🇫🇷 Paris — France
Capital, art, gastronomy. Swapping a Paris apartment lets you live the city like a local, far from the tourist queues.
Plan your European trip with home exchange
From Lisbon to Athens, from the Greek islands to the Norwegian fjords: Homeforswap brings together more than 9,000 homes in 27 European countries. Travel without accommodation costs, at your own pace, like a local.
Europe lends itself particularly well to home exchange. Distances are reasonable, cultures are neighbouring yet distinct, and families from one country often want to travel to the next. Everything aligns for a successful exchange.
A weekend in Berlin, a week in Tuscany, a month in Lisbon, the summer in Andalusia: with Homeforswap you can string it all together — and book it all — without paying for accommodation. The annual subscription gives access to unlimited exchanges over 12 months.
Why home exchange works so well in Europe
🚆 Short distances, easy trains
Paris–Barcelona in 6 h, Berlin–Prague in 4 h, Lisbon–Madrid in 8 h. Europe is small on a travel scale, and trains spare you the airport hassle.
🗺️ A dense and active community
More than 9,000 listings in Europe, half of them published by hosts who have already done at least one exchange. Trust builds fast on Homeforswap.
💶 Real savings
Expect 30% savings on the total budget of a two-week family trip. The gap is most noticeable on expensive destinations: London, Paris, Amsterdam, Switzerland.
Eight must-see European cities
Each city has its own exchange dynamic. Here are our suggestions to get started.
🇮🇹 Rome — Italy
An open-air museum city. An exchange in the centre lets you walk from home to the Colosseum — and shop at Campo de’ Fiori market like a Roman.
🇵🇹 Lisbonne — Portugal
Light, fado, ocean. A house in a neighbourhood like Alfama or Graça completely changes the experience compared with a regular tourist visit.
🇩🇪 Berlin — Germany
Creative capital, neighbourhood life. Swapping a Berlin apartment opens up lively districts (Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain) that hotels ignore.
🇪🇸 Barcelone — Spain
Architecture, beach, gastronomy. An exchange in Eixample or Gràcia lets you live the city from a resident’s side, with its rhythm and favourite tapas.
🇬🇧 Londres — United Kingdom
A world city where hotels cost a fortune. Home exchange is almost essential here for a family stay without blowing the budget.
🇳🇱 Amsterdam — Netherlands
Canals, bicycles, museums. An exchange in Jordaan or De Pijp helps you really understand why so many visitors fall in love with the city.
🇬🇷 Athènes — Greece
Cradle of European civilisation. Swapping a seaside house or a Plaka apartment lets you combine culture, swimming and tavernas.
See all our European destinations →
How to nail your first European trip with Homeforswap
- Pick 2 or 3 possible destinations — A city is not a country: spell out the regions that really interest you. Your exchange chances multiply.
- Widen your date window — Flexible by one week? Say so. You’ll find a host much more easily, especially in high season.
- Polish your first listing — At least 10 photos, a description in two languages if possible (yours + English), neighbourhood details. That’s what triggers contacts.
- Plan the logistics in advance — Train, plane, ferry: book transport 2 to 4 months ahead for the best fares.
- Prepare a welcome guide — Wifi code, kitchen instructions, favourite neighbourhood restaurants, Sunday market: these details turn the exchange into a real immersion.
They travelled across Europe with us
« Three weeks in Italy with two kids, without spending a single euro on accommodation. For us, Homeforswap is no longer a website — it has become a way of life. »
« Exchange with a Berlin couple passionate about architecture. They left us a book of their favourite spots. We go back whenever we can. »
Also worth a look: Europe school holidays · pet-friendly homes · all our destinations