I’m a fan of one week itineraries for Europe. It’s the only continent where you can really see a number of different countries in one trip, and for relatively cheaper. There is so much to see and do it’s really hard to narrow down just a few one week itineraries for Europe but I’ve taken a good stab at it.

If you’re anything like me, you want to travel and see as much as you possibly can in as little time as you can manage. Often this means you’re returning home much more exhausted than when you left. However, it also means you managed to squeeze in one, two or maybe three different countries at one time in one trip. Disclaimer: you’re not going to be an expert in that country or city upon returning home, but you will have a good impression of the place which will help you decide if you want to return later.

As I’ve mentioned many times before, in order to travel hack your limited vacation days you need to be creative. It also means, being a full-time employee you probably don’t have time to spend months on end in any given destination. Most of my trips are around 7-10 days which make for the perfect length of time for any of these one week itineraries for Europe. You can easily get to 10 days of holiday using only 5 vacation days if you travel over a long weekend, which is perfect for some of these one week itineraries. Just note, the flights will likely be a bit more expensive.

Lisbon + Algarve + Seville + Gibraltar

| 3 countries | 4 cities |

This is probably one of the busiest of the one week itineraries as this trip brings you to 3 different countries in one go. Starting in Lisbon, you’ll get to experience the infamous Portoguese culture. Enjoy wandering through the colourful streets, riding a tram, epic views, and eating unreal seafood.

The best way to get around on this trip is by renting a vehicle if you’re up for driving. The roads are easy enough to navigate and because you have a busy schedule, it’s best to make the most of your time. From Lisbon, travel to the Algarve for some R&R. Algarve is famous for its natural beauty, beaches, and views.

The next lag of the trip takes you into a new country, Spain! Seville is one of the most incredible cities we’ve visited, definitely underrated in our opinion. The architecture and details of some of the buildings is unmatched. You can’t miss the Royal Alcazar, Plaza de Espana, or La Giralda.

Last but certainly not least, is Gibraltar. This micro-country is a pretty surreal place. As you cross the border from Spain into Gibraltar, you will almost immediately see a British telephone booth. This is because the Brits actually still ‘control’ the country. British pounds are used here and English is the most widely spoken language. One of the best things about Gibraltar is that the airport is so central, you have to drive through the runway.

24 hours in Lisbon 

24 hours in Seville

Gibraltar travel tips 

Lisbon hotels | Algarve hotels | Seville hotels | Gibraltar hotels

Dublin + Ring of Kerry + Edinburgh

| 2 countries | 3 cities |

If you’re looking for one week itineraries with some charm, beautiful landscapes and fun cities than it’s hard to beat this one. Travelling around Ireland is still one of my all-time favourite trips.  The country is just so beautiful.

It’s easy enough to drive around Ireland if you know how to drive standard, and on the other side of the road. If not, you’ll still be able to get around, you might just have to pay a bit more for a tour or bus trips. When in Ireland you definitely need to set a couple of nights aside for the pubs. The live music is unmatched and the food (and beer) are definitely something to write home about.

 You would most likely spend most of your trip in Ireland before catching a short (and cheap) flight to Edinburgh. I have yet to visit my homeland of Scotland but it’s definitely on the bucket list.

The ultimate Ireland Roadtrip

Dublin in a weekend: itinerary and guide

Dublin hotels | Killarney hotels | Edinburgh hotels

London + Paris + Brussels

| 3 countries | 3 cities |

If you’ve never been to Europe before than this of the one week itineraries is probably the best. With this itinerary you’ll be starting off with some of the biggest and most known cities in Europe. London is by far my favourite city in “Europe.” While it’s not technically part of the continent and not part of the European Union, North Americans still classify London as a part of Europe.

Give yourself at least 3 days in London to hit all the major touristy spots. Once you have a good taste, you can take the Eurostar into Paris. It’s a pretty easy train ride and usually takes no more than a couple of hours.

Another 3 or 4 days in Paris would be perfect. The city will feel so clean and spacious after coming from London. While our experience in Paris was a bit, disjointed (thanks to Airbnb), it’s still a city I would love to go back to. There’s something so romantic about the small cafe’s lined up along the streets, the smell of fresh pastries, the greenery, and the Seine.

From Paris you can hop on another train to Brussels. I know what you’re thinking, this isn’t necessarily a hotspot for first-time travellers to Europe but it should be. The city oozes oppulence and trust me, there is nothing better than Belgium chocolate or a Belgium waffle right from the source. Feel free to indulge as much as you want here, after all you’ll be home soon and can worry about the calories then 😛


Ghent + Ypres + Bruges + Amsterdam

| 2 countries | 4 cities |

Looking to visit some of the cutest towns Europe has to offer? This itinerary is perfect for you. Of all the one week itineraries, this one is actually best suited for Christmas time to experience the Christmas markets. Not visiting in the winter? This itinerary is still a good one for a slower-paced visit any time of the year.

All of these cities are easily seen within a day or two so 4 cities in a week isn’t as crazy as it sounds. Admire the architecture in Ghent, learn about war history in Ypres, eat chocolate in Bruges and wander the canals in Amsterdam.

Driving between these cities is fairly easy but so is taking the train. A lot of your time will be spent walking around the small quaint streets.

How to see Belgium in one week

How to spend a weekend in Ghent

How to spend one day in Ypres

The perfect weekend in Bruges

Amsterdam in a weekend

Ghent hotels | Bruges hotels | Ypres hotels | Amsterdam hotels

Dubrovnik + Split + Zadar

| 1 country | 3 cities |

Dubrovnik, Zadar, and Split are some of the most beautiful cities I’ve seen in Europe. The easiest city to fly into is Dubrovnik. Spending a good three or four days in Dubrovnik would be plenty and from there you can make the drive to Split. Traveling by car in Croatia is easy, their highways are well maintained, although a lot of them have tolls.

Croatia in general is a pretty affordable country to travel around. The food and drink prices are reasonable compared to some of the other cities in Europe. Croatians are wonderful people and made our experience in the country one of the best I’ve had. Everyone was so nice and welcoming. I actually can’t wait to get back here.

If you’re looking to avoid the crowds, I would recommend visiting in the shoulder seasons. Croatia can get quite busy during the summer and for “yacht” week.

The best Croatia road trip itinerary

How to spend a weekend in split

Zadar in one day

Top things to do in Dubrovnik

Top 7 Croatian Cities To Visit On Your Next Trip

Dubrovnik hotels | Zadar hotels | Split hotels

Reykjavik + Vik + Copenhagen

| 2 countries | 3 cities |

If you’re looking for a trip where you’re surrounded by some of the happiest people in the world than this is definitely the trip you wan to take. This is a bit of an ambitious itinerary but with Icelandair offering free stopovers in Iceland, why wouldn’t you want to take advantage? You don’t need that much time to explore Reykjavik, maybe a day or two and I would highly recommend spending a day or two exploring Vik. On your way to visiting Vik you can easily see the Golden Circle as well.

While 7 days may be a bit ambitious for this itinerary when you consider travel times, 10 days would be totally doable. Rent a car and spend a couple of days touring south Iceland (trust me you won’t regret it). Take the short flight to Copenhagen to end your trip with some city sightseeing, cycling and history.

South Coast Iceland highlights: 5 day itinerary

How to see the best of Iceland in 10 Days

Here’s How You Should Spend Your Iceland Stopover

How To Spend A Weekend In Copenhagen

Reykjavik hotels | Vik hotels | Copenhagen hotels

Rome + Naples + Amalfi Coast

| 1 country | 4 Cities |

Honestly, I could have created 7 different one week itineraries just with Italy. The country just has WAY too much to offer. A good start however would be to explore the Southern coast. It’s a pretty laid back trip to do as well. Take your time eating all of the delicious pizza and drinking all of the amazing wine you possibly can for this trip. This is the one country even I would recommend you not worry about staying fit.

Take the train from Rome to Naples and again from Naples to the Amalfi coast (Sorrento and Positano). It doesn’t really matter what city you stay in as it’s a pretty easy trip to get between Positano and Sorrento. Make sure you take a boat trip to get some truly unbelievable views of the cities as well!

How to spend 5 days in the Amalfi coast in Italy

One day in Rome: How to make the most of your time

How to spend 2 days in Rome: Full Itinerary

10 Reasons Why You Need To Visit The Amalfi Coast Now!

Rome hotels | Naples hotels | Amalfi coast hotels

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28 Comments

  1. Your London-Paris-Brussels trips sounds rather ambitious for a 7 – 10 day trip. Having been to Paris four times, I’d recommend just keeping it to just London and Paris. You’re right about needing about 4 days for Paris alone. I think 2 – 3 days to explore the French countryside to see nearby castles, like Versailles, or the beaches of Normandy would be warranted. Brussels is better paired up with a trip to Amsterdam and Luxembourg. But, I see that you recommend pairing up Amsterdam with Ypres, Ghent, and Bruges. That makes more sense since Belgium and Netherlands are located right beside each other.

  2. I want to do ALL of these! We’re thinking of doing a Spain trip later this year, and were considering adding some time in Portugal and/or Gibraltar onto it as well. It’s good to know that we’re not completely crazy for possibly going that route. 🙂 We spent 2 weeks road tripping in Ireland in 2016, and it was one of the best trips in recent memory. Iceland is also high on our radar right now–I just need to find some room in the travel budget to make that happen!

  3. You may think it’s ambitious but you haven’t traveled with me 😉 I do agree though Paris is such a beautiful city you should aim to stay as long as possible!

  4. Amazing! Where are you planning on going in Spain and Portugal? The countries are absolutely gorgeous I only wish we had have had more time to explore.

  5. I’m so excited someone else had thought of Gibraltar! I think everyone thought I was nuts when I brought it up lol. It’s such an interesting place to visit. Amazing that you had 2 full weeks in Ireland, by far one of the most beautiful countries I have visited in my life. I hope you get to Iceland soon, the country is wonderful.

  6. I live in Europe and I’ve practically visited every country here. There’s an itinerary that’s definitely lacking in your list: The Imperial cities of Prague, Vienna and Budapest combined. Prague is in my opinion the most beautiful city in the world and combining them 3 together would be great. Another trip could visit the Baltic states: the cities being Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn and possibly Helsinki.

  7. YES! You are totally right. I plan on doing another one of these posts so I’ll include that on the list. We actually plan on doing that trip next May ironically. Thank you for sharing!

  8. Hi Madi,

    Will be coming in to Brussels (also leaving from Brussels since the deal was too good) and looking to see a few cities. Hubby defintiely wants to see Amsterdam. Suggestions?

  9. Hi Ingrid! I would recommend Amsterdam for sure. During our trip we visited Brussels, Amsterdam, Bruges, Ypres and Ghent. All were absolutely wonderful! Bruges is one of my favourite cities, it’s very quaint. I hope you have fun!

  10. Madi, you sound like my kind of traveler! 🙂 I’m doing a 7 day trip in March and my goal is to see as much as possible.

  11. Hi Madi,

    My husband and I just booked our flight to London for 6/28-7/8. We have talked about going to Brussels. We are just looking for one more city to visit. I would love to take a sleeper train. Thank you!

  12. Hey great post and awesome website name haha! I’m thinking about doing a 1 week trip to get some of my wanderlust under control until I can do the 3-4 week trip I’ve been wanting to do since November. I’m just wondering how “worth it” it will be with jet lag… I would literally still be adjusting by the time I turn around and head back to the US. Although, I’ll be working remotely on a US schedule, so that might help… or maybe it’ll make the trip even harder. Any thoughts advice?

    Also, it looks like your comment box needs to be resized just a little smaller or some padding added to it 😉

  13. Hi, reading through this has been wonderful so thank you! I am super excited to be making my first trip to Europe and I’m taking my 14yr old daughter with me so we will be experiencing this together. So much I want to see, however I have to also fit in Sweden (personal visit) and Amsterdam (personal visit) I dont know what would be the best trips to do and the best places to visit to get the most out of our trip (up for anything but walking haha). I’m looking at up to 10 days max (including Amsterdam before going to Sweden). A mini tour (4 days max) in Sweden would be good if possible and 5 days for peronal visit. Our trip is 3.5 weeks in total (including travel to and from NZ) Any recommendations? (Hope that all makes sense!)

  14. Hi Catherine – I’m hoping this reply isn’t too late, I’m so sorry! This sounds like it’s going to be such a fun trip. I think it would depend on what your interests are. Belgium is a great option and close to Amsterdam if you love chocolate, beer, beautiful buildings and history. We particularly loved Ghent, Bruges and Ypres. Because Amsterdam is such a hub for flights you’ll be able to find flights basically anywhere in Europe for a reasonable price. Italy would be fun (Rome and Sorrento) or if you’re looking for a more classic trip, you can’t go wrong with Paris and London (you can take a 2 hour easy train from Paris). Hopefully that helps you a bit. Looking forward to hearing where you decided! Have fun 🙂

  15. Hello, so glad I came across this post! I booked my first trip to Europe and my children decided to join me. I’m doing 3 1/2 days in Barcelona and 3 days 3 1/2 days in Paris . We are flying into Paris from Barcelona and will have the late afternoon and 3 following days . Do you think this is doable or should I have just stayed in Barcelona or Paris for the full stay? My boys are adults and one has been all over Europe so it will help us with out day to day schedule.

  16. I think this is totally doable! I haven’t been to Barcelona yet but I’m dying to get there. As long as you plan a day of travel you should be fine. Or try splitting up up the travel and stay somewhere in the middle for a night. If you want to hit up the highlights in Paris you can do it in 2 and a half days. Hope that helps – have fun 🙂

  17. Hi Madi, This has been very helpful! We will be traveling in late July with a 12 yr old and a 17 year old. Any specific suggestions? This will be their first time traveling to Europe.

  18. It depends on what you’re looking to do and what your family finds insteresting 🙂 The Lisbon and Algarve trip is great because you get some city and some nature aspects together. You can’t go wrong with London and Paris either. Good luck choosing! That’s half the fun

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