Europe travel guide

Europe is pretty massive, so the weather can vary quite a bit from country to country. In winter, (generally November - March), northern parts of Europe are covered in snow and throughout December, magical Christmas markets pop up all over the place. Head to Germany, Austria or Prague for a traditional European Christmas, or to the French Alps for world class skiing and snowboarding. In summer time, the Greek Islands, Turkey, Croatia and the Mediterranean coast are glorious - you'll find endless stretches of sandy beaches to kick back and relax on. Prices tend to be highest in Europe at Christmas, Easter and during the summer vacation (July and August) - travel during off peak times and you'll be sure to bag yourself a sweet deal or two.

Getting across the pond is pretty easy and cheap, with frequent flights to and from most major US airports. Round-trip fares, one-ways, student tickets...you name it, we've got it. If you're flying into the UK and want to explore continental Europe, travel by the Eurostar train directly from London's St. Pancras International station to Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam. From there, you can start your Eurail pass to explore all that Europe has to offer. 

As a U.S. resident, you'll be granted a tourist visa upon arrival in all European countries, so there is no need to apply for one in advance. In most countries, these visas can last you up to 90 days within any 180 day period, but in the United Kingdom, you can stay for up to six months.

There are tons of things we love about Europe - eating cheese at breakfast without being judged is certainly up there. More so that you can instantly become so darned cultured, freely changing course and whizzing across borders on trains, buses and in a car or camper to hit a few iconic countries in a day. We have plenty of flexible and independent ways to travel around Europe so strap on your backpacks and head on a rail spree or rent a car and head to an epic European festival - breakfast cheese waits for no one.

There are countless ways to experience the Med - we have sailing trips in the Greek Islands, traditional gulets in Turkey, and wooden cruisers or yachts to explore the hedonistic islands of Croatia. If it's island-hopping you're after, you can do this cheaply like the locals on one of our ferry-based tours in Greece, from sun-soaked Mykonos to volcanic Santorini.