European Adventurer: Self-Launched 37-Day Grand Tour of Europe (Paris to London)

Book a morning Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord (from ~£45 if booked 2–3 months out, otherwise £70–110). Drop bags at your hostel near Gare du Nord or Canal Saint-Martin, then walk the classic circuit: Notre-Dame, the Louvre courtyard, the Tuileries and Champs-Élysées up to the Arc de Triomphe. In the evening head to the Trocadéro for the free Eiffel Tower light show on the hour after dark, then eat a cheap crêpe or falafel dinner in the Marais.

🚌Eurostar London St Pancras → Paris Gare du Nord, ~2h20, ~£45–110; walk or buy a carnet of Métro tickets (~£2/trip)

🛏Hostel dorm near Gare du Nord / Canal Saint-Martin (e.g. St Christopher's Canal or Generator Paris), ~£30–40/night

• →Eurostar crossing
• →Self-guided walk: Notre-Dame, Louvre exterior, Tuileries, Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe
• →Eiffel Tower evening light show (free from Trocadéro)
• →Marais food wander

Join a pay-what-you-want free walking tour (Sandemans or Discover Walks, tip ~£8–10) covering Île de la Cité, the Latin Quarter and Louvre history. Afternoon: choose between a skip-the-line Louvre ticket via GetYourGuide (~£20) or the free Montmartre walk up to Sacré-Cœur. Evening in Montmartre for a cheap three-course prix-fixe (from ~£18) instead of the tour's €38 feast, or book a cabaret show direct if you want the splurge.

🚌Métro day pass ~£8; everything else on foot

🛏Same hostel, ~£30–40/night

• →Free walking tour (tip-based)
• →Optional Louvre skip-the-line ticket ~£20
• →Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur sunset walk
• →Optional Nouvelle Eve cabaret (~£70 booked direct)

Take a TGV Lyria from Paris Gare de Lyon to Basel (~3h, from ~£35 if booked early), then a direct regional train to Interlaken Ost (~2h, ~£35 — Swiss fares are fixed so buy on arrival). Check into a hostel in Interlaken or Wilderswil. Spend the afternoon walking the lake shore between Thun and Brienz or just acclimatising in town; supermarket picnic dinner to keep Swiss prices in check.

🚌TGV Lyria Paris → Basel ~3h ~£35–55 + regional train Basel → Interlaken Ost ~2h ~£35

🛏Hostel dorm in Interlaken (e.g. Balmers or Backpackers Villa), ~£35–45/night

• →Scenic train through Burgundy and the Jura
• →Lake Brienz / Lake Thun shoreline walk

This is the expensive day — decide your budget. Cheapest big view: the Harder Kulm funicular (~£18 return) or the cable car to Mürren and the free Grütschalp–Mürren cliff walk. The classic Jungfraujoch 'Top of Europe' cog train costs ~£150 return with a Eurail/regional discount — book direct at jungfrau.ch. Alternatively hike the Lauterbrunnen valley floor past Staubbach Falls for free. Canyon swinging at Grimsel can be booked via GetYourGuide from ~£90 if you want adrenaline.

🚌Local trains/cable cars ~£10–25 depending on route

🛏Same hostel, ~£35–45/night

• →Harder Kulm funicular ~£18 OR Jungfraujoch cog train ~£150
• →Lauterbrunnen valley waterfall hike (free)
• →Optional canyon swing ~£90 booked via GetYourGuide

Train Interlaken → Bern → Geneva (~3h, ~£40). Stop a couple of hours to see the Jet d'Eau and the old town, then continue by train Geneva → Lyon Part-Dieu (~2h, from ~£15 on Ouigo/TGV) and a regional train up to Villefranche-sur-Saône or Belleville-sur-Saône (~40 min, ~£8). Base yourself in a rural gîte or budget hotel; the tour's Château stay can be replicated with a wine-domain guesthouse (~£45–60) booked on Booking.com — cheaper options exist in Belleville.

🚌Interlaken → Geneva ~3h ~£40; Geneva → Lyon ~2h ~£15–30; Lyon → Beaujolais ~40min ~£8

🛏Rural gîte or village hotel in Beaujolais, ~£40–60/night

• →Geneva Jet d'Eau and old town stop
• →Evening in a Beaujolais village

Hire a bike from the local tourist office or a village shop (~£15/day) and ride the 'Route des Vins' through Fleurie, Morgon and Chiroubles. Book a cellar tasting direct with a small domaine (most charge €5–15, often waived against a bottle purchase). Make your own château-garden picnic with market bread, cheese and a bottle of cru Beaujolais (~£12). Optional sunrise yoga can be swapped for a quiet vineyard walk.

🚌Bike hire ~£15/day

🛏Same gîte, ~£40–60/night

• →Bike ride on the Beaujolais wine route
• →Direct domaine wine tasting €5–15
• →Market picnic lunch

Long travel day. Cheapest reliable option: regional train to Lyon, then a budget flight Lyon → Barcelona with easyJet/Vueling (~£40–70 booked ahead), roughly 1h20. Alternatively a full train day via Lyon and Nîmes/Perpignan (~£60–90, 8–9h). Arrive, check into a hostel in Gràcia or the Gothic Quarter, and grab a €12 menú del día before an evening stroll down Las Ramblas to the marina.

🚌Regional train to Lyon ~£10 + flight Lyon → Barcelona ~£40–70; Aerobús to city ~£6

🛏Hostel dorm in Gràcia / Gothic Quarter (e.g. Casa Gràcia or Sant Jordi), ~£28–38/night

• →Pyrenees views from the train/plane
• →Evening walk Las Ramblas to Port Vell

Morning: free walking tour of the Gothic Quarter and El Born (tip ~£8). Afternoon: pick one Gaudí site — Sagrada Família basic ticket ~£22 booked on the official site, or Park Güell ~£10. Sunset from Bunkers del Carmel (free) gives the best city view. Evening: a flamenco show with a drink booked via GetYourGuide from ~£25–45 instead of the tour's €50 add-on, plus tapas in Gràcia (~£15).

🚌T-Casual 10-ride metro card ~£10; mostly walking

🛏Same hostel, ~£28–38/night

• →Free Gothic Quarter walking tour
• →Sagrada Família or Park Güell ticket ~£10–22
• →Bunkers del Carmel sunset (free)
• →Flamenco show ~£25–45 via GetYourGuide

Train Barcelona → Nîmes or Montpellier (~4h, from ~£30 with OUIGO), hop off in Arles for the Roman amphitheatre and the Van Gogh lanes (2–3h, entry ~£9), then continue to Nice (~2.5h, ~£25). Check into a hostel near the port or Libération. Evening: cheap socca and pizza on the Cours Saleya end of the old town.

🚌Barcelona → Nîmes/Montpellier ~4h ~£30; Arles detour ~£15; Arles → Nice ~2.5h ~£25

🛏Hostel dorm in Nice (e.g. Villa Saint Exupéry Beach or Antares), ~£30–40/night

• →Arles Roman amphitheatre ~£9
• →Van Gogh walking route in Arles
• →Old Nice evening stroll

Swim off the rocks at Plage de la Réserve or take the coastal path around Cap Ferrat (free). Midday, catch the TER train Nice → Monaco (~25 min, ~£5) and walk the Grand Prix circuit, the palace square and the casino gardens. Return in the evening for a beach picnic — the Riviera is expensive, so self-cater.

🚌TER train Nice ⇄ Monaco ~£4–5 each way; local bus ~£1.50

🛏Same hostel, ~£30–40/night

• →Cap Ferrat coastal walk / Villefranche swim
• →Monaco self-guided circuit and palace square
• →Beach picnic

Clever budget route: TER train Nice → Ventimiglia (~45 min, ~£7), then Trenitalia regionale to Milan (~4h, ~£20) and Frecciarossa/Italo to Verona (~1h15, ~£15–30). Stop 2–3 hours in Verona for Juliet's House courtyard, the Roman Arena and Piazza delle Erbe, then a regional train to Venice Mestre or Santa Lucia (~1h, ~£8). Check into a hostel on the mainland or Cannaregio.

🚌Nice → Ventimiglia ~£7; Ventimiglia → Milan ~£20; Milan → Verona ~£15–30; Verona → Venice ~£8

🛏Hostel dorm in Venice Mestre (e.g. Anda Venice — the operator's own choice), ~£28–40/night

• →Verona stop: Juliet's House, Roman Arena, Piazza delle Erbe
• →Evening walk along the Cannaregio canals

Buy a 24h ACTV transport pass (~£20 on the Venezia Unica site) which covers the vaporetti — your 'private boat access' to the canals. Ride Line 1 down the Grand Canal, hop off at San Marco, and cross to San Giorgio Maggiore bell tower for the best cheap view (~£6). Book a gondola shared ride via GetYourGuide from ~£25 per person (or skip it — a traghetto crossing costs £1.50). Afternoon: free cicchetti crawl in Cannaregio (~£12). Optional food walking tour via GetYourGuide ~£45.

🚌24h vaporetto pass ~£20

🛏Same hostel, ~£28–40/night

• →Grand Canal vaporetto ride
• →San Giorgio Maggiore bell tower ~£6
• →Shared gondola ~£25 via GetYourGuide (optional)
• →Cannaregio cicchetti crawl

Regional train Venice → Bologna (~1h40, ~£10) then Bologna → Pisa (~2h, ~£15). Walk from Pisa Centrale to the Leaning Tower and Duomo (~20 min; climbing the tower is ~£18, the square is free). Then Pisa → Florence (~1h, ~£8). Check into a hostel in Santa Croce or near the station. Evening: aperitivo in Santo Spirito (~£8) and cheap trattoria pasta (~£12) instead of the €41 Chianti feast.

🚌Venice → Bologna ~£10; → Pisa ~£15; Pisa → Florence ~£8

🛏Hostel dorm in Florence (e.g. Hotel Re Dama — operator's pick — or Ostello Bello), ~£28–38/night

• →Leaning Tower of Pisa and Piazza dei Miracoli
• →Optional tower climb ~£18
• →Santo Spirito aperitivo

Morning in Florence: the Duomo exterior and baptistery are free to see; the Uffizi or Accademia (David) booked direct is ~£25–30 — book a timed slot in advance. Regional train Florence → Rome Termini (~3h30, ~£18 if bought ahead) arrives mid-afternoon. Evening: self-guided Rome orientation walk — Trevi Fountain, Pantheon (free), Piazza Navona — with a slice of pizza al taglio for dinner (~£8).

🚌Regional train Florence → Rome ~3h30 ~£18–30

🛏Hostel dorm in Rome near Termini (e.g. Hostel Trustever or The RomeHello), ~£30–40/night

• →Florence Duomo exterior + optional Uffizi/Accademia ~£25–30
• →Self-guided Rome night walk: Trevi, Pantheon, Piazza Navona

Book the Colosseum + Roman Forum + Palatine combined ticket on the official Parco Colosseo site (~£18, cheaper than the ~£45 add-on) or a small-group guided version via GetYourGuide (~£35). Afternoon: Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel booked on the official site (~£20) or St Peter's Basilica free (queue early). Dinner in Trastevere — cacio e pepe and a beer for ~£15.

🚌Metro/bus day ticket ~£6; walking

🛏Same hostel, ~£30–40/night

• →Colosseum + Forum official ticket ~£18
• →Vatican Museums official ticket ~£20
• →Trastevere evening

Early train Rome → Naples (~1h10, ~£10) and Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii (~35 min, ~£3). Self-guided Pompeii entry ~£14 (or a guided small-group tour via GetYourGuide ~£22). Return to Rome Termini and take the bus or regional train to Civitavecchia port (~£4–5), then board the Grimaldi Lines or Minoan Lines overnight ferry to Patras (~24h, from ~£50–75 for a shared inside cabin or deck seat — book direct on the ferry line's site). Note: some departures run from Ancona instead, which is easier from Rome by train via Bologna — check schedules before booking.

🚌Rome → Naples ~£10; Circumvesuviana ~£3; Naples/Rome → Civitavecchia ~£5; Civitavecchia → Patras ferry ~£50–75

🛏Overnight ferry, shared cabin / reclining seat (included in ferry fare)

• →Pompeii ruins entry ~£14
• →Overnight Adriatic/Ionian crossing

Dock at Patras, then a KTEL bus along the Gulf of Corinth (via the Rio–Antirrio bridge) to Athens (~3h, ~£20). Check into a hostel in Monastiraki or Psyrri. Evening: join a small-group food walk via GetYourGuide (~£45) or DIY it — souvlaki (~£3), a bowl of loukoumades (~£4) and a walk through the Plaka with the Acropolis lit up above you.

🚌KTEL bus Patras → Athens ~3h ~£20

🛏Hostel dorm in Monastiraki/Psyrri, ~£20–30/night

• →Rio–Antirrio bridge crossing
• →Plaka evening walk
• →Optional food walk ~£45 via GetYourGuide

Morning: Acropolis and Parthenon with a skip-the-line ticket via GetYourGuide (~£18–25; the standard entry is ~£12 plus €20 during peak season), passing the Panathenaic Olympic Stadium on foot. Then take the metro to Piraeus (~£1.50) for an afternoon Blue Star Ferry to Mykonos (~5h, ~£35–45 booked on Ferryhopper). Check into a beach hostel in Paradise or Paraga. Sunset swim, cheap gyros dinner.

🚌Athens metro to Piraeus ~£1.50; Blue Star ferry Piraeus → Mykonos ~5h ~£35–45

🛏Beach hostel dorm in Paradise Beach, ~£25–35/night

• →Acropolis + Parthenon ticket ~£18–25
• →Panathenaic Stadium
• →Ferry across the Cyclades

Beach day: Paradise and Super Paradise are walkable or a short bus away (~£1.50). A self-guided evening walk through Mykonos Town's lanes to the windmills and Little Venice is free — a guided night walk via GetYourGuide runs ~£25 but adds little. Rent a scooter (~£20/day) to reach quieter beaches like Fokos if you want to escape the crowds.

🚌Local bus ~£1.50; optional scooter hire ~£20/day

🛏Same beach hostel, ~£25–35/night

• →Paradise Beach swimming
• →Mykonos Town windmills and Little Venice sunset (free)
• →Optional scooter day

Full free day. Options: a day trip ferry to Delos archaeological island (~£25 return + entry, book at the Mykonos ticket office), a hike over to Agios Sostis beach and its taverna, or just swim and read. Cook pasta back at the hostel kitchen or eat at a bakery to keep costs down.

🚌Optional Delos ferry ~£25 return

🛏Same beach hostel, ~£25–35/night

• →Optional Delos day trip
• →Agios Sostis beach and taverna
• →Beach time

Morning ferry back to Piraeus (~5h, ~£35–45) or the faster SeaJets (~£55, book on Ferryhopper). Check back into a Monastiraki hostel and spend the evening at the free Areopagus Hill viewpoint, then eat at a taverna in Ano Petralona (~£12).

🚌Ferry Mykonos → Piraeus ~£35–55; metro ~£1.50

🛏Hostel dorm in Athens, ~£20–30/night

• →Areopagus Hill sunset
• →Petralona taverna evening

Take the direct morning train Athens → Kalambaka (~5h, ~£20 on TrainOSE/Hellenic Train) through Thessaly. Check into a guesthouse in Kalambaka. Afternoon: hike up to the Great Meteoron and Varlaam monasteries — entry is ~£3 per monastery and there are six; dress modestly (women need skirts, provided at the door). Sunset from the Agios Nikolaos or Psaropetra viewpoint is the highlight.

🚌Hellenic Train Athens → Kalambaka ~5h ~£20

🛏Guesthouse in Kalambaka, ~£20–28/night (dorm or basic double)

• →Monastery visits ~£3 each
• →Sunset at Psaropetra viewpoint

Train Kalambaka → Larissa (~1h30, ~£6), then bus Larissa → Thessaloniki (~2.5h, ~£12). From Thessaloniki there are direct overnight/afternoon buses to Tirana (~6–8h, ~£25–30 with Alpar or Simeonidis). Alternatively bus via Florina and Pogradec to stop at Lake Ohrid for an hour or two — the lake shore at Pogradec is a good lunch stop. Arrive in Tirana and stay in the Blokku or Blloku-area hostels; a beer and byrek cost about £3.

🚌Train Kalambaka → Larissa ~£6; bus Larissa → Thessaloniki ~£12; bus Thessaloniki → Tirana ~£25–30

🛏Hostel in central Tirana (e.g. Trip'n'Hostel or VH Eurostar — operator's pick), ~£12–20/night

• →Lake Ohrid lunch stop (if routed via Pogradec)
• →Self-guided orientation walk: Skanderbeg Square, Blloku

Early bus Tirana → Shkodër (~2h, ~£4) then cross to Ulcinj or directly to Kotor (~3h, ~£10) by bus. Spend 2–3 hours in Kotor: climb the city walls (~£4, 1,350 steps, 45 min up) or just wander the old town. Continue Kotor → Dubrovnik by bus (~2h, ~£12, BorderConnect/Croatia Bus). Check into the HYHA hostel at the top of the old town; swim off the rocks at Buža Bar before dark.

🚌Tirana → Shkodër ~£4; → Kotor ~£10; Kotor → Dubrovnik ~£12

🛏Hostel dorm (e.g. Croatian Youth Hostel Association Dubrovnik — operator's pick), ~£25–35/night

• →Kotor old town and city walls ~£4
• →Buža Bar cliff swim

Beat the crowds and the heat: walk the city walls at 8am (~£30 — buy the Dubrovnik Pass which includes it plus museums), then a free walking tour at 10am (tip ~£8). Afternoon: take a local boat to Lokrum Island (~£12 return) or a self-booked three-island boat trip from the old port (~£25). Sunset beer at Buža and a cheap seafood dinner off the Stradun side streets (~£15).

🚌Local bus ~£2; boat to Lokrum ~£12

🛏Same hostel, ~£25–35/night

• →City walls early entry via Dubrovnik Pass ~£30
• →Free walking tour (tip)
• →Lokrum island or optional 3-island boat trip ~£12–25

Bus Dubrovnik → Mostar (~2h30, ~£12–15). Spend 2–3 hours at Stari Most — watch the divers, get lost in the bazaar, and eat ćevapi at a riverside grill (~£6). Then bus Mostar → Sarajevo (~2h30, ~£10). Check into a hostel in Baščaršija and go for an evening walk through the Ottoman bazaar.

🚌Bus Dubrovnik → Mostar ~£12–15; Mostar → Sarajevo ~£10

🛏Hostel dorm in Baščaršija, Sarajevo, ~£12–20/night

• →Stari Most and the old bridge divers
• →Mostar bazaar
• →Sarajevo Baščaršija evening walk

Join the free walking tour (tips ~£6) covering the spot where WWI began, the old synagogue and the bazaar. Afternoon: the Sarajevo War Tunnel (Tunel Spasa) by trolleybus #3 to Ilidža plus a taxi up (~£3 total, entry ~£5), or the Galerija 11/07/95 (~£5) if you'd rather understand the siege indoors. Evening: book the 'Bosnian home dinner' experience via GetYourGuide, or DIY — a plate of ćevapi and baklava for £8.

🚌Tram/trolleybus ~£1; taxi to tunnel ~£4

🛏Same hostel, ~£12–20/night

• →Free walking tour (tip)
• →War Tunnel museum ~£5
• →Galerija 11/07/95 (optional)
• →Ćevapi dinner

Long transfer day: bus Sarajevo → Zagreb (~7h, ~£25, or the train ~9h with a change), then bus Zagreb → Plitvice (~2h15, ~£12). Book a guesthouse in Mukinje or Jezerce, a short walk or bus ride from Entrance 2, and eat at the guesthouse (dinner + breakfast usually ~£18 — cheaper and homier than the park restaurants).

🚌Bus Sarajevo → Zagreb ~7h ~£25; Zagreb → Plitvice ~2h15 ~£12

🛏Guesthouse in Mukinje/Jezerce by Plitvice, ~£25–35/night

• →Bosnia–Croatia countryside by bus
• →Evening walk in the national park village

Enter Plitvice National Park when it opens (7–8am) — one-day ticket ~£32 in peak season, book on the official np-plitvicka-jezera.hr site. Do the classic C route: boat across Kozjak lake, walk the lower lakes boardwalks, and catch the bus back to Entrance 2 — 4–5 hours is plenty. Then an afternoon/evening bus Plitvice → Zagreb (~2h, ~£10) and Zagreb → Ljubljana (~2h20, ~£12), arriving late. Ljubljana hostels are cheap; the folklore-show dinner can be swapped for a €9 plate of štruklji in the old town.

🚌Plitvice → Zagreb ~£10; Zagreb → Ljubljana ~£12

🛏Hostel dorm in Ljubljana centre (e.g. Hostel Celica or Ljubljana Resort — operator's pick), ~£20–30/night

• →Plitvice National Park full day ~£32
• →Ljubljana old-town evening

Bus Ljubljana → Bled (~1h20, ~£6 on Arriva). Rent a rowing boat or take the pletna to Bled Island (~£15 return, ~£5 island church entry), then the 20-minute uphill walk to Bled Castle (~£12) with its lake views. Swim at the lido or from the west-shore beaches. Optional Vintgar Gorge (~£10 plus park entry). Return to Ljubljana for a riverside drink and a walk up to the castle hill (free).

🚌Bus Ljubljana ⇄ Bled ~£6 each way

🛏Same hostel, ~£20–30/night

• →Bled Island pletna boat ~£15
• →Bled Castle ~£12
• →Lake swim (free)
• →Optional Vintgar Gorge ~£10–20
• →Ljubljana castle hill walk

Train Ljubljana → Villach (~2h, ~£15) then Villach → Wörgl/Jenbach and into the Zillertal (~3h, ~£25 — an Österreich-Ticket or Eurail pass helps). Alternatively a bus to Salzburg then train down. Base in Mayrhofen or Hippach; the Tyrol has plenty of family-run guesthouses and a couple of hiker hostels (~£30–40). Evening: valley walk and a supermarket dinner.

🚌Train Ljubljana → Villach ~£15; Villach → Zillertal ~£25

🛏Hiker hostel or guesthouse in Mayrhofen/Zillertal, ~£30–40/night

• →Karawanken and Alpine train scenery
• →Mayrhofen valley evening walk

Free hiking day: the easy Penken or Ahorn gondola takes you above the treeline (~£25 return) for the Zillertal panorama, or walk the valley floor to the Stillup waterfall for free. If you want adrenaline, tandem paragliding in Mayrhofen runs ~£120–140 booked direct with a local school, and bike hire for the valley paths is ~£18/day.

🚌Local bus ~£4; optional gondola ~£25

🛏Same guesthouse, ~£30–40/night

• →Hike the Zillertal (free)
• →Optional gondola ~£25
• →Optional tandem paragliding ~£120–140
• →Optional bike hire ~£18

Train Zillertal → Jenbach → Munich (~2h30, ~£25 with a Bayern-Ticket if travelling as a group). Check into Wombat's or Euro Youth Hostel near the Hauptbahnhof. Afternoon: a self-guided walk of the Altstadt, Marienplatz glockenspiel and the English Garden surfers. Bike tour with Mike's Bike Tours is ~£22 direct; whitewater rafting on the Tyrolean Ache should be booked before you leave the valley (~£50 via GetYourGuide). Evening: beer hall dinner (~£15).

🚌Train Zillertal → Munich ~2h30 ~£25; Munich day transit pass ~£7

🛏Hostel dorm in Munich (e.g. Wombat's City Hostel — operator's pick), ~£28–38/night

• →Marienplatz and English Garden walk
• →Optional Mike's Bike Tour ~£22
• →Optional rafting ~£50 (booked in the Tyrol)

Morning: Dachau Memorial Site by S2 train plus bus from Munich Hauptbahnhof (~£8 return, free entry — the audio guide is ~£4 and worth it). Respectful 3 hours. Then a train Munich → Frankfurt → Koblenz → St Goar (~4h30, ~£30–40 with a Länder ticket), staying in a small Rhine guesthouse in St Goar or Bacharach (~£30–40). Evening: Rhine wine tasting at a local vinothek (~£8–10) and a riverside dinner.

🚌Munich → Dachau S-Bahn ~£8; Munich → St Goar train ~£30–40

🛏Rhine Valley guesthouse in St Goar/Bacharach, ~£30–40/night

• →Dachau Memorial Site (free, audio guide ~£4)
• →Rhine riverside walk
• →Wine tasting ~£8–10

Morning: the Köln–Düsseldorf or Assmannshausen–Rüdesheim cable car over the vineyards (~£8) and a short Rhine cruise on the KD line (~£12 for an hour). Then train St Goar → Koblenz → Cologne → Amsterdam (~4h, ~£35–45). Check into Via Amsterdam or a hostel in the Jordaan. Late afternoon: rent a bike (~£10/day) and ride the canals and the Vondelpark.

🚌Rhine cable car ~£8; optional KD cruise ~£12; train Rhine → Amsterdam ~£35–45; bike hire ~£10

🛏Hostel dorm in Amsterdam (e.g. Via Amsterdam — operator's pick, or Ecomama), ~£30–42/night

• →Rhine cable car over the vineyards
• →Short Rhine cruise
• →Amsterdam canals and Vondelpark by bike

Book the Anne Frank House online exactly 6 weeks ahead when tickets release (~£14) — it sells out. Alternatively the Rijksmuseum (~£22) or free walking tour (tip ~£8). Afternoon: cycle to a cheese farm or the Zaanse Schans windmills (~£8 in transport + entry) to replicate the Dutch countryside tour. Evening: an evening canal cruise with a bar via GetYourGuide (~£20) instead of the operator's €24 add-on.

🚌GVB day pass ~£8; train to Zaanse Schans ~£8 return

🛏Same hostel, ~£30–42/night

• →Anne Frank House ~£14 (book 6 weeks ahead)
• →Free walking tour or Rijksmuseum
• →Zaanse Schans windmills
• →Evening canal cruise ~£20 via GetYourGuide

Take the Eurostar direct from Amsterdam Centraal to London St Pancras (~4h, ~£45–90 booked well ahead — the direct service is faster than the old Brussels change). Or the cheap route: Flixbus Amsterdam → London Victoria (~9h, from ~£25). Arrive in London and finish with a walk down the South Bank past Tower Bridge and a pint — the loop done independently, at your own pace and a good chunk cheaper.

🚌Eurostar Amsterdam → London ~4h ~£45–90, or Flixbus ~9h from £25

🛏None (trip ends) — London hostels from ~£25/night if extending

• →Direct Eurostar under the Channel
• →South Bank / Tower Bridge walk