Headed to Europe, looking for traveling to Europe the first time? Thinking about going solo or maybe with a few friends? These are my Europe Travel Tips to make sure you have a great trip. This isn’t a guide on best places to visit or things to do, these are Europe Travel Tips to ensure wherever you end up – you would be better off knowing these things first!

Whether you’re planning on hopping around Europe to a few different cities or just staying in one area for a week then these are some things I’ve learned while planning multiple trips – plus some items I’d definitely recommend packing.

Flying to & from Europe

One of my pro Europe Travel tips about traveling in Italy or really anywhere in Europe is that you can do a “multi city ticket” through most airlines instead of round trip, so you don’t have to fly round-trip in & out of the same city. I use Skyscanner when checking for flights.

Kayak.com also has a great tool where you can check “everywhere” and find a starting point in europe thats cheaper to fly to as well as set price alerts.

For Example I flew from Orlando to Paris then Rome back to Orlando and the cost of the ticket was maybe $50 more expensive then what a RT flight to & from Paris would have cost. This makes it much easier to go on a tour of multiple cities and not worry about getting back to your original starting point. Fly home from Florence which is about a 2 hour train from Venice or take a flight back from Venice to Rome the last day.

Also flying into a different city from where you really want to vacation might be a ton cheaper as well. Flights between countries in Europe can be cheap & train rides can be cheaper. Its always worth looking into flying into alternative destinations to save a few hundred dollars on whats arguably the most expensive part of Europe – getting there.

Skyscanner is the best place to search for flights. They let you set price alerts, check multi-city flights, and even have a “everywhere” option if you aren’t sure what airport you want to start or end at! I highly recommend checking out Skyscanner.com when you’re first researching flights to & from Europe.

Debit vs Credit vs Cash

This is always a topic of discussion when chatting about traveling to Europe. 99% of places you visit in Europe accept cards. I definitely recommend only using a credit card and just paying it off as you go. This protects you in case your card information is stolen while abroad. Also most (check yours) credit cards have zero international fees & offer better exchange rates then local atm’s.

I always bring cash with me to exchange at the airport (or grab from an atm while in town). I don’t use it as my primary source but I like to have some on hand in case I’m going somewhere that doesn’t accept cards, buying something cheap like a water or need to pay for a toilet. Yes most public toilets cost money in Europe, so be prepared for that!

If you are adamant against using a credit cards then I would suggest finding a debit card with zero international fees. Last I checked the only two cards that offer this are Capital One & Charles Schwabb. Both you could easily open an account with and use while you’re in Europe. I have a Capital One card that I use as a back up account myself.

Packing your Bags

Going to Europe for the first time? My biggest Europe Travel Tip: Pack LIGHT. Especially if you have plans to visit more then one city. Taking the train with a huge checked suitcase and a backpack is so hard on your body too. I definitely recommend using hand luggage only (a carry on) and if you really can’t fit everything into that then bring a backpack as well.

This especially applies for summer & warm travel times as you can pack lighter pieces of clothing. That is literally the most I’d ever pack for Europe again. If you are wondering how to fit all your things into your luggage these are a life saver: I bring at least 2 of the vacuum seal bags full of clothing, typically I can fit at least 10 days worth of clothing into 2 of them. I also pack a 3rd bag to start a “dirty clothes” bag. They’re on my Travel Favorites list on Amazon.com storefront.

When it comes to laundry, you can find laundromats everywhere but you can also book an airbnb or hostel with washer & dryer for 1-2 nights just to do laundry too!

I also pack a foldable duffle bag that i can use to carry home as a carry on or personal item when I’ve inevitably shopped for so much to bring home that I need extra luggage (happens to us all!). My foldable duffle bag is listed on my Amazon.com storefront as well.

Wear your heaviest shoes and pack a second pair. You really don’t need more then 2 pairs of shoes! Sandals for the beaches and solid walking shoes for touring everything.

Data & Phone Service

If you’re wondering how to get internet in Europe, I use to be in the “pay $10 daily to my provider” camp and I no longer do that. I know use an app on my iphone called Airalo and I can get 10GB of data for about $16 and that lasts me a good 1-2 weeks with HIGH screentime & posting on social media.

Be sure to turn on roaming on the new airalo network & turn off your regular network. Tell everyone that needs you to contact you via Whats App, Telegram, FB Messenger Instagram DM, or whatever other data based messaging app you use. Those messengers plus email are plenty sufficient for me to stay in contact with everyone and then I’ll turn on my regular line when I’m willing to spend the $10/day for the Travel Pass to check my texts and voicemails from anyone I’m not talking to otherwise.

In contrast Verizon charges $100/month for 5gb of data or $10/day for 0.5gb of data so you can see that Airalo is KING when it comes to data. If you want to save $3 on your first purchase you can use my code RACHEL965. Also another Europe travel tip when you’re sitting at restaurants, save some data and always ask for the wifi information – don’t feel awkward, they’re use to it.

Downloads & Apps

Download all the train apps before you head to Europe – SBB is used in Switzerland, Trentalia in Italy – every country in Europe has their own. Its useful for figuring out your next move if you’re traveling loosely from one city to the next.

Trying to figure out data and phone service while Traveling in Europe? On the topic of downloads – download your media before you head to the airport! Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Your e-books – whatever it is, download it! Most airlines have in flight entertainment but theres no guarantee it’ll work so be sure to bring stuff with you to stay entertained on that 8+ hour flight.

Sleep

Finally, getting off on the right foot is so important & sleeping enough/on the right time zone is important. First off, get some sleep on the plane if you can! The more the better! When you land, you’re going to be tired. Fight every urge to sleep. Start your trip off on the right foot and get some coffee and wander around and wait until at least after dinner to sleep so that you’re on the right time zone when you do finally crash.

If you want to check out my full Amazon Travel Must Have Lists – click here.

From Paris to Greece – All my Europe Travel Guides can be found here