Hop trips: How to see 3 countries in 1 week

It works quite simple. I book a one-way ticket to a destination. Then I book another ticket from this destination to the next one and so on – hopping from destination ro destination by different types of transport. 

I find it very enjoyable to switch locations every day or every couple of days, exploring new places and going further and further. 

Benefits: 

1. It saves you money. 

Let’s say you always wanted to visit Copenhagen but all flights from your local airport are too expensive or at times that don’t work for you. You could fly over to, let’s say, Budapest, enjoy a day there and get a £10 flight to Copenhagen the next day. This is what I did. 

Often destinations I want to visit are more expensive from my local airport compared to other hubs in Europe. So, I keep an open mind and explore all options available for the day I want to take off. 

Further to that, opting for train or bus rides can save you even more. Tickets could be as low as £5! 

2. You can increase your country count quickly. 

Jumping from country to country can help you see a lot very quickly. This is very easy in a place like Europe, where countries are close to each other and well connected with railways, bus routes and flights. 

3. You can see destinations that most tourists miss.

Imagine seeing a place like a local – somewhere most tourists have never heard of! Just open Google Maps and start looking at the train stops between two cities with airports. Many people go to places with airports but rarely jump on public transport to make their way to somewhere they have never heard of before. 

4. You get to see more of each place when using trains and buses. 

A scenic bus or train ride can help you see a side of the country you are visiting, that most people would miss. It’s also a great way to recharge after a long day on your feet exploring. 

5. It provides variety and novelty for your brain.

New scenes, foreign languages and unusual experiences create new connections in your brain and expand your worldview. Diving into a new place with an open heart and mind will teach you a lot, not only about the place, but also about yourself. It’s like being the main character in an adventure novel, but it’s actually your life. 

6. Provokes you to see places you never thought about before. 

When you are planning your trip, you will see cheap tickets to destinations you never thought about. Might be a new country, or a scenic little village in a place you have visited before. Keep an open mind while planning your trip as this way it may take you to places you haven’t even imagined. This is what happened to me when I recently climbed up a mountain in Formia – a place I had never heard of before I saw it was a train stop on the line between Naples and Rome. 

Tips: 

Plan when you are going to travel to maximise your time at each location. 

Are you travelling in the mornings or the evenings? If you are flying from country to country, avoid booking flights around the middle of the day as the airport waiting times will eat most of your trip. If you are flying early in the morning or late at night, ensure you have appropriate transport to and from the airports. When travelling by train or bus, always plan in a time cushion for delays as anything can happen. 

I usually start by booking my travel and I often explore different options – plane, train, bus, even boat. 

Use specialised apps and compare prices. 

Google Flights, Trip.com, Trainline, TrainPal and FlixBus are just some of the apps I use when planning my trips. With Google Flights, for example, you can check all flights under £50 taking off on the day you want to start your trip. After picking the one that sounds best for you, you can open a new tab and see all flights taking off this place the next day – here you can pick you destination number 2, and so on.

Alternatively, you could mark two places where you want to start and finish you trip and explore destinations in between, checking train lines and bus routes. 

Saving money tip: Look for hubs for budget airlines, such as Budapest (WizzAir) and Milan (RyanAir) to have a big choice of destinations at good prices. 

How to pack light for different destinations. 

Sometimes, you may end up at places with different weather, so how do you pack? I always travel only with a small under-the-seat backpack – my secret is layers. If I am heading to a cold destination or traveling in the winter, I wear a warm top with a jumper and a body warmer. This way the jumper and the body warmer stay on me when boarding the plane and don’t take up space in my bag, but I could always take the jumper off and tie it around my waist. In warm weather, I mostly pack light tops and short leggings that take up minimal space. I always pack a light dress, flip-flops and a swimsuit. 

I plan my trips so I have a destination where I stay in same hotel for 2 nights, which would enable me to do some basic laundry. 

Make the best out of your time – plan your visit. 

I always plan what I want to see using Google Maps. When I arrive, I can see all places I would like to visit and move from one to the next based on proximity. When I see a place, I change the icon I bookmarked it with on Google Maps, so I know I have seen it already and I can move to the next one. 

Saying this, sometimes, I like to explore freely, without an agenda, or to sit down on castle walls and eat a massive pastry while appreciating the view of the sea, like I did in Palma last month. Some places will surprise you and you will be tempted to explore them your own way – follow your heart. 

Pick your hotel wisely.

Always ensure you can safely travel between your accommodation and the airport. Some hotels may sound great but only be accessible by car and I am not someone who would spend on car hire when I am only visiting for 24 hours or less. When picking a place, I check the price, what is included in the room and what additional services the place offers (such as my favourite hotel breakfasts!), but I also check the reviews across multiple platforms. There have been times when I would end up in hotels that I have no intention to ever go back to, but as long as I am feeling safe, all is good. On the other hand, I have also visited places that I would definitely go back to in a heartbeat. All that unites them is a reasonable price, good reviews across multiple platforms and their location (proximity from the airport/train station/bus stop and the area I want to explore). 

Here are some trips I think you will love: they are easy to start with and include some amazing locations: 

Central to Nordic:

Budapest – Copenhagen – Malmo

Northern Europe City Hopper:

Brussels – Antwerp – The Hague – Amsterdam

Mediterranean Escape:

Malta – Athens – Cyprus

Between Europe and Asia:

Bucharest – Belgrade – Istanbul – Southern Turkiye

The Danube Capitals:

Vienna – Bratislava – Budapest – Belgrade

The UK Road Trip: 

London – The New Forest – Bournemouth – Old Harry Rocks – Dartmoor