Europe Tour Packages, 5 Days and Longer

Five days is enough for one country or a short loop of two or three neighboring countries, such as Italy alone or Paris with Belgium and the Netherlands. Multi-country routes that cross the Alps or reach Eastern Europe need more time to avoid spending most days on the coach. If this is your first trip and you have about a week, a single-region route is the most relaxed choice.

A single-country route spends more time in each city, with fewer hotel changes and shorter drives, which suits travelers who want to see a place properly. A multi-country route covers more ground and works well as a first overview of Europe, but expects early starts and one-night stops. Decide whether depth or variety matters more to you, then compare routes of similar length.

Pick the region you want to see first, then the city where those routes start. Paris and Frankfurt offer the widest range of multi-country routes, Rome is the natural start for Italy, Barcelona for Spain and Portugal, and Copenhagen or Stockholm for Scandinavia. Compare round-trip and open-jaw airfares too, since tours that end in a different city can make an open-jaw ticket cheaper.

Late spring and early fall bring mild weather and fewer crowds than summer, which makes them the most comfortable seasons for coach touring. Summer has the longest days but the busiest sights and highest hotel prices. Winter is quieter and festive around the holidays, with shorter days and some routes running less often. Check the departure calendar on each tour page for running dates.

Besides the package price, set aside money for international flights, meals not included, city taxes paid at hotels, attraction tickets and optional excursions, and any daily service fee. Travel insurance and a night or two before or after the tour are also worth budgeting for. Each tour page lists what is included, which is the easiest way to compare true costs between routes.