Europe Itinerary: How To Plan A 3-Week Europe Trip From Australia

The single most important logistical decision for an Australian Europe trip is the open-jaw flight — fly into one city and home from another. Flying into London and home from Rome (or Paris, or Barcelona) saves you backtracking and adds tremendous flexibility. Most airlines and booking platforms support open-jaw itineraries, and they often cost no more than a standard return. 

Best Australian airlines for Europe: Emirates (via Dubai — excellent European network), Qatar Airways (via Doha — consistently good value), Singapore Airlines (via Singapore — quality carrier with good AU departure points), Qantas (codeshare options on BA). Book 4–6 months ahead for the best fares.

• Flights: 4–6 months ahead for peak season (June–August), 3–4 months for shoulder season 
• Accommodation in peak summer: 3–4 months ahead minimum for good options in popular cities 
• Major attractions (Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, Vatican): book as soon as dates are confirmed 
• Eurail Passes (if using): buy before departing Australia 

Australian passport holders require a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the United Kingdom. The ETA costs £10 and is valid for multiple trips over 2 years. Apply online at gov.uk. Apply well before travel — processing is usually quick but allow a few days minimum. 

Australians currently enter the Schengen Zone visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. The EU's ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) is expected to be implemented for visa-free travellers — check the current status and requirements at travel.home.affairs.gov.au before your trip, as timing of implementation may affect your travel. 

Note: The UK and Schengen Zone are separate — your 90-day Schengen allowance does not include UK days. 

Arrive in London from Australia (usually morning or midday with Middle Eastern carriers). Day 1 is recovery — a walk through the South Bank, Borough Market for food, and an early night. Days 2–4 properly: the British Museum (free, extraordinary), Tower of London, Greenwich, Shoreditch for food and culture, a day trip to Stonehenge or Bath. London is expensive — budget accordingly. 

Eurostar isn't direct to Amsterdam from London, but Eurostar to Brussels then Dutch rail is efficient (approximately 4.5 hours total). Alternatively, a budget airline (KLM, easyJet) makes it 1 hour. Amsterdam rewards slow exploration: the canal ring, the Rijksmuseum, the Anne Frank House (book well ahead — this sells out weeks in advance), and the Jordaan neighbourhood's cafe culture. 

Thalys or Eurostar from Amsterdam to Paris (approximately 2.5 hours). Paris has the densest concentration of world-class museums and monuments of any city on earth. The Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, and the Eiffel Tower (timed entry — book in advance) are the headliners. The Marais neighbourhood for food. A late evening walk along the Seine. Two days in Paris is not enough but it's a start. 

Fly or TGV from Paris to Barcelona (6.5 hours by TGV — genuinely pleasant, or 2 hours by air). Barcelona is one of Europe's most magnetic cities — La Sagrada Família (book months ahead), the Gothic Quarter, the Boqueria Market (skip the tourist stalls, eat at the back), Las Ramblas at night, and the beach. The food and bar culture is extraordinary. 

For travellers with the appetite for it, the Basque Country is worth a detour from Barcelona. San Sebastián has more Michelin stars per capita than almost anywhere on earth; Bilbao has its own Guggenheim Museum. These are optional for time-rich itineraries.

Fly from Barcelona to Florence or Pisa (approximately 2 hours). Florence is the Renaissance condensed into one extraordinary city. The Uffizi Gallery, Accademia (David), the Duomo, and the Oltrarno neighbourhood. Book the Uffizi as early as possible. 

Hire a car from Florence for a Tuscan loop: Siena's Campo (one of Italy's great piazzas), San Gimignano's medieval towers, the Chianti wine road. Return to Florence or drive directly south to Rome. 

Four nights in Rome — the minimum to see it properly. The Colosseum and Roman Forum, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel (both require advance booking), the Pantheon, Trastevere, Campo de' Fiori, and the quieter neighbourhoods (Pigneto, Prati, Ostiense) that reward wandering. Fly home from Fiumicino. 

Start with your open-jaw flight — fly into one European city and home from another to avoid backtracking. Book 4–6 months ahead for peak season flights. Decide on your routing before booking accommodation. Pre-book major attractions immediately. Check entry requirements: UK ETA and Schengen Zone rules for Australian passport holders. 

Three weeks is a solid Europe trip — enough to cover 4–6 countries at a pace that doesn't feel rushed. It won't cover everything (nothing does) but it's the right amount of time for a comprehensive first trip or a focused second visit. 

London → Amsterdam → Paris → Barcelona → Florence/Tuscany → Rome. This arc covers the most iconic European destinations in a logical geographic sequence, finishes in Rome (great for an open-jaw flight home), and uses a mix of trains and budget flights efficiently. 

For the UK: Australians need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) — £10, applied online. For Schengen countries: currently visa-free for up to 90 days per 180-day period, though the EU's ETIAS system is expected to require advance authorisation — check current status before travelling. 

Depends on your itinerary. For a mixed trip using some budget flights (like Paris to Barcelona), a full Eurail Pass is often not the best value. Compare pass costs against individual ticket prices for your specific journeys. A regional pass for Italy is often worthwhile. 

April–June and September–October — shoulder seasons with good weather, manageable crowds, and lower prices than July–August. If travelling during Australian school holidays (July–August), book everything months ahead.