Quick Trips To Europe: My 16-Day, 3-Continent Adventure
Table of Contents
- The Itinerary: Quick Trips to Europe and Beyond
- Quick Trips to Europe: Day Tours & Experiences
- Conclusion
Planning quick trips to Europe can seem daunting, but with strategic planning, you can experience multiple countries in a short time. I wrote an article on how to travel across countries in a few days. You may get it for free here.
One of my ideas was to start with your friendships. Most of my travels begin with this principle.
This European adventure began with a friendship. My friend, Zuzanna lives in Zagreb, Croatia. I have been hearing of her adventurous humanitarian stories throughout the Balkans & wanted to experience it myself. Croatia was our anchor location where we drove out from.
The Itinerary: Quick Trips to Europe and Beyond
Our original plan was to drive through Eastern Europe, visiting Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Romania. However, a last-minute realization that I needed a visa for Serbia forced us to reroute. In hindsight, this detour turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as everything fell into place beautifully.
Europe (Croatia, Italy, Hungary & Austria)
- Day 1: Fly into Zagreb, Croatia.
- Day 2: Drive to Pula, Croatia (3-hour drive), visit the Coliseum.
- Day 3: Pula to Trieste, Italy (5-hour drive). Trieste to Bled, Slovenia (1+ hour drive), visit Bled Monastery.
- Day 4: Bled, Slovenia, to Budapest, Hungary (5-hour drive) via Austria.
- Day 5: Tour Budapest, Hungary.
- Day 6: Drive from Budapest, Hungary, to Zagreb, Croatia (3.5-hour drive).
- Day 7: Fly from Zagreb to Malaysia via Qatar.
South East Asia & Middle East (Malaysia & The United Arab Emirates)
- Day 8-14: Spend time with family in Malaysia.
- Day 15: Fly from Malaysia to Dubai, UAE (10-hour layover).
- Day 16: Return to the USA.
Quick Trips to Europe: Day Tours & Experiences
Day Tour in Zagreb,Croatia
Croatia, a stunning country along the Adriatic Sea, offers natural beauty and cinematic charm. Famous as a filming location for Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Mamma Mia, and more, it serves as a perfect travel hub.
Its strategic location, bordering Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia, and Montenegro, makes these neighboring countries easily accessible by car within a day or two.
Drive to Pula, Croatia
The journey from Zagreb to Pula took just over three hours. Along the way, we were treated to the sight of a stunning double rainbow and made a relaxing coffee stop, making the drive even more enjoyable.
Trieste, Italy
Our trip took us to Trieste, a beautiful seaport city in northeastern Italy. Though we hadn’t intended to visit, a broken pair of glasses (Zuzanna’s, our driver!) necessitated a detour.
This unplanned stop turned out to be a wonderful surprise, filled with laughter and the kind of serendipitous encounters that make travel so special.
We had Chinese food in Trieste, Italy. Go figure!
Bled, Solvenia
Our time in Bled, Slovenia, was magical. The boat trip to the stunning monastery was so peaceful and serene; it honestly felt like stepping into heaven.
And I have to mention the gas stations in Slovenia—wow! They were like amazing restaurants with incredible food. It was such a pleasant surprise.
Austria
On our way to Budapest, Hungary, we passed through Austria and took a two-hour break to explore the area. Though it was a brief visit, the stunning scenery and vibrant atmosphere made it a fun and memorable part of our travel-packed day.
Budapest, Hungary
If you’re planning quick trips to Europe, consider Budapest. This vibrant city, home to the must-see Fisherman’s Wharf, is easily accessible. We maximized our time by crossing four countries in 12 hours, a fun and efficient way to experience multiple cultures. The drive back from Budapest to Zagreb took just over three hours.
Family Time in Malaysia
My time in Malaysia was centered around family. My aunt hosted a wonderful dinner with my cousins, which was a blast.
My Last Family Vacation with My Parents-This trip was also our last family vacation with my parents before their passing, making it incredibly special.
I’m deeply grateful for this time with them, my brother, sister-in-law, nephew, and aunt. Living abroad made frequent visits difficult, a regret I deeply feel.
We stayed at the dreamy Laguna Redang Beach Resort, which offered excellent all-inclusive buffets and a virtually private beach due to the lack of tourists.
Layover in Dubai, UAE
While traveling to and from Malaysia to visit family, I had the opportunity to spend time in both Doha, Qatar, and Dubai, UAE.
On my return journey, I used my layover in Dubai to reconnect with a childhood friend who works as a hotel manager in the city.
Conclusion
This quick trips to Europe itinerary demonstrates how I explored nine countries in just 16 days. Layovers in Turkey, Qatar, and Dubai offered valuable opportunities for brief explorations.
If you’re looking for more focused exploration in this region, consider looking at my Middle East Itinerary which covers Jordan, Lebanon, and more.
I highly recommend taking advantage of longer layovers, even when tired, as they can add exciting dimensions to your journey—you can always catch up on sleep on the plane. Since flights from the USA to Asia typically route through Europe or the Middle East, these stops present ready-made adventures.
Croatia and Malaysia served as my “anchor countries”—base points from which I planned the rest of my travel. This trip holds immense personal significance as it allowed me to spend precious time with my parents before they passed away.
