Hello!
My boyfriend and I are planning a one month long trip to Europe this spring after our college graduation. I have read alot about camping in Europe, and how it is usually cheap and easy to find a place to camp. Originally our plan was to try some hospitality websites to find people to stay with, and use hostels in between. We are worried that because our itinerary wont be set in stone that if we need a hostel it will already be booked. Would it be better for us to buy a small, light, two person tent rather than try hostels? Would we have to have sleeping bags, or would two sheets + snuggling together be enough warmth? We do backpacking trips, but have never gone for more than a few days so carrying our current heavy tent and bags was never an issue because we didnt need much else. Any advice/suggestions/answers would be appreciated! Thank you all for taking the time to read this!
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
"Would we have to have sleeping bags, or would two sheets + snuggling together be enough warmth?" In the coldest possible scenario for Europe in the late spring or early summer, no, that would not be warm enough. Most sleeping bags are also designed to repel the water vapor from your breath that recirculates in the tent throughout the night. Normal bedsheets would absorb this moisture, making it even more difficult to stay warm.
I don't have much experience with hostels, but it's my understanding that reservations aren't usually so tight (I could be wrong...) that you wouldn't have any flexibility.
Posted by
Seattle
4637 posts
To find hostel will be easier. Campgrounds are not in every town or city. In some lightly populated areas (Scotland, Sweden, Norway etc.) owners would probably let you camp on their land. In southern Italy, Greece, Spain and some other countries in southern Europe you very probably won't need sleeping bags. However in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland etc. you will definitely need them. My son was in northern Norway in July and it was freezing at night.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Without a rental car I think the camping idea would be too difficult. You would have to carry too much stuff( because yes, at least one would be needed, and you hardly want to sleep on the ground, so you would need foams, and how would you cook food? There are some campsites that are really nice, tents already set up etc.. but they cost as much as a hostel or cheap hotel really.
Have you looked at the couchsurfing.com site?
Posted by
Boston, MA, United States
1806 posts
Unless there is a major festival taking place when you are going to be in a specific town or city, finding a hostel at the last minute is pretty easy in the spring (assuming you are talking May or June).
Cities and larger towns typically have tourist offices that can even help you locate a place, but you can also just go on a booking site like hostelworld.com as you travel around and make a reservation 1 or 2 days in advance (or avoid the nominal booking fee and just check availability on the web and call the hostel directly). A private room in a hostel is often the same price as a cheap hotel (about $60-$75). And if you get 2 bunks in a group dorm, you'd still be spending about $40 to $60 per night. At that price you can probably find a small B&B or guesthouse and have a nicer room.
If you prefer to camp, do a little research on the web ahead of time and check the campsites you may want to stay at as you travel around. Some may have actual huts instead of tents - so you have a real roof over your head. And they may even rent sheets and blankets so you don't have to bother toting around sleeping bags.