Backpacking Europe 101

We will publish many additional tips in this space, but to get started thinking about your backpacking Europe trip, first consider these questions:

1) How much time to you have to travel (2 weeks, 2 months, a whole year?)
2) Will you travel alone (ultimate freedom!) or with another person or two?
3) How much money do you have available (Europe is not cheap, minimum cost per day average is about $60)? Backpacking Europe costs can vary wildly by location, time of year, and by traveler lifestyle.
4) What time of year will you go? Summer is the most fun and interesting but also the most crowded and expensive. May, June, and September can be the perfect time for your trip.
5) Determine your comfort level - can you stay in dorm rooms with strangers or do you need a private room each night. Can you eat from a grocery store or do you need a restaurant meal every night? Can you carry around all your stuff on a backpack or are you a suitcase on wheels person?
6) What is the focus of your trip? Culture and museums, beaches/fun in the sun, culinary adventures, learning a language, meeting locals or other travelers? Each trip is unique and only you can create it.
7) Where do you want to go? Even with 3 months and a healthy budget, it is very difficult to see everything interesting in Europe. For some Paris takes a lifetime, for others three days in Rome is enough forever. Study European geography and travel guides intensely to see what interests you.

Those questions will help you get started on planning your backpacking Europe trip. For more info, the One Summer in Europe podcast may be useful to you.

Europe is a popular destination for students between semesters in college, or for younger people just out of school or taking a break from the work world, and it's really no surprise.  If you want to get in one last great adventure before you start in or return to the adult world, backpacking Europe is one of the best ways to do it.  You'll be able to see a lot of new things, meet new people, and experience new cultures.

A tour of Europe has been traditional for many years.  Well off young men used to take a tour of the continent in their last years of school.  The popularity of backpacking through Europe rose in the 1960s and 1970s, too, with people traveling all over with a relatively small number of possessions.  Now, people of all economic classes do the same.  It's a wonderful way to learn and find some new experiences.  You might even make some new friends!

Generally, student travelers choose to backpack - live out of a small travel bag or backpack and sleep mostly in inexpensive hostels and other accommodations.  That's because they get the most out of their money this way.  After all, staying in hotels can get pretty costly.  You'll also see more of the real Europe this way, instead of just being stuck on tours and seeing only the touristy side of things.

People from all over the world choose to backpack in Europe, so you'll meet a wide variety of others looking for the same things you are.  You may find that you don't speak a common language, but it's surprising how well you can communicate anyway.  You'll probably learn a little of the local languages while you're traveling, as well. 

Just remember to interact as much with locals as you do with other backpackers if you really want to learn about the countries you're staying in.  Politeness is extremely important, too.  The local rules will be different than you're used to, and it's a good idea to follow them.  You'll get a lot more out of the experience of backpacking Europe if you put in a little bit of time and effort to get along with and understand the locals, no matter where you end up.

Backpacking Europe is an incredible experience, and if you have the chance to do it, don't pass that chance up.  You'll be amazed at all the new experiences you can have, what you can see, and all the things you can learn.  It's a lot of fun, and an extremely valuable experience.  Check out the logistics of a backpacking trip in Europe soon.

If you're thinking about backpacking through Europe, you're going to have to decide whether you're going to go alone, or with a predetermined group.  There are pros and cons to doing both.  Solo travel gives you a lot of freedom to meet new people and experience new things, for instance.  However, it's a little less safe than traveling with others, and you might get lonely.

Group travel gives you the protection of people you know, and lets you be sure you'll have company.  However, groups also generally have more scheduling difficulties, and sometimes you get tired of not having any peace and quiet.  If you're traveling with a group of friends, you might get really sick of one another before your backpacking trip is over.  If you're with a tour group, there's a chance of feeling like you're alone in a crowd. And don't make the mistake of staying within the "bubble" of your group and avoiding rewarding interactions with other travelers or local people.

Travelers in groups should make sure that everyone they're going with is on the same page, and be ready with contingency plans if someone else bails out at the last minute.  Make certain you're willing to compromise, too.  The group isn't necessarily going to be happy doing everything you say.  Be sure you respect other people's limits and boundaries even more carefully than you would with friends.  Friends will give you a lot more mileage when you're being a problem, while others in a tour only group may be more easily annoyed.

Planning on backpacking solo?  Unless you love spending all your time alone, you'll need to meet people.  Fortunately, hostels, walking tours, hostel events, and day trips can all help you do it.  Share a beer with other people staying at your hostel or strike up a conversation with a group that's traveling together.  Remember, you're all there for the same reason, so you have that much in common. 

Just remember that solo travel can be more dangerous than group travel, since there's no one checking up on you.  Don't let yourself get into a situation where you don't have a way out.  However, making friends during your trip can give you a little more of a safety net.  There'll be someone to wonder where you are and what you're up to.

Backpacking Europe is a great experience, whether you do it solo or as part of a travel group.  Think about what you want out of your trip to decide which way you'd like to do it.

Backpacking in Europe is a popular activity.  However, if you don't know what you're doing, it's also one that can get expensive pretty quickly.  Let's take a look at some of the ways you can cut down on expenses and travel cheaply on your trip.  It's really not as hard as it might seem, as long as you know what you're doing.

1. Know what you're doing and where you're going.  While a detailed itinerary isn't required for backpacking Europe, it is a good idea to know when you're going to be traveling and how long you'll be doing it.  Most people travel in the summer, but this can create long lines, high prices and difficulty getting into a hostel.  Winter traveling is much cheaper, as long as you're willing to deal with fewer of the attractions being open. 

2. Calculate all your hostel and travel costs in advance, then add some.  In addition to other travel costs, you'll need to add around thirty dollars per day.  A lot of the cost will be airfare.  You can make things cheaper by eating less expensively (though don't sacrifice health - it's not worth it in the long run) and being willing to stay at inexpensive locations.

3. Put as much on your credit card as you can.  That might seem counterintuitive, but you should save your cash for when you really need it.  It'll prevent you from having to pay extra to have money wired to you or for bank fees.

4. Make sure you have the right travel documents.  An International Student Identity Card or similar cards are well worth the price tag.  They get you lots of discounts and helpful services, so you'll save a lot in the long run.  A Youth Hostel International Card is worth the money, as well, since it helps you get into a wider range of hostels.

5. Look for out of season plane tickets.  Another benefit of traveling in the winter is that fares are lower to get to Europe.  Look for student oriented travel agencies that offer flexible tickets, so you can stay longer if you want.

6. Plan your packing carefully, but don't take too much.  Make sure you have all the true essentials, so you won't have to buy them when you get to Europe.  However, if you find yourself saying you "might" need something, it's probably not worth taking.  Pack too much, and you'll be tired and eventually throw a lot of stuff out.

7. Take advantage of rail passes.  You'll get unlimited train travel for a particular day in the countries covered by the pass.  That makes it a real bargain when you save a great deal of money compared to buying many point-to-point train tickets as you go.

If you're planning on a backpacking trip to Europe, you may quickly be overwhelmed by all the things to see and do. After all, there are unlimited options, from beaches and sports in the sun to cultural and museum trips. You might decide to visit Europe for a tour of the food, to meet other people, or to learn a new language. Every trip is a unique experience, and you're the only one who can decide what's going to happen.

You do have to make that decision, however, and it's a smart idea to do that before you leave. After all, you can't build a budget until you decide what you're going to do. The costs of a beach vacation, a museum trip, and one spent exploring the continent's finest cuisine will all be quite different. So, do your research before you go, and decide what the focus of your trip is going to be. There's no need to plan out every moment - just make sure that you have a good idea of where you're going to go and what you're going to go there for.

Start by taking a look at your hobbies and interests. What do you really love? If you're a history or art buff, museums and public monuments are probably going to be your thing. Love to socialize? Maybe you want to check out the club scene, coffee shops, or just the hostel life in Europe. Remember to talk to as many people as you can because those will end up being the moments you always remember.

A trip to Europe is also a great way to expand your command of a foreign language. Avoid touristy situations and spend some time around locals. Speak in their language, but don't be surprised if they want to practice their command of yours by talking with you. There's an enormous variety of options, and no such thing as a standard backpacking trip to Europe.

Anyone heading to Europe for a backpacking experience should take some time to think about what the focus of their trip is going to be. There's so much to choose from, and no one can do it all in one go. Pick a single focus and enjoy yourself. You'll be surprised by how much you can get out of just a small segment of the European backpacking experience. There's a lot to do and see. By narrowing it down a little, you'll get the most out of what's available.

Always remember not to merely see your European destinations, but to truly experience them!