Taking a European trip every year in retirement

Medicare.gov states that Original Medicare usually does not cover health care received outside the United States, with narrow exceptions involving emergencies near U.S. borders or care aboard ships in U.S. territorial waters, per the Travel outside the U.S. page. Some Medigap policies include a foreign travel emergency benefit, described on Medicare.gov's Medigap coverage page. The State Department's Age 65+ Travelers guidance repeats the rule and points to short-term emergency medical and evacuation policies.

According to the State Department's U.S. Travelers in Europe guidance, a valid U.S. passport allows up to 90 days of tourism inside any 180-day period across the 29 Schengen countries. Stays longer than 90 days require applying for a visa through the embassy of the country where most of the time will be spent.

As of October 12, 2025, U.S. citizens entering Schengen countries pass through the EU's new biometric Entry and Exit System, which collects fingerprints, facial image, passport details, and entry and exit dates on arrival, according to the State Department's U.S. Travelers in Europe guidance. There is no fee and no advance application required. The EU's separate ETIAS authorization is scheduled to launch in late 2026.

U.S. citizens visiting the United Kingdom for short trips, tourism, or business now need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), per the State Department's U.S. Travelers in Europe guidance. The ETA applies across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland and acts as pre-clearance for travel.

The State Department's Age 65+ Travelers page describes consulting a physician six to eight weeks before the trip, packing prescription medications in their original labeled containers, and carrying a provider letter listing medical conditions, allergies, and medications. The CDC Travelers' Health portal organizes destination-by-destination vaccine and disease guidance.

Per the State Department's U.S. Travelers in Europe guidance, a passport must be valid for at least three months beyond the planned departure date from the EU. The same page advises confirming validity covers the entire stay plus an additional three months.

Kiplinger's retirement section publishes ongoing coverage of how retirees pace travel inside annual income. Fidelity Viewpoints publishes retirement-spending research that frames discretionary travel as one of the flexible categories that can be adjusted in market-down years. Both publications place travel inside the broader portfolio and withdrawal conversation rather than treating it in isolation.

Rick Steves' Europe travel-tips library covers trip planning, trains, packing, money, phones, theft and scams, accommodations, and sightseeing. AARP Travel publishes destination content, tour options, and accessibility resources oriented to older travelers.

Both Medicare.gov's Travel outside the U.S. page and the State Department's Age 65+ Travelers page describe travel medical insurance as a category to consider, separate from trip-cancellation insurance. The State Department's page emphasizes coverage for emergency medical, dental, and medical evacuation services. Neither agency endorses a specific product.

The State Department's Age 65+ Travelers guidance lays out the practice: confirm the medication is legal at the destination by checking the destination information page, pack enough for the full trip, keep medications in their original labeled containers, and know the generic name since foreign pharmacies often recognize generic names more readily than brand names. Medications that require refrigeration call for insulated transport and a hotel-room refrigerator.