Notes From Europe · Travel guides & itineraries
Europe travel guides for thoughtful travelers
City itineraries, packing lists, hotel picks, and the small details that make a trip feel intentional - written for travelers with limited time, high standards, and no interest in rushing.
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The guides we would send a friend before their first trip.
Latest guides
Fresh advice on what to pack, where to eat, and how to spend your days.
ShoppingThe Ultimate Guide to Luxury Shopping in Europe
Boutiques, VAT refunds, and how to plan a high-end shopping trip.
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PackingThe Best Shoes for Long Days in Europe
What holds up on cobblestones, and what to leave at home.
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MoneyCash in Europe: What Travelers Still Need to Know
Exchanging euros, avoiding fees, and when a card is enough.
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Food & drinkVenice's Hidden Gem Restaurants
Where locals eat, away from the San Marco crowds.
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ReviewsDelta One Review: Is It Worth It?
An honest look at Delta's international business class.
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City guides3 Days in Porto: The Essential Itinerary
Porto's best sights, food, and day trips in one long weekend.
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City guides for the places we know best.
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Explore by theme
Six ways into the archive, depending on the trip you are planning.
City guides
Rome, Venice, Paris, Porto, Vienna, Amsterdam, and more - with itineraries, restaurants, and local tips.
Explore →02Itineraries
Two days or three weeks: routes that leave room to slow down, eat well, and see the thing you came for.
Explore →03Packing lists
Season-by-season packing guides, carry-on strategies, and the shoes that survive a week of cobblestones.
Explore →04Hotels
How to choose a hotel in Europe, what star ratings really mean, and the stays worth planning around.
Explore →05Shopping in Europe
Designer streets, outlets, VAT refunds, and what is actually worth bringing home.
Explore →06Travel gear
Luggage, walking shoes, camera kit, and the accessories that quietly save a trip.
Explore →The newsletter
A slower kind of travel email
One thoughtful note a month: new guides, places worth the detour, and the details that make a Europe trip feel like yours. No noise, no daily deals.
About Notes From Europe
Written by Angela Hanyak
Notes From Europe is a personal travel guide to the continent: the itineraries, restaurants, hotels, and packing decisions that come from planning the trips myself rather than rewriting a list of top ten sights.
If you want fewer checkboxes and more of the good stuff - a long lunch, a quiet museum, the right shoes for a day of walking - start with a city guide or an itinerary, then make it yours.