Destination Europe

Ambiance

It's useless to make sweeping generalizations about Europe as the people and cultures differ dramatically from one region to the next. The unstructured and eternal celebratory lifestyle of the Spanish is a far cry from the deliberate temperament that can be found in the Germanic regions of Europe. The quaint villages nestled in the valleys among the magnificent Swiss Alps possess a wholesome and naturalistic feel while Europe's great metropolitan cities such as Paris and London move as fast and frantic as anywhere on earth.

While the many flavors of Europe make it difficult to concisely describe Europe as a single body, this is exactly why Europe represents such a great opportunity for travelers. Nowhere on earth can a traveler witness such a vast array of rich cultures in such a short period of time. Through centuries of war, plagues, political reshuffling, and technological advances the various European cultures have adapted and persevered in one form or another. The record of this sometimes tumultuous history can only truly be experienced by going there in person, seeing the sights, and tasting the culture first hand.

As many of the modern countries of the world are either direct derivatives or heavily influenced by the European empires of long ago, making the journey to Europe is a sort of pilgrimage for many travelers from around the world. The cultures throughout Europe are very rich and genuine… it's like tasting fresh squeezed orange juice as opposed to the stuff made from concentrate. The old way of doing many things often times still prevails in spite of what some would consider much more economical or efficient means. But this is the true beauty of Europe, they hold tradition in high regard… and so they maintain their rich culture. Keep this in mind when traveling around and don't get all bent out of shape when something doesn't seem to go as quickly or be as inexpensive as you would like. It's all a matter of trade-offs.

Lay of the Land

As you can imagine, Europe's terrain runs the gamut. The landscape of this diverse continent has everything from the majestic fjords of Norway to the whitewashed atolls of Greece to the green rolling hills of Ireland to the sun-drenched coastline of the southern Mediterranean to the breath-taking contrast of snow-capped mountains and lush valleys throughout the Alps. Whatever type of outdoor activity you're looking for, you can find it somewhere in Europe.

The other intoxicating face of Europe is the remarkable and historically significant architecture of the many cities, villages, and towns. Many of the architectural additions to Europe's already beautiful setting are a refreshing reminder that man can actually add to the beauty of his surroundings. Throughout most of the world, mankind's development of his natural surroundings is viewed as a trade-off… sacrificing the unfettered beauty of nature in an attempt to produce a more hospitable environment for people. Not so throughout much of Europe. A good portion of man's additions have been painstakingly created with attention to detail and purposely intertwined with the elements of natural beauty. The Greek Islands would be rather barren without the whitewashed houses. Germany's Rhine Valley is awe inspiring all by itself, but a few well placed castles makes it unforgettable. Soaring cathedrals, a maze of cobblestone alleys, and a gothic theme evoke beauty from simple oxidization in Prague. The wonders of Barcelona and Rome are too numerous to name. Europe truly has a smorgasbord of architectural masterpieces to witness. Selecting which ones to fit in is the difficult part.

Backpacker Scene

Today, Europe's backpacker scene dwarfs that of the rest of the world. They created the hostel concept after all. More than 2000 hostels can be found throughout Europe. More doesn't necessarily mean better. Of these 2000 hostels, only a few hundred are modern hostels that backpackers should even consider visiting.

Hostels in Europe vary wildly from large institutional hostels with lots of rules that cater to European school children to filthy run-down city hostels that most people wouldn't let their dog stay in to modern independent hostels, both city and in rural locations, that are world class… as far as hostels go. Unfortunately, for this reason, it is unwise to assume that your next hostel experience will be about the same as the last one. As a result, many travelers get turned off to hostels in Europe and spend most nights in pensions and hotels. This is sad because there are some great hostels in Europe, but like they say "One bad apple spoils the bunch." Fortunately for you, the whole point of this website is to help you cut through the haze and get the straight story from travelers just like yourself.

Activities for the European backpacker are plentiful. If sightseeing is your thing, you'll get more than your fill in almost every place you go. The long history of Europe translates into lots of stuff to look at. You'll see more cathedrals, museums, and architectural works of art than you could possibly take in. Best bet on the sightseeing is to pace yourself and don't fret if you have to skip a few "Must see's," or you'll get so burned out on cathedrals and museums that you'll never want to see another one in your life.

Aside from sightseeing, there are lots of other activities to keep you entertained. In the big cities, your outdoor activities are limited so it's worth including a number of small towns on your itinerary. It's wise to break up the sightseeing with some down time. Make sure to pencil in some of the numerous beach side towns, quaint European villages, and island getaways. You'll be surprised how much fun a small town can be that has a healthy backpacker scene.

Wherever you are, the good hostels will always serve up a good party. Picking the right hostels can be the difference between enjoying a town and hating the place… it's all about the people you meet. All the cathedrals and museums start to blend together after a while, but you'll never forget the people you met and traveled with along the journey. Good hostels are always socially conducive so you'll be sure to make some new friends at every stop.

The busiest backpacker season is from the May to September. If you're trying to follow the sun, try to hit the northern extremities during July and August. The Southern Mediterranean stays hot most of the year so this is a good place to be in the spring and fall. If you don't want to fight the crowds (which isn't a bad idea), just target the fringe seasons.

Backpacker transportation throughout Europe is great. Trains are the preferred method of transportation for most backpackers while in Europe. Deciding you're going to go by train is only the first step… next you have to figure out what type of rail pass to buy or if buying individual segments makes more sense (See Wise Nomad's FastTrack™ train guide for details).

You can also get around by bus, and it's easier than going by train when going through Britain, Ireland, Greece, Portugal, and Turkey. There's a relatively new bus service called Busabout that's a European push of the great backpacker bus company in Australia called the Oz Experience. Busabout doesn't compare to their Australian counterpart, but it's not a bad option as it relieves you of the headaches that can often stem from trying to figure out the train system in each new country. The problem with the Busabout is that they pigeonhole you into staying at certain hostels and it's not an off the beaten path experience like down under. Perhaps in a few years, their service will be more refined in Europe.

The cost of traveling throughout Europe varies not only with the country, but also with the current exchange rate between the Euro and whatever your currency happens to be. If the Euro is weak, traveling suddenly becomes a lot more affordable. It's worth taking this into consideration when planning the length of you trip. Regardless of the value of the Euro, some countries are still relatively inexpensive and others are relatively costly. Like everywhere else on earth, the big cities are more expensive, but it can get down right ridiculous in London and Paris. In general terms, the farther south you are, or the farther east you are, the cheaper everything is. Spain, Italy, and Greece are fairly inexpensive. Eastern Europe is really cheap, although it's getting more and more expensive as these places are getting more and more popular. It's wise to set up an itinerary that has the longer stays in the inexpensive places, as there is just as much to see and they're just as much fun… use the money you save to extend your trip a few more weeks.

I'd set a spending limit of US$80 per day (Excluding flight, but inclusive of transportation) and target US$60 which will allow you to have a grand time all over Europe and really live it up in the inexpensive places. Alternatively, if you want to target a lower cost per day, all you have to do is spend more time in the inexpensive countries. Whatever path you choose, remember that when backpacking the less you spend, the more fun you're likely to have. Opt to cook dinner at the hostel with a few people and make a few friends, or have a few cheap beers at the hostel and meet a few friends before going out where the tab really starts to add up. After all, meeting interesting people and making new friends from all over the world is what hostelling is all about.