We will need to break the smooth brochures and peer into the world of people who live on the road to find out the real essence of Europe. This is not a guide; it is a glimpse into my life with Paul as we gear up for our next great Europe adventure.
We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfilment.— Hilaire Belloc
The sun was setting low over our cases, and the shadows were long on the bedroom floor. Paul was looking at a stack of jumpers, which would not in a million years be packed in his rucksack.
“You are doing that again, Paul,” I told him, leaning against the doorframe, smiling. “The ‘just in case’ packing. Backpacking Europe does not desire your just in case. It wants your ‘right now.'”
He glanced up, angry yet inquisitive. But then what if we come to a cold snap in the Alps? Or a fancy dinner in Milan?”
Then that, I said, is the first thing that no one says to you before you go. The lightest version of you is the prettiest version of you.
1. The Burden of “Just in Case”
We tend to bring the people we are supposed to be to the world of travel. We load into our bags the weighty volumes we shall never throw, the official shoes which will scald out our feet at Prague on the cobblestones before we see them again. When finalising your backpacking Europe packing list, remember that every extra ounce is a tax on your freedom.
I went up and watered his pile down. We are stealing the 40-litre packs, Paul. Simply like the minimalist wisdom we take an oath to. A light burden is the vision of the heavier burden. The weight on your shoulders does not distract you; you are not fascinated by the spires of Notre Dame.
What they fail to mention: The experience of carrying a heavy bag at a European train station is a trial by fire, which most of the time results in a backache and a missed train. In case you will not be able to take the three flights of the narrow, twisting stairs of a walk-up in Paris, you do not need it for backpacking Europe. To keep your sanity, keep your backpacking Europe packing list limited to the essentials that actually fit in a single overhead bin.
2. The Slow Morning: Symphony.
Are we laying an alarm to the Colosseum? Paul asked, looking through his phone
‘No,’ I said, taking the phone in my hand. We are giving the bakeries a wake-up call.
Everybody reminds you to avoid the queues in the museums. The uninformed thing is that the European city soul can be awakened only between 6:00 am and 8:00 am. It is at this point that the Europe of locals is a reality. As you are backpacking through Europe, you realise the best moments aren’t behind a velvet rope.
- The Smell: The smell of the yeast and the wood-fired ovens of a lazy French village.
- The Sound: This is the clack-clack of the pavement sweeping by a shopkeeper in Bruges.
The blue hour falls on the canals of Venice before the first tourist gondola disturbs the water.
I said, “Paul, when we use up our entire holiday travelling on top ten lists, we will be missing the light playing on the espresso steam in an Italian piazza.” That’s the real essence of backpacking Europe. Truly, backpacking through Europe is about the quiet transitions, not just the famous destinations.
Low-cost vibes are what we aim for; it’s about finding richness in these simple, inexpensive moments rather than the overpriced tourist traps.
3. The “Ghost” of the Itinerary
I have traced the trains between Vienna and Budapest, and this is the Europe itinerary, Paul said, giving me a spreadsheet.
I kissed his cheek. “It’s brilliant, darling. And now to be ready to burn it.
That is the tip every real traveller has: you will have better days than you will be lucky. While you may have researched various backpacking Europe routes, the best path is often the one you didn’t plan. It is also wise to check the foreign travel advisories before you veer too far off the beaten path.
- The railroad strike leaves you in a small town in Germany, called Monschau, where you find yourself engulfing the best mustard soup ever.
- The Scottish rainstorm has pushed you into a pub, and a local fiddler is playing until midnight.
No one informs you that an itinerary is a mere comfort blanket. When backpacking Europe, the magic is carried on in the gaps, the places when things go wrong, and the universe intervenes to demonstrate to you the way that things could have been. Your chosen backpacking Europe routes are just suggestions; let the wind change your direction.
4. The Language of a Smile
“I must brush up my Italian; I really must,” Paul said to himself, looking at a phrasebook. “I don’t want to be that tourist.”
“You don’t need a degree, Paul. Three words and plenty of humility will do you.
In Europe, the local tongue has the words “please”, “thank”, and “sorry” in the local language. However, this is where the peculiar detail is: silence is a language. We are compelled to stuff the air with talk in most parts of the UK and Europe. But somewhere in the Alps or in the vineyards of Tuscany, it is a deep experience of sitting. Nobody informs you that you are able to have a complete “conversation” with a Portuguese grandmother merely by nodding over a bowl of olives while backpacking Europe. Whether you are backpacking around Europe for a week or a year, these silent connections stay with you.
5. The Truth About “Free”
“Is it really free?” Looking at a Free Walking Tour flyer, Paul enquired.
“Technically, yes,” I explained. But Europe runs on an unmarked currency of common grace.
Budgeting is vital, and calculating your backpacking Europe cost means looking beyond the sticker price.
- The Tip: A free tour is an offer of a tip to a traveller who is passionate about the city.
- The Water: Do not purchase plastic bottles. Find the old stone fountains of Rome (Nasoni); the water is cheap, volcanic and Perplexit.
- The Bread: That bread on the table in most Italian restaurants is not a present; it is a ‘Coperto’ (cover charge).
Be not vexed; you pay your admission fee to the best theatre in the world: the street-side table. When managing your backpacking in Europe costs, always leave a little extra for these cultural nuances.
For those planning a longer journey, consider exploring scenic drives with the Best European Road Trips Guide, a perfect way to see more of Europe at your own pace.
6. The Loneliness and the Connection.
“Do you think we’ll meet people?” Paul asked, A suggestion of shyness in his voice
“We will. But better still, we will see each other.
Even when one is on an expedition with companions, there are times of loneliness in backpacking Europe. There will come a time when you will be sitting in a station, and you are exhausted and full of dust, and you will feel as if you are a million miles away. Nobody tells you that this loneliness is a sort of purification. It makes you get out of the noise of your normal life while backpacking around Europe.
When you finally meet a friend, a traveller like yourself, a Japanese wanderer, or a Spanish baker, there is an instant bond of friendship at first glance and at first touch, since each of you share the trenches of wonder together. Backpacking through Europe teaches you that a stranger is simply a friend you haven’t shared a train car with yet.
My Advice for Your Journey
The room was now less heavy as Paul and I finally zipped up our 40L packs. It was not just that we were packing clothes, but we were packing a philosophy of openness. We checked our backpacking Europe packing list one last time and realised we had everything we needed, which was very little.
To my dearly bought travellers: Backpacking Europe is not a museum to visit but a feeling to experience. Don’t let your backpacking Europe cost or your rigid backpacking Europe routes dictate your joy. This Europe travel guide reminds you that there is nothing to worry about the ideal picture. Concern over the optimal point in time. Carry less, linger longer, and never, never miss following these essential Europe backpacker tips and the odour of fresh bread.
The cobblestones are prepared. If you are backpacking around Europe, are you ready to walk them on your next European trip with Low Cost Vibes?
FAQs about Backpacking Europe
Keep it to a 40-litre backpack. Such priorities to have are necessities and not just-in-case things, so that you can easily negotiate through stairs and trains.
Between 6:00 am and 8:00 am. This blue hour will give you a chance to watch the local soul of a city when the arrival of the heavy tourist crowds does not happen.
No. It is a guide to be used, but be prepared to burn it. The most wonderful experiences can be derived from unexpected diversion or from any travel failures.
Bare minimum: please, thank you and sorry. More than this, a lowly smile and an easy silence will tend to close the distance.
Not quite. While tours may be advertised as free, tipping the guides is customary. Also, keep in mind that the bread served in restaurants often comes with a small coperto (cover charge).
