Enjoy Being Where Your Boots Are
Slow travel, less pressure, and a better way to experience Europe
Why Bucket Lists Can Create Stress (Even on a Europe Trip)
Bucket lists can be empowering — the little nudge that gets you through a long work week and onto that long-awaited vacation. And if checking things off fuels your joy, keep going.
But for many travelers, bucket lists create pressure instead of freedom. If you’ve ever felt anxious trying to fit “all the must-see sites” into one itinerary, this is for you.
How to Avoid FOMO When Traveling
Two big culprits drive travel stress:
1. FOMO — Fear of Missing Out in Europe
It’s real. And it can turn a perfectly good vacation into a checklist marathon. If you’re visiting a landmark only because you’re afraid to miss it, that’s not joy guiding your trip — that’s fear.
2. Feeling Obligated to Follow the ‘Typical’ Europe Itinerary
Maybe everyone says you “have to” visit Pompeii if you’re anywhere near Naples. But if it doesn’t interest you, that expectation isn’t serving you. Traveling based on other people’s rules rarely leads to your best memories.
The Case for Slow Travel in Europe
There’s just as much beauty in lingering as there is in sightseeing.
Stroll your neighborhood instead of running to the next landmark. Wander a local market. Sit in a café long enough to actually taste the coffee. Slow travel doesn’t make your trip less meaningful — it often makes it more human, more grounded, and more memorable.
Permission to Travel Your Own Way
Spend an afternoon tucked into a local pub in London instead of riding the London Eye. Wander a Paris market instead of braving the Versailles crowds. Choose the thing that lights you up — not the thing that checks a box.
This is stress-free travel in its simplest form: make space for what actually interests you.
A Little Context From My Own Travels
I know it’s easier for me than for many. I lived in France for a time, and I’ve had the chance to travel through Europe repeatedly. But even if you only leave the country once or twice in your life, the same truth applies: You’re allowed to slow down. You’re allowed to savor fewer places more deeply.
Fast doesn’t equal meaningful. Busy doesn’t equal better.
Your Bucket List Isn’t the Problem — the Pressure Is
If you love having a list, keep it. If you’ve dreamed of seeing the Mona Lisa your whole life, go for it. If hitting every major landmark excites you, wonderful.
But if the list starts telling you what to do — instead of supporting what you love — that’s your sign to shift.
Your Best Europe Trip Is the One That Feels Like Yours
If it pleases you, go where the crowds aren’t. Zag when everyone else zigs. Pick the small moment over the expected one.
Whether it’s your first Europe trip or your tenth, the goal is the same: Enjoy being where your boots are. Fully, freely, without apology.
Author Bio
Meet Chris
Chris Gassler is a Europe-focused travel advisor and fluent French speaker who has lived abroad and traveled extensively across the continent. Through Hidden Pearl Travel, he helps travelers plan well-paced, deeply personal trips that feel intentional rather than overwhelming.
Travel Promos
