Planning and epic vacation in Europe this Fall? Cannot decide where to go and what to see? I got you! Read my 4 weeks travel plan to make your trip to Europe in November truly epic! Assuming you’ll fly from the US or from Australia, I recommend you fly to London. Why to London? Because it’s a major hub and there are plenty of flight options available, from London you get to any place in Europe and London itself is on our plan! So without further due, let’s have a look at the travel plan to Europe in November!
Travel Plan to Europe in November includes:
- London – 2 nights
- Amsterdam – 2 nights
- Berlin – 2 nights
- Warsaw – 2 nights
- Budapest – 2 nights
- Paris – 3 nights
- Nice and Monaco – 3 nights
- Madrid – 2 nights
- Barcelona – 2 night
- Lisbon – 3 nights
- Sicily – 4 nights
- Back to London for 1 night before flying back home
Lets’ start our visit to Europe in November from London for 2 nights
You will arrive in London most likely in the morning or early afternoon so before you go out explore the City, you will check in your hotel, drop the luggage and maybe take a short nap and refresh – don’t know about you but for me, if I am flying east, I always need a nap due to time difference. After the nap and wash up, we go to explore the city’s evening food and entertainment. London is famous for cuisines from all around the world and at a very good quality. Depending on where your hotel is, you might go to a different part of town but let’s assume you’ll stay somewhere in Central London. We can go to Soho for a nice dinner and do some evening-time people watching to see how London’s night life looks like (and don’t worry about the day of the week, nigh life happens in London all week round). Soho if the entertainment capital of all London’s neighborhoods and everybody will be able to something of their liking here. You have plenty of restaurants, bars, theaters and many more. The best streets to check out in Soho are: Soho Square, Carnaby Street and Greek Street. Just walk along the streets and find the place you like – there is plenty to choose from. Also Soho has a unique atmosphere – ideal for your first encounter with London – let’s start big, am I right? You will have a great time here, guaranteed!
Next day, we have a full day in London so we will go to Westminster and to see the British Museum, To move around London, we will use the underground (the tube as they call it) – ticket machines are available at all stations and the tube is really the best way to move around the city. You could switch from the tube to London’s double-decker city bus – also great way to move around, just a bit slower than the tube – up to you. Ideally if you have a day pass or oyster card to be able to move freely. British Museum, if you are into the history and the art, you can easily spend the whole day. We assume about 4 hours, before we go to lunch. British Museum has all the artifacts you can imagine. It is probably one of the biggest and most valuable collection in the whole world. Especially if you’re interested in Egypt you will enjoy The British Museum very much! As they say themselves – they “bring under one roof the cultures of the world” which is a polite way of saying that The British Museum has it all. They have about 8 million objects. Architecture of the building is also interesting! Easily you can spend the whole day there!
After the British Museum, we will have a late lunch and then go to Westminster, to see the most iconic and historic part of London. Even if you don’t go inside, the walk around will let you feel the historical significance of this place. Off course when in London, you should see the Tower Bridge and Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament. In my opinion, a walk around is more than enough. After spending the whole day on foot, it’s time for a nice dinner – maybe this time let’s try something in Mayfair – fancy! The next day, we will have a breakfast at the hotel, do some shopping on Bond Street or Oxford Street – I really like Selfridges on Oxford Street. Plenty of designers, also local and everybody can find something for them – a bit like Nordstrom but with the British touch! In the afternoon we will go to St. Pancras International Train Station, to catch our train to Amsterdam. Eurostar train takes just under 4 hours to get to Amsterdam so there is absolutely no need to go by plane, especially if you were to fly from Heathrow or any of the low cost airports like Stansted or Luton – door to door will be the same time as with Eurostar and the train ride is so much nicer, especially that you will get to experience the Eurotunnel – definitely better to go by train.
We will continue our visit to Europe in November in Amsterdam for 2 nights
Amsterdam is a must see during your Europe in November trip. It’s really unique – there is no other city like Amsterdam in Europe. I have a full guide to best things to see in Amsterdam here. The best way to see Amsterdam is on foot, just wander around the city and it’s beautiful canals and historic houses. Fun fact – when the house were build, in 16th – 18th century, the wider the front, the richer the owner was. So this is the reason why some of those houses are so narrow, and those stairs inside – if you have a chance to go inside a Dutch house, please do and contemplate the stairs, how steep and dangerous they are! The Dutch don’t waste space for staircase! Let’s just wander around Amsterdam for a full day. In terms of food options – despite foods from around the globe being available in Amsterdam, I don’t really (and I say this after 3 years of living here) have favorite restaurants, I find food in The Netherlands tasteless, even if you’re in an expensive place so I recommend just going to a place that looks appealing to you and to keep your expectations at a lower level comparing to London. Amsterdam is all about being yourself, being original and just doing whatever the hell you want to do! This is exactly how we spend the day here. The next day, we have breakfast and head to Amsterdam Central Train Station to catch a train to Berlin. It’s 6 hours but still better than plane, nice views and really comfortable train, and with the chaos at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport nowadays, I choose train!
3rd Stop on Our Trip To Europe in November is Berlin for 2 nights
Berlin is all about “underground”, freedom, being yourself and doing whatever the hell you want to do. But let’s start from the beginning. After arriving in Berlin you’ll be hungry. I recommend you find one of those street food stands that serve Curry Wurst – this is something so much Berlin as it can be. This will sound a bit cliche, but you should definitely start the next day in Berlin from Ku’damm – iconic Berlin street. You should check out the Brandenburg gate and Reichstag building – you can even go inside. After that you should check out Checkpoint Charlie and what’s left from the Berlin Wall – you will learn a lot about the history of the city, especially interesting during the Cold War period. This is another stop where we can do some shopping at KaDeWe – the Europe’s largest department store (although $$$). Berlin is all about the “underground” so in the evening we will try to get into any of the Berlin’s famous clubs. Let’s just go out, have fun and let it all go! Tired after sleepless night and with huge hangover, the next day we will take a plane to Warsaw. This time we will fly as trains are less reliable going east, especially now, where a lot of maintenance and construction work is going on on the Polish side of the boarder.
4th Stop – Warsaw for 2 nights.
Warsaw is one of those cities you either love or hate. There is nothing in-between, at least in my opinion. I personally love Warsaw, I used to live there for many years. For moving around Warsaw we will be using Uber. You can do public transport, but with Uber it will be still relatively cheap and often times faster. Arriving in Warsaw, we will take Uber from airport to our hotel – I truly recommend you stay somewhere Central – within the 5km range from the central train station. It will just make your life a lot easier. So, after arriving to the hotel, we take a nap, a little refresh and off we go! Definitely you should see Palac Kultury i Nauki, which has been “given” to Poland by the former Soviet Union. This Monster building has a lot of controversy to it but somehow, it became a symbol of Warsaw and aa reminder of what never want to happen again. Warsaw’s history is very rich, a lot dramatic events over the centuries happened here. That’s why you should go and see the Museum of Warsaw Uprising. Ted’s Grandparents took part in the uprising – let us know if want to learn more about WWII part of Warsaw’s history! Warsaw is also famous for food. There are hundreds of places with amazing food – from Polish cuisine through Italian, Eastern up to Asian. So let’s grab some delicious food and then let’s have a night out. We can go to a place called (I think this is an unofficial name) “Pawilony”. It’s at the back alley from the main tourist street in Warsaw “Nowy Swiat”. Plenty of small pubs with the best cocktails you have ever tried in your entire life. My personal recommendation is “Long Drink” in a place called “Rozbiegowka” (btw – if I was to translate the name of this place it will something along the line of “starting point” – before you go party further). The next day, we will take it easy and see the Old Town, the Castle and maybe the “Lazienki” gardens. Maybe National Museum as well. And again – in the evening we go out for a nice food and some nice drinks. If you want to go outside Warsaw, there is a small village called “Zalesie Gorne” maybe 30-45 min by car. In this village there is an Italian Restaurant called “Cucina Povera”. In my opinion, and many experts agree, this is the best Italian food you can eat outside of Italy. So I highly recommend to take Uber and go there. You might need to book a table though since this place is becoming really famous. They have Facebook page so they are easy to find. Pro-tip – agree with your Uber driver to pick you up in the evening! After two days of mixing amazing food with history, we head back to the airport and fly to Budapest- our next stop.
Budapest – stop number 5 on our trip to Europe in November
Budapest has something in the air that makes you smile and feel happy, Although the City requires some TLC, and you can clearly see the Soviet past, there is something in the air and something is peoples’ attitude that makes you feel really good in Budapest! The city actually consists of two – Buda and Pest, divided by the river. And there is history on every corner – a bit similar to Warsaw but different because here you have more Austrian influence. You should definitely see the Buda Castle, take a walk long the river and try local food. Budapest has some amazing foods and Hungarian food is different to anything you tried before – just get into of the restaurants with good ratings and you’ll be amazed. I highly recommend a Medieval Restaurant “Sir Lancelot”. You will feel like in a castle and eat amazing Hungarian food – what a great evening! Go for a walk to Hero Square and also take a tram. This ism in my opinion, the most iconic tram line in Europe (maybe competing only with Lisbon but we’ll talk about that later). Tram line number 2 is a must do. You can also climb the Gellert Hill for a panoramic view of the city. Next day we will do Thermal Szechenyi Bath and then wander around town looking for a perfect bar to spend the evening socializing with locals. You will have the best time of your life – guaranteed. Warsaw and Budapest prepared us for the next step of our Europe in November trip – we now take the flight to Paris.
Next stop – Paris as the essence of Europe in November
Paris is unique, beautiful, sometimes also scary, sometimes arrogant and always extremely good looking. This City is a home to fashion and next to it’s history and iconic landscapes, we will focus our attention in Paris on fashion. We will stay in Paris for 3 nights because there is so much to do and to see! Off course we will see the Eiffel Tower. If you’re keen on going up – please do but personally I don’t see what’s the fuzz about. Much better view of the City you can get from Montmartre. Go to the Sacre Coeur, which is at the top of the hill and find your spot on the stair and just sit back, relax and admire Paris. Montmartre is also great spot to wander around. Did you know that there is a small winery there? Extremely expensive and very difficult to buy bottles but the idea of a winery being right there is worth exploring! The next day we will The Louvre – that’s pretty much the whole day. And in the evening we will go to see the show in one of Paris’ famous cabarets. When you feel like you need a break just sit in many Paris’ cafes for a shot of espresso and maybe something sweet. Next day we dedicate to fashion – we will walk along the Champs Elysees and just breath the fashion in. As a bonus, especially if you’re into the Rock Legends type of music, I recommend a trip to Pere Lachaise Commentary where for example Jim Morrison rests in peace. Off course you should also see the Latin Quartier and just wander around the historic streets of this beautiful city. River cruise might also be a good idea. There is so much to do in Paris – maybe you’ll stay for longer? After Paris, we stay in France but we want to do a bit more relaxed activities so we will take the train to the French Riviera – to Nice and Monaco.
Relaxed part of our journey through Europe in November – Nice and Monaco.
Trip from Paris to Niece by train is very comfortable, no need for flying! It’s November so we will not spend time on beach however we will experience the French Riviera lifestyle – in style, chic and always with a big smile! Delicious food and relaxed, enjoying life lifestyle is what French Riviera is all about. We will walk along the promenade, do some shopping is small local boutiques and also visit Monaco. I have a full guide to exploring Monaco available here – I used to live in Monaco for 9 months and this was an amazing time. In November weather should still be ok to enjoy the south of Europe. Let’s take it easy, take it slow and feel for 3 days like we owned one of those million dollar yachts and came to French Riviera to chill. This is exactly what we’re gonna be doing! Also it’s good to plan this relaxed time during such and intense trip. After spending 2 days in Monaco and 1 day in Niece, we will head to Nice airport and take the flight to Madrid. I hesitated between Madrid and Barcelona and finally I decided to put both of them on our travel plan. They are both amazing cities and yet so much different and so beautiful and Spanish cuisine, OMG!
Stop number 8 on our trip to Europe in November – Madrid
Madrid has something in the air that makes you wanna stay for longer and I truly recommend to see Madrid in November, as it’s not gonna be hot and you will be able to fully enjoy your time there. We will start Madrid from Puerta del Sol – this is a huge square with all the historic buildings where you can get some Instagram worthy pictures. This is also (I should say adjacent streets are) the place where all the famous Madrid’s nightlife happens. We can wander around the narrow, historic streets and just be there at the moment, enjoy the view, the people and the atmosphere. If you are a soccer fan, you could also try to plan your trip in a way that you can see Real Madrid game at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. I am not a soccer fan yet, I had a chance to watch the game and it was amazing – recommend to everybody. Next, we can go to The Prado Museum – they have an amazing collection of art and artifacts that can surely compete with the British Museum. I am a big modern art lover and my favorite museum in Madrin is Thyssen-Bornemisza. Huge and carefully curated collection of modern and contemporary art (amongst other artifacts) that is worth every penny to see. In the evening we can experience famous Madrid’s nightlife – just follow the crowd, grab a drink and join the conversation and fun. You will welcome and like surrounded by good old friends. The next day we will see the Royal Palace and then we will go to La Latina – street full of world famous Tapas! A must try when in Spain. In the evening we will try to see Flamenco show, before heading to Barcelona by train.
Next in Spain – Barcelona
I prefer Madrid over Barcelona but I hear many people have a different opinion and prefer Barcelona over Madrid. That’s why I decided to include Barcelona in our itinerary. In my opinion, the best way to experience Barcelona is to just wander around for a day or two, and off course to see the amazing architecture by Gaudi – actually we will dedicate our first day in Barcelona to world of Gaudi. We will start with Sagrada Familia and then (tired but amazed) we will go to see Casa Battlo and Palau Guell. Next day we can start from La Rambla – the most famous boulevard in Barcelona. Wander around, have a coffee, and maybe lunch. We can make a stop by the Christopher Columbus monument or by the Juan Miro mosaic or Font de Canaletes fountain. We should also see the Gothic Quarter, which dates back over 2000 years. Imagine this history combined with the hip atmosphere of the city – something truly remarkable and unique to experience. After a long two days in Barcelona, we will fly to Lisbon, the capital of Portugal and one of my favorite cities in Europe.
Stop number 9 in our trip to Europe in November – Lisbon
I used to live and work in Lisbon for couple of months and I fell in love with this place and Portuguese people as well. You take a taxi from the airport to the city (and trust me there will be a queue) and you immediately feel happy. I don’t know if the sun, the sea breeze or the people or maybe a mix all the above but Lisbon has some unique atmosphere that is difficult to define. Getting around Lisbon is also easy – despite being located on several hills, it’s very walkable, you can also use trams (the famous yellow trams) and Uber. Just try not to wear high heels when walking around Lisbon as most of the pavements are made of those little tiles and it’s easy to get your heel stuck. Lisbon has been a starting point for many explorers during the 14- and 15-hundreds. We will start out journey the same way – from the Explorers Monument. Great Instagram opportunity and also a nice promenade by the Ocean. Very laid back and relaxed, yet reminding you about the great discoveries and adventures. The monument is 52 meter tall and depicts some of the most famous Portuguese Explorers like Vasco da Gama. Next we will see the Jeronimos Monastery. It was build in 1502 and as a celebration to Vasco da Gama expedition to India. It’s a breathtaking building so make sure you gave good 2 hours to see it. After that we can go to Belem to try the delicious pastel de nata. A sweet pastry filled with custard. Yummy! After taking a short break we will now go the The Berardo Collection Museum. It’s an amazing collection of modern and contemporary art. In my humble opinion, the best in the world. It’s a home to masterpieces by Pollock, Duchamp, Picasso, Warhol and many others. All together around 1000 pieces or carefully curated art. In the afternoon, we can go the National Coach Museums to see the collection of coaches and ceremonial vehicles which I believe is one of the biggest in the world. Fun to see what it means to travel as a King or Queen 🙂 In the evening we will go out to have dinner at the Time Out Market. The next day we will move our attention to other part of the city. We will start our day at The Commerce Place where we can take some nice pictures and have a great coffee. From there we can go take a picture of Santa Justa Lift, which is basically a tower with an elevator (too crowded in my opinion). Then we go up via Rua Augusta and find a nice place for lunch and maybe get some souvenirs (for example from Conserveira de Lisboa – tinned fish shop, world famous). In the afternoon we can focus on the Alfama district. Just wander around, interact with people, admire the buildings and the view! It’s the oldest part of Lisbon – Romans were here in the 4th Century. You can also see a lot of Arabic influence here since Alfama is the only part of Lisbon that survived the earthquake in 1755. Just let yourself get lost in Alfama for couple of hours! Maybe even get into one of many Fado bars to listen to the music and experience something you can get only here in Lisbon. Great dinner options available as well! The next day we can take the iconic yellow tram, line 28 – it goes through Baixa, Chiado, Graca and Alfama. Tile Museum is also a great option to see in Lisbon – you can still see old tiles on some of the buildings but the museum will explain the idea, the art, and the history behind the famous Portuguese tiles. We should also try to spend some time in Bairro Alto – where the sound of Fado, the smell of fresh food and the laugh of people can be heard from a distance. Feel like you need more time in Lisbon? Yeah, I hear you! I am in love with this city! But let’s carry on to the most laid back part of our trip – let’s take a plane from Lisbon to Sicily – the Italian Island. This is where we will spend 4 nights, enjoying life, food and history.
Last stop of our trip to Europe in November – Sicily
This Italian island, has more history than some of the countries in Europe. We will fly to Palermo and this is where we will start out Sicilian tour. We will stay in Palermo for the night so that not only we can explore is UNESCO sites but also experience some night life. Teatro Massimo is a great starting point and the tour will take you about 30 minutes. While exploring Palermo, take every opportunity to try the street food. Next, we can check out the Palermo Cathedral – go inside because if you climb to the rooftop, you will have an amazing view of the city. More street food and then off we go to wander around the narrow streets of the historic Palermo – Old Town will keep us busy until the evening. So let’s now get refreshed and go out for some nightlife. Next day we will go to the other side of the island – to the east, to visit Mount Etna. This is one of the highest and most active volcanos in Europe. It’s 3329 meters tall. Best way to see it, is to go on an organized full day or half day tour. I recommend full day – nobody wants to be in a hurry while visiting an active volcano! A good idea is to join the 4×4 tour. Best Instagram pictures ever! Next day we will spend in Taromina – probably the most resort style town in Sicily. Again, as usually in Europe, we explore the area on foot, capturing all those beautiful pictures. This should take you about 2-3 hours and then it’s time find some delicious food. After lunch we will go on a boat tour. It takes 2 hours and will allow you to enjoy Taromina from a different perspective. This night and the next one, we will stay in one of the many famous Taromina boutique hotels, with a view, SPA and private beach. Next on out Sicilian tour will be a boat tour to Isola Bella – a small peninsula island that was once privately owned and now open to the public. Just a perfect place to chill, relax and do nothing (provided the weather is good enough, otherwise we don’t go there). If the weather is bad, we will enjoy SPA and amazing food in our fancy Taromina hotel, alternatively, we can take the trip to Messina – equally charming little town. Time to head back to Palermo so let’s pack our stuff, hop on the bus (or rent a car id Sicilian drivers don’t scare you) and let’s drive back to Palermo. We will stay the night and enjoy the food and the night life one more time, before heading back to London. In London, we will catch our flight back to the US and we will keep the epic trip to Europe in November in our memories for a long time.
Are your bags already packed?
Main photo by Shvets Anna
[…] Hope I encouraged you to play a detective and go on a hunt for the best opportunities to fly with private jet for a price of a regular ticket! Enjoy! And if you try, please let me know your experience! I am very curious to see and tell our readers about your experience! And if you’re looking for inspiration for your next Europe in November trip, read my article about the 4 week trip across Europe. […]