A lot of people have been asking about our trip and how we did 8 countries in 12 days, so I thought I would share a bit about our experience and why we chose to go with Contiki rather than adventuring completely on our own.

How we found our trip
I have always dreamed of the day I would have a plane ticket to Europe. Around December we casually started looking into Europe and didn’t know where to start or what was realistic to see with Dustin’s vacation time. I had looked at Contiki before (and actually had a trip booked to Thailand through them) so suggested we check out their website to get inspiration.

After browsing through trips, the different stops, and researching a bit on our own we realized there was no way we could see everything we wanted in the short amount of time we had without being completely stressed out thinking about our next stop.

What it is
Contiki is a travel company for 18-35 year olds. They have different kinds of trips (fast paced, easy pace, camping, etc) as well as various accommodation styles all over the world. We chose ours- European Magic based on the stops, and style as it generally attracts more couples/less of a party crowd.

How it works
Basically, they took care of our accommodations+transportation+some meals and we got to do the rest. I was a little hesitant at first as I’m not big into all the “touristy stuff” and wanted to make sure we had enough time to explore on our own. If you wanted to stay longer in a spot, you totally could and just meet up with the group whenever, or if you wanted to do included activities that was an option as well.

Let me tell ya, Megs, our trip manager was INCREDIBLE! Before we would arrive at our current destination, Megs would share fun facts/history, favorite spots, food recommendations/specialties, tips, and basic language phrases. Her knowledge was incredible and I loved getting the inside scoop so we could be smart with our time in a way that was perfect for us. She also gave us a detailed map of the city with highlights and also hidden gems before we arrived.

Me time optionals+free time
One of the benefits of travelling with a “group” was we probably never would have gone up to the top of the Eiffel Tower or meander around the Louvre on our own, as the line ups are INSANE. But for group activities we had reservations so we didn’t have to wait… and for places like the Louvre, Megs told us of separate entrances that had little/no line up. I’m talking, it took us 5 minutes instead of HOURS. No joke.

Travel
Dustin and I laughed so many times at what a blessing it was (and how many arguments/frustrations it probably saved) not having to navigate driving opposite in London, or alongside Parisian drivers (they are crazzzzyy!). We totally used bus time to enjoy the countryside, catch up on sleep after a late night of adventure, or get to know our new bffs.
Contiki has been doing this for years, and I was continually amazed how perfect everything was planned and lined up… And also how we magically had enough time and then some for everything we wanted to see.

We are leaving with a coach full of friends (aka future couch warmers ;)), and oh so many memories.
If you are debating booking with Contiki, do it! It will be the trip of a lifetime.