Cities of Europe: Self-Launched Edition
13 days · London to Amsterdam (UK, France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands)
G Adventures charges £1,850
No-markup version: ~£1,280 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 13-day DIY version of the classic five-country Europe sampler — London, Paris, Rome, Florence, Venice, Munich and Amsterdam — using Eurostar, budget flights, regional trains and a sleeper instead of a group tour leader. You book your own hostel dorms and budget rooms, plan your own orientation walks, and pick the optional activities you actually want. Same highlights: Eiffel Tower picnic, Piazzale Michelangelo sunset, Venice canals, a Munich biergarten and an Amsterdam night out. Costs are realistic backpacker estimates in GBP and will vary with season and how far ahead you book.
Day-by-day
Arrive London
London, UK
Land at Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted and get into town on the cheap. From Heathrow take the Piccadilly line to King's Cross (~£5.50, about 1 hour); from Gatwick the Southern train to Victoria then the Victoria line; from Stansted the National Express coach (~£10). Check into a King's Cross or Bloomsbury hostel dorm. Spend the late afternoon wandering Regent's Park or the South Bank and grab a £6-8 meal in a Chinatown or Camden canteen. Book your Eurostar to Paris tonight for a cheaper fare.
🚌Piccadilly line or National Express coach into central London, £5-10
🛏King's Cross / Bloomsbury hostel dorm, 4-6 bed (~£30)
- →Self-guided walk along the South Bank
- →Camden or Borough Market food browse
London to Paris via the Channel Tunnel
Paris, France
Book a morning or midday Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord — 2h20, £45-90 if booked 4-8 weeks ahead (book direct on eurostar.com). Drop bags at a Canal Saint-Martin or Montmartre hostel. Do your own orientation walk: Louvre courtyards, Pont Neuf, Île de la Cité and Notre-Dame, then buy a baguette, cheese and a bottle of wine for the classic Eiffel Tower picnic on the Champ de Mars. Evening wander up Montmartre for the Sacré-Cœur sunset (free).
🚌Eurostar £45-90; Métro single €2.15, carnet of 10 ~£16
🛏Paris hostel dorm, Canal Saint-Martin or Montmartre (~£33)
- →Eurostar crossing to Paris
- →Self-guided city orientation walk
- →Eiffel Tower picnic
- →Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur at sunset
Free day in Paris
Paris, France
Pre-book the museum you care about most: Louvre €22 (~£19), Musée d'Orsay €16, or Rodin €14. Alternatively do a free walking tour (tip £5-10) then walk the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe (rooftop €16). Afternoon: Père Lachaise cemetery, Canal Saint-Martin or a picnic in the Buttes-Chaumont. Eat cheap — falafel in the Marais, crêpes in Montparnasse, or a fixed-price menu du jour for €15-18.
🚌Métro and walking, ~£6
🛏Paris hostel dorm (~£33)
- →Louvre or Musée d'Orsay (pre-booked online)
- →Champs-Élysées and Arc de Triomphe rooftop
- →Free tips-based city walking tour
Fly to Rome
Rome, Italy
Fly Orly or Beauvais to Rome Ciampino or Fiumicino on easyJet, Ryanair or Vueling — £25-55 if booked early, 2h. From Ciampino the shuttle bus to Termini is €7. Check into a hostel near Termini or Monti. Self-guided orientation walk: Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps. Step into the Pantheon (€5) and get dinner in Trastevere — cacio e pepe for €12-14.
🚌Flight £25-55; Ciampino shuttle €7; 24h metro/bus pass €7
🛏Rome hostel dorm near Termini or Monti (~£30)
- →Budget flight to Rome
- →Baroque piazzas self-guided walk
- →Pantheon visit
- →Trastevere dinner stroll
Ancient Rome day
Rome, Italy
Pre-book the Colosseum + Roman Forum combined ticket (€18-24, colosseumroma.it) for a timed slot at opening to dodge the worst queues. Afternoon: Circle of the Imperial Fora, Capitoline Hill and the Pantheon area again or a free walking tour. If you want the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, book a timed entry online (€20-25) for tomorrow morning or today's late slot. Eat away from tourist squares: pizza al taglio £4-6, supplì £2, gelato £3.
🚌Metro and walking, ~£5
🛏Rome hostel dorm (~£30)
- →Colosseum and Roman Forum (timed ticket)
- →Capitoline Hill and Circus Maximus walk
- →Optional Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
Train to Florence, sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo
Florence, Italy
Take a Trenitalia Frecciarossa Rome Termini to Firenze S.M. Novella — 1h35, €30-50 if booked ahead (regional Intercity is €19-25 and slower). Book bologna-avoiding super-economy fares 2-4 weeks out. Check into a hostel in Santa Croce or near the station. Afternoon self-guided walk through the centre and over the Arno, crossing at Ponte Vecchio, then climb to Piazzale Michelangelo for the free panoramic sunset. Dinner: lampredotto sandwich £5 or a trattoria plate for €12.
🚌Trenitalia Frecciarossa €19-50; walking in the centre
🛏Florence hostel dorm, Santa Croce area (~£30)
- →High-speed train to Florence
- →Ponte Vecchio crossing
- →Piazzale Michelangelo sunset walk
Free day in Florence
Florence, Italy
Pre-book the Uffizi (€25) or Galleria dell'Accademia for David (€16 plus booking) if you want guaranteed entry. Alternatively: free Duomo cathedral entry (cupola climb €30), Medici Chapels €12-17, or a San Lorenzo Market food walk. Afternoon options: a bus to Fiesole for views, a half-day Chianti wine trip (~£50 via GetYourGuide), or a slow afternoon in the Oltrarno artisan lanes.
🚌Walking and local bus, ~£4
🛏Florence hostel dorm (~£30)
- →Uffizi Gallery or Accademia (David) pre-booked
- →Duomo and Baptistery area
- →San Lorenzo market food browse
- →Optional Chianti wine day trip
Train to Venice
Venice, Italy
Take a Frecciarossa or Intercity Florence to Venezia Santa Lucia — 2h05-3h, €20-45 booked ahead. Exit the station to the Grand Canal — that first view is free. Check into a hostel in Santa Croce or Dorsoduro (Venice is expensive — book early, ~£35-45 dorm). Self-guided canal walk: Rialto Bridge, the markets, San Polo lanes. Do the Grand Canal by vaporetto line 1 or 2 as a £9.50 'boat tour' instead of a €80 gondola. Evening: cicchetti and ombra wine around Campo Santa Margherita, £10-12.
🚌Train €20-45; vaporetto one-way €9.50
🛏Venice hostel dorm, Santa Croce or Dorsoduro (~£38)
- →Train to Venice
- →Rialto Bridge and canal-side walk
- →vaporetto ride down the Grand Canal
- →Cicchetti crawl in Dorsoduro
Venice islands, then overnight train to Munich
Venice to Munich (overnight train)
Morning free in Venice: Basilica di San Marco (free entry, £3 for the Pala d'Oro — pre-book to skip queues), the Doge's Palace (€30) if you're into it, or a cheap vaporetto hop to Murano for glass workshops. Store bags at the station (£5). In the evening board the Nightjet sleeper Venice–Munich (3-berth couchette or 6-berth, €60-110 booked weeks ahead on nightjet.com) — or, if the sleeper is sold out, take a daytime ÖBB train via Verona and Innsbruck (€40-60).
🚌Vaporetto £9.50; ÖBB Nightjet €60-110
🛏Overnight train couchette
- →St Mark's Basilica (pre-booked entry)
- →Murano island vaporetto hop
- →Nightjet sleeper to Munich
Arrive Munich
Munich, Germany
Arrive Munich Hbf early. Check in (or drop bags) at a hostel in Haidhausen or near the station. Self-guided walk: Marienplatz and the Glockenspiel, the Viktualienmarkt food stalls (bratwurst £4, pretzel £1.50), Frauenkirche, and the surfers at the Eisbach wave. Evening in a classic beer hall — Augustiner Keller or Hofbräuhaus — budget £15-20 for a beer and a plate.
🚌Walking and U-Bahn, ~£6
🛏Munich hostel dorm, Haidhausen (~£32)
- →Marienplatz and Glockenspiel
- →Viktualienmarkt food tasting
- →Eisbach river surfers
- →Beer hall dinner
Day trip or Dachau
Munich / Bavaria
Pick one: the Dachau Memorial Site — free entry, S2 train to Dachau then bus 726, total ~£8 and a sobering half-day; or the fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle, best done on the Bayern-Ticket (€29-39 for up to 5 people, so split with hostel mates) plus castle entry €21 — a 10-11 hour day; or stay local and laze in the Englischer Garten with a beer garden lunch under the chestnut trees. All work well independently.
🚌Bayern-Ticket €29-39 shared; or S-Bahn ~£8; or U-Bahn ~£6
🛏Munich hostel dorm (~£32)
- →Dachau Memorial Site self-guided visit
- →Neuschwanstein Castle day trip
- →Englischer Garten and beer garden
Train to Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Take the direct ICE International Munich to Amsterdam Centraal — 7h30-8h via Frankfurt and Cologne, €40-80 booked ahead on bahn.de (book 3+ months out for the cheapest fares). Alternative: a budget flight Munich–Schiphol if the train price is high. Check into a hostel in Amsterdam-Noord or near the Vondelpark (Amsterdam is pricey — book early, ~£40 dorm). Evening free walk through the canal ring, the Nine Streets and the Red Light District; finish with a beer at a brown café (£6).
🚌ICE train €40-80; or flight £30-70
🛏Amsterdam hostel dorm, Noord or Vondelpark area (~£40)
- →ICE train to Amsterdam
- →Canal ring and Nine Streets evening walk
- →Red Light District wander
Amsterdam farewell
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Last morning: rent a bike for a few hours (£8-10) and ride the Vondelpark and Jordaan, or do a budget canal cruise (£15-18 booked on GetYourGuide). Visit the Albert Cuyp Market for stroopwafels (£2) and a cheap lunch. Then head to Schiphol by train (€5.60, 15 mins) for your onward or home flight — or add a couple of extra days in the Netherlands if you've got the time.
🚌Bike hire £8-10; Schiphol train €5.60
🛏Departure day (no accommodation included)
- →Bike rental around Vondelpark
- →Albert Cuyp Market
- →Optional budget canal cruise
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,280 | £1,850 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £570 per person (31%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,280
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 Cities of Europe: Self-Launched Edition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,280 per person for 13 days in London to Amsterdam (UK, France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands). 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,850 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,280 — a saving of roughly £570 (31%) per person.
How long is the London to Amsterdam (UK, France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands) trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 day-by-day stops through London to Amsterdam (UK, France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands).
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 city-breaks, budget, backpacker trip through London to Amsterdam (UK, France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands), 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?
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