One week in Europe: How to make the most of your PTO
Going to Europe doesn’t require two weeks or a complicated planning spreadsheet. One well-designed week is enough—and guided travel makes it easy.
You’ve been wanting to go to Europe, but PTO is limited, planning feels overwhelming, and somewhere along the way you convinced yourself that a real Europe trip requires two weeks minimum. It doesn’t. Whether you’re dreaming of the perfect first-time-in-Europe itinerary or you want to return somewhere familiar, when the itinerary is expertly designed and the logistics are handled for you, one week in Europe is enough to eat well, see iconic places, and come home feeling like you got your week’s worth in your dream destination.
Why one week in Europe is the sweet spot
Europe is compact and well-connected, allowing travelers with one week of PTO to see and do a lot. You can even choose how to enjoy a one-week trip in Europe: unpacking once and settling into your dream city, or moving around on a weeklong Multi-City Tour. One well-paced week in Europe delivers more than most people expect. Here’s why spending one week in Europe isn’t a compromise, but the sweet spot for first-time and returning travelers alike.
You can use your time efficiently
Many overnight flights arrive the following morning, and major European airports often offer convenient transportation into the city. Choosing a compact, well-connected destination can also help you make better use of your time.
You can experience a lot within a small radius
In Rome, world-class art, ancient ruins, and great food share the same city blocks. In Greece, history and caldera sunsets fill the same afternoon. (Those are just some of the reasons why these spots rank on our list of the 10 best places to visit in Europe.) Across Europe, many destinations place major cultural, culinary, and scenic highlights within easy reach.
You can set a just-right pace
When you go guided with our local experts, seven days on the ground in your destination is long enough to cover a lot of ground, see the things you want to see, eat the things you want to eat, and feel truly immersed in local culture—while keeping the itinerary thoughtfully paced.
You won’t run out of energy after one week in Europe
A well-paced week in Europe keeps you present throughout—absorbing, tasting, exploring. You won’t be powering through the last few days. You’ll still be taking it all in, right up until departure.
A one-week trip can be easier to budget for
When you go guided with us, your hotels, on-tour transportation, breakfasts, select other meals and tastings, and a variety of activities are included in the cost of your tour. (We can book your flights for you, too.) To plan the rest of your one-week-in-Europe budget, consider meals you’ll have on your own, optional excursions, tips, travel insurance, and spending money.
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How does guided travel help you see Europe in one week?
Guided travel removes the need for time-consuming (and overwhelming) planning—finding hotels, booking the right trains, deciding on the right experiences—and allows you to spend one week in Europe with every detail taken care of.
Going guided removes planning stress
When you choose guided Europe travel, you won’t have to go down research rabbit holes or decipher transit schedules. We handle logistics so you arrive with nothing to figure out and everything to look forward to.
It maximizes your PTO
Every day on a guided tour is intentional—no lost mornings or wasted afternoons. The itinerary fits the most meaningful experiences into each day, so your week feels full, not frantic.
You’ll benefit from readily available expertise
Your Tour Director and local guides will tell you what no travel app can—like where locals really eat, and the context that makes every site more meaningful.
Efficiency is built in
Hotels are handpicked for you. Transportation between cities is arranged. We can even book your flights and arrange your airport transfers for the start and end of your tour. The time you’d have spent researching all of that becomes time you spend actually being in Europe, which is the whole point.
Whether you’re spending one week in Europe in October or June, our thoughtfully planned itineraries help you make the most of your trip.
What one week in Europe actually looks like on a guided tour
Sometimes the easiest way to picture a trip is to see what a week actually looks like—city by city, day by day. Here are three of our favorite one-week Europe tours, each built to deliver a full experience in seven well-designed days on the ground in your destination. One of them might just be the trip you’ve been putting off.
A Week in Italy: Venice, Florence & Rome
With Venice’s canals, Florence’s art, and Rome’s ancient layers on the agenda, our A Week in Italy: Venice, Florence & Rome tour is the perfect one-week Italy itinerary for first-timers who want to experience the classics—and go beyond the surface, too.
A Week in Switzerland: Lake Geneva, Swiss Alps & Ticino
Our A Week in Switzerland: Lake Geneva, Swiss Alps & Ticino tour weaves together French-accented Lake Geneva, Alpine peaks, and Italian-influenced Ticino. This is a scenic one-week Europe itinerary for travelers who want to experience Switzerland’s lakes, Alpine landscapes, and distinct regional cultures.
A Week in Greece: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini
Ancient Athens, whitewashed Mykonos, and iconic Santorini sunsets—our A Week in Greece: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini tour hits Greece’s iconic trio at a pace that actually lets you breathe. It’s equal parts epic and relaxed.
Ready to put your PTO to use and spend a week in Europe? Pick your perfect one-week trip: Go deep in one city or explore a whole region.
FAQs
A devoted aisle seat-sitter, Lindsay first traveled overseas—to Italy and Greece—with EF as a high school sophomore. Since then, she’s visited nearly 60 countries on six continents (one of these days, Antarctica!). When she’s not in the office (or on the road), she’s probably cooking up a new plant-based recipe or biking on a local rail trail.
