Packing your bags and traveling for 3.5 weeks in Europe is no easy feat. We had planned for many months, going back and forth in picking the countries we’d like to visit. Our criteria: it has to have a good mixture of nature, architecture, history, food, culture and just a little shopping.
From there, we narrowed down to these countries: Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Italy. It definitely took us a while to research on ticket prices as well as the best timing suitable so we can maximise our time while we are there.
The longest routes are between Brugge to Munich and Vienna to Venice (They both take about 7 hours or so). With such long distances, it is really nice to look out the windows, you literally get to see how it changes from snowy white-capped landscapes to luscious green rolling mountains. The rest of the destinations are about 2 to 3 hours in between.
Europe by Rail
We decided to book everything separately and it took us quite a while to find the right timing. It can be daunting to find train tickets for the whole journey, but let me ease your mind. Do your research! Find out the country’s respective railway operating companies and book your tickets straight from their website. You can save a lot since you won’t be paying extra to third party vendors, and if you book early, there’s quite a number of on-going promotions. In fact, we snagged a few cheap tickets along the way!
The Route
Destination 1
Amsterdam, Netherlands
How long we stayed: 4 Days
What to see: Cruise the Canals, Heineken Factory, Van Gogh Musuem, Anne Frank House, Zaanse Schans, Tulip Musuem, Albert Cupy Market, Vondel Park…
Destination 2
Brugge, Belgium
How long we stayed: 3 Days
What to see: Cruise the Canals, Grote Markt, Belfort Tower of Brugge, Minnewater Lake…
Destination 3
Munich, Germany
How long we stayed: 4 Days
What to see: St. Peter’s Church, Viktualienmarkt, Schloss Nymphenburg, Olympiaberg, Englischer Garten, BMW Musuem…
Destination 4
Salzburg, Austria
Hallstatt (Day Trip)
How long we stayed: 3 Days
What to see: Salzburg Fortress, Salzburg Old Town, Mirabell Palace and Gardens, Salzburg Catherdral…
Destination 5
Vienna, Austria
How long we stayed: 4 Days
What to see: Schönbrunn Palace, Rathaus, Karlskirche, Kunsthistorisches Musuem, Spanish Riding School, Belvedere Complex, Hofburg Imperial Palace…
Destination 6
Venice, Italy
Burano (Day Trip)
How long we stayed: 3 Days
What to see: Piazza San Marco, San Marco Campanile Bell Tower, St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge, Bridge of Sighs, Grand Canal…
Destination 7
Florence, Italy
How long we stayed: 4 Days
What to see: Duomo, Uffizi Gallery, Bargello Musuem, Ponte Vecchio, Villa Bardini, Piazza della Signoria, San Giovanni…
Destination 8
Rome, Italy
How long we stayed: 5 Days
What to see: The Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, St. Peter’s Square, Capitoline Museum, Il Vittoriano, Gianicolo Hill…
If you’re into cruising through beautiful canals, scaling old gothic bell towers, marvelling at perhaps one of the most breathe-taking mountain landscapes, or even getting lost in the narrow streets, then this route is for you.
I’d love to hear which is your favourite city from this list!
