Europe destination guide FAQ
Your Europe questions, answered.
The same ground the Europe destination guide covers — travel tips, the best months, local culture and where to go — set out as the questions people actually ask us before they book.
Planning a trip to Europe
- Pick the airport before the house — what does that mean for a trip to Europe?
- Geneva serves most of the French and Swiss Alps within two to three hours; Nice, Ibiza, Mykonos and Olbia put you inside an hour of the villa. A house an extra ninety minutes out costs you two half-days.
- Cars help on the coast, not in the Alps — what does that mean for a trip to Europe?
- Puglia, Mallorca, Corsica and the Douro want a car. Resort villages like Courchevel 1850, Zermatt (car-free) and Val d'Isère do not — a driver on call is cheaper than parking and easier in snow.
- Book the festive fortnight a year out — what does that mean for a trip to Europe?
- Christmas and New Year in the Alps, and August on the Riviera and the Greek islands, are the two windows where the best houses go twelve months ahead and rates roughly double.
- Chalets are catered; villas usually are not — what does that mean for a trip to Europe?
- An Alpine chalet rate normally includes a chef, host and daily housekeeping. Mediterranean villas typically include housekeeping only, with a chef, driver and boat added on request.
- Know the entry rules for your passport — what does that mean for a trip to Europe?
- Non-EU visitors are limited to 90 days in any 180 in the Schengen area, and the EU's new entry-exit checks add time at the border. The UK and Switzerland run their own rules.
The best time to visit Europe
- When is the best time to visit Europe?
- December – April: Alpine season; best snow January to March, longest days and terrace lunches in late March and April. April – May: Mediterranean shoulder: Puglia, Mallorca and the Amalfi Coast warm and quiet before the crowds. June: The best-value summer month — sea warm enough, islands not yet full, rates below July. July – August: Peak everywhere south; book by the previous autumn and expect the coast roads to be slow. September – October: Our favourite window: swimmable sea, the Douro and Tuscan harvests, and empty cities. November: Quietest month; city houses in London, Paris and Milan at their best value before the Alps open. Rates on every house move with these seasons, and the live partner panels on each listing show what a given week actually costs.
- What is Europe like in December – April?
- Alpine season; best snow January to March, longest days and terrace lunches in late March and April.
- What is Europe like in April – May?
- Mediterranean shoulder: Puglia, Mallorca and the Amalfi Coast warm and quiet before the crowds.
- What is Europe like in June?
- The best-value summer month — sea warm enough, islands not yet full, rates below July.
- What is Europe like in July – August?
- Peak everywhere south; book by the previous autumn and expect the coast roads to be slow.
- What is Europe like in September – October?
- Our favourite window: swimmable sea, the Douro and Tuscan harvests, and empty cities.
- What is Europe like in November?
- Quietest month; city houses in London, Paris and Milan at their best value before the Alps open.
Local culture and etiquette in Europe
- Lunch is the main event in the south — what is expected of visitors?
- Italy, Spain and Greece eat late — dinner from 21:00 in Ibiza and Mykonos is normal. Shops close in the afternoon in much of southern Europe; plan around it rather than against it.
- Dress codes are real on the Riviera — what is expected of visitors?
- Beach clubs from Cap d'Antibes to Porto Cervo expect smart resort wear after sunset, and several refuse trainers. Alpine restaurants are more relaxed, though the Michelin rooms are not.
- Greet before you ask — what is expected of visitors?
- A bonjour, buongiorno or kalimera before a question is the whole difference in France, Italy and Greece. Service is included by law in France and Italy; rounding up is enough.
- Sunday closes things — what is expected of visitors?
- Switzerland, Austria and much of Germany shut almost entirely on Sundays, and Alpine resorts change over on Saturdays — which is why chalet weeks run Saturday to Saturday.
Where to go in Europe
- Which places in Europe should I build a trip around?
- Courchevel 1850 — The reference address in the Three Valleys: ski-in chalets with chef, spa and staff in the rate. Zermatt — Car-free, Matterhorn in the window, and skiing into June on the glacier. Ibiza — Cliff-edge estates at Es Cubells and Cala Jondal, quiet fincas in the north. Mykonos — Sunset-facing villas above Agios Lazaros and Psarou, with chef and driver standard. Amalfi Coast — Positano and Ravello houses with terraces over the sea; go in May or late September. Paris — Apartments and townhouses for a city opening or closing to a longer European trip. Douro Valley — Quinta estates and harvest in September — the most underrated week in Europe.
- How do I book a house in Europe?
- Every house on Europe estates shows live partner rates for your dates. Choose the dates and party size on the listing, and the booking completes with our partner — Booking.com, Expedia or Hotels.com — at the partner's own price. We never take a deposit ourselves.