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London to Rome Trail | Hotels | Start London | Summer 2027 route map

Your heart-pounding adventure kicks off today. Meet up with your Contiki posse & share notes on London town before hitting the road to Amsterdam. Shortly before we find our ferry for Europe, we’ll be taking in the English coastline beauty of the White Cliffs of Dover. They owe their gorgeousness to their composition of chalk – you’re learning and we haven’t even left the UK! Off the ferry, we arrive in the port town of Calais – French soil! We travel north via Belgium before reaching… Amsterdam!Tonight, after an included dinner, the fun-famed Amsterdam is yours to explore in all its glory.

Meals: Dinner

Opportunities in Amsterdam are infinite & the day is yours to explore one of the world’s most unique cities. Street art and graffiti lovers have the chance to visit the STRAAT Museum. Today use your time to get local, bar hop, museum crawl, and see what other tastes take your fancy, this place is famous for pancakes, frites and so much more. After exploring, you’ll have the chance to join a dinner at the beautiful fishing village of Volendam & an opportunity to cruise the famous canals and revel under the city lights.

Meals: Breakfast

Out of Amsterdam, onto the autobahn and on the fast-track to uber-cool Berlin. That’s on today’s agenda. On the world map of cool party vibes, Berlin has a gold star. We’ve got two nights to explore every inch of this amazing city, and we’ll kick it off with a bit of history into the city and its troubled and interesting past. Once we arrive your Trip Manager can point you in the right direction to go and see the sights.

Meals: Breakfast

Get into the mood of exploration. Berlin has so much to offer the hungry traveller, from the obvious icons like Checkpoint Charlie to all the obscurities tucked away in the side streets. Luckily, we’ve got two walking tours to offer you. A historical walking tour in the morning to discover spots like Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag Building and an alternative walking tour in the evening to discover edgy Kreuzberg. Either way, it’s a day packed with stories, sights, and a real taste of Berlin.

Meals: Breakfast

This morning we’ll motor out of Berlin, ready for our next city. Berlin is one tough act to follow. Next up, we head to the border and stop at a town called Dresden. A drive from Berlin to Prague would not be complete without stopping in Dresden. Destroyed by World War II, the rebuilt town is now a symbol of resilience, soaked in the re-birthed beauty of the Opera house, the domed Frauenkirche, & the Royal Residence. On arrival in the compact & lovable city of Prague, we’ll get out and go exploring, seeing castles and cathedrals and learning of Bohemian Kings and gothic history. Tonight, you could see yourself spending the evening indulging in traditional Czech cuisine while admiring the local folklore dancers.

Meals: Breakfast

With a full day to loiter, expect an entire photo album of Gothic architecture, market antiques & you cheers-ing local beer; not to mention life! Feeling hungry? There’s an optional walking food tour that’ll sort you right out.

Meals: Breakfast

Today we exchange the Czech Republic for Austria, waving goodbye to pretty Prague knowing that cultured Vienna is coming right up.Austria, we have arrived! After you’ve filled up on delicious Austrian cuisine, it’s time to sign up for a classical concert to top it all off. Or if you prefer, spend the evening relaxing in style.

Meals: Breakfast

Rise up travellers and start practicing your Polish pleasantries, we’ll be in Krakow later today so they may come in handy. It’s onto the city of Krakow, which is now known for its salt mining heritage and tales of mythical dragons. Join an Orientation tour to get to know the city and it’s historical hotspots. Tonight you’ll have a free night to explore Kraków’s vibrant food and nightlife scene.

Meals: Breakfast,Dinner

This morning we’re up and on our way. Today we will change pace as we drop to an unfamiliar and sobering level by visiting the concentration camp memorials of Auschwitz & Birkenau. Learning and growing is what we travellers do after all. Back in the city, you’ll have a free night. Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy a traditional Polish evening and try Pierogi, a Polish favourite – these dumplings are an absolute classic.

Meals: Breakfast

Alpine scenery and traditional villages will make our departure from Krakow more manageable. Particularly with the knowledge that we have Budapest coming up in the eve. Pastel painted and manicured to perfection, Banska Bystrica is a lunch break that will charm you to no end. Being in Slovakia, it’s also your chance to brag 3 countries in one day – you crazy globetrotter you. Welcome to Hungary! Coming in at number 3 on our list of countries ticked off through the day. From the moment we arrive in the river split city, you’ll understand why we needed a couple of nights here. Waste no time getting involved with Budapest by joining the optional river cruise and dinner.

Meals: Breakfast

The day is yours to tackle Budapest however you see fit. After all the travelling we’ve done, you’ve probably earned yourself an afternoon soaking in one of the cities most famous thermal baths. Blissed out in Budapest – there’s an insta caption for you. If gardens, fountains, pools and ruins are the call of your day, put Margaret Island top and centre of your to do list.

Meals: Breakfast

This morning we say goodbye to the city of Budapest and head south to Slovenia! Though the name Ljubljana might not be as well known as Budapest, that doesn’t diminish its delight as a European city. In fact, its undiscovered charm is all part of the fascination… WOW is probably the one word we hear in unison as we pull up at this jaw dropping lake. Don’t forget to keep your swimmers out today, this is the perfect place for a dip to break up the journey, and grab a few lust-worthy snaps.  Aesthetically wonderful and filled with youthful moods, Ljubljana is one to love for its off the tourist trail vibes and casual attitude. We’ll kick things off with a city tour on arrival, then it’s all about getting cosy in a local cafe and soaking up the endless laid-back feels.

Meals: Breakfast

So long Ljubljana, your unique charm will remain in our hearts forever. Hitting the road, we’ll journey for the globally adored hot spot of Venice. Whoop! Yes, it’s as cute as you imagine. Yes, you’ll feel like you’re part of an Italian fairytale. We’ll be jumping aboard our own motoscafo and hitting the canals en route to the historical heart of the city. A gondola ride is up for grabs, or you can discover Venice with a guided food tour, both totally optional. Or simply choose to get lost on your own and see where the maze takes you.

Meals: Breakfast

Farewell floating city, but Italy, we’re not done with you yet, our next destination the Eternal City is just around the corner. This afternoon will really take it up a notch as we uncover Italian icons in the country’s capital of Rome. Gelato, pizza, and ancient monuments galore. Tonight you’re free to explore and get a glimpse of Rome’s glory by night.

Meals: Breakfast

Rome wasn’t built in a day but we sure can try and see it all in one day! Snap pink azaleas by the Colosseum, throw coins in fountains and sip espresso in a pretty street watching Italian life float by. Next, you’ll get the chance to try a pasta making class and cook a homemade meal for dinner.

Meals: Breakfast

Your trip wraps up after breakfast. Depending on what’s available, you may have a chance to join an optional Colosseum visit as a Free Time Add-On. Heads up: this FTA isn’t guaranteed and some tour slots only run in the afternoon. If the group FTA can’t be confirmed, your Trip Manager will point you in the right direction to grab your own Colosseum tickets.

Meals: Breakfast

What’s included

15 breakfasts and 1 included dinner are covered in the tour price.
15 nights in twin-share hotel rooms (or similar); single supplement available on request.
All internal transport by coach throughout the trip, plus a Dover–Calais ferry crossing on Day 1.
Expert Trip Manager, Driver Team and Local Guides for the duration of the trip.
12 included experiences across the itinerary (e.g., guided orientation and sightseeing in key cities), including a visit to the Auschwitz–Birkenau Memorial and Museum; for late bookings (within 60 days), Auschwitz tickets cannot be guaranteed and an alternative included experience of equal value will be provided.

What’s not included

International flights to and from the tour start/end are not included.
Visas and travel authorizations are not included; if you are entering the UK from January 8, 2025, an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) will be required before travel.
Comprehensive travel insurance is required for this trip and must be arranged by the traveller.
Lunches and most dinners are not included, giving you the freedom to explore local eateries.
Optional Free Time Add-Ons and their entrance fees are at your own expense.
Airport transfers and extra nights’ accommodation before/after the trip are not included unless stated; transfers can often be purchased separately.
Tips for your Trip Manager, Driver and Local Guides are not included and are discretionary.
Personal expenses such as laundry, drinks, souvenirs and phone calls are not included.

Additional information

  • 15 Breakfast (B)
  • 2 Dinner (D)
  • London: You’ll need Essential Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)From?January 8, 2025, UK law means that if you’re entering/transiting through border control in the United Kingdom (UK) and Northern Ireland you’ll need an?Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)?before you travel. Confused? Don’t be – just read on here.
  • London: A modular trip means fellow travellers will join and leave at various locations. There’ll be some goodbyes, sure, but there’ll also be plenty of hellos with new like-minded travellers.
  • London: You’ll stay in a Twin share room (meaning you’ll be paired with a fellow traveller of the same gender, and will have two separate beds). If you’re booking your trip with a friend/travel companion – just let us know, so we can join your bookings and ensure you share a room. Need a lil’ more privacy? You’re welcome to opt for a single supplement if you like.
  • Rome: You might have the chance to join a guided Colosseum tour. Heads up: sometimes the only available tour slots are later in the day, after the trip ends. If you’re super keen to see the Colosseum, we recommend booking a flight that departs after 4pm.
  • Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum: Due to new regulations, we cannot guarantee Auschwitz entry tickets for bookings made less than 60 days before your visit. We’ll make every effort to secure your ticket, but if we’re unable to do so, we’ll provide an alternative included experience of equal value.
  • London: Yep. If you’re booking a twin room as a couple, you’ll be roomed together.
  • Amsterdam: Best way to break the ice? By breaking bread of course. You and your new besties can bond over dinner before heading out to explore. 
  • Berlin: Get your culture on. It’s time to see Tiergarten, Alexanderplatz, the Russian War Memorial, Brandenburg Gate and the historic Reichstag building. 
  • Berlin: Heads up culture vultures. Here’s your chance to check out the longest open-air gallery in the world.
  • Dresden: See the Baroque architecture that was rebuilt after the WWII bombings. Royal Residence, Zwinger Palace, Opera House and Frauenkirche.
  • Prague: Walk through the winding cobbled streets and head up into the fairytale-like Castle District for panoramic city views.
  • Kraków: Get your bearings in this medieval Polish city. Our orientation will get you familiar with the cathedral, Royal Castle and all the best places to grab a beer.  
  • Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum: Reflect on the tragedies of the past with a solemn visit to the largest concentration camp in World War II. Please note: Due to new regulations we cannot guarantee tickets for Auschwitz for bookings made less than 60 days prior to your visit. We will make every effort to secure your ticket however if we are unable to do so we will provide an alternative inclusion of equal value. 
  • Banská Bystrica: This historic Slovakian city is filled with ornate buildings and framed by snow-capped mountains. It’s the perfect Insta backdrop! 
  • Lake Bled: Take it easy with your new besties as you walk around the scenic lake, framed by the Julian Alps. 
  • Ljubljana: Join your new gang for an orientation of Slovenia’s fairytale-like capital. Get your fix of rainbow architecture, Insta-friendly bridges and epic mountain backdrops.
  • Venice: Speed across the lagoon to the aqueous island of Venice.
  • Rome: Stroll around the Italian capital, ticking off some sights on your bucket list! 

Taste your way through Old Town and lesser-known lanes, sampling Bohemian flavors from family taverns and market counters—think slow-braised classics, open-faced chlebícky and crisp local lagers.

Between bites, guides share culinary lore and neighborhood history, mapping Prague’s kitchen from empire to modern bistro. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Settle into a sleek Venetian gondola and glide along quiet back canals, where water laps at doorsteps and stone bridges frame hushed alleyways.

Your gondolier steers past palazzi and church facades that whisper of merchants and mariners. A classic Venice moment, this ride is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Roll, cut and shape fresh pasta in a hands-on cooking class before tucking into your creations with wine at a Roman trattoria.

Chefs share the secrets of silky sauces—think cacio e pepe or amatriciana—and traditions that anchor Roman home cooking. This culinary workshop is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Unwind in steaming pools at the Széchenyi or Gellért Baths, where mineral-rich waters and neo-baroque colonnades create a timeless spa ritual.

Locals have soaked here for generations—alternate between warm, cool and whirlpool basins, or linger beneath mosaicked vaults for total relaxation. Entry is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Join a guided panoramic tour to see the city’s big hitters: the Brandenburg Gate, the glass-domed Reichstag, sweeping Tiergarten and lively Alexanderplatz. Hear how Berlin reinvented itself after division and reunification.

Continue to the East Side Gallery, where the former Wall is now a kilometer-long open-air canvas. Striking murals and memorials frame stories of resistance, hope and creative energy that define modern Berlin.

Walk the reborn Baroque heart of Dresden to admire the Frauenkirche’s soaring dome, the elegant courtyards of the Zwinger Palace and the stately Semperoper. Streets once devastated in WWII now glow with restored sandstone.

Learn how meticulous reconstructions and surviving fragments revived the city’s royal grandeur. Pause to appreciate facades and squares that embody a powerful narrative of loss, memory and resilience after wartime destruction.

Explore Hradcany hill for sweeping views before entering the Prague Castle precinct, home to the Gothic spires of St. Vitus Cathedral. Stroll down through Charles Bridge, lined with baroque statues and street musicians.

In Old Town, your orientation reveals Old Town Square, pastel townhouses and animated lanes that trace centuries of Bohemian history. Expect cobbles, clock chimes and café terraces perfect for a lingering pause.

Get your bearings around Rynek Glówny (Main Market Square), past the bugle call of St. Mary’s Basilica and market stalls in the Cloth Hall. Follow your host to riverside vistas and the storied courtyards of Wawel Castle.

Along the way, hear legends of dragons and monarchs, learn where to try pierogi, and discover the layered Polish, Jewish and Habsburg influences that shape Kraków’s elegant streetscapes.

Visit the preserved sites of Auschwitz I and Birkenau to confront one of history’s darkest chapters. Walk past watchtowers and barracks and learn about the victims whose names and stories endure.

Museum exhibits and memorial spaces encourage quiet reflection and understanding. This experience is conducted with sensitivity and respect, offering time to pause for remembrance and consider the responsibility of memory.

Stretch your legs in a Slovak gem framed by the Low Tatras, where color-washed facades on SNP Square and a slightly leaning clock tower create a postcard scene.

Hear how mining wealth and central-European trade shaped the town’s architecture, then wander between cafés and arcades to soak up the relaxed pace and mountain-rimmed panorama.

Circle the shore of Slovenia’s most photographed lake, gazing at emerald waters and Bled Island beneath the Julian Alps. Photo spots appear at every bend, from castle-topped cliffs to swans drifting by reed beds.

Capture reflections of the Church of the Assumption and pause at viewpoints that showcase the lake’s pristine setting. It’s a serene interlude rich in alpine air and mirror-calm vistas.

Wander riverside promenades to the famous Triple Bridge and the dragon-guarded spans of Dragon Bridge. Art Nouveau facades, leafy embankments and open-air markets reveal a youthful, creative capital.

Learn how architect Jože Plecnik shaped the city’s identity, then choose a spot along the Ljubljanica River cafés to enjoy the easygoing rhythm and mountain-rimmed skyline.

Skim across the water by private launch to cruise the Venetian Lagoon, arriving right in the heart of the city. Slip past moored gondolas and into St Mark’s Basin with its dazzling skyline of domes and campanili.

From the boat, glimpse palazzi-lined canals and marble facades that hint at centuries of maritime power and artistry—an arrival as theatrical as Venice itself.

Trace Rome’s storied lanes to the Trevi Fountain, the Corinthian columns of the Pantheon and the baroque stage-set of Piazza Navona. Your host reveals neighborhoods where daily life hums between ancient stones.

Hear how emperors, popes and artists shaped this living museum, and pick up tips on gelato stands, trattorie and twilight viewpoints to savor the city’s golden glow.

Laugh your way into the trip at an Amsterdam comedy club, where a rotating line-up of international acts brings sharp wit and off-beat stories to the stage.

Order local brews, settle into the intimate setting and enjoy a light-hearted evening that showcases the city’s playful spirit. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Cross the IJ to a repurposed shipyard and explore the vast halls of the STRAAT Museum, a cathedral to contemporary graffiti with oversized murals created in situ.

Curators spotlight global voices and Amsterdam’s experimental spirit, from stencil pioneers to hyper-color giants. A vivid counterpoint to Old-World canals, this visit is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Travel to the fishing village of Volendam on the IJsselmeer to stroll dike-top boardwalks, wooden houses and working harbors. Settle in for a hearty meal featuring smoked eel and North Sea herring.

Local tales of sailors, costumes and cheese-making bring the Waterland traditions alive. This coastal evening is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Glide beneath arched bridges as lanterns flicker on gables along the UNESCO-listed Canal Ring. From the water, merchant houses and clock gables shimmer in night reflections.

Audio insights trace the city’s Golden Age fortunes and 21st-century creativity while you savor the canal-lit mood. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Walk through the epicenter of Europe’s 20th-century turmoil, including the site of Hitler’s bunker, the sombre Topography of Terror and fragments of the Berlin Wall.

Guides unpack Nazi terror, divided city life and reunification with context and care, linking landmarks to human stories. This tour is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Explore creative enclaves in Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain, from indie courtyards to the graffiti-splashed RAW-Gelände. Decode paste-ups, tags and murals that frame Berlin’s experimental identity.

Hear about squats, clubs and community art spaces while discovering cafés and bars locals love. This edgy lens on the city is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Sit down to regional specialties as a Czech folklore ensemble fills the evening with fiddles, songs and spirited dance. Expect generous plates, warm hospitality and clinking steins.

Hosts share village traditions and costumes, connecting cuisine to countryside culture. This festive night is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Dress up for an evening of Mozart and Strauss in an opulent Viennese hall, where chandeliers glow and strings sweep into the Blue Danube Waltz.

Hosts set the scene with anecdotes from imperial salons to modern virtuosos, celebrating the city that lives and breathes classical music. This concert is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Dine as you drift past the illuminated Hungarian Parliament, the Chain Bridge and Buda Castle. The city’s landmarks glow against the water while the current carries you through centuries of river trade and royal ambition.

Commentary adds color to each bend of the Danube, pairing views with history and after-dark sparkle. This cruise is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Snack your way through cicchetti wine bars (bàcari) near the Rialto market, pairing bite-sized plates with local wines and spritzes.

Learn how lagoon life shaped Venetian cuisine—from lagoon seafood to garden herbs—while hopping between cozy counters with the rhythms of true Venetian conviviality. This tour is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Step inside the Colosseum to hear tales of spectacles beneath the amphitheatre’s towering arches. Guides connect engineering genius with the politics of bread and circuses.

Continue outside to the Arch of Constantine and the Forum area for a fuller picture of imperial Rome. This experience is at additional cost, subject to availability, and bookable on tour.

Settle into the Netherlands with a relaxed evening meal where you’ll share a Dutch-style dinner with your new travel companions. Expect hearty local flavors and a warm, canal-side ambiance that hints at the city’s Golden Age charm.

Between courses, your host highlights neighborhoods and night spots to explore, bringing the story of Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed Canal Ring to life. It’s a sociable start that pairs good food with canal-side atmosphere and easy introductions.

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