Colourful Europe Self-Launched: Barcelona to Berlin in 22 Days

Land at Barcelona El Prat and take the Aerobús (€7.25, ~35 min) or the R2 Nord Rodalies train (€4.60) into the city. Check into a hostel in the Eixample or El Raval area, then ease in with a wander down La Rambla, through the Gothic Quarter and out to the beach at Barceloneta. Book tomorrow's Sagrada Família ticket online tonight if you want to go inside — the group tour only sees it from outside.

🚌Aerobús or Rodalies R2 from El Prat airport (~£4–7)

🛏Hostel dorm in Eixample/Raval (e.g. Hostel One Ramblas or similar, £22–30/night)

• →La Rambla and Boqueria market walk
• →Gothic Quarter self-guided stroll
• →Barceloneta beach sunset

Morning self-guided or small-group Gothic Quarter and Sagrada Família exterior walk — book a GetYourGuide 'Gaudí & Gothic Quarter' walking tour (~£20) or do it free with a map. Optional inside entry to Sagrada Família (~£26, book weeks ahead). Mid-afternoon take a Renfe Avant or Media Distancia train from Barcelona Sants to Girona (~40 min, £10–16). Evening walk the Girona old town, cathedral steps and the Onyar river houses — the same route the coach group walks with a guide.

🚌Renfe train Barcelona Sants → Girona, ~40 min, £10–16

🛏Hostel or budget pensión in Girona old town (£25–32/night)

• →Gaudí/Gothic Quarter walking tour (GetYourGuide ~£20)
• →Optional Sagrada Família interior (~£26)
• →Girona Cathedral and Jewish Quarter self-walk

Take a regional train or Flixbus up to Figueres, then cross into France by train (Figueres–Perpignan–Nîmes–Arles, allow 4–5 hours total, ~£35–45 booked in advance). Alternative: Flixbus Girona–Perpignan–Arles for ~£20–30 with a change. Base yourself in Arles for the night. Afternoon: Roman amphitheatre and theatre (combined ticket ~£12), and book a Carrières des Lumières timed slot online (~£13–15) — the same immersive art show the coach group visits.

🚌Regional trains or Flixbus via Figueres/Perpignan, ~£20–45

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Arles old town (£28–35/night)

• →Roman amphitheatre & theatre, Arles (~£12)
• →Carrières des Lumières projection show (~£14)
• →Van Gogh trail self-walk

Train Arles → Lyon Part-Dieu (~1h45) then TER/TER to Chambéry (~1h30), roughly £40–55 if booked ahead; a Flixbus combination can bring it to ~£25–35 with a longer day. Chambéry is a likeable Alpine-edge town — wander the old town, the Château des Ducs de Savoie exterior and the Fontaine des Éléphants. Early night: tomorrow is a big one into Switzerland.

🚌Train Arles → Lyon → Chambéry, ~£40–55

🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Chambéry centre (£28–35/night)

• →Chambéry old town and château exterior
• →Fontaine des Éléphants
• →Local Savoyard dinner (~£12)

Bus or train Chambéry → Geneva (~1h45, ~£15–25). Drop bags at a hostel, walk the lakefront, Jet d'Eau and the UN quarter on your own. Then train Geneva → Gruyères (~1h40 via Bulle, ~£20) for the Maison Cailler chocolate factory tour and tasting (book online, ~£15) plus the walled medieval village. Continue by train to Montreux/Veytaux and visit Chillon Castle (~£13 entry). Overnight Montreux or Leysin — Swiss hostels are pricey (Swiss Hostels card helps).

🚌Regional trains Chambéry–Geneva–Gruyères–Montreux, ~£45–55 total

🛏Hostel in Montreux or Leysin (£35–45/night, Swiss prices)

• →Maison Cailler factory tour & tasting (~£15)
• →Gruyères medieval village
• →Chillon Castle entry (~£13)
• →Geneva lakefront and Jet d'Eau

Take the GoldenPass line or regional trains to Les Diablerets/Gstaad and the Glacier 3000 cable car (~£55–65 return with a Swiss Half Fare Card or Saver Day Pass — this is the pricey day). Optional Peak Walk suspension bridge is included with the ticket. Afterwards head via Bern or Lausanne to Zurich (~2.5–3h, ~£35–45). Evening stroll Zurich's old town and lakefront.

🚌Trains + Glacier 3000 cable car, ~£90–110 total for the day

🛏Hostel in Zurich (e.g. City Backpacker or similar, £35–45/night)

• →Glacier 3000 cable car and Peak Walk
• →Zurich old town and Lake Zurich evening walk

Take the scenic train Zurich → Bellinzona (Gotthard route, ~2h, ~£30 with supersaver). Stop off for Bellinzona's three medieval castles (Castelgrande is free to enter the grounds, ~£5 for museum). Continue Bellinzona → Como (~40 min, ~£8) to see Como Cathedral and the lakefront, then Como → Milano Centrale (~40 min, ~£5). Base in Milan's Navigli or Centrale area.

🚌Swiss/Italian regional trains via Bellinzona and Como, ~£45

🛏Hostel in Milan (e.g. Ostello Bello, £28–35/night)

• →Bellinzona castles and old town
• →Como Cathedral and lakefront
• →Navigli canal evening in Milan

Morning: Piazza del Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the Duomo terrace (~£12) — a free walking tour from the Duomo is a good substitute for the guided city tour. Early afternoon take Frecciarossa/Frecciargento Milan → Pisa Centrale (~3h, £20–35 if booked ahead with Italo/Trenitalia super-economy), hop the local 'LAM Rossa' bus to Piazza dei Miracoli for the Leaning Tower (exterior free; tower climb ~£18 if you want it). Then evening train Pisa → Rome Termini (~3h, £18–30). Long day — pack snacks.

🚌High-speed + regional trains Milan–Pisa–Rome, ~£45–60

🛏Hostel in Rome (Termini or Trastevere area, £25–32/night)

• →Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
• →Leaning Tower of Pisa & Piazza dei Miracoli
• →Optional tower climb (~£18)

Do the 'panoramic tour' yourself: Colosseum and Roman Forum exterior, Piazza Venezia, Pantheon (free), Trevi Fountain at dawn, Spanish Steps. Book a Colosseum + Forum entry online (~£18) or a GetYourGuide small-group tour with arena access (~£35). Optional Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel (~£22 booked directly on the Vatican site — far cheaper than resellers). Evening: walk across to Trastevere for dinner and a wander through the lanes.

🚌Walking + local ATAC bus/metro day ticket (~£6)

🛏Hostel in Rome (£25–32/night)

• →Colosseum & Roman Forum (~£18–35)
• →Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps
• →Optional Vatican Museums (~£22)
• →Trastevere evening walk

Morning Frecciarossa Rome Termini → Firenze S.M. Novella (~1h35, £20–35 booked ahead). Afternoon: Piazzale Michelangelo for the panorama, then walk down into the historic centre — Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, the Duomo exterior. A GetYourGuide Florence walking tour is ~£20–25 if you want the guided context, otherwise a free self-guided audio route works well. Evening rooftop or Oltrarno dinner.

🚌Frecciarossa Rome → Florence, ~£20–35

🛏Hostel in Florence (Santa Maria Novella or Oltrarno, £26–34/night)

• →Piazzale Michelangelo viewpoint
• →Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria
• →Duomo exterior and Oltrarno lanes

Regional or Frecciarossa train Firenze → Venezia S. Lucia (~2h15, £15–30). Venice isn't a hostel hotspot — book a Mestre budget hotel or a Cannaregio hostel dorm. Afternoon: walk St Mark's Square (free), cross to Giudecca by vaporetto (72h ACTV pass ~£30, or single rides £8), and take the free Murano glass factory demonstration on Murano (the same visit the coach group does — factories offer free demos, just beware the shop pressure).

🚌Train Firenze → Venezia S. Lucia, ~£15–30 + ACTV vaporetto pass ~£30

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Cannaregio / Mestre (£25–35/night)

• →St Mark's Square and Basilica exterior
• →Giudecca canal vaporetto ride
• →Murano glass factory demonstration

Big travel day: train Venezia Mestre → Innsbruck Hbf (~4h, £25–40 super-economy via ÖBB Nightjet or Eurocity; a Nightjet sleeper is a smart alternative if you want to save a hotel night). Optional 1–2h stop in Innsbruck for the Golden Roof and old town, then Innsbruck → Salzburg (~1h50, £15–25). Evening in Salzburg's Altstadt — Getreidegasse, Mozart's birthplace exterior, river walk.

🚌ÖBB trains Venice–Innsbruck–Salzburg, ~£40–65

🛏Hostel in Salzburg (e.g. YoHo International, £28–35/night)

• →Innsbruck Golden Roof and old town
• →Salzburg Getreidegasse evening walk

Morning: Salzburg fortress (Festung Hohensalzburg, ~£12 funicular + entry) and the Mirabell Gardens. Then a regional train to Gmunden on Traunsee (~1h10, ~£10) for a lake cruise past Schloss Ort and the lakeside (Traunsee Schifffahrt ~£12) — the equivalent of the included Traunsee cruise. Late afternoon train Gmunden/Traun → Wien Hbf (~2h15, £20–30 with ÖBB Sparschiene).

🚌ÖBB regional and InterCity trains, ~£35–45

🛏Hostel in Vienna (e.g. Wombats Naschmarkt, £25–32/night)

• →Hohensalzburg Fortress (~£12)
• →Traunsee lake cruise (~£12)
• →Gmunden lakeside stroll

Self-guided loop of the Ringstrasse: State Opera exterior, Hofburg, Parliament, Rathaus, then Stephansdom and the inner city. Free walking tours run daily from Albertinaplatz (tip-based, ~£5–10 in tips) — a good substitute for the panoramic coach tour. Afternoon coffee house stop (Melange + cake ~£8). Evening: tram 38 out to Grinzing for a Heuriger wine tavern (~£15–20) — the same district the group is transferred to.

🚌Wiener Linien 24h/72h pass (~£15) covering trams and U-Bahn

🛏Hostel in Vienna (£25–32/night)

• →Ringstrasse self-guided walk
• →Stephansdom and inner city
• →Free walking tour (tips)
• →Grinzing Heuriger evening

Morning RegioJet or ÖBB train Wien Hbf → Budapest-Keleti (~2h30, £10–20 — RegioJet is usually the cheapest). Afternoon: Danube embankment walk, Chain Bridge, and a Danube sightseeing boat (Legenda or Duna Bella, ~£10–12) as a stand-in for the included boat trip. Evening: ruin bar crawl in District VII (Szimpla Kert and neighbours) — very solo-friendly.

🚌RegioJet/ÖBB train Vienna → Budapest, ~£10–20

🛏Hostel in Budapest District VII (e.g. Carpe Noctem, £15–22/night)

• →Chain Bridge and Danube embankment
• →Danube river boat cruise (~£11)
• →Ruin bar evening in District VII

Morning: Buda Castle district, Fisherman's Bastion (free exterior) and a thermal bath soak at Széchenyi or Rudas (~£18–22). Afternoon train Budapest → Bratislava (~2h30, £8–12), a few hours in the compact old town, then Bratislava → Prague (~4h RegioJet/ÖBB, £12–20) or take the RegioJet sleeper. Arrive Prague late evening and settle into a Žižkov or Old Town hostel.

🚌RegioJet trains Budapest–Bratislava–Prague, ~£25–35

🛏Hostel in Prague (e.g. Sophie's Hostel, £15–22/night)

• →Buda Castle and Fisherman's Bastion
• →Széchenyi thermal bath (~£20)
• →Bratislava old town stop
• →Prague evening arrival wander

Morning panorama walk: Charles Bridge at dawn, Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock. Prague Castle complex entry (~£10 for the main circuit). Afternoon Vltava river boat ride (~£10) — shorter and cheaper than the group version. Evening: free walking tour of the Old Town (tip-based) or the Žižkov beer garden scene. Cheap, excellent food: goulash and dumplings for ~£7.

🚌Walking + 24h public transport ticket (~£4)

🛏Hostel in Prague (£15–22/night)

• →Charles Bridge and Old Town Square
• →Prague Castle circuit (~£10)
• →Vltava boat ride (~£10)
• →Free walking tour (tips)

Long transit day. Early train Prague → Plzeň (~1h30, £5–8) for a quick old-town square and Pilsner Urquell brewery stop (tour ~£10). Then Plzeň → Nuremberg (~2h30, £15–20) and bus/train on to Rothenburg ob der Tauber (~1h15 each way detour, £10–15 — allow time, this is a beautiful but slow branch line). Evening train Rothenburg/Ansbach → Frankfurt (~2h30, £25–35). Alternatively skip Rothenburg if you're flagging and go Prague → Frankfurt direct (~5h, £25–35).

🚌Trains via Plzeň, Nuremberg and Rothenburg, ~£50–65

🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Frankfurt (£25–32/night)

• →Plzeň old town square
• →Optional Pilsner Urquell brewery tour (~£10)
• →Rothenburg ob der Tauber medieval old town

Train to Rüdesheim (~1h15, £10–15), then take the KD Rhine ferry through the UNESCO Rhine Gorge to St Goar (~£20–25, 2h) — exactly the stretch the coach group cruises. Continue St Goar → Koblenz → Cologne (~1h45, £18–22), hop out for Cologne Cathedral (free) and a riverside walk, then Cologne → Amsterdam (~2h40, £18–28 with an ICE/IC early-bird). Arrive Amsterdam late evening.

🚌Trains + KD Rhine ferry, ~£65–85

🛏Hostel in Amsterdam (e.g. ClinkNOORD or Ecomama, £30–40/night)

• →KD Rhine Gorge ferry Rüdesheim → St Goar (~£22)
• →Cologne Cathedral
• →Amsterdam evening arrival

Free walking tour of the canal ring and Jordaan (tip-based) in the morning. Optional day trip: train to Zaanse Schans windmills (~£8 return with a day ticket) or a bus to Volendam and the Marken ferry (~£12) — DIY versions of the group's optional excursions. Afternoon: Museumplein (Rijksmuseum garden is free; Van Gogh Museum ~£20 booked online if you want it). Evening: brown café in De Pijp or a canal-side wander.

🚌Dutch day ticket or OV-chipkaart (~£10–12)

🛏Hostel in Amsterdam (£30–40/night)

• →Free canal-ring walking tour (tips)
• →Zaanse Schans windmills (~£8)
• →Museumplein and Van Gogh Museum optional (~£20)

Morning IC/ICE Amsterdam Centraal → Berlin Hbf (~6h, £30–45 booked ahead — early-bird Sparpreis is the key; Flixbus is £20–28 and 7–8h). Optional Hamelin stop only if you take the slower Hannover route — most travellers skip it. Arrive Berlin, check in, then an evening wander around Hackescher Markt or along the Spree.

🚌DB IC/ICE Amsterdam → Berlin, ~£30–45

🛏Hostel in Berlin (e.g. Circus Hostel, £22–30/night)

• →Amsterdam departure
• →Berlin Hackescher Markt evening walk

Self-guided history loop: Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag (free — register online in advance for the dome), Holocaust Memorial, then the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse (free). Museum Island exterior or one museum if time (£10–15). The free 'Alternative Berlin' or 'Original Berlin Walks' tip-based tours are excellent substitutes for the guided panorama. Evening: Kantstrasse or Kreuzberg for dinner, and a final drink with your hostel crew.

🚌BVG day ticket (~£8)

🛏Hostel in Berlin (£22–30/night) or depart

• →Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag dome (free, pre-register)
• →Holocaust Memorial
• →Berlin Wall Memorial
• →Free walking tour (tips)
• →Kreuzberg evening