Incredible Rail Tour London to Venice, Croatia, Serbia & Istanbul
This exciting small group cultural rail tour departing from the UK takes you to Venice, Croatia, Serbia and on to Istanbul. Included is a wetlands boat trip and a ride on Serbia’s mountainous Sargan 8 heritage railway. Put the romance back into travel with the most iconic of all rail journeys, from London to Istanbul. Our fast-paced take on the classic Orient Express traverses Central Europe, passing through the iconic cities of Venice, Zagreb and Belgrade, but delving deeper into off-the-beaten-path destinations in Croatia and Serbia.
- Train travel – Cross the Venetian Lagoon, take a steam train in the Serbian mountains, go to sleep in Bulgaria and wake up in Turkey
- Venice and Istanbul – Bookend your trip with stays in the canal city and ancient Constantinople
- Wetlands and wine – tasting – Get beyond the tourist haunts on a boat trip in Croatia and at Serbia’s rural wineries
Your Tour Includes
ACCOMMODATION
13 Nights comfortable hotel
1 Nights simple overnight train
EXPERIENCES
Tour Leader
Local Guide(s)
FOOD & DRINK
Breakfast: 14
Trip Pace
Challenging
DAY 1 Join trip at London St. Pancras Station; Meet group in Paris and train to Milan
Meals Provided: None
DAY 2 Free morning in Milan; Train to Mestre, Venice
Meals Provided: Breakfast
DAY 3 Full day to canals and Islands of Venice
Meals Provided: Breakfast
DAY 4 Train from Venice Mestre to Villach, Austria; continue by train to Zagreb, Croatia
Meals Provided: Breakfast
DAY 5 Day trip to the medieval town of Varazdin
Meals Provided: Breakfast
DAY 6 Orientation tour of Zagreb; Afternoon train to Osijek, in Croatia's Slavonia region
Meals Provided: Breakfast
DAY 7 Visit to Kopacki Rit with a boat trip through the wetlands; train to Belgrade, Serbia
Meals Provided: Breakfast
DAY 8 Train and bus to Mokra Gora; Ride through Mountain scenery on the Historic Sargan 8 railway
Meals Provided: Breakfast
DAY 9 Nip into Bosnia and Herzegovina to Visegrad and the famous Bridge over the Drina; return to Serbia
Meals Provided: Breakfast
DAY 9 Nip into Bosnia and Herzegovina to Visegrad and the famous Bridge over the Drina; return to Serbia
Meals Provided: Breakfast
DAY 10 Drive through rural Serbia to Vrnjacka Banja; Wine-tasting en route
Meals Provided: Breakfast
DAY 11 Drive and train to Nis; Sample tasty burek and the City
Meals Provided: Breakfast
DAY 12 Cross the border to Bulgaria, from Nis to Sofia; free afternoon in Bulgaria's capital
Meals Provided: Breakfast
DAY 13 Train to Plovdiv and discover the ancient Roman amphitheatre; overnight train to Istanbul
Meals Provided: Breakfast
DAY 14 Arrive into Istanbul Halkali station; Metro into Central Istanbul and walking tour of the Capital
Meals Provided: Breakfast
DAY 15 Trip ends in Istanbul
The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Istanbul.
