🇪🇺 Why Europe Is So Special
Europe is easy to underestimate because many countries are close together and transport is often simple. But that closeness is exactly what makes the region fascinating: languages, architecture, food, politics, and daily life can change dramatically after only a short train ride or a quick border crossing.
For me, Europe is also personal. I was born in Germany, lived in Austria for a while, grew up close to the Dutch border, and took some of my earliest trips as a juggler around the continent long before the every-country project became serious.
When I talk about Europe here, I mean the 44 independent countries I count in the region for the 195 project. That includes the microstates like Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City, which are small on the map but very much part of the full Europe experience.
🗺️ All 44 Countries in Europe
These are the 44 countries in Europe.
🧭 Europe Travel Guides
These are the Europe country guides currently live on the 195 Blog, with personal route notes, border details, photos, costs, and the parts of each trip that stayed with me most.
Get Travel Insurance for Europe
Europe is usually easy to travel independently, but medical costs, winter sports, theft, flight delays, and Schengen-era route changes can still make insurance useful.
For Europe, I usually compare two different types of travel insurance: SafetyWing for longer, more flexible trips, and Heymondo for fixed-date holidays with clearer start and end dates.
SafetyWing
Best for digital nomads, backpackers, remote workers, and longer Europe trips where you are moving between countries.
- Good for open-ended travel
- Useful if you do not know your exact return date
- Works well for multi-country routes
- Subscription-style coverage for long-term travelers
Heymondo
Best for city breaks, summer holidays, ski trips, family vacations, and fixed-date Europe itineraries.
- Good for trips with fixed dates
- Useful when you want cancellation options
- Often strong for medical coverage limits
- Flexible add-ons depending on the trip
The simple rule: if you are traveling around Europe for weeks or months, check SafetyWing. If you are booking a specific Europe trip with set dates, check Heymondo.
✈️ Practical Notes for Europe Travel
Europe is usually one of the easiest regions for independent travel, but costs, Schengen rules, seasonal crowds, train prices, and accommodation availability can still make a big difference.
- Use trains where they make sense, but compare buses and budget flights for longer distances.
- Plan expensive cities early, especially in summer and around major events.
- Remember that Schengen rules do not cover every country in Europe.
- Do not skip the microstates; they are small but fun parts of the full country-count journey.
- Leave time for slower regions like the Balkans, Caucasus-adjacent routes, and Eastern Europe.