effective pack to your journey.

What to Pack for Your Journey – What do you have to pack in your journey? Properly, there isn’t a one proper reply, however this listing gives you a superb 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 Record for Feminine Vacationers – On this publish, Kristin Addis shares her packing insights for girls, as a way to journey nearly wherever with out spending a fortune on gear.

Purchase Good Journey Insurance coverage – Journey insurance coverage is likely one of the most necessary stuff you’ll want to your journey. You wouldn’t have a automotive with out automotive insurance coverage or a house with out dwelling insurance coverage, and you’ll’t have a visit with out journey insurance coverage!

The Greatest eSIM for Touring Europe – Accessing cell knowledge when you journey can’t solely preserve you protected if there may be an emergency, but it surely ensures you may e book lodging, flights, and actions on the go. This publish breaks down the most effective eSIMs for vacationers in Europe, serving to you keep related on a finances.

Are These The Greatest Garments for Vacationers? – Unbound Merino make sturdy, fashionable, and reasonably priced journey garments. I carry them with me each time I go to Europe. On this publish, I clarify why I feel you need to test them out to your subsequent journey.
 

Step 3: Get Wonderful Lodging in Europe

A set of bunk beds in a hostel dorm roomA set of bunk beds in a hostel dorm room
Discover Low cost Lodging – If you’re seeking to keep someplace in addition to a lodge or a hostel, this text lists all of the sorts of locations the place you may relaxation your head in Europe — from couches to farms and even monasteries!

Discover a Good Hostel – This text options my finest tips about the best way to discover an reasonably priced, clear, and enjoyable hostel the place you may meet quite a lot of wonderful individuals.

The Greatest Hostels in Europe – This can be a listing of European hostels that I’d undoubtedly use once more if I’ve the prospect. Hope this helps together with your subsequent European backpacking journey!

Turn into a Housesitter – This can be a how-to information to house-sitting, a beautiful alternative that lets you keep in a location lease free in change for watching somebody’s home.

The Greatest Web site for Home Swaps: My HomeExchange Evaluate – HomeExchange is a community that facilitates swapping houses 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 finances lodging solutions, try my hostel hub web page. It has all my favourite hostels round Europe!

Should you’d slightly keep in motels, this web page has all my favourite motels in Europe.

And, to seek out out the place to remain in every metropolis, go to my listing of the most effective neighborhoods in Europe!
 

Step 4: Get Round Europe on the Low cost

Nomadic Matt hiking in Iceland while hitchhiking aroundNomadic Matt hiking in Iceland while hitchhiking around
7 Low cost Methods to Journey Throughout Europe – Touring round Europe can nonetheless be pretty costly. Listed here 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 are going to get monetary savings by shopping for a rail move or if it’s cheaper to purchase tickets as they go. This detailed publish outlines every thing that you must learn about shopping for a rail move!

Should you’re planning to take the practice however don’t wish to use the Eurail Move, try Trainline. It’s the web site I exploit to seek out routes and purchase practice tickets once I journey Europe. it’s tremendous simple to make use of!

Europe can be a tremendous vacation spot for highway journeys. International locations like Iceland, Scotland, Eire, Portugal, and Norway are all wonderful locations to discover by car.

Should you’re planning to drive round Europe, use Uncover Automobiles to seek out the most effective rental costs. They search rental corporations massive 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

a bunch of colorful Euro billsa bunch of colorful Euro bills
Costs differ wildly in Europe. That implies that the way you get monetary savings in a single nation may not apply in a neighboring vacation spot. To make sure you don’t break the financial institution throughout your journey, listed here are a couple of posts that may assist preserve your finances in tact:

Save Cash on Meals – Whereas touring Europe, meals typically turns into a serious expense. Listed here are some suggestions for saving cash on meals so you continue to can afford a pleasant meal out now and again.

Use the Sharing Financial system to Save Cash – The rise of the sharing financial system has made backpacking Europe a lot simpler and cheaper. This publish lists all my favourite ridesharing, home sharing, native assembly web sites so you will 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 enable you develop into an professional traveler who will get round Europe cheaper, higher, longer, and smarter!

14 Main Journey Scams to Keep away from – Shedding 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

Nomadic Matt posing for a photo near the massive and ancient Roman Colosseum in Rome, ItalyNomadic Matt posing for a photo near the massive and ancient Roman Colosseum in Rome, Italy
What do you do whereas backpacking Europe? LOTS! Listed here are all my complete finances 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 bunch of cities listed as properly.

Moreover, listed here are a couple of of my favourite corporations in Europe. These are the comoanies I exploit once I’m on the lookout for issues to do, meals excursions, strolling excursions, and extra!

Walks – Walks gives in-depth historical past, meals, and cultural excursions in cities around the globe (particularly Europe). Its small-group excursions supply unique behind-the-scenes entry different corporations can’t get and use actually unbelievable and educated guides. I can’t suggest them sufficient.

Devour – Devour has every kind of wonderful meals excursions round Europe. Should you’re a foodie who desires to study extra in regards to 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 location has tons of tour choices in cities all around the globe, together with cooking lessons, strolling excursions, avenue artwork classes, and extra! It’s a superb useful resource to seek for particular excursions in any vacation spot.

For an entire overview of Europe in a single easy-to-read publish, you may try 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 listing will enable 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 certainly one 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 employ these tricks to plan your final backpacking journey in Europe!

 

Get Your In-Depth Funds Information to Europe!

Get Your In-Depth Budget Guide to Europe!Get Your In-Depth Budget Guide to Europe!

My detailed 200+ web page guidebook is made for finances vacationers such as you! It cuts out the fluff present in different guides and will get straight to the sensible data that you must journey whereas in Europe. It has steered itineraries, budgets, methods to save cash, on and off the overwhelmed path issues to see and do, non-touristy eating places, markets, bars, security suggestions, and rather more! Click on right here to study extra and get your copy at the moment.

Ebook Your Journey to Europe: Logistical Suggestions and Methods

Ebook 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 at all times know no stone is left unturned!

Ebook Your Lodging
You’ll be able to e book your hostel with Hostelworld as they’ve the most important stock and finest offers. If you wish to keep someplace apart from a hostel, use Reserving.com as they constantly return the most affordable charges for guesthouses and low cost motels.

For solutions on the place to remain throughout your journey, listed here are my favourite hostels in Europe!

Don’t Overlook Journey Insurance coverage
Journey insurance coverage will defend you in opposition to sickness, damage, theft, and cancellations. It’s complete safety in case something goes incorrect. I by no means go on a visit with out it as I’ve had to make use of it many occasions prior to now. My favourite corporations that provide the most effective service and worth are:

In search of the Greatest Firms to Save Cash With?
Try my useful resource web page for the most effective corporations to make use of if you journey. I listing all those I exploit to save cash once I’m on the highway. They are going to prevent cash if you journey too.

Need Extra Info on Europe?
Make sure to go to my sturdy vacation spot information to Europe for much more planning suggestions!

Related Articles

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest Articles