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30 days in Europe itinerary questions.

Hey all.
Me and a mate are planning on going to Europe for 4 weeks in June/July 2017 we only 22 and are not really into the whole sightseeing churches etc where more just going for the Nightlife ,Beaches, Food and Shopping. where starting to put some ideas together as to which countries we are wanting to visit.

This is what we came up with :

First country we were going to go to was Amsterdam for 4 days which seems like a good amount of time from what ive been reading.

12 days in Spain was looking at doing most of the time in Barcelona and we were going to go out to Ibiza for 3-4 days. My question in regards to Spain is it worthwhile going down to Madrid or any other city's nearby for a few days or are we better of spending the week in Barcelona?

After Spain we were looking at heading through to Berlin for 4 days any opinions on Berlin would be appreciated as I'm not 100% on it.

Finally we were going to finish with 10 days in the Greek Islands.

My questions regarded this itinerary we have locked in Spain and the Greek Islands but Amsterdam and Berlin are still up in the air. So any suggestions or opinions would be greatly appreciated as like I said earlier this is going to be my first time travelling to Europe.

Posted by
7175 posts

Your ideas are spot on for the personal interests you describe, and all big backpacker destinations. San Sebastián would perhaps appeal more than Madrid for another place in Spain.

Posted by
2393 posts

I think you would enjoy Berlin. It is a young city with a lot to offer - great club scene, music, shopping - it has been attracting backpackers for years. Google "Berlin nightlife backpackers" - you will a lot of possibilities!

Enjoy your trip!

Posted by
11613 posts

Amsterdam is a city, not a country, but it's a great place to start.

Berlin is one of my favorite places in Eutope, lots to do.

Hopefully, once you get there, you will become more interested in the history and culture of the cities you visit. Many have free walking tours, a good way to spend a few hours and get oriented.

Posted by
1717 posts

Hello vassallo_4life. You said you plan on going to Europe for 4 weeks. Will you be at Europe a total of 28 days ? If yes, does that include the day when you will arrive at an airport at Europe ? Did you buy the airline tickets for flying to and from Europe ? What country will you travel from ? If the United States of America, which state ?

Posted by
15585 posts

Use the Thorntree forum (Lonely Planet) too. They are more geared to 20-something backpackers than this RS crowd.

Posted by
7672 posts

I love Barcelona, but a week is too much. Madrid and the area (Toledo and Segovia) are great and deserve 5 days. I would stick to Spain and Greece. Amsterdam and Berlin are nice, but unless you find a cheap air ticket a bit far from southern Europe.

Posted by
11294 posts

In addition to the Thorn Tree, Rick's son Andy Steves just put out a book geared to people of your age and interests. Of the places you're interested in, he doesn't cover Greek islands or Ibiza, but does cover Barcelona, Madrid, Berlin, and Amsterdam. While it has some info on "sightseeing," it's much more focused on budget lodging, meeting people, nightlife, and free or inexpensive activities: https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/andy-steves-europe-city-hopping-on-a-budget

And yes, given your interests, definitely don't miss Berlin or Amsterdam! While Amsterdam can be pricey, Berlin is not.

Madrid and Barcelona have an eternal rivalry (think Houston and Dallas, or Sydney and Melbourne). They are quite different. Both have lots to offer for your interests; read about both before deciding how to allot your time. They are connected by a high speed train taking only 3 hours; if you buy in advance, it's not expensive.

Speaking of which, good that you're planning now, as you will want to connect some of your destinations with flights. These need to be booked in advance for best fares; they only go up (sometimes way up) closer to travel.