The Logistics of Traveling Europe for Two Months

One of the most common questions I’ve received is “So, how exactly did you do that?”

Traveling anywhere for several months at a time with just a carry-on suitcase and a backpack is a lot. It’s a lot of planning, a lot of research, and a lot of time. We hit 33 cities, 9 countries, over 9.5 weeks, and used pretty much every kind of transportation. Now that it’s over, I’ve been reflecting on how we managed our resources, time, and energy. Overall, I’m really happy with how we handled things and planned it all out! Though there are a few minor changes, it was a wonderful experience as a whole and we were able to do everything we wanted and more.

Here’s what I learned:

PLANNING IN ADVANCE

• Do. Your. Research.

  • Understand the season you’re going and what will be open/available

  • With covid, research the country’s government sites and learn their requirements

  • Watch YouTube videos about where you’re going

  • Read travel blogs or listen to podcasts

  • Use Google Maps and read their review section for anything you’re doing (hotels, transportation, restaurants, experiences, etc.) Anything over 4.5 stars is basically a guaranteed good experience. We tried to stick to doing things that were in the 4-5 star range, and because of this we didn’t experience any sketchy stays/food, and we were always surrounded by good people.

• Start With Your First Few Weeks Completely Booked: This obviously is up to your schedule and how you’d like to travel. I understand some people love the last minute flexibility, but that’s not how we wanted to run this trip. We chose to book the first two weeks of hotels and transportation in full. Doing this was extremely helpful and made the first few weeks much less stressful as we were trying to get to know the cities, languages, and the areas we were in. It was really nice to not have the added stressor of where we were sleeping that night. It’s also a great way to save money, as you’re not booking things last minute. Since we would only book a few weeks at a time, it still gave us the flexibility to change our schedule based on recommendations and weather - which we did! We kept track of everything in Google Calendars (locations, times, details, etc.).

• Bulk-Book 1-2 Weeks At A Time: I really wish we would have been better at this. We would be so wrapped up in enjoying our time in a city that we would suddenly realize we didn’t know what country we would be in the following week. We would book a few days at a time, or book a random week in a different month because we wanted to save on prices, but this caused a lot of details left out and last minute bookings. It also caused us to spend several more hours/nights on a laptop than we needed to. We’d sometimes casually browse cities we wanted to visit, but by the time we actually sat down to book, things would be full and we would end up having to re-research.

  • This Is My Advice: Pick a morning/night every two weeks to sit for a few hours and book all of your hotels and transportation for the following 1-3 weeks. It will save you stress, money, and so much of your time. You’ll then be able to fully enjoy the city you’re currently in.

PACKING

We each brought a carry-on suitcase and a backpack, and I’m so happy we didn’t bring anything more. With the amount of stairs, cobblestone streets, and lack of elevators throughout Europe, there’s no physical way we could have brought even one full sized suitcase with us. It was hard to narrow down what we needed while packing, but once we were overseas we had the perfect amount of clothes (even with a 40-50 degree difference in weather between countries). As a rule of thumb, I typically brought white/black/denim with a few fun colors. This made it easy to repeat clothing but keep it pretty basic and easy to mix and match. To fit the maximum amount of clothing, roll all of them as tight as possible (then blow dry to remove wrinkles).

• Clothing: T-shirts (4-6), tank tops (3-5), dress (2), shorts (2-3), leggings (2), jeans (2), long sleeve/turtleneck (3-4), sweatpants/joggers (1), sweatshirt (1), down puff coat (1), fleece jacket (1), raincoat (1), winter hat (1), swimsuit (1), tennis shoes (1), flip flops (1).

• Extras: Passport, proof of vaccination, proof of negative test, enough meds to last, enough contacts to last / glasses, Advil, Tylenol, Tums, Dramamine, toothbrush, toothpaste, makeup, brush, curling iron, locks, other personal necessities.

• Technology: Computer, hard drives, camera, extra batteries, SD/CF cards, camera lenses (I had 3), computer charger, camera charger, iPhone charger, European outlet adapter.

TRAVELING DURING COVID

We are both vaccinated, and that alone made this experience incredibly easy.

• Getting To Europe: We took a flight from JFK > Milan, Italy on September 15th 2021. We had to take a covid test 3 days prior to arrival in Milan, and both received negative results. When we boarded the flight to Milan, we had to show the gate agent our (1) physical vaccination cards, (2) negative PCR covid tests, (3) passport, (4) Italian PLF form.

• What’s a PLF Form? A Passenger Locator Form is what your destination country uses to track you in case of a covid emergency. It’s typically a single sheet that you fill out with information about who you are, where you’re staying, for how long, and what you’re doing there. It’s super simple and only takes a few minutes to complete.

• Getting Around Europe: Super easy overall. Across all the different types of transportation we took, we typically only needed to show our passport, vaccination, and a PLF. We only had to take a covid test and prove negative results to leave and return to the US. Whether you’re taking a bus, train, flight, etc. the company will send you a confirmation or pre-boarding email with all of the information you need to get into the next county you’re visiting. It’s very self explanatory. There were only a few places we had to prove our vaccination to get into a restaurant/hotel but it did happen. On the whole, we had to wear our mask anytime we were indoors.

• Returning to the United States: We took a flight from Dublin > JFK on November 19th 2021. We had to take a covid test to return home, so we found a testing site at the Dublin Airport (most airports have these) and scheduled our test there. We unfortunately had to pay $100 for the PCR test, but we both received negative results and got to go home. When we boarded the flight to JFK, we had to show the gate agent our (1) physical vaccination cards, (2) negative PCR covid tests, (3) passport, (4) a personal statement that the US required (we found out about this at the gate and quickly filled it out on our phones).

Bus from Spain to Portugal

Ferry from Split to Hvar, Croatia

Flight from Germany to Croatia

GETTING AROUND WITHIN EUROPE

Plane, bus, train, subway, car, ferry, feet, etc. You name it - we took it. *Make sure someone in your group has international service at all times! I honestly don’t know what we would have done without it.

• Subway Systems: The subway systems around Europe are beautiful and easy to navigate. I highly recommend buying a 10-swipe pass (or more depending on how long you stay) in each city you go to, as it will save you some time and money versus purchasing tickets individually. We used Google Maps (click the train icon) and it clearly explained every detail we needed to know to use the Subway.

• Flights/Bus/Train: We loved using the Omio app between European countries because it clearly compared flights, trains, and busses to and from your destination.

• Car: We rented a car in Italy and Switzerland and had pretty good experiences with both. The roads systems were easy because they drove on the right-hand side, and we took toll roads (highways) the majority of the time. The signage is different, but Google Maps makes it easily understandable.

• Walk: We walked just under 400 miles during our time abroad! It is hands down the best way to see any city you’re visiting. It’s so fun to randomly come across new cafes, bars, shops, etc. that you wouldn’t have found otherwise. It’s also the best way to get the lay of the land when you first arrive somewhere.

Hotel in Seville, Spain

Hotel in Ortisei, Italy

Airbnb in Cinque Terre, Italy

OVERNIGHT STAYS (HOTELS VS. AIRBNBS)

We had a pretty even mix of hotel stays and Airbnb stays. We stayed in Airbnbs for the majority of the first half of our trip, then hotels the second half.

• Hotels

  • PRO: Safety was the biggest. Hotels are usually in popular areas of the town and close to all of the activities and restaurants. There’s also always someone available if in need of assistance. Most also had pools, breakfast options, free gyms (!!), daily maid service, and are quiet. It’s so funny how easy it is to take these things for granted when you have them.

  • CON: You don’t get as much of a ‘local’ experience. Most rooms also don’t have kitchens, refrigerators, or free laundry. This ended up being a big deal when we wanted to make our own meals or have a fresh change of clothes without going to a laundromat.

• Airbnbs

  • PRO: You get the real local experience! Airbnb’s are typically a cheaper option when staying in the heart of a town. It’s so fun to meet hosts, get their local recommendations, and see how people in the area live. We also received many welcome gifts with each spot! Airbnbs also have all of the amenities an apartment would have - washers, full kitchens, living and dining spaces, and room to spread out.

  • CON: Safety. This totally depends on where you’re staying, but most of the Airbnbs we stayed at in cities aren’t up to the US code we’re typically used to (which isn’t a bad thing, just something to consider). Elevators aren’t usually a thing, so we had to carry our luggage up multiple flights of stairs most times. Smoke detectors weren’t always around, no fire exits, etc. We were also able to hear neighbors or people out late on the streets often when we stayed in most of the Airbnbs.

WHERE WE STAYED

We visited during low season so the prices were much cheaper than normal. We focused on staying in an area that was around restaurants, activities, and major sights! We decided to opt out of Hostels, because we had lots of technology and work-related equipment on us that we didn’t want to risk being taken. All of the locations below are either an Airbnb or hotel:

• Milan, Italy

• Cinque Terre, Italy

• Florence, Italy

• Chianti, Italy

• Ortisei, Italy

• Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy

• Geneva, Switzerland

• Zermatt, Switzerland

• Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

• Lucerne/Beckenreid, Switzerland

• Paris, France

• Tours, France

• Nice, France

• Barcelona, Spain

• Seville, Spain

• Lagos, Portugal

• Lisbon, Portugal

• Munich, Germany

• Split, Croatia

• Dubrovnik, Croatia

• Dublin, Ireland

Bike tour through Lisbon, Portugal

Cocktail class at Jameson in Dublin, Ireland

Wine tasting in Chianti, Italy

ACTIVITIES

Between Airbnb Experiences and local tours we found online, these activities are what made our trip as great as it was. There’s nothing like going on a bike tour or trying the unique cuisine with a local. Every town in Europe has fascinating history, tasty food, and such good people. To learn about the city you’re in and enjoy time with someone who grew up there is unlike any blog or book you could read. Here were the experiences we did and loved:

• Walking History Tour of Florence Italy (Airbnb Experiences)

• Wine Tasting and Tour in Chianti Italy (Airbnb Experiences)

• Speakeasy Tour in Paris France (Airbnb Experiences)

• Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting in Loire Valley France

• Vegan Food Tour in Barcelona Spain (Airbnb Experiences)

• Flamenco Dancing Show in Seville Spain

• E-Bike Tour of Lisbon Portugal (Airbnb Experiences)

• Portuguese Cuisine Food Tour in Lisbon Portugal (Airbnb Experiences)

• Jameson Cocktail Making Class in Dublin Ireland

LANGUAGE

• Learn A Few Words: Though almost everyone can understand some level of English, it’s important to learn a bit of their language too. It’s respectful to show someone you’re making an effort before assuming they speak your language! Some key terms we learned for each new country were - Hello, please, sorry, thank you, do you speak English, and goodbye.

• Google Translate: In the few instances we couldn’t communicate with someone, Google Translate came in very handy! You can download languages to your phone so you can still use the app while you’re out of service.

OVERALL TIPS:

If you made it this far, thank you for reading! If you skipped down to this section, here are the tips I highly recommend considering before you travel. These made our trip what it was, and I am so thankful we did each of these things before arriving in Europe for two months.

• Make sure someone in your group has an international cell plan. This will make transportation, looking for spots to eat, and walking around significantly easier and save you tons of time. Who really wants to go back to their hotel to grab wifi before finding the next thing to do?

• Bulk-book your trip and plan in advance. Book the first few weeks of transportation and overnight stays in full before you fly over. After those few weeks are up, schedule a day to be heads-down planning the following couple weeks in full. Don’t leave bookings until the last minute, as it will cost more money, and will take you away from being present in the city you’re currently in.

• Pack light. When you really think about it, you don’t need much. Bring clothes you will feel comfortable in, wear good-quality walking shoes, and make sure you’re packing for the different weather conditions and seasons you’ll be traveling during.

• Be safe and smart. I kept a mini lock on my purse at all times in a city to avoid pick-pocketers. The last thing you want is an important document or your money stolen. I also never posted my location on social media until two weeks after we left. Keep your eyes up and phone down. Just be smart about it.

• Have a good attitude and go with the flow. You’re going to be in a place you don’t understand, but that’s the fun of it. Don’t take things too seriously, and don’t stress when times get tough. Try your hardest to connect with people and learn new things. Eat new food, drink new cocktails, and laugh when you don’t know what’s going on. If something doesn’t go your way, figure out how to fix it. Remember why you did this in the first place, and how you’ll look back on this time for years to come. It will be the best time of your life.

• Document it. This is likely just the photographer in me, but it’s my biggest recommendation. Document your experiences, the good and the bad. When you return home, the sad truth is that almost nobody will be able to relate to you. Sharing photos and videos is the best way for people to connect and understand. 10-20 years down the road, you will be able to look back on these moments and be grateful you have them to keep your memory of the time sharp.

So, that’s exactly how we did it.

Hopefully this gave you a better understanding into the crazy details that go into a trip like this. It’s hard work and takes a lot of time, but it rewards you with lifelong memories and stories to tell. It brings you closer to yourself, and closer to others. It makes you question your life back home, and realize what’s really important. It’s a challenge that pushes you far out of your comfort zone, but the best part is realizing at the end - you can do it. You did it.

You can do whatever the hell you want to do with your life, and I hope you do.

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