Gap Year

European Explorer Program with Irish Gap Year

Name: European Explorer Program with Irish Gap Year
Brand: Irish Gap Year
SKU: 247293
Rating: 4.95 (19 reviews)

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Irish Gap Year

4.95 (19 reviews)

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Adventure travelers

Students

Photographers

European Explorer Program with Irish Gap Year

Irish Gap Year

4.95 · 19 reviews

Community Choice Award Winner

Location

Multiple Locations +4

Austria
- Salzburg
Germany
- Berlin
Italy
- Venice
Czech Republic
- Prague

Length

2 - 4 weeks

Program Tags

Adventure Travel

Merit-based funding, Payment plans, 529 Plan eligibility

Health & Safety

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Program Details

Activities

Backpacking City Exploring Sightseeing

Timeframe

Spring

Housing

Guesthouse Hostel Lodge

Primary Language

English

Age Min.

Age Max

Pricing

Starting Price

8000

What's Included

Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Some Meals Park Fees Transportation Wifi

What's Not Included

Airfare Some Meals

What's Not Included (Extra)

Half of the meals on the European Explorer are included in the programs fees. Approximately half of the dinners (15 dinners) are not included in the program fees.

Last Updated: Jul 16, 2025

Last Reviewed: May 07, 2026

Wish List

33 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

The European Explorer Program is a structured, three-week, group expedition that resembles the classic European back-packing adventure of old. The Program combines a hands-on study of European history, culture and current events with small group travel on the world famous Inter-Rail train system.

From Amsterdam to Berlin to Salzburg and the Austrian Alps to Venice, Lake Garda and the plains of Northern Italy, the Irish Gap Year team will guide you on this journey through some of Europe's most iconic places. Of course (in true Irish Gap Year fashion) we'll be going far off the beaten track and exploring some of the lesser known, quirky hidden gems of each region.

Program Themes:
~ European Cultural Exploration
~ Independence Building
~ Train Travel
~ Backpacking
~ Self-Discovery
~ Light Outdoor Adventuring

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS SUMMARY

This fast-paced program offers a mix of structured activities and free time to explore multiple European cities, fostering independence and cultural immersion.

AI-generated summary from verified community reviews Read reviews →

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Diversity & Inclusion 💙

BIPOC Support

We welcome students from all walks of life and backrounds and have hosted many BIPOC students on our programs.

LGBTQIA+ Support

We welcome students from all walks of life and backrounds and have hosted many LGBTQIA+ students over the years. Ireland and Europe in general are quite progressive with regards to LGBTQIA+ policy, lifestyle and support. Irish Gap Year provides support to our LGBTQIA+ students to help them feel secure and safe during their time with us.

Impact 🌎

Sustainability

Irish Gap Year is a Carbon Negative Company, meaning we remove more C02 from the amosphere through our ecological volunteering than we create as an organization (including student flights to Europe).

Irish Gap Year Director, Ryan Allen is the Chair of the Gap Year Association's Sustainability Commitee and created the Association's Climate Action Plan in 2023.

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Program Highlights

Tubing in Munich's Isar River in the heart of the city
Visit Austria's highest peak, Kitzenhorn and explore the glacier park
Fresh Italian Cuisine!

Program Reviews

4.95 Rating

based on 19 reviews

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Rating Spread Gap Year

5 rating 94.74%
4 rating 5.26%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Housing 4.45
Support 4.9
Fun 4.9
Value 4.65
Safety 4.85

Good for Adventure travelers, Students, Photographers

Showing 1 - 8 of 19 reviews

The European Explorer program is a great way to get a taste of what backpacking looks like! You will be able to explore a wide variety of places. I got to stay in cities such as Munich and Prague! I also got to experience the mountains in Austria and live in a house in Italy! I loved the museums and palaces! This program is truly amazing and I would recommend it to anyone! The staff are very supportive and helpful. Even though it was only three weeks, I learned and grew as a person!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?

The most surprising/coolest thing I did was going to the peak of Salzburg on gondolas. It was the most amazing view I’ve ever seen!

Pros

The group size is around 10
The hostels are great!

I had a great time on the trip. Met some great people and visited some great places. I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to do it! I knew I wanted to travel going into my gap year, but didn’t want to do anything longer than a month. This 3 week program was perfect for me and the locations were exactly what I had in mind. Venice and Prague had been on my bucket list for a while and it was cool to explore Austria and Montova as well. I’m glad we got to stay in Clarks house and meet Italians and explore an Italian city.

What was your funniest moment?

Member of the group getting stuck in Prague with tonsillitis

Pros

bonding with the group
visiting new cities
free time

Cons

hostel in villach

I had an amazing time and I got to see the world, eat crazy food, learn new languages and meet new and interesting people. The Irish Gap year staff facilitated a safe and welcoming environment where everyone felt comfortable to be themselves and have fun. We stayed in several hostels and they were all great, within the hostels we were also able to meet fellow travelers. Group activities and trying new things like boating and bouldering. Many laughs and inside jokes were shared on this experience. Thank you so much Irish Gap Year.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?

We went up a mountain to a ski festival and it was so cool getting to see all the snowboarders doing tricks and the lively environment. We even played Ninja on top of the mountain which was fun and a way to keep the chill away.

Pros

Independence
Exploring
Trying new food

To be completely honest after having lived in Dublin for two months I was feeling a bit fatigued and was ready to go home. However spending this time backpacking and staying in new locations was almost refreshing in a way! Every single location we visited was beautiful and filled with things to do. I made some wonderful friends who I hope to see as soon as we get home! With such a small group it’s easy to get very close with these people which is exactly what happened with us! I think this program is the perfect way to help get someone out of there shell! Especially new students

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?

I tried to branch out a bit on this trip and eat more local foods wherever we were. One thing that I tried and didn’t love was a sardine. not very exiting but I had never had one until then!

Pros

Group awareness and travel smarts
broadening european knowledge
lasting friendships

Cons

unpredictable at times
long travel days
not long enough!!

This experience was incredible, not just because of the locations we visited but also the people you got to travel with and meet. And, it helped provide a bit of independence to discover myself. I’d never been outside of the States before, and having this group as a sort of training how to navigate Europe was quite helpful. Made me significantly more confident in being able to embark on independent travels by myself. If you want to be able to hop across Europe and see a wide variety of places and people, the European Explorer program is a great fit.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?

Going on a tour of a Soviet Nuclear Bunker in the Czech Republic was definitely surprising but an extremely interesting experience. As someone who really enjoys learning about history, it was very engaging and a singularly unique part of the program this year. And the tour guide grew up in the Soviet era of Czechia, and was hilariously funny.

Pros

The Locations
La Macchina Fissa
The independence

Cons

One or two of the hostel beds (A minor con at worst).
N/A
N/A

This trip has been a huge highlight of my gap year. We have been to so many amazing places, and the daily itinerary has been jam-packed. We have seen so much beautiful nature and art and have experienced many different cultures and perspectives. I have learned so much about how societies differ in these different places. I have a lot more travel experience under my belt, and I now leave the program with way more confidence in my independence, which is exactly what I was looking for. I definitely recommend this trip.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?

We took a gondola to the top of Salzburg, a mountain in Zell am See. It was very high up, but exhilarating.

Pros

Travel experience
Natural beauty
Unbelievable cathedrals and art

Cons

Some long travel days

This program is amazing at teaching valuable travel skills. We traveled through 4 countries in 4 weeks and got to see so much. I can not speak more highly of the leaders and their adaptability. They all truly do care about each and every student. This program also allows for you to travel without the stress. There is also tons of time to explore on your own or in small groups which adds a much needed independence level. Traveling in a group adds safety and makes everything so much more fun. Throughout the 4 weeks we did lots of city tours and exploring as well as hiking in the alps and swimming. There are a few built in free days but this program is definitely tiring. It is constant moving, living out of a backpack and hostels. It is so much fun but definitely something to be prepared for. Irish Gap Year is an amazing company run and staffed by equally amazing people.

Pros

Train travel throughout Europe
Structure and social aspect of being in a group
Leaders

Cons

extra money spent on snacks lunch and meals on free days
very tiring both socially and physically

The European Explorer program is a chance to explore European cities by train. European Explorers has been a chance for me to learn how to be a solo traveller and be more confident. I have also made amazing new friends and memories. This program is a chance for you to learn how to travel on your own. I think this program has definitely been a struggle in the sense that it can be very tiring but I am so grateful for it as I have grown so much over my time in Europe. I truly have had the best time!

Pros

Travel from city to city is paid for
Free time

Cons

Travelling constantly so can be exhausting if you aren’t up for it
Cost (Not all meals are paid for)

Questions & Answers

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

What is your favorite travel memory?

My favorite travel memory has to be a trip that I took in my twenties with my now-husband. We spent a month cycling around France with nothing but a backpack, our bikes, and a two-man tent. Eating smelly camembert cheese on a crusty baguette and having no plans or agendas. We just followed an old paper map and cycled a little every day until we decided to stop and pitch the tent.

We have since brought our children back to the places we visited, but a bit more planning had to go into that trip!

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Yes, I have definitely changed since working with Irish Gap Year, having taken a break in my career when our children were small, it was a nervous time starting back at work. Irish Gap Year helped make the transition back to work simple and I felt encouraged all the way. My confidence has grown immensely over the years.

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What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

We stay in touch with a lot of our students and I guess just hearing from them all from time to time and hearing how their lives are going is so great.

Also, I give the students some cooking lessons to teach them a few basic home-cooked meals that they can do when they go to college or for their family, I love it when the once reluctant chefs send me photos months after their return of the dishes that they are still creating.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I would definitely choose the Irish Arts and Culture program. Having studied art in college and later working as a ceramicist and then an Art technician in a college it would be a dream of mine to immerse myself for 12 weeks in all the fantastic workshops and cultural trips of the Arts and Culture program.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

I feel our company is unique because we are a small, really close team and we all truly care about the job at hand and the well-being of our students. As a team, we are all really good friends and that shows through in the students who regularly comment on how close we all are.

I am always proud of the staff of Irish Gap Year, everyone gives 100% but the proudest days are when we are saying goodbye to tearful students who have loved their time with IGY and we know that we have delivered a great program and given some kids from America memories to cherish.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I believe the biggest factor in a company being successful is having a great team. I feel that everyone in Irish Gap Year truly loves what they do. Loving your job and always striving to do your best will inevitably make a company more successful and make the experience for the students one to remember for the rest of their lives.

Niall Coombes

Program Leader

Kate Mullins

Program Leader

About Irish Gap Year

Irish Gap Year operates semester length and short gap year programs in Ireland, Scandinavia and Europe. Being based on the northwest coast of Ireland in County Donegal has instilled in us a love of adventure, untouched nature, unique culture, rich artistic heritage and travel - All of which are foundational to our gap year programs. Our programs...