Europe '25 Summary
"We Went Dutch"
- Seven EU countries in thirty-four days.
- Five airplanes, 41 trains.
- We walked over 225 miles!
Two weeks with Scott & Carie, then three more on our own.
1. Copenhagen
We spent four nights in Copenhagen and it was enough.
Clean, Interesting, Pretty, Lots of Attractions, Somewhat Expensive, Smart Safe
Overall Rating: 8/10
Return? Maybe
2. Lund, Sweden
Lund was just a day trip. That was long enough.
Clean, Interesting, Pretty, Not Many Attractions
Overall Rating: 7/10
Return? No
3. Lübeck, Germany
We spent one night in Lübeck. It was enough and we were ready to move on. Clean, Lots of Churches, Interesting, Pretty, Safe
Overall Rating: 8/10
Return? No
4. Amsterdam
We spent four nights in Amsterdam. It was enough and we were ready to move on.
Interesting, Pretty, but Dirtier, Lots of Attractions, Smart Safe
Overall Rating: 6/10
Return? No
5. Ghent
We spent four nights in Ghent. It was enough and we were ready to move on.
Interesting, Pretty, Fair Amount of Attractions
Overall Rating: 9/10
Return? Maybe
6. Bruges
Bruges was a day trip. That was enough.
Interesting, Pretty, Not Many Attractions
Overall Rating: 6/10
Return? No
We parted ways with Carie & Scott in Brussels, then continued south.
7. Vevey & Montreux, Switzerland
We spent three nights in the Montreux area. One or two more days would have been nice. Beautiful area, very relaxed visit.
Beautiful, Clean, Safe, Lots of Attractions
Overall Rating: 10/10
Return? Yes
8. Grindlewald, Switzerland
We spent two nights in Grindlewald. One more day would have been nice. We would have liked to explore the area a little more and maybe visited the Jungfraujoch railway station. Beautiful area, very relaxed visit, but fairly expensive.
Spectacular Scenery, Clean, Super Safe, Expensive
Overall Rating: 10/10
Return? Yes
9. Bellagio, Italy
We spent three nights in Bellagio. It was lovely, but ready to move on.
Very Pretty Area, Clean, Super Safe
Overall Rating: 9/10
Return? No
10. Venice
We stayed two nights here. Could have used at least one more day, if not two.
Very Crowded from noon-8am, Very Interesting, Smart Safe
Overall Rating: 9/10
Return? Yes
11. Florence
We stayed two nights here. We could have stayed one more night and toured more churches, but also feel like we saw enough.
Much more crowded and commercial than we expected.
Pretty Area, Clean, Safe
Overall Rating: 8/10
Return? Probaby not.
12. Cinque Terre
We only stayed one night here, could have used more. Maybe a week? Would have loved to hike more trails and explored more of the towns.
Very Pretty Area, Hiking, Clean, Super Super Safe
Overall Rating: 10/10
Return? Yes!
13. Rome
We stayed three nights here. Love this city. So mush history and things to see. We could stay for a month.
History, Clean, Smart Safe
Overall Rating: 10/10
Return? Yes!
14. Amalfi Coast
We stayed four nights here. Could have used maybe one more day.
Beautiful coastal cities, Clean, Safe
Overall Rating: 9/10
Return? Maybe/Probably. Would be better if Besos rich and had our own yacht. It’s a beautiful area, bu the crowds are off-putting and the towns start to look the same.
15. Back to Rome
Just an overnight here to catch our plane home the next day, although not without drama.
Thoughts on Traveling in Europe
Overall, traveling by train is so much easier than flying. No bag check, no lines, and no need to arrive super early. However, trains aren’t without stress. They are often delayed, so tight connections can be stressful. Train stations are usually crowded and filled with slow people, making it hard to get around quickly. At times, you might have to run to catch your train, so it’s best to pack as light as possible.
Tap-to-pay from your phone or credit card is accepted almost everywhere. Just carry your phone, a little cash, and maybe a backup credit card each day. Your wallet can stay packed away, you won’t need it.
You’ll probably need to show your passport at hotel check-in and occasionally on trains, especially when crossing country borders.
In larger cities, almost everyone speaks English. We make an effort to say hello and thank you in the local language as a courtesy, but people are usually comfortable taking your order or helping in English.
One thing to be aware of, there are a lot of cigarette smokers in Europe. If you choose to dine outside (which we like to do), expect to have smoke drifting into your meal at some point.
In restaurants, you’ll always be paying for bottled water, either still or sparkling. That’s just how it works.
Everything feels old. Buildings often need repairs, streets and sidewalks are narrow and uneven, and sometimes you need to hug a wall to let a car pass. It adds a little difficulty getting around. Graffiti is common but doesn’t necessarily mean a place is unsafe. And you’ll notice clothes drying on balconies all over, especially outside the city center.
Many public toilets don’t have seats, you’re expected to squat.
You’ll constantly be surrounded by people speaking different languages. At first it feels strange and you feel out of place, but after a while you get used to it.
Like anywhere, people can be selfish, and tourists are slow and often take up too much space.
If you’re not staying in a hotel, expect your host to meet you in person with keys and instructions. It’s not like the U.S., where automated check-in is the norm. Also expect to pay for city taxes in cash, separate from your booking costs.