Grand Tour of Europe by Rail

Kick off your exciting pan-European rail adventure today with a journey aboard the Eurostar to Amsterdam. On arrival, check in for a 2-night stay at the JL No76 Hotel (or similar).

Enjoy a free day in Amsterdam, the photogenic capital of the Netherlands. There is a huge choice of museums here including the popular Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank’s House, where the teenage diarist hid away during the occupation in World War II.

You might also like to take a cruise through Amsterdam’s famous network of canals or perhaps do as the locals do and hire a bike to get around!

A direct Intercity service from Amsterdam brings you to Berlin in just under 6 hours. Your home for the next 3 nights is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hauptbahnhof  (or similar).

You have two full days to explore Berlin. Discover the city’s best-known sights including the Brandenburg Gate, the TV Tower, the Reichstag (German parliament), the Tiergarten park and the Berlin Wall Memorial. You can also choose from museums including the German History Museum and the DDR Museum, which chronicles life in East Germany.

Take a direct train through Germany and across the Polish border to Krakow for 3 nights at the Golden Tulip Krakow Kazimierz (or similar). 

Krakow is one of Europe’s most captivating cities, with a beautifully preserved, UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town and medieval castle. Enjoy shopping for amber in the grand Cloth Hall or explore the historic Jewish Quarter of Kazimierz with its vibrant restaurants and bars. You might also like to add a day trip to Auschwitz for a sobering reminder of Nazi genocide during World War II or travel to the fascinating Wieliczka Salt Mine, just 9 miles from the city centre. Please let us know if you would like to add a tour to your package.

Another direct train takes you from Krakow to Prague, where you check in at the Boutique Hotel Constans (or similar) for a 3-night stay. The majestic capital of the Czech Republic sits on both banks of the Vltara River.  To the east is the UNESCO World Heritage listed Old Town, with its famous Astronomical Clock tower which you can climb for great views over the Old Town Square. To the west is the world’s largest castle complex, with a wealth of history and plenty to explore.

You might also like to take a boat out on the river, take in a museum or visit one of the city’s historic synagogues, including the Old New Synagogue, Europe’s oldest active synagogue, dating back to 1270.

Travel by high-speed train across the border into Hungary and check in for 3 nights at the Three Corners Lifestyle Hotel (or similar). 

Spend time at leisure uncovering the many treasures of Budapest, where grand architecture meets vibrant café culture. Marvel at the magnificent Hungarian Parliament overlooking the Danube, stroll across the iconic Chain Bridge and admire the impressive monuments of Heroes’ Square. Climb to Fisherman’s Bastion for breathtaking views across the city before unwinding in one of Budapest’s famous thermal baths. Round off your day with a hearty bowl of traditional goulash, accompanied by a glass or two of Hungary’s celebrated Tokaji wine.

A 4-hour journey by sleek Railjet whisks you from the Czech Republic into Austria. Arrive into Vienna’s modern central station and check in for a 2-night stay at the Hotel Zeitgeist (or similar).

Enjoy time at leisure in Vienna, the City of Music and former home to composers including Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven and Brahms. There are plenty of concerts taking place throughout the year if you want to experience some live music but there are also plenty of other attractions here including historic museums, the Spanish Riding School, a number of grand palaces and, of course, elegant cafés where you can enjoy coffee and a slice of sachertorte!

Check out of your hotel this morning and return to the station for a lovely rail journey through the Semmering Pass in the Alps into Italy. Your first station across the border is the village of Tarvisio, once on the Roman trade route across the Alps and also very close to the border with Slovenia. Descend into Italy and continue south to Venice.

Coming out of the station here, you’ll be directly on the Grand Canal. Make your way to the Hotel Bisanzio (or similar) and check in for a 3-night stay.

You have two full days in Venice to discover the charms of this wonderful city. Make an early start and beat the day-tripping crowds by heading down to St Mark’s Square – visit the Doge’s Palace and see the iconic Bridge of Sighs, before wandering over the the Arsenale district and having a coffee in one of the less touristy cafeterias in this largely residential district. Maybe take a boat trip over to Murano, famous the world over for its glass, or indulge in some culture at the Peggy Guggenheim Museum.

Return to Santa Lucia station and catch a high-speed Frecciarossa (red arrow) train to Florence. You have a 3-night stay here at the Hotel Kraft (or similar).

Discover Florence’s Renaissance treasures over two full days. Admire masterpieces at the Uffizi Gallery, climb to the top of the magnificent Duomo for panoramic city views and wander through the beautifully landscaped Boboli Gardens. Visit the Basilica of Santa Croce, the final resting place of Michelangelo and Galileo, browse the artisan workshops of the Oltrarno district or cross the iconic Ponte Vecchio. Round off your days with delicious Tuscan cuisine, accompanied by a glass of locally produced Chianti.

Your next rail journey takes you north through Italy and just across the border into Italian-speaking Switzerland. You’ll have two days to discover the lovely lakeside town of Locarno from your base at the Hotel & Lounge Lago Maggiore (or similar). 

Check out of your hotel after a leisurely breakfast this morning and make your way back to the station for a scenic journey via the Gotthard Pass high in the Alps.  The journey is famous for its engineering—including 180-degree loops, spiral tunnels, and the iconic, much photographed Church of Wassen, perched on top of a hill.

On arrival in Basel, check in for a 2-night stay at the GAIA Hotel (or similar).

Make the most of your full day in Basel, a city where medieval charm meets world-class culture. Wander the picturesque streets of the beautifully preserved Old Town, visit the striking red sandstone Minster and admire views across the Rhine from the historic Pfalz terrace. Browse the boutiques and cafés around Market Square, explore one of the city’s renowned many museums or take a leisurely ferry ride across the river.

A direct high-speed TGV service brings you back across the French border and up to Paris, where you have 2 nights at the Marceau Bastille Hotel (or similar).

The French capital is the perfect place to finish your grand tour of Europe. There’s an excellent choice of museums both famous (Musée d’Orsay, Louvre) and less famous (Musée du Quai Branly, Musée Carnavalet) or the option to simply people-watch from a pavement café. Alternatively, why not do your sightseeing by boat with a trip on an iconic bateau mouche or head up to the Basilique du Sacre Coeur for wonderful city views.

Leave Paris today and head to the Gare du Nord for a return Eurostar journey to London at the end of your fabulous grand tour!