Five Factors you should consider for traveling to Europe

The next series of blogs will focus on planning a trip to Europe. I shot a video explaining why I love going to Europe. Perhaps you watched it or read the associated blog and decided that you want to visit Europe. However, you have no idea how to plan the trip. With that thought in mind, here are five factors to consider when traveling to Europe.

Who should read this blog?

If you’re planning a trip to Europe and are unsure how to do it, I think you’ll find this information helpful. Don’t waste your time if you’ve decided to take an extensive bus tour around Europe, like a Rick Steve’s tour or a cruise around Europe. The planning will be done for you. Go on your trip and have a fabulous time. I have no issue with big bus tours or cruises. I’m not at that stage in life yet. You may notice in the picture below that those tours tend to attract retirees. I still work for a living.

Factor #1 – Who is going on the trip?

Let’s get into the factors. For each one, I will briefly describe it and offer a recommendation. Factor number one is who’s going on the trip. In general, there are five different types of trips.

1. Large group – I will define large as any group that does not easily fit into one car.
2. Family trip – you and your loved ones.
3. Friends – you and a couple of close friends.
4. Couple – it is only two of you.
5. Solo – you are on your own.

Don’t start with a large group if you’ve never planned a trip to Europe. It’s going to be complicated and make your head hurt. Get help when planning a large group trip.

Factor #2 – How long are you going?

I will break this factor into five different trip lengths.

1. Marathon Trip – more than a month. Usually done by retirees or students.
2. Grand Tour – 3 straight weeks. It’s a great length for someone on sabbatical.
3. Extended Stay – 2 weeks. Plenty of time to relax and enjoy.
4. Typical US Vacation – 1 week. Many Americans cannot take more than a week off.
5. Long Weekend – 3 to 4 days. Yes – it is possible to take a long weekend to Europe.

My one recommendation for this factor is that if you are taking a typical US vacation, include both weekends so that you make the most of your time off.

Factor #3 – Where are you going?

This is an important one. Below are five different flavors.

1. Multiple countries – you may be covering a lot of ground.
2. A single country – easy to do in many European countries.
3. A single region within a country – I am a big fan of regional trips.
4. Multiple cities – may be in one country or more.
5. A single city – plenty of great choices across Europe.

My recommendation for this factor is that if you go for more than a week, do not commit to one country unless you’ve been there before and know you love it. Otherwise, you will ruin your vacation and waste your money if you spend two weeks in a place you don’t like. You do not know until you go.

Factor #4 – what is your budget for the trip?

Thinking about how much you will spend on the trip is essential. Various levels of spending for this factor are shown below. My main recommendation is to have a budget detailing how much you will spend during your trip. If you’re not careful and decide to wing it, you can ruin a vacation. You may end up spending way more money than you expected.

Factor #5 – how will you get around Europe?

Consider what kind of traveling you are doing. In other words, how are you getting around Europe? In this part of the world, there are similar options to what we have in the States. Planes, Trains, rental cars, and buses work well, or some combination. My recommendation for this factor, especially if you’ve never been to Europe, is to use the rail system as much as possible. Many European countries have excellent train systems. Driving in Europe is different. You may ruin your vacation because you’re stressed out driving around a new country.

Bonus factor – accommodations

All over Europe, you will have several options when it comes to accommodations.

1. Hotels – a great option for large cities.
2. Apartments like Airbnb
3. Traditional bed and breakfast is popular in some countries.
4. Historic sites – I’ve stayed in a castle before.
5. Hostels are excellent for students and those on a tight budget.

My recommendation for this factor is that families consider renting an apartment rather than staying in a hotel. If you want to take a break during the day, it is nice to have space for everyone to spread out and perhaps even get away from each other in case your nerves are starting to become frayed. 

One thing you may not like about planning a trip to Europe

One thing you may not like about planning a trip to Europe is planning a trip to Europe. For some people, this is torture. You do not like planning trips. If that’s you, outsource it to somebody else so that you can show up energized and enjoy your vacation. I like doing research and planning. If that’s not your cup of tea, skip it and let somebody else plan.

An example of the factors

I’ve covered a fair amount of content in this video and blog, so let me bring it all together in the matrix shown below. Down the left, you see the factors. Across the top, you see the options I described. This Matrix is a great way to consider what kind of trip you will take to Europe. Here’s an example of the matrix using my most recent European trip.

1. Who went – it was a couple’s trip, my wife and I. That’s our favorite way to travel.
2. How long? We took a typical US vacation, one week plus the weekends.
3. Where did we go? One single country. We went to Italy and had a blast.
4. Our budget was comfort level.
5. How did we get around? Trains. The Italian train system is excellent.
6. Our accommodations were a combination of hotels and an apartment in Milan.

I am Doug Keating, and this is my letter to my sons.