You want to backpack in Europe. Who doesn’t, right? Travelers in developed countries treat the Euro trip as something of a given, a rite of passage that forms part of their growing up years.
After all, they only need a bit of money and then they can book a ticket and fly.
For most of us in developing countries though, our dream of setting foot in Europe sometimes ends up as just that—a dream. The challenges are great, from getting our Schengen visa application approved, to coming up with the funds to go there in the first place.
An ancient Greek temple in the Acropolis, Athens.
Still, we are always told to go for our dreams, right, to plan for it and act as if we are really going to achieve it. Backpacking Europe was definitely one of my dreams, and thankfully, I had finally done it. I went on my first Euro trip early this year, and I’m certainly hoping I will be able to return someday.
If you have included backpacking in Europe as an item in your bucket list, why not prepare for it now? Here are some of my tips which you can do months (or even years) in advance:
In front of the Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria. ©Peter Langauer
Yes, you can travel cheaply in Europe, but you still need to have a substantial amount in savings. A return ticket alone will cost you $1,000+. It’s hard to buy one on sale because you buy the ticket only when you’re issued a visa.
The simplest way of building your savings is to set aside 20-30% of your monthly salary into a travel fund. Yes, this is substantial, but you can easily afford it if you can get rid of non-essentials like daily coffee or tea from S, or if you start commuting instead of taking a (non-refundable) cab ride every day.
For more tips on building your travel fund, read 5 (Simple) Ways to Build Your Travel Fund.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Despite my huge disappointment at how the founders of CS sold out (yeah, who can say no to $15M?), I’m still a huge fan of the site.
The principle is simple: once you become part of the community, you can travel anywhere in the world and find locals who will host you for free. Best of all, you will get to know their culture in their own eyes, too! (Read: The Couchsurfing Project)
Embassies will look at your travel history when they evaluate your visa application. Needless to say, it will help if they see you as a frequent traveler, even if you just go around the region.
It need not be expensive too! Wait for seat sales and take advantage of them. My cheapest out of the country flight was to Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia for only US$19, return. Who says travel is reserved for the rich?
The ancient arena in Verona, Italy.
I went on my first Euro trip on the tail end of winter, and for a few days, I suffered in the cold of up to -10 to -15 deg Celsius. While I don’t really regret being a contrarian (snow can be beautiful too), I lost some days just staying inside the house.
A lot of people go during summer, but in a lot of countries in Europe, the summer season can be really, really hot. There are hordes of tourists everywhere during this time too.
I suggest going there during spring. It is cold enough to wear a light jacket outdoors, and it’s still off-peak season, so you can get discounts in hostels.
Outside the Pantheon in Rome.
I personally use Skyscanner to compare cheap flights, Carpooling.co.uk to save up on land transportation, and Agoda to get the best deals in accommodation. There are more, you just have to find them.
Include the cities and the sights that are a must-see for you. Once you get your visa and you know how long you’ll stay there, you’ll be able to finalize your itinerary.
A beguin in Bruges, Belgium.
And finally, the most difficult of all,
Prepare a LOT of documents to back up your application. This includes sponsorship letters (if any), bank statements, credit card statements, letters from your employer, among others.
Be thorough, and don’t be over-confident. Include as much helpful information as you can that will show the embassy personnel that you have every intention of coming back to the country. For more tips on this process, check out my post on How to Apply for a Schengen Visa in Manila.
There you have it then. If you really want to backpack solo in Europe, as I did, following these simple and practical tips can help you get there.
Have you backpacked solo in Europe? Do share your tips on preparing for your first Euro trip!
50 Comments. Leave new
Travelling in winter is also a great time to visit Europe. I went to Norway and Finland last February and I was not disappointed. i played in the snow, built my first snowman, did reindeer sleighing and saw the Aurora Borealis! It was indeed one of the unforgettable moments in my life.
Hi. I’m hoping you know anything about my concerns with schengen visa application, so here it is anyway 🙂
1. I freelance only online, so I don’t have those official documents like paystubs, ITR, certificate of employments, stuff like that. But I have sufficients saving funds in my bank account and debit card (not credit card). Do you think that’s enough to prove I’m capable of supporting myself or whatever needs to be proved with those requirements?
2. I have a few friends in Spain, France, and Italy. I’d of course meet up/hangout with them when I go there but we didn’t arrange any sponsorship from them. Would I still need invitation letters/sponsorship letters from them?
Thanks much!
Kim
This is such an inspiring and helpful post. Makes the idea of traveling to Europe a tangible thing. 🙂
Did you apply for your Schengen in the Philippines? How much do you need for show money?
@ Kara: Good luck on your Euro trip!
Thank you very much for your time! At least this gave me an idea on how i can start planning for my IT. I hope everything pushes through soonest. I’ll let you know how it went. haha. Thanks again. Enjoy the Holidays Aleah! Keep Inspiring.
@ Kara: Thanks for your comment! There are a lot of possible answers to your questions. If I were planning that itinerary, I would spend one week in Greece (3 days in Athens + 4 days in Santorini or a variation thereof), one week in Italy (2 days in Rome, plus the rest in Tuscany and Venice), and one week in Austria and Hungary.
Obviously, your IT would depend on what you want to see (historical sites? beaches? foodie destination) + your budget. If you have a good chance of going back to Europe again, I suggest traveling slow, so that your 3 weeks can focus only on Greece and Italy. That would be more meaningful than jumping from one destination to the next. Good luck in your planning!
Hello. I’ve been following your blog and Euro travel since a blogger, pinaytravel junkie recommended you. I am planning a solo backpacking trip to europe and been reading your blogs. They are really inspiring and gave me more encouragement to pursue a solo travel. But everything is still scratch, been doing a lot of researching but still quite confused. Hehe. Can you recommend any route i can follow if i’m aiming for greece and with a span of only 3 weeks travel? I hope to explore some countries too. I’ve also read that autumn season is one of the best times to travel since it’s cheaper and got less tourists. Do you have same advice? Thank you very much!
@ Fifi Leigh: Yeah it can be hard to stay in a place with no bathroom. Experienced that once!
@ DJ: Europe in summer is said to be very hot! But I agree–going to the beaches would be great. Still, I prefer our own beaches 😀
Aleah, I was also there in spring and its true that its super crowded. But that’s the thing, when I travel in the summer, I avoid these big, popular cities like Paris Rome etc because 1. its super crowded 2. all the locals are away on vacation as well!
So I always go to less popular destinations or chase the Europeans in the beach towns all over the Mediterranean! I don’t mind the crowd there ;D
DJ
good tips. but i would need a hotel room with a bathroom to make sure i am somewhere safe.
@ Arianwen: I hope I can visit the UK too, as well as Ireland and Scotland. So many places to see! 😀
Great advice. I’m from the UK and I really should explore my own continent more!
@ Nancie: That’s very true. For me, I often skip on eating in restaurants to save on expenses, but I make sure to sample the cuisine at least once.
@ Kim: Just bookmark and maybe one day you’ll get the chance to follow my tips hehe
so much to do! haha! anyway, thanks for sharing these informative tips. now I can visit Europe anytime. wishful thinking. XD
Some great tips here. In my travels I have found that most places can be as cheap or expensive as you want them to be. Before I go I always decide on the “must sees” and if those things involve a substantial amount of money I start budgeting for them before I go.
@ Violy: Did you work there in KL? Someone told me also that if you have a working visa in Malaysia and apply there for a Schengen visa, it’s easier. Hmm…maybe that’s another avenue I can look at? Though not planning to go anywhere just to work! hehe
@ Ralph: Thanks. Yeah, someday 🙂
great tips you have here… i’m also dreaming of europe someday. but i guess, i still can’t right now… but someday… hahaha. Yahweh bless.
Nice post Aleah! 😉 I remember when I applied for schengen visa in KL, I brought all the documents with me, even the land titles of my properties in the Philippines and my Malaysian savings account and Philippines and still the consul was quite hesitant telling me my savings may not be enough.. Hehe. Good thing they issued me one. 😉
@ Leigh: I wonder what it was like to backpack around that time? No mobile phones, no internet. I hope I get to do this in 40 years too, like what you’re doing!
@ Marisol: I agree with inexpensive, but for me it was during spring. The hostels are still offering discounts are there are not so many people. The cool weather also makes it nice to walk around.
Hi Aleah, really great post and tips for first time Euopre travelers. I’d love to share it with family and friends in the Philippines traveling to Europe for the first time. I’d say my favorite time to visit Europe is in the fall. It’s inexpensive, nor crowded and comfortable to walk around.
I didn’t backpack solo in Europe but I did in Fiji, NZ & Australia when the only way you’d be in touch with your friends or family was through letters. It would be months at a time not hearing from people. There was no couchsurfing or Roomerama but loads of friendly strangers offering rooms for the night. But the budgeting principles still hold true. I hope you have many more backpacking adventures. My first was only the start of 40+ years of travel.
@ Shamis: So envious you’ve been there a few times! Would love to go during Fall too.
@ Sky: It’s doable if you’re not maluho and if you don’t have kids yet. Do it now before you do 😀
This really inspired us Aleah.The 20-30% of travel fund would also be a challenge since we’ll be embarking 2-3 out of the country trip next year. Maybe we’ll save a lot of moolah first so we can cover all the places we want to visit in Europe.
These are some really helpful tips, Aleah. I’ve gone to Europe during Spring, Summer and Fall and like you said, summer is quite hot and too crowded in the major European cities. So Spring or Fall would be a good time.
@ Riz: Go, Riz. It can be a life-changing event 🙂
@ Mary: I imagine it’s very difficult now to backpack with kids, right? I really will go back to Europe, esp Scandinavia. My 4 days there was too short, and I only spent it in Copenhagen.
Great and very useful tips, Aleah! One of the things my husband and I regret was not doing a Europe backpack tour before we had kids. you’ve had such a great experience despite some of it in Winter. I’ve gone to Europe in Fall and Summer. Summer in the Scandinavian area is probably better than the rest of the continent. The weather was perfect and there weren’t that many people.
Thanks for the tips Aleah. I should start planning early. 🙂
I need to read the application for schengen visa post.. Thanks 🙂
@ The Wanderer: My blog isn’t so popular which is why I didn’t get a lot of sponsors hehe But then I didn’t consider this too, until a week before my flight. It was too late.
@ Inside Journeys: Thanks, Marcia. It’s very difficult, but yes, it can be done.
Great tips, Aleah. That first trip does take a lot of planning but you’re proof that it can be done. Thanks and Brava!!
Your tips are really helpful! Especially the one about couchsurfing and setting up a travel blog.
CS is really helpful for people on the budget, and you get on-the-ground tips as well so it’s a win-win situation really.
Haven’t tried getting hotels to sponsor my stays in personal trips yet (as opposed to direct sponsored trips or sponsored stays); but I guess the blog will have to be as popular as yours for the hotels to bite! 😉
@ Jade: Thanks. Yeah, Fall seems to be a fave. I suppose it would be very colorful then, too!
@ Jan: I really loved seeing small plants break through the frost in spring. Makes one feel hopeful 🙂
Good tips for everybody. I prefer to travel to U.S.A., Canada and Europe in Spring. The weather is great, the country is bursting into new growth, baby animals everywhere, but I found Asia air quality is not good in April. Next time I visit Asia I will try a different time of year.
I love Europe in the Fall, all the beautiful cities are just that much more stunning with the leaves falling and the slight crisp. Don’t get me wrong, summer is great too- but super hot for city travels. Great list and photo post!
@ Carlo: Envious 😀 Enjoy yourself there!
@ Debbie: Yeah a lot of people seem to like Fall. Hope I can visit there during that time too.
Interesting tips! My personal favorite time to visit Europe is Fall. In fact, I think its my favorite time to travel anywhere!
@Ms Aleah – my friends told me it would be a bit cold but snow would not pour down until the 2nd week of december (hopefully) so I guess it would be a lovely fall experience
@ Jenny: That’s so true! Although I’m guilty of less preparation on my travels 😀
@ Jackie: I use Skyscanner a lot when I compare flights.
Thanks for the tips, especially the skyscanner.com ! Will check it out today~
Great tips Aleah. I’ve found that if you do a bit of planning before you go, it really helps once you hit the road. Now to tackle the Schengen visa!
@ Carlo: Isn’t it winter then? I really really don’t like going there when it’s -15 deg C haha
@ BertN: You’re cruising haha If I can afford to go on cruises, I would. While it’s also fun backpacking, there are a lot of inconveniences 😀
Have I backpacked solo in Europe? I backpacked once with a friend and bar none, it was my most exciting and memorable European trip. I wish I can do it again, this time, all by myself.
Inspiring! I cannot wait to board the plane on November to see my friends over in Europe, though they are from the eastern part (not part of schengen territory). It is just a shame that visa application is always blocking the plans of avid Filipino travelers. Thank you for this post! it kept my fire burning! Lovely!
@ DJ: I was in Praha in spring and there were sooo many people! How much more during the summer? 😀
@ Lauren: The embassy looks at the sponsor’s finances and if he/she can afford to shoulder all the expenses of the sponsored person. So I guess as long as the sponsor meets the minimum salary, it’d be good.
Great post Aleah, i’m looking forward to seeing Europe myself 🙂 Maybe in the next couple of years, i read your Schengen Visa post, i was wondering how difficult it was for your friend to sponsor you, like would i need to save up a lot so i can sponsor someone too? Anyway, that’s thoughts for the future me. 😛
Great post Aleah! Although I still think the best time to go to Europe is in the summer. There’s nothing like summer in Europe ;D
DJ