Well, as many of you know, I am going to Europe! This is my ‘Travel Europe Itinerary in 2 months’ version 1 and I’d like your thoughts!

I have taken some time to put together my idea of what a Europe trip could look like making my way around the Mediterranean Sea (and possibly taking a quick up-shoot to northern Europe). That being said, this is my first time going to Europe without family and planning a trip by myself! I will be traveling with a friend through Greece and Italy but then I am on my own.

I’ve estimated the amount of time it will take to visit all of the places but have not noted the travel time between each (which are short trips within Greece and Italy but get long especially from Monaco to Amsterdam (possibly 22 hours).

I will post an updated itinerary after I start to narrow down my options but wanted to note my starting point. I will also post an ‘as recorded’ itinerary after Europe to show how it actually went (as well as obviously posting as I go).

If anyone has any suggestions, or attractions to add, or places to avoid, please comment below 🙂 I would greatly appreciate any contributions!

Travel

Fly to Athens

Ferry (9 hours) from Athens (Piraeus) to Santorini

Catamaran (4 hours) Santorini to Athens (Piraeus)

Train from Athens to Patras

Ferry from Patras to Bori (22 hours overnight ferry ride)

Train to Naples (Pompei)

Train to Rome (where we will visit the Vatican)

Train to Florence

Train to Pisa

Train to Venice

Train to Milan (jess likely leaves here)

Train to Cinque Terre

Train to Genoa

Train to Monaco

Train to Geneva

Train to San Sabastian

Train to Madrid

Train to Barcelona

Train to Faro

Train to Lisbon

Train to Paris (where I’ll visit Versailles)

Train to Amsterdam

Train to London to visit my best friend and her boyfriend who will just have moved there!
Fly home

Eurail 

• Jess: Greece-italy pass for $469. It is only available for 2 months but has 10 days of traveling which we will need for the one month anyway.

• 4 countries, 10 days of traveling is $606 plus paying twice for me and will get me from italy to france and spain as well.

• There is also a Global Pass that is $893 that allows you to go anywhere in Europe with 15 travel days.
• The second Global Pass option is $1290 for a continuous 2 month pass for anywhere in Europe.

Hostels 

hostelbookers.com is a good site.

Find 3 hostels before we leave for each destination. Book online for the next hostel from current city.

Bring

• Lock (and only book hostels that have in-room storage)
• Scarf (because the churches won’t let you in in a tank top but will let you wrap a scarf around your shoulders)
• Water bottle (Italy is full of sketchy water fountains but said they will save you money)
• Camera bag (that can hold your camera as well as your water bottle and money
• Separate wallet (that you leave in your locker holding most cash. Only bring what you need for that day.
• Chest strap wallet (for passport and larger bills
• Phrasebook (Spanish, Italian, French)

Things to see:

Athens (2-3 days)

• Acropolis & Parthenon
• Temple of Poseidon at Sounion
• Temple of Olympian Zeus
• Syntagma Square
• New Acropolis Museum
• National Archeological museum
• Ancient Agora Marketplace
• Monastiraki Flea Market
• Plaka (oldest community in Athens)
• Streets of Anafiotika (near entrance to Agora)
• Mount Lycabettus
• National Gardens

Blue Star Ferry from Athens (Piraeus) to Santorini = 9 hours

Santorini (2 days)

• Spend the day in Fira
• Hike from Fira to Oia
• Spend the day in Oia
• Sunset at Byzantine Castle in Oia
• Visit Akrotiri (pre-historic city)
• La Ponta – Venetian Tower (1km from Akrotiri)

Catamaran from Santorini to Athens (Piraeus) = 4 hours

Train from Piraeus to Patras =

Blue Star Ferry from Patras to Bori (overnight ferry ride) = 16 hours

Naples/Almalfi coast (2 days)

• Eat pizza!
• Eat Sfogliatelle (flaky pastry desert)
• Day trip to Pompei & Herculaneum
• Ruins under San Lorenzo Maggiore Church
• Trip to Almalfi coast (1.5hr drive)
• Beach party (Arenile – clubby, or Vibes on the Beach – relaxed and older)

PAY Train from Naples to Rome = 1 hour 10 minutes

Rome (3-4 days)

• Vatican City
• Vatican Museums
• St Peter’s Basilica
• Sistine Chapel
• Coliseum
• Palatine Hill
• Capitoline Hill
• Roman Forum
• Spanish Steps
• Trevi Fountain
• Pantheon
• Baths of Caracalla
• Piazza Navona
• Piazza di Spagna

PAY Train from Rome to Florence = 1 hour 35 minutes ($14)

Florence (1.5 days)

• Santa Maria del Fiore
• Ponte Vecchio
• Uffizi Gallery
• Piazza della Signoria
• Palazzo Vecchio
• Basilica di San Lorenzo
• Boboli Gardens

PAY Train from Florence to Pisa = 1 hour 26 minutes ($14)

Pisa (.5 days)

• Leaning tower of Piza (duh)
• Piazza del Duomo
• Botanical Garden

Train from Pisa to Venice = 6 hours 44 minutes

Venice (2 days)

• Grand Canal
• Rialto Bridge

• Ride a gondola
• Piazza San Marco (St.Mark’s Square)
• Basilica San Marco (St. Mark’s Basilica)
• Doge’s palace
• GET LOST!

Train from Venice to Milan = 2 hours 23 minutes

Milan (2 days) – Jess likely leaves

• Duomo – Milan Cathedral
• Piazza del Duomo
• The last Supper – Santa Maria Delle Grazie
• Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
• Fashion District
• Sforzesco Castle
• Central Station

Train from Milan to Manarola (Cinque Terre) = 3 hours 8 minutes

Cinque Terre (3-4 days)

• “via dell’Amore” – Way of Love tourist path from Riomaggiore to Monterosso.
• Look around Riomaggiore
• Look around Manarola
• Look around Corniglia
• Look around Vernazza
• Look around Monterosso

PAY Train from Cinque Terre to Genoa= 53 minutes ($14)

Genoa (2 days)

• Piazza de Ferrari Fountain
• Aquarium
• Old City
• Old Port
• Cimitero Monumentale di Staglieno (cemetery)
• Palazzo Raele (castle)
• Galata Museo del Mare (museum of the sea)

Train from Genoa to Monaco = 2 hours 48 minutes

Monaco (2 days)

• Monte-Carlo Casino and Opera House
• Oceanographic Museum
• Monaco Cathedral
• Palace du Palais
• Fort Antoine
• Flower Garden of Princess Grace

Train from Monaco to Geneva = 9 hours

Geneva (2 days)

• Jet d’Eau @ the lake
• Old Town
• Saint Pierre Cathedral
• International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum
• Palais des Nations – United Nations
• CERN
• Place du Molard
• Reformation Wall
• English Garden

Train from Geneva to San Sebastian = 19 hours

San Sebastian (2 days)

• Playa de la Concha
• Monte Urgel
• Mount Igueldo cable car
• La Parte Vieja (the old city)

Train from San Sebastian to Barcelona = 6 hours

Barcelona (3 days)

• Sagrada Familia
• Poble Espanyol (spanish village)
• La Rambla (famous street)
• Barrio Gotica (gothic quarter)
• Barceloneta (beach)
• Parc Guell
• Picasso Museum
• Magic Fountain of Montjuic
• Casa Batllo

Train from Barcelona to Madrid = 2 hours 45 minutes

Madrid (3 days)

• Palacio Real (royal palace)
• Plaza Mayor
• Prado Museum
• Retiro Park
• Gran Via
• Puerto del Sol
• Plaza de Cibeles
• Temple of Debod
• Mercado de San Miguel

Fast AVA train t0 Seville (2.5 hours). Bus from Seville to Faro (Algarve) (3.5 hours) = 6+ hrs

Algarve/Faro (2 days)

• Explore

Train from Faro to Lisbon = 3 hours

Lisbon (4 days)

• Tram 28 (Alfama neighbourhood)
• Jeronimos Monastry (Belem Neighbourhood)
• Belem Tower
• St. Georges Castle
• Parques des Nacoes
• Madre de Deus Convent
• Design and Fashion Museum
• Elevador de Santa Justa (Santa Justa Elevator)
• Fiera de Ladra (flea Market – watch for pickpockets)
• Praca Do Comercia in Baixa
• Day trip to Sintra

Train from Lisbon to Amsterdam = 24 hours 15 minutes

Amsterdam (2 days)

• Canals of Amsterdam
• Rijksmuseum
• Van Gogh Museum
• Anne Frank House
• Bloemenmarkt
• De Wallen (red light district)

Train from Paris to Amsterdam = 4 hours 10 minutes

Paris (5 days)

• Versailles (day trip)
• Place de la Concorde
• Sainte-Chapelle
• Centre Pompidou
• Lock Bridge
• Jardin du Luxembourg
• Sacre-Coeur
• Notre Dame de Paris
• Arc de Triomphe
• Louvre
• Musee d’Orsay
• Eiffle Tower
• Montmarte, and the Sacre Coeur
• Les Champs Elysees