Tour Consultant Jamie visited multiple countries in Europe on our Highlights of Northern Europe: London to Copenhagen tour. Here, she shares her favorite reasons for exploring many destinations during one trip.
Since I started working for Go Ahead, my outlook on traveling has definitely been altered. I used to be the type of person who only wanted to stay in one place and really get to know the culture. I traveled this way because I thought, maybe if I explore a country thoroughly I won’t feel the need to revisit—there are so many amazing places in this world to see! Now don’t get me wrong, there are many benefits to traveling this way, but my experience on a European Combination Tour has changed my perspective. Here’s why I now love to see multiple countries on one trip!
I recently went on the first departure of our new tour of Northern Europe. In just 12 days, this trip goes to eight cities and towns in five different countries (England, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark)! Now that may sound like a whirlwind, but I assure you, every moment was worth it.
Many of these places weren’t on my travel radar before this trip. The nice thing about the European Combination Tour is that it offersa mix of destinations you’ve always wanted to visit, plus some hidden gems you may have never thought of on your own. One of my favorite lunches of the whole tour was at a sandwich shop we accidentally stumbled upon in Lübeck, a German city I’d never heard of before that we stopped in for a few hours. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to visit if we weren’t traveling around from country to country.
A few locations offered up pleasant and unexpected surprises. I saw more awe-inspiring sights, from castles to ancient ruins to monuments, than on any previous trip I’ve taken. I explored what many consider to be the most beautiful city square in Europe: Grand-Place in Brussels! Another one of my favorite moments was realizing how ancient Stonehenge really is. It puts in perspective that we represent only but a blip in history.
I think the biggest benefit to visiting multiple countries on one tour is being able to experience and compare so many unique cultures in such a short time. I was able to try a variety of local food and drinks since the cuisine was different in each place we visited. (My favorite might be the Belgian waffles.) There were also multiple languages spoken throughout the trip, which is something you don’t really get to experience when you’re staying in once place. Not only are you learning about other cultures on a multi-country tour, but you’re also learning a lot about yourself.
You may be ready for some downtime after a fast-paced trip like this, but when you look back you’ll have more amazing memories than you can imagine—and some hard-to-beat photos.
Would you ever consider visiting multiple countries during a tour of Europe? Why or why not?
