A guided 15-day tour of Europe costs €2,000–4,500 per person before flights. What 'all-inclusive' really covers, the extras that add 30–50% and how to save.
The typical 15 day Europe tour cost is €2,000–4,500 per person (roughly $2,300–5,200 or £1,750–3,900) for a guided tour, not counting your long-haul flight if you're travelling from outside the continent. The range depends mainly on how many countries are on the itinerary, the hotel category and the season.
Here's the breakdown and, above all, what "all-inclusive" really means on a European tour, which is almost never what people imagine. We're a European travel company based in Portugal, so these are the numbers we see every day.
In this article
- 15 day Europe tour cost by type of tour
- What's really included
- How much money do you need for 15 days in Europe?
- How to bring the cost down
- What else that budget could buy
- "All-inclusive" versus "all sorted"
- Frequently asked questions
- If you fancy going off the usual map
15 day Europe tour cost by type of tour
- Budget coach tour, 3-star hotels on the outskirts: €1,600–2,400
- Standard tour, 3–4-star hotels and some meals: €2,400–3,200
- Superior tour, central 4-star hotels and a tour director throughout: €3,200–4,500
- Luxury tour, 5-star hotels and small groups: from €6,000
The most common 15-day itineraries are capital-city combinations (London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest) or routes through Italy and Switzerland. Many tours aimed at North American, Indian or Australian travellers start in London or Paris.
What's really included
A so-called "all-inclusive" European tour usually covers:
- Accommodation with breakfast
- Coach transport between cities
- A tour director for the trip
- Airport transfers (often only on set arrival days)
- Some panoramic sightseeing, often from the coach
What's almost never included (and does cost money)
- Entrance fees. This is the big one. The Louvre, the Vatican Museums, the Sagrada Família, the Colosseum: €15–35 each, and over 15 days they add up to €200–400.
- Lunches and dinners, apart from the odd included meal. Budget €30–50 a day in Western Europe.
- Optional excursions, which are often the most interesting part of the programme: €40–90 each.
- City tourist taxes: €2–7 per person per night in most European cities, sometimes paid at the hotel.
- Tips for the tour director and driver, often "suggested" as a fixed daily amount.
- Travel insurance.
- Entry formalities: visitors from visa-exempt countries such as the US, Canada and Australia should check whether the EU's new ETIAS travel authorisation applies on their travel dates and, for a UK leg, apply for the UK's Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).
Adding everything up, the final bill usually ends up 30–50% above the advertised price. That's the biggest difference between a European tour and an all-inclusive beach holiday: in Europe, "all-inclusive" means accommodation and transport, not meals and entrance fees.
How much money do you need for 15 days in Europe?
On top of the tour price, a realistic daily budget is:
- Meals not included: €30–50 per day
- Entrance fees: €200–400 for the whole trip
- Optional excursions: €150–400, depending on how many you take
- Tips, tourist taxes and small expenses: €100–200
For two weeks, €800–1,300 per person in extra spending is a realistic figure. Travelling independently on a tight budget (hostels, trains, picnics) in central and eastern Europe can bring the total down considerably, but Paris, London, Zurich or Amsterdam will quickly push it back up.
How to bring the cost down
- Avoid July and August. May, June, September and October have better weather than their reputation and noticeably lower prices.
- Choose central and eastern Europe. Prague, Budapest or Kraków cost around half as much as Paris or Zurich.
- Fewer cities, more days in each. Every move costs money and half a day.
- Book entrance tickets online in advance: often cheaper and no queues.
- Take the train rather than flying between nearby cities.
- Ask for the price of optional excursions before you book, not on arrival.
What else that budget could buy
This is the thought worth having before you sign. A standard 15-day European tour comes to around €2,400–3,200 per person once entrance fees, meals and extras are added.
For the same money, or less, very different kinds of trips come into play, especially if you're already flying into Europe:
- South Africa, 15 days: roughly €2,500–3,500 with flights from Europe, safari and the Garden Route (see how much a 15-day trip to South Africa costs)
- Namibia, 14 days: €2,800–3,800
- Sao Tome and Principe, 8 days: €2,200–2,700 including flights from Western Europe, accommodation, guide, 4x4 and most meals
They're not comparable in content (Europe is Europe), but they are in budget, and many people discover too late that the "affordable" capitals tour cost as much as a trip to the other side of the world. If you're flying long-haul to Europe anyway, Lisbon is the gateway to São Tomé: a week on the equator can be added before or after your European itinerary.
"All-inclusive" versus "all sorted"
A good tour isn't the one that promises the most inclusions, but the one where nobody asks you for money halfway through for something you assumed was covered. Before booking, always ask in writing for:
Featured trip
São Tomé and Príncipe Circuit — 8 Days
- Which meals are included, and exactly how many
- Which entrance fees are included and which aren't
- The price of every optional excursion
- The maximum group size
- Whether the same tour director stays for the whole trip or changes in each city
- The category and exact location of the hotels
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 15-day Europe tour cost?
€2,000–4,500 per person on a guided tour, excluding long-haul flights. The final cost is usually 30–50% above the advertised price because of entrance fees, meals and optional extras.
How much does 14 days in Europe cost?
Much the same as 15: one night less only trims the price slightly. Expect €1,900–4,200 on a guided tour, plus €750–1,200 in extras.
Is $2,000 enough for 2 weeks in Europe?
For independent budget travel in cheaper regions (hostels, trains, simple meals), it can be, excluding your flight. It won't cover a typical guided 15-day tour plus extras, which usually starts above that figure.
What's the best time of year?
May, June, September and October: good weather, fewer crowds and lower prices than in high summer.
How many countries can you see in 15 days?
Four or five at most if you want to enjoy them. Tours promising eight countries in two weeks spend half the time on the coach.
Which countries should I visit in 15 days?
Classic combinations are England, France and Italy, or Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Budapest. For a first trip, four or five well-chosen countries give you more than eight at a gallop.
Are meals included on a European tour?
Usually just breakfast and the occasional dinner. Budget €30–50 a day for the rest.
Is a tour better than travelling independently?
It depends on the itinerary. To cover many cities in a short time, a tour saves logistics. To stay in two or three places, going independently is usually better value.
If you fancy going off the usual map
Our 8-day Sao Tome and Principe circuit costs from €1,250 per person and includes accommodation, a local English-speaking guide, a 4x4 with driver, five excursions and half board with 17 meals. With the flight from Europe, the whole trip comes to around €2,200–2,700. Flights and travel insurance are not included in the circuit price.
Read our complete Sao Tome and Principe travel guide or get in touch.