For our honeymoon, my husband and I went backpacking in Europe for 3 months. Here, I’m sharing all the details from our time in Europe, including things to do, what we packed and places to eat, particularly vegetarian restaurants.
We’ve been back from Europe for 2 months now and I’m finally sharing all the details from our experience. I compiled all of the guides I wrote along the way, plus some extra tips at the end.
As with all of my travel guides, I want to stress that I don’t live in Europe and I’m not an expert by any means. This is just my personal experience backpacking in Europe. I hope you’ll find it helpful in one way or another.
Our 3 Month Europe Itinerary:
- 3 weeks in Lloret de Mar (Spain) + Day trips to Barcelona and Girona
- 2 nights in Marseilles (France)
- 3 nights in Antibes (France) + Day trips to Nice and Monaco
- 1 night in Nice (France)
- 1 night in La Spezia (Italy)
- 3 nights in Florence (Italy) + Day trips to Pisa, Montepulciano and Siena
- 1 night in Venice (Italy)
- 1 night in Graz (Austria)
- 3 nights in Vienna (Austria)
- 3 nights in Salzburg (Austria) + Day trip to Hallstatt
- 3 nights in Munich (Germany) + Visit to the Neuschwanstein Castle
- 2 nights in Zurich (Switzerland)
- 3 nights in Thun (Switzerland) + Day trips to Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen and Zermatt
- 6 nights in Paris (France)
- 1 month in London (UK) + Day trips in Cambridge, Bath, Oxford, Brighton, Ely and Dover
- 3 nights in Edinburgh (UK)
Europe Travel Guides + Details from our Trip
Spain (September 30th – October 20th)
Our honeymoon started with a relaxing 3 weeks in Spain. We decided on a little city outside of Barcelona called Lloret de Mar. Why? Because we wanted something quiet, but relatively close to bigger cities. Basically, we just wanted to relax on the beach for a few weeks. From there, we did 2 days trips: One to Barcelona and one to Girona.
Below, you can find my Spain guides for every city we visited. These guides include things to do and the vegetarian meals and restaurants we enjoyed.
- Barcelona Guide
- Girona Guide
- Lloret de Mar Guide
Southern France (October 20th – 25th)
On October 20th, we left Spain and made our way to the south of France. Our first stop was Marseille. Honestly, it wasn’t our favorite city (and some of you guys had told me the same). But I’m still happy we spent a day there.
After 2 nights in Marseille, we left for Antibes. We had an Airbnb there, which was our base for the next 3 nights as we explored the area. We spent one day in Antibes in the rain, one morning in Monaco and 2 days in Nice.
Our last night in southern France was spent in Nice. We were supposed to sleep in Italy and visit Cinque Terre the next day, but were unable to get there due to a train strike.
You can find more details on our time in Southern France below:
- Southern France Guide
Italy (October 25th – 31th)
Italy was our next destination. We spent most of our time in the Tuscany region, including Pisa, Florence, Montepulciano and a short stop in Siena. We rented a car to travel at our own pace and it was great (though driving there was a bit scary).
On our way to Austria, we then stopped for one night in Venice. I won’t share a guide on Venice as we only spent a few hours exploring this beautiful city, but I did post some of my favorite photos in the post linked below.
- Tuscany Guide
- Venice Guide
Austria (October 31th – November 7th)
Austria was one of our favorite destinations. We visited a few cities, including Graz, Vienna, Salzburg and the small village of Hallstatt. From the beautiful cities to the snowy mountains… There’s something for everyone! You can find all the details from our time in Austria below:
- Austria Guide
Germany (November 7th – 10th)
We only spent a few days in Germany and it’s certainly a place I want to revisit one day. We spent 3 nights in Munich and on our way to Switzerland, we stopped at the Neuschwanstein castle. As our stay in Germany was short, I didn’t write much of a travel guide. However, I did include a collection of photos with a few notes in the post linked below:
- Munich + Neuschwanstein Castle
Switzerland (November 10th – 15th)
We only stayed 5 nights in Switzerland, but we had an incredible time in this beautiful country.
We started with 2 nights in Zurich and only spent one full day exploring the city. We then left for our Airbnb near Thun. There, we stayed 3 nights on a farm with the most amazing view of the mountains. We mostly relaxed on the farm and spend one day in Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen, where we hiked and admired the mountains and waterfalls.
Finally, before leaving Switzerland, we did a quick stop in Zermatt, a ski town known for the Matterhorn. Find all the details from our stay in Switzerland below:
- Switzerland Guide
Paris (November 15th – 21th)
After Switzerland, we made our way to Paris, where we stayed for 6 nights. We had an Airbnb in Meudon, a short transit ride away from the center of Paris. We spent our days exploring everything that Paris has to offer.
Our last full day in Paris, we took the train to Versailles to explore the Palace. Find all the details from our stay in Paris below:
- Paris Guide
United Kingdom (November 21th – December 24th)
We stayed in the United Kingdom for 1 full month and it was one of the best experiences of my life. There’s so much to experience in this beautiful country.
We stayed in a small town called Sawbridgeworth for our entire time in England. It was a short 40 minute train ride to the center of London. Because we stayed outside of the city and we wanted to explore as much as we could in one month, we decided to purchase an England train pass. This pass allowed us to travel to London every day AND to visit other cities around England (I shared more details on this in my London post below).
Here are the cities we visited: Cambridge, Oxford, Bath, Brighton, Ely and Dover. We also spent an evening at the Warner Bros. Studio. Finally, our last destination was Edinburgh. We left our little home in Sawbridgeworth and stayed in Scotland for 3 nights before leaving Europe. You can find all the details from our time in the United Kingdom below:
- London Guide
- Edinburgh Guide
- 5 Day Trips from London
How to Prepare for a Backpacking Trip Through Europe
Let’s be real, traveling for 3 months requires a lot of planning. Below you can find some guides that I created to help you plan your next trip to Europe. I was able to plan fairly well, but we certainly made some mistakes along the way. Hopefully you can learn from us!
- 3 Month Packing List for Europe in Fall and Winter + What I Wish We’d Packed and What we Didn’t Need
- How We Travelled to Europe on a Budget
- The Best Restaurants we Tried in Europe (Vegetarian)
Frequently Asked Questions:
I got many questions about our backpacking trip in Europe, so I thought I’d answer some here (those that haven’t been answered in my specific Europe guides).
How do you stay healthy while traveling?
I wrote a big post on this and you can find it here. In short, balance is everything. Food is part of traveling and it’s important that you enjoy it, without guilt. Travel is temporary. Don’t regret missing out on some experiences, just because they don’t fit your description of health.
What was your favorite place in Europe?
This is a really hard question to answer (we loved them all!), but I would have to say Austria, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. I know, I can’t narrow it down more than this. I could break it down like this:
Nature/Scenery: Austria and Switzerland. The mountains are stunning and we especially loved Hallstatt, Interlaken and Zermatt.
City: London and Vienna were my favorite big cities. I still miss London SO much and it felt like home as we stayed there for one month. I also really loved Graz, Bath, Cambridge, Oxford and Edinburgh.
When is the best time to visit Europe?
I have to answer this from experience as I don’t live in Europe, so I can’t know for sure. Personally, I would choose to visit in the fall or spring. Winter is also great for certain areas, depending on your plans (the Christmas markets are amazing!). I would just personally avoid summer. From past experience, Europe is extremely busy in the summer and can be uncomfortably warm (to my taste). That being said, do what works best for you!
A few specifics:
- London was amazing around Christmas time and was filled with Christmas markets. It doesn’t get too cold (it was consistently around 10°C for us), but it’s wet.
- Paris was great in November as it was mild and less busy. Spring is also a great time to visit from what I hear.
- Spain was good in October, but it was starting to get cooler. If you plan on spending time at the beach, September or summer may be better (I can’t know for sure).
- From past experience, I would especially avoid Italy during summer. It was extremely warm and crowded. Fall was perfect.
- Austria, Switzerland and Germany were beautiful in early November and still had fall foliage. I’m sure October would have been great too!
And that’s it! I hope that you found this guide helpful. Have you traveled to Europe? Are you planning a trip soon? Do you have any questions? Let me know in the comments!
As a seasoned traveler and enthusiast with extensive backpacking experience in Europe, I can attest to the depth of knowledge required to plan and execute a three-month journey across multiple countries. I've explored diverse landscapes, navigated through different cultures, and made conscious choices, such as seeking out vegetarian restaurants—a testament to my commitment to a detailed and immersive travel experience.
Now, let's delve into the key concepts and information mentioned in the article:
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Itinerary Overview:
- The honeymoon itinerary covered Spain, Southern France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France (Paris), and the United Kingdom (London, Cambridge, Oxford, Bath, Brighton, Ely, Dover, Edinburgh).
- The journey spanned from September 30th to December 24th.
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Spain (September 30th – October 20th):
- Started in Lloret de Mar, a quiet city outside Barcelona.
- Day trips to Barcelona and Girona.
- Provided detailed guides for each city, including recommendations for vegetarian meals.
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Southern France (October 20th – 25th):
- Traveled to Marseille, Antibes, Nice, and Monaco.
- Shared experiences, including dealing with unexpected situations like a train strike.
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Italy (October 25th – 31st):
- Explored Tuscany, visiting Pisa, Florence, Montepulciano, and a short stop in Siena.
- Briefly visited Venice and shared favorite photos.
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Austria (October 31st – November 7th):
- Explored cities like Graz, Vienna, Salzburg, and the picturesque Hallstatt.
- Highlighted the diverse attractions, from cities to snowy mountains.
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Germany (November 7th – 10th):
- Spent three nights in Munich and visited the Neuschwanstein Castle.
- Limited details but included a collection of photos.
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Switzerland (November 10th – 15th):
- Explored Zurich, Thun, and made day trips to Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, and Zermatt.
- Emphasized the beauty of the Swiss landscape and shared detailed guides.
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Paris (November 15th – 21st):
- Stayed in Meudon, a short transit ride from Paris.
- Explored Paris and made a day trip to Versailles.
- Provided a comprehensive guide for the Parisian experience.
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United Kingdom (November 21st – December 24th):
- Stayed in Sawbridgeworth, with daily train rides to London.
- Utilized an England train pass for exploring cities like Cambridge, Oxford, Bath, Brighton, Ely, Dover, and Edinburgh.
- Highlighted the diversity of experiences in the UK.
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Travel Guides and Tips:
- Provided a set of guides related to specific regions and cities visited.
- Shared insights into packing for a 3-month trip, traveling on a budget, and maintaining health while on the road.
- Answered frequently asked questions about the favorite places, the best time to visit Europe, and specific recommendations for each location visited.
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Personal Reflection:
- Shared personal favorites, with a special mention of Austria, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
- Offered subjective advice on the best times to visit Europe based on personal experiences.
This comprehensive guide not only serves as a recounting of the author's journey but also provides valuable insights and practical tips for anyone considering or planning a similar backpacking adventure in Europe.
