London to Istanbul by Train

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enquire now 15 Days From NZD $5,770 pp twinshare
 Small group
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Why book this trip?

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

Itinerary 

DAY 1 – Trip starts at London St. Pancras Station; Meet group in Paris and train to Milan

DAY 2 – Free morning in Milan; train to Mestre, Venice

DAY 3 – Full day to explore the canals and islands of Venice

DAY 4 – Train from Venice Mestre to Villach, Austria; continue by train to Zagreb, Croatia

DAY 5 – Day trip to the medieval town of Varazdin

DAY 6 – Orientation tour of Zagreb; afternoon train to Osijek, in Croatia’s Slavonia region

DAY 7 – Visit to Kopacki Rit with a boat trip through the wetlands; train to Belgrade, Serbia

DAY 8 – Train and bus to Mokra Gora; ride through mountain scenery on the historic Sargan 8 railway

DAY 9 – Nip into Bosnia and Herzegovina to explore Visegrad and the famous Bridge over the Drina; return to Drvengrad

DAY 10 – Drive through rural Serbia to Vrnjacka Banja; wine-tasting en route

DAY 11 – Drive and train to Nis; sample tasty burek and explore the city

DAY 12 – Cross the border to Bulgaria, from Nis to Sofia; free afternoon in Bulgaria’s capital

DAY 13 – Train to Plovdiv and discover the ancient Roman amphitheatre; overnight train to Istanbul

DAY 14 – Arrive into Istanbul Halkali station; metro into central Istanbul and walking tour of the capital

DAY 15 – Trip ends in Istanbul

 

 

Images courtesy of Explore Worldwide 

EXW – RLA

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