How to Plan a Cheap Multi-City Eurotrip: Smart 2- & 3-Stop Itineraries
Travelling around Europe on one trip is one of the best ways to get big value from a single plane ticket (or a smart mix of planes, trains and buses). With a little planning — and the right tools — you can visit 2–4 cities on a single trip without breaking the bank. Below is a practical, step-by-step guide + ready strategies, plus how Eurotrip Planner makes creating cheap 2- & 3-stop itineraries fast and painless.
Why choose a 2- or 3-stop Eurotrip?
A short multi-city trip (2 or 3 stops) keeps travel days manageable while letting you see several highlights. It’s easier to budget, easier to keep travel time low, and often cheaper than trying to visit 6+ places in the same time window. Aggregators and multi-city search tools are designed to find logical open-jaw or multi-stop routings that save you time — and sometimes money — compared with lots of separate roundtrips.
Quick checklist before you book
Decide your travel window (dates). For international multi-city flights, prices usually look better 3–6 months out; for short European hops 1–2 months can be OK.
Pick a logical route that minimizes backtracking (e.g., Madrid → Barcelona → Nice vs. Madrid → London → Prague → Barcelona).
Choose how you’ll book: one multi-city ticket, a combination of one-ways, or separate low-cost tickets (see pros/cons below).
Factor in transfer time (airport travel, check-in) and local transport cost/time between city centers.
Budget for baggage and fees — many European low-cost carriers charge for cabin/checked bags and extras; check rules carefully. Recent enforcement and fines underline how important this is.
How Eurotrip Planner helps (step-by-step)
Eurotrip Planner is built precisely for people who want ready 2- & 3-stop itineraries without the manual juggle:
Choose a departure city (your airport/home city).
Add cities you want to visit (type them in) — or pick from a curated list of popular cities.
Pick your ideal interval between cities (Eurotrip Planner supports recommended intervals like 2–4 days).
Click Search Eurotrips and get ready-made 2- & 3-stop itineraries that show flight/travel legs and suggested dates (so you can compare prices and durations at a glance).
Why this saves time and money: instead of fiddling with multiple engines and date grids, Eurotrip Planner returns sensible, travel-aware routings you can test and book — perfect for building a compact Eurotrip with minimal fuss. 
Real examples of 2- & 3-stop itineraries
Budapest - Prague - London Stansted - Budapest
Bucharest OTP - Beauvais Paris - Barcelona - Rome FCO - Bucharest OTP
Safety nets & last-minute checks
If you buy separate tickets, build in buffer time between flights (or stay overnight in the connecting city).
Keep important documents and a compact travel kit in your carry-on in case checked luggage gets delayed.
Watch airline fee policies and the news — recent rulings and fines mean rules can change; always confirm baggage/boarding rules before you fly.
Final checklist before you hit “Book”
[✔] Dates locked?
[✔] Logical route minimizing backtracking?
[✔] Baggage strategy set and paid?
[✔] Transfers and local transport checked?
Ready to build your Eurotrip?
Use Eurotrip Planner to spin up 2- and 3-stop itineraries in seconds — pick your departure city, add a few stops (or choose popular cities), set 2–4 day intervals, and get ready-made routes you can compare and book. It removes the guesswork so you focus on the fun part: where to eat, what to see, and which scenic photo spot to save for last.