Are you looking to travel Europe in 2023 or 2024? Or maybe you’re a little unsure? Having travelled the continent multiple times, including 6 months in Europe full-time in 2022, we urge you to go for it! We didn’t regret it and it’s likely you won’t either! This blog will cover some key considerations for those looking to travel Europe in 2023 and 2024, along with some of our top recommendations for places that you might not even know exist!
Where should you travel in 2023?
Let’s start with the good stuff, planning what beautiful European destinations you might visit in 2023! The following recommendations are some of our top picks for your 2023 Europe trip, however it isn’t an exhaustive list. Additionally, we have numerous blogs providing further information on travel destinations if you are interested. If you have further questions, please comment below, email us, or engage with us on our Instagram channel.
OUR TOP EUROPE PICKS:
SOUTHERN ITALY:
The south of Italy was delightful, and somewhere we just can’t wait to return back to! Particularly, Puglia and Sicily, and both destinations that we think are underrated (compared to the popular central/northern Italy) and deserve more attention.
The gem of Puglia is definitely the stunning Polignano a Mare, a seaside town that will always hold a special place in our hearts. Puglia also has numerous charming small inland and seaside towns that you could easily spend weeks exploring.
Sicily is one of the most southern points of Europe, and offers an excellent ‘shoulder season’ destination to prolong your summer. We visited in late September and were treated to excellent weather. The food is exceptional and whilst touristy, we found it less chaotic than the bigger cities in the north of Italy.
Read more about the south of Italy here:
- Take a look at our visit and road trip through Puglia!
- See our thoughts and recommendations on the stunning Polignano a Mare!
- Take a look at our shoulder season visit to Taormina in Sicily.
PORTUGAL:
Portugal remains one of our favourite trips to date! The country offers so much, with highlights and attractions for all types of travellers. Boasting incredible old cities you could spend days wondering, top shelf cuisine (including the delightful Pastel de Nata), stunning beaches, charming small towns and much more! We urge you to consider Portugal for your 2023 travels!
- Check out 14 things we think you MUST DO when you visit Lisbon!
- Take a look at our day trip to the ‘fairy-tale like’ Sintra!
- Porto remains one of our favourite cities in Europe, see why here!
- Keen on visiting the beaches? See our Algarve adventures here!
Croatia:
Croatia is no longer the underrated gem it was in the past, however the popularity is definitely justified! Boasting world-best beaches, delightful seaside towns, and lots of historic towns to explore, Croatia definitely deserves a place on your Europe 2023 travel itinerary. We would strongly recommend you visit the Croatian Islands, and after visiting many of the popular ones, we recommend Vis Island as our favourite! A trip to Croatia also isn’t complete without checking out Dubrovnik (think Game of Thrones). We spend almost 3 weeks in the beautiful country in 2022!
- See our thoughts on our favourite island in Croatia, Vis!
- See our guide to the historic city of Dubrovnik!
Jungfrau region in Switzerland:
The entire country of Switzerland is beautiful, however the Jungfrau region (and surrounding towns/lakes/mountains) was particularly enthralling. Think stunning views, incredible hikes, mountain-top chalets, and lots more! Whilst not a ‘budget friendly’ travel destination, we feel like Switzerland is worth the money, particularly if you are an outdoor/hike lover.
- See our thoughts and guide for your visit to the Jungfrau region.
- Where to stay in the Jungfrau? Consider staying in Wengen!
- Don’t miss Oeschinensee when you travel to the region!
SOME DESTINATIONS TO CONSIDER:
TURKISH RIVIERA:
We visited the stunning Turkish coastline in September 2022, visiting the delightful Kaş. This small seaside town sits a few hours away from Antalya or Fethiye. It offers stunning beaches and crystal clear water, lots of wonderful restaurants, and a definite ‘holiday feel’. See more about one of our favourite places in Europe, Kas!
TRANSYLVANIA:
Transylvania is a picturesque region in central Romania that completely exceeded our expectations. Filled with charming small towns waiting to be explored, Transylvania is definitely an under-rated region of Europe we think you should consider visiting in 2023. We would highly recommend basing yourself in Brasov, and checking out the numerous towns and attractions nearby (like the Transfagarasan Highway). Take a look at our Transylvanian adventures here!
Scandinavia:
Scandinavia commonly refers to the northern European region consisting of Denmark, Sweden and Norway. However, typically countries like Iceland, Finland and Faroe Islands are also included as part of Scandinavia. We have only briefly sampled this region, visiting Denmark and Sweden, and already we know we want to return. Think clean cities, impressive architecture, beautiful nature, friendly locals and everything that runs on time. Wanting to do something a little different in summer? Consider spending time in Scandinavia, where you will be treated to some of the longest summer days in the world! Take a look at our visit to Copenhagen here!
Lake Bled:
If you have been following our blog/social media for awhile, you will know we just can’t stop raving about Lake Bled. Situated in Slovenia, this lakeside region is stunning! We will endeavour to return in the future, as Lake Bled provided us with stunning views, great hikes, good food and more! Our visit to Lake Bled and recommendations can be found here!
Southern France:
The south of France is so beautiful! Think rolling hills, charming old towns, great wine and lots to explore! We visited the Luberon/Provonce regions, basing ourselves in Avignon. Whilst we loved all of the towns in the region, our highlight was definitely the stunning Gordes! Take a look at our South of France adventures and recommendations here!
Edinburgh:
The medieval Scottish city of Edinburgh was seriously impressive! We loved the old architecture, the great food, the charming streets, and the stunning views. Whilst maybe not your top summer pick for Europe, Edinburgh is perfect to add on to the end of your travels. See our thoughts on Edinburgh here!
Please note, this list does not include many of our favourites like Bruges, Leiden, Mostar, Kotor, Antiparos, Gjirokaster, Tuscany, Prague, Budapest, Lake Ohrid, Cappadocia, and more!
A few key considerations, recommendations, and tips for travelling Europe in 2023:
Don’t forget to think about:
This is a little checklist of things you need to consider when planning your trip. Each of these topics could easily be a blog themselves, however this list is designed to get you thinking.
- Passport! This is a MUST DO! You need to have at least 6 months on your passport from the date you plan to RETURN home! Don’t get caught out here! Check your passport now and plan early!
- Travel insurance – Make sure you get it! Buy your travel insurance early so if you need to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances, you might be covered. If you have health issues or things to include in your policy, make sure your policy will cover this and mention it when booking. We often use and recommend Safety Wing as we find it is very reasonably priced, and geared travelers like us, especially those doing extended periods of travel.
- Travel credit card and/or debit card. Get a card that will minimise your oversees bank fees. It is very easy to spend $20 or more on a single ATM withdrawal overseas if you don’t have a good card. We use the 28 Degrees Credit Card, however need to look into better debit card for our next trip (yes, we got stung a bit by transaction fees).
- Saving – earlier is better! We we able to save in advance for our Europe trips, and avoid going in to debt to travel. However, we know many people have have put themselves in reasonable amount of debt with a Europe holiday. Whilst we don’t give financial advice, we urge you to think about saving as early as you can to minimise your debt.
- Travel days take longer than you think. If a flight says 1 hour, be prepared that the total journey will take at least half a day. Travel days end up taking more time than you think and we advise you to plan for this. Read more about travel days and our tips to ‘beat them’ here!
- Book “cheap flights” early. In peak season, flights from carriers like RyanAir between popular destinations will book out!
- Check that your destinations ‘link up’. Even if the itinerary makes sense in your head, you might not be able to get a flight/train etc between them. Depending on the length of your trip, spending a day (rather than a 1 hour flight) to get between locations might not be feasible.
Take a look at our thoughts on more things to know when you are planning your trip!
Our favourite places & where we want to visit in 2023 and beyond:
While we may not be heading back to Europe in 2023, we have a few destinations that are top of our list next time we return. These include Malta, Scandinavia, Puglia, Portugal, Sardinia, Poland and more! Our favourite places from our 6 month European travels in 2022 can be found here! Want to see our 6 month travel itinerary from 2022? See the itinerary and destinations here!
What time of year should you travel?
Not every destination will be perfect for every climate. For example, Seville, a vibrant food lovers paradise in southern Spain, becomes almost unbearably hot in peak summer (sometimes >40 degrees). This is also similar for locations like Turkey, Sicily and more. These destinations are perfect pre/post the peak summer months. Additionally, big cities like Rome and Paris are perfect destinations to visit on the fringe of summer (or in colder months), when the weather is more temperate, and possibly less crowds. If you want to be walking around the cities a lot, consider what the weather might be when you visit. Furthermore, think about what you want to do in each of the locations you visit. E.g., there may be not much point visiting a beachside town in the middle of winter. Thus we recommend you check the average temperatures for the destinations you are thinking of visiting. Take a look at our thoughts on the best destinations for shoulder season in Europe!
Slow vs Fast Travel?
What kind of travel do you prefer? Do you know the difference? Have a read of our blog on slow vs fast travel as you plan the best way to structure your trip. See more here or click below.
Look into your travel destinations a little more..
- See some of the ‘best of’ awards from our travels in Europe with this guide!
- How expensive are the cities you want to visit? Take a look at our thoughts on the most expensive cities in Europe.
- Are the cities you want to visit overrated? Are they overrun with tourists, especially in peak season? See our thoughts here!
- See our picks for the alternative Europe destinations you should consider!
- Have a read of some things you might not expect when travelling Europe!
- See the places in Europe that we would return back to!
- Take a look at our top 6 ‘big cities’ in Europe that we loved!
- See 16 of our favourite small towns around the world!
- Are you a coffee lover? See our list of the BEST Coffee’s in Europe!
- See our Favourite beaches in Europe!
- Check our some of our top day trip locations in Europe!
- Can you drink the tap water in Europe? See our recommendations here!
- Beware of the busiest cities in Europe. Take a look here.
- Proposing in Europe? See some top proposal locations here!
- Trying to save money? See some of the cheapest destinations in Europe!
Europe Itineraries:
- 1 week Europe itineraries: see here!
- 1 month Europe itineraries – take a look!
- 3 month Europe itineraties: see our guide!
- 6 month Europe itinerary? See what we did!
Plan and prepare!
- See our tips on how to save money when travelling full time!
- Download some travel apps to make your life a whole lot easier! See our top picks here!
- Where to stay? See some of our top accommodation picks in Europe here! Research further with these incredible unique accommodation stays to fuel your travel inspiration.
- Travel days suck! See our top travel day tips and advice here!
- How to navigate travel destinations ‘off the tourist path’! Key tips and considerations here!
- See our thoughts on how to maximise a short stay or quick visit to a city!
A bit of perspective?
- Travel can have a big impact on us as people! Have a read about how travelling for 6 months influenced and changed our lives!
- Thinking of travelling and taking a career break? See Ky’s insightful thoughts on the topic here!
- Stay in shape on holidays can be tough. See our thoughts on how to stay in shape on holidays!
Booking Accommodation in Europe in 2023:
Top Tip: get in early! The good stuff often gets booked out fast! This is particularly true for ‘cheaper’ gems in popular locations.
Further Tips:
- Stay close to the action! Depending on how long you are staying, we would urge you to avoid lengthy transportation in/out of the cities.
- Research where to stay beforehand – staying in the ‘centre’ of the city isn’t always the best call. In some cities where you stay makes a massive difference, e.g. we recommend staying the Le Marais in Paris (vs the touristic heart).
- How far away is your accommodation from the train station (or transport options)? This may not stop you from booking somewhere, but it’s definitely a consideration.
Our Favourite Stays: See some of our top accommodation picks from Europe in our blog here!
Support Us: book you hotels through our Booking.com link. This will help fund the running of the website at no extra cost to you.
Should you book a tour?
There are a multitude of tour options out there depending on the type of activity or experience you want. A few of the options below are good to consider:
- Free walking tours: we were a huge fan of “free” walking tours. Most cities have them running multiple times per day in many languages. We found generally the guides we passionate, knowledgeable, and it was a great way to see the city. The tours aren’t really free, as the guides are paid based upon tips. Typically, a normal tip amount is around $10-20 per person, but that varies depending on currency and location.
- Paid Tour Options:
- Paid private tours: Many cities offer paid private tours from local guides. You can source these through operators like TripAdvisor, Viator and more. Hotels/Airbnb hosts will often also be able to recommend guides for you.
- Viator tours: We have booked tours before through Viator, with this operator providing a variety of different tours in many areas around the world. Private, small group or larger group settings. See more here.
- Intrepid Tours: Offering group tours in many countries, Intrepid are a big brand and generally have great tours. We did an Intrepid tour in Morocco. You can see our pros and cons of a tour in Morocco here.
- Top Deck, Contiki, Sail Croatia, Yacht Week: If sailing around picturesque beaches and partying sounds like your kettle of fish, then there’s a lot of options like Sail Croatia (younger crowd) or Yacht Week. Group tours like Contiki (generally younger crowd, more party focus) and Top Deck are great options. Note that these tours limit your flexibility, and aren’t as cost effective as booking it yourself, however they allow you to see a lot and meet new people.
- Cruises, Luxury Options? This isn’t our area of expertise. In Europe there are a multitude of luxury options like river cruises, train tours and more.
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WANT TO SEE MORE food recommendations & TRAVEL MEMORIES?
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Check out further highlights from our time in the Europe! Take a look!
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Travel Tips
January 23, 2024 at 5:54 am
This is a really nice post. It’s very informative and well organized. I’ll check back for more posts like this one.
2CupsofTravel
January 23, 2024 at 9:48 am
Thank you!