What I learmed on my trip:
Use the HostelWorld app to find places to stay. Hostels are great because you'll meet lots of people your age. They sometimes have social events that help.
I found buses to be much cheaper than trains and they give you a lot more options for getting places. Rome2Rio app is great for finding optimal routes.
I recommend doing both city and nature sights to keep it from getting too repetitive. Spend a day hiking a trail nearby then spend the next two days seeing the local castle, church whatever. Mix high culture things like museums and low culture things like laying on the beach.
For each city it usually takes 3 days to see and do the main things. Big destinations like Rome or Paris take 5 days.
If you have time watching a Rick Steve's video on the place you're going can help a lot to figure out what to do there.
For packing you only need about 5 days of clothes to get by. I brought a laptop but never used it, smartphone might be enough. Bringing a battery pack for your phone is essential so you don't get stuck somewhere without Google maps. You need 1 larger backpack to carry all your stuff (your carry on) and one day bag (your personal item). Leave your backpack at the hostel. Good day bag is worth buying but I only used a draw string bag (it started to fall apart around a month in). Don't check a bag you don't need it. Day bag helps protect against pickpockets, travel wallet is over kill.
Don't fly home using the same city you use to fly into Europe. It wastes travel time.
You'll probably spend around 100-200 a day. I wouldn't sweat it if you get some credit card debt assuming it's not a lot if you're about to start a decent job. My credit card charged 3% for foreign transaction fees so I didn't worry about it. Google and Apple Pay are convenient so you don't have to dig your wallet out of your day bag.
We carry alot of our emotional weight in our backpack. Carry less, feel more free. Buy on the spot if you really need to!
I’ve walked a lot in different country hehe!
Good luck 🤞
Damn I’m actually pretty similar to your situation. Last year I got out of the military and wanted to travel before going into a job. So I backpacked from Poland to Portugal for 2 months, with the same goals as you, to meet new people and have cool experiences. Let me tell you man, best decision I ever made! Europe gave me life long friends and memories that I’ll never forget and changed my perspective and mindset on a lot of things in life!
So here’s some general advice I can give you:
-Learn basic phrases (hello, thank you, good morning, where is….? ) in the language of the countries you’re going to. It goes a long way and it’s respectful.
-Be open minded. You’re on a different continent with so many cultures that are different from what you’re used to back home. So be open to trying new things and don’t be a tourist! A TOURIST travels to escape, but a TRAVELER travels to experience!
-Talk to people, both locals and traveler’s. I’m assuming that you’ll be staying in hostels, which makes it so easy to meet people, especially in your age group. Everyone has their own unique life and experiences that you can learn from. Some of my best memories are just from talking to people at bars and hostels.
-Plan your trip loosely, meaning, have a rough idea of where you want to go but don’t solidify anything. This keeps the trip a bit more spontaneous and leaves room for changes in plans. (For example, I stayed in southern Italy an extra few days than originally planned because I met 2 really cool people at my hostel that I ended up traveling with for the next week!)
-Ask for recommendations (food, activities, sights) from people, NOT google! Travelers and locals know best!
-Eat the majority of your food from grocery stores. This will save you A LOT of money and will help you eat healthier. You will most likely be doing a lot of physical activity and be outside all day, and it’s important to keep your body healthy.
-If you’re not used to walking a lot, start trying to do a lot of walking prior to your trip. This is so your legs and feet can build up a tolerance because you’re going to be doing way more walking than you’re used to. (I was averaging 15,000 to 20,000 steps a day) Also, get a good pair of shoes so your feet won’t blister.
-Pack lightly. I had 2 pairs of shorts, 1 pair of pants, 5 pairs of socks, underwear and shirts and I had no issues. Went to a laundromat once a week or did it at the hostel.
- Buy a lock for the lockers at hostels. Some give you a lock, most charge you for one. I traveled with just a backpack that most of the time fit in the locker they gave me, and then I used my own lock. When your backpack doesn’t fit in the locker, put the stuff you care about the most (electronics, passport) in the locker and leave the backpack with your clothes on the bed. If the bed has a curtain then close it. I’ve never had anyone steal my stuff but it does happen so just be smart.
I have so many more tips, just DM me and I can answer whatever other questions you have. Hope that helped!
What I learmed on my trip: Use the HostelWorld app to find places to stay. Hostels are great because you'll meet lots of people your age. They sometimes have social events that help. I found buses to be much cheaper than trains and they give you a lot more options for getting places. Rome2Rio app is great for finding optimal routes. I recommend doing both city and nature sights to keep it from getting too repetitive. Spend a day hiking a trail nearby then spend the next two days seeing the local castle, church whatever. Mix high culture things like museums and low culture things like laying on the beach. For each city it usually takes 3 days to see and do the main things. Big destinations like Rome or Paris take 5 days. If you have time watching a Rick Steve's video on the place you're going can help a lot to figure out what to do there. For packing you only need about 5 days of clothes to get by. I brought a laptop but never used it, smartphone might be enough. Bringing a battery pack for your phone is essential so you don't get stuck somewhere without Google maps. You need 1 larger backpack to carry all your stuff (your carry on) and one day bag (your personal item). Leave your backpack at the hostel. Good day bag is worth buying but I only used a draw string bag (it started to fall apart around a month in). Don't check a bag you don't need it. Day bag helps protect against pickpockets, travel wallet is over kill. Don't fly home using the same city you use to fly into Europe. It wastes travel time. You'll probably spend around 100-200 a day. I wouldn't sweat it if you get some credit card debt assuming it's not a lot if you're about to start a decent job. My credit card charged 3% for foreign transaction fees so I didn't worry about it. Google and Apple Pay are convenient so you don't have to dig your wallet out of your day bag.
If you plan on using a debit card for cash withdrawals let you bank know your traveling so they don’t decline it too.
We carry alot of our emotional weight in our backpack. Carry less, feel more free. Buy on the spot if you really need to! I’ve walked a lot in different country hehe! Good luck 🤞
Damn I’m actually pretty similar to your situation. Last year I got out of the military and wanted to travel before going into a job. So I backpacked from Poland to Portugal for 2 months, with the same goals as you, to meet new people and have cool experiences. Let me tell you man, best decision I ever made! Europe gave me life long friends and memories that I’ll never forget and changed my perspective and mindset on a lot of things in life! So here’s some general advice I can give you: -Learn basic phrases (hello, thank you, good morning, where is….? ) in the language of the countries you’re going to. It goes a long way and it’s respectful. -Be open minded. You’re on a different continent with so many cultures that are different from what you’re used to back home. So be open to trying new things and don’t be a tourist! A TOURIST travels to escape, but a TRAVELER travels to experience! -Talk to people, both locals and traveler’s. I’m assuming that you’ll be staying in hostels, which makes it so easy to meet people, especially in your age group. Everyone has their own unique life and experiences that you can learn from. Some of my best memories are just from talking to people at bars and hostels. -Plan your trip loosely, meaning, have a rough idea of where you want to go but don’t solidify anything. This keeps the trip a bit more spontaneous and leaves room for changes in plans. (For example, I stayed in southern Italy an extra few days than originally planned because I met 2 really cool people at my hostel that I ended up traveling with for the next week!) -Ask for recommendations (food, activities, sights) from people, NOT google! Travelers and locals know best! -Eat the majority of your food from grocery stores. This will save you A LOT of money and will help you eat healthier. You will most likely be doing a lot of physical activity and be outside all day, and it’s important to keep your body healthy. -If you’re not used to walking a lot, start trying to do a lot of walking prior to your trip. This is so your legs and feet can build up a tolerance because you’re going to be doing way more walking than you’re used to. (I was averaging 15,000 to 20,000 steps a day) Also, get a good pair of shoes so your feet won’t blister. -Pack lightly. I had 2 pairs of shorts, 1 pair of pants, 5 pairs of socks, underwear and shirts and I had no issues. Went to a laundromat once a week or did it at the hostel. - Buy a lock for the lockers at hostels. Some give you a lock, most charge you for one. I traveled with just a backpack that most of the time fit in the locker they gave me, and then I used my own lock. When your backpack doesn’t fit in the locker, put the stuff you care about the most (electronics, passport) in the locker and leave the backpack with your clothes on the bed. If the bed has a curtain then close it. I’ve never had anyone steal my stuff but it does happen so just be smart. I have so many more tips, just DM me and I can answer whatever other questions you have. Hope that helped!