European Trail: Self-Launched 23-Day Grand Europe Loop
23 days · Europe (Amsterdam to Paris)
Contiki charges £2,920
No-markup version: ~£2,280 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Contiki's 23-day European Trail — Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Krakow, Budapest, Lake Bled, Ljubljana, Venice, Rome, Florence, the Swiss Alps, Beaujolais wine country and Paris — done on your own using trains, budget buses and hostel dorms. Same cities, same highlights (Auschwitz-Birkenau, a Venice canal ride, a Beaujolais wine tasting, the Louvre), but booked directly at backpacker prices. All costs are approximate per person in GBP.
Day-by-day
London to Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Book a morning Eurostar from London St Pancras to Amsterdam Centraal (~£50-70 if booked 2-3 months ahead). Spend the afternoon on a DIY walk of the canal ring — Nine Streets, Rembrandtplein and the Jordaan — then grab a cheap broodje and stroopwafel. Optional evening: a budget canal cruise booked via GetYourGuide (~£15).
🚌Eurostar London–Amsterdam ~£50-70
🛏Hostel dorm, Amsterdam (e.g. ClinkNOORD or Generator Amsterdam) — £25-35/night
- →Canal ring walk
- →Nine Streets shopping
- →Optional budget canal cruise (GetYourGuide ~£15)
Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Free day. Rent a bike for a few hours (~£10) and ride out to the Rijksmuseum/Vondelpark, or take a cheap ferry from behind Centraal to Amsterdam Noord for street art and waterside cafés. Late afternoon: hop the free ferry to NDSM wharf. Eat at a market — Albert Cuypmarkt is best value.
🚌On foot / bike / local tram
🛏Hostel dorm, Amsterdam — £25-35/night
- →Bike rental (~£10)
- →Rijksmuseum (€22.50) or free Vondelpark
- →Free NDSM ferry
- →Albert Cuypmarkt food stalls
Amsterdam to Berlin
Berlin, Germany
Take an IC train Amsterdam–Berlin (roughly 6.5 hours, €40-60 booked ahead via Deutsche Bahn / ns.nl). Late-afternoon self-guided walk of the Berlin Wall and Cold War trail then Alexanderplatz. Optional evening historical walking tour with a local guide (~£15-18) — book via GetYourGuide.
🚌Train Amsterdam–Berlin ~£45
🛏Hostel dorm, Berlin (e.g. Generator Alexanderplatz, A&O Berlin Mitte) — £18-28/night
- →Self-guided Berlin Wall / East Side Gallery walk
- →Brandenburg Gate & Reichstag exterior
- →Optional 20th-century history walking tour (~£16)
Berlin
Berlin, Germany
Full free day. Do the free 'Alternative Berlin' walking tour (tip-based, ~£5-10 tip) covering street art, Kreuzberg and hipster haunts, or the free Third Reich history walk (also tip-based). Afternoon at the Holocaust Memorial and Checkpoint Charlie. Evening: cheap currywurst and a beer in Friedrichshain.
🚌U-Bahn/S-Bahn day ticket ~£7
🛏Hostel dorm, Berlin — £18-28/night
- →Free (tip-based) Alternative Berlin walking tour
- →Holocaust Memorial
- →Checkpoint Charlie
- →East Side Gallery
Berlin to Prague via Dresden
Prague, Czech Republic
Take a regional train Berlin–Dresden (~2 hrs, ~£18) and stop for 3-4 hours around the Frauenkirche, Zwinger Palace and the Royal Residence. Then continue Dresden–Prague on a RegioJet or FlixBus (~£12-18, ~2.5 hrs). Evening wander across Charles Bridge.
🚌Train Berlin–Dresden ~£18 + Dresden–Prague ~£15
🛏Hostel dorm, Prague (e.g. Plus Prague or Sophie's Hostel) — £12-20/night
- →Dresden old town walk
- →Zwinger Palace courtyard (free)
- →Frauenkirche
- →Evening Charles Bridge walk
Prague
Prague, Czech Republic
Catch the free (tip-based) Sandeman's Prague walking tour in the morning covering Old Town Square, the Astronomical Clock and the Jewish Quarter. Afternoon climb to Prague Castle and walk through the castle district and Golden Lane. Evening: Pilsner beer tasting in a local pub (~£15) or a Czech folklore dinner (~£25) if you fancy it.
🚌Tram / on foot
🛏Hostel dorm, Prague — £12-20/night
- →Free (tip-based) city walking tour
- →Prague Castle & Golden Lane
- →Optional beer tasting tour (~£15)
Prague to Vienna
Vienna, Austria
RegioJet or ÖBB train Prague–Vienna (~4 hrs, £15-25). Afternoon orientation walk of the Ringstrasse: State Opera, Hofburg, Parliament and St Stephen's Cathedral (all free from outside). Optional cheap standing-room ticket at the Vienna State Opera (~€15) — this is the budget way to see a real performance.
🚌Train Prague–Vienna ~£20
🛏Hostel dorm, Vienna (e.g. JO&JOE Vienna, Wombats) — £20-30/night
- →Ringstrasse self-guided walk
- →St Stephen's Cathedral
- →Optional opera standing ticket (~£13)
Vienna to Krakow via Auschwitz
Krakow, Poland
Early train Vienna–Krakow (~6 hrs with a change, £25-35 booked ahead). Base yourself in Krakow and book the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum entry online in advance — entry is free but you must reserve a timed slot; a shared shuttle from Krakow plus entry costs ~£25-35. Visit in the afternoon, then return to Krakow for the evening.
🚌Train Vienna–Krakow ~£30 + shared shuttle ~£12
🛏Hostel dorm, Krakow (e.g. Ibis Budget / Greg & Tom Hostel) — £14-22/night
- →Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial & Museum (free entry, pre-booked slot)
- →Shared shuttle from Krakow (~£30 all-in)
Krakow
Krakow, Poland
Morning free walking tour of the Old Town, Royal Castle and cathedral (tip-based). Afternoon in the Kazimierz district and the former ghetto. Evening pierogi dinner at a milk bar (~£6-8) — the cheapest, most authentic meal in town. Optional Schindler's Factory museum (~£9).
🚌On foot / tram
🛏Hostel dorm, Krakow — £14-22/night
- →Free (tip-based) Old Town walking tour
- →Royal Castle & Wawel Cathedral
- →Kazimierz district
- →Pierogi at a milk bar
Krakow to Budapest via Banska Bystrica
Budapest, Hungary
Long travel day. Take a FlixBus or RegioJet Krakow–Budapest (~6-7 hrs, £18-25); some services stop near Banská Bystrica in Slovakia, giving you a short leg-stretch in the old town if you break the journey. Arrive Budapest in the evening and grab a cheap lángos by the Danube.
🚌FlixBus/RegioJet Krakow–Budapest ~£22
🛏Hostel dorm, Budapest (e.g. A&O Budapest, Avenue Hostel) — £12-20/night
- →Scenic bus through Slovakia
- →Optional stop in Banská Bystrica
- →Evening Danube walk
Budapest
Budapest, Hungary
Morning free walking tour (tip-based) covering the Parliament, St Stephen's Basilica and the Chain Bridge. Afternoon at the Széchenyi thermal baths (~£20 with a locker) or Margaret Island for a free swim-and-park afternoon. Evening ruin-bar crawl in the Jewish Quarter — drinks are cheap.
🚌Metro / tram day pass ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm, Budapest — £12-20/night
- →Free (tip-based) Pest walking tour
- →Széchenyi thermal baths (~£20)
- →Margaret Island
- →Ruin bars in the 7th district
Budapest to Ljubljana via Lake Bled
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Bus or train Budapest–Ljubljana (~7 hrs, £20-28). Break it up with a side trip: from Ljubljana, trains/buses reach Lake Bled in ~1 hr (~£6). Walk the lake shore path, take a pletna boat if you like (~£15), and swim from the free lido. Continue to Ljubljana for the night. Evening stroll along the Ljubljanica with a cheap Slovenian štruklji dinner.
🚌Bus Budapest–Ljubljana ~£24 + local train to Bled ~£6
🛏Hostel dorm, Ljubljana (e.g. Ljubljana Resort, Hostel Celica) — £16-25/night
- →Lake Bled lakeside walk
- →Optional pletna boat (~£15)
- →Swimming at the lido
- →Ljubljanica riverside stroll
Ljubljana to Venice
Venice, Italy
Train or FlixBus Ljubljana–Venice (~3.5 hrs, £15-25). In Venice skip the expensive water taxi — a vaporetto 24h pass (~£18) is the local way to ride the canals. Ride the line 1 down the Grand Canal, wander Cannaregio and Rialto, and take the free-ish traghetto crossings (~€2). Optional gondola sharing (~£25 pp if shared) or a cicchetti food walk (~£30).
🚌Train/bus Ljubljana–Venice ~£20
🛏Hostel dorm, Venice (e.g. Anda Venice Hostel) — £25-35/night
- →Vaporetto 24h pass (~£18)
- →Grand Canal ride
- →Cannaregio & Rialto wander
- →Optional shared gondola (~£25)
Venice to Rome
Rome, Italy
High-speed Frecciarossa or Italo train Venice–Rome (~4 hrs, €30-50 booked ahead). Settle in and do an evening piazza walk: Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona. Dinner at a trattoria off the tourist track (avoid anywhere with photo menus) — ~£12-15 for pasta and wine.
🚌High-speed train Venice–Rome ~£40
🛏Hostel dorm, Rome (e.g. YellowSquare, The RomeHello) — £22-32/night
- →Pantheon
- →Trevi Fountain
- →Piazza Navona
- →Evening trattoria dinner
Rome
Rome, Italy
Colosseum and Roman Forum combined ticket (~£16, book online to skip the queue; free first Sunday of the month if you can be flexible). Afternoon free walking tour of the historic centre (tip-based) or climb St Peter's dome (~£8). Optional evening pasta-making class (~£40 via GetYourGuide/Cookly) — the Contiki tour offers this too.
🚌Metro/bus day ticket ~£6
🛏Hostel dorm, Rome — £22-32/night
- →Colosseum & Roman Forum (~£16)
- →Free (tip-based) centre walking tour
- →Optional pasta-making class (~£40)
Rome to Florence
Florence, Italy
Regional or Freccia train Rome–Florence (~1.5-3.5 hrs, £20-35). Afternoon: climb to Piazzale Michelangelo for the classic view, wander the Duomo exterior and the Oltrarno lanes. Evening Tuscan dinner of ribollita and Chianti at a neighbourhood osteria (~£18).
🚌Train Rome–Florence ~£28
🛏Hostel dorm, Florence (e.g. Re-Dama Hostel, OStellin) — £22-30/night
- →Piazzale Michelangelo viewpoint
- →Florence Duomo exterior
- →Oltrarno wander
- →Tuscan dinner in an osteria
Florence to the Swiss Alps (Interlaken)
Interlaken, Switzerland
Long travel day: train Florence–Milan (~2 hrs, ~£20) then Milan–Spiez–Interlaken (~3 hrs, ~£35-45). Switzerland is the priciest stop — self-cater from a Coop or Migros supermarket for dinner (~£8) rather than eating out. Arrive in the evening and take a free lakeside walk between Thunersee and Brienzersee.
🚌Trains Florence–Interlaken ~£60
🛏Hostel dorm, Interlaken (e.g. Adventure Hostel, Balmers) — £30-42/night
- →Scenic train through the Alps
- →Free lakeside walk in Interlaken
Swiss Alps
Interlaken, Switzerland
Pick a budget hike: the Harder Kulm funicular (~£18 return) or a cheaper walk up to Harder Kulm on foot (free). Alternatively take the train to Grindelwald and hike the First-to-Bachalpsee trail (free apart from the Gondelbahn if you ride up). Swimming in Lake Brienz off Iseltwald is free and gorgeous. Optional paragliding (~£130-160) or tandem tandem if you want the Contiki-style adventure.
🚌Local trains ~£10-15
🛏Hostel dorm, Interlaken — £30-42/night
- →Harder Kulm or Grindelwald hike
- →Lake Brienz swim
- →Optional paragliding (~£140)
Swiss Alps to the Beaujolais via Geneva
Beaujolais, France
Train Interlaken–Bern–Geneva (~2.5-3 hrs, £30-45). Stop in Geneva for the Jet d'Eau and a coffee by the lake, then continue by train Geneva–Lyon–Villefranche-sur-Saône (~2.5 hrs, £25-35). Base yourself in a rural gîte/guesthouse in the Beaujolais. Evening: self-arranged wine tasting at a local caveau (~£12-18 for several tastings).
🚌Trains Interlaken–Beaujolais ~£60
🛏Beaujolais gîte or guesthouse — £25-35/night
- →Geneva Jet d'Eau
- →Train through the Jura
- →Local caveau wine tasting (~£15)
Beaujolais Wine Region
Beaujolais, France
Slow day in wine country. Sunrise walk or yoga on your own on the guesthouse lawn, then a self-guided walk or bike ride between villages (rent a bike ~£12/day): Fleurie, Morgon, Brouilly. Buy bread, cheese and charcuterie at the village market for a picnic in the vines (~£8). Optional second winery visit (~£10).
🚌Bike / on foot
🛏Beaujolais gîte or guesthouse — £25-35/night
- →Bike rental between Beaujolais villages (~£12)
- →Vineyard picnic
- →Optional second caveau tasting (~£10)
Beaujolais to Paris
Paris, France
Train Villefranche-sur-Saône or Lyon–Paris on a TGV (~2 hrs from Lyon, £25-45 if booked ahead). Evening self-guided night walk: Eiffel Tower (free to see from the Trocadéro), a stroll down the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe, then Notre-Dame and the Louvre courtyard — all free from the outside at night.
🚌TGV Lyon–Paris ~£35 + metro ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm, Paris (e.g. St Christopher's Canal, Jo&Joe Gentilly) — £28-40/night
- →Trocadéro Eiffel Tower view
- →Arc de Triomphe & Champs-Élysées
- →Notre-Dame & Louvre exterior at night
Paris
Paris, France
Book a timed Louvre ticket online (~£19) for the morning — go straight to the Denon wing. Free stop at the Fragonard Perfumery (free entry, includes a short tour) and the Notre-Dame interior (free, book a slot online). Afternoon in Montmartre or along the Canal Saint-Martin. Optional cabaret show (Moulin Rouge ~£110, or a cheaper local cabaret ~£40).
🚌Metro ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm, Paris — £28-40/night
- →Louvre timed ticket (~£19)
- →Fragonard Perfumery (free)
- →Notre-Dame (free, pre-book)
- →Montmartre walk
Paris to London
London, United Kingdom
Eurostar Paris Gare du Nord–London St Pancras (~2h20, £40-65 booked ahead). Trip done — 12 countries, all self-launched, and you keep the flexibility to linger anywhere that grabbed you.
🚌Eurostar Paris–London ~£50
🛏—
- →Eurostar back to London
Self-launched vs. Contiki
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Contiki | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£2,280 | £2,920 |
| Duration | 23 days | 23 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £640 per person (22%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Contiki-style trips? Check them out here.~£2,280
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does European Trail: Self-Launched 23-Day Grand Europe Loop cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £2,280 per person for 23 days in Europe (Amsterdam to Paris). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Contiki?+
Yes — Contiki charges around £2,920 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £2,280 — a saving of roughly £640 (22%) per person.
How long is the Europe (Amsterdam to Paris) trip?+
This itinerary runs 23 days, covering 23 day-by-day stops through Europe (Amsterdam to Paris).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, backpacker trip through Europe (Amsterdam to Paris), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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