Europe Is Meant to Be Experienced, Not Just Seen
Historic cities, coastal villages, scenic rail and slower mornings, planned around your pace, your priorities, and the way you actually like to travel.
I was 15 the first time I went to Europe. I traveled to London with a small group of students and our English teacher, and I was hooked from day one. We toured the city, went to shows, tried local food, and took a day trip to Stonehenge, Bath, and Windsor Castle. That trip really opened my eyes to how different the world could be from what I knew at home, and I knew I wanted to see more of it.
Five years later, I studied abroad in Cyprus and spent the summer exploring 11 countries, including Romania (still my favorite), Austria, Greece, and the Czech Republic. That summer made me fall in love with Europe even more. I had no idea at the time how much those few months would end up shaping who I am and the work I do today.
I truly love helping people experience Europe, no matter their age or how much they’ve traveled before. There’s something about being surrounded by different cultures, languages, history, and ways of life that can shift the way you see the world. I want you to come home with more than photos and a list of places you visited. I want you to come home with stories, favorite places, and moments that stay with you long after the trip is over.
– Katie
Destinations
Mediterranean & Southern Europe
Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Malta
Explore the region →
Western Europe
France, UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium
Explore the region →
Scandinavia & Nordics
Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, the Baltics
Explore the region →
Central & Eastern Europe
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Czechia, Poland, Hungary, Croatia
Explore the region →Travel Styles
Ocean & River Cruises
Unpack once and wake up somewhere new. River ships dock in the middle of towns along the Rhine, the Rhône and the Danube, and small ocean ships reach the Greek islands and the Italian coast.
See cruises →Food & Wine Journeys
Trips planned around the table, with vineyard days, market visits, cooking classes and long lunches in the regions that grow what’s on your plate.
See food & wine trips →Escorted Group Tours
See more of Europe without planning any of it yourself. A tour director travels with you and local guides handle each city, with hotels, transport and the sights you came for already arranged.
See group tours →Private & Custom Itineraries
Travel at your own pace with the freedom to choose where you go and when. I can plan as much or as little of it as you want.
See private & custom trips →Find Your Trip
A few example itineraries to give you a feel for what’s possible. I can book far more than what’s shown here, and any of them can be reshaped around you.
Greek Island Hopper
Athens, then three nights each on Mykonos and Santorini, with the ferry out and a flight back.
More group tours →The Best of Italy
Rome, Florence and Venice, then south to Pompeii, Sorrento and Capri.
More group tours →Flavors of Italy: Rome & Tuscany
Rome, then your own car and the hill towns of Tuscany at your own pace.
More private & custom trips →Italy Intensive: Venice, Sicily & Amalfi
A small ship down the Italian coast, with Sicily and the Amalfi Coast on the way.
More cruises →Greece Intensive
Corfu, Santorini, Crete, Rhodes, Patmos and Mykonos, plus a day at Ephesus in Turkey.
More cruises →Classic Ireland
Belfast, the Giant’s Causeway, Connemara, the Cliffs of Moher and the Ring of Kerry, with every hotel booked ahead.
More private & custom trips →Scenic Ireland
The full island loop, Northern Ireland included, from the Dingle Peninsula to the Giant’s Causeway.
More group tours →Scottish Icons
Edinburgh, St Andrews, Loch Ness and the Isle of Skye, staying in castles, manors and B&Bs.
More private & custom trips →Best of Switzerland by Train
The Glacier Express and Bernina Express, Zermatt under the Matterhorn, and Lake Geneva.
More private & custom trips →Luxury Highlights of France
Five-star hotels and private guides from Paris through Normandy, the Loire, Burgundy and Provence to the Riviera.
More private & custom trips →Rhine Getaway
The classic first river cruise: the Black Forest, Strasbourg, the castles of the Middle Rhine and Cologne.
More cruises →Lyon & Provence
Up the Rhône through Provence, with Roman Arles, wine tastings and Lyon, the capital of French cooking.
More cruises →Band of Brothers
Following Easy Company from the D-Day beaches through the Battle of the Bulge to the Eagle’s Nest.
More group tours →Iceland Full Circle
Waterfalls, black sand beaches, the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and whale watching in the north.
More private & custom trips →Four Nordic Capitals by Train & Cruise
Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo, linked by two overnight cruises and a train.
More private & custom trips →Spectacular Norwegian Fjords
A small group with a tour leader, a Hurtigruten coastal cruise, the Sognefjord and the Flåm Railway.
More group tours →Baltic Sailing: Helsinki, Stockholm & Tallinn
Three capitals linked by overnight sailings across the Baltic, with a private tour of Stockholm and a guided walk through Tallinn’s Old Town. An easy add-on to a longer Nordic trip.
More cruises →Highlights of Croatia & Slovenia
Ljubljana, Lake Bled, Piran and the Istrian coast, with private transfers throughout.
More private & custom trips →Budapest to Sofia
A small group through Transylvania, Bran Castle, Bucharest and Veliko Tarnovo.
More group tours →Danube Symphony
The Wachau Valley, Vienna and Bratislava on the way to Budapest.
More cruises →Panoramic Train Journey across Europe
Three weeks by train through Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Czechia and Germany, with no group and no guide.
More private & custom trips →No example trips for that mix yet, but I can still plan one. Tell me what you have in mind →
“I can’t think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything.”
– Bill Bryson
What Travelers Say
“Katie was the best travel agent we could have asked for! My husband and I last minute decided to take a one year anniversary/honeymoon trip to Switzerland and wanted to find a local travel agent in Fargo, ND. We gave Katie about 2.5 months to plan it which was not a lot of time at all. She was so easy to work with and even with the short notice, planned us the trip of a lifetime!! She was quick to respond to all of our questions, had everything planned, gave us so much information and tips/tricks, and had our itinerary all planned out and set for us. We plan to use her for all of our travel plans in the future!! She was AMAZING.”
Switzerland honeymoon
“Katie was absolutely wonderful to work with! She made our 10-day trip to Italy seamless by helping us book airline tickets and finding the best hotels in the areas we planned to explore. Her knowledge of international travel was impressive and she was always communicative and responsive, making the entire planning process stress free. If you are looking for a travel agent who is experienced, detail oriented and truly cares about making your trip amazing, I highly recommend hiring Katie!”
10 days in Italy
“Katie was excellent to work with when we decided to take a trip to Scotland. Very seamless, professional and highly recommended. Will be booking with her for future trips.”
Scotland
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to travel through Europe?
It depends on how you like to travel. A guided tour handles everything, a river cruise means unpacking once, and a private trip gives you your own pace with every hotel and train booked. Plenty of my clients mix two of them, like a few days in Rome before a small-ship cruise.
How many countries should we visit in one trip?
Fewer than you think. For a week, one or two countries is plenty. For two weeks, two or three. Every move costs you half a day, and the trips people love most are the ones where they stayed long enough to have a favorite café.
Are guided tours a good option for Europe?
Yes, especially for a first trip or a busy itinerary. A tour director handles the trains, hotels and tickets, local guides take you through each city, and most tours build in free afternoons. If you like a tour’s route but not the group, I can rebuild it as a private trip.
Is rail travel a good way to see Europe?
Often the best way. Trains run city center to city center, so there are no airport transfers, and routes like the Glacier Express are a highlight on their own. On the rail trips I plan, your tickets are booked and your seats are reserved together before you go.
How far in advance should we plan a Europe trip?
Six to twelve months is ideal, especially for summer, river cruises and the Christmas markets, which have only a few departures a year. Shorter notice can work too. One of my Switzerland couples gave me two and a half months.
Do you only plan custom Europe itineraries?
No. I book guided tours, river and ocean cruises, rail journeys and fully custom trips, and I’ll tell you honestly which one suits the trip you’re picturing.
What does it cost to work with you?
For custom trips, my planning fee starts at $50 per person for a single city, and starts at $100 per person per city for a multi-city trip. Other trips vary, and I’ll tell you the exact fee before we start. My How It Works guide walks you through exactly how I plan your trip, step by step.
Tell Me About Your Trip
Tell me where you’re thinking of going, roughly when, and how you like to travel. I’ll tell you what works.
Start Planning
Read the Free Guide
Choosing your country, timing the season, what moves the cost, and building the route.
Get the Free Guide
Book a Consultation
Not sure where to start, or torn between two countries? Let’s talk it through.
Pick a Time
Ready to Start Planning Your European Adventure?
Tell me what you’re picturing, even if it’s just a country and a rough month. I’ll help you turn it into a Europe trip that fits how you like to travel, at a pace that feels right, with the places that matter most to you.
