London to Istanbul Rail Adventure

Day 1 London to Milan, Italy    
Board the Eurostar at London St. Pancras and head to Paris where you will change trains and set off through the French countryside en route to your first stop in Milan.      

Days 2-3 Milan to Venice    
Have the morning at leisure to explore Milan and perhaps visit the Santa Maria delle Grazie church to witness Da Vinci’s famous painting of The Last Supper. After lunch catch the train to Mestre, a mainland offshoot of Venice, and take the evening to acquaint yourself with the city. The following day offers a brief orientation tour with the rest of the time at your leisure to explore and perhaps take a gondola down one of the many famous canals.      

Days 4-5 Venice to Zagreb, Croatia  
Make your way across two borders as your journey continues through the city of Villach in Austria where you will have a few hours to explore and eat lunch before continuing on to Zagreb in Croatia. The following day head out to explore Varazdin, a charming Baroque city that has largely escaped the tourist trail and is home to the picturesque castle of Stari Grad.      

Day 6 Zagreb to Osijek    
Start the day with a short orientation walking tour of Zagreb before enjoying time to explore the city at your leisure, perhaps visiting one of its many museums. In the afternoon, catch the train to Osijek, the capital of Croatia’s Slavonia region.

Day 7 Osijek to Belgrade, Serbia      
Spend the morning discovering this largely unvisited part of Croatia and take a trip to the Kopacki Rit wetlands, a birdwatchers paradise with over 140 nesting species. The journey continues in the afternoon with a train ride to your next stop Belgrade, Serbia.      

Days 8-9 Belgrade to Drvengrad  
Continue on to the valley of Mokra Gora as you prepare to take a morning ride of the historic Sargan Eight railway that weaves through the mountains. From there continue on to the distinctive wooden village of Drvengrad where you will spend the next two nights. The following day pay a brief visit to the neighbouring country of Bosnia and Herzegovina for a tour of Andricgrad and the UNESCO World Heritage Visegrad.    

Day 10 Drvengrad to Vrnjacka Banja      
Travel to the heart of rural Serbia as you visit Aleksandrovac, the centre of the country’s largest wine producing region. After tastings at some of their best wineries, journey on to Vrjacka Banja, famous for its local hot springs.

Day 11 Vrnjacka Banja to Nis    
Head to Stalac where you will take the train on to the cosmopolitan city of Nis. The morning will consist of an orientation tour including a visit to a bakery to try the regional delicacy of burek, claimed to have originated in Nis. The afternoon will be free to explore at leisure.

Day 12 Nis to Sofia, Bulgaria      
This morning, cross the border in to Bulgaria as you arrive in to its capital, Sofia. Arriving in the afternoon, you will have the remainder of the day to explore the city and visit its Ottoman Mosques, Roman ruins and the Palace of Culture amongst other highlights.      

Days 13-14 Sofia to Istanbul, Turkey
Depart Bulgaria by train, stopping in the ancient city of Plodiv with time for a walking tour before boarding your overnight train to Istanbul, Turkey. After arriving in the city and freshening up, head out on a guided tour to explore the ‘Old City’ on foot. The afternoon will be free to further discover the highlights, perhaps visiting the bustling Grand Bazaar, the impressive Sunken Palace or the impressive Hagia Sophia Mosque.

Day 15 Istanbul      
The tour finishes after breakfast with a transfer to the airport.