Netherlands

Same epic 23-day run from Amsterdam to Dubrovnik — Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Rome, Florence, and Croatian island-hopping — but done independently. Skip the group tour markup and book your own hostel beds, hop on trains and overnight ferries, and self-book every market walk, bike tour and city highlight. This self-launched version covers 13 of Europe's most iconic cities at a fraction of the Roamies price, with full flexibility to linger longer or move faster as you please.

Travel Crew

~£1,485

A self-launched version of the classic 14-day Western Europe coach loop — London to Paris, the Swiss Alps, Tuscany, Rome, Venice, Munich, the Rhine Valley and Amsterdam — rebuilt for independent solo travellers using trains, budget flights and buses instead of a coach, with hostel and budget-hotel stays and self-bookable activities. Expect busy travel days but far more freedom, and a fraction of the guided tour price.

Travel Crew

~£1,480

A 14-day self-launched version of Expat Explore's coach mega-tour: Amsterdam loop through the Rhine Valley, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Ljubljana, Venice, Tuscany, the Swiss Alps, Paris and Ghent. Instead of a 50-person coach and fixed 3* hotels, you ride the same rail corridors independently (NS, Deutsche Bahn, RegioJet, ÖBB, FlixBus, Trenitalia, SBB, TGV/Thalys), stay in hostels and simple guesthouses, and book the same headline experiences yourself via GetYourGuide/direct. Same bucket-list itinerary, roughly a third of the cost — but be warned, this is a fast-paced route: expect early trains and one-night stands.

Travel Crew

~£1,485

A self-launched version of Europamundo's 19-day "European Dance" coach tour, which bundles 35 destinations across nine countries into one very full bus schedule (reviewers repeatedly call it rushed). This DIY route keeps the same headline stops — Rome, Florence, Venice, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava, Prague, Pilsen, Rothenburg, the Rhine, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Rouen, Canterbury and London — but swaps the 4-star out-of-town hotels for well-located hostels and guesthouses, and replaces the coach with trains, regional buses and low-cost ferries. You trade the group logistics for flexibility: stay longer in Venice, skip the Murano factory stop, and add a night in Budapest. All costs are approximate per person and assume dorms or simple doubles, supermarket lunches and one restaurant meal a day. Rail passes and advance booking are the key to keeping this affordable.

Travel Crew

~£1,985

A self-launched version of Contiki's 19-day 'European Whirl' — same 11 cities, same hostels, same highlights, booked entirely by you. You'll travel London → Amsterdam → Berlin → Dresden → Prague → Munich → Austrian Tyrol → Venice → Rome → Florence → Interlaken → Paris → London using budget flights, Flixbus/RegioJet coaches and trains instead of a private coach, staying in the very same hostel chains Contiki uses (Via, Generator, Plus Prague, Wombat's, A&O, Youth Hostel Interlaken). Guided group activities are swapped for self-bookable versions on GetYourGuide, Klook or direct with local operators. Roughly a third of the price and completely on your own schedule. Costs are approximate per person and exclude flights to/from the UK unless noted.

Travel Crew

~£1,690

A self-launched, independent version of G Adventures' 34-day "Ultimate Europe" backpacker loop from Amsterdam to Athens, crossing the Netherlands, Germany, Czechia, Austria, Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece and Corfu. This version swaps the guided group and private coach for hostel dorms, budget guesthouses and local trains, buses and ferries — all bookable yourself on the fly. You'll hit the same headline stops (Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Venice, Florence, Rome, Split, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Tirana, Corfu, Meteora, Delphi) with self-bookable food tours, walking tours and day trips via GetYourGuide, Klook or direct. Ideal for solo travellers and gap-year backpackers who want maximum flexibility at a fraction of the guided price. All costs are approximate, per person, in GBP, and assume mixed-dorm hostel accommodation with a few guesthouses where dorm beds are scarce.

Travel Crew

~£2,055

A self-launched DIY version of Europamundo's 7-day coach tour from London to Berlin. Same route — London sightseeing, Colchester, the Harwich–Hoek van Holland overnight ferry, Volendam and Amsterdam, then Hamelin and Berlin — but booked independently using hostels and budget hotels, public transport, the DFDS ferry, and self-bookable walking tours via GetYourGuide. Roughly half the price of the guided coach tour, with total freedom over pace and time in each city.

Travel Crew

~£430

A self-launched version of Expat Explore's 13-day coach tour from Amsterdam to Rome, covering the Netherlands, Germany, Czechia, Austria, Slovenia and Italy. Instead of a guided bus, you'll travel by Europe's excellent rail network and budget coaches (FlixBus/RegioJet), staying in hostels and budget guesthouses in each city. All the headline experiences — Zaanse Schans windmills, Berlin's street art and history, Dresden, Prague's Old Town, Bratislava, Vienna's wine cellars, Ljubljana, Venice and Rome's ancient sights — are kept, but booked independently and at a fraction of the price. Costs are approximate budget-traveller estimates in GBP per person.

Travel Crew

~£1,295

A self-launched 6-day hop from Prague to Amsterdam, covering the same headline sights as Europamundo's "Beloved Europe" group tour: Prague's Old Town and castle, a stop in Pilsen, medieval Rothenburg, Frankfurt, a Rhine Valley cruise, Cologne Cathedral, and the windmills and fishing villages of the Dutch countryside. Instead of a 72-person coach, you travel by train and bus on your own schedule, staying in hostels and budget guesthouses and booking walking tours and boat trips directly. Budget roughly £510-560 per person (excluding flights), versus around US$880-1,028 (£690-800) for the guided coach version.

Travel Crew

~£377

A self-launched version of Interrailing Packages' "The Fantastic Four" — an 11-day rail journey from Amsterdam through Paris and Nice to Rome, done entirely under your own steam. You'll book the same trains (using a Eurail Global Pass or point-to-point tickets), stay in comparable-quality hostels and budget hotels, and self-book the same landmarks and experiences. Expect to spend roughly £950-1,150 per person instead of the operator's US$1,813, with total flexibility to adjust days as you go.

Travel Crew

~£955

A 6-day multi-country sprint across four countries — Berlin, Amsterdam, Bruges and Paris — recreating G Adventures' "Berlin to Paris: Bike Rides & Big Nights" on your own terms. Same big nights, same bike rides, same waffles and chocolate, but booked direct: hostel dorms, cheap intercity trains and buses, self-guided walking routes, and a bike rental in Amsterdam instead of a group cycle tour. This is a fast, young, budget-friendly European run for independent travellers who want to party, cycle and cross borders without the group markup. Costs are approximate and assume dorm accommodation, supermarket breakfasts and one or two meals out per day.

Travel Crew

~£785

Pedal your way around Holland's most iconic cities and landscapes — Amsterdam, Zandvoort, The Hague, Rotterdam, Gouda and Utrecht — on this self-launched cycling adventure. You'll roll through tulip fields, past windmills, along North Sea dunes and into buzzing city centres, all at your own pace. By renting a bike independently, booking budget-friendly hotels yourself and using free navigation apps like Komoot or Google Maps, you can enjoy the very same route as the Exodus tour for a fraction of the price. All cycling stages are on well-marked Dutch cycle paths (fietspaden), making this one of the most beginner-friendly self-launched routes in Europe. Costs are approximate estimates per person.

Travel Crew

~£785

Skip the coach and the group surcharges — this self-launched version of the classic Europe Christmas Taster takes you through Paris, Burgundy, the Swiss Alps, the Rhine Valley, Amsterdam and Ghent entirely under your own steam. You'll use Eurostar, regional trains, and budget buses to hop between destinations, stay in well-rated hostels and budget hotels, and book Christmas market tours, Rhine cruises and Alpine day trips directly via GetYourGuide or Klook. Same festive magic, roughly half the price. All costs are approximate estimates per person.

Travel Crew

~£955

Skip the river cruise ship and do this iconic Amsterdam-to-Avignon route yourself by train, bus, and local transport. You'll hit the same UNESCO cities, windmills, cathedrals, wine regions, Roman ruins, and Provençal markets — but stay in characterful hostels and guesthouses, eat at local restaurants, and book shore excursions directly. This self-launched version covers the Netherlands, Germany's Rhine Valley, Alsace, Burgundy, Lyon, and Provence for a fraction of Viking's premium cruise price. All costs are approximate estimates per person.

Travel Crew

~£1,260

Pedal your own way from Amsterdam to Brussels across two countries, covering roughly 360km of mostly flat cycling through Holland's Green Heart, windmill-dotted Kinderdijk, the Biesbosch National Park and the historic cities of Gouda, Antwerp and Leuven. This self-launched version swaps the guided operator package for independently hired bikes, budget-friendly 2-3★ hotels and guesthouses, and self-navigated routes using free apps like Komoot or Ride with GPS. All the same highlights, stroopwafels, moules-frites, Belgian beer and Grand Place photo ops included — at a fraction of the Exodus price.

Travel Crew

~£795

Pedal your way through two countries and some of Europe's most scenic cycling terrain — from the fairy-tale canals of Bruges to the buzzing streets of Amsterdam. This self-launched version ditches the operator management fee and replaces 3★/4★ hotel packages with well-rated budget hotels and guesthouses, while you navigate freely using free apps like Komoot or Ride with GPS. You'll hire your own bike locally (often cheaper than packaged hire), carry a small day bag and let luggage move by public transport or your own arrangement between stops. Same iconic route, same windmills, beaches and cheese — roughly half the price. All costs are approximate estimates.

Travel Crew

~£805

Amsterdam's ultimate stag weekend, done your way — without the group tour markup. Same iconic canal cruise, same beer bike chaos, same casino swagger — just booked independently for a fraction of the price. This self-launched version replicates every highlight of StagWeb's "The Legend" package using direct bookings, public transport from the airport, and a centrally located budget hostel. Grab your crew, split the costs, and own it.

Travel Crew

~£130