Spain, France & Switzerland: Self-Launched Edition (Madrid → Zurich)
12 days · Spain, France and Switzerland
Europamundo charges £2,335
No-markup version: ~£1,140 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of Europamundo's 12-day Madrid-to-Zurich coach tour, rebuilt for solo and small-group independent travellers. Same spine of cities — Madrid, Zaragoza, Poblet, Barcelona, Paris, Beaune, Lyon, Geneva/Neuchâtel, Zurich, Lucerne/Interlaken/Grindelwald — but using hostels and budget guesthouses, public high-speed rail and regional buses, and self-bookable tours via GetYourGuide or direct with each attraction. Roughly a third of the operator price while giving you full control over pacing, departure times and who you spend your days with. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget rates in GBP and will shift with season, how early you book, and whether you share a dorm or a private room.
Day-by-day
Arrive Madrid — Plaza Mayor & La Latina
Madrid, Spain
Land at Barajas (T4), take the Metro L8 + L10 or the 24h Exprés Aeropuerto bus (~£5) into the centre rather than a taxi. Check into a hostel in Sol/La Latina/Huertas. Spend the late afternoon wandering Plaza Mayor and the lanes of La Latina, then eat at a menú del día spot — three courses plus wine for around £10-12, well below the tour's Plaza Mayor dinner suggestion. Optional: book a flamenco tablao direct (Cardamomo, Casa Patas, or a small GetYourGuide show) from ~£25-35 rather than the operator's £70 dinner-show package.
🚌Airport Metro/L8 + L10 (~£5) or Exprés Aeropuerto bus (~£5); all central sightseeing on foot
🛏Hostel dorm in Sol/La Latina (~£18-25); private double in a budget hostal ~£45-60
- →Plaza Mayor
- →La Latina tapas lanes
- →Menú del día dinner
- →Optional flamenco show
Madrid — Prado, Retiro & Bernabéu
Madrid, Spain
Do your own walking version of the panoramic city tour: Paseo del Prado, Plaza de Cibeles, Puerta de Alcalá, Plaza de Colón, then into Retiro Park to see the Palacio de Cristal. Join a free (tip-based, ~£8-12) Sandemans or GuruWalk walking tour for context. Afternoon: Santiago Bernabéu stadium tour tickets are booked direct online (~£25-30) — book a slot in advance. Museums: the Prado is free 18:00-20:00 daily (arrive early), Thyssen and Reina Sofía similar free windows.
🚌Madrid Metro single ~£1.35-1.70; consider the 10-trip Metrobús ticket (~£10.50) if you're moving a lot
🛏Same hostel as Day 1
- →Free walking tour (tip-based)
- →Retiro Park & Palacio de Cristal
- →Paseo del Prado & Cibeles
- →Santiago Bernabéu stadium tour (book direct)
- →Free evening entry to Prado
Madrid → Zaragoza → Barcelona
Zaragoza & Barcelona, Spain
Take a Renfe AVE or Alvia train Madrid-Puerta de Atocha to Zaragoza-Delicias (~1h20, book early on Renfe for ~£25-45). Store bags at the station, walk to the Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar (free entry to the basilica; tower lift small fee), and grab lunch. Continue by AVE Zaragoza to Barcelona Sants (~1h30, ~£30-50 booked ahead). You can also just ride straight through to Barcelona and stop in Zaragoza on another day, but the stop works well. The tour's included Poblet Abbey detour needs a car — realistically skip it or swap for a Montserrat day trip later. Check into a hostel in Eixample or Gràcia.
🚌Renfe AVE Madrid-Zaragoza (~£25-45) + Zaragoza-Barcelona (~£30-50); book 1-2 months out for cheapest fares
🛏Hostel dorm in Eixample/Gràcia (~£18-26); budget hotel ~£55-75
- →Basilica del Pilar, Zaragoza
- →Old town Zaragoza walk
- →Evening arrival in Barcelona
Barcelona — Gothic Quarter & Sagrada Família
Barcelona, Spain
Walk the Ramblas down to Maremagnum and Columbus Square, then loop into the Gothic Quarter and Born on a free walking tour (~£8-12 tip). Book the Sagrada Família direct at sagradafamilia.org — timed entry with tower is ~£28-34, and it sells out days ahead, so reserve before you leave home rather than the tour's £65 guided option. Late afternoon: Bunkers del Carmel for sunset city views (free), or a glass of cava in Gràcia. Public transport here is cheap on a T-casual 10-ride card (~£10).
🚌T-casual 10-ride metro card ~£10; Gothic Quarter on foot
🛏Same Barcelona hostel
- →Las Ramblas & Maremagnum
- →Gothic Quarter free walking tour
- →Sagrada Família (book direct)
- →Bunkers del Carmel sunset
Barcelona → Paris by High-Speed Train
Paris, France
Skip the coach — the TGV/AVE Barcelona Sants to Paris Gare de Lyon runs direct in ~6.5 hours (~£40-90 if booked 2-3 months ahead on Renfe-SNCF or Trainline; often far cheaper than same-week prices). Bring lunch for the ride. Arrive in Paris, take the Metro (a Navigo Easy card or a carnet of 10 t+ tickets, ~£15) to a hostel in the 10th/11th/18th arrondissement. Evening: cheap dinner near Canal Saint-Martin or Belleville — look for a plat du jour or a €12-15 formule.
🚌TGV Barcelona-Paris (~£40-90 booked ahead); Paris Metro carnet ~£15
🛏Hostel dorm in central Paris (~£30-45); budget hotel ~£70-100
- →Scenic TGV journey
- →Arrival stroll along Canal Saint-Martin
Paris — City Walking Day & Montmartre
Paris, France
Make your own panoramic day: Île de la Cité, Notre-Dame exterior, the Louvre (book a timed ticket ~£20 direct; free first Friday evenings), and Tuileries. Do a free Montmartre walking tour in the afternoon (~£10-12 tip) covering Sacré-Cœur, Place du Tertre and the old artists' quarter. Optional in the evening: a Seine river cruise is far cheaper booked direct on Vedettes du Pont Neuf or Bateaux-Mouches (~£12-18) than the tour's night-tour add-on. Skip the £160 Moulin Rouge fee unless it's a must — small cabarets are cheaper.
🚌Metro carnet; walking between central sights
🛏Same Paris hostel
- →Louvre (timed direct ticket)
- →Notre-Dame & Île de la Cité
- →Montmartre free walking tour
- →Optional cheap Seine cruise (direct)
Paris — Eiffel Tower & Seine
Paris, France
Book the Eiffel Tower second-floor ticket direct at toureiffel.paris (~£15-20; summit ~£25) well in advance — the operator doesn't upcharge this, so it's a straight saving versus a package. Alternatives: climb the stairs to the 2nd floor for less and shorter queues. Afterwards walk the Champ de Mars, cross to Trocadéro, and take an evening Vedettes du Pont Neuf cruise (~£14, booked direct or on GetYourGuide). Optional day trip: Versailles by RER C (~£8 return plus palace ticket ~£18 direct) if you'd rather swap this day out.
🚌Metro/RER for Eiffel Tower (~£2-3 each way); RER C for optional Versailles ~£8 return
🛏Same Paris hostel
- →Eiffel Tower 2nd floor (book direct)
- →Champ de Mars & Trocadéro
- →Seine river cruise (direct booking)
- →Optional Versailles day trip (RER C)
Paris → Beaune → Lyon
Beaune & Lyon, France
Take a TER/Intercités or TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to Beaune (~2h, ~£25-40). Spend a few hours in Beaune's old town — the Hôtel-Dieu almshouse with its famous tiled roof is ~£10, and the Burgundy wine museum (Musée du Vin) is a small fee. If you're a foodie, taste wine at a négociant cellar. Then continue TER Beaune to Lyon (~1h45, ~£20-30). Check into a hostel around Vieux Lyon or the Presqu'île. Evening: a Lyon bouchon for regional food if your budget stretches (~£20-28), otherwise a cheap traiteur dinner.
🚌TGV/TER Paris-Beaune (~£25-40) + TER Beaune-Lyon (~£20-30); book on SNCF Connect
🛏Hostel dorm in Vieux Lyon/Presqu'île (~£22-32); budget hotel ~£55-80
- →Beaune old town walk
- →Hôtel-Dieu des Hospices de Beaune (optional)
- →Burgundy wine museum / tasting (optional)
- →Lyon bouchon dinner (optional)
Lyon → Geneva → Neuchâtel → Zurich
Geneva, Neuchâtel & Zurich, Switzerland
Rail day across Switzerland (this is where the operator's coach is genuinely beaten by trains). Take a TER from Lyon to Geneva (~2h, ~£25-35). Drop into the old town, walk the lakeside and see the Jet d'Eau and the English Garden; the Palais des Nations is a bus ride out if you care. Continue by Swiss IC train Geneva to Neuchâtel (~1h40, ~£30-40 with a Saver Day Pass) for a lake walk and the old town and 10th-century castle. Finally Neuchâtel to Zurich HB (~1h45, ~£35-45). Swiss fares are famously expensive — buy a Saver Day Pass (~£55) if you're doing several legs the same day, and check the half-fare card maths. Check into a hostel in Zurich's Niederdorf or Langstrasse.
🚌TER Lyon-Geneva (~£25-35) + Swiss IC Geneva-Neuchâtel-Zurich (~£55 with Saver Day Pass)
🛏Hostel dorm in Zurich (~£35-50); budget hotel ~£90-130
- →Geneva old town & Jet d'Eau
- →Neuchâtel lakeside & castle
- →Scenic Swiss rail journey
- →Zurich arrival evening
Zurich — Old Town & Lake Cruise to Rapperswil
Zurich, Switzerland
Do a self-guided Zurich old town walk (Niederdorf, Grossmünster towers ~£5, Fraumünster, Bahnhofstrasse), then take the S7/S-Bahn or a short cruise down Lake Zurich to Rapperswil (~45 min by train, ~£8-12 with a zone ticket). Walk up to Rapperswil Castle and the rose gardens, then return by boat (ZSG lake cruise ~£8-15, cheaper than a package) or train. Budget-wise Switzerland bites — a supermarket picnic (Coop/Migros) saves £15+ versus a lakeside lunch.
🚌Zurich S-Bahn to Rapperswil (~£8-12 each way); ZSG lake cruise ~£8-15; local tram ~£3
🛏Same Zurich hostel
- →Zurich old town self-guided walk
- →Grossmünster tower (optional)
- →Rapperswil Castle & rose gardens
- →Lake Zurich cruise or train return
Zurich → Interlaken/Grindelwald → Lucerne → Zurich
Interlaken, Grindelwald & Lucerne, Switzerland
Cable-car mountain day, done independently. Take an early IC train Zurich to Interlaken Ost (~2h, ~£30-40 with a Saver Day Pass), then the BOB train to Grindelwald (~35 min). Ride the Eiger Express gondola or the Männlichen/First cable car (prices vary ~£30-45) to a mountain summit and walk the First Cliff Walk or a section of the suspended bridge — much cheaper than a package. Descend, then train to Lucerne (~1h45), see the Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument, and return to Zurich (~50 min). Alternatively, a full-day Mount Titlis excursion booked direct is ~£110-140, versus the operator's £185 add-on. Pack a lunch or eat at a mountain hut (~£15-20).
🚌Swiss Travel Pass/Saver Day Pass (~£55) covers Zurich-Interlaken-Grindelwald-Lucerne-Zurich in one day
🛏Same Zurich hostel
- →Grindelwald First cable car & Cliff Walk (book direct)
- →Interlaken views
- →Lucerne Chapel Bridge & Lion Monument
- →Optional Mount Titlis (direct, ~£110-140)
Zurich — Departure
Zurich, Switzerland
Breakfast, then head to Zurich Airport by S-Bahn (S2/S16, ~15 min, ~£5) or tram. If you have a late flight, use a luggage locker at the station and squeeze in one last old town coffee or the Kunsthaus if you haven't already. This is where the self-launched version ends — with all your own booking references, not the group's.
🚌Zurich S-Bahn to airport (~£5); consider a ZurichCARD for zone travel if leaving later
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional Kunsthaus Zurich (last morning)
- →S-Bahn to airport
Self-launched vs. Europamundo
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Europamundo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,140 | £2,335 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,195 per person (51%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Europamundo-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,140
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 Spain, France & Switzerland: Self-Launched Edition (Madrid → Zurich) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,140 per person for 12 days in Spain, France and Switzerland. 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 £2,335 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,140 — a saving of roughly £1,195 (51%) per person.
How long is the Spain, France and Switzerland trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 day-by-day stops through Spain, France and Switzerland.
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, backpacker trip through Spain, France and Switzerland, 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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