Welcome Flying Heels,
When I have flown in Europe, I have found the airspace to be "busy" compared to what I'm used to in Canada. That said I have always felt well treated by ATC, and given fairly direct VFR routings as often as seemed practical. Flying in Hong Kong is extremely cramped, with the warning that being shot at over Chinese territory, even while under Hong Kong ATC control, is a risk!
On the other hand, I've flown 40 hour, thousand mile plus cross country trips in Canada, which I could have entirely managed to fly without a radio at all. I would commonly fly 300 miles to visit friends and not use a comm or transponder at all. And when I have flown in Africa, I have found long uncontrolled stretches there, though I did not feel so comfortable about that.
If you fly to Norway or Sweden, you'll find the airspace much more free than mainland Europe.
Yes, use the paper map, it's the best way to learn. You should be less "looking for" tiny towns on the map, and more verifying that they are where you think they should be because of your good flight planning, and flight following