Guest Post: EuroTrip Planner – When to Go and What to See

Published on by J. Kelland Perry

With my eye on a trip to England next year, I am sharing a guest post by lifestyle blogger, Marie Nieves, who gives some practical advice on planning a European adventure.

I am also welcoming other guest posts on the topic, primarily about travel to the United Kingdom and nearby countries. Please send your guest post ideas to: jennifer@jenniferkellandperry.com.

Take it away, Marie!

EuroTrip Planner: When to Go and What to See

 Europe, Source

Having a tour through Europe is always a great idea. However, if you would like to explore Europe, there are a number of things to consider beforehand. First of all, you should know that regardless of how long your trip lasts, it will not be enough to see everything you want. What you need is to make a plan of your trip in a way that you can make the most of the time you have. Doing this is often difficult as you need to be realistic, but at the same time trying to meet all the expectations regarding the trip. I’m here to help you do that!

When?

There are three main traveling seasons in Europe. They are called high, low and shoulder seasons. The first one is from June until August, the second one is November to April, and the Shoulder seasons are April to June, and September to November. Choose the season depending on your preferences since it will have a major effect on your trip. If you can stand the heat, the high season is great for you. However, if you prefer traveling when temperatures are lower, some other seasons may work better in your case.

Packing

Since you’ll be visiting many countries, and therefore changing locations frequently, I advise you not to bring a lot of luggage. This may or may not be possible depending on how long you’re staying, but try to bring only your essentials. You need money, passport, phone, camera and something to wear. Don’t stock up on anything since you’ll be able to buy things along the way.

Metro, Source

Accommodation

This can be tricky. Perhaps you can choose a country which will be your base and then have excursions from there. For example, you can choose England as a base. If you’d like to stay in a hotel, Tavistock House has great reviews. You can also choose the Oceanic Hotel in Falmouth or the Grasmere Hotel. On the other hand, if you prefer to save a few bucks, there are great offers for shared accommodation in England. One suggestion would be to book a hotel at your primary location in advance and find accommodation for your excursions on the go. Keep track of offers before and during your trip to get the best price for a stay in other countries, as well as to keep your routing options open.

Excursions

Depending on how you structure your trip, you will set the time for exploring England and other countries. It’s all about maximizing your performance during the time given. That is why enticing canal cruises in England are a convenient way to see several different cities such as London, Reading, Windsor and Oxford.  You will surely enjoy cruising along the River Thames and admiring the scenery you pass by. As far as other countries are concerned, the good thing is that it’s really easy to travel by plane from England to any European country. The connections are excellent, so you can go anywhere you want.

River Thames, Source

If this is your first trip to Europe, I recommend sticking with just a few countries. For instance, visit France, Italy and Germany from England. See the capitals and all the main places in these countries. Try the local cuisine, walk down the streets and breathe the air and atmosphere of each city you visit. Give yourself enough time to really experience every country. It’s better to stick with just a few of them rather than try to visit as many as possible and end up confused and exhausted. European trips should be done this way, in stages. Every time you visit, you’ll have a completely different experience!

About the author

Marie Nieves is a lifestyle blogger who loves unusual trips, gadgets and creative ideas. On her travels, she likes to read poetry and prose and to surf the Internet. Her favourite writer is Tracy Chevalier and she always carries one of her books in her bag. Most of her free time at home she spends walking her Labrador Retriever named Max. She is an avid lover of photography who loves to talk about her experiences. You can find Marie on Facebook or follow her on Twitter and Pinterest.

23 thoughts on “Guest Post: EuroTrip Planner – When to Go and What to See”

    1. A thought: (and please don’t think this comment is racist in any sense) as part of a recent gig a Pakistani comedian remarked that he had recently paid a visit to his family’s home city of Karachi, and declared he found that great metropolis to be very much like London, adding ‘of course, there were fewer Pakistanis’. London is such a multi-racial city now there are some who, only half-jokingly, suggest it should be a separate nation state. As such I find it a fascinating place, but each time I return I am reminded of the rapidly escalating separation between London and the rest of Britain. Please don’t overlook the tranquil beauty – and the great depth of history – this land has to offer.

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      2. I totally agree. I prefer about three days in the city (walking, walking, walking) and the rest of the time – exploring the country. PBS series keep it ‘real’ regarding the English country side, perhaps? 🙂

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          1. No, I mean our schedules are full!!! 🙂 Thought of you, and our comments back and forth, as I watched the horrible news about London last night. I’ve walked on that street several times. It’s majestic. May the English spirit rise and shine above the terror.

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            1. I thought of this conversation too! As terrifying as that attack was, it will not dissuade us from our plans to visit. And like you, we don’t intend to spend any more than three or four days in London. Far too many other places to see. 🙂

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  2. I, too, hail from the Northeast. Durham Cathedral is my favourite English Cathedral, and The Dales offer some spectacular and typically English countryside. York, of course, is a must. If you want to explore the English Lakes or the Southern HIghlands, I would avoid the high season – go early and chance the weather (it nearly always rains in the Lakes anyway). Beautiful ciities? I’ve always loved Wells, Chichester, maybe Bristol for its history. The only other recommendation I have is in your choice of somewhere to stay – communications can be difficult, so a ‘ground plan’ of available airports, etc. would help with the location aspect – it is possible to get quite isolated, even on this small island. Oh, and of course if you do get a chance to nip across the Channel to Amsterdam….

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    1. Thanks for all the info, Frederick! You could’ve easily written a guest post from these tips. 🙂 You still can, if you are so inclined.
      England itself is not much bigger than the island of Newfoundland, where I live, so I think we could cover a lot of ground without completely exhausting ourselves. A bit of London, too, of course, but we love the countryside just as much.
      And Amsterdam is very tempting!

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  3. Interesting tips Jennifer. I travelled around Europe by train when I was younger and saw lots of countries but only spent a day or two in most – it was exhausting but fabulous. Of course if you’re coming to England there are lots of beautiful places – in the north as well as the south! On the mainland, I love Scandinavia – I was never attracted to it before I went but it’s a great place. And Italy, of course…

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    1. Andrea, I know we won’t get to see everything we would like to, but instead try to choose as wisely as possible what is most important to us. We will savour what we do see and experience. When we visited Europe a few years back we enjoyed several locales in Italy and in France, but this time we want to concentrate on good ol’ England. 🙂
      What area are you living in, and is it where you were born?

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          1. Yes, I live in a town called North Shields at the mouth of the river Tyne. It does have some lovely places nearby – an ancient priory, nice beaches a tiny island with a lighthouse which is my favourite place, but if you’re heading north, perhaps up to Scotland, Northumberland – the next county up from me – is a great place to visit – full of castles, little harbour towns, Holy Island (Lindisfarne) and further inland the Northumberland national park. There is a coastal route that you can drive that takes in all the sights. So who knows, if you’re heading this way 🙂

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            1. Thanks for the tips, Andrea! I would love to see some castles for sure – they’re on my bucket list. When Paul and I sit down and figure out where we’re going, I will certainly give you a heads up if our plan includes your vicinity. 🙂

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  5. I would add, try to get to my homeland, Scotland, when you in the UK!
    And avoid travel during the school holidays. Popular places get packed with tourists. My favorite times to go anywhere in Europe are May, June and September. 💛

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