One Month in Europe: Germany, Italy & Croatia — Self-Launched

Land at Schiphol and take the Sprinter train to Amsterdam Centraal (~€5.60, 17 mins). Check into a central hostel dorm (ClinkNOORD, Ecomama or the Flying Pig Downtown are solid budget picks). Spend the afternoon walking the canal ring — Jordaan, the Nine Streets, Bloemenmarkt — and finish with a cheap cone of fries and a beer in a brown café. Book your bike rental for tomorrow online tonight to save a few euros.

🚌Schiphol Airport train to Amsterdam Centraal, ~£5

🛏Central hostel dorm (ClinkNOORD / Flying Pig Downtown equivalent)

• →Self-guided canal ring walk
• →Jordaan & Nine Streets wander
• →Book bike rental online

Rent a bike for 3–4 hours (~€12) and do the classic loop: Vondelpark, Museumplein, Rijksmuseum exterior, Magere Brug, then out along the Amstel. Drop the bike and catch an afternoon Intercity train to Berlin (roughly 6h15 with one change at Osnabrück/Hannover; book 2–3 weeks ahead on NS International or DB for €40–60, or use a Eurail pass day). Check into a Berlin hostel in Kreuzberg or Mitte (Circus Hostel, EastSeven, St. Christopher's). Evening: cheap döner and a stroll along the Spree.

🚌Amsterdam Centraal → Berlin Hbf Intercity train, ~£45 booked ahead

🛏Berlin hostel dorm (Mitte or Kreuzberg)

• →Self-rented bike loop of Amsterdam
• →Free evening walk along the Spree

Join a free (tip-based) walking tour from Alexanderplatz at 11:00 — covers Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie and a chunk of the Wall (~€5–10 tip). Afternoon: walk the East Side Gallery, then rent a bike (~€10/day) and ride out to Tempelhof Airport, now a vast public park where locals cycle the runways. Cheap dinner in Kreuzberg — Turkish, Vietnamese or a market hall — then see where the night takes you in Neukölln.

🚌Walking + day bike rental ~£9

🛏Berlin hostel dorm

• →Free tip-based Berlin walking tour
• →East Side Gallery
• →Tempelhof field bike ride
• →Neukölln nightlife (optional)

Take an early regional/IC train to Dresden (~1h50, book ahead for €20–30 or use a pass day; a Länder-Ticket is a cheap alternative if you're flexible on timing). Spend 3–4 hours in the reconstructed Altstadt: Frauenkirche, Zwinger courtyards, Brühl's Terrace over the Elbe. Then continue on the EC train down the Elbe valley to Prague (~2h15). Evening: free walk across Charles Bridge at dusk, then a pint at a cheap pivnice for 50–70 CZK.

🚌Berlin → Dresden → Prague train, ~£30 booked ahead

🛏Prague hostel dorm (Old Town / Vinohrady)

• →Self-guided Dresden Altstadt walk
• →Charles Bridge at dusk
• →Czech beer hall evening

Free walking tour of the Old Town and Jewish Quarter in the morning (tip-based). Then hike up to Prague Castle via Petřín Hill (free, ~45 mins) for the view, and walk down through Malá Strana. Afternoon: Letná beer garden with a 40 CZK pour and a view over the bridges. Evening option: a paid Czech craft beer and food tasting (~£30 via GetYourGuide) or a cheap goulash-and-dumplings dinner.

🚌Walking + tram day ticket ~£4

🛏Prague hostel dorm

• →Free Old Town walking tour
• →Petřín Hill hike
• →Prague Castle grounds (free exterior)
• →Letná beer garden
• →Optional craft beer tasting ~£30

Take a morning RegioJet or FlixBus to Český Krumlov (~2h45, ~£8–12 booked ahead). Lock your bag at the bus station, walk the medieval old town, climb the castle tower (150 CZK) and eat a cheap lunch by the Vltava. Mid-afternoon continue by bus/train to Vienna (via České Budějovice or direct RegioJet bus, ~4h, ~£15–20). Evening: free stroll past St. Stephen's Cathedral and the Hofburg as the city lights up.

🚌Prague → Český Krumlov → Vienna bus/train, ~£25 total

🛏Vienna hostel dorm (Naschmarkt / Westbahnhof area)

• →Český Krumlov old town & castle tower
• →Vienna evening highlights walk

Free morning walking tour of the Ringstrasse and Innere Stadt. Pick one paid sight rather than all of them: Belvedere (Klimt's The Kiss, ~€17) or the Kunsthistorisches Museum (~€21) — or skip both and walk the free gardens. Do the Naschmarkt yourself on a Saturday (biggest market day) and graze cheese, sausage and olives for about €10 — that's the DIY version of the operator's paid chef walk. Afternoon coffee and Sachertorte at a traditional café (~€8). Evening: standing-room tickets at the Staatsoper for €10–15 if you're in luck.

🚌Walking + Vienna day transit pass ~£6

🛏Vienna hostel dorm

• →Free Ringstrasse walking tour
• →Belvedere or KHM (self-booked)
• →DIY Naschmarkt food graze
• →Optional €10–15 opera standing ticket

Train Vienna → Salzburg (~2h30, book ahead on ÖBB for €19–29). Drop bags at the hostel (YoHo, Meininger or similar). Afternoon: do the classic lake-and-mountain fix yourself — bus 840 to Berchtesgaden/Königssee (included on a Bayern ticket or ~€6), boat to St. Bartholomä (~€22 return) or just hike the free lakeside trail. Back in Salzburg, walk the Getreidegasse, Mozart's birthplace and climb Festungsberg to the fortress terrace for the sunset view.

🚌Vienna → Salzburg train ~£22 + local bus ~£6

🛏Salzburg hostel dorm

• →Self-guided Königssee lake hike
• →Salzburg Old Town walk
• →Festungsberg sunset viewpoint

Short hop by train to Munich (~1h30, Länder-Ticket or €20–25 booked ahead). Check in, then walk Marienplatz for the Glockenspiel (11:00 or 12:00 chimes), the Frauenkirche towers and the Viktualienmarkt food stalls for a cheap lunch. Evening: one litre at the Hofbräuhaus or, cheaper and more local, a Maß at Augustiner or a beer garden like Chinesischer Turm in the Englischer Garten.

🚌Salzburg → Munich regional train ~£18

🛏Munich hostel dorm (Wombats / Euro Youth)

• →Marienplatz & Glockenspiel
• →Viktualienmarkt street food
• →Beer garden evening

Pick your own Munich: €7 Alte Pinakothek on a Sunday, the free Deutsches Museum grounds, or a bike ride (~€12/day) out along the Isar to the Flaucher meadows. Free walking tour from Marienplatz for orientation (tip-based). Afternoon relaxed in the Englischer Garten with a supermarket picnic. Cheap dinner at a Bavarian Wirtshaus — a half portion of roast pork and dumplings runs about €12.

🚌Walking + bike rental ~£11

🛏Munich hostel dorm

• →Free Munich walking tour
• →Alte Pinakothek or Deutsches Museum
• →Isar bike ride
• →Englischer Garten picnic

Morning train through the Bavarian Alps to Innsbruck (~1h50, €20–25 or a Bayern/Länder ticket if you go regional). Check into a hostel (Montagu, Nepomuk or the youth hostel). Afternoon: walk Maria-Theresien-Strasse, the Golden Roof and the Hofburg, or pay €10 to ride the Nordkette cable car partway for the view over the Inn valley. Evening: cheap Tyrolean food — a käsespätzle and a beer for about €15.

🚌Munich → Innsbruck train ~£22

🛏Innsbruck hostel dorm

• →Old town and Golden Roof walk
• →Optional Nordkette cable car
• →Innsbruck riverside evening

Do the scenic route: Innsbruck → Fortezza → Dobbiaco (Toblach) on the regional trains, then a bus through the Dolomites to Cortina or direct onward (or take the faster Brenner route via Verona if weather is poor). If you take the scenic version, stop at Lago di Landro or Lake Misurina for a 2-hour hike on the marked lakeside loop. Arrive Venice Mestre by evening — hostels here (Anda Venice, Generator, Camp Jolly) are far cheaper than the island. Cheap spritz and cicchetti in Mestre.

🚌Innsbruck → Fortezza → Dobbiaco → Venice trains + bus, ~£30–40

🛏Venice Mestre hostel dorm

• →Dolomites scenic rail section
• →Lake Misurina lakeside hike
• →Arrival spritz in Mestre

Buy a 24h ACTV vaporetto pass (~€25) or walk everywhere and take a single €9.50 boat ride — walking is genuinely better and free. Do your own food crawl through Rialto market (morning) and the bacari of Cannaregio: cicchetti €2–3 each, an ombra of wine €2. Join a free/cheap tip-based walking tour or a €20–25 night ghost tour booked on GetYourGuide. Cross the Grand Canal on a traghetto for €2 instead of a gondola (a gondola ride is €90 — skip it or split it four ways).

🚌Regional train Mestre ↔ Santa Lucia ~£3 + vaporetto ~£18

🛏Venice Mestre hostel dorm

• →Rialto market food crawl
• →Cannaregio bacari crawl
• →Optional ghost walking tour ~£18

Regional train Venice Santa Lucia → Florence SMN (~2h, €20–28 if booked ahead on Trenitalia). Check into a hostel (Ostello Santa Monaca, Plus Florence or a cheap Airbnb room). Afternoon free walking tour of the historic centre, then climb to Piazzale Michelangelo for the sunset over the Arno (free). Cheap dinner of lampredotto from a street stall (~€6) or a trattoria in Santo Spirito.

🚌Venice → Florence regional train ~£24

🛏Florence hostel dorm

• →Free Florence walking tour
• →Piazzale Michelangelo sunset
• →Santo Spirito dinner

Morning at Mercato Centrale and San Lorenzo for a DIY market-food tour — cheese, cured meat, schiacciata — about €10. Walk the Ponte Vecchio and along the Arno. Afternoon: book the Uffizi directly on the official site (~€25 + booking) or skip it and do the free Bargello courtyard and Santa Croce square. Evening: aperitivo in Oltrarno where a spritz comes with a snack buffet for €6–8.

🚌Walking + bus ~£4

🛏Florence hostel dorm

• →Mercato Centrale food stalls
• →Ponte Vecchio & Arno walk
• →Optional Uffizi Gallery ~£22
• →Oltrarno aperitivo

Morning bus from Florence to Siena (~1h15, €8–10 each way on Itabus/Flixbus) to walk the Campo, the Duomo exterior and the medieval lanes — or a regional train to Lucca for a flatter, quieter day with the free walk around the Renaissance walls. Late afternoon, train Florence → Rome (~1h30, €19–29 on Italo if booked ahead). Check into a hostel near Termini (The RomeHello, Generator or Alessandro Palace). Evening: night walk past the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain (both free, and prettier after dark).

🚌Florence → Siena bus round trip ~£16 + Siena → Rome train ~£22

🛏Rome hostel dorm (Termini area)

• →Siena or Lucca self-guided day trip
• →Free night walk: Pantheon & Trevi Fountain

Book the Colosseum/Roman Forum combined ticket directly on the official CoopCulture site (~€18 + booking) for the earliest slot — it's the same site the operator charges for as an optional. Follow that with the free Capitoline exterior and a self-guided walk via the Circus Maximus to Trastevere for lunch (a plate of cacio e pepe, €11). Afternoon: the Pantheon (€5), Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps. Evening: free tip-based night walking tour of the centro storico, then a cheap pizza al taglio dinner (~€6).

🚌Walking + metro/bus day ticket ~£6

🛏Rome hostel dorm

• →Colosseum & Roman Forum (self-booked)
• →Pantheon
• →Trastevere lunch
• →Free night walking tour

Morning free: Vatican Museums booked directly (~€20 + booking) if you want it, or a cheaper morning in Monti and the Borghese gardens. Mid-afternoon train Rome → Ancona (~3h, €20–25 on a regional/Frecciarossa mix). Board the SNAV or Blue Line overnight ferry to Split (departs around 20:00–21:00, arrives early morning; deck/pullman seat from €45–60, book on Direct Ferries or the operator's own site). Bring snacks, water and an eye mask — the operator's 'overnight ferry' night is exactly this.

🚌Rome → Ancona train ~£22 + Ancona → Split ferry ~£50

🛏Overnight ferry — reclining seat or shared cabin

• →Optional Vatican Museums (self-booked)
• →Monti neighbourhood wander
• →Overnight Adriatic ferry

Dock early, drop bags at a hostel (CroParadise, Hostel Split Backpackers or Silver Gate Hostel, all inside or beside the palace). Free morning walking tour of Diocletian's Palace cellars and the Riva promenade (tip-based). Afternoon swim at Bačvice beach (free, and famous for its picigin ball game). Sunset hike up Marjan Hill for the view — free, about 30 minutes up. Cheap dinner of grilled fish and blitva for €12–15 in the old town lanes.

🚌Walking (ferry arrival at the port)

🛏Split old town hostel dorm

• →Free Diocletian's Palace walking tour
• →Bačvice beach swim
• →Marjan Hill sunset hike

Take the morning catamaran (Kapetan Luka or TP Line, ~4h30, €40–45, book ahead) or the cheaper but longer bus along the Neretva delta (~4h30, €18–22, with a passport-free but pretty border hop through Bosnia at Neum). Arrive Dubrovnik and check into a hostel in Gruž or the old town (Hostel Angelina, Old Town Hostel). Evening: walk the Stradun after the cruise crowds leave, and eat cheaply at a konoba off the main street — a black risotto or pašticada for €15.

🚌Split → Dubrovnik catamaran ~£38 (or bus ~£18)

🛏Dubrovnik hostel dorm

• →Coastal catamaran or bus ride
• →Stradun evening walk

Walk the city walls early (opens 08:00; ticket €35 through the official Dubrovnik Pass, which also covers several museums — buy it online the night before). That's the DIY version of the operator's optional wall walk. Then swim at Banje beach or take the cheap local bus to Lapad for a quieter cove. Afternoon: ride the Srđ cable car (€27 return) or hike up for free in about 45 minutes for the same panorama. Evening: cheap pizza or a supermarket picnic on the rocks below the walls.

🚌Walking + local bus ~£4

🛏Dubrovnik hostel dorm

• →Dubrovnik city walls (Dubrovnik Pass)
• →Banje beach swim
• →Srđ hill hike or cable car
• →Optional Game of Thrones self-guided audio walk

Catch a bus from Dubrovnik to Herceg Novi/Kotor (~2h, €12–18, several daily). Buses run around the Bay of Kotor — get a window seat on the right. Check into the Old Town Hostel Kotor or a guesthouse in Dobrota. Afternoon: free walk around the Venetian-walled old town, then a swim off the Kotor waterfront. Evening: cheap Montenegrin dinner — njeguški pršut, cheese and a glass of Vranac for about €12.

🚌Dubrovnik → Kotor bus ~£15

🛏Kotor old town hostel or guesthouse dorm

• →Scenic bus around the Bay of Kotor
• →Kotor old town walk
• →Waterfront swim

Set an alarm and climb the Ladder of Kotor to the fortress of San Giovanni for sunrise — entry is €15 in season, free if you start before 08:00 (wear proper shoes; it's 1,350 steps). Come down for a slow breakfast, then take the local bus to Perast (€2) and a small boat out to Our Lady of the Rocks (~€5). Afternoon: a cheap shared tour or local bus toward Lake Skadar for the viewpoint and a swim — or rent a kayak in Kotor bay for ~€15/hr. Evening back in Kotor with a supermarket dinner.

🚌Local buses + boats ~£12

🛏Kotor guesthouse dorm

• →Sunrise hike to Kotor fortress
• →Perast & Our Lady of the Rocks boat
• →Lake Skadar viewpoint
• →Optional kayaking ~£13/hr

Bus Kotor → Podgorica or direct to Tirana via Shkodër (7–9h total; ~€20–25). It's a long day, so download podcasts and bring snacks. Arrive Tirana and check into a hostel in Blloku (Tirana Backpackers, Hostel Albania or Milingona City Center). Evening: join the free walking tour if you've still got legs, or just eat byrek (€1) and tavë kosi (€6) on a terrace and watch the city happen around you.

🚌Kotor → Tirana bus ~£20

🛏Tirana hostel dorm

• →Overland journey into Albania
• →Blloku district evening wander

Morning free walking tour of Tirana (tip-based) covering Skanderbeg Square, the colourful facades, Bunk'Art exterior and the Pyramid. Cheap lunch at a local qoftë stall (€4). Early afternoon bus or furgon south to Saranda (~5–6h, ~€15–20) — the coastal road via Vlorë and the Albanian Riviera is genuinely spectacular. Arrive Saranda, check into a guesthouse or hostel (SR Backpackers, Hairy Lemon), and eat fresh seafood on the promenade for €12.

🚌Tirana → Saranda bus/furgon ~£16

🛏Saranda guesthouse or hostel dorm

• →Free Tirana walking tour
• →Albanian Riviera bus ride
• →Saranda promenade evening

Take the local bus to Ksamil (€1.50, 20 mins) for the famous turquoise islands — go early to beat the crowds and rent a sunbed for €10 or find a free rock. Afternoon: bus back and a short walk up to Lekuresi Castle (free) for the panorama over the bay toward Corfu. Evening: cheap grilled fish and a beer by the port for about €14, then book tomorrow's ferry online (Finikas Lines or the Ionian Seaways hydrofoil, ~€25–35, 30–90 mins).

🚌Local buses ~£4

🛏Saranda guesthouse dorm

• →Ksamil islands beach day
• →Lekuresi Castle sunset
• →Book Corfu ferry online

Hydrofoil across to Corfu town (~30–90 mins depending on service). Check into a hostel or cheap guesthouse in Corfu town or Gouvia (Corfu Backpackers, Pink Palace if you want the social version). Afternoon: wander the UNESCO-listed old town — the Liston, the Spianada, the Old and New Fortresses (€3–6 each). Cheap gyros for €4 and a freddo espresso in a shaded square. Evening swim off the Faliraki steps below the old town walls (free).

🚌Saranda → Corfu hydrofoil ~£28

🛏Corfu hostel or guesthouse dorm

• →Old town self-guided walk
• →Fortresses (self-booked)
• →Faliraki steps swim

Take the local Green Bus (KTEL) to Paleokastritsa (~€3, 45 mins) for cliff-backed coves and swimming. Walk up to the Theotokos monastery (free, modest dress). Optional: a cheap boat trip to the caves (~€15) or rent a kayak. Afternoon bus back via a stop for a village lunch. Evening: return to Corfu town and explore the Campiello lanes, with a cheap dinner of pastitsada or sofrito for €12.

🚌KTEL local bus return ~£6

🛏Corfu guesthouse dorm

• →Paleokastritsa coves swim
• →Theotokos monastery
• →Optional cave boat trip ~£13
• →Campiello evening lanes

Pick your own pace: the Achilleion Palace and gardens (€10) if you like architecture, or the Archaeological Museum (€3), or Mon Repos beach (€1.50) where Prince Philip was born. Alternatively take an early bus to Glyfada or Kontogialos beach and do nothing but swim and read. Finish with a supermarket picnic and a bottle of local Robola wine on the old town waterfront, and pack your bag for departure.

🚌Local buses ~£4

🛏Corfu guesthouse dorm

• →Optional Achilleion Palace ~£9
• →Mon Repos beach
• →Old town waterfront picnic

Slow breakfast in a Corfu town café, then the frequent local bus to the airport (€2–3, 15 mins). If you've got a late flight, leave your bag at the guesthouse and take a last swim below the old fort. Flights home from Corfu are typically via Athens, or take the ferry back to Igoumenitsa and overland onward through Greece.

🚌Corfu town → airport bus ~£2.50

🛏N/A — depart

• →Final Corfu town walk
• →Airport bus transfer