Ultimate Europe Self-Launched: Berlin, Tuscany & Greek Temples (Amsterdam to Athens)

Arrive in Amsterdam and check into a hostel in the Centrum or De Pijp area. Spend the afternoon on a free self-guided wander of the canals — the Jordaan district and the Nine Streets are perfect for orientation. Grab dinner from a FEBO wall or a cheap Indonesian takeaway, then join a hostel bar crawl or a free walking tour tip-based meet-up to find other solo travellers.

🚌Arrive by train from Schiphol (~£5, 15 mins) or walk from Centraal Station

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel in Centrum/De Pijp (£20-30)

• →Canal-side orientation walk
• →Free walking tour (tip-based)
• →Hostel social meet-up

Rent a hostel bike and cycle the canal ring in the morning (£12/day), then take an afternoon IC/ICE train to Berlin via Amersfoort or Hannover. The ride is roughly 6.5 hours and there are no advance cheap fares if booked last-minute, so book on bahn.de in advance for ~£35-50. In Berlin, check into a hostel in Kreuzberg or Mitte and hit a cheap döner place near Kottbusser Tor for dinner.

🚌Amsterdam Centraal to Berlin Hbf by IC train (~6.5 hrs, £35-50 advance)

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel in Kreuzberg/Mitte (£18-28)

• →Bike tour of Amsterdam canals
• →Intercity train to Berlin
• →Kreuzberg nightlife explore

Do a free tip-based walking tour of central Berlin covering the Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie and the Berlin Wall Memorial. Free sites only: the Wall Memorial and the Topography of Terror. Add the Checkpoint Charlie Museum (~£11) and the Fernsehturm (television tower) if you want the view (~£11-20). Rent a bike in the afternoon and ride to Tempelhof Airport, now a sprawling public park.

🚌U-Bahn day ticket (~£8)

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel in Kreuzberg/Mitte (£18-28)

• →Brandenburg Gate (free)
• →Berlin Wall Memorial (free)
• →Checkpoint Charlie Museum (~£11)
• →Fernsehturm visit (~£11-20)
• →Tempelhof Airport park bike ride

Take the morning train to Dresden (~2 hrs, ~£20), stash your bag at the station and wander the Frauenkirche and the Elbe riverfront for 3-4 hours. Then continue on to Prague via RegioJet or Czech Railways (~2.5 hrs, ~£15-20 — book early for the cheapest fares). Check into a hostel in Old Town or Vinohrady and take a self-guided orientation walk through Wenceslas Square.

🚌Berlin–Dresden (~£20) + Dresden–Prague (~£15-20) by train

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel in Old Town/Vinohrady (£12-20)

• →Dresden Frauenkirche and Elbe riverfront
• →Prague Old Town orientation walk
• →RegioJet budget coach option

Self-guided day from the Charles Bridge at sunrise to Prague Castle (250-350 CZK, ~£9-12) and the Old Town Hall clock tower (110-440 CZK). Explore the Jewish Quarter (Josefov, ~10-20 EUR) and hike Petřín Hill for free views. Book a Czech craft beer and food tasting tour on GetYourGuide in the evening (~£35-45), or do it cheaper at a traditional Czech beer hall for ~£12.

🚌Tram/metro day ticket (~£4)

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel in Old Town/Vinohrady (£12-20)

• →Charles Bridge (free)
• →Prague Castle (~£9-12)
• →Old Town Hall clock tower
• →Petřín Hill hike (free)
• →Czech beer and food tasting tour (~£35-45)

Early bus to Český Krumlov (RegioJet/FlixBus ~£7, 3 hrs) — the medieval old town and castle are the highlight and can be done on foot in half a day. Continue by bus or train to Vienna (~£15-22), checking into a hostel near the Westbahnhof or Naschmarkt.

🚌RegioJet bus Prague–Český Krumlov (~£7) + onward bus/train to Vienna (~£15-22)

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel near Westbahnhof/Naschmarkt (£18-28)

• →Český Krumlov old town and castle (free entry to town)
• →Vienna orientation walk: St Stephen's Cathedral, Rathaus, Hofburg

Pick 2-3 paid sights rather than all of them: Schönbrunn Palace (11-15 EUR), Belvedere Palace (19 EUR), or the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Free entry to St Stephen's Cathedral and a stroll through the Naschmarkt. Finish at a traditional Viennese café with a Sacher torte (~£6-8).

🚌U-Bahn day pass (~£7)

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel near Westbahnhof/Naschmarkt (£18-28)

• →Schönbrunn Palace (~£10-13)
• →Belvedere Palace (~£16)
• →Naschmarkt walk (free)
• →St Stephen's Cathedral (free entry)

Train toward Salzburg (~2.5 hrs, ~£25-35). If you want the Königssee detour, take a bus from Salzburg to Berchtesgaden (~£10) — otherwise prioritise Salzburg's Old Town and Hohensalzburg Castle (€13). Mozart's Birthplace and Museum is ~£10. Book a night in a Salzburg hostel or budget guesthouse.

🚌Vienna to Salzburg by train (~£25-35)

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Salzburg (£25-35)

• →Salzburg Old Town walk (free)
• →Hohensalzburg Castle (~£11)
• →Mozart's Birthplace (~£10)

Morning train to Munich via Rosenheim (~1.5-2 hrs, ~£20-30). Check into a hostel near Hauptbahnhof and do a free self-guided walk of the Marienplatz, Frauenkirche and the Viktualienmarkt food market. A litre of beer and a pretzel at a beer garden is the classic Munich budget dinner (~£15).

🚌Salzburg to Munich by train (~£20-30)

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel near Hauptbahnhof (£20-30)

• →Marienplatz and Glockenspiel (free)
• →Frauenkirche (free)
• →Viktualienmarkt food market stroll

Museum day: Alte Pinakothek (~£7) and the Bavarian National Museum (~£7). In the afternoon explore the English Garden and the surfers on the Eisbach river. Hofbräuhaus for the touristy-but-fun beer hall experience if you want it (~£10-30).

🚌MVV day ticket (~£7)

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel near Hauptbahnhof (£20-30)

• →Alte Pinakothek (~£7)
• →Bavarian National Museum (~£7)
• →English Garden and Eisbach surfers (free)
• →Hofbräuhaus visit (free entry, beer extra)

Morning train through the Bavarian Alps to Innsbruck (~1h 45m, ~£20-35). Check into a hostel and stroll Maria-Theresien-Strasse with the Golden Roof. Hop a cable car (Nordkette) for mountain views if the weather is good (~£35 return) — or just hike the local paths for free.

🚌Munich to Innsbruck by train (~£20-35)

🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Innsbruck (£25-35)

• →Maria-Theresien-Strasse walk (free)
• →Golden Roof (free exterior)
• →Nordkette cable car (optional ~£35)

Train via Brenner Pass and Verona to Venice Mestre/Santa Lucia (~5-6 hrs, ~£30-45, book on trenitalia.com in advance). The Dolomites will roll by on your left. Check into a hostel on Mestre (much cheaper than the island) and take a €1.50 vaporetto-ticket-budget strategy: walk, walk, walk.

🚌Innsbruck to Venice by train (~£30-45)

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel in Mestre (£20-32)

• →Scenic Brenner Pass train journey
• →Evening wander of Cannaregio (free)

Get lost in the car-free maze — St Mark's Square, the Rialto, and the ghetto. Do a self-booked street food tour on GetYourGuide (~£40-50), or DIY your own cicchetti crawl for £12-18. The Campanile (€8) and Doge's Palace (~£15) are optional; the Gallerie dell'Accademia is ~£12. Skip the gondola unless you split it with 5 friends — it's £30+ each anyway.

🚌Vaporetto day pass (~£18) or walk + single tickets (~£5)

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel in Mestre (£20-32)

• →St Mark's Square and Basilica (free entry to square)
• →Campanile San Marco lookout (~£7)
• →Doge's Palace (~£15)
• →Cicchetti street food crawl (~£15)

Train to Florence via Bologna (~2h15m, ~£20-40 on Frecciarossa/Italo or ~£15-20 standard). In the afternoon dig into the Mercato Centrale (San Lorenzo) for lampredotto and schiacciata (~£8), then walk the Oltrarno artisan quarter. Book the Uffizi and Accademia online in advance — they sell out and pre-booked tickets skip the line.

🚌Venice to Florence by train (~£20-40)

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel in Santa Maria Novella/San Lorenzo (£22-35)

• →Mercato Centrale food hall (~£8)
• →Oltrarno artisan walk
• →Ponte Vecchio (free)

Big-art day. Uffizi Gallery (booked ahead, ~£20), Galleria dell'Accademia for David (~£12), Duomo complex (~free entry or £25 for the climb), Medici Chapels (~£7), and Boboli Gardens (~£10). Stop for a ravioli or ribollita lunch (~£10). The whole historic centre is walkable.

🚌Entirely walkable

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel in Santa Maria Novella/San Lorenzo (£22-35)

• →Uffizi Gallery (~£20, pre-book)
• →Galleria dell'Accademia (~£12)
• →Duomo climb (~£25) or exterior (free)
• →Boboli Gardens (~£10)

Frecciarossa to Rome Termini (~1h35m, ~£25-45). Book a GetYourGuide food tour in Trastevere in the evening (~£45-55), or DIY it: supplì and pizza al taglio in Testaccio for £10. Overnight in a hostel near Termini or the Castro Pretorio area.

🚌Florence to Rome by high-speed train (~£25-45)

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel near Termini (£22-35)

• →Food tour in Trastevere (~£45-55) or DIY Testaccio food crawl
• →Rome orientation walk (free)

Colosseum + Roman Forum + Palatine Hill combined ticket (~£18-24, pre-book online), then walk to Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona — all free. Vatican Museums/Sistine Chapel is a separate £16-25 and needs pre-booking. Budget two full days if you want both archaeology and the Vatican.

🚌Metro/bus day ticket (~£6)

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel near Termini (Generator Roma is a good option, ~£22-35)

• →Colosseum + Roman Forum (~£24, pre-book)
• →Trevi Fountain (free)
• →Pantheon (~£4)
• →Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel (~£20, pre-book)

Take a morning train to Ancona (~4 hrs, ~£20-30) and board the overnight ferry to Split (Jadrolinija or SNAV, ~£40-70 for a reclining seat or shared cabin — book at jadrolinija.hr). This is the classic backpacker crossing and you wake up arriving in Croatia. Bring a snack, the onboard food is expensive.

🚌Rome–Ancona train (~£20-30) + Ancona–Split ferry (~£40-70)

🛏Overnight ferry seat or shared cabin (~£40-70)

• →Train to Ancona
• →Overnight Adriatic ferry crossing

Dock early in Split and check into the old town hostel. Do a free walking tour of Diocletian's Palace (tip-based) — the palace is a living city, not a museum, so most of it is free to explore. St Duje Cathedral (15-40 HRK, ~£2-5), Bacvice beach, and a sunset walk up Marjan Hill (free).

🚌Ferry terminal to Old Town on foot (10 mins)

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel in Old Town Split (£15-25)

• →Diocletian's Palace free walking tour
• →St Duje Cathedral (~£3)
• →Bacvice Beach swim (free)
• →Marjan Hill sunset walk (free)

Day trip to Brač — the ferry from Split to Supetar is ~£5-8 each way, 50 mins, running several times a day. Supetar is a relaxed fishing town and the famous Zlatni Rat beach at Bol is reachable by local bus. Swim, eat grilled fish (~£12), ferry back for the evening.

🚌Split–Supetar ferry (~£5-8 each way) + local bus (~£3)

🛏Mixed-dorm hostel in Old Town Split (£15-25)

• →Brač ferry and Supetar town
• →Zlatni Rat beach or local coves
• →Grilled fish dinner (~£12)

Intercity bus down the coast to Dubrovnik (~4.5 hrs, ~£15-22, book on FlixBus or getbybus.com). Stop in Ston for 2 hours on the way and walk a stretch of the famous Walls of Ston (the longest fortified wall in Europe, ~£7 entry) — most coastal buses stop here on request, or take an earlier bus and a connecting one.

🚌Coastal bus Split–Ston–Dubrovnik (~£15-22)

🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Dubrovnik Old Town/Lapad (£25-40)

• →Walls of Ston walk (~£7)
• →Pelješac Peninsula coastal drive
• →Dubrovnik arrival

Walk the city walls early to avoid crowds and heat (~£30-35, this is the one splurge everyone does). Do a free tip-based walking tour of the old town, then Srdj Hill hike (free) for the cable-car view without the cable-car price. Kayaking half-day from outside the walls is ~£25-30.

🚌Walkable old town; bus to Lapad (~£2)

🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Dubrovnik (£25-40)

• →City Walls walk (~£30-35)
• →Dubrovnik free walking tour
• →Srdj Hill hike (free)
• →Sea kayaking (~£25-30)

Free day. Swim at Banje Beach, visit the Franciscan Monastery (~£3) and Lovrijenac Fort (included in the walls ticket if timed right), or take a Game of Thrones filming-location walk if that's your thing (~£25). Cheap seafood dinner in Gruž rather than old town saves ~30%.

🚌Local bus (~£2)

🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Dubrovnik (£25-40)

• →Banje Beach swim (free)
• →Franciscan Monastery (~£3)
• →Lovrijenac Fort
• →Game of Thrones walk (~£25, optional)

Bus from Dubrovnik to Kotor via Herceg Novi and the Bay (~2.5-3 hrs, ~£12-18, plus a short ferry at the Bay of Kotor). You'll pass the photogenic Perast and the church on Our Lady of the Rocks. Check into Kotor Old Town hostel; explore the St Tryphon Cathedral and Clock Tower on foot.

🚌Bus Dubrovnik–Kotor via Herceg Novi (~£12-18)

🛏Old Town Kotor hostel (£15-25)

• →Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks (viewing)
• →Kotor Old Town walk
• →St Tryphon Cathedral

Climb the Ladder of Kotor — the fortifications above the old town (~£5 entry, 1,350 steps, allow 1.5-2 hrs up). Free if you take a side route at dawn. Afternoon optional: boat trip to Our Lady of the Rocks or the Blue Cave (~£25-35). Cheap Montenegrin dinner in the old town ~£10-12.

🚌Walkable old town

🛏Old Town Kotor hostel (£15-25)

• →Ladder of Kotor hike (~£5)
• →Blue Cave boat trip (~£25-35, optional)
• →Our Lady of the Rocks boat visit

Bus Kotor–Tirana via Budva and Shkodra (~5-6 hrs, ~£15-22). En route, spot the St Stefan outlook in Montenegro from the bus if it stops (Sveti Stefan is on the coastal route — ask the driver) and glimpse Lake Skadar. Arrive in Tirana and do the free tip-based walking tour of Skanderbeg Square and the colourful Blloku district.

🚌Bus Kotor–Tirana via Budva/Shkodra (~£15-22)

🛏Trip'n'Hostel or similar mixed-dorm in Blloku (£12-20)

• →Lake Skadar National Park (viewing en route)
• →Sveti Stefan outlook
• →Tirana free walking tour

Slow day in Albania's capital. Visit the National History Museum (~£2), the Bunk'Art 1 cold war bunker museum (~£6), and Dajti Express cable car for views (~£8). Explore the food markets and try traditional Albanian tavë kosi or byrek for ~£4-6. Cheapest leg of the trip by far.

🚌City buses (~£0.30 each) or walk

🛏Trip'n'Hostel or similar mixed-dorm in Blloku (£12-20)

• →Bunk'Art 1 (~£6)
• →National History Museum (~£2)
• →Dajti cable car (~£8)
• →Local food market browse

Bus Tirana–Saranda (~5-6 hrs, ~£12-18), then the ferry from Saranda across to Corfu (~1-1.5 hrs, ~£12-20, book on finikaslines.com or joylines.com). Arrive in Corfu Town; consider staying at the famous Pink Palace in Agios Gordios (the backpacker institution from the original trip) or a hostel in the old town for a mix.

🚌Bus Tirana–Saranda (~£12-18) + ferry Saranda–Corfu (~£12-20)

🛏Pink Palace (Agios Gordios, ~£18-28) or Corfu Town hostel (~£20-30)

• →Saranda seafront stop
• →Saranda–Corfu ferry crossing

Beach and village day. Take a public bus to Paleokastritsa (~£3) for the beaches and monastery (free), or the Kanoni Peninsula for Vlacherna Monastery and the Mouse Island views. Olive oil tasting is available at local estates for a small fee (~£5-10). Evening back in Corfu Town for the lively old-town nightlife.

🚌Green KTEL Corfu buses (~£3 per trip)

🛏Pink Palace or Corfu Town hostel (£18-30)

• →Paleokastritsa beaches and monastery
• →Kanoni Peninsula and Vlacherna Monastery
• →Olive oil tasting (~£5-10)
• →Corfu Town old town evening

Free day. Rent a scooter or car between a few people (~£25-40 total) and drive to Canal d'Amour, Sidari or Issos beach; or stay lazy at Agios Gordios. The St Spyridon Cathedral in Corfu Town is free. Cheapest dinner: gyros at £3-4. Big beach-and-swim day before heading to mainland Greece.

🚌Bus or shared car rental (~£5-10 pp)

🛏Pink Palace or Corfu Town hostel (£18-30)

• →Canal d'Amour or Issos beach
• →St Spyridon Cathedral (free)
• →Gyros and seafood in Corfu Town
• →Scooter or car rental (split cost)

Long travel day. Ferry back to Igoumenitsa (~£10-15), then bus or shared transfer to Kalambaka via Ioannina (~6-7 hrs, ~£25-35). If you'd rather split it, overnight in Ioannina. Arrive in the Meteora area and book a sunset Meteora tour — a GetYourGuide half-day tour is ~£35-50 — or take a local KTEL bus up to the monasteries yourself (much cheaper, ~£3).

🚌Ferry (~£10-15) + bus to Kalambaka (~£25-35)

🛏Guesthouse or hotel in Kalambaka (£25-40)

• →Ferry to Igoumenitsa
• →Sunset Meteora tour (~£35-50) or self-guided monastery bus

Morning free to see a second or third monastery (each is ~€3, dress-code: covered shoulders and trousers). Then bus Kalambaka to Delphi via Trikala/Lamia (~5-6 hrs, ~£20-30, likely one change). Overnight in the modern village of Delphi (Arachova is lovely but upmarket).

🚌KTEL bus Kalambaka–Delphi (~£20-30)

🛏Hotel Castri or similar in Delphi (£30-45)

• →Meteora monasteries (€3 each)
• →Bus to Delphi via Trikala/Lamia

Morning at the Delphi Archaeological Site and museum — the Temple of Apollo, the Treasury of the Athenians, the theatre (~£12 entry, allow 3-4 hrs). Then bus to Athens (~2.5-3 hrs, ~£12-18). Arrive in Athens and do a free tip-based walking tour of Plaka and the Acropolis foothills. Try street souvlaki for ~£4.

🚌KTEL bus Delphi–Athens (~£12-18)

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Monastiraki/Plaka (£20-32)

• →Delphi Archaeological Site and Temple of Apollo (~£12)
• →Athens free walking tour
• →Plaka and Monastiraki evening

Final day. Acropolis and Parthenon (~£15-20 with pre-booked ticket), the Acropolis Museum (~£10) and the Ancient Agora (~£8) if you have time. The Shedia Home (the social-enterprise café the original tour visits) is a great spot for a final coffee and to support a good cause. Depart Athens by air or ferry.

🚌Metro to airport (~£8) or ferry onward

🛏Overnight in Monastiraki/Plaka if departing next day (£20-32)

• →Acropolis and Parthenon (~£15-20)
• →Acropolis Museum (~£10)
• →Ancient Agora (~£8)
• →Shedia Home café visit