Europe Summer Guide

Every year, thousands of Australians make their way to Europe over the months of June, July, August to take advantage of the Summer in the northern hemisphere. It’s the season of music festivals and whether you’re a first time goer or a returning traveller, we’ve compiled a small guide to make sure you can make the most of your time away.

Make sure your passport is valid

When was the last time you checked the validity of your passport? If your answer is “on the way to the airport”, that’s far too late. For most international travel, your passport should have at least six months of validity remaining from the date you plan to leave your destination. So if you’re heading away for the entirety of June and leaving 1 July 2025, your passport expiry date needs to be later than 1 January 2026.

Festigo tip: Make copies of the front page of your passport so that you can access your details even if your passport isn’t physically with you.

Have travel insurance

If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel. Too many times we hear stories of people who have been in horrific accidents with medical bills skyrocketing through the roof… and too many times we see people tell themselves “that won’t happen to me”. But travel insurance isn’t just about the 1 in 1000 chances – it also covers stolen phones, lost luggage – even airline cancellations! Most times, the cost of travel insurance isn’t even 1% of how much you’ve spent on your entire holiday. So don’t take the risk, make sure you’re covered.

Festigo tip: We partner with CoverMore and NIB so have options to suit all travellers! Ask us for a quote today.

Ensure you can access your finances easily

When converting money, do not do it at the airport. Convert a solid amount in Australia to make sure you have Euro when you land – especially if you’re going to places like Croatia where cash is king.

Whilst it’s great to have cash on hand, we are moving towards an increasingly cashless society meaning it is likely you will also need your bank cards either as a main form of payment, or as backup. Not all bank cards can be accessed overseas so make sure you check that yours is okay, and give your bank a heads up before you go so that they don’t assume that your card has been swiped and block it. It’ll be a bummer to try and call your bank, overseas, during their business hours!

Get an eSIM

The only international roaming happening should be your feet around a new city in Europe. A classic way to get around high costs is to buy a local SIM card when you land, or coast through areas tapping into free WiFi where available. However, if you have a phone that supports an eSIM, this is the easiest and most straightforward method to make sure you’re connected to a network no matter where you are. Holafly offers packages that give you unlimited data for a number of days – all you have to do is choose the duration!

Festigo tip: As a Festigo customer, you’ll automatically get 5% off all Holafly orders. No codes, no fuss.

Bring the power you need

Different countries have different types of power outlets, so a good rule of thumb is to have an adapter and bring a power board so you can plug in multiple devices at once. Have at least one portable charger with you at all times so you don’t run out of juice on the go, and pack extra charging cables.

Just what the doctor ordered

If you’re on any type of prescribed medication, have a copy of the prescription with you at all times as some countries have laws on what you can bring in. Before you travel, check if your medication is allowed in the country, requires a permit or needs custom clearance. It’s a good idea to also carry a letter from your doctor outlining the name of the medication, how much you are taking and that it’s for personal use only. And don’t forget to take enough for your whole trip!

No matter the length of your Europe trip, we hope that this guide will help make sure your time away is memorable and stress-free as possible.

Keen to get started on your next Europe trip? Let us know what you want your dream holiday to look like and we’ll make it happen.