Header Image Attribution: "Praha Prague (44279645821)" by Janusz Jakubowski is licensed under CC BY 2.0This post contains affiliate links. Our Extraordinary Planet may be compensated for any purchases you make.Visiting Europe is always a wonderful idea, but one question commonly comes up: is a trip to Europe worth it? When you factor in the time and money necessary to go on a vacation to this spectacular continent, it can quickly become overwhelming, too. You might find yourself wondering, how much will visiting Europe cost? Where should I visit in Europe? Should I go on a guided tour?
Generally speaking, a trip to Europe is worth it. Every country in the continent has an incredible culture and history that you won’t regret experiencing, and the nature is just gorgeous, too. Aside from that, it’s a great opportunity to polish your second language skills and step out of your comfort zone. Visiting Europe isn’t for everyone, though, and there’s plenty of ways to enjoy your vacation at home or even at beautiful places nearby!
In this article, I’ll be looking at some of the best reasons you should visit Europe — and some of the cons that might inspire you to plan an entirely new vacation! I know how crucial it is to plan your vacation right from the beginning, so I’ve created this guide to help you determine if a Europe vacation is right for you — and how you can make it the best it can be.
Is A Trip To Europe Worth It? 10 Pros And Cons
1. Pro: Europe’s Architecture And Natural Landscapes Are Beautiful
One of the most understated benefits of visiting Europe is the opportunity to witness the continent’s incredible natural landscapes and breathtaking historical architecture. From Rome’s coliseum to Scotland’s seaside cliffs, every region in the continent is awe-inspiring in its own way. It’s safe to say that you won’t regret soaking in the sights of Europe’s uniquely spectacular expanses.
As you plan your trip to Europe, considering what you might like to see is essential to developing an itinerary, too. For example, if you think biking through a spectacular river city sounds appealing, then visiting Amsterdam might be a perfect fit. But if you’d prefer to see breathtaking masterpieces of architecture and vision, you might find Barcelona or Rome to be a lot more interesting. No matter where you choose to visit, though, there’s no doubt you’ll leave Europe feeling amazed.
2. Con: You Might Find Yourself Too Far Outside Of Your Comfort Zone
There’s no doubt that traveling across the world takes a lot of courage, but unfortunately, some people find that their vacation to Europe took a form of courage they regret. Before you go through with any extravagant or expensive plans on how to spend your limited budget and vacation time, it’s worth questioning what your interests are — and what you’re comfortable doing. You don’t have to travel across the world to enjoy yourself, after all! There are plenty of exciting things closer to home to consider, too.
For example, if you’re in the United States, it couldn’t hurt to consider taking a road trip. If you’re a nature lover, there’s tons of national and state parks with unforgettable sights for you to explore. If you prefer the excitement that comes with big cities, it’s safe to say that the U.S. has no shortage of places to go. And it’s not just the United States that has fantastic destinations — whether you’re taking a driving tour along the coasts of Ireland or hiking along the rocky faces of the Andes mountains, finding something incredible at home is as simple as viewing familiar delights with a new perspective.
3. Pro: Europe’s Public Transportation Is Incredible
Wherever you happen to find yourself in Europe, there’s no doubt that you’ll be impressed with their well-developed public transportation systems. Compared to countries like the United States, European countries generally have extremely sophisticated rail systems and bus lines that allow citizens to travel around the country easily — and they’ll make your time traveling in Europe much more convenient and simple, too!
It’s worth researching the country and region you’re visiting in advance, so that you’re familiar with their offerings and know how to use their services. It’s an added bonus if you’re familiar with the country’s language or know a decent lingua franca, since it’ll make responding to any unexpected challenges much easier. Aside from rail and bus lines, you can also consider travel by boat and plane wherever it’s available. Most cities are even bike-friendly!
4. Con: You’ll Find Yourself Far Away From Friends And Family
While everyone is different, most people enjoy being close to friends and family — and when you’re balancing work, keeping a home, and even raising children or caring for pets, finding enough time to spend with all of your friends and family can be extremely difficult. For this reason, it’s worth seriously considering if you’d prefer to travel abroad over taking the opportunity to spend what time you have with your dearest friends and relatives.
If you decide to visit relatives or even travel domestically, there’s a lot more opportunities to spend time with the people you cherish. Traveling with friends, for example, becomes a lot simpler when you don’t all need to secure passports, travel documents, and the expensive plane fares — you can have just as much fun taking a train or road trip to a gorgeous vacation spot within your home country. While there’s no doubt that visiting Europe is a chance to make some pretty incredible memories, spending time with your loved ones is something you won’t soon forget either.
5. Pro: Visiting Europe Is A Chance To Challenge Your Language Skills And Grow
Aside from all of the usual frustrations that come with learning a new language, one of the biggest issues that emerging second-language speakers face is never actually having an opportunity to practice their skills! And worse yet, whenever they do have the opportunity, the difficulty, frustration, and even embarrassment can cause many new learners to switch back to their native language and give up.
When you’re visiting Europe, you generally won’t have the opportunity to switch back to your native language — and this can be an incredible thing. When you’re forced to listen to, read, and even speak your new language in every interaction and activity, your brain will want to adapt as soon as possible. This can cause an incredible period of growth. Many language learners who found themselves stagnating were quickly inspired by a trip to Europe. If you’re finding yourself in a similar situation, it’s definitely worth a try.
6. Con: Figuring Out Europe’s Travel Requirements Can Be Frustrating
If you’ve ever traveled internationally before, or been in an airline in the United States, you’re probably already familiar with how stressful travel requirements can be. This is especially true in recent years, since you’ll generally need more than just a passport to get where you want to go. Each country in Europe tends to have its own requirements and regulations for travelers. While visiting just one can already be difficult, if you’re planning a continental tour, you may just feel like giving up.
In particular, since COVID-19 became an international issue, many countries in Europe have established travel requirements that you’ll need to be aware of before attempting to visit. For example, in Spain, you’re only required to fill out a health form to visit the country. But if you’re planning to visit France or Italy, you’ll need to bring proof of vaccination or a valid COVID-19 test to enter the country (depending on their specific requirements). You should research well in advance to make sure the beginning of your vacation goes smoothly.
7. Pro: You Won’t Regret Seeing One Of Europe’s Famous Festivals
One of the most compelling aspects of visiting Europe has always been its incredible culture. If you’re looking to enjoy Europe’s unique cultures fully, you can’t forget to see at least one of the incredible festivals that happen year-round. From Flamenco Fair to Oktoberfest, the world’s center of fun and festivities has no shortage of delights to offer — and you won’t regret experiencing them for yourself.
To start, you should definitely consider seeing Venice’s Carnival. The beautiful and elaborately painted masks and costumes are a highlight of this ancient festival, and best of all, you’ll get to enjoy seeing them across the course of 20 days! Maslenitsa is also a fantastic festival to visit if you love crepes — since the ban on dairy and meat is relaxed for Orthodox Christians during this week, the fantastic food is made to take full advantage of the opportunity!
8. Con: Traveling Across The World Can Be Extremely Stressful
While there’s a lot of appeal to packing your bags and taking a journey somewhere new, it’s no surprise that the process can be just as stressful as it is fun — and in some cases, the stress can become overwhelming. To start, even when you plan your vacation out carefully, it’s not uncommon for unexpected expenses to put a huge financial burden on your back. And if that wasn’t enough, if any issues at home or in your own personal life come up, it’s hard to manage them when you’re across the world.
Ideally, if you plan to travel across the world to Europe or another distant continent, you should have an escape plan ready if any issues come up. While it’s impossible to account for every possible issue, it’s safe to say that you can address most of them by having a decent amount of savings and a few alternative modes of transportation and rest if things go awry. Understanding the language and local resources of wherever you’re visiting is also a bonus, since you’ll ultimately have a lot more tools in hand if and when any problems come up.
9. Pro: The Authentic Food Will Blow Your Mind
Whether you’re drawn to a lovingly prepared carbonara or Greek salad, you’ll quickly find that authentic food is so widely beloved for a reason — it’s incredible. And best of all, trying food doesn’t have to be boring — it’s easy to make a must-try list or even a food tour that will let you fully experience all of the culinary delights a city or region has to offer. So whether you’re finding yourself in Scotland or Belgium, you should make sure to savor the delicious food just as much as the incredible scenery and awe-inspiring history.
The local cuisine of wherever you choose to visit is essential to understanding everything about where you’re at, whether it indicates fishing practices passed down for generations or agricultural practices that allowed the country’s hardy people to survive in the worst of times. And you don’t just have to savor the tastes to find this enlightening — there’s plenty of resources in books and on the web that tell the incredible stories of how food and culture intertwined across history in countries around the world, and you won’t regret reading them.
10. Con: You May Find Europe To Be Too Close To Home
Europe has plenty of unique sights and twists to offer on classic delights, but after the novelty wears off, you might find your vacation destination to be surprisingly close to home. After all, you’ll still be enjoying many of the same activities (like hiking or eating out at a restaurant) — just far away from home. It’s worth considering if you might prefer the larger budget that comes with a staycation.
You don’t just have to stay right at home, either. If you’re in the United States, rail lines like Amtrak offer a safe, affordable, and easy way to travel. And across the world, you can usually find private bus lines or train lines that offer reasonably priced travel services. Whether you’re drawn to the dazzling allure of a big city or would prefer to hike at a National Park, you won’t run short of things to enjoy domestically.
10 Best Tips To Make Your Europe Vacation Better
1. Plan Your Travel Beforehand
One of the worst disasters that can take away from your enjoyment of a vacation is having your travel plans fall through. Whether that special bus tour ends up being fully booked when you go to buy your ticket or your airline of choice ends up adding an extraordinarily expensive surcharge, disasters are common — and they can put a huge damper on even the best of moods. Whether you’re traveling to Rome or the Guiana Space Centre, you need to plan ahead.
For this reason, one of the best things you can do to ensure your vacation to Europe is amazing the whole way through is planning and booking your travel well in advance — and if possible, you should have emergency funds available in case you need to arrange an alternative, too. Aside from the security that having booked tickets and emergency funds will offer you, it also gives you a better idea of your itinerary and what you’ll be able to enjoy during your visit.
2. Prepare For Jet Lag
If you’ve ever flown overseas, you’re probably familiar with the feeling of jet lag — defined as the exhausted feeling you get when abruptly changing time zones. The significant difference between what time it actually is and what your internal clock thinks it is can cause extreme fatigue, so it’s important to prepare for it if you intend to make the most of your vacation.
Luckily, there are a few hacks you can use to prevent jet lag and stay energized across your entire vacation. To start, you should make sure that you stay awake during the whole first day of your vacation and have an early bedtime. If you need a nap, it’s okay to take it, but you should ensure that it’s brief and that you enjoy caffeine later in the day.
Planning out the itinerary of your first day well can help you combat jet lag, too. Ideally, you should plan out a day that will keep you active without exhausting you. For example, you could visit laid-back venues like a cafe for lunch and even a park, while giving yourself time to recover between activities. But as long as you can stay awake during the first day and go to bed at a decent time, you won’t have much trouble at all getting your internal clock to adapt.
3. Use Your Trip As An Opportunity To Learn About Yourself
It’s easy to feel like you’ve stagnated when you’re stuck in a routine, and unfortunately, adulthood is routine in almost every facet. From your job to the place that you live, it’s easy to feel stuck — and traveling is the perfect opportunity to change that. Many travelers find that they’re able to discover new sides of themselves when they take a journey across the world, and fortunately, you can too!
If you’ve decided that a trip to Europe seems right for you, making your trip one that nourishes your sense of self and allows you to explore your interests is as simple as planning a well thought-out itinerary. There are plenty of ways to enjoy yourself and learn new skills in Europe, from dance classes to festivals. With such a variety of activities available to choose from, finding something that suits you is simple — and you won’t regret giving it a try.
4. Look For Souvenirs In Unexpected Places
You’ve probably seen them nearby, and you’ll probably find them abroad — it’s safe to say that tourist traps aren’t a particularly interesting part of any destination. Rather than taking the plunge and attempting to find something cool to bring home at a generic tourist shop or international brand, it’s worth checking out local markets and shops to find interesting trinkets.
There’s no shortage of places to look, either. To start, it’s worth checking to see if there are any local flea markets or vintage shops. Thrift stores are also worth diving into, since the donations will reflect what the locals buy and use! And if you’re still indecisive about where to go, Yelp is always a great resource for finding underrated local shops to explore. (In fact, it’s even excellent for finding hotels — we used it to find the best hotels in Old Quarter Hanoi!)
5. Focus On Making Memories
It’s easy to get caught up in a consumerist mindset, since the idea is pushed almost everywhere you look. Whether you’re watching TV or reading a magazine, it’s said time and time again: “Buy this!” When you’re exploring a spectacular place like Europe, though, it’s better to focus on an alternative action: “Do this”. And there’s no doubt that this wonderful continent offers plenty of things to do.
To start, it’s worth allowing yourself to wander. You should be spontaneous, and engage with eating local foods and enjoying all of the activities your destination has to offer to your heart’s desire. It’s worth making friends and socializing, too, especially if it gives you a chance to polish any second language skills. Buying products will give you a thrill for a few days, but if you focus on making memories, you’ll forge something incredible that lasts a lifetime.
6. Consider Filling Out Your Very Own Bucket List
There’s more things to appreciate in Europe than you can possibly imagine, so if you’re planning to visit this spectacular continent, it doesn’t hurt to plan out beforehand what your most important things to see and do are. When you bring a bucket list on your trip, it’s less likely that you’ll have any regrets coming home — and if you do, it’s a perfect opportunity to make a brand new bucket list for your next vacation overseas.
And in a wonderful place like Europe, there’s no shortage of things to add to your bucket list. If you love history, it’s worth adding the most significant historical sites in the regions you’re visiting to your bucket list — and you might find museums and old businesses to be interesting, too. If you have a particular interest, like art or computing, it’s safe to say that you can find a few attractions to engage and fascinate yourself as long as you’re willing to look.
Regardless of what you like, it’s seriously worth considering adding a few local dishes (or their diet-friendly / belief-friendly equivalents) to your bucket list!
7. Stay Open Minded To New Opportunities
Most people don’t get a ton of opportunities to visit Europe, so it’s not unusual to want the very best in every area. From the hotel rooms you decide to rent to the food you decide to eat, there’s more than enough luxury choices to consider — but those aren’t the only good options on the market! Actually, many locals offer similar services at a fraction of the price. And rather than staying in a sterile hotel room and eating professionally made food, you might find that the homeliness of a modest rental and homemade, authentic food makes your vacation significantly more memorable.
So on your next trip to Europe or somewhere else abroad, it’s worth keeping your mind open and considering all of the options available to you. You might find that the luxury options weren’t everything they claimed to be, and you might find that many of the local options offer a level of authenticity you just can’t find anywhere else. Yelp is a great place to look for hidden gems, but if you happen to know anyone locally, it’s also worth asking around for recommendations!
8. Take Your Time And Enjoy Things Fully
One of the biggest issues that people commonly run into when visiting Europe is that they try to fit way too many trips into a very short vacation. Unfortunately, seeing Berlin, London, Rome, and Paris within the span of a week isn’t realistic, and even if it were, you would have little to no time to enjoy every spot — actually, a significant portion of your time would be wasted on travel.
If you’re planning to visit Europe, you should come up with a trip itinerary that minimizes travel and maximizes experience. You won’t be missing out if you’re only able to visit Rome on your first trip — actually, focusing on Rome for your first trip will allow you to have an invigorating trip to London on your second vacation, and you won’t have any issues with diving deep into everything Berlin has to offer on your third, either!
While it’s okay to visit a few cities on your vacation, you should plan beforehand to ensure that you’re spending at least two to three days in each city. This will allow you to at least superficially enjoy most of the city’s offerings and the culture of where you’re visiting — but the more time you’re able to envelop yourself in a city’s unique culture, the better. There’s no doubt that when you plan your vacation correctly, many of Europe’s most extraordinary cities could keep you entertained for weeks.
9. Consider Riding Trains And Buses
There’s a lot of reasons that riding planes is compelling: they’re fast, and when you’re traveling long distances, they can be extremely convenient, too. Unfortunately, there are some drawbacks to riding planes, too. Aside from how expensive the tickets can be, the process of going through an airport is exhausting, and you don’t have much of an opportunity to enjoy the scenery during your airplane ride.
In certain cases, you might even find that going on a train or bus is significantly faster than riding on a plane! While the ticket might say that the flight takes one hour, when you factor in the time it takes to board and unboard the plane, you might find that going on a bus or train is both faster and cheaper. Aside from that, going on a bus or train is extremely eco-friendly, and it’s just as safe and pleasant as riding on a plane.
10. Consider Taking A Road Trip
It isn’t just buses and trains that have an incredible level of appeal to offer — going on a road trip across Europe can be amazing, too, and starting is as easy as renting a car. Unlike other forms of transportation, when you rent a car, you won’t be limited to certain times or destinations. You’ll have full freedom to see what you want, when you want.
There’s plenty of great companies to rent cars from, too, from Europcar to Avis. You can compare prices, features, models, and mileage to find the best fit for your trip, and once you’ve decided, going on your road trip is as easy as simply paying the rental fee. You can even have your rental car delivered at an airport or train station, as long as you’re willing to pay additional fees!
Is A Trip To Europe Worth It?
There’s a lot of factors that go into determining whether or not a vacation is worth it. Unfortunately, traveling across the world can be extremely expensive, so your vacation will have to give you a lot of joy to be worth it. In a wonderful place like Europe, though, it isn’t hard to make that happen. Before spending any money, you should try to plan in advance and research your options thoroughly to make sure that your vacation is the best fit for you.
And if you’re not sure, it’s worth noting that there are plenty of other options on other continents — and even near home — that can provide the same level of fun for a fraction of the price. To determine if a trip to Europe is worth it, you should look in your heart to see what you really value. With the right amount of self-reflection and research, the answer will become clear in no time. (If you’re looking for a way to make your trip to Europe extra-special, you should consider purchasing a Europe travel package to make it 10x more convenient!)
