Europe is a fantastic place to travel to on your golden gap year after retirement, or even to retire to permanently! If you want a culture trip you can plan a tour around Europe’s cities including Rome, Paris, Amsterdam and Prague. Europe boasts beautiful countryside where you can enjoy adventure holidays such as skiing, canoeing, mountain climbing, horse riding ...the list of what to do on your Europe gap year is endless. Many retired people decide to live abroad somewhere in Europe, where property can be cheaper and the weather less harsh than in the UK. For hints, tips and activity ideas, take a look at our Europe news features and reviews from our experts and fellow travellers; plus our Quick Travel Guide below has some great career break and alternative gap year travel ideas. If you are looking for a company to help you plan your career break or alternative holiday, the boxes below lead to our company listings. We also have a volunteering section, so there is something to suite every gap year traveller in our Europe pages.
Europe for older travellers usually means culture, just thinking of Europe brings to mind cities you can walk around, classical buildings, countryside chateaus and a history to submerge oneself in. For the career breaker there is also ample opportunity to earn whilst you travel and a tour of Europe by train or car can be relatively inexpensive. All in all Europe has everything you could wish for on an extended holiday.
If you are thinking of taking a career break, alternative holiday or golden gap year in Europe, we think the following will come in handy:
We're guessing you're from the UK if you are reading this so you probably know that the weather in Europe is pretty similar to our climate. When to go will depend on what you see yourself doing, the Christmas markets in Europe are a sight to behold, October in Munich needs no explanation and the summer holiday resorts of France, Spain and Italy amongst others are well worth a visit.
The summer months of June to September are the months where you are guaranteed some sun, although a European spring is something to experience, with warm weather, fresh alpine pastures, lively cities and all the flowers in bloom. Winter also has it's advantages if you like crisp winter skies, wrapping up warm or are partial to sleigh rides and skiing of course!
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There are so many great things to do on a career break or alternative grown up gap year in Europe, whether it's enjoying a luxury break in Monte Carlo, soaking up a bit of culture and great food in Italy or cruising the Norwegian Fjords.
We've picked out some of the best things to do with your time.
Ponder a Picasso
Don't miss the Museo Picasso (Carrer Montcada) in the magnificent city of Barcelona - more Picasso’s than you can shake a paintbrush at!
Have an authentic Italian, every night!
Italy is synonymous with classic, good food and restaurants gourmet or local are pretty much guaranteed to serve you a meal you'll be talking about for a long time. Yet the food on offer varies tremendously according to which region you visit so when planning a trip to Italy it can be a good idea to consider what food you like.
Don't miss our Food in Italy review!
Take an alternative short city break in New Europe
Europe as we know it has changed almost continuously over the past 20 years and "New Europe" is now a serious option for a short break or alternative city break. Let's face it, most people over 50 have done Paris, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Brussels, Vienna so why not take a look at the cities of Romania, Albania and Croatia as an alternative.
Don't miss our Alternative Europe review!
Europe is your oyster
There are so many things to do in Europe that we just wouldn't even scratch the surface here. A tour of Europe could take in the major cities of Old Europe where you'll find culture mixed with modernism, well trodden tourist traps and friendly locals or follow in the recent footsteps of Michael Palin and experience the strange magic of New Europe where the traces of the old communist rule are still evry much in evidence.
Visit the Visit Europe Website
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Italy is synonymous with classic, good food and restaurants gourmet or local are.....
Read the review in full
Europe as we know it has changed almost continuously over the past 20 years.....
Read the review in full
If you are looking for an alternative holiday, Norway should be right up there.....
Read the review in full