Backpacking Through Europe!

My friend, Taylor, and I are planning a month-long trip to Europe for May 2014. We are so excited, but I can tell the planning will be overwhelming. Simply choosing which places to visit while we're there is proving to be tricky. We want to see so many places--London, Prague, Amsterdam, Venice, Berlin--but also genuinely experience the people and culture of the countries we visit. I'm beginning to think it might not be a bad idea to show up without a plan and travel on a whim, but my type-A personality is protesting. We know that we'll be staying in hostels, and I'm sure we'll meet other travelers with insight about what to see and where to stay.

She has been to Europe once before with a student-related choir group, so she has a decent idea of what she'd like to see, but I am at a loss. All I know is that I want to fly into London and start there. (I need to visit Universal's Harry Potter set!) Also, I wouldn't mind finding a small village to hang out in and be lazy for a couple days.

Which ever plan we choose--winging it or planning an itinerary--I figured it was time to start doing a little research. I bought a couple travel books, and discovered that they are over 1000 pages each. It is going to take a mighty long time to go through them and bookmark the useful/relevant information. Still, I know it will be worth in in the long run.

Have I mentioned how excited I am? 

My family is German, so this is a must. I'd like to spend time in Berlin and Munich.

London! I could live in Great Britain. I also heard about a cheese rolling festival that occurs during the last Monday in May every year...

I've heard that the Netherlands can be very tourist-y, but that won't stop me!