One of my favorite actresses Audrey Hepburn once said “Paris is always a good idea.” I am taking it one step further to say “Europe is always a good idea“.
Last summer, Europe and I had a whirlwind love affair for one month and I savored Spain, was enraptured by England, and frolicked in France. I knew that my fling with the continent of Europe would not be a one-time thing and I vowed to return again in the near future.
That near future is this summer. I will return to Europe this time to explore 7 of its countries and to see, taste, hear, smell, and feel all that the continent has to offer. Bearing that all goes expected to my detailed plans, this is my Euro-trip itinerary for the summer of 2014:
Country #1 – The Netherlands
Amsterdam by Moyan Brenn (CC)
After flying into Brussels, the first stop on my journey will be to Amsterdam.
Amsterdam and I will have a brief three days together but I plan to make the most of it. I intend to take a couple of tours, bike around the city, take a boat down the canals, see some windmills, eat some cheese, and dance in some clogs. I also hope to get a bit off the beaten path, to venture outside of the city into the countryside, and to see some street art.
Update: Read about my adventures in Amsterdam here.
Country #2 – Czech Republic

Prague by Steve Coleman (CC)
My second stop on my Euro-Trip will be to the Czech Republic.
I will spend one week in Prague staying at a Go With Oh rental near the city center. I will also take in the sites and sounds of the city coined ‘The City of a Hundred Spires’ by Czech writer Josef Hormayer.
There will be no shortage of feasting as I explore the Czech culinary scene and bring my adventures to you through Instagram. I will also be taking various tours there including a city bike tour and river cruise tour.
Update: Read about my adventures in Prague here.
Country #3 – Germany
Munich by John Morgan (CC)
The third stop on my journey will be to Munich, Germany where I will experience all that the lovely city has in store for me. Along with doing the regular sightseeing things around the city and sampling German beers, I will also be visiting the former concentration camp Dachau with Sandemans. I got a lot of great recommendations from both the Tourism Council and local bloggers, so I am really excited to see the country that I have heard so much about.
At the end of my trip, I will have a 9-hour layover in Frankfurt and I will be leaving the airport to go explore the city.
Update: Read about my adventures in Germany here.
Country #4 – Austria

Vienna by Kurt Bauschardt (CC)
Austria actually had not been in my radar until I saw pictures of the Grüner See (Green Lake) and immediately wanted to see this mysterious place. My first stop will be to Salzburg, which is quite well-known for being the filming location of the movie ‘The Sound of Music’ and the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. I will not only partake in the Sound of Music Tour and hear classic music from Mozart, but I will also highlight some of the other things that the city has to offer.
After visiting Salzburg for a couple of days, I will make my way to the city of Vienna, where famous people such as Mozart, Freud, Beethoven, Brahms, and Marie Antoinette resided. The city is full of rich history and culture and I plan to see palaces, explore vineyards, eat traditional Austrian food, and discover how to travel around Vienna without breaking the bank.
Update: Read about my adventures in Austria here.
Country #5 – Greece

Santorini by Maggie Meng (CC)
Visiting Greece has been HIGH on my bucket list ever since I saw it featured in the movie ‘The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’. I wanted to dip in the beautiful blue ocean, eat fresh Mediterranean food, and to gaze at gorgeous Greek men (after all, there is a reason the ‘gods’ are Greek… but I digress…)
I will be visiting the lovely island of Santorini and outside of the activities listed above, I will also be sampling Greek wines and scuba diving by Caldera Beach. I really look forward to getting out of major cities for about one week to spend time near the water.
After leaving Santorini, I will spend a couple of days sightseeing in Athens seeing both the typical tourist attractions as well as doing some off-the-beaten-path type exploring recommended by local and international travel bloggers.
Update: Read about my adventures in Greece here.
Country #6 – Italy

Italy by Paolo Margari (CC)
A trip back to Europe this year would be incomplete without visiting Italy, and this is the country in which I will be spending the majority of my time, although I will barely be denting the surface of places to explore.
I will be starting my explorations in Rome and making my way up to Milan while passing through Florence, Pisa, Castiglioncello, Cinque Terre, and Genoa. I may take a detour here and there based on recommendations of places I hear of on the road or more places I discover while reading.
Update: Read about my adventures in Italy here.
Country #7 – Belgium

Brussels by Hernán Piñera (CC)
My trip will end in Brussels, where I will be spending about 24 hours exploring the city, eating Belgian chocolate, and seeing what quirky things I can find in the city. I wish I had scheduled in more time to see Belgium, so it looks like it might be on my list during my next Euro-Trip.
Trip Planning
Planning this trip was actually not as easy as I imagined that it would have been. Between trying to find the cheapest options from getting from city-to-city and country-to-country, my bookings have taken months to do, and I am still not completely finished as some countries only allow bookings within a 60-day time period.
Last summer when I was in Europe I traveled between countries primarily by plane, but this year I wanted to do more train travel, as it is how many Europeans like to travel.
I am beyond excited for my second Euro-Trip and I am sure that I will be in love with the continent this time around as much as I was the first time I visited. I will keep you updated constantly through both my blog and social media. I have established a number of partnerships throughout Europe that I am excited to share with you over the upcoming months and I hope to hold some contests over the summer as well!
Have you been to or written about any of the cities I will be visiting? Please share your comments, tips, and articles below!
Make sure to follow my Instagram account, my YouTube channel, my Twitter account, and my Facebook Page I share my journey with you as I explore 7 new European countries this summer!
Girl, I LOVE the new site! It looks incredible. I’m so excited for you and your whirlwind trip–particularly jealous that you’re going to Greece. I went way back in 2007 and have been dying to get back ever since (TBEX in Athens, anybody?).
In January of this year I went to Amsterdam and fell in love with it—it’s popular among EVERYONE for a reason. (Here’s my post about it, haha loved your call for posts at the bottom: http://www.athingforwords.com/the-netherlands/amsterdam/). I definitely recommend taking a canal boat tour (just like Chicago!), exploring their cool café culture (I mean real cafes, not coffee shops 😉 and seeing the Anne Frank house. Plus, you can eat for free in Amsterdam with all the samples in every one of the 20 billion cheese shops around the city. Hooray!
Jenny, thank you so much for the support, feedback, and tips! I will definitely be checking out your post! I am excited about Amsterdam and I will definitely be taking a part in their real cafes!
Oh dear! This sounds amazing. I won’t be able to travel this summer but I’ll be following you to enjoy your trip.
Hi Suki! Thanks for stopping by and for your support! I can’t wait to share my trip!
How wonderful! I’m so pleased you squeezed in Belgium at the end there. I visited for the first time last year and had a fabulous 24 hours in Brussels. Like you I’ll be visiting Santorini later this year for the first time and I am so excited about it – it’s been on my wish list for a very long time. And I know you are going to love the street art in Athens, the food and architecture in Italy… and Prague… I could go on and on…. Have a really fabulous time!
Thanks Kat! I am really looking forward to it and your Athens post was so helpful. There is so much to do and see in Europe and I wish I had more time! 😀
Love the new website, Chanel!!! So happy for you and the upcoming and exciting life adventures that await you! Looking forward to receiving my monthly newsletter from your blog and seeing the world through your lens!
Thank you Mary for the support! 😀
I love Amsterdam! Be sure to try their raw herring with pickled onions at the Albert Cuyp Markets. And if you’d really like to save on your travels, carpool! You can use either blabla car or http://www.mitfahrgelegenheit.de/. Training around Europe can be quite expensive. Enjoy!
Ying, what wonderful suggestions! Thank you so much for those tips! I will certainly try to do carpooling this summer! 😀
You have picked the best countries of Europe. Italy is my personal favorite.
Thanks Renuka! I cannot wait to explore Italy 😀
Lucky you, I love your itinerary! Been to most of your spots, but there is never enough time. I can’t wait to follow the live feed on instagram!
Hey Kristin, thanks! I cannot wait to visit them all and I will make sure to stop by your blog for some tips!
I don’t know if you like horses, but the Spanish Riding School is really cool (though I’m a bit biased, having ridden my whole life). Even if you don’t see them perform or train, it can be fun to take a quick tour to see their facilities and see them poking their heads out of their stalls!
Also, Belvedere is a pretty beautiful place to wonder through in Vienna.
Sounds like a fantastic trip, I can’t wait to hear what you see in your other cities!
Thanks for the tips 😀 I never thought about seeing horses ride before, I might have to put that on my Vienna list!
Ooo la la, lady! Looks like you’ve got quite the summer planned! I loved the Novy Svet neighbourhood in Prague and the Mind Maze game, so those are my tips. 🙂
Thanks for the tips Audrey! It will be a busy summer indeed! 🙂
What a wonderful itinerary! Thank you for stopping by… love that I’ve discovered your blog! My family will be visiting Amsterdam in a few weeks… when are you leaving? I’d love to follow you along your travels…now that we’re in Europe, we hope to visit the other countries on your list 🙂
Hey Catherine! Unfortunately I will only be in Amsterdam for three days 🙁 Please do let me know if you will visit any other place on the list!
I’m doing a Europe trip next summer and I’m unsure on which means of transportation to embark on. Do you recommend travelling across the continent by train or by plane? (tickets will most likely be purchased on easyjet and ryanair haha!) Love your blog, it has inspired to pursue my travel writing. Check out my (newborn) blog if you’d like! http://www.aleas.ca
Hi Steffy thanks for stopping by! Depending on where you are going (and how comfortable you feel on trains) will help you to select what works best for you.
Last summer I flew from place to place, but this summer I wanted to take the trains. I ended up doing a combination of trains, planes, and ride-sharing (all of which I will be writing about in a future post).
I will def check out your blog and thanks for coming by!
I am going to Germany, Austria and Czech Republic this fall for Oktoberfest! I am excited to read your blog and make some notes about what to do!
Wonderful Sherilyn 🙂 Have a great trip and thanks for reading!