What? When? How Long? Time Budgeting for Europe

One of the questions that lands in my inbox

on an almost daily basis 

revolves around how many days

people should spend

in each city

when they are traveling to Europe.

It's not an exact science,

but here's a general breakdown

to help out when trying 

to plot out your trip.

rome city map, $20.

REYKJAVIC - 4 NIGHTS

(allowing for 3 day trips out of the city)

LONDON - 3 NIGHTS

PARIS - 3 NIGHTS

(allowing for 1 day at Versailles)

FLORENCE - 3 NIGHTS

(allowing for 1 day in Tuscany on a day trip)

stockholm city map, $20

DUBLIN - 3 NIGHTS

(allowing for 1 day out in Wicklow National Park or Cliffs of Moher)

ROME - 2 NIGHTS

EDINBURGH - 2 NIGHTS

BARCELONA - 2 NIGHTS

SALZBURG - 2 NIGHTS

london city map, $20

MUNICH - 2 NIGHTS

(allowing for 1 day out at Neuschwanstein or Dachau)

VENICE- 2 NIGHTS

(allowing for 1 day spent out at Murano + Burano)

NORMANDY - 2 NIGHTS

(allowing for seeing the beaches + Mont St Michel)

amsterdam city map, $20

CINQUE TERRE - 2 NIGHTS

ST ANDREWS - 1 NIGHT

OXFORD - 1 NIGHT

oxford city map, $20

A FEW OTHER THOUGHTS:

Book your flights in & out of different cities so that you don't loose a day in traveling back to your arrival city. No bigger bummer than cutting your Spanish adventure short so that you can RyanAir back to a city you just left. The travel cost back to that city and the time you save will be more than worth it.

If you are planning on traveling from city to city by flight, splurge a bit more on the Airline to one that allows for baggage. Otherwise, you'll have to limit your luggage to a carryon the size of a small backpack. Airlines like British Airways or Alitalia can fly between countries for under $100, so while they are more expensive than the budget airlines- you'll save enough to compensate for their crazy costs of checking a bag with the other guys.

Stop throwing away your full water bottle at security because you haven't had time to drink it yet. Just dump it out in the trash can and refill it on the other side of security.

Read my tutorial for flying budget airlines here. (It's a whole new world.)

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Any thoughts to add?

Toss them in the hat below

and add in from your experience!

*images via cartocreative