How to Plan a Trip to Europe: Effortless Planning for First-Timers

Planning for a trip to Europe and don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! I’ve actually done most of my solo travels around Europe and I believe it’s a great place to start solo traveling if it’s your first time due to the ease of travel and infrastructure. In this guide, I’ll show you how to plan a trip to Europe easily. 


Disclaimer: I was compensated for this post. This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links at no extra cost to you. Please see the full disclosure for more information.


My guide on how to plan a trip to Europe
Paris, France © 2023 Curls en Route – All Rights Reserved.


How to Plan a Trip to Europe: A Step-by-Step Guide 

Step 1: Define your travel goals

Identify your goals for this trip; do you want to travel for sightseeing, cultural experiences, or adventure? Then make a list of the cities and attractions you want to visit. 

Step 2: Do some research

Research the destinations you want to visit and check when are the best times to visit them. It’s also important to visit travel blogs and tourism boards’ websites to gather local information. 

Step 3: Set your budget

Calculate your overall travel budget – factor in everything including flights, internal transport, accommodation, food, and activities. Then allocate funds as you see fit to avoid overspending.

Step 4: Look up flights, transportation, and accommodations

Look up flights to and from Europe and accommodation options in each destination. Also, look into internal transportation options from one city to another. Will you opt for flights, trains, or buses, or will you rent a car and plan a road trip? This step will help you make adjustments to your budget if needed.

My guide on how to plan a trip to Europe
Lisbon, Portugal © 2023 Curls en Route – All Rights Reserved.

Step 5: Create a rough itinerary

Put together a rough itinerary and consider your budget. For instance, if you’re traveling from country X to country Y, you might need to opt for a train ride over a flight if this better suits your budget. Also, consider the number of days you need for each city and important attractions or activities. And remember to leave room for spontaneous activities. 

Step 6: Start booking

Once you have a rough plan, start booking flights and accommodations. It’s important to book early as prices increase the closer your travel dates are. 

Step 7: Adjust your plan if needed

Travel mishaps happen even before the trip even starts. Maybe a flight you were considering gets expensive before you lock it in, or maybe a hotel you wanted to stay at gets fully booked. That’s when you’ll adjust your travel plans and finalize your itinerary.

Step 8: Prepare the necessary documents

Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond your travel dates. Prepare all the required documents for your visa(s), and make sure you have both soft and hard copies of your passport, visa, and travel insurance. 

How to Plan a Trip to Europe Without the Logistical Hassle

Don’t want to deal with the logistical hassle of planning a trip? That’s alright – researching and planning aren’t for everyone. But that doesn’t mean you need to hire a travel agency either. So let me introduce you to the perfect solution – here’s how to plan a trip to Europe easily!

Bookmundi is a global travel booking portal where you can effortlessly book tours and holidays in over 130 countries worldwide. Lucky for you, they offer a customized trip planning feature where Bookmundi’s team of travel experts can put together a customized itinerary tailored to your travel needs and interests. Not only that but if you’re interested in one of their existing Europe tours or packages, you can still tweak those to your liking using that service. 

How to plan a trip to Europe using Bookmundi

5 Benefits of Booking a Customized Tour

Wondering why to book a customized tour with Bookmundi instead of just planning it yourself? Here are a few good reasons:

  1. Bookmundi offers stress-free travel. Their travel experts will handle all the logistical details of your trip from researching all your options to booking your transport, accommodation, and activities.
  2. You’ll enjoy a personalized experience. Unlike common organized tours, you can customize your tour from scratch and put together an itinerary that matches your travel style and interests. No need to stick to someone else’s plan!
  3. You’ll receive local insights. Bookmundi’s trip designers have the required local knowledge to create unforgettable itineraries. They know the best spots to visit, eat, and spend the night, as well as hidden gems and off-the-beaten-path destinations.
  4. Trip support is available. If you find yourself in need of help or support during your trip, you can always message or call Bookmundi’s local specialist.
  5. You get to travel like a pro. Bookmundi’s team will ensure you travel smartly and safely, offering you the best travel deals out there and well-thought itineraries. 

My Europe Tour Recommendations

My guide on how to plan a trip to Europe
Paris, France © 2023 Curls en Route – All Rights Reserved.

Practical Tips

  1. Start planning your trip early – several months ahead. Whether you decide to plan your own trip or not, this allows you to land the best deals and accommodations.
  2. Research visa requirements. Some nationalities should have no trouble entering Europe; however, lots of other countries require a visa. Check whether or not you need a visa, research the requirements, and apply in advance because it’s usually a lengthy process. It’s also important to note that not all European countries are part of the Schengen agreement and will require their own visas, such as the UK, Croatia, Montenegro, and others.
  3. Notify your bank of your travel plans in advance and try to apply for a travel-friendly credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. 
  4. Have some local currency on hand for emergencies, souvenir shops, or small purchases. Bear in mind that the Euro isn’t the local currency in all European countries. For instance, in the UK, it’s the Sterling Pound and in the Czech Republic, it’s the Czech Koruna.
  5. Beware of pickpockets as they’re very common in Europe. Always keep an eye on your belongings, stay aware of your surroundings, and keep your important documents; like your passport, somewhere safe. 
  6. Invest in travel insurance – check out this read on why it’s important not to ignore this safety precaution. 
  7. Stay connected to the internet for navigation and personal safety purposes. You can get a local SIM card, but I find eSims more practical especially in Europe. Check out this blog post I put together about eSIMS for more information.

Now that you know how to plan a trip to Europe, where will you head to? Let me know in the comments. And don’t forget to pin this post to help you plan your dream trip.


Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance!

Travel (solo or not) isn’t always rainbows and butterflies – things might go down south sometimes. You might fall ill or lose your luggage, and that’s when you’ll thank me for having your back covered with travel insurance.

SafetyWing offers different travel insurance packages, tailored to your needs, but their Nomad Insurance is my favorite option.

This travel medical insurance is perfect for frequent travelers. It covers lost checked luggage, travel delay, doctors, hospitals, and more. It even covers the COVID-19 emergency quarantine period if deemed necessary by a physician.

GET INSURED NOW – Nomad Insurance

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12 thoughts on “How to Plan a Trip to Europe: Effortless Planning for First-Timers

  1. Hi Nadine,

    I just wanted to take a moment to
    thank you for your fantastic guide
    on planning a trip to Europe! Your
    insights and tips make it so much
    easier for first-timers like me to
    navigate the process. I especially
    appreciated your advice on
    budgeting and creating a rough
    itinerary. It’s clear you have a wealth
    of experience, and I’m excited to
    start planning my own adventure.
    Keep up the great work!

    Warm regards,
    Jaseph

  2. These are great tips! Travel insurance is so often overlooked and is so important
    when traveling where your insurance coverage doesn’t apply.

  3. Lots of great tips here! I’ve actually found most banks no longer need you to tell them beforehand if
    you’re going overseas. I’ve never needed to use travel insurance but it’s great for peace of mind.

    1. True, most banks don’t need that nowadays. However, it’s best to do so as a safety precaution since regulations can often change, especially in countries that are going through an economic rough patch. As for insurance, I’m glad to hear you never needed it so far, but unfortunately, travel mishaps occur all the time and when least expected. So, it’s better to be safe than sorry 🙂

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