- -Paris highlights drive
- -Visit Pisa and see the famous Leaning Tower
- -Walking tour of Florence with local guide
- -Orientation walk of Rome with Trip Leader
- -Visit Orvieto
- -Orientation walk of Venice with Trip Leader
- -Walking tour of Salzburg with Trip Leader
- -Visit former concentration camp Mauthausen
- -Walking tour of Prague with Trip Leader
- -Orientation walk of Dresden with Trip Leader
- -Berlin highlights drive
Your dream trip starts here
Get Social: Central Europe Highlights (Winter)
Trip overview
TRIP VIBE = fast-paced fun with tons of socialising, bucket-list sights and good times all round. Q: how do I fit Europe’s winter highlights into under three weeks? A: this, right here. Discover the foodie capitals of Berlin and Florence. Ooohh and ahhhh your way around the showstoppers: Paris, Rome, Venice and Amsterdam. Throw in the mind-blowing Alps. And top it off with all the steaming mulled wine, roaring fires, piping-hot pastries and frost-filled activities that makes a Euro winter so spesh. Got *chills*? You will do.
Worth noting…
Hitting Central Europe on the 13 Dec 2024 departure? Christmas in Europe is a VIBE. Quick FYI: you won’t be visiting Mauthausen Concentration Camp. It’s closed for the festive period on Day 12 of your trip. For Topdeckers joining us on 21 Dec, you’ll visit Dachau Concentration Camp instead of Mauthausen.
Tales from Topdeckers
Trip itinerary
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London (England) – Paris (France)
1Ready to discover the unknown, find your people and experience the new and exotic? We thought so. Meet the crew in LDN – we’re hitting the road early for our drive across the Channel. The home of Louis Vuitton, ol’ Mona and world’s BEST desserts – Paris has earnt its rep as the European capital for all things fashion, culture and food. Tick off all the showstoppers on a driving tour before getting out and about in the City of Luuuurve. This is gonna be good.
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Activities
- Paris highlights drive
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Activities
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Paris
2There’s more here than over-priced handbags and unoriginal poses under the Eiffel Tower. Trust us. Spend your free day ticking off those bucket-list highlights with the gang AND exploring the backstreets. Hunt down the best patisseries in town (ask your Trip Leader for recommendations). Or inject some feel-good vibes at the I Love You Wall. Not a walker? Beat the winter chill and work the calves on an optional bike tour. Tonight, test your epic name-remembering skills (or, not) at our welcome meal. Then: go all-out with an optional evening at the cabaret. Think sparkling lights, glittering costumes and death-defying acrobats!
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Meals
- Dinner
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Your Options
- Bike tour of Paris: from €36
- Parisian cabaret show: prices and location available locally
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Meals
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Paris – Swiss Alps (Switzerland)
3No lies, this is a long drive. BUT you’ve got banging tunes and scenic views to keep you occupied – not to mention your sick AF trip mates. Home to the ‘Top of Europe’, rushing waterfalls and one of the largest nature conservations in Switzerland – tonight we're bunking down in the jaw-dropping Swiss Alps. Sit back in the fresh (read: freezing) alpine air with a steaming cup of glühwein and crack open that new pack of playing cards. Good luck dealing in mittens.
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Meals
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Swiss Alps
4If the Swiss Alps had a Tinder bio it would read: fun-filled outdoor enthusiast – looking for a fellow adrenalin-lovin''-snow-bunny to share adventures with. Swiping right? Skydiving over BEAUT snowcapped peaks. Helicopter-ing across epic glaciers. This place has it all. More of a thrill-dodger? Jump aboard the Jungfraubahn railway and get all the white-washed summit views (minus the effort). Then put those elastic waistbands to the test. We’re talking creamy Swiss hot chocolate, gooey cheese fondue, carb-filled potato rösti and älplermagronen (think: mac ‘n’ cheese, but better).
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Your Options
- Skydiving in the Swiss Alps: from 475 CHF
- Helicopter ride in the Swiss Alps with glacier landing: prices available locally
- Scenic excursion to Jungfrau (''The Top of Europe''): from 199 CHF
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Your Options
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Swiss Alps – Pisa (Italy) – Florence
5Start practising your Italian coffee order – we’re heading to the land of the long boot. First stop: Pisa. If you’re gonna take THAT photo, think of something unique. Please. Then, make your food baby sing as we roll into the capital of Tuscan cuisine and birthplace of gelato. Fact: you can still sample a scoop or two of the good stuff in winter (judgement-free). Tonight: head to a karaoke bar to ballad-battle your trip mates. Someone picked Frozen before your turn? Let it go...
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Activities
- Visit Pisa and see the famous Leaning Tower
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Activities
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Florence
6Florence has more stories than you can poke a stick at, more culture than a Melbourne hipster AND it gave the world David (putting dad bods to shame since 1504). We’ll get the lay of the land on an in-depth walking tour with a local guide. Then: take your new-found knowledge and hit the streets solo. Uffizi Gallery. Ponte Vecchio. Piazza della Signoria. The Duomo. You can’t see it all, but you sure as hell can try! Tonight, clink glasses with your trip buds on an optional tipsy tour of Florence’s best local bars. Salute! Or rug up and head to Piazzale Michelangelo – even in winter, the sunset is redic.
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Activities
- Walking tour of Florence with local guide
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Your Options
- Tipsy tour of Florence: from €50
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Activities
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Florence – Orvieto – Rome
7Onwards! First: a pit stop at the hilltop town of Orvieto – to see the grand cathedral and dig into a wild boar panini (unless you’re vegetarian, soz). Then: bella Roma awaits. We’ll get our bearings of this iconic ancient city on an orientation walk with our Trip Leader. Pass by the Pantheon, (don’t) sit on the Spanish Steps, check out the mighty Colosseum and throw your two cents in the Trevi Fountain. Then, gather the gang and go show that pizza who’s boss.
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Activities
- Orientation walk of Rome with Trip Leader
- Visit Orvieto
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Activities
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Rome
8You’ve watched (or been made to watch) Eat. Pray. Love. Now, it’s time to make like Julia and put this city to the test. You have 48 hours of freedom to explore. Count your blessings on an optional tour of Vatican City, then play ‘I-spy’ with two-and-a-half millennia worth of history. Get your steps in on a different optional tour. This time it includes three I-CON-IC sights: Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum. Grab a bite on the food and wine tour up for grabs *wipes drool*. Or do as the locals do and indulge in a little dolce far niente (delicious idleness) with a piping-hot macchiato at a local cafe. Tonight, shake out those fat pants for another round of allll the cream-filled, sauce-topped, parmesan-covered carbs!
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Your Options
- Guided tour of Vatican City: from €80
- Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum tour: from €80
- Food and wine tour: from €79
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Your Options
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Rome – Venice
9After another group brekkie, we’re making a beeline for Venice. The drive is your chance to share snaps with your new mates, catch up on some zzzzs and text the ''rents (trust us, you''ll be too busy later). We''ll park up in the birthplace of Vivaldi this afternoon. Throw on your beanie and acquaint yourself with the who''s who of Venice''s usual suspects on an orientation walk – ticking off the likes of St Mark''s Square, Doge’s Palace and Accademia Bridge. Then, stop and take in the romantic winter vibes with a Venetian hot chocolate overlooking the canal. Yep, you’re finally here.
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Activities
- Orientation walk of Venice with Trip Leader
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Activities
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Venice
10You know it as The Floating City, but this place is actually sinking (slowly). So, make like Dora and get exploring! Need some suggestions? Float past the famous Rialto Bridge on a gondola ride. Spend your time seeking out the epic Libreria Acqua Alta bookshop. Get lost amongst the misty alleyways and shimmering piazzas. Then find yourself next to a roaring fire with a mug of hot vin brulé. Later, score a cheap meal at Osteria Al Portego or fill up on alllll the drool-worthy Italian pastries (no judgement here).
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Your Options
- Get a personalised trip T-shirt or hoodie: prices available locally
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Your Options
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Venice – Salzburg (Austria)
11Today: we’re setting a course for Salzburg. So much more than strudel and The Sound of Music – this place has got elegance written on every grand baroque building. We’ll tick off the likes of the Mirabell Gardens, Mozart’s birthplace, Fortress Hohensalzburg and the Cathedral on a walking tour with our expert Trip Leader. What you get up to tonight is 100% on you. Getting hangry? Pull up a pew at a local restaurant and dig into a weiner schnitzel, washed down with a pint of Ottakringer for good measure.
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Activities
- Walking tour of Salzburg with Trip Leader
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Activities
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Salzburg – Mauthausen – Prague (Czech Republic)
12Onwards to the spire-filled skyline and mysterious streets of Prague! But first: a sobering visit to former concentration camp Mauthausen. Learn all about the atrocities that occurred here during WWII before we make tracks to the Republic of Czech (say: check). Our Trip Leader will get us acquainted with this picture-perfect city – complete with quirky clock tower – and point out all the must-dos for our free day tomorrow. Tonight? Round up the fam and swing by The Alchemist – the best cocktail bar in the city. Hint: if you want the full experience, we recommend 'choose your fate' off the menu. See you in the morning.
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Activities
- Visit former concentration camp Mauthausen
- Walking tour of Prague with Trip Leader
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Activities
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Prague
13That’s right folks – it’s your day, your way. So get out there and do your own spontaneous this-is-what-I-came-for thing. Check out the John Lennon wall. Soak up some history at the Communist Museum. Take the funicular up Petrin Hill for allll the views. Or grab a delish roast pork roll at one of the street vendors lining Old Town Square. Fancy yourself as a bit of a hops connoisseur? Check out the local beer scene at a cool microbrewery. Tonight, dinner is up to you – just leave room for a trdelnik (or two). It’s all your sugary dreams rolled into one cone-shaped, cream-filled, carb-laden dessert *wipes drool from chin*.
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Prague – Dresden (Germany) – Berlin
14Next up? A country where beer is officially considered an essential food group (right next to sausage and sauerkraut). Halloooo Germany! We’ll get acquainted with 800 year-old Dresden on the way. Then: Prep yourself for currywurst and more hipsters per capita than anywhere else. We'll drive you around to see the main sights including (what's left of) the Berlin Wall, the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie and Brandenburg Gate. Tonight: get the group together to see whether this city’s nightlife really lives up to the hype. Prost!
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Activities
- Orientation walk of Dresden with Trip Leader
- Berlin highlights drive
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Activities
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Berlin
15You’ve got 24 hrs of free time here – don’t muck around. Opt in for a local walking tour that’s, you know, not boring. You’ll get a local insight into what the city was like under Nazi rule and tick off all the must-sees. Or put those elastic waistbands to the ultimate test on a locally led food tour. We’re talking kebabs, pastries, more currywurst, pierogi and local Pilsner beer. Rather explore solo? Head to the Mauerpark markets for stalls filled with stuff you didn’t know you needed. Explore Museum Island. Take a ride in a Trabi and see why it’s Germany’s best-loved car. Or turn off Google Maps and simply get lost in the unknown. Tonight, see if Mustafa’s döner kebabs meet expectations.
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Your Options
- Third Reich walking tour: from €20
- Berlin food tour: from €50
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Your Options
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Berlin – Amsterdam (Netherlands)
16Ok, nobody panic – we’ve only got two days left. But the adventure sure as hell isn’t over yet! We’ve got our eye on Amsterdam next. Once we arrive, chuck on the layers and hit the cobblestones. Check out the likes of Dam Square, the Royal Palace and the National Monument. This place is a foodie’s wet dream – so you’ll have no trouble finding somewhere to settle in for dinner. Tonight, head to Proeflokaal Arendsnest for a selection of over 100 Dutch beers (and all the cosy winter vibes). Insider tip: end the night with a cone of hot chips and mayo – practical and bloody delicious. Dig in.
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Meals
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Amsterdam
17This is our last full day. FFS don’t hang about – join the locals and get on your bike! Check out Amsterdam''s iconic canals, bridges and parks on an optional bike tour. History buffs should pay a visit to the Anne Frank House (don’t forget to book in advance!). And for the culture fiends – the Van Gogh Musuem and Rijksmuseum. Hunt down Winkel 43 for the best appeltaart in the city. Or just get lost amongst backstreets of the different districts – each one’s got a unique vibe and plenty to explore. Just make sure you’re back in time to toast the final night of our winter getaway at tonight’s included dinner. We’ll be giving this incredible frosty adventure the send-off it deserves!
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Meals
- Dinner
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Your Options
- Bike tour of Amsterdam: from €32
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Meals
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Amsterdam – London (England)
18Seriously? It’s over? After breakfast, we’ll hit the road. Blast the Trip Song one last time, swap those Insta handles and get planning next year’s reunion trip. We hear Europe in summer is pretty awesome...
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Meals
Your Inclusions
Activities
Accommodation
-15 nights in hostels, 2 nights in bungalows at campsites
Transport
Air-conditioned coach
Your Options
FYI: these are optional activities available locally. Things might change – prices are here to give you a rough idea.
-Seine River cruise: from €15
-Bike tour of Paris: from €36
-Parisian cabaret show: prices and location available locally
-Skydiving in the Swiss Alps: from 475 CHF
-Helicopter ride in the Swiss Alps with glacier landing: prices available locally
-Scenic excursion to Jungfrau ('The Top of Europe'): from 199 CHF
-Tipsy tour of Florence: from €50
-Guided tour of Vatican City: from €80
-Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum tour: from €80
-Food and wine tour in Rome: from €79
-Get a personalised trip T-shirt or hoodie: prices available locally
-Third Reich walking tour: from €20
-Berlin food tour: from €50
-Bike tour of Amsterdam: from €32
Views & reviews
Latest reviews
Average rating based on 22 reviews-
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