An Adventurous Summer in Europe Doesn’t Have to Cost a Fortune

As a full-time teacher, I start counting down to summer break every May.

This year, the countdown had a bigger prize waiting at the end: a three-week summer in Europe itinerary.

My husband and I spent twenty-five days traveling through Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Malta, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.

We rode camels on a beach in Morocco, ate our fill of gelato in Italy, cruised through the Rhine Gorge, crossed Switzerland by panoramic train and historic steamboat, and finished our adventure wandering Amsterdam’s canals.

The best part?

We enjoyed luxurious stays and fancy dinners, but we didn’t have to book luxury hotels every night or Yelp for the best restaurants.

Instead, we combined three types of travel that work surprisingly well together:

• An ocean cruise
• Switzerland’s incredible rail system
• A Rhine River cruise

The result was an unforgettable summer in Europe that balanced bucket-list experiences with practical budgeting.

Whether you’re a teacher with summers off or simply planning an extended vacation, here’s exactly how we did it, and how you can create your own 3 week Europe itinerary.

Why Our Itinerary Worked So Well

One of the biggest challenges of planning Europe is logistics.

Flying to Europe is always one of the biggest expenses, so it makes sense to stay for an extended period and see as much as possible.

Our itinerary allowed us to see nine countries and included two cruises, which saved us money in the long run since hotel costs can add up quickly.

Changing hotels every other night also gets exhausting, and driving throughout Europe isn’t always practical.

This is the reason cruises work so well for a trip like this: the ship travels while you sleep, and you wake up somewhere new without losing a single daylight hour to transit.

We let the ships do much of the traveling while we slept.

Our 25-Day Summer in Europe Itinerary

Part One: 11-Night Ocean Cruise, Holland America Oosterdam Beginning with 2 Nights in Portugal

• Lisbon, Portugal – stayed 2 nights at the InterContinental Hotel and toured the city on the Lisbon Private Highlights Tuktuk Tour and explored Sintra on this Private Local Sintra Tour of Palaces & the Coast
• Tangier, Morocco – private tour: Cap Spartel, a camel ride, Hercules Caves
• Valencia, Spain – wine tour in Requena, Spain, included with our cruise
• Valletta, Malta – 2 full days: the Three Cities by gondola, sunset cocktails in Mdina, a Malta Private Boat Tour of Gozo, Comino, and the Blue Lagoon Crystal lagoon, a stop at Popeye Village
• Messina, Italy
• Salerno, Italy with a private tour of the Amalfi Coast: Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento
• Rome – a VIP Best of Rome in 1 Day Guided Sightseeing Tour

Part Two: The In-Between: Trains, a Lake, and a Swiss Detour

• Train from Rome to Milan, then on to Como for the night at Hotel Albergo Firenze
• Private boat tour to Varenna and Bellagio on Lake Como
• Regional train to Lugano
• The Gotthard Panorama Express (part train, part boat) to Lucerne
• A night in Lucerne at Hotel des Alpes, with a day trip up the Stanserhorn

Part Three: River Cruise, Avalon View, from Basel

• Strasbourg, France walking tour
• Colmar and the Alsace wine region
• Several ports through Germany, including Cologne, Heidelberg, and Frieberg
• Two nights in Amsterdam to close out the trip, including a canal cruise and a windmill tour

The Secret to a Long Europe Itinerary

On a trip this long, your two biggest daily expenses are always going to be where you sleep and what you eat.

On both of our ships, those were already paid for. Every night was a room that came with the fare. Every breakfast, lunch, and dinner was covered too, from casual buffets to full sit-down dinners.

Compare that to booking a dozen different hotels and eating out three times a day for three weeks straight.

The cost adds up fast, and so does the planning.

Part One: Mediterranean Cruise

Beginning the trip with a Holland America Line Mediterranean cruise was one of the smartest decisions we made.

Instead of worrying about trains, airport transfers, or checking into new hotels every day, we unpacked once and woke up somewhere new almost every morning.

We visited some fabulous destinations, including the Amalfi Coast and Rome, but these are some of the highlights:

Lisbon, Portugal

We arrived in Portugal via Frankfurt two days early to adjust to the time difference.

One of my favorite ways to explore a new town is to take a city tour. We chose the Lisbon city tour on a tuktuk.

Our guide took us to some of the most scenic spots, and we didn’t have to worry about the hills.

Tangier, Morocco

Visiting Tangier, Morocco ended up being one of the biggest surprises of our trip.

Our Tangier Get Your Guide excursion included:

• Riding camels on Achakkar Beach
• Visiting Cap Spartel where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean
• Exploring Hercules Cave
• An English-speaking guide

If you asked me today what memory stands out the most, it’s probably riding a camel with the Atlantic Ocean behind us.

Valleta, Malta

Malta completely exceeded my expectations. Prior to this trip, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you where Malta was located. Now, I can’t wait to return.

The highlight was taking a boat to the famous Blue Lagoon, where the water looked almost unreal.

Between Valletta’s historic streets and the stunning coastline, Malta quickly became one of my favorite stops.

Multiple Italian Cities

Originally, our itinerary included Cádiz, Spain.

Instead, our cruise itinerary changed, and we visited Messina, Sicily, where we explored on our own and ate the best Italian food.

Sometimes unexpected itinerary changes turn into memorable experiences.

Salerno was our second Italian port, allowing us time to explore the uncomparable Amalfi Coast.

Finally, we docked in Rome for two nights.

We booked the most comprehensive tour of Rome from the cruise port in Civitavecchia. I can honestly say we saw more on this one day tour than what we saw in four days on our previous visit.

Part Two: Lake Como, Italy and Lucerne, Switzerland

At the conclusion of our Mediterranean cruise, we continued to Milan and northern Italy by train.

The train system in Italy and Switzerland is quite impressive and super easy to navigate.

They also offer some of the most scenic views.

Lake Como, Italy

Visiting Lake Como has been on my bucket list for years, so I knew that I wanted to add a visit to this part of Italy to this summer in Europe itinerary.

Since I knew our visit would be brief, we stayed in a prime location in Como.

Our hotel, Albergo Firenze, was within walking distance of the train station, near many restaurants, and a block away from the lake.

We didn’t get to stay as long as I had wished, but nonetheless, I loved exploring Como, Bellagio, and Varenna.

To maximize our time, we booked a boat day trip to the more popular areas on Lake Como. Because of Como’s location in relation to Bellagio and Varenna, a speed boat gets you there faster, but it will be bumpy.

This was definitely not the most budget-friendly experience, but when you’re not in a location for long, sometimes the splurge is worth it.

Riding the Gotthard Panorama Express

After leaving Italy, our trip continued on to Switzerland.

Lake Como and Lugano, Switzerland are surprisingly close, connected by a short train trip on a regional train.

Once in Lugano, we took the most panoramic train trip on the Gotthard Panorama Express. If I had to recommend one train journey in Europe, this would be it.

The experience combines a first-class panoramic train along the historic Gotthard route, followed by a paddle steamer float across Lake Lucerne.

Watching waterfalls, alpine villages, lakes, and mountains pass outside the windows felt like traveling through a postcard.

It isn’t the fastest route, but it is the most memorable.

Lucerne: My Favorite City in Switzerland

Lucerne instantly became one of my favorite European cities.

Everything we wanted to see was within walking distance of our riverfront hotel, Hotel des Alpes. The scenery was breathtaking and the atmosphere was upscale but relaxed.

Switzerland was easily the most expensive country we visited, but there were several things that helped us save money.

We booked a hotel that was within walking distance of the boat/ferry ramp and train station, allowing us to get around on foot. The Lucerne saver pass offered by our hotel also provided discounts.

Another way that we saved money in Switzerland was to buy groceries for lunch and dinner at the Coops grocery store.

And finally, we prioritized free scenic experiences, such as visiting the Chapel Bridge, walking to the lion monument, and exploring the Jesuit church.

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Part Three: A Romantic Rhine River Cruise

The final section of our trip was a seven-night Rhine River cruise from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The river cruise offered a completely different pace from the Mediterranean cruise.

Instead of large ports, we explored charming towns, vineyards, and castles.

We stopped in fairytale cities like Strasbourg and Colmar, tasted wine in the Alsace region, and wandered through historic streets and castles in Freiburg, Heidelberg, and Cologne.

Every day felt relaxed, with nothing to worry about except where to sit to enjoy the beautiful scenery drifting by.

Amsterdam was the perfect ending, summing it all up with a guided canal cruise, windmills, cheese tasting, and historic streets.

It provided one last taste of Europe before heading home.

How To Keep Your Trip Affordable

People often assume a month in Europe costs tens of thousands of dollars.

It certainly can, but we spent a little less than $5200 per person for a twenty-five night vacation.

There are several strategies that helped us stretch our budget without sacrificing experiences.

• Use sites like skyscanner.com and Google flights to find low price airfare. Be flexible with which European city you begin your itinerary.
• Book value packed cruises, looking for special promotions and loyalty offers from cruise lines.
• Travel with points whenever possible. Using credit card points and bonus point rewards helped us to offset many hotel costs.
• Book rail travel early to save money.

Would I Change Anything?

I would change very little about our itinerary, simply because it allowed us to see a ton of places while saving money on food and accommodations.

Of course, an extra day in Lucerne and another night in Amsterdam would have been dreamy, but otherwise, this itinerary flowed beautifully.

Each section offered something completely different:

• Coastal Mediterranean cities
• Alpine Switzerland
• Historic river towns

The variety kept the entire trip exciting from beginning to end.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is three weeks enough for Europe?

Yes. Three weeks gives you enough time to combine several countries without feeling rushed. If you have a little more flexibility, extending your trip to about 24 days creates an even more relaxed pace.

How much does a 3 week Europe itinerary cost?

Costs vary widely depending on flights, accommodations, and travel style. Using cruise promotions, travel rewards, and rail travel can significantly reduce your overall expenses compared with booking hotels and flights separately.

Is Switzerland worth visiting even though it’s expensive?

Absolutely. Switzerland was the most expensive stop on our trip, but the scenery alone made it worthwhile. Careful planning can help offset some of the higher costs.

Is combining an ocean cruise and river cruise a good idea?

It turned out to be one of our favorite travel combinations. The ocean cruise covered long distances and multiple countries, while the river cruise offered slower travel through charming towns and scenic landscapes.

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