{"generated":"build","licence":{"terms":"https://europedoor.com/terms","use":"Free to read, cache and build on, with attribution to EuropeDoor. Estimates are planning arithmetic, not quotes. Nothing here is entry, visa or safety advice.","attribution":"EuropeDoor — europedoor.com"},"note":"Curated routes. Estimates are planning arithmetic, not quotes.","journeys":[{"slug":"arctic-to-the-baltic","name":"Arctic to the Baltic","url":"/journeys/arctic-to-the-baltic","strapline":"Midnight sun to hanseatic brick","summary":"Start where the sun does not set and end where medieval merchants counted their money. This is the long north: an Arctic city, an island chain of granite peaks, a night train down the spine of Sweden, and then the three old trading capitals of the Baltic — each of which was rich, then occupied, and is now itself again. Long legs, and the train is the point rather than the cost.","days":19,"budget":"moderate","difficulty":"moderate","transport":["rail","ferry","bus"],"accommodation":"mixed","months":["jun","jul","aug"],"interests":["nature","mountains","islands","history","rail","winter"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["Waterproof shell and a warm layer for June — the Arctic does not read the calendar","Boots that will do a fell path as well as a city","An eye mask: it does not get dark","A card, not cash — the whole north is cashless"],"countries":["Estonia","Finland","Latvia","Norway","Sweden"],"legs":[{"city":"norway/nord-norge/tromso","name":"Tromsø","country":"Norway","url":"/europe/norway/nord-norge/tromso","nights":3,"note":"","lat":69.65,"lon":18.96},{"city":"norway/nord-norge/lofoten","name":"Lofoten (Svolvær)","country":"Norway","url":"/europe/norway/nord-norge/lofoten","nights":4,"note":"","lat":68.23,"lon":14.57},{"city":"sweden/swedish-lapland/abisko","name":"Abisko","country":"Sweden","url":"/europe/sweden/swedish-lapland/abisko","nights":2,"note":"","lat":68.35,"lon":18.83},{"city":"sweden/stockholm-and-the-archipelago/stockholm","name":"Stockholm","country":"Sweden","url":"/europe/sweden/stockholm-and-the-archipelago/stockholm","nights":3,"note":"","lat":59.33,"lon":18.07},{"city":"finland/helsinki-and-the-coast/helsinki","name":"Helsinki","country":"Finland","url":"/europe/finland/helsinki-and-the-coast/helsinki","nights":2,"note":"","lat":60.17,"lon":24.94},{"city":"estonia/tallinn-and-the-north/tallinn","name":"Tallinn","country":"Estonia","url":"/europe/estonia/tallinn-and-the-north/tallinn","nights":2,"note":"","lat":59.44,"lon":24.75},{"city":"latvia/riga-and-around/riga","name":"Riga","country":"Latvia","url":"/europe/latvia/riga-and-around/riga","nights":2,"note":"","lat":56.95,"lon":24.11}]},{"slug":"atlantic-to-the-mediterranean","name":"Atlantic to the Mediterranean","url":"/journeys/atlantic-to-the-mediterranean","strapline":"Across Iberia and along the coast","summary":"The classic west-to-east traverse, taken slowly enough to notice the change: Atlantic light and salt cod in the northwest, the Moorish south in the middle, then the Mediterranean proper from Barcelona onward. Every leg on this route can be done by train, which is unusual for a journey of this length and is half the pleasure of it.","days":23,"budget":"moderate","difficulty":"easy","transport":["rail"],"accommodation":"hotel","months":["apr","may","sep","oct"],"interests":["food","wine","history","architecture","coast","art"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["Comfortable shoes for cobbles and hills","Sun protection from April onwards","Something with sleeves for churches","A rail pass, or advance singles booked the day they open"],"countries":["France","Italy","Portugal","Spain"],"legs":[{"city":"portugal/porto-and-the-douro/porto","name":"Porto","country":"Portugal","url":"/europe/portugal/porto-and-the-douro/porto","nights":3,"note":"","lat":41.15,"lon":-8.61},{"city":"portugal/lisbon-and-the-west/lisbon","name":"Lisbon","country":"Portugal","url":"/europe/portugal/lisbon-and-the-west/lisbon","nights":3,"note":"","lat":38.72,"lon":-9.14},{"city":"portugal/alentejo-and-the-south/evora","name":"Évora","country":"Portugal","url":"/europe/portugal/alentejo-and-the-south/evora","nights":2,"note":"","lat":38.57,"lon":-7.91},{"city":"spain/andalusia/seville","name":"Seville","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/andalusia/seville","nights":3,"note":"","lat":37.39,"lon":-5.99},{"city":"spain/andalusia/granada","name":"Granada","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/andalusia/granada","nights":3,"note":"","lat":37.18,"lon":-3.6},{"city":"spain/catalonia-and-the-east/barcelona","name":"Barcelona","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/catalonia-and-the-east/barcelona","nights":3,"note":"","lat":41.39,"lon":2.17},{"city":"france/provence-and-the-south/nice","name":"Nice","country":"France","url":"/europe/france/provence-and-the-south/nice","nights":2,"note":"","lat":43.7,"lon":7.27},{"city":"italy/rome-and-lazio/rome","name":"Rome","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/rome-and-lazio/rome","nights":3,"note":"","lat":41.9,"lon":12.5}]},{"slug":"the-alpine-grand-tour","name":"The Alpine Grand Tour","url":"/journeys/the-alpine-grand-tour","strapline":"Six valleys, four countries, one mountain range","summary":"The Alps are a single range and five nationalities, and the way to feel that is to cross them slowly by train and cable car rather than fly over. This route runs west to east from Mont Blanc to the Dolomites, staying high, and every leg is on a scheduled public service. Book the mountain huts before you book the hotels.","days":17,"budget":"high","difficulty":"demanding","transport":["rail","cable car","postbus"],"accommodation":"mixed","months":["jun","jul","aug","sep"],"interests":["mountains","rail","nature","winter","food"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["Boots with ankle support and a broken-in sole","Layers, and a hat, even in August","Cash for mountain huts, which often take nothing else","Sun cream — snow at altitude burns"],"countries":["Austria","France","Italy","Switzerland"],"legs":[{"city":"france/alps-and-east/chamonix","name":"Chamonix","country":"France","url":"/europe/france/alps-and-east/chamonix","nights":3,"note":"","lat":45.92,"lon":6.87},{"city":"switzerland/valais-and-the-south/zermatt","name":"Zermatt","country":"Switzerland","url":"/europe/switzerland/valais-and-the-south/zermatt","nights":3,"note":"","lat":46.02,"lon":7.75},{"city":"switzerland/bernese-oberland/lauterbrunnen","name":"Lauterbrunnen","country":"Switzerland","url":"/europe/switzerland/bernese-oberland/lauterbrunnen","nights":3,"note":"","lat":46.59,"lon":7.91},{"city":"switzerland/graubunden/st-moritz","name":"St. Moritz & the Engadin","country":"Switzerland","url":"/europe/switzerland/graubunden/st-moritz","nights":2,"note":"","lat":46.5,"lon":9.84},{"city":"austria/tyrol/innsbruck","name":"Innsbruck","country":"Austria","url":"/europe/austria/tyrol/innsbruck","nights":2,"note":"","lat":47.27,"lon":11.39},{"city":"italy/north-italy/ortisei","name":"Ortisei & the Dolomites","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/north-italy/ortisei","nights":3,"note":"","lat":46.57,"lon":11.67}]},{"slug":"scandinavia-to-central-europe","name":"Scandinavia to Central Europe","url":"/journeys/scandinavia-to-central-europe","strapline":"Copenhagen to Budapest, all by rail","summary":"A north-south line down the middle of the continent, from a harbour you can swim in to a capital built on hot springs. It crosses the old inner-German border, the old iron curtain, and three empires' worth of architecture, without ever needing a flight or a car. The stretch from Berlin to Budapest is the densest run of great cities in Europe.","days":21,"budget":"moderate","difficulty":"easy","transport":["rail"],"accommodation":"hotel","months":["may","jun","sep","oct"],"interests":["cities","history","architecture","music","food"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["An umbrella you do not mind losing","Comfortable shoes; these are walking cities","One smart layer for an opera house or a concert hall"],"countries":["Austria","Czechia","Denmark","Germany","Hungary"],"legs":[{"city":"denmark/zealand/copenhagen","name":"Copenhagen","country":"Denmark","url":"/europe/denmark/zealand/copenhagen","nights":3,"note":"","lat":55.68,"lon":12.57},{"city":"germany/north-germany/hamburg","name":"Hamburg","country":"Germany","url":"/europe/germany/north-germany/hamburg","nights":2,"note":"","lat":53.55,"lon":9.99},{"city":"germany/berlin-and-the-east/berlin","name":"Berlin","country":"Germany","url":"/europe/germany/berlin-and-the-east/berlin","nights":4,"note":"","lat":52.52,"lon":13.4},{"city":"germany/berlin-and-the-east/dresden","name":"Dresden","country":"Germany","url":"/europe/germany/berlin-and-the-east/dresden","nights":2,"note":"","lat":51.05,"lon":13.74},{"city":"czechia/prague-and-bohemia/prague","name":"Prague","country":"Czechia","url":"/europe/czechia/prague-and-bohemia/prague","nights":3,"note":"","lat":50.09,"lon":14.42},{"city":"austria/vienna-and-the-east/vienna","name":"Vienna","country":"Austria","url":"/europe/austria/vienna-and-the-east/vienna","nights":3,"note":"","lat":48.21,"lon":16.37},{"city":"hungary/budapest-and-the-danube-bend/budapest","name":"Budapest","country":"Hungary","url":"/europe/hungary/budapest-and-the-danube-bend/budapest","nights":3,"note":"","lat":47.5,"lon":19.04}]},{"slug":"the-adriatic-run","name":"The Adriatic Run","url":"/journeys/the-adriatic-run","strapline":"Venice to Dubrovnik the long way round","summary":"Down the eastern Adriatic, which has the Mediterranean's clearest water and its least developed coastline. The route leaves the sea twice on purpose — into Slovenia's karst and into Bosnia — because the interior is where the layers are: Venetian, Ottoman, Habsburg and Yugoslav, sometimes in the same street. Ferries and buses, not trains, from Split onward.","days":19,"budget":"moderate","difficulty":"moderate","transport":["ferry","bus","rail"],"accommodation":"mixed","months":["may","jun","sep","oct"],"interests":["coast","islands","history","food","sacred"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["Water shoes — most of this coast is pebble or rock","A dry bag for boat legs","Shoulders and knees covered for churches and mosques","Sea-sickness tablets for the open crossings"],"countries":["Bosnia and Herzegovina","Croatia","Italy","Montenegro","Slovenia"],"legs":[{"city":"italy/north-italy/venice","name":"Venice","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/north-italy/venice","nights":2,"note":"","lat":45.44,"lon":12.34},{"city":"slovenia/ljubljana-karst-coast/ljubljana","name":"Ljubljana","country":"Slovenia","url":"/europe/slovenia/ljubljana-karst-coast/ljubljana","nights":2,"note":"","lat":46.06,"lon":14.51},{"city":"slovenia/ljubljana-karst-coast/piran","name":"Piran","country":"Slovenia","url":"/europe/slovenia/ljubljana-karst-coast/piran","nights":2,"note":"","lat":45.53,"lon":13.57},{"city":"croatia/istria-and-kvarner/rovinj","name":"Rovinj","country":"Croatia","url":"/europe/croatia/istria-and-kvarner/rovinj","nights":2,"note":"","lat":45.08,"lon":13.64},{"city":"croatia/dalmatia/split","name":"Split","country":"Croatia","url":"/europe/croatia/dalmatia/split","nights":3,"note":"","lat":43.51,"lon":16.44},{"city":"bosnia-and-herzegovina/herzegovina/mostar","name":"Mostar","country":"Bosnia and Herzegovina","url":"/europe/bosnia-and-herzegovina/herzegovina/mostar","nights":2,"note":"","lat":43.34,"lon":17.81},{"city":"montenegro/bay-of-kotor/kotor","name":"Kotor","country":"Montenegro","url":"/europe/montenegro/bay-of-kotor/kotor","nights":3,"note":"","lat":42.42,"lon":18.77},{"city":"croatia/dalmatia/dubrovnik","name":"Dubrovnik","country":"Croatia","url":"/europe/croatia/dalmatia/dubrovnik","nights":2,"note":"","lat":42.65,"lon":18.09}]},{"slug":"camino-and-sacred-europe","name":"Camino & Sacred Europe","url":"/journeys/camino-and-sacred-europe","strapline":"Six places people have walked to for a thousand years","summary":"Not a religious journey unless you want it to be — a route through the buildings and landscapes that pilgrimage produced, which is most of what Europe built before it built anything else. It ends where it should, on foot, in the rain, in Galicia. Two of these stops are still working monastic communities and one is a sovereign state.","days":15,"budget":"moderate","difficulty":"moderate","transport":["rail","on foot"],"accommodation":"guesthouse","months":["apr","may","sep","oct"],"interests":["sacred","history","architecture","art"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["Boots already broken in — this is not the trip to test them","A credencial if you intend to walk the last stage","Blister tape, before you need it","Something to cover shoulders in every church"],"countries":["France","Greece","Italy","Spain","United Kingdom"],"legs":[{"city":"united-kingdom/london-and-the-south-east/canterbury","name":"Canterbury","country":"United Kingdom","url":"/europe/united-kingdom/london-and-the-south-east/canterbury","nights":2,"note":"","lat":51.28,"lon":1.08},{"city":"france/paris-and-ile-de-france/chartres","name":"Chartres","country":"France","url":"/europe/france/paris-and-ile-de-france/chartres","nights":2,"note":"","lat":48.45,"lon":1.49},{"city":"italy/rome-and-lazio/rome","name":"Rome","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/rome-and-lazio/rome","nights":3,"note":"","lat":41.9,"lon":12.5},{"city":"greece/northern-greece/meteora","name":"Meteora (Kalambaka)","country":"Greece","url":"/europe/greece/northern-greece/meteora","nights":3,"note":"","lat":39.71,"lon":21.63},{"city":"spain/green-spain/santiago-de-compostela","name":"Santiago de Compostela","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/green-spain/santiago-de-compostela","nights":4,"note":"","lat":42.88,"lon":-8.54}]},{"slug":"the-hanseatic-arc","name":"The Hanseatic Arc","url":"/journeys/the-hanseatic-arc","strapline":"The medieval trading league, in order","summary":"Between the 13th and 17th centuries a network of merchant towns ran the northern seas, and they all built with the same brick and the same confidence. This route follows them from Flanders to the Gulf of Finland. What the League left behind is a very specific pleasure: gabled warehouses, town halls larger than the towns needed, and a shared idea of what a rich city should look like.","days":16,"budget":"moderate","difficulty":"easy","transport":["rail","ferry"],"accommodation":"hotel","months":["may","jun","jul","aug","sep"],"interests":["history","architecture","coast","food"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["A windproof layer; the Baltic is not warm even in July","Comfortable shoes for brick and cobble","A book for the ferry legs"],"countries":["Belgium","Estonia","Germany","Latvia","Netherlands","Poland"],"legs":[{"city":"belgium/flanders/bruges","name":"Bruges","country":"Belgium","url":"/europe/belgium/flanders/bruges","nights":2,"note":"","lat":51.21,"lon":3.22},{"city":"netherlands/randstad/amsterdam","name":"Amsterdam","country":"Netherlands","url":"/europe/netherlands/randstad/amsterdam","nights":3,"note":"","lat":52.37,"lon":4.9},{"city":"germany/north-germany/lubeck","name":"Lübeck","country":"Germany","url":"/europe/germany/north-germany/lubeck","nights":2,"note":"","lat":53.87,"lon":10.69},{"city":"poland/pomerania-and-the-east/gdansk","name":"Gdańsk","country":"Poland","url":"/europe/poland/pomerania-and-the-east/gdansk","nights":3,"note":"","lat":54.35,"lon":18.65},{"city":"latvia/riga-and-around/riga","name":"Riga","country":"Latvia","url":"/europe/latvia/riga-and-around/riga","nights":2,"note":"","lat":56.95,"lon":24.11},{"city":"estonia/tallinn-and-the-north/tallinn","name":"Tallinn","country":"Estonia","url":"/europe/estonia/tallinn-and-the-north/tallinn","nights":3,"note":"","lat":59.44,"lon":24.75}]},{"slug":"the-classical-mediterranean","name":"The Classical Mediterranean","url":"/journeys/the-classical-mediterranean","strapline":"Greek and Roman cities, on both shores","summary":"Three thousand years of the same sea. This route takes in the best-preserved classical cities on either side of the Mediterranean — a Sicilian cathedral built inside a Doric temple, a Roman arena still hosting events, and the Anatolian coast where more of the Greek world survives than in Greece. Two flights or ferries are unavoidable and are worth it.","days":18,"budget":"moderate","difficulty":"moderate","transport":["rail","ferry","flight"],"accommodation":"mixed","months":["apr","may","sep","oct"],"interests":["history","coast","food","sacred","architecture"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["A hat and real sun protection — the sites have no shade","Two litres of water capacity per person","Boots for Ephesus and the Sicilian sites","Modest dress for churches and mosques"],"countries":["Greece","Italy","Türkiye"],"legs":[{"city":"italy/rome-and-lazio/rome","name":"Rome","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/rome-and-lazio/rome","nights":3,"note":"","lat":41.9,"lon":12.5},{"city":"italy/south-italy-and-islands/naples","name":"Naples","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/south-italy-and-islands/naples","nights":3,"note":"","lat":40.85,"lon":14.27},{"city":"italy/south-italy-and-islands/palermo","name":"Palermo","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/south-italy-and-islands/palermo","nights":2,"note":"","lat":38.12,"lon":13.36},{"city":"italy/south-italy-and-islands/syracuse","name":"Syracuse & Ortigia","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/south-italy-and-islands/syracuse","nights":3,"note":"","lat":37.07,"lon":15.29},{"city":"greece/athens-and-the-peloponnese/athens","name":"Athens","country":"Greece","url":"/europe/greece/athens-and-the-peloponnese/athens","nights":3,"note":"","lat":37.98,"lon":23.73},{"city":"turkiye/aegean-and-mediterranean/selcuk","name":"Selçuk & Ephesus","country":"Türkiye","url":"/europe/turkiye/aegean-and-mediterranean/selcuk","nights":3,"note":"","lat":37.95,"lon":27.37}]},{"slug":"european-heritage-route","name":"The European Heritage Route","url":"/journeys/european-heritage-route","strapline":"London to Budapest by rail","summary":"The specification's own suggestion, and a good one: the cathedral-and-capital spine of western and central Europe, taken entirely by train. It crosses seven countries and four architectural centuries without ever needing a flight, and every stop on it is a city that once thought of itself as the centre of something.","days":20,"budget":"moderate","difficulty":"easy","transport":["rail"],"accommodation":"hotel","months":["apr","may","jun","sep","oct"],"interests":["history","architecture","art","music","cities","rail"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["A rail pass, or advance singles","One smart layer for a concert","An umbrella","Shoulders covered for churches"],"countries":["Austria","Belgium","Czechia","Germany","Hungary","Netherlands","United Kingdom"],"legs":[{"city":"united-kingdom/london-and-the-south-east/london","name":"London","country":"United Kingdom","url":"/europe/united-kingdom/london-and-the-south-east/london","nights":3,"note":"","lat":51.51,"lon":-0.13},{"city":"united-kingdom/london-and-the-south-east/canterbury","name":"Canterbury","country":"United Kingdom","url":"/europe/united-kingdom/london-and-the-south-east/canterbury","nights":1,"note":"","lat":51.28,"lon":1.08},{"city":"belgium/flanders/bruges","name":"Bruges","country":"Belgium","url":"/europe/belgium/flanders/bruges","nights":2,"note":"","lat":51.21,"lon":3.22},{"city":"netherlands/randstad/amsterdam","name":"Amsterdam","country":"Netherlands","url":"/europe/netherlands/randstad/amsterdam","nights":2,"note":"","lat":52.37,"lon":4.9},{"city":"germany/rhine-and-the-west/cologne","name":"Cologne","country":"Germany","url":"/europe/germany/rhine-and-the-west/cologne","nights":2,"note":"","lat":50.94,"lon":6.96},{"city":"czechia/prague-and-bohemia/prague","name":"Prague","country":"Czechia","url":"/europe/czechia/prague-and-bohemia/prague","nights":3,"note":"","lat":50.09,"lon":14.42},{"city":"austria/vienna-and-the-east/vienna","name":"Vienna","country":"Austria","url":"/europe/austria/vienna-and-the-east/vienna","nights":3,"note":"","lat":48.21,"lon":16.37},{"city":"hungary/budapest-and-the-danube-bend/budapest","name":"Budapest","country":"Hungary","url":"/europe/hungary/budapest-and-the-danube-bend/budapest","nights":3,"note":"","lat":47.5,"lon":19.04}]},{"slug":"mediterranean-arc","name":"The Mediterranean Arc","url":"/journeys/mediterranean-arc","strapline":"Barcelona to Athens along one sea","summary":"Also from the specification: the northern shore of the Mediterranean, followed east. It changes language five times and cuisine about fifteen, and the through-line is a sea that everyone on it has been trading across for three thousand years. Ferries and trains for most of it; one flight at the end unless you have a spare week.","days":21,"budget":"moderate","difficulty":"easy","transport":["rail","ferry","flight"],"accommodation":"mixed","months":["may","jun","sep","oct"],"interests":["coast","food","history","architecture","islands"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["Water shoes","Sun protection from May","A dry bag","Modest dress for churches"],"countries":["France","Greece","Italy","Spain"],"legs":[{"city":"spain/catalonia-and-the-east/barcelona","name":"Barcelona","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/catalonia-and-the-east/barcelona","nights":3,"note":"","lat":41.39,"lon":2.17},{"city":"france/provence-and-the-south/nice","name":"Nice","country":"France","url":"/europe/france/provence-and-the-south/nice","nights":2,"note":"","lat":43.7,"lon":7.27},{"city":"italy/north-italy/vernazza","name":"Vernazza & the Cinque Terre","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/north-italy/vernazza","nights":2,"note":"","lat":44.14,"lon":9.68},{"city":"italy/rome-and-lazio/rome","name":"Rome","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/rome-and-lazio/rome","nights":3,"note":"","lat":41.9,"lon":12.5},{"city":"italy/south-italy-and-islands/naples","name":"Naples","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/south-italy-and-islands/naples","nights":2,"note":"","lat":40.85,"lon":14.27},{"city":"italy/south-italy-and-islands/syracuse","name":"Syracuse & Ortigia","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/south-italy-and-islands/syracuse","nights":3,"note":"","lat":37.07,"lon":15.29},{"city":"greece/the-islands/corfu","name":"Corfu","country":"Greece","url":"/europe/greece/the-islands/corfu","nights":2,"note":"","lat":39.62,"lon":19.92},{"city":"greece/athens-and-the-peloponnese/athens","name":"Athens","country":"Greece","url":"/europe/greece/athens-and-the-peloponnese/athens","nights":3,"note":"","lat":37.98,"lon":23.73}]},{"slug":"the-baltic-crossing","name":"The Baltic Crossing","url":"/journeys/the-baltic-crossing","strapline":"Four capitals and a sea","summary":"A short, dense route round the eastern Baltic: three capitals that were occupied within living memory and one that was not, joined by ferries that locals use as buses. It is the cheapest good rail-and-boat trip in northern Europe and the least travelled by visitors from outside it.","days":14,"budget":"moderate","difficulty":"easy","transport":["ferry","bus","rail"],"accommodation":"hotel","months":["jun","jul","aug","sep"],"interests":["history","architecture","food","design","coast"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["A windproof layer","Comfortable shoes for cobbles","A card — the region is nearly cashless"],"countries":["Estonia","Finland","Latvia","Lithuania"],"legs":[{"city":"finland/helsinki-and-the-coast/helsinki","name":"Helsinki","country":"Finland","url":"/europe/finland/helsinki-and-the-coast/helsinki","nights":3,"note":"","lat":60.17,"lon":24.94},{"city":"estonia/tallinn-and-the-north/tallinn","name":"Tallinn","country":"Estonia","url":"/europe/estonia/tallinn-and-the-north/tallinn","nights":3,"note":"","lat":59.44,"lon":24.75},{"city":"latvia/riga-and-around/riga","name":"Riga","country":"Latvia","url":"/europe/latvia/riga-and-around/riga","nights":3,"note":"","lat":56.95,"lon":24.11},{"city":"lithuania/vilnius-and-the-east/vilnius","name":"Vilnius","country":"Lithuania","url":"/europe/lithuania/vilnius-and-the-east/vilnius","nights":3,"note":"","lat":54.69,"lon":25.28},{"city":"lithuania/vilnius-and-the-east/trakai","name":"Trakai","country":"Lithuania","url":"/europe/lithuania/vilnius-and-the-east/trakai","nights":1,"note":"","lat":54.64,"lon":24.93}]},{"slug":"the-danube-line","name":"The Danube Line","url":"/journeys/the-danube-line","strapline":"Four countries down one river","summary":"The Danube passes through more capitals than any river in the world, and this follows the interesting half of it. Cycle path, train and river boat all run alongside each other for most of the way, so the transport is a choice rather than a constraint.","days":16,"budget":"moderate","difficulty":"easy","transport":["rail","river boat","bicycle"],"accommodation":"mixed","months":["may","jun","sep","oct"],"interests":["rail","history","wine","architecture","food"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["A bicycle, if you want one — the path is flat the whole way","Sun protection on the water","One smart layer for Vienna"],"countries":["Austria","Hungary","Serbia","Slovakia"],"legs":[{"city":"austria/vienna-and-the-east/durnstein","name":"Dürnstein & the Wachau","country":"Austria","url":"/europe/austria/vienna-and-the-east/durnstein","nights":2,"note":"","lat":48.4,"lon":15.52},{"city":"austria/vienna-and-the-east/vienna","name":"Vienna","country":"Austria","url":"/europe/austria/vienna-and-the-east/vienna","nights":3,"note":"","lat":48.21,"lon":16.37},{"city":"slovakia/bratislava-and-the-southwest/bratislava","name":"Bratislava","country":"Slovakia","url":"/europe/slovakia/bratislava-and-the-southwest/bratislava","nights":2,"note":"","lat":48.15,"lon":17.11},{"city":"hungary/budapest-and-the-danube-bend/budapest","name":"Budapest","country":"Hungary","url":"/europe/hungary/budapest-and-the-danube-bend/budapest","nights":3,"note":"","lat":47.5,"lon":19.04},{"city":"serbia/belgrade-and-vojvodina/novi-sad","name":"Novi Sad","country":"Serbia","url":"/europe/serbia/belgrade-and-vojvodina/novi-sad","nights":2,"note":"","lat":45.25,"lon":19.84},{"city":"serbia/belgrade-and-vojvodina/belgrade","name":"Belgrade","country":"Serbia","url":"/europe/serbia/belgrade-and-vojvodina/belgrade","nights":3,"note":"","lat":44.79,"lon":20.45}]},{"slug":"iberian-circle","name":"The Iberian Circle","url":"/journeys/iberian-circle","strapline":"Two countries, one peninsula, no flights","summary":"A loop rather than a line: down the Atlantic, across the Moorish south, up the Mediterranean and back through the middle. High-speed rail makes the long legs painless and the slow legs are where the trip actually is.","days":23,"budget":"moderate","difficulty":"easy","transport":["rail","bus"],"accommodation":"mixed","months":["apr","may","sep","oct"],"interests":["food","history","architecture","coast","wine"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["Comfortable shoes","Sun protection and a hat from May","A siesta-shaped attitude to the afternoon"],"countries":["Portugal","Spain"],"legs":[{"city":"portugal/porto-and-the-douro/porto","name":"Porto","country":"Portugal","url":"/europe/portugal/porto-and-the-douro/porto","nights":3,"note":"","lat":41.15,"lon":-8.61},{"city":"portugal/lisbon-and-the-west/lisbon","name":"Lisbon","country":"Portugal","url":"/europe/portugal/lisbon-and-the-west/lisbon","nights":3,"note":"","lat":38.72,"lon":-9.14},{"city":"portugal/alentejo-and-the-south/evora","name":"Évora","country":"Portugal","url":"/europe/portugal/alentejo-and-the-south/evora","nights":2,"note":"","lat":38.57,"lon":-7.91},{"city":"spain/andalusia/seville","name":"Seville","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/andalusia/seville","nights":3,"note":"","lat":37.39,"lon":-5.99},{"city":"spain/andalusia/granada","name":"Granada","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/andalusia/granada","nights":3,"note":"","lat":37.18,"lon":-3.6},{"city":"spain/catalonia-and-the-east/valencia","name":"Valencia","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/catalonia-and-the-east/valencia","nights":2,"note":"","lat":39.47,"lon":-0.38},{"city":"spain/catalonia-and-the-east/barcelona","name":"Barcelona","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/catalonia-and-the-east/barcelona","nights":3,"note":"","lat":41.39,"lon":2.17},{"city":"spain/madrid-and-the-centre/madrid","name":"Madrid","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/madrid-and-the-centre/madrid","nights":3,"note":"","lat":40.42,"lon":-3.7}]},{"slug":"carpathian-arc","name":"The Carpathian Arc","url":"/journeys/carpathian-arc","strapline":"Mountains, monasteries and very few visitors","summary":"The Carpathians run 1,500 kilometres through five countries and almost nobody outside them treats the range as one thing. This does. Wooden churches, painted monasteries, hay meadows cut by hand, brown bears, and prices that make western Europe look absurd.","days":20,"budget":"low","difficulty":"moderate","transport":["rail","bus","car"],"accommodation":"guesthouse","months":["jun","jul","aug","sep"],"interests":["mountains","sacred","nature","wild","history"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["Boots","A torch for unlit churches","Cash for village guesthouses","Layers — the range makes its own weather"],"countries":["Poland","Romania","Slovakia"],"legs":[{"city":"poland/lesser-poland/krakow","name":"Kraków","country":"Poland","url":"/europe/poland/lesser-poland/krakow","nights":3,"note":"","lat":50.06,"lon":19.94},{"city":"poland/lesser-poland/zakopane","name":"Zakopane & the Tatras","country":"Poland","url":"/europe/poland/lesser-poland/zakopane","nights":2,"note":"","lat":49.3,"lon":19.95},{"city":"slovakia/tatras-and-the-north/poprad","name":"Poprad & the High Tatras","country":"Slovakia","url":"/europe/slovakia/tatras-and-the-north/poprad","nights":2,"note":"","lat":49.06,"lon":20.3},{"city":"slovakia/tatras-and-the-north/levoca","name":"Levoča & the Spiš","country":"Slovakia","url":"/europe/slovakia/tatras-and-the-north/levoca","nights":2,"note":"","lat":49.02,"lon":20.59},{"city":"romania/transylvania/sighisoara","name":"Sighișoara","country":"Romania","url":"/europe/romania/transylvania/sighisoara","nights":3,"note":"","lat":46.22,"lon":24.79},{"city":"romania/transylvania/viscri","name":"Viscri","country":"Romania","url":"/europe/romania/transylvania/viscri","nights":2,"note":"","lat":46.06,"lon":25.09},{"city":"romania/transylvania/brasov","name":"Brașov","country":"Romania","url":"/europe/romania/transylvania/brasov","nights":2,"note":"","lat":45.65,"lon":25.61},{"city":"romania/bucovina-and-maramures/gura-humorului","name":"Gura Humorului & the painted monasteries","country":"Romania","url":"/europe/romania/bucovina-and-maramures/gura-humorului","nights":3,"note":"","lat":47.55,"lon":25.9}]},{"slug":"the-cold-north","name":"The Cold North","url":"/journeys/the-cold-north","strapline":"Winter, treated as the reason rather than the problem","summary":"Most of Europe's north is sold in summer and is more itself in February. This is a winter route: aurora, snow, saunas, ice and four hours of daylight that are better than most places get in twelve. It needs proper clothing and repays it.","days":18,"budget":"moderate","difficulty":"demanding","transport":["rail","bus","flight"],"accommodation":"mixed","months":["dec","jan","feb","mar"],"interests":["winter","nature","wild","design"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["Proper insulated boots, not fashion boots","Mittens, not gloves","A merino base layer","Something to cover your face at −25°C","Patience: the aurora is a forecast, not a booking"],"countries":["Finland","Norway","Sweden"],"legs":[{"city":"finland/helsinki-and-the-coast/helsinki","name":"Helsinki","country":"Finland","url":"/europe/finland/helsinki-and-the-coast/helsinki","nights":2,"note":"","lat":60.17,"lon":24.94},{"city":"finland/finnish-lapland/rovaniemi","name":"Rovaniemi","country":"Finland","url":"/europe/finland/finnish-lapland/rovaniemi","nights":3,"note":"","lat":66.5,"lon":25.73},{"city":"finland/finnish-lapland/inari","name":"Inari","country":"Finland","url":"/europe/finland/finnish-lapland/inari","nights":3,"note":"","lat":68.91,"lon":27.03},{"city":"norway/nord-norge/tromso","name":"Tromsø","country":"Norway","url":"/europe/norway/nord-norge/tromso","nights":4,"note":"","lat":69.65,"lon":18.96},{"city":"sweden/swedish-lapland/abisko","name":"Abisko","country":"Sweden","url":"/europe/sweden/swedish-lapland/abisko","nights":3,"note":"","lat":68.35,"lon":18.83},{"city":"sweden/swedish-lapland/kiruna","name":"Kiruna","country":"Sweden","url":"/europe/sweden/swedish-lapland/kiruna","nights":2,"note":"","lat":67.86,"lon":20.23}]},{"slug":"the-white-villages","name":"The White South","url":"/journeys/the-white-villages","strapline":"Andalusia and the Maghreb's long shadow","summary":"Eight centuries of Islamic rule left more than the Alhambra, and this route is the rest of it: the horseshoe arch in the village church, the irrigation channel still running, the word for the vegetable. Short legs, hot afternoons, and everything happening after six.","days":15,"budget":"moderate","difficulty":"easy","transport":["bus","rail"],"accommodation":"mixed","months":["mar","apr","may","oct"],"interests":["history","architecture","sacred","food","coast"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["A hat","A siesta","Shoes for cobbled hills","Modest dress for the mosque-cathedral"],"countries":["Spain"],"legs":[{"city":"spain/andalusia/seville","name":"Seville","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/andalusia/seville","nights":3,"note":"","lat":37.39,"lon":-5.99},{"city":"spain/andalusia/cordoba","name":"Córdoba","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/andalusia/cordoba","nights":2,"note":"","lat":37.89,"lon":-4.78},{"city":"spain/andalusia/granada","name":"Granada","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/andalusia/granada","nights":3,"note":"","lat":37.18,"lon":-3.6},{"city":"spain/andalusia/ronda","name":"Ronda","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/andalusia/ronda","nights":2,"note":"","lat":36.74,"lon":-5.16},{"city":"spain/andalusia/cadiz","name":"Cádiz","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/andalusia/cadiz","nights":2,"note":"","lat":36.53,"lon":-6.3},{"city":"spain/andalusia/malaga","name":"Málaga","country":"Spain","url":"/europe/spain/andalusia/malaga","nights":2,"note":"","lat":36.72,"lon":-4.42}]},{"slug":"arctic-to-mediterranean","name":"Arctic to Mediterranean","url":"/journeys/arctic-to-mediterranean","strapline":"The full length of Europe, 69°N to 38°N","summary":"The specification's flagship, and the longest thing on this site: the whole north-to-south axis of Europe, from the midnight sun to the Aegean. Thirteen stops, eight countries, and roughly 5,000 kilometres of ground. Almost all of it can be done by train, which is the argument for taking it slowly rather than flying the middle out. It is a month, and it is honestly a month — anyone selling you this in a fortnight is selling you airports.","days":34,"budget":"moderate","difficulty":"moderate","transport":["rail","ferry","bus"],"accommodation":"mixed","months":["jun","jul","aug","sep"],"interests":["rail","nature","mountains","history","architecture","food","coast"],"creator":"EuropeDoor editorial","pack":["Layers for both ends: it is 8°C in Tromsø and 32°C in Athens on the same trip","A rail pass, and the patience to reserve the legs that need reserving","Boots that will do a fell in Norway and a marble street in Rome","An eye mask for the north and a hat for the south"],"countries":["Austria","Denmark","Germany","Greece","Italy","Norway","Sweden"],"legs":[{"city":"norway/nord-norge/tromso","name":"Tromsø","country":"Norway","url":"/europe/norway/nord-norge/tromso","nights":3,"note":"","lat":69.65,"lon":18.96},{"city":"norway/nord-norge/lofoten","name":"Lofoten (Svolvær)","country":"Norway","url":"/europe/norway/nord-norge/lofoten","nights":3,"note":"","lat":68.23,"lon":14.57},{"city":"sweden/swedish-lapland/abisko","name":"Abisko","country":"Sweden","url":"/europe/sweden/swedish-lapland/abisko","nights":2,"note":"","lat":68.35,"lon":18.83},{"city":"sweden/stockholm-and-the-archipelago/stockholm","name":"Stockholm","country":"Sweden","url":"/europe/sweden/stockholm-and-the-archipelago/stockholm","nights":2,"note":"","lat":59.33,"lon":18.07},{"city":"denmark/zealand/copenhagen","name":"Copenhagen","country":"Denmark","url":"/europe/denmark/zealand/copenhagen","nights":2,"note":"","lat":55.68,"lon":12.57},{"city":"germany/north-germany/hamburg","name":"Hamburg","country":"Germany","url":"/europe/germany/north-germany/hamburg","nights":2,"note":"","lat":53.55,"lon":9.99},{"city":"germany/berlin-and-the-east/berlin","name":"Berlin","country":"Germany","url":"/europe/germany/berlin-and-the-east/berlin","nights":3,"note":"","lat":52.52,"lon":13.4},{"city":"austria/vienna-and-the-east/vienna","name":"Vienna","country":"Austria","url":"/europe/austria/vienna-and-the-east/vienna","nights":3,"note":"","lat":48.21,"lon":16.37},{"city":"italy/north-italy/ortisei","name":"Ortisei & the Dolomites","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/north-italy/ortisei","nights":3,"note":"","lat":46.57,"lon":11.67},{"city":"italy/north-italy/venice","name":"Venice","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/north-italy/venice","nights":2,"note":"","lat":45.44,"lon":12.34},{"city":"italy/rome-and-lazio/rome","name":"Rome","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/rome-and-lazio/rome","nights":3,"note":"","lat":41.9,"lon":12.5},{"city":"italy/south-italy-and-islands/naples","name":"Naples","country":"Italy","url":"/europe/italy/south-italy-and-islands/naples","nights":2,"note":"","lat":40.85,"lon":14.27},{"city":"greece/athens-and-the-peloponnese/athens","name":"Athens","country":"Greece","url":"/europe/greece/athens-and-the-peloponnese/athens","nights":3,"note":"","lat":37.98,"lon":23.73}]}]}