Eastern Europe, Croatia & the Balkans — Self-Launched Backpacker Route (Berlin to Split)

Fly or train into Berlin and settle into a hostel in Mitte or Kreuzberg. Pick up a BVG 7-day AB travelcard from a machine or the BVG app (~£30) and spend the evening orienting yourself — currywurst, a walk along the Spree, and a supermarket stock-up. No tour group to meet, so use the evening to plan your onward rail legs.

🚌Airport express (FEX/S-Bahn) into the centre ~£4

🛏Hostel dorm in Mitte/Kreuzberg (~£22/night)

• →Check into hostel
• →Evening walk along the Spree
• →Buy BVG travelcard
• →Street food dinner

Full day of self-guided Berlin. Free walking tours (tips-based, ~£10 tip) cover the Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Holocaust Memorial and Checkpoint Charlie. Pay for the East Side Gallery is free — just walk it. Add a museum or the TV Tower if you want the view. Berlin is a cheap city to self-explore on foot and by U-Bahn.

🚌U-Bahn/S-Bahn with your travelcard

🛏Hostel dorm in Mitte/Kreuzberg (~£22/night)

• →Free walking tour (tip-based)
• →East Side Gallery
• →Checkpoint Charlie
• →Museum Island (optional)
• →TV Tower view (optional)

Take an early train or FlixBus to Kraków. A direct bus is cheapest (~£20-28, roughly 9-10 hrs); a rail route via Frankfurt (Oder) and Poznań or via Wrocław is more comfortable. The Pławniowice Palace grounds near Gliwice are awkward to reach independently — skip them or substitute a stop in Wrocław. On arrival, do your own orientation walk around the Rynek Główny (Main Market Square).

🚌FlixBus Berlin–Kraków ~£22 (or rail via Wrocław ~£35)

🛏Hostel dorm in Kazimierz/Old Town (~£14/night)

• →Scenic orientation walk of Old Town
• →Main Market Square
• →Wawel Hill evening stroll

Book the official Auschwitz-Birkenau guided entry in advance (the museum requires a timed reservation; ~£20-25 including a shared minibus transfer or the public bus from Kraków). This is a full, sobering half day. Return to Kraków and spend the afternoon in Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter, or the Schindler Factory museum.

🚌Public bus or shared minibus to Oświęcim ~£8 return

🛏Hostel dorm in Kazimierz/Old Town (~£14/night)

• →Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial visit (book ahead)
• →Kazimierz district
• →Schindler Factory (optional)

Free day. Options: Wieliczka Salt Mine day trip (book a bus + entry, ~£28), the Tatra mountain town of Zakopane by bus (~£12 return), or a lazy day of pierogi and cafés. Everything is easily self-bookable same-day or via GetYourGuide.

🚌Local bus or minibus ~£6-12

🛏Hostel dorm in Kazimierz/Old Town (~£14/night)

• →Wieliczka Salt Mine (optional)
• →Zakopane day trip (optional)
• →Polish food crawl in Kazimierz

Travel to Prague. There's a direct overnight or daytime FlixBus (~£20, ~8 hrs) and a rail route via Katowice and Ostrava or via Bohumín. On arrival drop bags and walk the old town at dusk — Prague is compact and walkable from most hostels.

🚌FlixBus or rail Kraków–Prague ~£22

🛏Hostel dorm in Old Town/Vinohrady (~£18/night)

• →Walk Old Town Square
• →Charles Bridge at sunset

Self-guided Prague: join a free walking tour (tip ~£10) or follow a route from Old Town Square past the Astronomical Clock, over Charles Bridge and up to Prague Castle. Tram day pass is ~£4. In the evening try a traditional Czech beer hall — beer is cheaper than water in Prague.

🚌Tram day pass ~£4

🛏Hostel dorm in Old Town/Vinohrady (~£18/night)

• →Free walking tour
• →Charles Bridge and Prague Castle
• →Astronomical Clock
• →Czech beer hall dinner

Use the day for the Vyšehrad fortress, the Jewish Quarter, or a self-booked craft beer and food tasting tour (~£35-45 via GetYourGuide) if you want the operator's optional extra without the group markup. Otherwise wander the Letná beer garden and riverside.

🚌Tram/metro day pass ~£4

🛏Hostel dorm in Old Town/Vinohrady (~£18/night)

• →Vyšehrad
• →Jewish Quarter (optional)
• →Self-booked craft beer tasting (optional)
• →Letná park

Direct buses and trains run to Český Krumlov (~£10, 3 hrs). The town is tiny and storybook-pretty: wander the lanes, walk up to the castle and its gardens, and watch the Vltava loop from the baroque bridge. Book a small guesthouse or hostel dorm in the historic centre.

🚌Bus Prague–Český Krumlov ~£10

🛏Guesthouse/hostel dorm in the centre (~£20/night)

• →Český Krumlov castle visit
• →Old town wandering
• →Vltava riverbank walk

Travel to Vienna via České Budějovice by bus or rail (~£18-25, 4-5 hrs). Vienna is the priciest stop on this route — book your hostel well ahead. Spend the evening on the Ringstrasse and grab a slice of cake at a traditional coffee house.

🚌Bus/rail Český Krumlov–Vienna ~£22

🛏Hostel dorm in Vienna (~£26/night)

• →Ringstrasse evening walk
• →Coffee house stop
• →Naschmarkt (evening, if open)

Self-guided Vienna: Schönbrunn Palace and gardens (entry ~£25, or just the free gardens), the Hofburg, St Stephen's Cathedral and the Belvedere for Klimt. A 24-hr Vienna transport ticket is ~£8. Eat cheap at Würstelstand sausage stands or the Naschmarkt.

🚌24-hr transport ticket ~£8

🛏Hostel dorm in Vienna (~£26/night)

• →Schönbrunn Palace and gardens
• →St Stephen's Cathedral
• →Belvedere (optional)
• →Naschmarkt food market

Take the fast rail link (RegioJet/RJ, ~£15-22, 2.5 hrs) or a FlixBus into Budapest. Budapest is a backpacker favourite for value — ruin bars, thermal baths and cheap food. Settle into a hostel in District VII near the Jewish Quarter.

🚌Train/bus Vienna–Budapest ~£18

🛏Hostel dorm in District VII (~£16/night)

• →Ruin bar evening in District VII
• →Danube riverside walk
• →Szimpla Kert

Self-guided walking tour of the Pest side (Parliament, Shoes on the Danube, St Stephen's Basilica) then across to Buda Castle and Fisherman's Bastion. In the afternoon soak at Széchenyi or Gellért thermal baths (~£18-22). The operator's Budapest history walking tour can be replicated with a tips-based free tour (~£10 tip).

🚌Metro/tram day pass ~£6

🛏Hostel dorm in District VII (~£16/night)

• →Free walking tour (tip-based)
• →Buda Castle and Fisherman's Bastion
• →Széchenyi thermal baths
• →Shoes on the Danube memorial

A long haul south — bus or rail from Budapest to Belgrade runs ~£25-35 and takes 7-9 hrs (rail is slow, with a change at Kelebia/Subotica; buses are more direct). On arrival, base yourself near Skadarlija in the old town. Belgrade is a buzzing, cheap, gritty city with great nightlife.

🚌Bus Budapest–Belgrade ~£28

🛏Hostel dorm in Old Town (~£14/night)

• →Skadarlija bohemian quarter evening
• →Knez Mihailova pedestrian street
• →Riverside splav nightlife (optional)

Explore Kalemegdan Fortress (free), the confluence of the Sava and Danube, the bohemian Skadarlija district and Zemun's riverside. Join a free walking tour (tip ~£8) or explore independently. Cheap Serbian food — ćevapi, pljeskavica — keeps costs down.

🚌Tram/bus day pass ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm in Old Town (~£14/night)

• →Kalemegdan Fortress
• →Free walking tour
• →Zemun riverside
• →Serbian food tasting

The scenic bus or rail route into Bosnia is a highlight in itself — mountains all the way (bus ~£22-28, 8-9 hrs; the rail line via Višegrad is spectacular but slow and seasonal). Arrive into Sarajevo's Baščaršija old town with its Ottoman lanes, mosques and copper smiths. Hostels here are excellent value.

🚌Bus Belgrade–Sarajevo ~£25

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Baščaršija (~£15/night)

• →Baščaršija bazaar
• →Evening walk by the Miljacka river
• →Ottoman old town

Self-guided Sarajevo: the site of the Franz Ferdinand assassination (Latin Bridge), the Tunnel of Hope war museum, the Yellow Fortress viewpoint, and the lively pigeon square. A local history walking tour (~£12 via GetYourGuide) gives useful context on the siege. Try Bosnian coffee and burek.

🚌Walking and short tram rides ~£3

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Baščaršija (~£15/night)

• →Latin Bridge and assassination site
• →Tunnel of Hope (optional)
• →Yellow Fortress viewpoint
• →Bosnian coffee and burek

Take the train or bus south to Mostar (~£8-12, 2-3 hrs) — the winding rail route through the Neretva canyon is one of Europe's most beautiful rides. Arrive in Mostar and spend the afternoon by the Stari Most (Old Bridge) with its divers plunging into the river.

🚌Train Sarajevo–Mostar ~£8

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in the old town (~£15/night)

• →Scenic rail/bus through Neretva canyon
• →Stari Most Old Bridge
• →Old Bazaar (Kujundžiluk)

Half-day: cross the reconstructed Ottoman Stari Most (the operator's Day 20 highlight — you can simply walk it, and pay a small fee to enter the bridge-house museum). Day-trip to Kravica Waterfalls and Počitelj with a self-booked tour (~£25-35 via GetYourGuide) or a local taxi cooperatively arranged at the bus station.

🚌Shared minibus/tour transfer ~£10

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in the old town (~£15/night)

• →Stari Most bridge walk and museum
• →Kravica Waterfalls day trip (optional)
• →Počitelj village (optional)
• →Bosnian wine tasting (optional)

Bus Mostar to Dubrovnik takes ~3 hrs and crosses into Croatia (~£20-28; note two border posts). Dubrovnik is the most expensive stop on the route — book a hostel dorm well ahead, or base in nearby Cavtat/Platanus if the old town is full. Stroll the old town and the Rector's Palace.

🚌Bus Mostar–Dubrovnik ~£24

🛏Hostel dorm in Dubrovnik old town or nearby (~£28/night)

• →Old town evening walk
• →Stradun main street
• →St John's Fortress exterior

Walk the famous city walls (entry ~£35, timed — buy online) covering Fort Minceta, Fort Lawrence and St Luke's Tower — the operator's Day 23 Dubrovnik City Wall Walk spread out at your own pace. Swim off Buža Cliff or take the cheap local ferry to Lokrum Island. Pack a picnic to avoid old-town restaurant prices.

🚌Local bus or short ferry ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm in Dubrovnik old town or nearby (~£28/night)

• →City walls walk (self-booked online, ~£35)
• →Buza Cliff swimming
• →Lokrum Island ferry (optional)

Cross into Montenegro by bus (Dubrovnik–Kotor ~£18-25, 2.5-3.5 hrs, including border formalities and the famous Bay of Kotor approach). Kotor's unspoiled fjord-like bay and walled old town are a Balkan highlight. Climb part of the city walls for sunset if you have energy after the journey.

🚌Bus Dubrovnik–Kotor ~£20

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Kotor old town (~£18/night)

• →Bay of Kotor crossing
• →Kotor old town
• →City walls sunset hike (optional)

The operator's kayaking day in Montenegro — book independently with a local kayak operator in Kotor old town or via GetYourGuide (~£30-40 for a 3-4 hr guided paddle to Our Lady of the Rocks). Alternatively, take a public boat to Perast and hike to the fortress of San Giovanni above Kotor for the best view in Montenegro.

🚌Local boat or walk ~£5

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Kotor old town (~£18/night)

• →Sea kayaking in Kotor Bay (self-booked, ~£35)
• →Our Lady of the Rocks
• →Perast village boat trip (optional)
• →San Giovanni fortress hike

Long travel day to Split via a bus along the coast or via Dubrovnik (~£30-40, 6-8 hrs). Alternatively, base a night in Herceg Novi or Trebinje to break the journey. Arrive into Split and check into a hostel in or near Diocletian's Palace.

🚌Bus Kotor–Split via Dubrovnik ~£35

🛏Hostel dorm in Split old town (~£22/night)

• →Coastal drive to Split
• →Evening in Diocletian's Palace
• →Riva waterfront promenade

Book a guided walk of Diocletian's Palace independently (the operator's Day 27 inclusion) — local operators and GetYourGuide run these for ~£15-20, or explore the Roman ruins free on your own. Afternoon at Bačvice beach or a ferry day trip to the island of Hvar/Brač.

🚌Ferry to islands ~£10 return (optional)

🛏Hostel dorm in Split old town (~£22/night)

• →Diocletian's Palace guided walk (self-booked, ~£18)
• →Riva promenade
• →Bačvice beach
• →Day trip to Hvar or Brač (optional)

Free day for the Dalmatian coast: take a public ferry to Hvar town or Brač's Golden Cape, visit the Roman ruins of Salona and Klis Fortress nearby, or relax on Marjan Hill with its walking trails and beaches. All easily done independently on local transport.

🚌Local bus/ferry ~£12

🛏Hostel dorm in Split old town (~£22/night)

• →Hvar island day trip (optional)
• →Klis Fortress (optional)
• →Marjan Hill park
• →Mestrovic Gallery

Another flexible day — the Krka Waterfalls are reachable by local bus and a self-booked tour (~£30) from Split, or you can simply swim in the Adriatic at Bene beach, catch up on laundry and sorting photos, and enjoy the relaxed Dalmatian pace. This is a good buffer day if you've had any transport delays along the route.

🚌Local bus ~£8

🛏Hostel dorm in Split old town (~£22/night)

• →Krka Waterfalls day trip (optional)
• →Bene beach
• →Green Market (Pazar)
• →Diocletian's cellars (free)

Check out and head home — Split airport is a short bus ride from the centre (~£6), or take the ferry on to Italy/Slovenia if you're continuing your gap-year travels. Sort any onward bus/train tickets the day before to lock in the cheapest fares.

🚌Local bus to Split airport ~£6

🛏—

• →Final Riva coffee
• →Airport transfer
• →Onward travel planning