“I can’t wait go backpacking through Europe this summer!” I see this all the time. While exciting as it is to live out of a backpack and knock out some of Europe’s top destinations over a two-week period, for ambitious travelers longing for exceptional experiences and connections abroad, this is not the way to see Europe. Here’s why you shouldn’t go backpacking through Europe if you want to have better experiences abroad.
You’re going to see far less than you think.
It might seem like visiting London, Paris, Barcelona, Rome, and Florence over two weeks will mean you’ve seen A LOT, but the truth is you probably won’t.
Here’s an example of what a two week backpacking trip might look like:
3 days in London, 3 days in Paris, 3 in Barcelona, 3 in Rome, and 2 in Florence.
Initially, that might seem sufficient as you read through online 3-day itineraries, but when you take into account that you’ll be jet-lagged and you’ll have to travel to each place, you’ll be losing many precious hours.
Taking the train from London to Paris is around 2 1/2 hours which isn’t bad. However, you’ll later need a flight to Barcelona from there, which has a flight-time of 2 hours, but keep in mind you have to get to the airport a couple hours before, then go through customs, get a bus or taxi to the city, arrive at your next hostel or hotel, get changed, and go. You’ll be doing this several more times throughout the duration of your trip. Backpacking through Europe like this can become exhausting.
Your experiences will be limited.
What vision do you have for your trip? Do you imagine yourself having a picnic of macaroons, cheese, and wine next to the Eiffel Tower? Do you long to chill out in traditional English pubs bantering with locals? Would you like to take off on a Vespa along the Tuscan countryside?
With two weeks and many destinations, all of your aspirations for your trip might not be possible. You’ll be spending many hours waiting in lines, hopping from tourist site to tourist site, that the day will come to an end before you had a chance to sip coffee and leisurely people watch while you write in your journal, for example.
You’ll have to pick and choose.
You might not have time to take a tour of The Lourve, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, and trek up to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, so you’ll likely have to pick your favorites if you still want to make time for some experiences (such as wine-tasting and a boat ride along the Seine) on your trip, too.
Of course, if you are strategic and use a Hop On Hop Off Bus type of service, you’ll likely be able to see all those attractions and snap a photo in front of them, but touring all of them might be impossible with such limited time.
You’re going to feel rushed.
If I haven’t made it clear yet, traveling with way is going to feel very rushed. You might even become drained and tired from the constant walking, site-seeing, and traveling.
Going abroad to Europe shouldn’t feel tiring and rushed, it should feel exciting, cultural, and lively. So, if you really want to have positives experience, don’t go backpacking through Europe unless you have months to spare.
You’re not going to get to know the destinations.
For me, this is a big one. I love spending extensive time in a city so that I can get to know it more intimately. I can walk familiar streets and rely on my map a lot less, I can comfortably sit in a cafe for several hours without feeling like I’m missing out on something, and I can take my time enjoying nearly ever sliver of a city.
However, with only a few days visiting major cities like London, Paris, and Rome, you’ll have a hard time making a connection with the city as they’re quite big cities and you’ll likely want to see all the major touristic sites first.
So, you won’t be able to walk familiar streets and get to know the atmosphere of an area and you likely won’t have time to many connections with locals either.
Solution: Opt for slow travel instead.
Slow travel is my absolute favorite way to travel. It’s immersive, slow-paced, and exciting. It gives you a chance to get to know destination and its people on a deeper level.
Not everyone has the time for this type of immersive travel, but you can start small. Instead of spending two weeks backpacking to 4 countries, cut it down to one or two. I guarantee you’d enjoy your trip more than you would if you had visited 4 countries.
When I was younger, I used to be this person who wanted to sound impressive by the number of countries I’ve visited and I wanted to visit as many as possible. However, I’ve learned that that’s not always enjoyable. Instead, I feel far more fulfilled when I spend more time in a destination, and I believe you’d feel the same.
Everyone can go and see the touristic sites, but not everyone will take the time to have connective experiences in the destinations they visit, that’s why quick backpacking trips are typically not the way to experience Europe.
Slow travel is the answer if you want to have unforgettable experiences abroad. Of course, this can still be incorporated with backpacking adventures, which is a fantastic and minimalistc way to travel, as it can be immersive if you give yourself the time needed to get to know the destinations you backpack through.
You can read up on all my advice on slow travel right here.
