It’s been over two weeks since I got home from my Eurotrip but I still feel like my life isn’t back to normal yet!
I had a blast and the whole thing feels like a whirlwind, over 4 countries in 12 days (2 of those days were primarily traveling to and from Europe). Overall, my packing skills were pretty good! I definitely could have done without my jeans…it was HOT. If they weren’t one of my favorite pairs, I for sure would have chucked them, not because they were super heavy or took up that much space, but just out of sheer spite at how flipping hot it was. I could have used at least one more casual dress, but I did buy a skirt which helped mix up my outfits a bit.
As far as my backpack itself, I can’t deny that it was heavy and uncomfortable, especially in 90º heat. I will say that it hands down beats dragging a suitcase across cobblestone streets. My hands were free which was really nice too. And in the long run, you don’t actually spend that much time wearing the backpack, even if it feels like forever. Which it does.
To anyone thinking about traveling I have one word for you: GO! If you think that 10 days isn’t enough time to visit multiple countries, I have two words for you: YOU’RE WRONG. If you don’t know what you’re missing out on, I have no words for you, just a bunch of pictures to make you go buy your ticket:
Prague, Czech Republic
Vltava River
Lennon Wall
Before I Die…
Munich, Germany
Hofbrauhaus: pints of beer will never be enough after you’ve had liters
So basically I want to live in the English Garden…
Bavarian Alps, Germany
Neuschwanstein Castle
Summer sledding! Slightly terrifying and highly unsafe
Amsterdam, Holland
Heineken Experience
Paris, France
Lastly, if you have no idea what World War II really was and have an interest in figuring out, I highly recommend Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948 by Madeleine Albright. I just finished it and was blown away by how much I learned and actually understood about history. It’s even more fun when you’ve been to the places she mentions!
#housewifeproblem 
Glad you had fun and learned a lot, Sweets! Can’t wait until you make the journey HOME!!
Thank you for the amazing photo. Good to take many pictures. Allow us to return back to the beautiful places we had visit.
Fabulous pictures…welcome home. Aunt Rosemarie
Sure, you can visit 4 countries in 10 days. But I wouldn’t do it. It takes a day to transfer, so you’re left with 7 days for 4 destinations, that is 2 days per city. Not even enough to scratch the surface, let alone have a breathing pause. Skipping any of the destinations would have made it so much more relaxed, with only 2 days in transfer, and 3 full days for each city. I’m not judging, just saying its not my idea of a relaxing holiday.
Hi Michael! Yes it was definitely a fast-paced trip, but it’s amazing how much you can actually do in just 2-3 days. I found that we would cram as much as possible into our days in the cities and then rest on the travel days. It’s not for everyone but I’m glad I got to see as much as I did. Thanks for commenting and happy travels :)
Hi, I loved every bit of detail you posted! I am also planning a backpack trip this summer. So I wanted to know if you planned this trip on your own or was it a guided tour. If latter then through which travel agency? I am planning on going solo and have been looking for a guided tour. Please let me know :) I’ll plan to leave from Nor Cal (if that matters). Thanks!
Hi Shivani, we went solo for the majority of the trip but we did take advantage of the “free” walking tours in some of the city centers. These are usually a couple hours long and guided by an international student so they speak English and they operate on tips so at the end you do end up paying, but is far less than what you’d pay for a coordinated tour. It’s a good way to get some history/background in each city. We also did a guided tour in Munich that took us to the Bavarian Alps and Neuschwanstein Castle (pictured above) and it was my favorite part of the whole trip. Unfortunately I can’t remember the name of it but it was reasonably priced too.
I hope that helps, best of luck on planning your trip :) I’m also a Nor Cal girl and flew out of SFO but there may be cheaper options out there depending in when you fly.
Hey! I saw your post about packing for this trip and I was just wondering what kind of carry on bag you used, and I was also wondering how you come across the “free” walking tours. I am planning a trip to Europe with a friend and we are going for just over a month and hopefully visiting about 12 different countries! Thanks!
Hi Tiffany, the bag I used was a Vera Bradley tote that I got as a gift a few years ago (Here’s the link to one that’s similar: http://www.verabradley.com/product/Category/Totes/Pleated-Tote/154943/defaultColorVariantId/182571/pc/638/c/0/sc/642/p/154943.uts). I admit they aren’t the most “chic” bags but they are SO durable, have a million pockets, and are washable so they’re super handy for traveling. The free tours we used were “Sandeman’s New Europe” and we located them in the city centers but I’m sure if you looked it up in each city ahead of time you could find a more precise location. I think the tour guides usually have a big red umbrella so they should be easy to spot. 12 countries sounds like a BLAST! I hope you have a great time :)
Hey! I’m find in your packing list extremely helpful, do you have any tips on selecting which hostels to stay at?
I’m glad it’s helpful for you!! I don’t remember any of the names of the hostels but we used Trip Advisor to find a good balance between price and quality. Check hotels too, because we found in Amsterdam that our hotel was actually less than most hostels. It depends on how comfortable you want to be and how much you’re willing to pay :)