r/traveleurope

Hi everyone,

I’m an Indian citizen living in Germany and currently on my way to Belgium for a 2-day trip. I just realized

**I forgot my physical passport at home**.
I **do not have my residence permit card with me either**.

What I do have:

German health insurance card
a photo / digital copy of my passport on my phone
My question is: **can I still continue to Belgium without the physical passport and residence permit, or should I go back and collect them?** Has anyone been in a similar situation traveling within Schengen as a non-EU citizen?

Just finished 14 days across Rome, Florence, Lake Garda, Venice, and the Swiss Alps with two families and two babies under 2. No tour operator, planned everything ourselves.

A few things nobody warned us about:

Cobblestones in Florence will destroy your stroller. Ours didn't make it past day 8.

The Italy to Switzerland train connection needs at least 90 minutes buffer. We had 30. Paid €520 in emergency taxis to make it.

Rome Metro pickpockets are genuinely professional. Wallet gone in under a minute in a crowded carriage.

Switzerland looked like a desktop wallpaper the moment we crossed the border. Not exaggerating.

Our 21 month old went silent for five minutes on top of Rigi mountain. None of us knew what to say either.

Happy to answer questions on any part of this: Swiss Travel Pass, Airbnbs, GetYourGuide bookings, toddler logistics, costs.

I've got a client who really wants to do some amazing tours during their trip, but the prices are kinda freaking them out. And i get it, excursions can get expensive. 😬

Ive been trying to figure out how to get them the best value without spending a lot, but im not sure where to find those seasonal promotions or discounts that actually make a difference. Does anyone know how to find deals for activities that wont break the bank?

I’m very interested in seeing these countries. I was wondering how many I might be able to reasonably fit into a week long trip.

I saw that there is a ferry from Helsinki and the other countries are connected by bus/ plane mostly. although I would prefer to travel by train.

also if you’ve been do you have any recommendations to do in the cities? which cities were nicest? also has anyone spent time outside the cities in cabins, beaches or camping? thanks

Hi everyone, me and my husband both 30y old are planning our first ever trip to Europe and would love some insights, experiences and guidance.

We are planning to travel roughly between September 30th- October 15th from Vancouver.

This is what I have narrowed down so far :

LISBON
BARCELONA
FLORENCE
ROME

then fly back home to Vancouver. Does these seem too much or doable?! Would you suggest any other places for us first timers?! Lastly, we love city life, good food and beverage and walking around.

Thank you in advance for you all your help!!

me, wife and 2 sons (20 and 22) will be in Stockholm in early August for about 5-6 days. Wanted to add a second, side trip for a couple days/nights. We'd fly

wife loves the fairytale look of Tallinn and it does look super cute. probably wouldn't make it much beyond that old town. maybe a bit easier in and out (flight times and $ are about the same). while it's only a couple days, would it feel much the same as Stockholm being on the water? Krakow looks like amazing and varied architecture. but is obviously much bigger, sounds hotter and more crowded. being a Uni town, maybe a younger feel for the kids?

we all like beer halls/gardens, cute squares, unique shopping (kids love vintage), good food, live music, live sports (on tv) friendly locals. former chef so we are all kid of foodies. we live in NC USA so while the hottest summers I have ever experienced were actually in Europe (Italy 2022) not worried about heat as we are used to it

thoughts? it's a short trip so sure either is good. Stockholm is for sure. have business there. but wanna add on side trip. kids loved Prague when we were there few years back. Is Krakow similar vibe? Also loved Copenhagen for food/drink

thanks in advance!

Hello - I keep reading about the extensive passport control lines at the Frankfurt Airport for arrivals from non-EU countries. We have an 1.5 hour layover before our next flight. We arrive in Frankfurt on a Sunday morning at 9:30 am. My husband is an EU citizen. Has anyone recently experienced going through passport control and the new EES system? My daughter and I do not have EU passports. Can we to through the EU line with him to save time?

Im helping a client plan a super luxe trip to the Mediterranean, and they want to do a private yacht rental and a helicopter tour while theyre there. But im struggling to find the best options that actually deliver on these high end experiences. 

I want to make sure the yacht is the real deal, not some overcrowded party boat, and that the helicopter tour offers breathtaking views, not a quick flyover.

Has anyone booked these kinds of experiences in the Mediterranean and do you have any recommendations for companies that provide top notch, VIP experiences without the touristy vibes?

I am traveling to Barcelona this summer and plan to take a week or week and a half off work. I don’t intend to spend the whole time in Barcelona. I’m debating if I want to go to Seville or go to Lisbon for a few days. Part of me wants to see 2 countries. However, there’s so many cities I want to see in Spain. I am not in Europe all that often but who knows? Things could change as I continue my career growth. With that said, let’s keep it simple and say I’m away for a week. 3/4 days in Barcelona. Seville or Lisbon and why? Thoughts and opinions very much appreciated! I also considered France but I think my next Europe trip I’ll go to France + Italy.

I’m planning a week in Sicily based in Palermo. I’ll be staying 7 nights so I’ll have 6 and a half days. I’m thinking of taking day trips to Cefalu and Favignana. Possibly Zingaro nature reserve if that wouldn’t be adding too much to the itinerary. I’ll be traveling solo.

Are there any day trips you’d choose over these three for a first time visitor? I’m excited for the grittiness of Palermo but am looking to balance that out with some really scenic swimming/light hiking on my day trips.

Any advice you’d give for a solo traveler in Sicily?

Thanks in advance!

Hi! I’m planning my first Europe trip and was initially considering Prague, Budapest, and Vienna. But I really love Austria and Slovenia, and I’m thinking they deserve a separate, more dedicated trip later on.

Would it make sense to do just Prague and Budapest for this trip, maybe with a short stop in Bratislava? Has anyone done a Prague+Budapest itinerary without Vienna, and did it feel balanced enough?

I'm planning my first trip (F 33) for 14 days and have created an exhaustive list what I want to see maximum. I can cut out cities but also add more time, I'm super flexible to changes. I just want it to be memorable, safe and as train efficient as possible.

What I had in mind:

Fly in to 1) Amsterdram

2. Antwerp

3. Brussels

4. Normandy

5. Paris

6. Annecy

7. Interlaken / bern (if possible)

8. Fly out of Zurich

I'm also happy to swap out these cities with any other ones that may workout better. Open to anything.

I have an hotel/park discount for a undisclosed theme park chain, and would like to use it as an excuse to visit other theme parks in Europe.

What would my week look like if I wanted to visit:

Priority List

Disneyland Paris
Legoland Deutschland (mainly the Fabrik store I’ll be real lol)
Efteling
Alton Towers

Omittable
Thorpe Park
Lego House in Billund.

This may sound absurd, just wanna take a challenge and visit as many parks as possible.

Don’t want advice on funds, I understand the risk lol.
I do want advice on time. Would I have time to visit 5/6 of these attractions in a week? Would there be time to sleep?

I’ve been lucky to visit these countries in my lifetime many times but I’ve never been to these attractions specifically so I’m not stopping to see the Eiffel Tower or any historical/cultural stops on this trip.

First pretend I’m a man that can sleep in any situation and will always be lucky with flights/trains.

Then pretend that I must take at least one half day to compress and there’s issues or a strike or something.

Both scenarios are likely.

Thanks for the advice, look forward to the suggestions.

PS. Would also appreciate suggestions on what’re the best airports to depart back to America cost-wise/quality-wise.

Hello
I’m a 23 year old Indian female and I am planning to do Couch surfing across Italy, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Paris, Etc. It is gonna be my first time doing CS. Is it safe to do that as I am travelling solo, any tips or tricks, how to avoid hookups and similar situations. I am planning to do this through Bewelcome, so wanted to understand the kind of network they have across EU. If you’re or know any hosts across these cities or around.
Please help a girll out

I'll be in Italy in the middle of June (days 15 to 24). I'll at noon in Bologna, my first city. And I was think:

15: arrive in Bologna and spend the rest of the day in the city

16: Bologna. At night go to Firenze

And then Im in doubt... spend 4 days in Firenze (2 full days in Firenze + day trip to Siena and Verona) and only 3 days in Rome. Or 3 days in Firenze (+ only one day trip) and 4 days in Rome

I really and opinions and advices. I know that I'll very full of tourists and hot

Also if someone would like to suggest some places in this cities or restaurants I'll love!

Hello, will reach Athens around 8:30 pm and have a flight to crete next day around 3pm. Sofitel is not available. Is Electra Metropolis a good option? Secondly, w e are three adults and so wondering if one room would be an option?

Have you ever tried to meet someone from another city and wondered where the best place for both of you would actually be?

We ran into this problem ourselves. At first, we assumed the answer should simply be a city somewhere in the middle. But once we compared real travel options, it turned out that the most sensible meeting point was often somewhere completely different.

For example, Majorca might not look like the obvious choice on a map, but for two people starting in different cities, it can sometimes be faster and cheaper to reach than places that seem much more “central”.

We looked for a search engine where you enter two different starting points and it automatically finds a shared destination based on real travel time and cost, but we couldn’t find one that did exactly that.

Do you know this problem?

So two friends and I decided to build it ourselves for Europe.

The idea is simple: you enter two starting points, and the tool suggests the fairest places to meet. You can also decide how much travel time and price should matter in the result.

Would you use something like this?
Or is this too niche to be useful?

Feedback is very welcome.

I’ll be interailing Europe and I’m a Canadian and British citizen so have two drivers licences. Instead of risking my passport because I’m very prone to losing them, would I generally be accepted if I bring both my Canadian and UK licence. Surely that’s enough evidence for most clubs?
Edit: I’m going to Amsterdam,Berlin,Prague,Munich,Vienna,Budapest,split

So I’m going to be traveling to Europe from the the middle of August until about the middle of October. I’ll be starting in Porto to Rua Do Viso, Paris, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Berlin, Wroclaw, and Rome. So far the only thing set in stone is Porto and Rua Do Viso for a Workaway. Everything else is a rough plan with nothing really set. A friend of mine will be there with me for the month of September and after that I’ll be running solo.

I was hoping you guys could point me in the direction of apps or specific hostels, airlines, trains or bus lines that would make traveling reasonably quick and affordable. I’ve also heard of some apps or stores that will sell produce at cheap rates due to expiration dates. I’m aware stuff costs money and takes time. If you’re gonna be rude or condescending please don’t comment. This is all very new to me and