The places we went were amazing. we were close to everything.
The trip showed us the main countries that we wanted to see in Europe and handled the logistics. Despite the drive, there was ample time to visit and see all the things that we wanted. The working tours and additional activities were added bonus.
Tour guide and driver were excellent
We saw so many spots on this trip. It was a great trip to see what Europe has to offer. The food was fantastic and the atmosphere was amazing
Amazing your! Took me to the places I wanted to see.
Best trip ever so many optinals to choose from and steph our trip manager had some amazing insight into where to go and what to do! The places were amazing and made memories that will last forever!
Verrrryy fast pace, keep in mind you don't get to most places until late (6-7pm)
Was well worth the money spent. The trip was made easy as most of it was organised for you
We saw everything we came to see and the experience was fantastic :)
Amazing experience for first time travellers to see a lot in a short time frame, a couple of things to note when booking for Europe the bus stints are long and the toilet in the bus isn’t to be used also you will need to pay nearly every stop to use the toilet I spent $380 aud on toilet stops. The people and trip itself are great but the included meals 5/6 were pork so if you don’t like pork that much it’s a bit rough. An extra night in Austria would have been good. The optional extras some amazing some could do without and are quite expensive good to note if your names down on the sheet there’s no backing out a few of us wanted to cancel but if it’s 24hrs or less notice not an option. Another thing tipping in Europe was required at the included dinners and was advised although since then I’ve spoken to friends from France and Italy and was advised tipping 10% isn’t required so I feel that was unnecessary advice from our guide. I would recommend the trips with topdeck but some improvements could be made with advice provided and a heads up on certain extra costs. The experience was second to none amazing still made great friends and saw some beautiful places just feel it’s important to note the good with the bad
The trip leader Zoe and bus driver Mike made sure we had the best possible time with giving us so many recommendations they went above and beyond the whole trip
Great locations, great activities, great people
Our Tour Leader Mike was outstanding! Really knowledgeable, fun, highly organised and always had the best recommendations for every place we visited food wise and things to do. This trip was a really great introduction to Europe.
Amazing tour. Would go definitely do it again.
Such an awesome trip, it was pretty fast paced but we saw some really cool spots and it even snowed on our trip which was the absolute highlight! Our tour guide Carolyn and driver Fawzi were awesome. Only downside was our accomodation in Rome, it was old and dirty. Other than that, had a great time and taster of europe!
Christian, our tour leader, had no idea. He would read a little script before giving a speal on a new town and sometimes that info was wrong. He slept and used the toilet all the time on the bus and sometimes it was up to us passengers to help the bus driver when a few things went wrong. Early on I asked Christian where it would be good to do washing on the trip ie convenient/reasonable priced. When in Switzerland after seeing the note in the room he told me it could be done there. This was only a couple days in, expensive and we all saw the note in our room.
Similiarly from head office they overlooked a few things - training Chrisitian, having at least a few hotels along the way with close/reasonably priced laundry facilities. Most of the motels were terrible and not at all as advertised, sometimes quite a distance out of town so we needed public transport or taxi to get home which was expensive, only 1 key per room which was bad for travellers who had been partnered up, shower heads not attached to the walls, no shower screens/curtain, not terribly clean ect.
There was no real thought from head office into how long travel actually takes and there was no time allowed if things happened eg accidents or traffic jams (which happened on multiple days). We were always late getting into a town (we had a great bus driver it wasn't his fault) this meant we didn't really get dinner in Paris as we had to dump our bags and get to the tower for the views, in Austria people missed out on the paragliding as we couldn't get there with enough time, in Amsterdam those going to the sex show got their keys first so they got dump their bags and go yet some still got left behind and just generally we were pushed and rushed on arrival in each city. Even though the itinery said we would arrive and explore the new city in the afternoon, we never got in before dinner time. We were rushed into a club in florence and all got angry and walked out as it was our first night in Italy and wanted to eat Italian, not American. This I believe was because he was friends with the owner of the club.
The tour was way to rushed and not at all like it was marketed!!! I knew it would be a lot of travel and might be a bit rushed but nothing like what it was. I have done many tours and this was by far the worst.
Europe was of course amazing, no complaints there – amazing cities, incredible food and a lovely experience. The Topdeck tour, however, felt like it was designed to mess with us and ensure that no one ever did a tour with Topdeck again. There were three key issues: 1) the trip leader; 2) the impossible to follow itinerary; and 3) the quality and location of some of the hotels.
1 - The trip leader, Christian, had never done a tour with Topdeck before or this kind of tour and it really showed. He didn't really seem to understand his role and it felt like he thought he was doing us all a favour when he did the most basic of trip leader tasks. He refused to use the Topdeck app to communicate important info, and instead made everyone to download facebook so he could communicate via a facebook page and was snarky when people asked for clarification or information that he had already posted on there (even if he had forgotten to post it). Given that many people didn't have internet reception when they weren't in hotels (e.g. while on the bus) it was extremely unhelpful and as a group we were heavily reliant on each other for figuring out what was happening and when. The bus driver, Danny, also filled in a lot of the gaps when Christian failed to provide any info on where we needed to be and when.
Instead of helping Danny out when things went wrong (e.g. the bus needed a spare part or traffic meant Danny needed to find a rest stop to comply with EU driver time laws), Christian left it to the tour participants to provide the support and assistance and often just slept through bus trips with his headphones on. He was also incredibly rude in chastising everyone for not being on time for getting back on the bus (even when it was because people were still waiting in toilet queues or had stomach problems) despite the fact that half the time it was him we were waiting for. Early in the trip he chastised us all for not being on time to the tower in Paris the night before, even though he hadn't told us any particular time to be there.
Overall communication and planning was an utter mess - planning of activities was often left to the last minute so split second decisions had to be made about activities we had no detail on. We had to pay for all activities in cash, and didn’t always have the right currency if we on the way to that country and the tour leader wasn’t provided with change or a company credit card. Apparently the system meant that if someone opted in to an activity and pulled out, the tour leader would be financially liable and it would come out of his pocket. Activities were poorly timed and organised – e.g. the Paris bike tour group was told the wrong place to meet and then the bike tour had to be cut short so people could make it to the Seine cruise on time. We often regretted booking activities through topdeck and not just organising them ourselves. Christian took no responsibility for any errors and kept trying to pass the blame onto us as the tour participants, or Topdeck as a separate entity (despite people pointing out to him that he was our Topdeck rep and representing the company).
2 – The impossible to follow itinerary – I don’t know if other tours actually manage to get places on time and it was just a problem our tour had, but the way the itinerary is written and advertised sounds like you arrive in most cities mid-afternoon and have a chance to explore a bit before dinner. In most cases we arrived in cities in the evening and walking tours that were supposed to happen that day had to be postponed to the next day. We arrived in Austria too late, in part due to extreme traffic, so four people missed out on paragliding and the canyoning trip was changed to a shorter course. Apparently most groups leave for Austria an hour earlier than we did and Christian had been debating leaving another a whole hour later – it was unclear whether Topdeck had given Christian a clear schedule to follow or he was just told to wing it.
It blew my mind that our trip leader was not legally allowed to give tours in Italy, despite guided tours with the trip leader being in the itinerary for Rome and Venice. It meant we had strange and tense half-***** tours where most info was delivered in strange alleyways, and seems like a major failing on the part of Topdeck.
Overall the whole trip felt rushed with short pockets of time to explore cities and full days on the bus for sometimes 12-14 hours. We were never given a clear overview of what to expect in a day (the PDF wasn’t much help as scheduled activities rarely fit in on the travel days and it didn’t include timing), so generally we tried to piece things together ourselves and it always felt a little off balance like we were going to miss a deadline we weren’t told about.
3 – Quality and location of hotels – I just don’t even know where to start. It became a running joke among the group how terrible all the showers were – if you got a bathroom where the shower head was attached to the wall and the room didn’t flood while you showered, it was cause for celebration. Some of the hotels were surprisingly lovely (e.g. Austria), others were well below our already low expectations (e.g. Rome). The hotel in Florence very far out of town right by the airport. Several others were so far from city centres we had to take taxis to get anywhere – please include other transport costs in your budget. Public transport tickets were provided in a couple of cities, but they were usually 2x one-way trips worth provided on the second day in a city and often it was hard to coordinate collecting them from the tour leader. The fact that many hotels refused to give out two plastic key cards for rooms that were being shared by two people who had just met on the trip was absurd. The idea that people should have to coordinate their plans with their roommate was completely inappropriate. In Switzerland one guy couldn’t get into his room at 1am or so because his roommate had fallen asleep and the hotel reception wasn’t staffed. Christian chastised the guy who had fallen asleep and tried to get the whole bus to hate on him like that was an unreasonable thing to do in your own hotel room in the middle of the night. Christian was also very resistant to the idea that hotels ever give out two room keys and did little to advocate for us. Most of the double rooms booked were two single beds pushed together, which is largely fine, though one in Rome was two single beds with separate sheets and doonas and different height mattresses. The hotel claimed they didn’t have any double beds at all and then agreed that they just didn’t have any available and eventually put new sheets on the beds so they at least kind of functioned like one bed.
Importantly, Danny the bus driver was great. He was lovely and absolutely went out of his way to make it a great trip for us all, provide info where it was lacking, and answer questions happily and without complaint.
I haven’t been on many tours but to be honest if this was my first one I would never go on another one again. It was the mostly poorly executed tour I could of imagined, if tours were like the tv show kitchen nightmares with Gordon Ramsey this would be one of the top.
Overall I wouldn’t recommend this tour to anyone I know and wouldn’t recommend Topdeck as a tour company for other tours
Pause & Play/.. more like rush around each city and sit on a bus 10 hours every second day and stay in out of city and below par accommodation
Lift your game Top Deck
Our trip was not organize at all. We used to ask what time we are leaving next day?
And even though it says we will be in city for 2 days but it’s just a day. If you are solo & first time in Europe then it make sense to be with a group but if not then do all the planning. You’ll not regret it. Because that’s what we ended up doing. Planning on the bus while traveling to that city. They could have done a little better with hotels but I guess this is how they save money.
And all the extra activities is in cash. I hope they make a little saving account with topdeck so they can deduct money whenever we pick any optional activity. It will be less stressful for leader & people.
Please add all the Uber cost because they will not use the bus in the city, even when it kind of make sense sometimes. And many more flaws… :(
Danny was our driver. In the beginning he shared a story of how couple ladies filed a harassment case & how he got out & don’t like ladies anymore. Sharing this on day one? I’m sorry but it was wrong. I had some doubts in the beginning but he’s a great driver.
Topdeck: please don’t send new leader alone (Christian) You guys are saving enough money from our accommodation & other stuff. Train them properly. It was a not a cheap trip for us. We struggled to enjoy our time & find a good food & a laundry & atm machines.
Had an absolute blast Christian was an icon and i came back with many stories
Almost every expectation of the tour did not meet expectations.
Loved the route. A good mix of familiar and famous European locations and less known but beautiful places. Fantastic scenery as well as beautiful cityscapes and nightlife.
Couldn't have been better. Fantastic trip leader and driver who continually went above and beyond. All the accommodation was great (except Rome). Couldn't have asked for a better group. Only complaint is it wasn't longer!
the trip was good! very on the go with many early wake ups which wasnt so good but we got to see alot of places and do lots of amazing things. hotels were good there was probly 1 or 2 that we could have definately got nicer for the price we paid and the meals included could have been alot nicer. Our trip leader and bus driver sicily and mike were great and helpful with everything. It was a good experience.
Every stop was different which made the trip so interesting. Again, all I can complain about is the hotels and their location
some of the hotels were not good value
The sites Europe has to offer were amazing. Being able to see everything and not having to organise it myself was amazing. and the hotels were pretty good too. I highly recommend Topdeck tours!!!!!!
It was really good, very on the go. Some hotels could be better.
Got to see a lot of Europe’s famous landmarks and beautiful ones too in a short amount of time. Bit like a taste tester.
Best trip ever! Best group! Best tour guide! Best bus driver! Cant beat thatu!
Great tour to see the main sights throughout Europe. Gives you the opportunity to spend at one full day in almost every location, and was especially suitable for me as it managed to squeeze eight countries into the small amount of holiday time I had. Will definitely be returning to visit my favorite places in the future.
Everything you want to see you get an excellent taste of each place in Europe that you have been dying to visit. The time you spend in each place encourages you to do anything and everything in the time you have really appreciating your days.
Great stops in each country
Awesome places. Good timing and activity options.
I feel as though we could have spent a bit more time in some cities so it was a little rushed and very on the go but I guess that's what the sacrifice is for having so many countries in 18 days
We had a fantastic driver!!!
Tour guide seemed to have a crush on one of the guys so always was distracted in group activities.
This route gives you a taste of many of the major destinations in Europe (London isn't included in terms of the tour - it begins in London).
I joined the tour in Paris (having already spent a few days there prior). You really hit the ground running - trying to befriend 40 odd people and explore Paris simultaneously really set the tone for the coming weeks for me. In each city, you're introduced via a walking tour (or driving tour) and then you're allowed to do as you please until you need to be back on the bus en route to the next destination.
Take advantage of the optional activities on this Tour - they really enhance your experience in certain destinations. The Vatican Tour is worth it, for example. The Adventure Optionals (e.g. Paragliding etc.) in Austria are totally worth it.
The accommodation was fairly decent - I recall the hotels in Florence and Amsterdam to be a little underwhelming however all have Wifi, private bathrooms and clean bedding.
The cities you visit are so diverse - it's impossible to choose highlights. Switzerland was amazing; the town the tour visits is so picturesque and unique - the views were incredible. Venice & Amsterdam are absolute gems as well.
It's a really satisfying route - it was very fulfilling to do!
Would have loved if the trip included Munich as well, didn't feel like I got the complete German experience
The trip was great and they did a good job to help you experience the places like taking you to restaurants with local cuisine, but still giving you time to explore on your own. I wish the hotels might have been 1 or 2 stars nicer however. I was exhausted at the end of the day but found the beds uncomfortable in most the hotels so struggled to sleep. Others slept on the bus to make up for it but I couldn’t do that either.
The trip fitted its purpose - it was a taste of a range of different cultures and countries. It was incredible how much we could experience in such a short period of time
Loved pretty much every where we went. although time was short but then again it was only a taster of Europe will definitely be coming for more.
Great way to see alot on a time constraint.
Everything was organised so well and I had the trip of a lifetime - thank you!
Great range of activities in each country. Stayed just enough time in each place. Some places I did want to stay longer but it made me realise what places I would like to come back to and what places I think I've seen enough of.
Amazing. It goes through some incredible parts of Europe - it's a great introduction to Europe, and covers a lot of ground quickly.
Europe was exciting when it came to shopping.
The tour was good value, inclusions were great and the places we stopped at were amazing.
I thought the tour was a great insight into our bucket list in Europe. It went to all the main places and even the off the beaten track local places which were sometimes better than the big cities
I only did the Vatican tour, I would have liked the guide to include the church as well.
Saw some great countries on this trip & made some good friends.
Veronica was very helpful & informed
Having the option to participate in life changing activities was affordable, convenient and accessible.
Absolutely loved my time away!
A great taster trip to see the best bits of a few places - definitely gave me a good idea of where to go back to next time! 😊
Great Scenery and Stops. Bus trips felt a bit long in some places. Overall worth it for getting to see multiple countries without the hassle of organizing everything yourself. Though at times feeling a bit rushed through places so missing out on somethings. But again worth it for your first time in Europe for a taste of how it all works without the added stress. Would recommend for first time European travelers.
Too much time on the coach. The included Meals by top deck were always at the cheapest places, one of the meals I had was plain pasta without meat or vegetables!!. Me and my partner had to eat out mostly! One of the hotels room me and my partner had to sleep separately because there was single beds.
Other hotels were so tight and ugly showers.
Time we spent in Paris was the least, for such a beautiful city we expected to be there for a little longer! :((
The tour costed us double what it supposed to be :(((.
Great guide and trip, very well organised
This tour is the perfect length. We had just enough time in each place without missing out on any important areas. Great inclusions along the way with meals and almost all of the hotels were above our expectation.
Too expensive. Could have easily done something similar for cheaper price
Ticked so many things off my bucket it. It was just the right length and we went to some amazibg places!
A good mix of countries on one trip without feeling rushed.
Needed better infection control. Everyone got sick on the tour bus. Needed cleaning and hand sanitiser
For the amount of places we visited it was a decent price. Although there were some hotels that were not very nice and I wish we could have stayed somewhere else.
The guide, the driver - the entire process was just spectacular. As a first time traveler, I never had worry about a thing. I'll attempt to do as many of your trips as possible before I turn 40!
It was amazing to visit every city and had the best trip ever
The extra activities that were offered were great
Super fun, no stress trip. And a good price too $$$
Although I would have loved to have some more time in Austria, all the places we visited were amazing and the top deck team ensured that we made the most of our time and that we were well informed as to where to go and what to do
Excellent choice of cities / towns, all accommodation was good and meals were well thought out to experience the local tastes
Tour was cancelled, was difficult to get a refund.
Your was great went to place I would never have chosen for myself
Not too long, not too - just right, and at the right pace! This package is great value without compromising on comfort. There's a nice mix of guided activities and free time, and a good variety of optional extras.
Our tour guide was great. He was really knowledgeable. Our driver was also amazing. Both worked well together to make it a great experience.
I would have liked to have a few nicer hotels closer to the city. I do understand that this does come at a cost, so I'm not sure if there could be a more premium tour that goes to the same or similar destinations that might be more expensive, but stay at nicer and closer places. The choices of places were really good.
Great cities and great hotels
Great selection of places to visit, the Mauthausen concentration camp was an excellent addition. I felt like the day in Austria was wasted for the people who weren't doing any adventure activities, as there was nothing to do in the village and all the shops were closed too :(
Most of the hotels were good to stay in, but please change the hotel for Florence, the sheets smelled bad and the bathrooms were terrible.
All in all, great trip! The only downside is the selection of accommodation that could be improved.
A wonderful taste of Europe in 2 weeks. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed our knowledgeable tour guide and driver!
The tour was a lot of fun - met a great bunch of people. Highlight was Mount Titlis in Switzerland - and the village of Engelberg was very pretty. Amsterdam was also great, especially as we stayed at the very quirky Inntel Hotel in Zaandam. The lowlight was probably Berlin - our hotel (Hotel Klassik) was located across the road from a nightclub which made sleep impossible. There were a lot of shady characters in the area too.