How to Plan a Multi-Country Solo Trip
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One of the most common things I see on travel forums is solo travelers wondering how much time they should spend in each location on a multi-country or multi-city vacation. Traveling abroad is not cheap and I think we often want to squeeze as much in as we can! Overall, a 3-week trip is the perfect duration (unless you can go for a longer amount of time!) for a multi-country trip.
Here are some key questions to ask yourself when you are in the planning stage:
What is the goal of the trip?
Do you want to mix relaxation and sightseeing? Do you want a fast-paced itinerary to see as many sights as possible? Is your goal to completely relax, unwind, and just….be? This in my opinion, is the most important thing to figure out.
I aim for a balanced itinerary. I choose carefully which must-see sights I will visit and then I leave several days open. We will not get to see everything in one trip (😢) so be selective and figure out the things that you will regret not seeing and plan your trip around that. Give yourself some time in each place to unwind and become part of the fabric of the place you are visiting. You really don’t have to go-see-do 24/7 on your trip. And in fact, I recommend against it. If you are packing your itinerary, you will start to feel as though everything has become a blur!
How much time in each place?
The answer lies in location, obviously but as a rule, I find this type of itinerary to be the most balanced:
Minimum of 3 days in large cities but it is dependent on the city! For example, I found I only needed 2 days in Lisbon but in Rome, a week at least is best. You can make it your central hub and do easy day trips by train if the location (such as Rome) allows..
Follow up your sightseeing/big city days with 3-4 days in a low-key area for relaxation. For example, I spent a few days in Lisbon and then headed down to the Algarve for a week as the pace was much quieter.
Do this busy/relaxed flip-flop for each country you visit and you’ll be sure to satisfy your need to see amazing things and relax somewhere in a quieter or natural setting.
Combining European countries
The amazing thing about traveling in Europe is that it doesn’t take very long to reach a new country. You can either fly (tickets are unbelievably fair) to a second country for far less than you can fly to another state here in the USA, or travel by high-speed rail.
For example, I stayed in Madrid for a couple of days and caught a 45-minute, $40 flight (yep! Forty dollars!) to Lisbon. From Portugal, I flew to Switzerland for less than $200. Here in the USA, I would not even be able to fly 2 states over for that price! Since European countries are so close together, flights are quick and easy.
If you are flying from the USA, try to book a multi-city flight. These are often cheaper than a round trip/fly in and out of the same city and if any flights are delayed, etc., the airline has to find you a new flight because you have booked a single ticket (albeit a multi-city ticket). For example, when I booked flights for my trip this summer to Greece and Rome, I chose to fly into Athens and home from Rome. This was $200 cheaper than roundtrip to/from Athens.
Maximize your travel time
I can hear you saying… “But! Wouldn’t I be losing a lot of my precious time traveling from place to place?!” Well, sorta but not really. My mentality is that we need “rest” days when we travel and the days that I am traveling between countries become my rest days. Yes, there are the stressors of catching flights, trains, etc., but once you’ve done so, you’re sitting, resting, and relaxing. It’s a bit of a pause! Plus, you’re excited to get to the next destination so I find it works out well. Besides, who knows if I will be able to return to Europe two more times to see 2 more countries? Fitting 2-3 countries into one trip is pretty great, in my opinion.
Get out your calendar
Book the places you want to see in advance. For example, if you want to get tickets for the Duomo in Florence, book your tickets early so you can skip the lines! Research other nearby things you might be interested in seeing so that you have a well-rounded, satiating day. For example, this summer I will be taking a day trip from Rome to Florence. I have booked my tickets to see the Duomo, a few museums, and the Anselm Kiefer exhibit (my favorite artist of all time!). This will be a full day with lots to see but planning in advance will make the excursion easier to navigate.
Don’t forget to sprinkle in a few days with NO plans…Those days are your “act like a local” days where you can just be there for the sake of being there. I find this is important because it allows you to reflect on the places you’ve visited and your body and brain need a break from the intensity of a packed schedule. Without these types of days, I would have never found the incredible perfume I found in Rome, nor would I have met the amazing visual artist, Piero Petraci! I would have missed my serendipitous visit to the Honesty Shop in Gimmelwald, Switzerland, and countless other moments. Sometimes having “no plans” brings us wonderful and fulfilling surprises.
Journal
I have a trip planning notebook that I use to plan my trips and they are fun to look back on post-trip! It’s a great way to organize your research. I am also a big fan of taking a travel journal on every trip. I paint in mine along with writing about the day but find it is a great way to unwind each night and to keep track of all the wonderful memories. If you are interested in what I take along, I will include the products below! Have a great time planning your multi-country trip abroad! Remember, things are only stressful if we let them be so roll with whatever your travels bring and enjoy every minute!
