European Whirl: Self-Launched Edition (London to Paris, 14 Days)
14 days · Western Europe
Trafalgar charges £3,010
No-markup version: ~£2,280 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Trafalgar's coach tour through England, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and France — swapping the coach and tour director for Eurostar, budget high-speed trains, regional buses, hostel dorms and small guesthouses. Same headline sights (London, Amsterdam canals, the Rhine, the Dolomites, Venice, Rome, Florence, Lucerne, Paris), same 14-day shape, but you book each leg yourself and travel at your own pace. Costs are rough per-person estimates assuming hostel dorms or budget doubles shared with a travel buddy, second-class rail booked 1–3 months ahead, and self-guided or small-group day tours instead of included coach excursions. Expect 6–7 travel days with early starts and plenty of walking.
Day-by-day
Arrive London — South Bank & Tower Bridge
London, England
Land at Heathrow or Gatwick and get into town on the Elizabeth line (Heathrow to central London ~£12.80) or a National Express coach from Gatwick (~£12–15). Check into a hostel dorm around King's Cross, London Bridge or Shoreditch (e.g. a Generator or Clink-style hostel, £30–45/night dorm). Spend the late afternoon doing the free stuff Trafalgar's coach just drives past: walk the South Bank from the London Eye to the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, cross to Borough Market for a cheap dinner (a market sandwich or pie ~£7–9). Free evening. Book your Eurostar leg tonight if you haven't already.
🚌Elizabeth line or National Express coach from airport (~£12–15); walking + Tube in town
🛏Central London hostel dorm (King's Cross / London Bridge area)
- →South Bank walk
- →Borough Market
- →Tower Bridge
Westminster, Big Ben & Westminster Abbey
London, England
Do the classic London loop on foot: Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey (entry to the Abbey ~£30 if you want to go inside — Trafalgar only shows you the outside, so this is a genuine upgrade). Cross St James's Park to Buckingham Palace, then walk up to Trafalgar Square and on to Carnaby Street for the shopping Trafalgar lists as optional. Alternatively book a free 'Sandemans' walking tour (pay-what-you-wish) or a cheap £15–20 GetYourGuide Westminster walking tour if you want a guide's commentary. Evening in Soho; cook at the hostel or grab a £8–10 meal deal-and-pub combo.
🚌Walking; occasional Tube hop (£2.80 each)
🛏Central London hostel dorm
- →Westminster Abbey (optional interior)
- →Big Ben & Parliament Square
- →Buckingham Palace & St James's Park
- →Free/pay-what-you-wish walking tour
Eurostar to Brussels — on to Amsterdam
London → Brussels → Amsterdam
Replicate Trafalgar's headline Eurostar leg yourself. Book London St Pancras to Brussels-Midi on Eurostar standard class 1–2 months ahead (£40–70 one way). Drop bags in the Brussels Midi lockers (£4–6) and spend 2–3 hours on a self-guided walk to the Grand-Place, Manneken Pis and the Galeries Royales — waffles and frites are the budget lunch (~£10). Then take the InterCity Brussels to Amsterdam Centraal (2h50, ~£25–35, no reservation needed). Check into a hostel or budget hotel in the Jordaan or near Vondelpark (£35–55 dorm/night). In the evening do a cheap canal cruise instead of Trafalgar's included dinner cruise — a 1-hour Blue Boat or Stromma cruise is ~£16–20, booked on GetYourGuide.
🚌Eurostar London–Brussels (~£55) + IC train Brussels–Amsterdam (~£30) + metro
🛏Amsterdam hostel dorm or budget hotel (Jordaan / Vondelpark)
- →Brussels Grand-Place walk
- →Belgian waffles & frites
- →1-hour evening canal cruise
Amsterdam → Rhine Valley (Boppard)
Amsterdam → Boppard, Germany
Morning free in Amsterdam: pick one or two world-class museums (Van Gogh ~£22, Rijksmuseum ~£22, or the free Amsterdam Museum courtyard) and wander the canals and Nine Streets. Early afternoon take the ICE/IC train Amsterdam to Koblenz (4h, ~£30–45 booked ahead), then a regional train along the river to Boppard (25 min, ~£5). Stay in a budget guesthouse or hostel in Boppard or St Goar (£35–45). This is the DIY version of Trafalgar's Rhine day — you get the same Lorelei Rock and river scenery but on a local boat you buy yourself.
🚌IC train Amsterdam–Koblenz (~£35) + regional train to Boppard (~£5)
🛏Boppard or St Goar guesthouse / hostel
- →Amsterdam canals & one museum
- →Rhine riverside evening walk
Rhine Cruise to St Goar — Heidelberg — Munich
Boppard → St Goar → Heidelberg → Munich
Take the KD Rhine ferry from Boppard to St Goar (about 1h, ~£15–18 one way, riverside boarding in Boppard) — the exact stretch Trafalgar cruises, passing the Lorelei. From St Goar hop the train to Heidelberg (2h, ~£18–22) for a couple of hours in the Altstadt, the castle courtyard (castle entry ~£9) and the old bridge. Then continue Heidelberg to Munich by IC train (3h, ~£30–40 booked ahead) or a FlixBus (~£15–20, 4h). Check into a hostel near the Hauptbahnhof (£30–45 dorm).
🚌KD Rhine ferry (~£17) + train St Goar–Heidelberg (~£20) + IC or FlixBus to Munich (~£30)
🛏Munich hostel dorm near Hauptbahnhof
- →KD Rhine cruise St Goar & Lorelei
- →Heidelberg Altstadt & castle
- →Train day
Munich & day trip to Innsbruck
Munich → Innsbruck, Austria
Morning self-guided orientation of Munich on foot: Marienplatz and the Glockenspiel, the Town Hall, Frauenkirche and a stop at the Hofbräuhaus for a beer and a pretzel (~£12). Optional cheap Residenz entry (~£9). Late afternoon take the Railjet or Westbahn Munich to Innsbruck (1h50, ~£20–30). Base yourself in an Innsbruck hostel (£30–40 dorm) — much cheaper than Trafalgar's airport-style hotel. Evening walk the Old Town to see the Golden Roof lit up, plus dinner at a Tyrolean Gasthaus (~£15).
🚌Railjet/Westbahn Munich–Innsbruck (~£25)
🛏Innsbruck hostel dorm (Old Town / station area)
- →Marienplatz & Glockenspiel
- →Hofbräuhaus
- →Innsbruck Old Town & Golden Roof
Dolomites via Brenner Pass — Venice
Innsbruck → Brenner → Venice
Recreate the scenic Trafalgar route by train instead of coach: Innsbruck to Bologna via the Brenner Pass (EC train to Bolzano/Fortezza, or direct EC to Bologna, 4h30, ~£30–45 booked ahead). If you want the Dolomites view, break the journey at Bolzano (1h50 from Innsbruck, ~£15) for a quick wander and a bus up to Renon/Ritten if time allows, then continue south. Arrive Venice Mestre in the evening and stay in a Mestre hostel or budget B&B (£25–40 dorm) rather than Trafalgar's Novotel — 10 minutes by bus from the causeway.
🚌EC train Innsbruck–Bologna (~£40) + regional train Bologna–Venezia Mestre (~£10) + ATVO bus
🛏Venice Mestre hostel / budget B&B
- →Brenner Pass alpine scenery from the train
- →Optional Bolzano stop
- →Venice Mestre evening
Venice — St Mark's, Doge's Palace, canals
Venice, Italy
Take bus 2 or 4L from Mestre to Piazzale Roma (~£1.50), then walk or buy a 24h vaporetto pass (~£20) if you want to ride the Grand Canal like the tour's launch boat. Pre-book the Doge's Palace + St Mark's Basilica skip-the-line combo on GetYourGuide or the official basilica site (~£30 Doge's Palace, ~£3–5 basilica). Trafalgar's glassblowing demo is a sales pitch on Murano — instead take the vaporetto to Murano and see the furnaces yourself (free to watch, ferries covered by the pass). Lunch on cicchetti in Cannaregio (~£10), evening spritz in Campo Santa Margherita (~£5). This is your priciest day — Venice eats budgets alive.
🚌ATVO bus + 24h vaporetto pass (~£21)
🛏Venice Mestre hostel / budget B&B
- →Doge's Palace (skip-the-line ticket)
- →St Mark's Basilica & Bridge of Sighs
- →Murano island by vaporetto
- →Cannaregio cicchetti crawl
Venice → Florence (or Rome first)
Venice → Florence, Italy
Take the Frecciarossa or Regionale Veloce Venezia Mestre to Firenze Santa Maria Novella (2h05 Frecciarossa ~£25–35 booked ahead, or €20 regionale). Check into a hostel in Santa Croce or near the station (£30–45 dorm). Afternoon self-guided Medici walk: Piazza della Signoria, the Duomo and Brunelleschi's dome from outside, the Baptistery's Gates of Paradise, and Ponte Vecchio at sunset. If you want a guide, a GetYourGuide Florence walking tour runs £20–30. Cheap dinner at Mercato Centrale or a £10 pizza. (Trafalgar bundles a Chianti 'Be My Guest' lunch en route — you can book a half-day Chianti wine tour on GetYourGuide for ~£45–60 if you want it, but it needs a full day.)
🚌Frecciarossa/Regionale Venezia Mestre–Firenze S.M.N. (~£30)
🛏Florence hostel dorm (Santa Croce / station)
- →Piazza della Signoria
- →Duomo & Baptistery (outside)
- →Ponte Vecchio sunset
- →Mercato Centrale food hall
Florence → Rome — Vatican & Colosseum views
Florence → Rome, Italy
Morning Frecciarossa Florence to Rome Termini (1h35, ~£25–35 ahead of time). Drop bags at a hostel near Termini or Monti (£30–45 dorm). Afternoon: pre-book a Vatican Museums + Sistine Chapel skip-the-line ticket on the official site or GetYourGuide (~£25–35) and a Colosseum ticket (~£16–18) for the following morning if slots are gone. Walk Circus Maximus, the Roman Forum viewpoint from Via dei Fori Imperiali, and the Pantheon (free). Dinner in Trastevere (~£12–15) — cheaper and more fun than the tour's hotel dinner.
🚌Frecciarossa Firenze S.M.N.–Roma Termini (~£30) + metro/bus
🛏Rome hostel dorm (Monti / Termini)
- →Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel (ticket)
- →Circus Maximus & Forum viewpoint
- →Pantheon
- →Trastevere dinner
Rome — Colosseum, then north to the Lakes
Rome → Lucerne, Switzerland
Early Colosseum + Roman Forum entry (pre-booked, ~£18) before the heat and crowds. Then take the Frecciarossa Rome to Milan (3h, ~£35–45 ahead), regional train Milan to Chiasso or Como (1h, ~£8), and continue to Lucerne via Arth-Goldau (2h30, ~£30). It's a long day but it mirrors Trafalgar's Lakes-to-Alps leg and costs a fraction of a coach. Alternatively stop a night at Lake Como (hostel £30) if you want to break it up. Stay in a Lucerne hostel or backpacker (Backpackers Lucerne area, £35–50 dorm) — Swiss prices bite.
🚌Frecciarossa Rome–Milan (~£40) + regional to Chiasso (~£8) + train to Lucerne (~£30)
🛏Lucerne hostel dorm
- →Colosseum & Roman Forum
- →Lake Como glimpsed from the train
Lucerne — Chapel Bridge, Lion Monument & an Alpine peak
Lucerne, Switzerland
Full day in Lucerne. Walk the Chapel Bridge and Water Tower, see the Lion Monument and the Old Town Hall on the Reuss, then climb the Musegg Wall ramparts for free views. For the Alpine experience Trafalgar sells as optional, buy a return boat + cable car to Rigi or a train ticket to Pilatus (Rigi day return incl. boat ~£60–75; Pilatus ~£70). Budget alternative: the Stanserhorn or just the Burgenstock lift for a cheaper high view. Chocolate fix at a Läderach or a supermarket bar. Evening: hostel-cooked pasta or a £15 takeaway — sit-down Swiss dinners are £25+.
🚌Boat/train to Rigi or Pilatus (~£65) + local buses
🛏Lucerne hostel dorm
- →Chapel Bridge & Lion Monument
- →Musegg Wall
- →Mount Rigi or Pilatus day trip
Lucerne → Paris — Seine & Montmartre
Lucerne → Paris, France
Take the train Lucerne to Basel SBB (1h, ~£25) and then the TGV Lyria Basel to Paris Gare de Lyon (3h, ~£40–60 booked well ahead; cheaper via Strasbourg on regional trains if you're patient). Check into a hostel in Montmartre or Canal Saint-Martin (£30–45 dorm). Evening: free walk along the Seine, the Île de la Cité and the Latin Quarter, then a £12–15 bistro dinner or a crêpe on the street. If you want Trafalgar's cabaret optional, Moulin Rouge tickets start around £90–120 — most self-launchers skip it for a cheap bar in the 11th.
🚌Train Lucerne–Basel (~£25) + TGV Lyria Basel–Paris (~£50)
🛏Paris hostel dorm (Montmartre / Canal Saint-Martin)
- →Seine & Île de la Cité walk
- →Latin Quarter
- →Montmartre evening
Paris — Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe & departure
Paris, France
Final morning: self-guided Paris loop on foot and Métro — Notre Dame exterior (reopened interior is free but expect queues), the Latin Quarter, then Métro to the Arc de Triomphe and a walk down the Champs-Élysées to Place de la Concorde. Arc de Triomphe rooftop entry is ~£14 if you want the view. Do a €6 breakfast at the hostel and a supermarket picnic before heading to Charles de Gaulle on the RER B (~£10) or Orly via Orlybus/Orlyval (~£13). Trafalgar's farewell bistro dinner is replaced by a last crêpe or a cheap bistro lunch before your flight.
🚌Métro (~£2) + RER B or Orlybus to airport (~£11)
🛏Departure day (no overnight)
- →Notre Dame & Latin Quarter
- →Arc de Triomphe
- →Champs-Élysées & Place de la Concorde
- →Supermarket picnic
Self-launched vs. Trafalgar
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Trafalgar | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£2,280 | £3,010 |
| Duration | 14 days | 14 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £730 per person (24%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Trafalgar-style trips? Check them out here.~£2,280
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.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does European Whirl: Self-Launched Edition (London to Paris, 14 Days) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £2,280 per person for 14 days in Western 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 Trafalgar?+
Yes — Trafalgar charges around £3,010 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £2,280 — a saving of roughly £730 (24%) per person.
How long is the Western Europe trip?+
This itinerary runs 14 days, covering 14 day-by-day stops through Western 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, budget trip through Western 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.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.