17 days in Europe Itinerary

Spend time in one of Europe's oldest cities, the vibrant Bulgarian capital of Sofia.

On the 15th (Mon), get the lay of the land with Walking tours.

To find maps and more tourist information, read Sofia trip planning website.

Bucharest, Romania to Sofia is an approximately 4.5-hour flight. You can also drive; or take a bus. In May in Sofia, expect temperatures between 26°C during the day and 11°C at night. On the 16th (Tue), you'll travel to Belgrade.

The capital and largest city of Serbia, cosmopolitan Belgrade sits on the confluence of the Sava and the Danube rivers.

Start off your visit on the 16th (Tue): contemplate the long history of Kalemegdan and then pause for some serene contemplation at St. Sava Temple.

Plan trip to Belgrade with our itinerary maker to find out where to go and what to do.

Traveling by flight from Sofia to Belgrade takes 4.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a bus. Traveling from Sofia to Belgrade, you'll gain 1 hour due to the time zone difference. Expect a daytime high around 26°C in May, and nighttime lows around 13°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 16th (Tue) to allow time to drive to Zagreb.

Zagreb boasts a combination of Austro-Hungarian and Socialist architecture, but it is beloved for its outdoor cafe culture.

On the 17th (Wed), get the lay of the land with Walking tours.

To find other places to visit, maps, and more tourist information, refer to the Zagreb trip planner.

Getting from Belgrade to Zagreb by car takes about 4 hours. Other options: take a shuttle; or fly. In May, plan for daily highs up to 24°C, and evening lows to 11°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 17th (Wed) so you can drive to Ljubljana.

Sitting astride the Ljubljanica River, Ljubljana is marked with picturesque bridges and a marketplace, designed by the famous architect Jože Plečnik.

Start off your visit on the 18th (Thu): indulge in some culinary diversions at a local gastronomic tour.

To see where to stay, reviews, traveler tips, and other tourist information, you can read our Ljubljana driving holiday planner.

Getting from Zagreb to Ljubljana by car takes about 1.5 hours. Other options: take a shuttle; or take a train. In May in Ljubljana, expect temperatures between 23°C during the day and 9°C at night. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 18th (Thu) to allow time to drive to Venice.

Virtually unchanged for the last six centuries, Venice is actually a group of islands made famous by a series of canals, bridges, monuments, piazzas, and narrow pedestrian lanes.

Start off your visit on the 19th (Fri): appreciate the extensive heritage of Piazza San Marco, examine the collection at Doge's Palace, then admire the landmark architecture of Basilica di San Marco, and finally explore the activities along Canal Grande.

For traveler tips, more things to do, and tourist information, go to the Venice trip planner.

Traveling by car from Ljubljana to Venice takes 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus; or do a combination of bus and train. Traveling from Ljubljana in May, Venice is somewhat warmer at night with lows of 15°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 19th (Fri) early enough to drive to Milan.

In many ways the most modern of Italian cities, Milan is a busy, elegant metropolis with an impressive list of grand palaces, fine churches, and important museums.

Start off your visit on the 20th (Sat): admire the striking features of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Duomo di Milano, then take in the architecture and atmosphere at Basilica San Lorenzo Maggiore, and finally explore the world behind art at Pinacoteca Ambrosiana.

To find where to stay, maps, ratings, and tourist information, go to the Milan road trip planning website.

Drive from Venice to Milan in 3 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or take a bus. In May in Milan, expect temperatures between 26°C during the day and 15°C at night. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 20th (Sat) to allow time to fly to Zurich.

The financial hub of Switzerland, Zurich is most often associated with money and banks.

Start off your visit on the 21st (Sun): take an in-depth tour of Landesmuseum, then explore the activities along Lake Zurich, and then get a taste of the local shopping with Bahnhofstrasse.

Ask Klarna Trips to suggest an itinerary and make planning a trip to Zurich fast, fun, and easy.

Traveling by flight from Milan to Zurich takes 3 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a train. Expect slightly colder temperatures when traveling from Milan in May; daily highs in Zurich reach 21°C and lows reach 9°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 21st (Sun) so you can fly to Geneva.

Geneva brings the world to one small city with a huge expat population and the highest number of international organizations in any one city.

Start off your visit on the 22nd (Mon): get great views at Cathedrale de Saint-Pierre and then contemplate the waterfront views at Lake Geneva.

To see more things to do, other places to visit, and more tourist information, refer to the Geneva road trip planning website.

You can fly from Zurich to Geneva in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a train. In May, daytime highs in Geneva are 22°C, while nighttime lows are 9°C. Cap off your sightseeing on the 22nd (Mon) early enough to go by car to Lyon.

Lyon is a historical city with a vibrant cultural scene as the birthplace of cinema, the silk capital of the globe, and the second biggest Renaissance city following Venice.

Start off your visit on the 23rd (Tue): appreciate the extensive heritage of Colline de Fourviere, then admire the striking features of Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviere, then appreciate the extensive heritage of Vieux Lyon, and finally walk around Parc de la Tete d'Or.

To see more things to do, photos, and tourist information, you can read our Lyon journey tool.

Drive from Geneva to Lyon in 2 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or take a bus. In May, plan for daily highs up to 23°C, and evening lows to 11°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 23rd (Tue) early enough to take a train to Montpellier.

"Montpellier is a modern, compact, and fast-growing city about 10 km (6 mi) inland from the Mediterranean coast with an active, youthful vibe.

Start off your visit on the 24th (Wed): learn about winemaking at Bertrand Bosc, then test your problem-solving skills at popular escape rooms, and then take in the spiritual surroundings of Cathedrale St. Pierre.

To see ratings, other places to visit, maps, and tourist information, you can read our Montpellier online road trip planner.

Traveling by train from Lyon to Montpellier takes 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a bus. In May, plan for daily highs up to 26°C, and evening lows to 14°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 24th (Wed) early enough to drive to Barcelona.

Barcelona, the country’s second-largest city, is a cosmopolitan urban center known for its throbbing youthful energy and stellar architecture.

On the 25th (Thu), admire the landmark architecture of Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar, pause for some serene contemplation at Barcelona Cathedral, get to know the fascinating history of Gothic Quarter (Barri Gotic), then pause for some serene contemplation at Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, then admire the landmark architecture of Casa Batllo, and finally admire the striking features of Casa Amatller. On the next day, admire the landmark architecture of Casa Mila - La Pedrera, then walk around Parc Guell, and then take a stroll through Las Ramblas.

To find other places to visit, more things to do, ratings, and tourist information, read our Barcelona tour itinerary site.

Drive from Montpellier to Barcelona in 3.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or take a bus. Expect a daytime high around 25°C in May, and nighttime lows around 16°C. Cap off your sightseeing on the 26th (Fri) early enough to catch the flight to Valencia.

A charming old city originally founded as a Roman colony, Valencia is the country’s third-largest urban center.

Start off your visit on the 27th (Sat): engage your brain at Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias and then steep yourself in history at Valencia Cathedral.

Start your trip to Valencia by creating a personalized itinerary on Klarna Trips.

Getting from Barcelona to Valencia by flight takes about 2.5 hours. Other options: take a train; or drive. While traveling from Barcelona, expect a bit warmer days and about the same nights in Valencia, ranging from highs of 29°C to lows of 15°C. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 27th (Sat) so you can catch the train to Madrid.

Madrid is known for its cultural and artistic heritage, lively nightlife, and a dynamic culinary scene.

On the 28th (Sun), stroll around Parque del Retiro, then admire the striking features of Royal Palace of Madrid, and then explore the world behind art at Prado National Museum.

For photos, ratings, maps, and tourist information, use the Madrid trip planner.

Take a train from Valencia to Madrid in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can fly; or drive. In May, daily temperatures in Madrid can reach 28°C, while at night they dip to 13°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 28th (Sun) to allow enough time to fly to Porto.

Called "Oporto" by many, the city of Porto along the Duoro River lent the country and Port wine their names.

On the 29th (Mon), make a trip to Liberdade Square, take in the spiritual surroundings of Porto Cathedral (Se Catedral), admire the landmark architecture of Palacio da Bolsa, then take in the views from Ponte de Dom Luis I, and finally take a stroll through Ribeira do Porto.

To see more things to do, maps, traveler tips, and tourist information, go to the Porto trip itinerary builder website.

You can fly from Madrid to Porto in 4.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a bus. The time zone changes from Central European Standard Time to Western European Standard Time, which is usually a -1 hour difference. Traveling from Madrid in May, you will find days in Porto are a bit cooler (23°C), and nights are about the same (13°C). Wrap up your sightseeing on the 29th (Mon) early enough to fly to Lisbon.

Built on seven hills, Lisbon has experienced a renaissance in recent years, making it the cultural star of Portugal.

On the 30th (Tue), make a trip to Praca do Comercio (Terreiro do Paco), take in the spiritual surroundings of Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, then make a trip to Belém Tower, then appreciate the history behind Padrao dos Descobrimentos, and finally admire nature's wide array of creatures at Lisbon Oceanarium.

To see traveler tips, where to stay, maps, and more tourist information, go to the Lisbon trip builder app.

Traveling by flight from Porto to Lisbon takes 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a train. While traveling from Porto, expect a bit warmer days and about the same nights in Lisbon, ranging from highs of 28°C to lows of 15°C. Wrap up your sightseeing by early afternoon on the 31st (Wed) to allow enough time to fly back home.