Jewels of Europe (Self-Launched: Paris to Vatican City)
18 days · Western & Central Europe
Europamundo charges £2,819
No-markup version: ~£1,523 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, backpacker-paced version of Europamundo's 18-day "Jewels of Europe" coach tour from Paris to Vatican City. Instead of a 72-person bus and 4-star hotels, you'll use high-speed trains, budget flights/ferries and overnight buses between nine countries, staying in hostels and budget guesthouses and booking activities directly. Same headline sights — Eiffel Tower, British Museum, Amsterdam canals, Berlin Wall, Prague Castle, the Alps at Grindelwald, Pisa and the Colosseum — but on your own timetable and roughly a third of the operator's price. Costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP and vary with season and how far ahead you book.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Paris — Latin Quarter & Seine at dusk
Paris, France
Land in Paris and check into a hostel in the 10th/11th arrondissement or Montmartre (Generator Paris or St Christopher's Canal are solid, sociable options, ~£28-38/dorm). Grab a Navigo Easy or a packet of t+ metro tickets (~£1.90/ride) and orient yourself on foot: Notre-Dame exterior, Shakespeare & Company, the Latin Quarter. Evening: walk the Seine banks to the Eiffel Tower and watch it sparkle on the hour (free).
🚌RER B from CDG to central Paris (~£10.50) + metro tickets
🛏Hostel dorm, central Paris (~£30/night)
- →Self-guided Seine walk
- →Eiffel Tower sparkle (free)
- →Latin Quarter wander
Paris sightseeing + Palace of Versailles
Paris, France
Skip the guided panoramic coach tour and use the metro. Morning: Louvre timed-entry ticket booked direct on the museum site (~£19) or free-look at the Tuileries and Palais Royal. Afternoon: RER C to Versailles (~£3.50 each way); palace + gardens entry ~£18-20 booked on the official chateau site. Return via Montmartre and Sacre-Coeur for sunset over the city.
🚌Metro + RER C to Versailles (~£7 return)
🛏Hostel dorm, central Paris (~£30/night)
- →Louvre (booked direct, ~£19)
- →Palace of Versailles + gardens (~£19)
- →Montmartre & Sacre-Coeur (free)
Eiffel Tower to 2nd floor, then Paris to Rouen
Rouen, France
Book Eiffel Tower second-floor lift tickets well in advance (~£19) directly on toureiffel.paris. After lunch, take a TER/Intercite train from Gare Saint-Lazare to Rouen Rive Droite (~1h30, ~£15-22). Explore Rouen's half-timbered old town, the Gros-Horloge and the Cathedral (the Monet series). The River Seine boat cruise in the original can be done on a Batobus hop-on-hop-off pass instead (~£17).
🚌Train Paris Gare Saint-Lazare to Rouen (~£18, 1h30)
🛏Budget guesthouse near Rouen centre (~£35/night)
- →Eiffel Tower 2nd floor (pre-booked ~£19)
- →Batobus Seine hop-on-hop-off (~£17)
- →Rouen old town & Cathedral (free)
Rouen to London via ferry (English Channel)
London, UK
Do the old operator's Rouen–Canterbury–London leg independently. Train Rouen to Dieppe (~£12), then DFDS/LD Lines ferry Dieppe–Newhaven (~£25-35 booked ahead), then direct Southern train Newhaven to London Victoria (~£20, or cheaper split-fare). Optional Canterbury stop en route (Southeastern train). Check into a hostel in King's Cross or Earl's Court (~£35/dorm). Evening walk: Tower Bridge and the South Bank.
🚌Train + DFDS ferry + Southern rail (~£60 total)
🛏London hostel dorm (~£35/night)
- →English Channel ferry crossing
- →Tower Bridge & South Bank walk (free)
- →Optional Canterbury Cathedral stop (~£15)
London free day — British Museum, Parliament, Buckingham Palace
London, UK
Skip the guided coach loop and self-tour: British Museum (free, book a slot), walk to Trafalgar Square and down Whitehall to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Time it for the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (free, check dates). Afternoon: Soho, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus. Optional hop-on-hop-off bus only if you want it (~£25); the Tube (~£2.80/ride, capped) is cheaper.
🚌London Tube/Oyster (~£8/day capped)
🛏London hostel dorm (~£35/night)
- →British Museum (free)
- →Buckingham Palace Changing of the Guard (free)
- →Westminster & South Bank walk (free)
London to Harwich — overnight ferry to the Netherlands
Harwich / North Sea ferry
Morning: optional Colchester stop (direct Greater Anglia train from Liverpool St, ~£12, 50 min) for the castle and town. Then train onward to Harwich for the Stena Line overnight ferry to Hook of Holland (~£45-60 for a bunk/seat booked ahead; depart ~23:00, arrive ~08:00). Arrive fresh in the Netherlands the next morning — a much easier crossing than the tour's early-morning Harwick–Hoek bus transfer.
🚌Greater Anglia train to Harwich + Stena Line ferry (~£60)
🛏Stena Line ferry berth/seat (~£50)
- →Colchester castle & town (optional ~£12)
- →Stena Line North Sea ferry
- →Overnight crossing to Netherlands
Ferry arrives — Volendam and Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Arrive Hook of Holland and take the train up to Amsterdam Centraal (~£20, 1h20) — stop off at Volendam, the old fishing village, if you like (bus 316 from Edam or a quick trip out). Check into a hostel in the Jordaan or near Vondelpark (~£30/dorm). Explore the canals on foot and over a bike rental (~£10/day) instead of the £50 tourist boat; a GVB day ticket is ~£8. Evening: Museumplein and the Rembrandt statue.
🚌Ferry arrival + NS train to Amsterdam Centraal (~£20)
🛏Amsterdam hostel dorm (~£30/night)
- →Volendam fishing village (optional)
- →Bike rental & canal-ring cycle (~£10)
- →Museumplein & Rembrandtplein (free)
Amsterdam to Berlin by train
Berlin, Germany
Book an Intercity/Berlin-bound train (~6h, ~£40-55 if booked early; the tour bus took far longer). Optional Hamelin stop if you route via the Harz, or just arrive and settle in. Check into a hostel in Kreuzberg or Mitte (~£25/dorm). Evening wander around the East Side Gallery and the Spree — the Berlin Wall at its most iconic, and free.
🚌International/intercity train Amsterdam-Berlin (~£45)
🛏Berlin hostel dorm (~£25/night)
- →Long-distance train to Berlin
- →East Side Gallery walk (free)
- →Kreuzberg evening stroll (free)
Berlin self-guided history day
Berlin, Germany
Walk or bike the Berlin history circuit: Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag (free, register online in advance for the dome), Museum Island, the TV Tower, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and the Berlin Wall Memorial (all free/near-free). For deeper history, book the Sachsenhausen Memorial day trip (allow ~£12 transport + optional guide ~£20 via GetYourGuide).
🚌Berlin AB day ticket (~£8)
🛏Berlin hostel dorm (~£25/night)
- →Brandenburg Gate & Reichstag (free, book dome ahead)
- →Holocaust Memorial (free)
- →Berlin Wall Memorial (free)
- →Optional Sachsenhausen Memorial tour (~£20)
Berlin to Prague via Dresden
Prague, Czechia
Take a train from Berlin to Dresden (~2h, ~£20) for a stop to see the rebuilt Frauenkirche and Zwinger, then a FlixTrain/RegioJet onward to Prague (~£15-25, 2h30). Czech trains and buses are cheap. Check into a hostel in Zizkov or the Old Town (~£18/dorm). Evening: Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock at night.
🚌Train Berlin-Dresden-Prague (~£40 total)
🛏Prague hostel dorm (~£18/night)
- →Dresden old town stop (free)
- →Train to Prague via Dresden
- →Old Town Square at night (free)
Prague castle, Old Town and Vltava
Prague, Czechia
Self-tour Prague: cross Charles Bridge early to beat crowds, then Prague Castle (entry to St Vitus Cathedral + Golden Lane ~£10 with the combined ticket booked at the castle). Wander Mala Strana, the John Lennon Wall and the Old Town Square. Swap the tour's included boat for a cheap Vltava river cruise (~£12 on Klook) or just stroll the embankments. Evening in Vinohrady for food and beer.
🚌Tram day pass (~£4)
🛏Prague hostel dorm (~£18/night)
- →Charles Bridge & Prague Castle (~£10)
- →Vltava river cruise (~£12)
- →Old Town & Astronomical Clock (free)
Prague to Innsbruck via Munich
Innsbruck, Austria
Train or RegioJet bus Prague to Munich (~5h, ~£25-35), a couple of hours to see Marienplatz and the surfers at the Eisbach. Then onward to Innsbruck (~2h, ~£20-25). The tour promised a spectacular Innsbruck-Zurich rail ride that got pulled; do yourself a favour and don't skip the Innsbruck–Zurich stretch tomorrow. Check into a hostel in Innsbruck's old town (~£25/dorm).
🚌Train/bus Prague-Munich-Innsbruck (~£50 total)
🛏Innsbruck hostel dorm (~£25/night)
- →Munich stop — Marienplatz & Eisbach (free)
- →Golden Roof & Innsbruck old town (free)
Innsbruck & Swarovski Kristallwelten
Innsbruck / Wattens, Austria
Visit the Swarovski Kristallwelten in Wattens (shuttle bus from Innsbruck main station, ~£8 return; entry ~£19 booked online). Back in Innsbruck, ride the Nordkette cable car for alpine views (~£35 return) or hike the easy Patscherkofel trails for free. Evening: an Austrian mountain dinner, optionally with a folkloric Tyrolean show (book direct ~£40, cheaper than the tour's add-on).
🚌Shuttle bus + local bus (~£10)
🛏Innsbruck hostel dorm (~£25/night)
- →Swarovski Kristallwelten (~£19)
- →Nordkette cable car or alpine hike (~£35 or free)
- →Tyrolean evening (optional ~£40)
Innsbruck to Zurich via scenic Arlberg rail; Grindelwald & Lucerne
Zurich / Grindelwald / Lucerne, Switzerland
Take the spectacular Innsbruck–Zurich train through the Arlberg (~3h45, ~£40-50) — the highlight the original operator quietly dropped. Base in Zurich or Lucerne (Swiss hostels ~£35-45/dorm). Day out to Grindelwald via Interlaken (~£35 rail with a Swiss Travel Pass day), ride the Grindelwald First cable car (~£45) for the Cliff Walk, and stop in Lucerne for the Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument. Switzerland is pricey — budget consciously.
🚌Rail Innsbruck-Zurich + Grindelwald day trip (~£75)
🛏Swiss hostel dorm (~£40/night)
- →Arlberg scenic rail Innsbruck-Zurich (~£45)
- →Grindelwald First cable car & Cliff Walk (~£45)
- →Lucerne Chapel Bridge (free)
Zurich to Milan via Bellinzona and Como
Milan, Italy
Take the train south through the Gotthard to Bellinzona, Switzerland (~2h30, ~£40) to see its three medieval castles (Castelgrande free to walk up). Then continue into Italy to Como for the lake and Duomo, and on to Milan (~£15). Check into a hostel near Centrale or Navigli (~£28/dorm). Evening: Milan Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
🚌Train Zurich-Bellinzona-Como-Milan (~£55)
🛏Milan hostel dorm (~£28/night)
- →Bellinzona three castles (free/low cost)
- →Como lake & Duomo (free)
- →Milan Duomo & Galleria (free, rooftop optional ~£10)
Milan to Rome via Pisa
Rome, Italy
Regional train Milan to Pisa (~3h30 with a change, ~£25-35), then the little PisaMover shuttle to the Piazza dei Miracoli (~£5 return) to see the Leaning Tower and Duomo (climbing the tower ~£18, book ahead direct). Continue by Frecciarossa/Italo to Rome (~£30-45, 2h). Check into a hostel in Termini or Testaccio (~£28/dorm).
🚌Regional + high-speed rail Milan-Pisa-Rome (~£60)
🛏Rome hostel dorm (~£28/night)
- →Leaning Tower & Piazza dei Miracoli (~£5 shuttle, tower optional £18)
- →Train Pisa-Rome
- →Evening in Trastevere (free)
Rome: Imperial Rome, Colosseum and Vatican City
Rome / Vatican City
Skip the coach loop and self-tour ancient Rome with a single combo ticket: Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill (~£18 booked direct on coopculture, plus a £2 booking fee; free first Sunday of the month if you can flex). Walk the Imperial Forums, Circus Maximus and the Baths of Caracalla exterior. Afternoon: St Peter's Basilica and square (free) and the Vatican Museums + Sistine Chapel (~£20-30 via the official Musei Vaticani site or a GetYourGuide skip-the-line). Evening: Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Piazza Navona.
🚌Rome metro/bus day pass (~£6)
🛏Rome hostel dorm (~£28/night)
- →Colosseum, Forum & Palatine combo (~£20)
- →Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel (~£25)
- →St Peter's Basilica (free)
- →Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona (free)
Departure from Rome
Rome, Italy
Final espresso and a last wander before heading out. Leonardo Express to Fiumicino airport (~£12, 32 min) or a Terravision bus (~£5) for onward flights home. If you have time, add the Baroque Rome squares walk or the Capuchin Crypt before you go.
🚌Leonardo Express or Terravision coach to FCO (~£5-12)
🛏—
- →Final Rome wander
- →Airport transfer
- →Optional Baroque squares walk (free)
Self-launched vs. Europamundo
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Europamundo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,523 | £2,819 |
| Duration | 18 days | 18 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,296 per person (46%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Europamundo-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,523
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 Jewels of Europe (Self-Launched: Paris to Vatican City) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,523 per person for 18 days in Western & Central Europe. 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 £2,819 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,523 — a saving of roughly £1,296 (46%) per person.
How long is the Western & Central Europe trip?+
This itinerary runs 18 days, covering 18 day-by-day stops through Western & Central Europe.
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 Western & Central Europe, 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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