Self-Launched Real Central Europe: Berlin to Venice in 15 Days

Arrive into Berlin Hauptbahnhof or BER Airport and make your way to your hostel by S-Bahn or U-Bahn (around £3–4). Drop your bags and explore on foot — Berlin rewards wanderers. Head to Topography of Terror (free), the Brandenburg Gate and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (free). In the evening, grab a currywurst from a Imbiss stall (£3–4) and explore Mitte or Friedrichshain's bar scene. If you're staying a couple of days early, consider a free walking tour (tip-based) to get your bearings.

🚌Arrive independently. Airport express S-Bahn or U-Bahn to city centre ~£3–4. Berlin's day travel pass (AB zones) ~£8.

🛏Generator Berlin Mitte or Wombat's City Hostel — private or dorm room, ~£18–28/night

• →Topography of Terror — free entry
• →Brandenburg Gate & Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe — free
• →Reichstag dome — free, book online in advance at bundestag.de
• →Berliner Dom Cathedral — ~£8
• →Jewish Museum — ~£8
• →Free walking tour (tip-based) — book via Sandemans or similar
• →Currywurst dinner at a local Imbiss — £3–5
• →Optional: Berlin TV Tower — ~£21 via GetYourGuide

Take the FlixBus or Intercity train from Berlin to Wroclaw (approximately 4 hours). FlixBus fares can be as low as £8–15 booked in advance; trains run from Berlin Hauptbahnhof from around £20–30. Arrive early afternoon, check in, and explore independently. Walk to the Old Town Market Square (Rynek) — one of the largest in Europe — and then stroll across to Ostrów Tumski (Cathedral Island) for the Gothic Cathedral of St John the Baptist. In the evening, hunt down one of the 300+ bronze gnome statues hidden around the city — it's a great way to explore!

🚌FlixBus Berlin to Wroclaw ~£8–20 (book ahead at flixbus.com) or Intercity train ~£20–30. Journey ~4 hours.

🛏Mleczarnia Hostel or Moon Hostel Wroclaw — dorm or private room, ~£15–25/night

• →Old Town Market Square (Rynek) — free
• →Cathedral Island (Ostrów Tumski) — free to walk, cathedral entry ~£2
• →Wroclaw gnome hunt walking trail — free
• →Panorama Racławicka cyclorama painting — ~£10
• →Sky Tower Observation Deck — ~£12
• →Local zapiekanka or pierogis from a milk bar — £3–6

Take a direct PKP Intercity train from Wroclaw Główny to Krakow Główny (~3.5 hours, from ~£10–18 booked in advance at intercity.pl). Arrive in Krakow, check in, and head straight to the UNESCO-listed Old Town. Follow the Royal Route on foot from the Barbican and Florian's Gate down Floriańska Street to the Main Market Square (Rynek Główny) — Europe's largest medieval square. Grab a zapiekanka (open-faced baguette with mushroom and cheese) at Plac Nowy in the Kazimierz Jewish Quarter — the best cost around £2–3. Pop into St Mary's Basilica to see the famous Gothic altarpiece.

🚌PKP Intercity train Wroclaw to Krakow ~£10–18, book at intercity.pl. Journey ~3.5 hours.

🛏Greg & Tom Beer House Hostel or Mosquito Hostel Krakow — well-reviewed social hostels, ~£12–22/night

• →Royal Route walk from Barbican to Wawel Hill — free
• →Main Market Square & Cloth Hall — free to walk
• →St Mary's Basilica interior — ~£3
• →Zapiekanka at Plac Nowy, Kazimierz — ~£2–3
• →Kazimierz Jewish Quarter exploration — free
• →Wawel Royal Castle grounds — free; interior tickets ~£8–12 via wawel.krakow.pl

A full free day to explore Krakow at your own pace. The most powerful optional excursion is a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau (~75km away) — book a guided tour including transport on GetYourGuide or directly at auschwitz.org (entry is free; guided tours from ~£30–40 including transport). Alternatively, visit the Wieliczka Salt Mines (~£20 entry, book at wieliczka-saltmine.com). Back in Krakow, this evening head to a Bar Mleczny (Polish milk bar) like Bar Mleczny Pod Temidą for an authentic cheap dinner — mains from £2–4. Then explore Kazimierz's thriving bar scene.

🚌Local within Krakow — tram/bus day pass ~£3. Auschwitz transport included in tour price if booked as a package.

🛏Greg & Tom Beer House Hostel or Mosquito Hostel Krakow — ~£12–22/night

• →Optional: Auschwitz-Birkenau guided tour including transport — ~£30–40 via GetYourGuide
• →Optional: Wieliczka Salt Mines — ~£20 entry, book at wieliczka-saltmine.com
• →Bar Mleczny (milk bar) dinner — £2–5
• →Galicia Jewish Museum — ~£7
• →Krakow free walking tour (tip-based) — free
• →Evening bar crawl in Kazimierz — self-guided

Take a RegioJet or FlixBus from Krakow to Prague — direct coaches run daily and take around 7–8 hours, with fares from ~£12–20 booked at regiojet.com or flixbus.com. Trains via Ostrava are also possible (~6–7 hours, change required). Arrive in Prague in the afternoon or evening. Check into your hostel in the city centre and take an evening stroll across Charles Bridge — magical at dusk when the crowds thin. Grab dinner in a local pub: svíčková (beef sirloin in cream sauce) or goulash with bread dumplings for around £6–10.

🚌RegioJet or FlixBus Krakow to Prague ~£12–20, book at regiojet.com. Journey ~7–8 hours.

🛏Sir Toby's Hostel or Mosaic House Design Hostel — top-rated Prague hostels, ~£15–28/night

• →Charles Bridge evening walk — free
• →Old Town Square & Astronomical Clock — free to watch
• →Wenceslas Square stroll — free
• →Local Czech pub dinner (svíčková or goulash) — £6–10
• →Optional: Franz Kafka Museum — ~£10

A full day to explore Prague at your leisure. Start at Prague Castle (the world's largest ancient castle complex) — a combined ticket for the main sites costs around £12–15, or the grounds are free to walk. The castle viewpoint over the terracotta rooftops is unmissable. Head into the Jewish Quarter (Josefov) — a combined ticket to the synagogues and Old Jewish Cemetery costs around £20. In the afternoon, consider a day trip to Kutná Hora by train (~1 hour, ~£4 each way) to visit the extraordinary Sedlec Ossuary Bone Church (~£4). Back in Prague, explore the cellar bars and jazz clubs of the Old Town in the evening.

🚌Prague metro/tram day pass ~£3. Kutná Hora train ~£8 return from Praha hlavní nádraží.

🛏Sir Toby's Hostel or Mosaic House Design Hostel — ~£15–28/night

• →Prague Castle complex — ~£12–15 combined ticket at hrad.cz
• →Jewish Quarter (Josefov) combined ticket — ~£20
• →Optional: Kutná Hora day trip by train — ~£8 return + £4–8 entry
• →Sedlec Ossuary (Bone Church) — ~£4
• →Museum of Communism — ~£12
• →Old Town Hall Tower — ~£12
• →Evening absinthe bar or jazz club in Old Town — self-guided

Take a Student Agency / RegioJet bus from Prague Florenc bus station to Cesky Krumlov (~3 hours, from ~£8–12 at regiojet.com). Alternatively, take a train to České Budějovice and connect by local bus. Arrive in this UNESCO-listed medieval town and you'll immediately understand why it's called a fairytale — a stunning Baroque castle looms over the snaking Vltava River. Explore the castle and its tiered gardens independently (entry ~£10–14). Climb the Castle Tower for panoramic red-rooftop views. In the evening, walk the riverside and consider a local brewery dinner at Eggenberg Brewery.

🚌RegioJet/Student Agency bus Prague Florenc to Cesky Krumlov ~£8–12, book at regiojet.com. Journey ~3 hours.

🛏Hostel Postel or Krumlov House Hostel — atmospheric guesthouse-style hostels in the heart of town, ~£18–30/night

• →Cesky Krumlov Castle & Gardens — ~£10–14 at zamek.ceskykrumlov.cz
• →Castle Tower viewpoint — ~£3
• →Egon Schiele Art Centrum — ~£7
• →Eggenberg Brewery tour — ~£12
• →Optional: Vltava River rafting or canoeing — ~£40–50 per person via local operators
• →Riverside walk & Old Town exploration — free

Take a bus from Cesky Krumlov to Vienna (~3.5 hours). RegioJet and FlixBus both serve this route from around £12–20. Alternatively, bus to České Budějovice (~30 min) and take a train to Vienna (~3 hours). Arrive in Vienna and check in. Take a self-guided walk along the Ringstrasse to see the Opera House, Parliament and Kunsthistorisches Museum. Stop at a traditional Viennese Kaffeehaus (coffee house) for a melange coffee and slice of Sachertorte (~£6–8). In the evening, consider a standing-room ticket at the Vienna State Opera — available from 80 minutes before curtain for just €4 (~£3.50)!

🚌FlixBus or RegioJet Cesky Krumlov to Vienna ~£12–20. Journey ~3–3.5 hours. Vienna U-Bahn day pass ~£6.

🛏Wombat's City Hostel Vienna or do & co Hotel alternative: Meininger Hotel Vienna — ~£22–35/night

• →Ringstrasse walk — free
• →Belvedere Palace & Klimt's The Kiss — ~£15 lower gallery, ~£17 upper gallery at belvedere.at
• →Kunsthistorisches Museum — ~£15
• →Viennese Kaffeehaus coffee & Sachertorte — ~£6–8
• →Vienna State Opera standing ticket — ~£3.50 (book at wiener-staatsoper.at from 80 min before)
• →St Stephen's Cathedral interior — free; tower ~£5
• →Prater Ferris Wheel (Wiener Riesenrad) — ~£12

A full free day in Vienna. Start with Schönbrunn Palace — book tickets in advance at schoenbrunn.at (Grand Tour ~£18–22). The palace gardens are free to walk. Alternatively, explore the Hofburg Imperial Palace and the Sisi Museum (~£15). For something quirkier, visit the Sigmund Freud Museum in his former apartment (~£12) or the wonderfully odd Globe Museum inside the Austrian National Library. If the Spanish Riding School is operating (check viennawhitelipizzaner.at), morning training sessions are cheaper than full performances (~£14). Wind down in the Naschmarkt food market — Vienna's best open-air market for cheap eats.

🚌Vienna U-Bahn/tram day pass ~£6. All major attractions walkable or one stop on U-Bahn.

🛏Wombat's City Hostel Vienna or Meininger Hotel Vienna — ~£22–35/night

• →Schönbrunn Palace Grand Tour — ~£18–22, book at schoenbrunn.at
• →Schönbrunn Palace Gardens — free
• →Hofburg Palace & Sisi Museum — ~£15
• →Sigmund Freud Museum — ~£12
• →Spanish Riding School morning training — ~£14 (check schedule at viennawhitelipizzaner.at)
• →Naschmarkt food market lunch — £5–10
• →Leopold Museum (Egon Schiele) — ~£16

Take a direct Railjet or Intercity train from Vienna Hauptbahnhof to Budapest Keleti (~2.5 hours, from ~£15–25 booked at oebb.at or mav-start.hu). Arrive mid-morning and check in. Head to the Great Market Hall for lunch and try langos — deep-fried dough topped with sour cream and cheese (~£2–3). Take a self-guided walk up to Buda Castle and Fisherman's Bastion for the best panoramic views over the city and the Danube. In the evening, explore the legendary ruin bars of the Jewish Quarter — Szimpla Kert is the most famous and is free to enter. Budapest's nightlife is some of the best in Europe.

🚌Railjet/Intercity train Vienna to Budapest ~£15–25, book at oebb.at. Journey ~2.5 hours. Budapest metro day pass ~£5.

🛏Carpe Noctem Vitae or Maverick City Lodge — Budapest's best social hostels, ~£14–24/night

• →Great Market Hall — free entry; langos lunch ~£2–3
• →Fisherman's Bastion — free (small charge for upper terraces ~£2)
• →Buda Castle & grounds — free; Hungarian National Gallery inside ~£5
• →Matthias Church — ~£8
• →Szimpla Kert ruin bar — free entry
• →Danube riverside promenade walk — free
• →Optional: Széchenyi Thermal Baths — ~£20–25 at szechenyifurdo.hu

A full free day in Budapest. A morning soak at Széchenyi Thermal Baths is one of Europe's great experiences (~£20–25, book at szechenyifurdo.hu). Then head across the Chain Bridge to the Parliament Building — guided tours must be booked in advance at parlament.hu (~£15). The House of Terror Museum on Andrássy Avenue covers Hungary's Nazi and Soviet occupation in a powerful and harrowing exhibition (~£8). For something lighter, rent a bike and cycle along the Danube promenade or take a river cruise to see the city from the water. Tonight, do a self-guided ruin bar crawl through the Jewish Quarter.

🚌Budapest metro/tram day pass ~£5. Bike hire available from MOL Bubi city bike scheme ~£4/day.

🛏Carpe Noctem Vitae or Maverick City Lodge — ~£14–24/night

• →Széchenyi Thermal Baths — ~£20–25 at szechenyifurdo.hu
• →Hungarian Parliament guided tour — ~£15, book at parlament.hu
• →House of Terror Museum — ~£8
• →Great Synagogue — ~£12
• →Danube bike hire & riverside cycle — ~£8–12
• →Optional: Danube river cruise — ~£12–18 via GetYourGuide
• →Self-guided ruin bar crawl, Jewish Quarter — free entry to most bars

This is a longer travel day. Take a direct FlixBus or overnight/daytime coach from Budapest to Ljubljana (~6–7 hours, from ~£18–30 at flixbus.com). From Ljubljana bus station, take a local Arriva bus to Bled (~1.5 hours, ~£5 at arriva.si). Arrive in Bled in the late afternoon — walk straight to the lake for your first view and it will take your breath away. The island church, clifftop castle and Julian Alps backdrop are genuinely one of Europe's most beautiful scenes. Walk the 6km lake loop at sunset (~1.5 hours). Try a slice of kremna rezina (Bled cream cake) at Park Café — the original recipe (~£4).

🚌FlixBus Budapest to Ljubljana ~£18–30, journey ~6–7 hours. Arriva bus Ljubljana to Bled ~£5, ~1.5 hours.

🛏Traveller's Haven Hostel Bled or Bled Backpackers — lakeside budget hostels, ~£18–30/night

• →Lake Bled circular walk (6km) — free
• →Lake sunset viewpoint at Ojstrica or Mala Osojnica — free hike
• →Kremna rezina (Bled cream cake) at Park Café — ~£4
• →Optional: Pletna boat to Bled Island Church — ~£15 return
• →Optional: Bled Castle — ~£8 at blejski-grad.si

Spend the morning exploring more of Bled before heading to Ljubljana for the night. Hike up to Bled Castle early morning before the crowds arrive (entry ~£8) for the best views of the lake. If time allows, the Vintgar Gorge walk (~4km, ~£5 entry) is a stunning hike through a river gorge just 4km from Bled. Then take the Arriva bus back to Ljubljana (~1.5 hours). Ljubljana is a compact, walkable capital with a charming old town, a hilltop castle, and excellent café culture. Walk across the Triple Bridge, explore the Central Market and take the funicular up to Ljubljana Castle.

🚌Arriva bus Bled to Ljubljana ~£5, ~1.5 hours. Ljubljana is entirely walkable; funicular to castle ~£4 included in entry.

🛏Hostel Celica Ljubljana (former prison turned hostel — a Ljubljana institution) or Hostel 24 — ~£16–28/night

• →Bled Castle morning visit — ~£8 at blejski-grad.si
• →Optional: Vintgar Gorge walk — ~£5 entry + taxi/bus to trailhead ~£5
• →Pletna boat to Bled Island — ~£15 return (if not done previous evening)
• →Ljubljana Triple Bridge & old town walk — free
• →Ljubljana Castle — ~£10 (funicular included) at ljubljanskigrad.si
• →Ljubljana Central Market & street food — £5–10
• →Evening drinks in Metelkova alternative culture district — free

Take a direct FlixBus or train from Ljubljana to Venice (~3.5–4 hours, bus from ~£15–25 at flixbus.com; train options via Trieste). Arrive at Venice Santa Lucia station — step out and you're immediately on the Grand Canal. Buy a vaporetto (water bus) day pass (~£18) and ride the route 1 down the full length of the Grand Canal. Explore the sestieri (neighbourhoods) of Dorsoduro, Cannaregio and Castello — far less crowded than San Marco. Wander the calli (alleyways), cross hidden bridges and get gloriously lost. Pick up cicchetti (Venetian tapas) from a bacaro (wine bar) for the most authentic and affordable meal in Venice — £1–2 per piece.

🚌FlixBus Ljubljana to Venice ~£15–25, journey ~3.5–4 hours. Vaporetto day pass ~£18 at actv.avmspa.it.

🛏Generator Venice or Ostello Santa Fosca — Venice's best budget options, ~£28–45/night (Venice accommodation is pricier)

• →Grand Canal vaporetto ride (Line 1 end to end) — included in day pass ~£18
• →St Mark's Basilica — free entry (book free timed slot at venetoinside.com)
• →Cicchetti & ombra (small wine) at a bacaro in Cannaregio — £8–15
• →Dorsoduro neighbourhood & Accademia Bridge walk — free
• →Rialto Market — free to browse
• →Optional: Doge's Palace — ~£20 at palazzoducale.visitmuve.it
• →Sunset from Punta della Dogana — free

Your final day in Venice. Rise early and visit St Mark's Square before the day-trippers arrive — it's a completely different experience in the morning calm. Take a vaporetto to the colourful island of Burano (~45 min, included on a travel pass) for its famous lace-making tradition and photogenic rainbow houses. Or head to Murano to watch glassblowers at work (demonstrations are free at many furnaces). Back in Venice, splurge on a final aperitivo — a Spritz Veneziano with cicchetti — the quintessential Venetian send-off. Depart from Venice Marco Polo Airport or Santa Lucia train station onward to your next destination.

🚌Vaporetto island pass for Murano/Burano included in multi-day ACTV pass. Airport bus (ATVO) to Marco Polo ~£8.

🛏Check-out — depart or extend independently

• →St Mark's Square & Basilica early morning — free
• →Vaporetto to Burano island — included in travel pass
• →Burano colourful streets & lace museum — ~£5
• →Optional: Murano glassblowing demonstration — free at most furnaces
• →Optional: Doge's Palace — ~£20 if not visited yesterday
• →Final Spritz Veneziano & cicchetti aperitivo — £8–12
• →Optional: Gondola ride — ~£70–80 per gondola (shared between up to 6 people)