Two Weeks in Europe Itinerary

My friend, Sara, and I decided to take our first real international trip after completing our first year teaching. We decided to spend two weeks in Europe and since it was our first time, we went on a guided tour with Globus. The itinerary was very much on-the-go. We visited 8 cities in 4 countries in 2 weeks. This sounds super stressful and I know if we went on our own we would not have been able to cover this much ground on our first international trip without there being chaos and stress involved. This was a plus side of going with the tour. It was completely stress free even though it was fast paced. We also met some really awesome people, which made the experience that much more enjoyable. Although going with a tour was the right choice for us at the time, If I were to go back, I would do it on my own. But that’s only because I’ve since gained experience traveling.

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Things to Know Before Your First Trip to Europe:

Going from country to country in Europe is like going from state to state in the US. With that, you will come across a lot of different currencies. Pounds, Euros, Franks, etc. First of all, let your bank know you’re traveling abroad and where. Have a credit card, preferably a travel card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. But also make sure you get some cash (reasons below).
Public restrooms are not usually free. They aren’t a lot, but you’ll want to make sure you have change on you.
Water is also not free. Not even tap water at a restaurant.
Tips are appreciated, but not required and 5-10% is considered normal. Tipping 20% of your dinner bill is slightly outrageous in European culture.
Being a born and raised New Yorker visiting Europe, one of the things that stood out to me most was the culture around dining. People are not trying to get you out so they can seat the next customer. No one is in a rush. In fact, there may be times the waiter won’t ‘bother’ you unless you get their attention or specifically ask them for something. This can come off as terrible service to a New Yorker. Know that it’s not the service, it’s the culture. Embrace it. Relax. Don’t be in a rush.
As far as using your phone, you have plenty of options. You can call your phone company to get international service for the period of time you’ll be away. You can also buy a SIM card when you’re there, or use free apps like What’s App or Viber (know you’ll need Wifi for these to work, similarly to iMessage and FaceTime).
Of course, you’ll need a universal adapter. It seems obvious but it’s something very easy to forget!

Day 1: London, England

Our meeting location was in London, so we took a redeye flight and spent a very jet lagged day in London visiting all the major tourist attractions on very little sleep. We stopped by Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and the London Eye. Getting around via public transportation and walking was easy enough.

Day 2-3: Paris, France

After officially meeting up with our tour group, we took the Eurostar train to Paris and spent the next 2 days exploring. We did a sightseeing tour that included the Opera, Arc de Triomphe, and Champs-Elysses. Other than this tour, we explored on our own. We went to the Eiffel Tower, Jardin de Luxemburg, and Sacre Cour. Again, we got around via public transportation and walking.

Watch for pickpockets and street sellers here. They will try to put bracelets on you and then make you buy it and I have heard they can get quite aggressive. This was especially the case at Sacre Cour. My advice would be to walk with a purpose, do not make eye contact and don’t stop for anyone who tries to talk to you. Keep your personal belongings close to you and zipped up.

Day 4-5: Lucerne, Switzerland

From here, we drove in a bus to Lucerne, Switzerland. The drive itself was amazing and our 36 hours in Lucerne was one of my favorite parts of this trip. We took a walking tour of the city that included the Lion Monument and the Chapel Bridge. We, of course, bought Swiss army knives, watches and literally a ton of chocolate and enjoyed an amazing Swiss fondue dinner! On the second day in Lucerne we ascended Mt. Pilatus which was definitely a trip highlight, before driving through the Swiss Alps to Italy.

Day 6: Bergamo – Venice, Italy

We stopped in Bergamo, Italy, a cute little town, on the way to Venice. We walked around the city and had lunch before heading to Venice. In Venice, we watched a glassblowing demonstration, shopped, and of course took a Gondola ride. Yes, probably a bit overrated, but a good time nonetheless.

Day 7: Florence, Italy

We continued the drive to Florence and went on another walking tour that included highlights, such as the Piazza del Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, Florence Cathedral and the Statue of David. We also took a tour at a gold and leather factory and then bought a ton of gold and leather! Honestly, the bag and wallets I bought here, which were real leather engraved with real gold, still look brand new, 5 years later and worn or used every single day! So worth it!

Day 8-9: Rome, Italy

While in Rome, we visited the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Square and Basilica in Vatican City. We also went to the Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon. St. Peter’s Square and Basilica was the highlight for me here. This church will leave you speechless. It’s absolutely breathtaking and no pictures can do it justice (especially ones taken on my phone).

Rome is another place where street sellers and pickpockets can be a problem. We didn’t have any issues, although someone in our group did have money stolen right out of their hotel room. Use the safe in the hotel room. When you have your belongings on you make sure you have zippers and don’t keep anything important in your pockets or in easy to reach areas.

Also, know that it is HOT in Italy in July. Another plus of being with the tour group was being able to skip lines and not having to wait outside in the scorching heat. People were actually passing out waiting in lines, it was so dangerously hot. Everything was insanely crowded and the heat was unbearable, which can really ruin a great time. Spring and fall are probably better times to visit, so you can avoid the head and crowds.

Day 10-12: Sorrento, Italy

For the last part of our trip, we took a train from Rome to Naples and then had a transfer take us to Sorrento. We stayed at the Hilton Sorrento Palace, an amazing hotel overlooking the Gulf of Naples and Mt. Vesuvius and so we allowed ourselves plenty of time to lounge by the pool and have meals on the balcony. We also spent a little time exploring the city of Sorrento. In our time here, I think this is where we had our best meals in Italy (which were also our best meals in Europe, up there with the fondue in Switzerland). I wish I could remember the names of the places we ate, but I know we didn’t put a whole lot of effort into finding the perfect place, so I’m sure anywhere you go is probably fantastic! One of the days in Sorrento, we took a tour of the Amalfi Coast which included a drive and a boat tour of the coast as well. Another day we took a boat tour to and around the island of Capri. Just being on the boat and swimming in these royal blue waters was a highlight for me. These three relaxing days in paradise were the perfect end to our European tour!