Julie Itinerary, Travel Inspiration 267 Comments

Europe is a joy to explore. With world-class cities, medieval towns, historical sites, the snowcapped Alps, gorgeous beaches, and some of the world’s most delicious food, you have the perfect ingredients for your next vacation. If you want to spend 10 days in Europe, we have ten amazing itineraries to share with you. 

In this article we list 10 sample itineraries for how to spend 10 days in Europe. For many of these itineraries, we have a full, detailed version in a separate article. Simply click the link provided to read the full itinerary in a new browser window. 

Ten itineraries can be a lot to choose from. At the end of this article, we give suggestions to help you pick the best Europe itinerary for your traveling style and the season that you plan to visit Europe.

 

10 Days in Europe Itineraries

#1 London & Paris

Two of Europe’s Great Cities

This is a great introduction to Europe. By starting in London, you get your first taste of Europe without a language barrier. Ride the London Eye, tour the Tower of London, explore the amazing British Museum, ride the Underground, and even take the double-decker bus tour through the city. Travel by Chunnel to get to Paris and spend several days exploring this gorgeous city.

London & Paris

Day 1:  Arrive in London
Days 2, 3, 4 & 5:   Explore London, consider a day trip to Bath, Stonehenge, or Windsor Castle
Day 6:  Train to Paris in the morning
Day 7, 8 & 9:  Paris
Day 10:  Fly home

 

London Bridge 10 days in Europe

Tower bridge in London | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

 

Notre Dame 10 days in Europe

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary


#2 Scandinavian Explorer

Copenhagen, Stockholm, & Oslo

Explore three of Scandinavia’s great cities on this Europe itinerary.

Copenhagen, Stockholm & Oslo

Day 1:  Arrive in Copenhagen
Days 2 & 3:  Explore Copenhagen
Day 4:  Fly to Stockholm, explore Stockholm
Days 5 & 6:  Stockholm
Day 7:  Fly to Oslo
Day 8:  Oslo
Day 9:  Norway in a Nutshell
Day 10:  Fly home

Copenhagen is a delight, with its picturesque harbor called Nyhavn. If you are traveling as a family, kids will love Tivoli Gardens, one of the oldest amusement parks in the world.

Nyhavn Harbor 10 days in Europe

Copenhagen | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

Stockholm is one of Europe’s most beautiful cities to visit. Stroll through Gamla Stan, visit City Hall (where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded every year), and take a day cruise through the archipelago.

Stockholm Sweden 10 days in Europe

Stockholm, Sweden | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

Then, hop over to Oslo, Norway. Learn about Vikings, visit a ski jump, and then take the Norway in a Nutshell cruise to sneak a peek at the fjords.

Norway Fjord 10 days in Europe

Norway | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary


#3 A Taste of Italy

Rome, Florence, & Venice

Who doesn’t dream of touring Italy? Ten days is just enough time to get a taste of this country. For first timers to Italy, Rome, Florence and Venice typically top the “must-see” list. With 10 days, you have enough time to visit these three cities and add in another spectacular destination, the coastal towns of the Cinque Terre.

A Taste of Italy

Day 1: Arrive in Rome
Day 2: Rome
Day 3: Florence
Day 4: Florence
Day 5: Tuscany
Day 6: Cinque Terre
Day 7: Cinque Terre
Day 8: Venice
Day 9: Venice
Day 10: Fly home

This is a fast-paced itinerary. In order to visit all of these places, your days will be long and busy, but wonderful days they will be.

Marvel at the Colosseum in Rome, tour the Vatican, visit the art museums in Florence, day trip into Tuscany, stroll through the colorful towns of the Cinque Terre, explore the canals of Venice, drink the wine, eat the food, and save room for gelato. 

If you are planning your first trip to Europe, this is one of the best itineraries on this list, since it covers so many iconic European sights.

Rome Sunset

Rome | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

 

San Gimigano Tuscany

San Gimignano in Tuscany | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

 Florence Italy

Florence | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

 

Grand Canal of Venice

Venice | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

This is just one of many ways to plan a trip to Italy. For more ideas, we have an article with five ways to spend 10 days in Italy, with 10-day itineraries and travel planning advice. For more information about things to do in Italy, visit our Italy Travel Guide.


#4 Amsterdam, Brussels, & Paris

On this Europe itinerary, three cities are connected with short train rides. Travel time is low which means you have plenty of time to explore these three cities. If you are planning to travel to Europe in April, this itinerary gets our vote. In April, the bulbs are blooming in The Netherlands and it is a sight to see!

Keukenhof 10 days in Europe

Keukenhof, the Netherlands in April

Amsterdam, Brussels & Paris

Day 1:  Arrive in Amsterdam
Day 2:  Amsterdam
Day 3:  Day Trip in the Netherlands
Day 4:  Amsterdam with an afternoon train to Brussels
Day 5:  Brussels
Day 6:  Bruges and Ghent
Day 7, 8, & 9:   Paris
Day 10:  Fly Home

Amsterdam Itinerary 10 days in Europe

Walk, cruise, or cycle along the canals in Amsterdam.

 

Ghent Itinerary

Get a bird’s eye view over Ghent, Belgium.

 

Louvre Paris

Visit the Louvre in Paris | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

Read more about Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris:

#5 Coastal Explorer

Barcelona & the French Riviera

On this itinerary, tour one of Europe’s great cities and then explore the glitzy, gorgeous French Riviera. Dine on gourmet cuisine, drink fine wines, relax on the beach, and get a taste of the good life. This is a great way to spend 10 days in Europe.

Barcelona & the French Riviera

Day 1:  Arrive in Barcelona
Days 2, 3, 4, & 5:  Barcelona plus day trips
Day 6:   Travel to Nice, France
Day 7, 8, & 9:  French Riviera
Day 10:  Fly home

Barcelona is a big city with a lot to do. For the best experience, plan on spending at least three days here. There are also great day trips you can take from Barcelona, such as visiting Montserrat, Girona, Costa Brava, and Tarragona.

Barcelona Spain

Barcelona | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

In the French Riviera, Nice is a great city to make your home base. From Nice, you can easily get to the other coastal cities, such as Cannes, Antibes, Monaco, and Villefranche-sur-Mer by train. Or, if you want, rent a car, which gives you more freedom and a chance to hit some of the hillside towns. Nice has an international airport, convenient for your flight home.

Villefranche

Villefranche-sur-Mer | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary


#6 Iceland Ring Road Itinerary

A road trip on the Ring Road is one of Iceland’s best experiences. Not only do you get to visit Reykjavík, the Golden Circle, and highlights along the south coast, but you also get to travel to north and east Iceland, where the landscapes are no less beautiful but much less crowded.

The Ring Road the main road that makes a loop around the entire island. Highlights include the Blue Lagoon, Skogafoss waterfall, whale watching, the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Myvatn, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, and a glacier walk.

The best time for this itinerary is from June through September when the days are long, the weather is stable, and the roads are free from snow. If you are looking for a great summertime destination, this is one of our top picks.

Iceland Ring Road Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Iceland, Blue Lagoon
Day 2:  Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Day 3:  North Iceland
Day 4:  Whale watching and Godafoss
Day 5:  Myvatn, Dettifoss, and Selfoss
Day 6:  East Iceland
Day 7:  Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Glacier Walk
Day 8:  South Coast sights
Day 9:  Golden Circle
Day 10:  Reykjavik

 

Kirkjufell Europe Itinerary

Kirkjufell on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

 

Europe Itinerary Glacier Walk

Walking on Vatnajökull Glacier | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

 

Reykjavik Europe Itinerary

Reykjavík | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary


#7 Central Europe

Budapest, Vienna & Prague

For those who want to tour three of Europe’s great cities, this central Europe itinerary is perfect. Start with Budapest, a gorgeous city known for its thermal baths, unique architecture, and stunning setting along the Danube River. Next, travel to Vienna, a sophisticated city rich in history and culture. End with Prague, the most beautiful of the three cities (in our opinion), laced with Gothic architecture that remained unharmed during World War II. 

This is one of our most popular itineraries and a wonderful way to spend 10 days in Europe.

Central Europe Itinerary

Day 1:  Arrive in Budapest
Day 2 & 3:  Budapest
Day 4: Travel to Vienna
Day 5 & 6:  Vienna
Day 7:  Travel to Prague
Day 8 & 9:  Prague
Day 10:  Fly home

READ THE FULL ITINERARY: 10 Days in Budapest, Vienna & Prague

Budapest 10 Days in Europe

Budapest | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

 

Prague Europe Itinerary

Prague | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary


#8 Northern Norway & the Lofoten Islands

The islands of northern Norway are the perfect destination if you enjoy hiking, scenic drives, and jaw-dropping landscapes. On this northern Norway itinerary, road trip from Tromsø down through Senja and the Vesteralen Islands, ending with several magical days in the Lofoten Islands.

This is one of our favorite 10 day trips of all time. Every single day here amazed us. The landscapes, the adorable fishing villages, the epic hiking trails…you are in for a treat.

Northern Norway Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Tromsø
Day 2: Tromsø
Day 3: Sommarøy
Day 4: Senja
Day 5: Vesteralen Islands
Day 6, 7, 8, 9: Lofoten Islands
Day 10: Fly home

Sommaroy 10 days in Europe

Sommarøy | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

 

Vesteralen Europe Itinerary

Hiking in the Vesteralen Islands

 

Lofoten Islands 10 Days in Europe

Hamnøy, Lofoten Islands


#9 Northern Italy and Switzerland

On this itinerary, explore the mighty Alps. Start in Venice and from here, go hiking in the Dolomites or explore the city of Verona. From Milan, day trip to beautiful Bellagio located on Lake Como. Ride the Bernina Express, one of the most beautiful train rides in the world, across the Alps to Lucerne. Your  trip ends with several days in the Bernese Oberland, a fairytale world of mountain villages, scenic cable car rides, and high alpine vistas.

Northern Italy and Switzerland Itinerary

Day 1 & 2:  Venice
Day 3:  Dolomites or Verona
Day 4:  Lake Como
Day 5:  Bernina Express to Lucerne
Day 6:  Lucerne
Day 7, 8 & 9:  Bernese Oberland
Day 10:  Fly home

Spend your first two days in Venice. Cruise the canals, visit St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doges Palace, and explore the scenic side streets.

On day 3, take your pick between hiking and exploring another Italian city. The Dolomites are a breathtaking area to go hiking and this region is one of our favorite outdoor escapes in the world. From Venice, rent a car for the day, go for a hike, and return your car once you get to Milan.

Dolomites Europe Itinerary

Hiking the Puez Odle Altopiano

If hiking is not your thing, take the train to Verona and spend the day exploring this very pretty city. At the end of the day, continue on to Milan by train.

Verona 10 days in Europe

Verona | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

 

On day 4, spend the day touring Lake Como on a day trip from Milan.

Lake Como Europe Itinerary

Bellagio | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

On day 5, ride the Bernina Express to Lucerne. It’s a long travel day by train but this railway is hailed as being one of the most spectacular train journeys in Europe. To do this, you will take the train from Milan to Tirano, ride the Bernina Express to Chur, and take a third train to Lucerne. The Man in Seat 61 has an excellent article about how to do this.

On day 6, spend the day in Lucerne. You also have the option to add on the trip up Mt. Pilatus or Titlis.

Finally, spend three wonderful days in the Jungfrau region of the Bernese Oberland. This area is so quintessentially Swiss, an alpine wonderland with Swiss chalets, alpine meadows, cable cars, mountain villages, and rustic farms.

Switzerland Europe Itinerary

On day 10, fly home from Zürich or Geneva.


#10 Best of Greece

Athens, Mykonos, Naxos & Santorini

Visit three beautiful Greek islands and the city of Athens. Start in Santorini, a volcanic island that is dotted with picture-perfect villages and is famous for its legendary sunsets. Next, travel to Naxos, a quieter, greener island that is easier on the wallet and an unexpected surprise for many travelers. Spend a day in Mykonos, exploring wonderful little Mykonos town and relaxing on the beach. Finally, tour the city of Athens and get one of the best history lessons in Europe.

For those who want a mix of history, island hopping, and some beach time on one trip, this itinerary is the best way to spend 10 days in Europe.

Best of Greece

Day 1: Arrive in Athens, fly to Santorini
Day 2, 3, 4: Santorini
Day 5 & 6: Naxos
Day 7: Mykonos
Day 8 & 9: Athens
Day 10: Fly Home

Santorini 10 days in Europe

Santorini | 10 Days in Europe Itinerary

 

Athens 10 days in Europe

The Acropolis in Athens


Need Help Picking the Perfect Europe Itinerary?

Here are our recommendations for how to spend 10 days in Europe, based on season and traveling style.

By Traveling Style

If this is your first time in Europe, the London Paris itinerary is a great first-timer’s itinerary. With just two cities, you don’t have to put much time into train reservations and hotel reservations. Plus, London and Paris are amazing and you have a lot of time with this itinerary to immerse yourself in both cities. The Taste of Italy itinerary is also a great way to spend 10 days in Europe if this is your first trip.

If you like cities, history, and culture,our London Paris itinerary, Central Europe itinerary, Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary, and Copenhagen Stockholm Oslo itinerary are great options.

For those who love hiking and the outdoors, our top picks are the Northern Norway itinerary and the Iceland Ring Road itinerary.

If you want to visit some beautiful beaches and islands, our Greece itinerary and the Barcelona French Riviera itinerary should be at the top of your list.

If you are traveling with kids, the London Paris itinerary is great. This was Tyler and Kara’s first experience in Europe and they loved it (they were 8 and 9 years old). It’s a nice mix of history and iconic sights. Plus, you only need two hotels, so there is very little moving around and packing and unpacking on this itinerary. Other great picks for kids are the Northern Italy and Switzerland itinerary, the Northern Norway itinerary, and the Iceland Ring Road itinerary.

By Season

Summer (June, July & August)

All of these work great in the summer. This is the busiest time to visit Europe, so expect big crowds and make sure that you make your hotel reservations far in advance.

This is the best time to do the Iceland Ring Road itinerary. The days are long and the roads are free of snow.

This is also the best time to do the Northern Italy and Switzerland itinerary, if you plan to hike in the Dolomites and the Bernese Oberland.

The summer is also one of the best times to visit northern Norway. The days are long, so long that you can easily see the midnight sun in June and July.

Autumn (September, October & November)

In autumn, crowds tend to lessen, but places like Italy, Paris, and Barcelona can still be very crowded until the calendar flips to November.

You can drive the Ring Road in the fall, just be prepared for snowy conditions and the possibility that the roads could close due to snowfall. In late September, it is also possible to see the Northern Lights in Iceland.

Winter (December, January & February)

If you are traveling in December, it will be cold, but the Central Europe itinerary makes a nice pick, and just before Christmas you can visit the Christmas markets.

Our London Paris itinerary, Taste of Italy itinerary, and Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary can all be done during the winter months.

I don’t recommend Greece, Iceland, or the French Riviera this time of year. You can visit northern Norway, just be prepared to drive on snow-covered roads.

Spring (March, April & May)

This is another great time to visit Europe. It’s shoulder season, so it’s less crowded and cheaper than the summer months.

In April and May, the bulbs are blooming in the Netherlands, making this the best time for the Amsterdam Brussels Paris itinerary. This is also a great time to visit London and Paris and Central Europe.

In May, temperatures are warming up and crowds aren’t crazy yet, making this a great time to visit Barcelona, the French Riviera, Greece, and Italy.


Are You Designing a Custom Europe Itinerary?

These itineraries make a great starting point for designing your own custom Europe itinerary. For more tips and tricks to help you plan the perfect itinerary, consider reading this article:

7 Things to Know when Planning Your First Trip to Europe

If you don’t have a full 10 days, there are still many ways to put together a Europe itinerary with less time. With one week in Europe you can still see and do a lot…in fact, we have 25 great ideas for you. 

If you have questions about picking out the best Europe itinerary, or if you need help making modifications to the itineraries we listed above, let us know in the comment section at the end of this post. 


More European Itineraries

There are endless ways to piece together a 10 day Europe itinerary and these are just several of our recommendations. However, if you need even more ideas about how to spend 10 days in Europe, check these out:

10 Day Bavaria Itinerary

10 Day Norway Itinerary: Road Trip through the Fjords

10 Day Scotland Itinerary: Edinburgh, Glasgow & the Isle of Skye

10 Days in Portugal: 5 Ways to Plan Your Trip

10 Days in Poland: Gdansk, Warsaw & Krakow

10 Days in Slovenia: The Perfect Itinerary for Your First Visit

 

For more travel ideas, visit our Travel Itineraries page. On this page we have detailed itineraries for Africa, Asia, Oceania, North and South America, and Europe.

 

10 Day Europe Itinerary

 

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Comments 267

  1. Avatar for Nancy
    Nancy

    Hi Julie, very nice post with all little details. We r family of four and planning to take 8-10 days europe tour in spring 2024. I liked ur Amsterdam-Brussels-Paris itinerary but we have done Paris in summer 2023 only, so don’t want to go Paris again. Can u suggest another place which we can cover along with Amsterdam and Brussels.

    1. Avatar for Tim
      Tim

      Hi Nancy, London would be a great city to combine with Amsterdam and Brussels. And it is easy to get between all three destinations via train/chunnel. Thanks Tim

  2. Avatar for Amanda De oliveira
    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
  3. Avatar for Jackie Verry
    Jackie Verry

    Love this post! Just what i need in planning my future trips. I am planning for our 2024 Euro trip hopefully, this hasn’t been agreed by my husband yet but still I’m planning LOL.
    I’m thinking about 13-15 days around April or May and or around October. I would love to do London, Paris, Switzerland and Italy, but after reading your post i guess i can cut it down to Paris Switzerland and Italy. I am just torn, too many places i want to go to in just 2 weeks. I am hoping i can spend at least 2 days in London, 2 days in Switzerland and 3 days on Paris and Italy, or 3days for each country. If you can give me your tips and advice or revise my itinerary for this trip that would be so much appreciated! Thank you!

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
      Julie

      Hello Jackie. Both time frames you have listed work well for the destinations that you list, with the exception of some parts of Switzerland, where the cable cars close for maintenance (usually in May and October but you could work around that). I recommend more than 2 days for London since there is so much to do. Four days is a good amount of time and a good starting point, since they speak English. From London you can travel to Paris by train and spend three days in Paris. That uses your first week. With your second week, choose between Switzerland and Italy. With Switzerland, you could do Zurich, Lucerne, and the Jungfrau area. If you pick Italy, you could do a whirlwind trip to Rome, Florence and Venice in one week, or slow it down and just do Rome, Florence, and Tuscany. In May and October, Italy is a better pick since the weather is good and in Switzerland some of the cable cars in the Jungfrau region won’t be running. Let me know if you have any other questions. Cheers, Julie

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