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Euroventure · Self-guided rail holiday

Around Europe in 80 Days

Eighty-day self-guided rail journey from Tallinn to Porto through 30 cities

Illustration of Around Europe in 80 Days

Around Europe in 80 Days is a self-guided rail holiday operated by Euroventure, running 80 days and visiting 30 cities across 22 European countries. The journey starts in Tallinn, Estonia and ends in Porto, Portugal, passing through the Baltics, Scandinavia, Central Europe, the Balkans, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal. Train travel forms the backbone of the route, supplemented by ferries (notably a 17-hour overnight crossing from Helsinki to Stockholm on Day 5) and buses in the Balkan region. Accommodation in centrally located hotels and hostels is included at each stop, typically two to three nights per city. As a self-guided trip, you navigate independently with directions and a personalised travel pack provided by Euroventure; no tour leader accompanies the group. The route includes four night trains or ferries, compressing travel time between distant cities. From GBP 4,979, the price covers all train tickets, Interrail or Eurail passes as needed, seat reservations, accommodation, and 24-hour emergency support. This trip suits first-time rail travellers seeking comprehensive European coverage, budget-conscious explorers wanting a structured itinerary without a group tour, and independent travellers who prefer to discover each city at their own pace.

What to know before you look closer

  • This is a self-guided trip with no tour leader, meaning you arrange your own daily activities and navigate independently; Euroventure provides a travel pack with directions and information.
  • The itinerary includes four night train or ferry journeys (Helsinki to Stockholm, Prague to Krakow, Bratislava to Budapest, Vienna to Venice), which compress travel time but mean sleep on transport.
  • The route backtracks: Day 51 returns to Budapest after Belgrade, revisiting a city from Day 35.
  • The final three nights in Porto are included, but departure arrangements and onward travel are not mentioned.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Tallinn (2 nights)

    Tallinn

    Start in Tallinn's fairy-tale medieval old town. Highlights: Museum of Occupations, Aleksander Nevsky Cathedral.

  2. Day 3overnight: Helsinki (2 nights)

    Tallinn/Helsinki

    2-hour ferry to Helsinki. Highlights: Finnish folk museum, Sibelius Park, pub-tram tour.

  3. Day 5overnight: Stockholm (2 nights)

    Helsinki/Stockholm

    17-hour night ferry to Stockholm. Highlights: old town cobbled streets, boat tour, ABBA museum.

  4. Day 7railovernight: Oslo (3 nights)

    Stockholm/Oslo

    5-hour train to Oslo. Highlights: preserved Viking ships, Folk Museum, ski jump viewpoint.

  5. Day 10railovernight: Copenhagen (3 nights)

    Oslo/Copenhagen

    8-hour train to Copenhagen. Highlights: The Little Mermaid, Tivoli theme park, microbreweries.

  6. Day 13railovernight: Berlin (3 nights)

    Copenhagen/Berlin

    7-hour train to Berlin. Highlights: Berlin Wall, Reichstag dome, Schoneberg/Kreuzberg nightlife.

  7. Day 16railovernight: Amsterdam (3 nights)

    Berlin/Amsterdam

    7-hour train to Amsterdam. Highlights: Van Gogh Museum, cycling the historic centre, Red Light District.

  8. Day 19railovernight: Brussels (2 nights)

    Amsterdam/Brussels

    2-hour train to Brussels. Highlights: Mini Europe, the Grand Place, the Manneken Pis.

  9. Day 21railovernight: Paris (3 nights)

    Brussels/Paris

    1.5-hour train to Paris. Highlights: the Louvre, Moulin Rouge, the Marais nightlife.

  10. Day 24railovernight: Zurich (2 nights)

    Paris/Zurich

    4-hour train to Zurich. Highlights: Fraumunster's stained glass, Lindt chocolate factory outlet, Bahnhofstrasse.

  11. Day 26railovernight: Munich (3 nights)

    Zurich/Munich

    4-hour train to Munich. Highlights: Stadtmuseum, the Englischer Garten, Oktoberfest.

  12. Day 29railovernight: Prague (2 nights)

    Munich/Prague

    5-hour train to Prague. Highlights: Charles Bridge, the Dancing Building, Old Town Pilsner pubs.

  13. Day 31railovernight: Krakow (2 nights)

    Prague/Krakow

    8-hour night train to Krakow. Highlights: Europe's largest medieval market square, well-preserved Old Town, Gothic cellar bars.

  14. Day 33railovernight: Bratislava (2 nights)

    Krakow/Bratislava

    7.5-hour night train to Bratislava. Highlights: 19th-century castle, night tour, Uluv folk-art shopping.

  15. Day 35railovernight: Budapest (2 nights)

    Bratislava/Budapest

    2.5-hour train to Budapest. Highlights: 15th-century thermal spas, Buda Castle views, Sziget festival.

  16. Day 37railovernight: Ljubljana (2 nights)

    Budapest/Ljubljana

    8-hour train to Ljubljana. Highlights: 16th-century hilltop castle, colourful streets, art-deco skyscraper terrace views.

  17. Day 39railovernight: Zagreb (2 nights)

    Ljubljana/Zagreb

    2-hour train to Zagreb. Highlights: Lotrscak Tower views, Mirogoj cemetery, Kino Europa cafe.

  18. Day 41railovernight: Split (2 nights)

    Zagreb/Split

    6-hour train to Split. Highlights: Diocletian's Palace, the marble waterfront, arrival by sea.

  19. Day 43overnight: Dubrovnik (2 nights)

    Split/Dubrovnik

    4-hour bus to Dubrovnik. Highlights: UNESCO Old Walled Town, Hard Jazz Cafe.

  20. Day 45overnight: Sarajevo (3 nights)

    Dubrovnik/Sarajevo

    4-hour bus to Sarajevo. Highlights: Arabic-inspired markets, local guided history tour, Bosnian nightlife.

  21. Day 48overnight: Belgrade (3 nights)

    Sarajevo/Belgrade

    6.5-hour bus to Belgrade. Highlights: 18th-century Belgrade Fortress, Skadarlija cobbled streets, splavovi party boats.

  22. Day 51railovernight: Budapest (2 nights)

    Belgrade/Budapest

    8-hour train back to Budapest. Highlights: thermal spas, Buda Castle, Sziget festival.

  23. Day 53railovernight: Vienna (3 nights)

    Budapest/Vienna

    2.5-hour train to Vienna. Highlights: Spanish Riding School, apple strudel and wiener schnitzel, classical concert.

  24. Day 56railovernight: Venice (2 nights)

    Vienna/Venice

    8-hour night train to Venice. Highlights: St Mark's Square, canal alleyways, vaporetto ride.

  25. Day 58railovernight: Rome (3 nights)

    Venice/Rome

    3-hour train to Rome. Highlights: the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, Vatican City.

  26. Day 61railovernight: Nice (2 nights)

    Rome/Nice

    8-hour train to Nice. Highlights: old-world town, Promenade des Anglais sunset, Cote d'Azur cruise.

  27. Day 63railovernight: Barcelona (3 nights)

    Nice/Barcelona

    9.5-hour train to Barcelona. Highlights: Picasso Museum, Gaudi's Parc Guell, Las Ramblas nightlife.

  28. Day 66railovernight: Seville (2 nights)

    Barcelona/Seville

    6-hour train to Seville. Highlights: Alcazar Palace, Flamenco dances, old town terrace cafes.

  29. Day 68railovernight: Faro (2 nights)

    Seville/Faro

    4-hour bus to Faro on the Algarve coast. Highlights: beach time, Comboio Turistico tourist train, dolphin-watching boat trip.

  30. Day 70railovernight: Lisbon (3 nights)

    Faro/Lisbon

    4-hour train to Lisbon. Highlights: colonial history, hilltop castle, Music Box club.

  31. Day 73railovernight: Porto (3 nights)

    Lisbon/Porto

    2.5-hour train to Porto, the final stop. Highlights: Felgueiras Lighthouse, the Ribeira district, a Douro river cruise and Port tasting, plus the Clerigos Tower.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3A 2-hour ferry crosses from Tallinn to Helsinki, introducing ferry travel on the route.
  • Day 5A 17-hour night ferry travels from Helsinki to Stockholm, combining overnight transport with arrival in the Swedish capital.
  • Day 31An 8-hour night train departs Prague for Krakow, crossing into Poland.

Included

  • Train tickets from the first to the last city on the route
  • Any Interrail or Eurail passes if required, based on best value
  • All possible seat reservations, not just the compulsory ones
  • Accommodation in top-rated, centrally located hostels or hotels, tested by the operator
  • Walking or public transport directions between stations and accommodation
  • Travel Disruption Protection (alternative travel if strike or similar disruption)
  • 24hr emergency phone number
  • 1GB of free eSIM data, with the option to add more
  • Personalised travel pack with travel times, accommodation info, directions, language guides and things to see and do
  • Exclusive discounts on attractions across Europe

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. Euroventure includes all train tickets from the first city to the last, any Interrail or Eurail passes needed, and all seat reservations (both compulsory and optional).
Is this escorted or self-guided?
Self-guided. You travel independently with a personalised travel pack containing travel times, accommodation info, directions, language guides and attraction lists. A 24-hour emergency phone line is available.
What is the total cost and what does it include?
From GBP 4,979 (USD 6,649). Included are train and ferry tickets, accommodation in tested hotels and hostels, seat reservations, walking directions, Travel Disruption Protection, 24-hour emergency support, 1GB eSIM data, the travel pack, and exclusive attraction discounts.
Will I sleep on the train?
Yes. The itinerary includes night trains and ferries on Days 5 (Helsinki to Stockholm, 17 hours), 31 (Prague to Krakow, 8 hours), 33 (Bratislava not mentioned as night train, but listed as night train in itinerary for 7.5 hours), and 56 (Vienna to Venice, 8 hours).
How much walking is involved?
You walk or use public transport between stations and accommodation in each city, and tour each city on foot to visit attractions. No hiking or altitude challenges are mentioned.
Which countries are visited?
22 countries: Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Austria, Italy, Spain and Portugal.

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