International travel
Posted by Inevitable_Fix_952@reddit | Shoestring | View on Reddit | 6 comments
I'm starting to plan a backpacking trip through Europe next year, the idea is to arrive in Madrid and cover as many countries as possible in 30 days. I would like tips and suggestions for this planning (the idea is to make an economical trip and as comfortable as possible).
CastleSerf@reddit
I would slow down and pick a couple of places, rather than racing to see as much as possible. It will be more expensive and stressful. There are some countries where the dollar will go a lot farther, so I would try and mix up expensive spots with more affordable options. For example, we had a fabulous time in Romania last year, and its super affordable. Poland was another place that we really enjoyed.
Humble_File3637@reddit
You’ll spend most of your vacation running from place to place, sitting in trains or train stations and missing the whole European experience. My last three-week vacation was Prague, Berlin and Paris, one week each. The only new city we hadn’t been to before was Berlin. Different perspectives, I guess.
If you are going to Spain, at least get to Grenada and see the Alhambra. Go to the Prado in Madrid. Madrid Barcelona = at least three major attractions including the Park Guell, the Basilica and the Picasso museum. One week in Spain, therefore, would allow you to hit some wave tops. You would still miss Toledo, Seville, Valencia, and maybe Gibraltar. Oh, and Portugal.
You need to go to Paris: a European trip has to include Paris. There is a train from Barcelona to Nice, to Paris. Minimum one week in France; two wouldn’t be a stretch. You won’t regret a single minute. And it’s cheaper to get a place for a few days and operate from there. Meals become easier and cheaper once you can get into a routine.
From Paris, you can turn North to the UK (TGV straight to London), East to the lowlands, Germany, Austria, etc., or South to Italy.
For 30 days, I would suggest two weeks in Spain and two in France, with perhaps a side trip to London for a few days.
I don’t know why everyone seems bent on hitting as many cities as possible in the least amount of time. Everything becomes a blur and you miss so much. Europe isn’t going anywhere so there is no need to try to do it all in a single trip. Slow down and enjoy the sights.
Nowrongbean@reddit
I bought a pass, precovid, that allowed for 7 different destination/stops. I took some other modes of transportation on the shorter legs of the journey to other countries. But for the long trips, I used one of the said seven. It was a good tool to have had. Trains were always a good time carrying on or just for sleeping.
An overnight train means you don’t pay for lodging. So that’s 6 or 7 nights of not having to shell out the coin for sleeping arrangements.
Zetch24@reddit
For OP: this type of pass is called interrail
Nowrongbean@reddit
That you for that. Clearly it just wasn’t going to come to me.
NiagaraThistle@reddit
Years ago I spent a summer backpacking through the UK and Western Europe. I started in Madrid, so I'll give you my route.
But 30 days is not as long as it seems once you get started and really flies by. I'd forget 'seeing as many countries as i can' and just focus on seeing some great places in the 30 days.
Here's how I spent the first 30 days of my summer trip back then:
After this I headed back to continent to explore more.