House Sitting in Europe: How We Traveled for Free (and You Can Too)
Words by Dalene Heck / Photography by Pete Heck
From a 10th-century manor in Ireland to a flat in Brussels, a city apartment in London, and a sun-baked villa in southern Spain…we’ve seen a remarkable amount of Europe without paying a cent for a place to sleep. The secret is house sitting, and it has saved us tens of thousands of dollars over the course of our travels.
If you’ve never heard of it, the concept is simple: homeowners who are travelling need someone to look after their property, their pets, and their peace of mind. In exchange, you get a free place to stay. In most cases, no money changes hands. It’s one of the most genuinely win-win arrangements in travel, and Europe (with its high accommodation costs and abundance of homeowners who travel) is one of the best places on earth to do it.
Here’s everything we know, from how to choose the right platform to what it actually feels like to leave a housesit with a lump in your throat because you’ve grown too attached to someone else’s cat (true story).
How House Sitting Works
The mechanics are straightforward. You create a profile on a house sitting platform, browse listings from homeowners who need a sitter, and apply for the ones that suit your travel plans. If a homeowner likes what you have to say, they will reach out. After some discussion, even a video call or two (we always recommend at least one!), you agree on dates, expectations, and logistics. You show up, care for the property (and usually the pets), and they come home to a house exactly as they left it.
Most sits in Europe come with at least one pet. Cats and dogs are the most common, though we’ve encountered a range of fur babies over the years and become deeply, embarrassingly attached to many of them. Even the chickens.
The length of sits varies enormously; we’ve housesat for as short as a few days to as long as six months. We spent two months house sitting in Ireland, three in Turkey, and more — and that kind of extended stay is what makes house sitting particularly powerful: it doesn’t just save money on accommodation, it lets you live somewhere rather than just visit it.
Why Europe Is Ideal for House Sitting
Europe is arguably the best region in the world for house sitters, for a few reasons:
The accommodation costs are high. London, Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich…staying in these cities for any length of time at standard rates would be ruinously expensive for most travellers. A single week of house sitting in London can save you what a budget traveller might spend on accommodation in a month elsewhere.
Many homeowners travel. European professionals and retirees travel frequently, and many of them have pets they can’t take with them. That creates a steady, year-round supply of listings.
The sits are often in extraordinary places. We’ve stayed in properties we could never have afforded as guests, including manor houses, countryside cottages, city apartments with views that would cost a fortune on Airbnb. House sitting grants access to a style of travel that is otherwise reserved for people with a very different budget.
Word of mouth works. Once you’ve built up a reputation, referrals from homeowners to their friends and neighbours become a meaningful source of sits. We’ve turned down sits we couldn’t fit into our schedule; something we never imagined when we applied for our very first one.
The Best House Sitting Platforms for Europe
The platform landscape has changed significantly since we first started house sitting. Here’s an honest current breakdown:
TrustedHousesitters is now the dominant global platform, and for most European destinations outside France, it’s where we’d start. As of early 2026, TrustedHousesitters has over 10,000 active listings globally, which is by far the largest inventory of any platform. Sitter plans start at $129 USD per year for Basic and $259 USD per year for Premium. One important recent change: TrustedHousesitters now charges a $12 USD per-sit fee for Basic and Standard members (premium members are exempt). If you plan to do more than a handful of sits a year, Premium is the better value, and the annual membership cost is still recouped after a single week in any major European city.
Nomador remains our personal recommendation for Europe, particularly if France or French-speaking regions are on your itinerary. Nomador has roughly 900 sits in France compared to TrustedHousesitters’ approximately 40 — if France is your focus, there’s simply no contest. Nomador pricing runs $99/year for basic, $159/year for standard, and $199 for premium, with the same rates for both sitters and homeowners. One feature we love: Nomador offers shorter “Stopover” stays from within their network (one or two-night sits or exchanges) which TrustedHousesitters doesn’t really replicate. Great for plugging gaps between longer sits.
MindMyHouse is worth a mention as the budget entry point. It costs just $29.95 USD per year, making it a low-risk way to test the waters before committing to a larger platform. The listing volume is lower, but for Eastern Europe and the Balkans it can be a solid supplement.
Our recommendation: For Europe-focused sitters, a combination of TrustedHousesitters and Nomador covers the most ground. Nomador’s lower competition in European cities makes it a strong complement to TrustedHousesitters’ larger global inventory. The overlap between platforms is lower than you’d expect, which means subscribing to both genuinely expands your options rather than just duplicating them.
The Schengen Visa Reality
If you’re a non-EU citizen planning to house sit across Europe long-term, you need to understand the Schengen rules before you start planning.
The Schengen Area covers 27 European countries, including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands, as well as many of the continent’s most popular destinations. The rule: you can spend a maximum of 90 days in the Schengen Area within any 180-day rolling period.
This is both a constraint and, if you plan around it, an opportunity. Countries outside the Schengen Area (including the UK, Ireland, and several Balkan nations) don’t count toward your 90 days, which means a house sit in Dublin or the English countryside can extend your overall time in Europe considerably. We structured stretches of our travels to bounce between Schengen and non-Schengen sits, and it opened up more time in Europe than we’d initially thought possible.
The practical implications for house sitters: be careful about accepting back-to-back sits that would push you over 90 days within the Schengen zone, and factor in non-Schengen sits as genuine parts of your European itinerary rather than afterthoughts. Some of our most memorable house sits came directly from needing to leave Schengen and discovering somewhere wonderful in the process.
Tips for Getting Your First (and Best) European House Sit
Build a profile that homeowners trust, not just like.
Your profile is everything. Homeowners are handing you the keys to their home and the care of their pets, and they need to feel confident in you, not just charmed by you. Be specific about your experience with animals, your lifestyle, and what you bring to a sit. If you’ve never house sat before, lean on landlord references, character references from employers, and anyone who can speak to how you are with animals.
Apply early and apply personally.
The best sits go fast! Check for new listings daily and apply the same day. More importantly, never copy and paste a generic message. Read the listing carefully, reference the pets by name, and mention something specific about the location or the home. Homeowners can spot a form letter immediately, and they don’t choose form basic letters.
Have a video call before you commit.
This protects both parties. You’ll get a sense of the homeowner’s expectations, see the property, meet the pets on screen, and identify any potential mismatch before you’re standing at the front door with your bags. We’ve accepted and rejected house sits entirely based on vibes from a video call!
Ask EVERY relevant question you can think of. What is the pet’s daily routine? Are there any quirks about the house we should know? What’s the Wi-Fi like? etc. etc. Leave nothing unasked — a house sit can go from enjoyable to disaster if expectations are not clear and known to both parties.
Don’t skip the written agreement.
It doesn’t need to be a legal document, but a clear written summary of dates, responsibilities, emergency contacts, and any specific expectations saves misunderstandings on both sides.
Build your reviews deliberately.
After every sit, follow up to request a review. Reviews compound quickly — once you have five or six strong ones, you’ll notice the quality of sits you’re offered begins to improve. The first sit is the hardest to get. By the tenth, you’ll be turning some down.
What House Sitting in Europe Actually Feels Like
The experience varies wildly depending on the sit, and that variety is part of the appeal.
Some sits feel like a proper holiday. We’ve sat in places so beautiful that we barely left the property during our first few days, just absorbing the fact that we were actually there.
Others are more about the routine than the scenery. A dog who needs walking twice a day, a cat with specific dietary requirements, a garden that needs watering. But there’s something unexpectedly grounding about this, too. You’re not a tourist passing through; instead, you’re briefly inhabiting someone else’s life, shopping at their local market, greeting their neighbours, and learning which café opens earliest. It’s slow travel in the truest sense, and that’s what we love most about it.
And then there are the animals. This is what we weren’t entirely prepared for: how attached you get. We’ve cried leaving behind dogs that we cared for for only two or three weeks. We’ve stayed in touch with homeowners who’ve become genuine friends. House sitting creates those kinds of connections regularly, and they’re one of the reasons we kept doing it long after we’d saved all the money we needed to.
If it weren’t for the Schengen rules, we might still be doing it…indefinitely!
Frequently Asked Questions About House Sitting in Europe
Is house sitting in Europe free?
The exchange itself is (usually) free — sitters provide their time and care in exchange for accommodation, with no money changing hands between homeowner and sitter. The only cost is your platform membership fee, which ranges from about $29 to $259 USD per year, depending on the platform and tier you choose. On any reasonable calculation, a single week’s stay in a major European city covers that annual fee many times over.
Which countries in Europe have the most house sitting opportunities?
France, the UK, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands consistently have the highest volume of listings. France, in particular, has a dedicated platform (Nomador) with significantly more listings than any global platform. The UK and Ireland are especially valuable for non-EU travellers because they sit outside the Schengen Area (meaning time spent there doesn’t count toward your 90-day allowance).
Do you need experience to start house sitting in Europe?
No, but you need good references. If you haven’t house sat before, use former landlords, employers, or anyone who can speak to your reliability and how you are with animals. A strong profile with credible references will get you a first sit — after that, reviews from homeowners carry the most weight.
Can a single person house sit, or do couples have an advantage?
Couples do have a perceived advantage with some homeowners, but singles house sit successfully all the time. The key is a strong profile and excellent references. Some homeowners specifically prefer a single, quiet sitter. Don’t be discouraged, focus on making your profile as convincing as possible and apply for sits where your profile is genuinely a good fit.
How do you handle house sitting and the Schengen 90-day rule?
The Schengen Area allows non-EU visitors 90 days within any 180-day period across 27 member countries. The practical workaround for house sitters is to include sits in non-Schengen countries — the UK, Ireland, Albania, North Macedonia, and several others — which don’t count toward your limit. Planning a rotation between Schengen and non-Schengen sits can significantly extend your time in Europe.
What happens if something goes wrong during a sit?
Before any sit, make sure you have clear written communication with the homeowner covering emergency contacts, vet details, insurance information, and their wishes for various scenarios. TrustedHousesitters Premium membership includes a sit cancellation plan that covers up to $1,500 in costs if a sit falls through under qualifying circumstances. For peace of mind on longer sits, it’s worth considering travel insurance that covers your stay as well.
Get More Advice on House Sitting
We’ve completed over fifteen house sits around the world — from rural Turkey to Manhattan, coastal Spain to the Irish countryside. If you want the full deep-dive on how to make house sitting work as a long-term travel strategy, we wrote an ebook to give you more in-depth advice!
So jealous that you guys get to do this 🙂 Really looked into this for awhile and it seems that most opportunities are in Europe, ya? Really looking forward to doing this as a mean to travel after I get my US citizenship.
Anyway, let us know when you’re going to be in Turkey. We’re heading there spring-ish next year.
There are a lot of opportunities in Europe, North America, Central America (where the expats are!), Australia and New Zealand. Basically, where it is too expensive to tour for long anyways! I.e. we never could have stayed for 3 weeks in London without it!
We will be in Turkey from Mar thru May! Hopefully we can finally meet then!
I’m currently spending 3 months house-sitting on the Caribbean island of Grenada, so I concur – it’s a great way to live and travel affordably!
I’ve used house-carers and caretakergazette mostly, but will check out trustedhousesitters based on your stellar review!
Ah yes, have seen your photos from Grenada and are a wee bit jealous!
This is how my husband and I want to travel around Europe. Thanks for the information on TrustedHouseSitters.com. We’ll take a serious look at using the site when we finally decide to do it!
You’re welcome JoAnna! I’m sure you’ll have no problem finding something to suit your needs. Good luck!
We love house sitting too. We would never have been able to afford to visit Japan if we hadn’t got 3.5 weeks free accommodation in Kyoto. It’s so expensive there that house sitting saved us $2500, plus we got a big house, kitchen and cute cats rather than a cramped hostel room.
It does seem that most opportunities are in Europe and North America.
You really scored big in Japan with that one (jealous!) Australia and New Zealand have a lot of opportunities too, and it seems to be picking up in Central America where expats typically congregate.
Dear Erin,
I’m so jealous too, could you please let me know through which website you found the housesitting for Japan? Thanks a lot 🙂
Awesome! Thanks for the tips!
I’m looking to do this in the States over the coming months.
There are lots of opportunities in the US! Good luck!
I should look into this! It sounds like a very interesting way of spending your time. Good alternative to couchsurfing if you decide to stay longer at one place!
Absolutely Sebastian! We’ve stayed anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months in one place thanks to housesitting.
I signed up for trustedhousesitters.com a while back after reading your experience and have not had much luck… 🙁 I think it’s because I’m a single dude. I did get offered a couple of assigments (one in South Africa!) through one of the other sites, but the timing did not work out.
I haven’t given up on trustedhousesitters yet though…
I’m in the same boat, Ray! No one really wants to hire on a 25 year old single female, and I even have the references plus TONS of experience taking care of animals! One of my references is a vet! Sigh. Will keep trying.
This is definitely my ideal way of travelling. 🙂
I thought you had one lined up in Montreal??
I am sure it must be harder to a young female to find the first one, but I’m sure it will happen, especially with the awesome references like you have! 🙂 Get a few under your belt and they’ll start lining up for you….
Well, if you’d stop just applying to some guy in Cork named Kevin, you might have a chance! 🙂
It can be a little tough to get your first one (especially as a single), but after that, they’ll start to roll. Make sure you have some STELLAR references online, as I think that is what is helping us get new ones.
House sitting is absolutely something we’re going to try to do through the word’s more expensive destinations. Thanks so much for your insight.
No problem Brian – and good luck!
Housesitting sounds like such a great way to do extended travel. I’m glad it’s worked out so well for you guys!
Thanks Emily! It really is ideal for us as we typically prefer to travel slow (get less tired out that way)!
That’s such a great way to travel!! I love it 🙂
What a perfect way to travel and live like a local! Sounds wonderful to me and I will definitely be looking into it!
Honestly I first thought housesitting sounded too good to be true. And I probably would’ve kept that opinion, except I started reading your blog and now I see housesitting really is a viable accommodation option for travelers. I can’t see myself signing up right away, just because I can’t travel until after April. But once my school year is done I’ll definitely look into this. I mean it’s pretty hard to argue with something that can provide free accommodations in New York City.
Oh yes, I think we scored big on the NYC job. Never could we have spent 6 weeks in that city without it!
Great article! Thanks for sharing, and I can’t can’t wait to share it with the OTP community (and try out couch sitting myself)! 🙂
This is so great! Is this site mainly for Europe? Any recommendations for a site to use for South America?
I love these posts because I’m itching to start housesitting. I suspect getting the first couple of opportunities might be the difficult thing. Hopefully I can make it happen like you guys!
Make sure you have some good references lined up and hopefully it won’t take too long!
I wish I’d known this were an option when I was doing more long-term travel while living in Europe. Sounds like so much fun!
We never could have spent as much time in Europe without it!
Wow that’s a great idea. We’re planning on spending indefinite time in Europe next year and house sitting sounds perfect. Free accommodation! Thanks for the tip.
Good luck Dean! It is a great way to see Europe!
We hope your Turkey gig allows you time at Cappedocia. That was one travel site we will never forget. We loved Turkey.
We do have some freedom to travel around the country, and we’re definitely going to make time for Cappedocia!
I really hope to do this in the near future. Looks like such a great option.
Great informative post. Something i would definitely have to look into. I suspect it’s a lot harder to gigs as a single guy than as a couple, right?
Hey Tobias – I suspect it might be a little harder (although I have seen some ads asking for just a single). I think the number one thing to landing a job though is references – line up good references (even if you have no experience housesitting, find people that can speak to your character) and you’ve got a good shot!
Wow, thanks for the info! I’d love to give housesitting a try.
I have to admit that this is one area I haven’t considered as much as others (to save costs) but I would definitely reconsider after reading this article – especially if I’m ever in Europe!
Yes, in Europe it can definitely save big bucks! But it’s also a great way to see holiday destinations (Central America) where expats tend to have homes. Oz and North America are big into it to.
We will look into this when we are traveling I think. It had never even occurred to me to housesit while traveling
What a great way to spend your time abroad! I’m hoping Gerard and I will have the opportunity to do this in the near (near near near) future. Lol. Great post and thanks for the discount! 😉
Good luck Kieu! Hope you find something in the near near near near future! 🙂 There are great opportunities going up everyday.
House-sitting changed my life when I was in Costa Rica! I upgraded from a one-room to hut to a stunning four-bedroom — and saved money.
That’s the way to do it!! Not too shabby to find something in Costa Rica either…after our chilly times in Europe, we may need a tropical locale soon! 🙂
Definitely looking it up now guys. Thanks for the link to it. Hopefully we get to use it somewhere next year travelling through Europe. How hard is it to get your first place?
We got our first one very easily, it was the very first one we applied for! The most important thing is to make sure that you have great references lined up, even if they are character references (because you haven’t done it before). Maybe even get a reference from an old landlord, anyone who knows how you are with pets, etc.! Good luck!
wow, that sounds really really cool. should try that. (while I read this post I couldn’t stop thinking about Jude Law in “The Holiday”) 🙂
Hmmm…would have to say that I wouldn’t mind if Jude Law happened to be waiting at one of the houses (I’m hoping Pete doesn’t read this comment!!)
I cannot wait to take advantage of this wonderful way to see the world and provide a service. Brian and I will definitely be doing some housesitting… thanks for teaching us all about it!
Can’t wait to hear about where you will land your first gig! If you ever need any help with it, just let us know! 🙂
I agree with your article! My husband and I spent 2.5 months traveling around the UK and are now in France in one of the poshest areas of the world. Housesitting (via trustedhousesitters.com) has made this possible for us, and we’ve made some great friends.
I am curious to know if you’ve had many bad experiences with pet-sitting. We have had 2 pet-sits (out of 5) with houses that were incredibly cluttered and dirty, and it made our stay much less enjoyable. We’ve gotten pretty used to cleaning and organizing people’s homes while we travel.
For those who want to travel this way, I’d recommend keeping your eyes open and getting as much information about the gig as possible before you commit. The fewer surprises, the better! 🙂
100% agree with you Rachel about getting as much information about the gig up front as possible. This is something we have learned along the way. This is an important part of our Housesitting 101 tips (https://www.hecktictravels.com/housesitting-101). Ask for photos, references, have a skype conversation(s) etc.
About the bad experiences, we have had no issues so far. That being said, we have had a varied level of cleanliness in each stay we have been in. As long as our living space is up to our standard we’re fine with that. One thing this has taught us is that we have also learned to just go with the flow.
You have Vonda and I very excited about trying this. We will be in Mexico or Central America (maybe Ecuador) for two more years then we are going to make the leap “across the pond” so to speak. Since we are working so hard learning Spanish, do you have any personal exposure to housesitting in Spain?
I think we’ll look into this during our next big trip. 😛
We’re currently in Serbia, which is outside the Schengen region. I can’t remember how long you have to be out before heading back in, but perhaps you can visit here (or other places like it near by) until you can go back in?
Ves
We would have loved to visit Serbia, but unfortunately it is not in the cards for this trip. Maybe next year after Turkey we will make our way back down 🙂
In regards to the Schengen, the rule is in a 180 day period you can spend 90 days within the Schengen. Once the 180 days is up, you start all over again.
Awesome! James and I are definitely going to sign up! We are going to be staying in Brisbane (and hopefully working) but after that all plans are open! We will definitely use your promo code when we sign up.
Oh and just a suggestion, when I clicked on the housesitting link it opened in this window…which took me away from your blog. You should consider having links open in a new tab.
Heard about this but never really gave it serious thought until I read this piece. Thanks for this. What a great idea. We are not young party animals anymore. I would think we would have a good profile. Will certainly sign up with your code.
We fit in the “not young party animals” mold as well, and that certainly helps on the profile 😉 Thank you so much for signing up and if you have any questions let us know.
I am so glad to have found you via Twitter! Love Twitter for making the world a smaller place.
What a neat idea to do housesitting. I’ve never thought of doing that, but having read your blog, will definitely look into it in the future.
You have an amazing following. Am now following your blog as well.
Thanks Doreen, we’re glad you found us too! If you ever need more info on housesitting, just let us know! 🙂
Thanks so much for this review! This is something that we’re thinking about doing next year and this is super helpful.
Thanks Akila. We have loved the opportunities we have had to sit in Europe. There are so many, which means that this concept is really picking up steam. If you have any other questions about this let us know, we have some great contacts. Best of luck!
This sounds like a fabulous idea! I’ve heard of some of the services, and figured they could be a lot of fun, but have not heard from anyone with first hand experience! Thanks for sharing! I like Nora’s spot in the Caribbean, sounds like a great way to visit somewhere expensive!
Yes Shani, Nora has a pretty sweet gig for sure!! House-sitting has brought us to some pretty cool places. 6 months in Roatan, Honduras, 3 weeks in London, 2 weeks in Brussels, 2 months in Ireland in a 10th century manor, 3 weeks in Southern Spain, just to name a few. Plus we have 2 sits lined up, 6 weeks in NYC and 3 months in Turkey. A very economical way to travel. It’s certainly gaining some popularity. We love it and fully endorse it!!! Thanks for your comment!
Can you provide some information on the Schengen VISA issue. After 90 days in country you have to leave and cannot reenter until 90 days have passed. How do you deal with sits that might run over 90 days, or two different sits that would violate the 90 day rule. Finally, what if your sit is going to be for over 90 days. Is there a process for staying for 6 moths for example? How have you dealt with this?
Hi Michael – so far, we’ve worked around Schengen, and not taken any sits over three months in those areas. What we have done is bounced around into countries that aren’t a part of it (the UK, Ireland, Turkey, to name a few). As far as I understand, there is no easy way to get a visa extension. Check out this article by Nomadic Matt about working around it though, where he suggests there are some ways: http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/how-to-legally-stay-in-europe-for-more-than-90-days/ Also, if I was ever in a pinch and knew I was going to be over my Schengen days, I would enter/exit through a country like Italy – have been through there quite a few times this year and they NEVER check through my passport, they hardly even glance at it! 🙂
Hey all
I’m interested in doing house-sitting and I love that you can do house-sitting for such long periods at a time. However, I’m only then worried about costs for food and transportation. How did you guys deal with these costs?
Thanks!
This post explains all! https://www.hecktictravels.com/how-to-travel-long-term
Thanks for all the information.
Just a question about the Nomador website, when you look up countries, it lists quite a lot of choices but when you choose the option to “limit search to house-sits that are still available”, the number of choices greatly diminishes. Does that mean the other homes are completely unavailable? I just found it confusing that listings show up that say, “listing closed for this period” or “no longer available for this period”.
Thanks for your help!
Yes Chad, that means that those are no longer available, unfortunately!