Traveling through Europe had always been my dream, but planning tours in multiple countries felt daunting. I wanted to savor authentic local experiences in each city without blowing my budget.
That’s when I discovered Viator – a one-stop online marketplace for tours and activities. Little did I know, I would end up booking my entire multi-city Europe trip through Viator, from food walks in Rome to day trips from Paris and museum tours in Amsterdam.
Not only did this simplify my planning, it also saved me a surprising amount of money through discounts, bundled deals, and smart booking strategies. Join me on this journey as I recount my Europe trip and share how I mastered Viator’s features and deals to make the most of every destination.
Planning the Ultimate Europe Trip with Viator
I kicked off my trip planning with a broad vision: a few weeks in Europe, hitting major cultural hubs and some hidden gems along the way. Instead of juggling dozens of tour company websites, I turned to Viator, a platform (owned by TripAdvisor) that aggregates 300,000+ travel experiences worldwide.
It felt like the Booking.com of tours – putting everything in one place for easy browsing. Viator lists all kinds of excursions from walking food tours to museum skip-the-line tickets, day trips, wine tastings, and more, across virtually every European city I considered.
This meant I could plan many different activities on a single website instead of scouring the internet for each tour. As a bonus, Viator’s interface let me enter my travel dates and instantly see what was available in each city, complete with photos, descriptions, and traveler reviews.
I admit I was initially skeptical – would using an aggregator cost more than booking direct with local tour operators? I soon learned that Viator has a lowest-price guarantee, and the prices shown include taxes upfront. In fact, one travel review found that booking experiences on Viator was often a bit cheaper than booking directly, once all fees were accounted for.
Viator even promises to refund you the difference if you find a lower price within 48 hours of your tour. That gave me confidence that I wouldn’t pay extra for the convenience.
Plus, Viator frequently runs promotions (like student promo codes or seasonal 10% discounts), and it has a loyalty Rewards program that essentially gives 5% of your tour price back as credit for future bookings. With these potential savings in mind, I set out to book my dream Europe trip entirely through Viator’s platform.
My itinerary ultimately included Italy, France, and the Netherlands. I planned to indulge in a cooking and food tour in Rome, take a guided day trip from Paris (Versailles had long been on my bucket list), and soak up art and history in Amsterdam’s museums and canals.
Along the way I also kept an eye out for any bundled deals or city passes that could save me money. Viator’s site made this easy – I could filter by destination, read reviews, compare prices, and see if any “Deals” or combos were available.
I even downloaded the Viator mobile app, which offers exclusive promo codes only available in-app. Armed with these tools, I began booking each leg of the journey.
What follows is a personal travel diary of highlights from each city and how using Viator made a difference – both in enhancing my experiences and saving me money. I’ll also break down some practical tips (and lessons learned) for booking efficiently through Viator, in case you’re inspired to try the same on your next adventure.
Savoring Rome
“La dolce vita” was in full swing when I arrived in Rome, the first stop on my Europe tour. Rather than wandering the city aimlessly (tempting as that is in Rome), I had pre-booked a Trastevere food tour on Viator for my very first evening.
This turned out to be the perfect introduction to Roman culture. Our local guide led our small group through cobbled lanes to family-run trattorias, bustling markets, and gelaterias, all while regaling us with stories of Roman history and food traditions.
We sampled velvety gelato, suppli (fried rice balls), pecorino cheese, and of course, multiple styles of pizza and pasta paired with wine. By the end, I was happily stuffed and had a list of authentic eateries to revisit later.
The tour cost about €85, which initially seemed moderate, but considering it included an entire multi-course progressive meal and wine, plus a guided city walk, it was great value. A fellow traveler on the tour remarked that it was “one of the highlights of their time in the city”, and I wholeheartedly agreed.
I also quietly appreciated that I’d booked it through Viator, because I knew I’d earn 5% of that tour price back in credit for my next bookings – a small savings, but one that would add up over my trip.
The next day, I switched gears from cuisine to classics. Rome’s ancient sites can be overwhelming, and lines at places like the Colosseum can stretch for hours under the hot sun.
To maximize my time, I had reserved a “skip-the-line” guided tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum via Viator before leaving home. This turned out to be a genius move.
Our tour group met near the Colosseum in the morning, and the guide handed out special tickets that let us breeze past the main entrance queues and enter the amphitheater directly. Skipping the ticket line easily saved us over an hour (and a lot of sweat) – time we instead spent listening to our guide bring the 2,000-year-old arena to life with vivid stories.
After exploring the Colosseum’s tiered seating and underground chambers, we continued to the Roman Forum next door, again bypassing the long line of independent visitors waiting to get in. Standing amid the Forum’s evocative ruins with a knowledgeable guide and a small group felt intimate and enlightening; I wasn’t just sightseeing, I was time-traveling.
I couldn’t help recalling a past trip where I didn’t have skip-the-line tickets and ended up waiting ages – never again! The Viator tour ($55 per person) included all entry fees and the guide, and knowing what I know now, it was worth every penny for the convenience alone.
As a bonus, many Viator tours (including this one) offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before, which gave me peace of mind in case my schedule changed (fortunately, it didn’t – but I liked having the option).
By using Viator in Rome, I effectively had local experts handle the logistics: coordinating with operators, securing entry tickets, and providing insider knowledge. It made my experience stress-free and enriched – I wasn’t fumbling with Italian ticket machines or stuck reading guidebooks in line.
In fact, Viator’s app and website kept all my booking vouchers handy, with offline access in case of no internet. I quickly grew accustomed to this ease.
One thing I noticed is that Viator “internally coordinates with local operators to get you the best deal” on tours, as one travel blogger noted. For example, I saw how a shared airport shuttle in another city was far cheaper booked ahead through Viator than hailing a taxi on arrival.
This gave me confidence that I was often getting a competitive price. In Rome, the convenience of pre-booking tours meant I could enjoy gelato on the Spanish Steps one evening, and explore Vatican treasures the next morning, without scrambling for last-minute tickets. My Roman holiday set the tone: with Viator handling the details, I was free to live in the moment.
Paris Day Trips
After an overnight train and a few croissants, I found myself in beautiful Paris. While the City of Light has more than enough to occupy a traveler, I had my sights set just beyond: the Palace of Versailles.
I’d always wanted to wander the gilded halls of Louis XIV’s opulent château and its vast gardens. However, planning a DIY trip to Versailles from Paris can be tricky – it requires navigating trains or buses, buying palace tickets in advance (often sold out on busy days), and potentially hiring a guide if you want the full history.
Instead of tackling all that separately, I booked a half-day guided Versailles tour from Paris on Viator. This turned out to be one of my smartest decisions.
Early one morning, I met with a small group and our guide in central Paris, and we were whisked to Versailles in a comfortable air-conditioned van. Along the way, our guide prepped us with background on the French royal court’s lavish life.
On arrival, we bypassed the enormous entry line at the palace – our tour included priority skip-the-line access, so we walked right in through a special group entrance. I felt a bit like a VIP as tourists who hadn’t pre-booked looked on enviously. Inside, the experience was breathtaking: the Hall of Mirrors sparkling in morning light, the king’s and queen’s apartments draped in luxury, every ceiling adorned with magnificent paintings.
Having a guide was invaluable; I learned quirky facts (like how the palace originally had no bathrooms!) and could ask all the questions I wanted. After the interior tour, we had free time to stroll the Versailles gardens, where summer flowers were in full bloom around musical fountain displays. Crucially, the transport and tickets were all handled for me by Viator’s operator, so I saved time and stress, and likely some money too.
The entire excursion cost about €80 per person. If I’d gone solo, I would have paid roughly €30 for train tickets and palace entry, plus extra for an audio guide or tour.
For the difference, I got door-to-door transport, a live expert guide, and skip-the-line entry – a trade-off I was very happy with. It also meant I didn’t have to navigate on my own, which, given the morning rush and my non-existent French, probably saved me a headache or two.
Back in Paris, I also took advantage of Viator for a different kind of day trip: a food and wine tour in the Champagne region. Using Viator’s filters, I found a highly-rated day tour out of Paris that visits Reims and Epernay, including champagne house tours and tastings.
The idea of sipping real Champagne in its birthplace was too tempting! Booking was straightforward – select date, number of people, and pay securely online. The confirmation email noted the meeting point and even had a Google Maps link. On the day of the tour, everything ran like clockwork; we hopped between vineyards in a comfy minibus, sampling bubbly and learning about the méthode champenoise.
Our guide even arranged a picnic lunch in the vineyards. This memorable day was made possible by Viator’s broad selection – I realized I probably wouldn’t have found this smaller local tour operator on my own, but Viator connected us.
As one frequent traveler noted, Viator “puts everything in one place” and makes it easier (and sometimes cheaper) than browsing individual tour websites. I couldn’t agree more.
I compared similar Champagne tours on other platforms and found the price I got on Viator was on par or better, especially factoring in that I had a new customer promo code for 10% off the Paris tours (a code I discovered through the Viator app’s promo section).
That saved me almost €20 on the Champagne trip right at checkout, and I still earned some Viator reward credits for later. 🍾
By the end of my Paris stay, I had experienced both the city’s own magic and the incredible destinations around it, all without overspending. Viator’s day trips might seem like a splurge at first glance, but when I broke down the inclusions – transport, tickets, guides, often lunch or wine – they were cost-effective.
Moreover, the flexibility of Viator’s bookings was a blessing in Paris, where weather can be fickle. I actually rescheduled one evening Seine River cruise (also booked on Viator) to another night easily through the app, because a rainstorm rolled in.
Many Viator listings offer free date changes or free cancellation up to 24 hours prior, which meant I could adapt my plans without losing money. This kind of flexibility and customer-friendly policy is not always available if you book directly with small tour companies.
As an example, a friend of mine who booked a Paris bike tour direct once struggled to get a refund when plans changed – whereas Viator has always refunded me quickly with no hassle whenever I’ve had to cancel. Those policies gave me a safety net and more confidence in booking ambitiously, knowing I could adjust if needed.
In short, Paris (and its environs) showed me how Viator truly shines for streamlining complex travel plans. Whether it was unlocking a sold-out Versailles or organizing a jaunt to the Champagne countryside, I managed to do it all from one app, with reliable service and often at a discount.
As I boarded my train to Amsterdam, I was already a bit spoiled – how easy would Viator make my next adventure?
Museums and Canals in Amsterdam
Amsterdam welcomed me with its iconic canals, gabled buildings, and a refreshing autumn breeze. With only a couple of days in the city, I wanted to cover the major sights efficiently.
My priorities were twofold: explore the world-class museums (the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum were must-sees for me) and enjoy a classic canal cruise through the charming waterways. Here again, Viator helped me achieve both goals in a cost-effective, hassle-free manner.
For the museums, I knew tickets can sell out and lines can be long, especially for the Van Gogh Museum which has timed entry. I used Viator to pre-book skip-the-line entry tickets for both museums. This meant I had reserved time slots and vouchers ready on my phone – a huge time saver.
Walking past the Rijksmuseum, I saw a queue of people waiting to buy tickets on-site; I bypassed them entirely with my pre-booked e-ticket and strolled right in to immerse myself in Dutch art history. The Rijksmuseum’s highlights (like Rembrandt’s Night Watch and Vermeer’s The Milkmaid) were even more impressive in person.
Knowing I had a canal cruise scheduled later that day, I appreciated that I didn’t waste a minute in ticket lines. Viator’s ability to secure me fast-track access meant more time gawking at paintings and less time waiting outside.
The same happened at the Van Gogh Museum the next morning – a quick scan of the mobile ticket, and I was face-to-face with Sunflowers and Starry Night. It was seamless.
What really delighted me was a combo deal I found on Viator that bundled a 75-minute canal cruise with a Rijksmuseum ticket in one package. It was billed as a “money-saving combination ticket” that lets you do two top Amsterdam experiences for one price.
I jumped on that offer. For about $61 (around €55) per person, I got a daytime canal cruise (with audio commentary and even a snack box included) plus skip-the-line admission to the Rijksmuseum. This combo ticket was not only convenient (one purchase, two experiences), but it also provided great value – essentially a small discount versus buying the cruise and museum entry separately.
The Viator description promised “two Amsterdam must-dos in one day, with one great-value, time-saving ticket”, and it delivered exactly that. Gliding through Amsterdam’s UNESCO-protected canal belt on a boat, then later wandering the halls of the Rijksmuseum, I felt I’d gotten a full taste of the city in a single day.
The combination saved me a few euros and plenty of time, and it was all arranged in advance so I could just enjoy myself. Viator offers these kinds of bundles in many cities (often via partnerships with Go City passes or local operators), and they can yield significant savings – sometimes up to 50% off compared to buying individual tickets separately, according to some city pass providers. In my case, the savings might not have been huge in absolute dollars, but the convenience factor was priceless.
I didn’t have to figure out which canal cruise to take on the spot or worry that museum tickets would be gone; everything was pre-arranged and pre-paid.
As evening fell, I experienced another perk of booking through Viator: a twilight canal cruise I had scheduled came with flexible timing. I had booked the last cruise of the day, but I arrived early at the dock. The staff, seeing my Viator ticket, kindly let me hop on an earlier boat that had space.
It wasn’t a guaranteed perk, but the operator mentioned they often can accommodate Viator bookings on different same-day time slots if you ask. This might not always be possible, but it was a nice bit of flexibility I appreciated. The cruise itself was enchanting – drifting under the twinkling lights of canal bridges while listening to stories of Amsterdam’s Golden Age.
As I sipped a Dutch beer (available for purchase on board), I reflected on how smoothly all my activities had gone. No doubt, some of that was due to good planning, but Viator truly made that planning easy for Amsterdam.
One more way I saved money here: currency and fees. I paid for my Amsterdam tours in euros through Viator’s site, using my European travel card. Viator allows you to change the currency displayed, so I could pay in EUR rather than USD, avoiding extra foreign transaction fees.
If I had tried to book some tours directly, I might have been charged in USD or another currency and hit with bank fees. Viator simplifying multi-currency payments is a subtle benefit that many travelers overlook – it definitely saved me a few dollars in bank charges, effectively making my excursions even cheaper.
By the end of my stay in Amsterdam, I had visited two major museums, enjoyed two very different canal cruises, and even snuck in a day trip to the windmill-filled countryside (yes, I found a half-day Zaanse Schans tour on Viator as well!).
Each experience felt well worth the cost, especially knowing I had maximized value through bundled tickets, skip-the-line entry, and earned reward credits for my next trip. In Amsterdam, Viator helped me turn a short visit into a rich, efficient adventure, all while keeping my budget intact.
Final Thoughts
Traveling is often a balance between saving money and enriching experiences. With Viator, I genuinely felt I achieved both: I tasted the best of Rome, delved into French history, and cruised through Dutch canals without overspending.
In fact, I likely saved a few hundred euros through the savvy use of Viator’s discounts and avoided costly mistakes (like a missed tour or a tourist trap booking).
More importantly, I gained peace of mind. Instead of stressing over logistics, I could immerse myself in the journey – after all, isn’t that the point of travel?
Every traveler’s style is different, and Viator might not replace the thrill of spontaneous discovery or haggling with a street guide for everyone. But if you’re like me – someone who values a mix of convenience, quality, and cost-effectiveness – then Viator is a fantastic tool to have in your arsenal.
My story is just one example. Your trip might be a week in one country or a round-the-world tour; either way, with a bit of research and the tips I’ve shared, you can turn Viator into your personal trip planner and deal-finder.