How To Book 14 Days in Europe: Greece, Italy, Switzerland

Let me show you how I booked our recent family trip to Europe. This will help save you so many hours of research before your own dream getaway, no matter where you end up in Europe.

If you missed my post about our 14-day itinerary, be sure to check it out too. My husband, 14-old daughter, and I just got back from this trip to Greece, Italy, and Switzerland. We each chose a country, and it was an unbelievable experience as a family. An epic summer vacation!

Meticulous planning, experience, and knowledge of the destination help make vacations more stress-free. I have explored nearly a dozen countries across mainland Europe and at least six of its islands and overseas territories (and I am the less experienced traveler in my marriage). I love encouraging others to see the world too, so let’s get to it!

---

Preparation

Travel Guides

Destination research can be overwhelming due to the vast amount of information online. Our first purchase is always a Lonely Planet guide when we become interested in a new country—an invaluable and trustworthy resource. This will help you avoid errors like planning a day in a city that celebrates a holiday you might not know about, such as Whit Monday when businesses are closed in certain European cities.

Apps

To avoid travel-related disasters, find out what the widely used apps are in foreign countries through Google searches, Reddit threads, or Facebook groups. Just because Uber and Lyft are reliable in the U.S. does not mean they are everywhere else in the world. Google Translate and Google Maps for offline use are a must as well. I will highlight the other apps I used in the relative topics below.

Online Destination Groups

Joining destination-specific Facebook or Reddit groups connects you with locals and frequent visitors who can answer most of your questions. I always search for the country on Facebook and join the travel group(s) with the most members. Before posting questions, use the group’s search bar to read through previous discussions by using keywords like “apps.” I guarantee most of your lingering questions have been asked and answered dozens of times. This is such a game-changing travel hack because you will find firsthand information from people who truly love the destination with no ulterior motive.

Map Locations

Save points of interest you learn about or book on Google Maps as you go. Create a list for each destination by clicking “You” at the bottom of the app’s home screen. Hotels, airports, museums—save everywhere you plan to be. Hear about a restaurant with life-changing gelato? Search for it and save it! This helps to create an itinerary that makes logistical sense. When we have extra time on trips, I check my map for saved options that are nearby. This helps avoid delays in finding a place with an indecisive group. Nobody wants to read reviews while hungry and tired on the street.

Flights

International Flights

I booked our flights using Orbitz multi-city itinerary rather than a roundtrip option. This allowed us more time moving across Europe without having to backtrack to our arrival point.

Our multi-city itinerary cost the same price as round-trip flights from Asheville. We were able to fly from our home airport in Asheville to our first stop in Greece, then fly back home from our last stop in Switzerland. Here are our flight details:

✈️Asheville to Heraklion, Crete (with layovers in Chicago and London).

✈️Zurich, Switzerland to Asheville (layover in Philidelphia).

Intra-European Flights

We booked our only flight within Europe on Orbitz as well. Although it was cheaper to fly between Rome and Switzerland, we love to take scenic train rides. I find it to be easier on the kiddos, too. Trains are often the quicker option when you compare the total travel time spent to and from the airport and going through security.

We booked a one-way Orbitz flight from our final location in Crete to our next location in Italy. Here are the flight details:

✈️ Chania, Crete to Rome, Italy (non-stop flight).

Bonus tip: To avoid extra fees and just a hassle in general, I paid in advance to check our carry-on luggage for this flight. European airlines can have stricter carry-on rules, and their overhead bins are often smaller than those of U.S. airlines. I do not think ours would have fit in the overhead bin on our plane, so it was a good decision.

For my details on how I start comparing flights and prices, get the best deals, and my go-to booking websites, bookmark this blog for your next read.

Hotels

Greece

Heraklion hotel was booked using Orbitz. I set search filters for “breakfast included” and “hotel only.” I sorted by “proximity to the airport” since the rental car pickup was at the airport, making it easier after our long travel day.

I used the map of the area to make sure we could walk around to fight the jetlag sleepies and easily find a lovely dinner spot. Then, I looked at the photo gallery to find a hotel with breakfast or room views overlooking the harbor. I am a sucker for a beautiful view.

Kalypso Beach hotel (or Agios Vasileios area) was booked using Orbitz as well. This time, we only knew we wanted to be somewhere on the southern coast, so my search was broad. I picked the location based on the stunning hotel I came across. I used the Orbitz map to make sure it was within reasonable distance of our planned route.

Chania hotel was booked on…. you guessed it… Orbitz! I swear I do compare across multiple booking sites. We let Brooklyn choose this hotel in our last stop in Crete. She used the map to help find a hotel in Old Town. After that, my 14-year-old almost certainly chose the hotel based on aesthetics.

Italy

Rome hotel was booked on Agoda. This hotel search was the most stressful due to Jubilee Year and the new Pope election. I had a few areas I knew we wanted to stay in. Location is everything in Rome. I constantly searched on booking sites with no luck on finding a nice hotel for a good deal until I searched Agoda!

I found a hotel with the most insane view of the Trevi Fountain for great deal! I filtered by area, free breakfast, AC, and 24-hour front desk to ensure our luggage could be dropped off before check-in.

Switzerland

Mürren hotel was booked on Booking.com. Finding a hotel in this once hidden gem turned bustling car-free village is a feat. I struggled to find more than 2 or 3 available options even when searching over a year in advance to link for reference.

To find accommodations in Mürren or any small Swiss village, search widely and book early. We debated staying at the same hotel as last time or choosing somewhere new. A balcony with mountain views and free breakfast were non-negotiable. I also searched by “2 rooms” to give my daughter her own space in this quaint, safe town. I watched the booking sites daily like a Black Friday online drop!

Zurich hotel was booked on Booking.com. I made my search “Zurich Central Station” instead of “Zurich”. Then, I sorted results by “distance from landmark”. This is the last stop on our trip, so getting to the airport was a priority for this booking.

Hotel bonus tips: If you have a rental car, filter for hotels with parking. Parking in Heraklion and Chania, for example, can be chaotic and stressful—almost guaranteed to yell at your spouse kind of situation here.

If AC and a private bathroom are a must for you, don’t forgot to add those filters. Several European hotels can have shared bathrooms and no AC.

If you need luggage storage before check-in or after check-out, look for hotels with a front desk. We have stayed at hotels that are completely self-check-in or don’t have 24-hour staffing.

Transportation

Rental Car

I rented a car in Crete through Rental Center Crete, which was recommended for having no hidden fees. It was worthwhile to book separately from our flights for peace of mind. This is a common topic I search for in the Facebook Travel groups. They will know the most reputable local rental car companies to use.

Train, Bus, & Cable Car

🚂To book train tickets from Rome to Switzerland, I used Trainline. We only had to book and pay for the rides through Italy. Our Swiss Travel Pass was valid as soon as we crossed into Switzerland. We chose a route that had a changeover as close to the border as possible.

For all transportation in Switzerland, I bought the 4 Day Swiss Travel Pass Flex for Seth and myself. I added the Swiss Family Card for Brooklyn by adding a child passenger on my ticket. This allows her to travel for free with either one of us. The Swiss Family Card is included with a purchase of the Swiss Travel Pass.

We counted the days we would be using trains, buses, and/or cable cars to choose the right flex ticket. Tickets are activated for each day of use via email link from SBB. This is how the days are counted with the pass.

The Swiss Travel Pass allows for unlimited rides on trains, buses, boats, and some cable cars. It also includes a discount on scenic railways, gondola rides, and more. It included the cable car ride to Mürren, but not any further up. It saved us a lot of money and time.

If it is confusing or unclear what is included with the Swiss Travel Pass, chat with an agent. I found this to be the quickest and most reliable resource. The internet is full of misinformation on blogs (hopefully I am never guilty of this). Scroll down on the Swiss Travel Pass help page to and click to chat with an agent.

Taxi

Freenow, Uber, and ItTaxi (Italy only) are some options for getting a taxi or rideshare. We didn’t plan on taking any taxis, but we always have options downloaded for any surprises. You can also use Facebook travel groups to see which apps are popular in the area you intend to visit.

Bonus Tip: Flush Toilet Finder is an app that helps you locate nearby public restrooms. It was highly recommended for Rome on the travel groups.

Tours

Rome Tourist Card

I’ll reserve our individual excursion details and reviews for the next blog, but the Rome Tourist Card has to be quickly mentioned. It is more relevant to the topic of organizing a trip in advance. I booked our tours to the Colosseum, Vatican, and Pantheon all on the tourist card. While it could save money to wait until tickets drop on each official website, this saved me time and stress. The convenience of having guaranteed digital tickets is invaluable, in my opinion. There are limited daily slots for all of the popular tourist attractions in Rome, and the Jubilee Year adds to the chaos. Finding similar tourist cards for popular attractions in your destination of interest is an excellent investment in your vacation!

---

I hope you found my booking process to be helpful (or at least inspiring) for booking your own dream trip to Europe! My next blog on this trip will include reviews of our hotels and excursions, and our overall experience.

Don’t miss my previous blog for this series to find our day-by-day itinerary to see the layout of our entire trip! If you would like to follow me on Instagram, scroll down! I have a diary of each day of vacation including photos, drone shots, and videos.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my travels. Feel free to comment with your thoughts or questions below before you go!

-Amanda Kendler 🩷

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Amanda Kendler (@amandarx21)