10 reasons why pet sitting is the best way to travel Europe

What’s the best way to travel Europe? Well if it involves cool homes, paying nothing for your stays and meeting new fluffy friends, we’d say house sitting is the way to go! Here we explore the top reasons why house and pet sitting is up there with one of the best ways to travel Europe and we can guarantee that by the end, you’ll want to travel the world, house sitting as you go.

So, why is pet sitting one of the best ways to travel Europe?

1. Stay in cool homes for free

Ever wondered what it would be like to work, live or soak up retirement life from a beachside mansion or inner city penthouse? As a pet sitter, you can do all of those which is why house sitting is one of the best ways to travel Europe. And the best thing? You won’t pay a penny for your stay. We know it sounds too good to be true, but we can promise you it’s not! House sitting and travel go hand-in-hand with a TrustedHousesitters membership. How? Simply pay one yearly fee and stay anywhere that takes your fancy. Cool homes across the globe with pets who need cuddles and care are waiting for travel lovers like you!

2. Meet new fluffy pals

If you’re pet mad like us lot, we’re sure you’ll agree that seeing the world with a fluffy friend by your side makes things a whole lot happier (who doesn’t want to be awoken by the bump of a wet nose, fluffy tail or gentle meow, anyway?). And that’s why we believe the best way to travel around Europe is to make fluffy friends along the way. ‘But how?’, we hear you ask. Well, as one of the best ways to travel with a dog, you can find pet parents searching for a travel and animal lover (like you) to stay in their home and take care of their pet while they’re on vacation. And when we say make new fluffy pals, it doesn’t have to be a one-off. As one of the best way to travel with a cat, many of our lovely members pet sit the same furry friends time and time again, building up the trust with pet parents, falling in love with the location (free holiday home - what’s not to love?), and of course, growing bonds with adorable pet pals. So, how about it? Whether you're venturing to Europe alone or with someone, you'll have a new buddy abroad and a place to stay whenever pet parents are away.

3. New adventures in niche locations

While taking a traditional vacation has its appeal for many, do you ever find yourself traipsing the same tourist spots, over and over? We can see why - they’re often covered with iconic landmarks and must-see spots (like these dog-friendly cities in Europe). But, have you ever felt like you want to vear off the trodden path? To see the world through the lens of a local? Well if you’re looking for the best way to travel Ireland or Italy (or any other European countries with an interesting history, great food and awesome architecture), pet sitting can give you the chance to stay in residential spots and trails that many tourist trails simply wouldn’t lead you down. Interested? Find out how pet sitting took our member, Mark, from Croatia to Portugal and the south of France on his pet sitting adventure (he even looked after a few sheep!). 

4. Stay by iconic landmarks

If following the tourist trails is your idea of fun, we can’t say we blame you - they’re popular for a reason! If you’ve ever had a weekend break in Europe and you’ve wished you could justify the lofty prices next to the country’s most iconic landmarks (La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona - hello!), then we’ve got some great news for you. One of the best ways to travel in Spain is to go house sitting while travelling. Why? Well you can pick the most idyllic locations next to famous landmarks, without paying the steep prices of hotels and other home stays. Simply take care of cute pets and open your curtains each morning to sunny Spain or the chic streets of Paris without paying a penny for your stay. And while some of Europe’s more traditionally pricey places to stay are on the cards, you could swing by some of the cheapest European countries to visit (think Bulgaria, Slovenia or Hungary) to cut the costs of your travels even further.

5. Spice up remote working

Working from home in the same four walls each day can get a little samey! And like many of us, you might be looking for ways to spice up your remote life. Working digitally has so many opportunities, and it would be a shame not to make the most of them before you change jobs or your company asks to see your in-person face more often! So, how about it? Explore the benefits of remote working while pet sitting and embrace a change of scenery. Simply care for cute pets, travel and house sit from anywhere (work policies permitting, of course), through what we think is one of the best ways to travel Europe. 

6. Make travel your retirement lifestyle 

While that might sound like one pricey retirement plan, pet sitting allows you to travel (full time if you like), as many of our lovely members do. How does a few weeks in the Med sound to you? Well it turns out that pet sitting is one of the best ways to travel Greece - stay in idyllic spots by white sandy beaches and crystal blue waters while caring for new fluffy friends. Can you see why we think pet sitting is one of the best ways to travel through Europe now?!

7. See the world for less

One of the key things that holds many of us back when it comes to vacations abroad is the cost. And while it’s often easy to find affordable flights, the price of a clean hotel in a decent location amongst the spots you’d like to see can seriously burn a few holes in your pocket! So, what’s the answer to cheaper stays abroad? You might be able to guess by now - travel the world house sitting to save on stays without cutting back on fun, luxury or location.

8. Travel often

Aren’t there just so many countries on your list to see? If you’re anything like us, you'll have an ever unfilled wanderlust (pre pet sitting life, of course). And while one vacation per year might take most of your savings (not to mention, annual leave), you can travel more often by pet sitting abroad, especially if you work remotely or you’re looking for ways to spice up your retirement.

9. Connect with a like-minded community

Living in such a digital world, it can sometimes be difficult to connect with like-minded others. But as a pet sitter, you’ll make friends around the world by building trust and great memories with pet parents and fluffy friends alike. And if you’re a feline lover like us lot, pet sitting is the best way to travel with cats - pick the spot of your dreams and make a few lifelong friends of the feline persuasion.

10. No need for annual leave

Vacations without taking time off - say what?! Well if you work remotely, you’ll be taking a whole lot less annual leave if you go pet sitting for some (or of course, all) of your time away.

Want to give one of the best ways to travel Europe a go?

Scour the site for Europe’s best pet sitting options to see the sights (from your bedroom window), and make new two and four-legged friends along the way.