Unbelievable Adventure: Rome to Dublin Self-Launched
17 days · Western Europe (Italy, Switzerland, France, UK, Ireland)
Europamundo charges £2,580
No-markup version: ~£1,595 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Europamundo's 17-day coach whirl from Rome to Dublin, covering Italy, Switzerland, France, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Instead of a 72-seat coach and 4* hotels, you'll string together trains, budget flights and ferries, staying in hostels and budget guesthouses and booking your own walking tours and skip-the-line tickets. Same headline sights, far more freedom over how long you linger — and roughly a third of the price. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP and exclude flights to Rome / home from Dublin.
Day-by-day
Arrive Rome
Rome, Italy
Land at Fiumicino and take the Leonardo Express train into Termini (~£12, 32 min) or the regional FL1 to Trastevere (~£7). Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse near Termini or Monti. Spend the late afternoon on an orientation wander: Colosseum exterior, Monti's lanes, and a cheap slice of pizza al taglio. Book your Colosseum ticket online tonight for two days' time.
🚌Leonardo Express train Fiumicino-Termini ~£12
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse near Termini/Monti (~£25-32)
- →Leonardo Express airport transfer
- →Self-guided evening wander in Monti
- →Colosseum exterior at golden hour
Imperial Rome and Trastevere
Rome, Italy
Do your own version of the Imperial Rome walking route: Colosseum + Roman Forum + Palatine Hill combined ticket (~£16 if booked direct on the official CoopCulture site; ~£40 with a GetYourGuide guided entry). Walk Piazza Venezia, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon (free to enter, ~£4 with audio guide), Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. In the evening head over the river to Trastevere for a cheap trattoria dinner and a stroll along the alleys. Optional add-on: Vatican Museums + Sistine Chapel skip-the-line via GetYourGuide ~£35-40.
🚌Walking + single metro/bus tickets ~£3
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse near Termini/Monti (~£25-32)
- →Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill (self-booked ticket)
- →Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps self-guided walk
- →Optional: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel skip-the-line
Rome to Florence
Florence, Italy
Take a Frecciarossa or Italo high-speed train from Roma Termini to Firenze S.M. Novella (~£30-40 booked 2-3 weeks ahead, 1h35). Dump your bag at the hostel and walk to Piazzale Michelangelo for the classic skyline view, then descend through San Niccolò. Join a free/pay-what-you-want walking tour (GuruWalk, ~£5-10) covering the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio, or simply self-guide it. Evening in Oltrarno with an aperitivo.
🚌High-speed train Rome-Florence ~£35
🛏Hostel dorm or budget B&B near Santa Maria Novella (~£28-35)
- →Piazzale Michelangelo viewpoint
- →Self-guided or tip-based walking tour: Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio
- →Oltrarno aperitivo
Florence to Venice
Venice, Italy
Morning train from Florence to Venezia Santa Lucia (~£20-30, ~2h). Instead of a coach + private boat transfer, use the vaporetto (single ticket ~£8.50, or a 24h pass ~£18) down the Grand Canal. Cross to Murano on line 4.1/4.2 for a free glass-blowing demo at one of the furnaces (many workshops welcome walk-ins, no booking needed), then return via Giudecca. Wander St Mark's Square and the Rialto at dusk. Optional gondola ride ~£70 for the boat (shared, ~£35pp via GetYourGuide).
🚌Train Florence-Venice ~£25 + vaporetto day pass ~£18
🛏Hostel dorm on Mestre or Cannaregio guesthouse (~£30-38)
- →Grand Canal vaporetto ride
- →Murano glass workshop visit
- →St Mark's Square and Rialto self-guided walk
- →Optional: gondola ride
Venice to Innsbruck to Zurich
Zurich, Switzerland
Big travel day — do it by rail like the coach tour but with a real stop. Morning train Venice to Innsbruck (~£30-40, 4h) and a couple of hours to see the Golden Roof and the Nordkette panorama. Then continue Innsbruck to Zurich (~£35-45, 3h30). Alternatively fly Venice–Zurich on easyJet/Ryanair (~£40-60) if you'd rather save the day. Check into a Zurich hostel or afford a night in a budget Ibis. Swiss prices bite — cook your own dinner.
🚌Train Venice-Innsbruck ~£35 + Innsbruck-Zurich ~£40
🛏Hostel dorm Zurich (~£40-48) or Ibis budget ~£80
- →Golden Roof and Innsbruck old town
- →Optional: Hungerburg funicular viewpoint
- →Overnight in Zurich
Grindelwald, First and Lucerne
Zurich / Grindelwald / Lucerne, Switzerland
Take the train Zurich–Interlaken–Grindelwald (~£40 return with the Saver Day Pass, ~£35, which covers regional trains and many mountain lines). Ride the First gondola (~£25) and do the cliff walk and suspension bridge — the exact experience Europamundo cable-cars you up for. Buy a picnic lunch on the mountain (Swiss mountain restaurants are pricey, ~£25 otherwise). Return via Interlaken and stop off in Lucerne for the Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument before heading back to Zurich.
🚌Saver Day Pass / regional trains ~£35 + gondola ~£25
🛏Hostel dorm Zurich (~£40-48)
- →First gondola and First Cliff Walk suspension bridge
- →Picnic lunch on the mountain
- →Lucerne old town, Chapel Bridge, Lion Monument
Zurich to Strasbourg to Paris
Strasbourg / Paris, France
Fast TGV Zurich–Strasbourg (~£25-35, 1h50) with 2-3 hours to see the cathedral, Petite France and grab a tarte flambée. Then TGV Strasbourg–Paris Est (~£30-45, 1h50). Check into a hostel or chain budget hotel (Ibis Budget, Generator Paris). Evening walk down to the Seine for a free view of Notre-Dame and the locks of Pont Neuf.
🚌TGV Zurich-Strasbourg ~£30 + Strasbourg-Paris ~£38
🛏Hostel dorm or Ibis Budget Paris (~£35-45)
- →Strasbourg cathedral and Petite France wander
- →Evening Seine stroll in Paris
Paris
Paris, France
Self-launch the panoramic tour with a Fat Tire-style bike tour or a GetYourGuide walking tour of the core sights (~£25-35). Hit the Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre exterior, Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur. Pre-book the Eiffel Tower second floor (official site, ~£20) — book weeks ahead or use a GetYourGuide timed entry. Optional splurges: Palace of Versailles train trip (~£20 return + ~£18 ticket) or a Seine night cruise (~£15).
🚌Metro carnet/contactless ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm or Ibis Budget Paris (~£35-45)
- →Bike or walking tour of central Paris
- →Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur
- →Eiffel Tower second floor (pre-booked)
- →Optional: Versailles or Seine night cruise
Paris to Rouen
Rouen, France
Do the Eiffel Tower and Seine in the morning if you didn't yesterday, then take a regional train Paris Saint-Lazare to Rouen Rive Droite (~£20-28, 1h20). Rouen is a gorgeous, cheap base: see the cathedral Monet painted, the Gros-Horloge and the half-timbered old town. Budget guesthouse night, dinner of Normandy crêpes.
🚌Train Paris-Rouen ~£24
🛏Budget guesthouse or Ibis Budget Rouen (~£30-38)
- →Rouen cathedral and Gros-Horloge
- →Old town half-timbered streets walk
Rouen to Canterbury to London
Canterbury / London, UK
Train Rouen to Paris, then Eurostar Paris–London St Pancras (~£45-70 booked ahead, 2h20). Break the journey at Canterbury? Easier: take an earlier Eurostar and do Canterbury as a day trip from London tomorrow, or ride the Ashford/Canterbury connection: Eurostar to Ashford (~£40), then a 30-min train to Canterbury (~£8) for the cathedral, then back to London (~£25). Check into a London hostel (Clink78, Wombat's, YHA St Pancras) or Ibis. Cheap dinner in Chinatown.
🚌Rouen-Paris ~£24, Eurostar to Ashford ~£40, Ashford-London ~£25
🛏London hostel dorm (~£30-42)
- →Canterbury Cathedral and old town stop
- →Evening in Soho/Chinatown
London
London, UK
Self-guided version of the panoramic tour: a free Sandemans walking tour (tip-based, ~£10) covers Westminster, Big Ben, Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square. Afterwards walk the South Bank past the London Eye and Tower Bridge. Many big museums (British Museum, Tate Modern, National Gallery) are free. Optional: Windsor & Eton day trip by train from Waterloo (~£12 return) instead of the £35 excursion.
🚌Oyster/contactless tube and buses ~£9
🛏London hostel dorm (~£30-42)
- →Tip-based Westminster walking tour
- →South Bank and Tower Bridge walk
- →Free museums: British Museum / Tate Modern
- →Optional: Windsor day trip
London to Cambridge, York and Durham
York / Durham, UK
Train King's Cross to Cambridge (~£10-15 with an advance ticket, 50 min) for punting and the colleges. Continue Cambridge to York (~£20-30, 2h30) — see York Minster (from ~£13) and walk the Roman walls for free. Then a short hop York to Durham (~£10) for the night: Durham Cathedral (free) and the castle exterior. Book Advance singles; walk-up fares here are brutal.
🚌Advance rail singles: London-Cambridge ~£12, Cambridge-York ~£25, York-Durham ~£10
🛏Budget guesthouse or Travelodge Durham (~£30-40)
- →Cambridge colleges and punting (optional ~£15 shared)
- →York Minster and Roman walls
- →Durham Cathedral
Durham to Alnwick to Edinburgh
Edinburgh, Scotland
Train Durham to Alnmouth (~£10) for Alnwick Castle and Gardens (castle ~£20; gardens ~£12, or a combined ticket — book direct on alnwickcastle.com). Alnwick is a 20-min bus from Alnmouth station. Then continue north to Edinburgh (~£20-30, 1h15 from Alnmouth). Evening: walk the Royal Mile and see the castle lit up. Edinburgh hostels (Castle Rock, Kick Ass) are excellent value.
🚌Trains Durham-Alnmouth ~£10, Alnmouth-Edinburgh ~£25 + local bus ~£5
🛏Edinburgh hostel dorm (~£25-35)
- →Alnwick Castle and Poison Garden
- →Alnwick Gardens
- →Royal Mile evening walk
Edinburgh to Loch Ness to Glasgow
Loch Ness / Glasgow, Scotland
Europamundo does this on a coach; you can replicate the Highlands with a Rabbie's or Timberbush small-group one-day tour from Edinburgh (~£55-70, 12h) that takes in Pitlochry, Glencoe and a Loch Ness boat cruise plus Urquhart Castle (castle ~£14 + cruise ~£16, sometimes bundled). Alternatively, train Edinburgh–Inverness (~£25-35) and take the local bus to Urquhart, then train down to Glasgow. Book the tour option for the smoothest day, then take the late train Inverness/Edinburgh to Glasgow (~£15-25) or stay in Edinburgh and shift to Glasgow in the morning.
🚌Highlands day tour ~£60 + rail to Glasgow ~£20
🛏Glasgow hostel dorm (~£22-32)
- →Glencoe and Highland viewpoints
- →Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness boat cruise
- →Pitlochry stop
Glasgow to Belfast to Dublin
Belfast / Dublin, Ireland
Replicate the coach hop by taking the Stena Line or P&O ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast (bus Glasgow–Cairnryan ~£12 + foot passenger ferry ~£25-30, or a combined Rail & Sail ticket from Glasgow ~£35-45) or fly easyJet Glasgow–Belfast (~£30-45). Spend a few hours in Belfast: Titanic Quarter, Cathedral Quarter, and a black taxi mural tour if time allows (~£15pp shared). Then bus Belfast to Dublin (~£12-18, 2h15, Bus Éireann/Translink). Check into a Dublin hostel or budget hotel near Parnell Square.
🚌Glasgow-Cairnryan bus ~£12 + ferry ~£28 + Belfast-Dublin bus ~£15
🛏Dublin hostel dorm or budget guesthouse (~£30-40)
- →Belfast Titanic Quarter and Cathedral Quarter
- →Optional: black taxi political mural tour
- →Evening in Dublin
Dublin
Dublin, Ireland
Self-guide the panoramic route: Trinity College and the Book of Kells (~£16, pre-book), Dublin Castle, St Patrick's Cathedral (~£8) or the free Chester Beatty Library, and Powerscourt Townhouse. Afternoon pint and trad music in Temple Bar (touristy) or better value in The Cobblestone in Smithfield. Do a free tip-based history walking tour (~£10) if you want the context.
🚌Walking + Leap Card bus/Luas ~£5
🛏Dublin hostel dorm or budget guesthouse (~£30-40)
- →Trinity College and Book of Kells
- →Chester Beatty Library (free) and St Patrick's Cathedral
- →Temple Bar / Smithfield trad music evening
Dublin departure
Dublin, Ireland
Slow breakfast, a last walk along the Liffey or a coffee in the Iveagh Gardens, then take the Airlink 747 or Dublin Express bus to the airport (~£7-8, 25-35 min) for your flight home. If you have time, add a half-day trip to Howth on the DART (~£5 return) for the cliff walk.
🚌Airlink 747 to Dublin Airport ~£8
🛏—
- →Liffey / Iveagh Gardens morning walk
- →Optional: Howth cliff walk by DART
Self-launched vs. Europamundo
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Europamundo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,595 | £2,580 |
| Duration | 17 days | 17 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £985 per person (38%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Europamundo-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,595
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 Unbelievable Adventure: Rome to Dublin Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,595 per person for 17 days in Western Europe (Italy, Switzerland, France, UK, Ireland). 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 Europamundo?+
Yes — Europamundo charges around £2,580 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,595 — a saving of roughly £985 (38%) per person.
How long is the Western Europe (Italy, Switzerland, France, UK, Ireland) trip?+
This itinerary runs 17 days, covering 17 day-by-day stops through Western Europe (Italy, Switzerland, France, UK, Ireland).
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, budget trip through Western Europe (Italy, Switzerland, France, UK, Ireland), 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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