A 3 Week Europe Itinerary: From Sweden to Italy

I took my first three week trip to Europe in 2012. I was 19 years old and it was my first trip to Europe, as well as my first solo trip ever.

That 3 week trip changed my life. It’s why this blog exists and it’s why I fell in love with Europe.

Many years later, and I’m still just as in love with Europe and have been lucky enough to visit many times since, including studying abroad in Amsterdam and living in Prague.

Three weeks is an incredible amount of time to spend in Europe. Of course, it’s not enough to see everything. But it is enough time to get a little taste of what the continent has to offer.

Below I’m sharing a 3 week Europe itinerary that we road tested in 2019 when my mom and Colin’s mom came out to visit us while we were living in Prague. Of all the Europe trips I’ve taken, this is one of my favourites!

This three week itinerary goes from Sweden down to Italy through Czechia and Austria, then back up to France. It’s medium-paced (apx three days per city) and mostly relies on trains, with a flight or rental car thrown in every now and then.

While this itinerary does hit a lot of big cities, it’s balanced with some smaller towns and relaxing nature vibes too. We did this trip in September but I think it would work well at almost any time of year.

So if you’re looking for a pretty perfect itinerary for your time in Europe (in my completely biased opinion), I think this would be a great place to start!

Keep reading for my day by day itinerary breakdown, as well as some alternatives for other ways to spend three weeks in Europe!

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How to decide where to go in Europe

There are so many places to discover in Europe – it would be impossible to see everything in just three weeks. So you have to narrow it down.

Here are a few things to consider to help you craft your perfect European itinerary:

• What time of year are you travelling? As summer is the hottest and busiest time on the continent, you may want to head to smaller towns in the north to stay cool and less crowded.
  
• What’s your budget? Places like Scandinavia and the UK are going to be more expensive than the Balkans and most of Eastern Europe.
  
• Who’s coming with you? Obviously a solo trip itinerary might look pretty different than a group trip with a family of 10.
  
• Where are you flying in/out of? If you snagged an awesome flight deal, it might make sense to base your trip around your arrival airport.
  
• What’s your ideal travel pace? While both fast and slow travel have their merits, you should have an idea of how quickly you want to move on this three week trip.
  
• What do you want to do? Probably the biggest factor in determining your itinerary is what you want to do in Europe. From shopping to sports, there’s something for everyone.

How I planned this 3 week Europe itinerary

The three week itinerary below is based off of a trip my husband and I took with our moms in September 2019. At the time, we were living in Prague and eagre to see as much of Europe as we could, plus show our moms around.

We started with our goals for the trip: My mom wanted to visit friends in Sweden, Colin’s mom wanted to sip wine in Italy, and Colin and I wanted to introduce our moms to our new home in Prague.

That gave us three locations to build our trip around: Sweden, Italy and Prague. We also factored in our moms’ flights (they were flying into London and out of Paris) and our preference to take trains over flights whenever we could.

Plotting all of those places on a map, we charted a course that resulted in the three week itinerary you see below!

3 week Europe trip map & summary

Here’s the route my below itinerary will take, covering some of the highlights all across Europe:

• Fly into Copenhagen, spend the day, then train over to Malmo
• Base in Malmo to explore Southern Sweden
• Fly to Prague and enjoy the city
• Train to Salzburg, live out your Sound of Music fantasies
• Train to Venice, get lost amongst the canals
• Train to Florence, see David and grab your rental car
• Drive into Tuscany and kick back for a few days
• Drop off your car in La Spezia, train to Cinque Terre
• Enjoy Cinque Terre for a few days then train to Pisa
• Take the iconic leaning tower photo then fly from Pisa to Paris
• Discover Paris and then head home

Ready? Let’s dive into the itinerary!

Day 1-3: Copenhagen & Malmo

Your three weeks in Europe starts in Copenhagen, which you can conveniently fly into (or train, if you’re already in Europe) from many major airports.

Spend your first day seeing the sights of Copenhagen. We had a rainy day in Copenhagen but were still able to explore colourful Nyhavn, take a water taxi tour to see the Little Mermaid and visit the Royal Palace.

You can also visit Tivoli Gardens, which look beautiful, and explore the infamous free town of Christiania.

Rather than stay overnight in pricy Copenhagen, take a short 40 minute train to nearby Malmo in Sweden. This is where you’ll base for the first three days of your trip.

On day 2, head out to explore Malmo and the neighbouring university town, Lund. I loved walking through the beautiful university buildings and cathedral in Lund; it was clear to see why friends of mine loved studying abroad there!

In Malmo, I’d recommend going on a canal tour, which is a great way to see the sights and learn about the city. If the weather is bad, take cover in the Moderna Museet Malmö or Malmö Museum in Malmo Castle.

Of course, you have to make time for fika while you’re in Sweden. Fika is the Swedish tradition of taking a break during the day to enjoy some cozy time with friends over a warm beverage and pastry. It’s one of my favourite European traditions!

On day 3, you’re going castle hopping! This is best done by car; you can pick up a rental car for the day in Malmo.

From Malmo, head south to 17th Century Marsvinsholm Castle and Ales Stenar, which I like to think of as Sweden’s version of Stonehenge. Stop in at Olof Viktors for lunch (their crayfish sandwich and carrot cake are an unbeatable combo).

Then, head north to Helsingborg where you’ll board a ferry to Helsingør on the Danish side to eventually reach Kronborg, aka Hamlet’s Castle.

I loved exploring this impressive castle with its giant rooms and tapestries. But the highlight was definitely the casemates where a tour guide showed us around and introduced us to Holger the Dane.

After a big day of driving, return your rental car then catch some zzzs in Malmo before leg two of your trip starts tomorrow!

Check out my full Southern Sweden road trip itinerary for more details!

Day 4-6: Prague

How to get from Malmo to Prague: Train to Copenhagen Airport (25 mins), fly to Prague (80 mins)

Having lived in Prague for almost a year, I’m very excited to include this on your Europe trip itinerary! From Malmo you’ll train to CPH Airport and then take a short flight to Prague.

After your big morning of trains and planes, enjoy a chill first afternoon in Prague by exploring Vysehrad. Vysehrad is Prague’s second castle and, in my opinion, the cooler one.

The castle grounds are really fun to explore, complete with pretty views and a very ornate cemetery. Don’t miss the casemates where you’ll find the original Charles Bridge statues!

PS: We liked this castle complex so much, we did a photoshoot there!

On day 5, I recommend getting a good introduction to Prague with a free walking tour and a boat ride on the Vltava River. While touristy, both of these are a great way to get to know the city.

Finish your day by strolling across Charles Bridge, checking out the penguins and creepy baby statues in Kampa Park, visiting the Lennon Wall and being underwhelmed by the astronomical clock in the Old Town Square.

Start day 6 by heading to Prague Castle, the largest castle complex in Europe. More popular than Vysehrad, this castle may be crowded but it’s still worth visiting to explore all the different buildings and see the epic stained glass in St. Vitus Cathedral.

After a full morning in the castle, relax in nearby Letna Park where you can grab a drink from Letna Beer Garden and enjoy views over the river.

For a slightly more local option, head to Riegrovy Sady. This was our local park when we lived in Prague. It’s a beautiful place to pack a picnic and catch the sunset over the old town.

Get all the details in my 3 day Prague itinerary!

Day 7-9: Salzburg

How to get from Prague to Salzburg: Train (5.5 hrs with one transfer)

You’ll spend a good chunk of day 7 getting from Prague to Salzburg (with an easy transfer in Linz). Luckily, this is an extremely scenic train ride so sit back and enjoy the views!

Salzburg is one of my favourite European cities and definitely one of the most stunning. I’ll cross my fingers you have good weather for your trip so you can take in all these mountain vistas.

Once you arrive on day 7, take some time to settle in. You’ve been pretty go-go-go the first week of your trip, so feel free to take tonight off. Walk around your new neighbourhood and enjoy a nice dinner.

On day 8, head out to explore Salzburg’s old town. You can visit Mirabell Palace and Gardens to reenact scenes from the Sound of Music, see where Mozart once lived, and go up to the Hohensalzburg Fortress.

The Hohensalzburg Fortress was probably my favourite part of Salzburg. I loved exploring this ancient castle complex and the views over the city and valley were spectacular. Colin, our moms and I treated ourselves to dinner up there with a view!

Speaking of the Sound of Music, if you’re a big fan then you should spend day 9 on a Sound of Music bus tour.

Honestly, even if you aren’t a big fan, you should still go on this tour (Colin had never seen the movie and he loved the tour!). It’s a great way to explore outside of Salzburg and see some beautiful lakes, churches and countryside.

Not feeling like a little Do-Re-Mi (because yes, there is a sing-a-long aspect)? Why not try a day trip to Hallstatt instead? We visited Hallstatt in Dec 2019 and found it so charming!

Day 10-12: Venice

How to get from Salzburg to Venice: Train (6 hrs with one transfer)

From Salzburg, it’s another big train ride to the next stop on your itinerary, Venice, Italy! After spending most of day 10 getting to Venice, check into your accommodation and take a stroll around your new neighbourhood.

If you can afford it, I recommend staying right in Venice, rather than back on the mainland. This allows you to be in the heart of the action and experience Venice when the day trippers and cruisers leave.

Spend day 11 exploring Venice – which really means, getting lost! My favourite thing to do in Venice was simply lose myself in the maze of bridges and canals, stumbling upon wine bars, churches and local games of soccer in the local piazza.

Of course, you’ll probably want to visit St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge. You may also want to take a gondola ride. They’re quite pricy, so we skipped it, but go ahead and splurge if it’s on your bucket list!

On day 12, I recommend heading out on a day trip from Venice. The most popular option is to visit the nearby islands of Burano and Murano.

We did this while we were in Venice and it was really fun to discover these other islands. Burano is famous for its colourful homes and lacework, both of which are beautiful.

And Murano is well known for glass blowing, meaning there are tons of gorgeous glass galleries to discover.

We did this trip by local ferry and while more affordable, I’d strongly recommend taking a tour to Murano and Burano by private boat instead.

We ended up waiting for hours as ferry after ferry passed us. The docks were heaving with people – it was so crowded and so hot! And because the ferries took so long to actually get us, we ended up losing half our day just to waiting.

I wish we had just paid a little bit more and booked a tour. It would have been so much more comfortable and given us more time on the islands.

Find out if Venice is overrated or not in this post!

Day 13-15: Florence & Tuscany

How to get from Venice to Florence: Train (apx 2 hrs)

From Venice, you’re heading to my favourite place in all of Italy, Tuscany! But first, you’re going to have a quick day of art and culture in Florence.

Take a morning train from Venice to Florence, where you’ll arrive just two hours later. Spend the rest of the day taking in as many of Florence’s highlights as possible: Uffizi Gallery, Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Piazza del Duomo, Ponte Vecchio and, of course, Michelangelo’s David statue.

Sadly, we visited Florence on a Monday which is when the Accademia Gallery, home to David, is closed. And after some trouble getting our rental car, we only had time for pizza, gelato and a quick walk past the Duomo and an outdoor statue gallery.

But with better planning luck on your side, you’ll have most of day 13 to discover Florence!

As your day in Florence wraps up, pick up a rental car and drive to your accommodation in Tuscany. I highly recommend booking a Tuscan villa (there’s quite a few on Airbnb) out in the countryside. Depending where in Tuscany you’re staying, this drive should take 30-90 minutes.

We booked a beautiful villa near the small town of Poggibonsi and it’s one of the best places I’ve ever stayed. The home was gorgeous – old on the outside but modern updates on the inside. But the best part was the view!

For days 14 and 15 in Tuscany, I suggest you adopt the routine we established on our trip. Start with lazy mornings hanging around the house, admiring the view and enjoying the slow life.

As you get hungry for lunch, drive to a nearby town. We visited both Siena and San Gimignano easily from our villa. Grab lunch, explore the town and pick up some provisions for dinner.

Back at your villa, make yourself a simple pasta, salad or even just a grazing board. Enjoy it outside while watching the sun set over the Tuscan hills.

You may also want to visit a winery while in Tuscany. We did this on our last day in Tuscany and it was so fun! While I’m not a huge wine drinker, our winery visit also included a tour of the vineyard and multi-course lunch, so there was something for everyone.

Check out this small group wine tasting tour in the Chianti region of Tuscany!

Day 16-17: Cinque Terre

How to get from Tuscany to Cinque Terre: Drive to La Spezia (apx 2 hrs), train to Cinque Terre (apx 20 mins)

After a few days in Tuscany, you’re off to another beautiful place in Italy, Cinque Terre.

Return your rental car in La Spezia, which should be 1-3 hours away depending on where in Tuscany you based. Once in La Spezia, board a quick train for Cinque Terre.

You could also choose to return your car in Florence and train to Cinque Terre from there to avoid paying any one-way car rental fees.

Cinque Terre is a legendary stretch of five small towns on the Italian Riviera, sort of like a more rustic version of the glitzy Amalfi Coast. These towns are picturesque and very popular in the summer.

A lot of people visit Cinque Terre on a day trip, but this itinerary has you staying two nights. That’s what we did on our trip and I’d highly recommend it. The towns are completely different when the day trippers leave.

We stayed in Riomaggiore, which is the first of the five towns and largest of the five, making it easy to base in. But any of the towns would be great!

You’ll likely spend the first half of day 16 getting to Cinque Terre. Once there, I’d recommend exploring 1-2 of the towns. That way, you have fewer towns to get to on day 17.

On day 17, explore the remaining towns that you missed. The towns are easily connected by train, ferry or hiking path. We took the train, which was fast and convenient.

Since you’ll be able to get a head start on the day trippers, I recommend either going out to the furthest town first and working your way back to where you’re staying or visiting the most popular town first.

Manarola is usually considered the most popular of the five towns, as it has the most scenic view. We made the mistake of visiting this town last and it was packed!

On the other hand, Corniglia is the smallest of the towns and the only one that is inland. For that reason, it often gets skipped and is less crowded.

You’ll also want to decide what you want to do in each town. They are quite tiny, so it’s easy to walk around, see the views, pop into shops or grab a bite to eat.

Some of the towns offer something extra, such as the option to swim at the beach in Monterosso (which my mother in law loved!). And, of course, if you’re hiking between the towns, that will take up a lot of your time.

After a full day of exploring, head back to your accommodation and enjoy your final night on the Italian coast.

Day 18: Pisa

How to get from Cinque Terre to Pisa: Train (apx 90 mins)

Sadly, your time in Italy is coming to an end. We have time to tick one more thing off the bucket list when you visit Pisa and pose with the Leaning Tower.

While I wouldn’t go out of my way to see this tourist site, Pisa is actually a convenient place to go on this itinerary. It’s only a 90 minute direct train ride from Cinque Terre and is the closest major airport with flights to your next destination.

So since you have to go to Pisa anyway, why not strike a pose with the leaning tower while you’re there? I know, it’s cheesy. But everyone’s doing it, so you might as well get in on the fun!

Besides the tower, I also really enjoyed strolling around Pisa. In fact, I liked this more, as everywhere that’s not the tower is quiet. Colin and I stumbled upon a really delicious gelato place while exploring Pisa.

After spending most of day 18 in Pisa, head to the airport and fly to Paris, France!

Day 19-21: Paris

How to get from Pisa to Paris: Fly (1 hr 45 mins)

Since you arrived in Paris on day 18, you get to wake up on day 19 with three full days in Paris ahead of you. Oo la la!

You don’t need me to tell you that Paris is a big city with plenty to do. If you’ve never been to Paris before, I recommend spending day 19 seeing the highlights.

To me, that means a walk from the Arc de Triomphe down the Champs-Élysées, over the Pont Alexandre bridge, through Rue Cler to pick up picnic supplies, and over to the iconic Eiffel Tower for a picnic lunch.

In the afternoon, head up to Montmartre where you can check out Sacré-Cœur Basilica, explore the artsy community and maybe see a show at the Moulin Rouge.

On day 20, split your time between museums, churches and parks. The Louvre is popular, but for good reason. Snap a selfie with Mona Lisa and then get as far away from that wing of the museum as possible and you’ll find lots of uncrowded art to discover.

Admire the Notre Dame Cathedral (expected to reopen in late 2024) and Sainte-Chapelle, pop into famous English bookstore Shakespeare and Company, and enjoy some outdoor time at The Luxembourg Gardens.

For day 21, I recommend heading out to Versailles, a popular and worthwhile day trip from Paris. I visited way back in 2012 and was so blown away by the opulence!

Or you could choose to visit Mont-St-Michel, Monet’s garden in Giverny or even Disneyland Paris on day 21. Of course, you may also want to just stay in Paris as there is plenty still to do in the city.

For all the info you need, check out my Paris itinerary and where to stay in Paris on a budget.

And with that, your three weeks in Europe have come to an end! From Paris, you’ll be able to fly to many international destinations directly, which hopefully includes your home airport.

Where else can you go with three weeks in Europe?

Anywhere and everywhere! There are truly so many ways you could spend three weeks in Europe. In case you need a few more suggestions, here are some of my other favourite spots:

• Amsterdam: One of my favourite cities in Europe and perfect for a first time Europe trip as the city is so charming and everyone speaks English. Check out the Anne Frank House, Van Gogh Museum and beautiful canals.
  
• London: Another favourite European city with charm and English speakers, plus amazing history and an awesome theatre scene.
  
• Seville: Seville completely stole my heart when we visited in early 2020; the culture, food and architecture were so incredible.
  
• Slovenia: The country of Slovenia has so many beautiful places to visit; don’t miss Lake Bohinj, Lake Bled and the cool capital of Ljubljana.
  
• Budapest: Budapest is such a funky city with a ton to do and a lower price tag than some of Europe’s other big cities.
  
• Ireland: Ireland would be an amazing place to choose if you want to spend your whole three weeks road tripping in one country.

Wrapping up this 3 week Europe itinerary

Three weeks is really such a great amount of time to spend in Europe. Of course, after this three week Europe itinerary, you’ll wish you had three years!

But look at everything you get to do in just three weeks: castle-hop in Sweden and Prague, take in views in Salzburg and Tuscany, get out on the water in Venice and Cinque Terre, and check things off the bucket list in Pisa and Paris.

Of course, there are so many variations this trip could take. There’s an endless number of ways to spend your time in Europe.

But if you’re looking for an itinerary that covers a lot of Europe but doesn’t move to fast, gives you big cities and rural countryside, and features many beautiful views, famous landmarks and great food – this is the 3 week European itinerary for you!

I’d love to know: What do you think of my itinerary? What places would you add or eliminate for your own European trip?

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