Short Descrip on, Dura on
London to Istanbul Overland - 15 days
Countries
UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey
Trip Overview
We traverse Con nental Europe to the edge of Asia. Following old trade routes and visi ng iconic towns and ci es along the way, we visit some of the places in Europe that you’d probably never considered before! Visit the home of Dracula, the oldest Wurst kitchen in Germany, walk the cobbled streets of Prague and Bra slava, experience a salt mine tour in Romania and pay your respects to the fallen at Tyne Cot Cemetery. Finally follow the route of the Orient Express in to Istanbul.
Trip Highlights
Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium Walking tour of Prague, Czech Republic Sunset cruise on the Danube in Budapest, Hungary 12th Century Stone Bridge in Regensberg, Germany Medieval town of Sighisoara, Romania Bran Castle - "Draculas Castle" – Romania Romanian Bear Sanctuary Train journey from Bucharest to Istanbul Old Town 'Sultanahmet' in Istanbul
Please note: The trip will leave from a designated hotel in London – details will be advised closer to the me of departure. We intend to leave very early in the morning, and we therefore recommend you arrive the night before departure and join our pre departure mee ng.
Day 1
Leaving behind the City of London, we head East to Dover and across the channel to Calais. We take the short drive in to Belgium to pay our respects to the fallen at Tyne Cot Cemetery.
A er a tasty picnic lunch, we con nue to Ghent.
You have a free a ernoon to wander the car free centre of town and admire the Medieval Architecture, take a walk along the scenic Graslei Harbour or treat yourself to some ‘babblers’ (a local bu erscotch-esque sweet).
In the evening there will be the chance to try Waterzooi, a local chicken or fish stew, washed down with a locally brewed Trappist beer.
Meals Included: Picnic Lunch
Day 2
Star ng our drive across Europe, we head South East, taking a short lunch stop in Luxembourg. This small and interes ng city has a complex layout, set on several levels, dropping in to two gorges. Late a ernoon brings us to Heidelberg and our evening stop. The most notable a rac on is the Castle, and there will be me for a visit either today, or tomorrow morning.
In the evening we visit the Baroque old centre to find a restaurant with over 100 schnitzels on offer!
Meals Included: Breakfast
Included Excursions: Heidelberg Castle Entrance
Day 3
Traversing Germany we stop off in Regensberg for a sausage lunch at the oldest ‘wurst’ kitchen in the country. The city was built on ancient trade routes of the 13th Century. Here Knights of the 2nd and 3rd crusade crossed the s ll standing Medieval bridge over the Danube, on their way to the Holy Land.
We cross the border in to the Czech Republic and in to the city of Prague, our base for the next 2 nights.
The evening is free to wander the cobbled streets and enjoy the local cuisine and possibly Europe’s greatest beer!
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4
Prague. Our local guide takes us on a walking tour of Regensburg the major sights in the morning. Visit major a rac ons such as the King Charles Bridge (14th Century), the world famous 600-year-old Astronomical Clock in the Old Town Square, Prague Castle and the Jewish Quarter.
The a ernoon is yours to enjoy - just relax and lose yourself in the many streets of the old town, find a cafe and watch the world go by.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Included Excursions: Walking tour of Prague with a local guide
Day 5
Back on the road, we take the short drive East to the UNESCO town of Kutna Hora. We visit the famous Church of Bones (Sedlec Ossuary) to look at the macabre bone structures, which have been ar s cally arranged in to chandeliers and decora ons.
Further south we stop in Brno for a brewery tour and our final taste of Czech beer.
Bra slava in Slovakia is our night stop and we walk the cobbled streets of the old town in search of a tasty dinner.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Included Excursions: Church of Bones Entrance and Brewery Tour.
Day 6
Esztergom on the Danube bend will be our first stop. The huge Cathedral gives fantas c views of the river and surrounds.
We con nue following the Danube and its interes ng towns, all the way into Budapest.
In the evening we take the underground in to the city.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Picnic lunch Included Excursions: Esztergom Cathedral Entrance.
Day 7
Free day in Budapest.
You have the day to explore. Free walking tours are available, or you may prefer to wander the streets and enjoy the coffee house culture or just relax in one of the city’s thermal spas.
We meet again in the evening to enjoy a drink onboard a 2 hour sunset boat cruise on the Danube, where we can properly view the city’s architecture.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Included Excursions: Sunset boat cruise.
Day 8
Crossing the fer le farmland of the Hungarian plain, our adventure truly begins as we pass through the border in to Romania and on to Transylvania!
Our night stop is in Cluj Napoca - the second largest city in Romania. There are a variety of landmark buildings that you might want to go in search of, or just relax a er a day of travel. Don’t forget to try Ciorba, a characteris c soup with a sour taste!
Meals Included: Breakfast, picnic lunch
Day 9
We start our day by visi ng a Salt Mine in the town of Turda.
The beau ful 16th Century Medieval Town and UNESCO Heritage Site of Sighisoara is our next stop today. Sighisoara is one of the best-preserved towns in Europe and the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, the character who inspired Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula.
We con nue South to Brasov, where we spend the next 2 nights.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Included Excursions: Salt Mine Entrance
Day 10
Morning excursion to Dracula’s Castle in Bran.
The a ernoon is free to wander the walled city of Brasov, built on the intersec on of trade routes between the O oman Empire and Western Europe. If you are in need of some fresh air and are feeling energe c, take a hike up Tampa Mountain (3000 feet) for great views.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Included Excursions: Entrance to Dracula’s Castle.
Day 11 Zarnes , in the Carpathian Mountains, is home to Libearty Bear Sanctuary, a place that has rescued a great number of Romania’s na ve bears from awful cap vity. We pay the Sanctuary a visit and take a tour of their 70 hectare grounds looking out for the 60 or so bears that are enjoying a new life here.
A short drive takes us to Sinaia and Castelul Pele’s, a Neo-Renaissance Castle in the Carpathian Mountains.
Overnight Sinaia.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Included Excursions: Entrance to Libearty Bear Sanctuary and 1 hour tour in Pele’s Castle.
Day 12
We con nue our journey south, to Bucharest. A tour of the grandiose Parliament Building is never guaranteed, due to the many events held there, but we aim to make this our first stop.
Late a ernoon / evening is free to visit the old town and enjoy our last evening in Romania.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Included Excursions: 1.5hr guided tour of the Parliament Building (if available).
Day 13
We enjoy a lazy breakfast before boarding the train to our final des na on, Istanbul.
This will be an adventure in itself, as we immerse ourselves amongst locals on their daily and weekly commute, trundling through Bulgaria and on in to Turkey. It may not be the Orient Express, but you now have me to unwind a er our me on the road and exchange stories with other travellers.
We will take our own food for the journey as it is never a guarantee any will be available onboard!
Meals Included: Breakfast, picnic lunch and light dinner, snacks.
Included Excursions: Overnight train in a 4 berth couche e carriage.
Day 14
We cross in to Turkey in the early hours. A er a baggage check on the border, we re-join the train for the final 5 or 6 hour run in to Istanbul.
We transfer to our hotel and enjoy a much-needed hearty breakfast. There will be me for a quick refresh before we take an orienta on tour of the highlights of the old city around Sultanahmet. The a ernoon is yours to wander the Grand Bazaar, visit ancient sites such as Aya Sofya, the Blue Mosque, or maybe just relax in a Turkish Bath House.
Meals Included: Breakfast.
Included Excursions: Orienta on tour in Sultanahmet.
Day 15
Your tour ends a er breakfast.
Meals Included: Breakfast. Country Informa on
Most of the countries we visit, although culturally diverse, will have quite a 'western' feel to them and you will feel comfortable sightseeing, shopping, ea ng and drinking, even without knowledge of the local language. However it must be said like in any city, you should be aware of confidence tricksters and pickpockets and we recommend safety in numbers and le ng your Tour Leader or other members of the group know if you plan to go off and explore on your own.
Once we arrive in to Turkey, we should keep arms, shoulders and legs covered, to avoid causing offence or hassle to yourself - this goes for men as well as women.
What's Included Tyne Cot 1st World War Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium Prague walking tour with a local guide The Church of Bones' Entrance Fee, Kutna Hora Budapest - 2hr Danube River Cruise Salt Mine Entrance Entrance to the Bear Sanctuary in Zarnes Dracula’s Castle Entrance in Bran Guided tour of Pele's Castle Train Ticket from Bucharest to Istanbul Dover to Calais Channel crossing All transport as per the i nerary 14 Breakfasts, 5 Picnic Lunches, 1 light dinner
Budge ng & What to Pack
Knowing what to take, both in equipment and monetary terms can be tricky. This is why we've put together a few Insider ps to help you decide what to bring.
Pack lightly and bring layers as a general rule - a so bag or small wheelie up to 40 litres in size is ideal. Space in our vehicle is limited so we cannot accept large solid suitcases or large bags. Plus you won't want to haul around a large bag, in and out of hotels, and on our train journey.
Here are some items worth considering:
Equipment: Small daypack / backpack (20 to 30 litres) Refillable water bo le USB charging cable for phones & cameras Ba ery pack for recharging on the go Sun glasses Torch (a head torch can be useful) Camera with plenty of memory cards for the journey Small journal Document wallet or money belt
Clothing: One pair of comfortable shoes or boots One pair of sandals / flip flops Hat or cap (for sun protec on) A set of smart casual clothes Waterproof / windproof jacket A warm layer - fleece or jumper T shirts (always good for extra layers) Underwear & socks Shorts / skirts Swimwear Sleep wear Females - a scarf or head covering for visi ng places of worship
Toiletries: Toothbrush & toothpaste Razor & shaving cream Soap or shower gel Contact lenses & solu on Sanitary protec on An bacterial hand-wash
Health & Medical: Small first aid kit Immodium & rehydra on salts Sunblock & lip balm Painkillers, cold & flu medicine Personal medica on (with prescrip on)
Documents: Passport (and visas if necessary) Vaccina on cer ficates Travel insurance documents Cash / cards / travel money cards E- cket or flight details Guidebook / kindle / reading book
Money: We all work to different budgets, but from previous traveller feedback we es mate an average daily budget of 30 Euros will allow you a few snacks, coffees, so drinks, a light bite for lunch and a sensible evening meal. Please allow more for alcoholic drinks, souvenirs and personal items.
It may be worthwhile considering a cash card that you can top up and use to withdraw cash in any country - these are o en cheaper than the highstreet banks. We would suggest bringing a small amount of each currency in cash, so you have enough for snacks and drinks on arrival - it is o en not possible to change money on a border, and rates can be very poor.
Transport, Accommoda on & Meals
Our transport will generally be on-board a comfortable 9 to 12 seater minibus with air condi oning. We are fair with the sea ng arrangements and everyone gets to move around or sit up front.
The final part of our journey will be via rail. This is not the Orient Express, but it is a great experience and a great way to meet local people and see a different side to life. We will take along our own food and our accommoda on will be in 4 berth couche e carriages.
For general accommoda on we prefer a hotel that is close to the ac on rather than something bou que. It will always be comfortable, have en-suite facili es and have access to town (either by foot or local transport). Tea & Coffee making facili es are not common place in Europe so you may wish to consider a small water boiling element if you need that extra cuppa in a morning!
Due to the very nature of this trip and the costs of some lunches, we include 5 picnics along the way. We can't always guarantee a fabulous view, but we will ensure a tasty lunch for all. Tea & Coffee will also be available in our vehicle. Experience has shown us that for dinner, most travellers like to mix things up and go their own way. However, our guide will always be available to point you in the right direc on, for any budget.
We always try to give a flavour of the area we are visi ng and for those who wish to a end, our guide will also arrange meals out in our special choice of restaurants.
Essen al Informa on
This trip entails the crossing of a con nent and for sure things are not going to go to plan! Travellers should come along with a flexible approach, knowing that Insider Adventures has got you covered. Our experience will take us through the greatest of challenges. Due to the very nature of overland travel, there will be time spent in the vehicle. However, our itinerary mixes things up and gives time out to sight see, visit that great little cafe or stop for a photo, even on the longer days.
Depending on your nationality, you will more than likely need a Visa to enter Turkey. Don’t worry – it’s a very simple process and we will be more than happy to help you through it. Please do not try to book the visa without first contacting us, as it is essential you get the entry date and hotel details correct.