How to Use Google Maps to Plan Your Dream Europe Trip

You’ve booked the flights, you’ve got a Pinterest board bursting with castles, cafés, and cobblestone streets—but now what? How do you actually turn all those dreamy pins into a real, practical, day-by-day Europe itinerary?

Enter your secret trip-planning superpower: Google Maps.

Yes, the same app you use to check traffic to work or find the nearest coffee shop can become your best friend when planning your trip across Europe.

1. Start With a Dream Map

Before you even think about logistics, start with inspiration.

Open Google Maps, sign into your Google account, and click the hamburger menu (three lines) → Your Places → Maps → Create Map.

Now, you’ve got a blank canvas—your own personal Europe planning playground.

Search for places you’ve been dreaming about: Paris, Florence, Prague, Santorini. Drop pins on them. Don’t overthink it yet; just start building a map of the destinations calling your name. You’ll start to see your Europe trip come to life visually.

It’s also wildly satisfying—like digital travel scrapbooking.

2. Layer It Up: Categories Are Your Friend

Once you’ve got your pins, start creating layers. Think of layers as separate folders for your ideas.

Try organizing like this:

• Cities to Visit

• Food Spots

• Museums & Attractions

• Hidden Gems & Photo Spots

• Potential Accommodations

You can even color-code your pins (yes, the map nerd in me is thriving right now). Maybe yellow for cafés, blue for museums, red for “must-sees,” and green for “if there’s time.”

When you zoom out, you’ll start to see which regions are overloaded and which might need more love. It’s a great way to balance your itinerary.

Hot Tip: Pick Your Accommodations Like a Local

Before you click “book” on that gorgeous Airbnb or hotel, take a minute to zoom in on Google Maps and see where it actually is in relation to the places you plan to visit.

Drop pins for your must-see attractions, favorite cafés, and public transport hubs. Then, look at how long it takes to walk, metro, or taxi from each potential stay.

You’ll quickly see which neighborhoods are worth the splurge for convenience—and which “great deal” is secretly miles from everything you want to do.

It’s an easy way to balance budget and experience: maybe a slightly smaller room, but one that’s steps from your favorite pastry shop or within walking distance of major sights.

Bonus: turn on Street View to get a feel for the vibe of the area—quiet, lively, charming, or chaotic. It’s like doing a mini virtual walk-through before you even arrive.

3. Plan Routes Like a Pro

Here’s where the magic happens.

Use Google Maps’ directions feature to see how long it takes to get from point A to point B—whether that’s Paris to Bruges by train, or Florence to Cinque Terre by car.

You’ll quickly realize that “popping over to Switzerland for the afternoon” might not be quite as easy as it looks on your Pinterest board.

Seeing the distances and travel times in real numbers helps you make smarter (and saner) choices about how many cities to fit into your itinerary.

HOT  Tip: In Europe, a three-hour train ride can feel like a breeze—especially if there’s scenery, espresso, and Wi-Fi involved.

4. Add Notes and Links

Click on any pin, and you can add notes, photos, and even links.

Let’s say you’ve found a cozy Paris café on Instagram—drop a pin, paste the link to their page, and jot down “get the croissant that looks like a flower.”

Found a boutique hotel you love? Add it.

A scenic viewpoint you saw on TikTok? Pin it.

This is where your scattered travel research starts to come together in one easy-to-navigate map.

5. Share the Map With Your Travel Crew

Traveling with friends or family? Share your map and let everyone add their own finds.

You’ll get everything from “this is where we HAVE to go!” to “my cousin says skip that one,” but at least you’ll have all opinions neatly organized.

You can even use collaboration mode so everyone drops pins in real time—perfect for planning group trips or multi-country adventures.

6. Use It On the Road

Here’s the best part: when you’re finally walking those European streets, your Google Map becomes your live travel companion.

Download the map offline (because we all know Wi-Fi in old stone cities can be unpredictable) and you’ll have all your saved spots right in your pocket—even without service.

Nothing beats wandering through Venice or Paris and realizing that cute café you pinned three months ago is right around the corner.

7. Bonus: Turn It Into a Digital Travel Journal

When your trip’s over, don’t delete your map—rename it and keep it as your memory map.

You can even color-code spots you actually visited, add star ratings, or drop in post-trip notes like “would 100% stay here again” or “skip this restaurant next time.”

It’s the digital equivalent of a travel journal, and trust me—it’s so fun to look back on later (and handy when you inevitably get asked for travel recs).

How to Use These Tricks for Any City

What is the best part about this whole Google Maps approach? It works everywhere.

You can use the exact same system to plan a weekend in New York City, a foodie adventure in Paris, or a stroll through London.

Think of it as your personal trip template:

1. Start broad — drop all the places that catch your eye.

2. Group and color-code — sort by food, sights, shops, photo ops, and neighborhoods.

3. Plan your walking routes — see which areas make sense to explore together in one day.

4. Add notes — jot down open hours, must-try dishes, or local tips.

5. Save it for later — use it on your phone when you’re out exploring.

Before long, you’ll realize you’re not just using Google Maps—you’re building your own guidebook. And once you’ve mastered it for Europe, the rest of the world is fair game.

Paris, Prague, or Portland—it’s all in the map.

Google Maps isn’t just a navigation tool—it’s the ultimate trip-planning companion.

It turns the overwhelming task of planning trains, cities, and cafés into something visual, organized, and, dare I say, fun.

So before you dive back into spreadsheets or random bookmarks, open up Google Maps, start dropping pins, and let your next great adventure begin—one color-coded layer at a time.