Backpacking Through Europe

Europe, the home to fifty different countries and distinct cultures, with beautiful geographical attributes from breathtaking mountain ranges to beautiful coastlines, is ideal for backpacking. Being able to travel through Europe will truly leave an impact on you and enrich your understanding of other cultures, history, people, and –the world. For generations now, American parents have been encouraging their college graduates to travel and get to know the European continent after finishing school or before they make some career changes.

When exploring Europe, you’re not just getting different countries, you’re getting an array of cultures, cuisines, languages, and adventures! So you’ve decided you’re ready to do it. You want to backpack through Europe with a group of friends, or maybe even by yourself, and your excitement is probably through the roof. You want to prepare and plan this trip perfectly, so here is our guide to help you out:

Step One: Book, book, book

Book a plane ticket to your first destination in Europe, check for hotels, hostels or Airbnb, and search for rail passes and other train tickets. These are all the things you want to have ready months before you’ll travel. Look for the Eurail Global Pass, which works in all 28 countries of the European Union, as having a rail pass is a huge money saver and very practical for backpackers. Not only will you not have to worry much when traveling from country to country, but your pass can be delivered to your address with free shipping if you purchase it fifteen days prior to your trip.

Step Two: Consider Busabout

Busabout is a popular new tour company that offers hop-on-hop-off tours for almost 200 cities. With the backpacker vibe, offering freedom to choose how you want to spend your money, and how you want your trip to look like, Busabout’s expert guides can organize your adventure if you’re not really a "how to get from here to there" type of person. Some of the most popular Busabout trips are the Italian adventure, Island Hopper Sail to Greece, Croatia, Turkey, and the Spanish Explorer. 

Step Three: Map it out!

Based on your time, budget, and travel needs take a map of Europe and mark all the countries you would like to see. If you want to book your trip around a specific area, mark it on the map and then figure out what to see nearby. If you’re more interested in immersing yourself in the local culture, list all the museums, galleries, and sightseeing spots your travel guide is recommending. Yes, all of your friends know about the croissants in France or the gelato in Italy, but you can bring home some stories from Belgium, Austria, Czech Republic, or Denmark which all have hidden jewels and could be easily connected with your rail pass.

Step Four: What to Bring?

Take the comfortable shoes and clothes according to the season you’ll be traveling, plus the extra must-have items for the unpredictable weather and temperature changes like rain jacket, blanket, and some warm socks. Bring sunblock wherever you’re going, a hat or a beanie, and a water bottle. It’s good to know that many European countries have good quality water so feel safe to refill. Take a multilingual dictionary with useful phrases as it will come in handy. Also, don’t forget the European outlet converter and a power bank to charge your phone, camera, or tablet.

Don’t feel overwhelmed with getting everything ready for the trip, get excited to plan it! The longer you have time to stay and explore place by place, the more you can enjoy a stress-free adventure.