Europe rewards curiosity. In two weeks, you’ll savor Madrid’s art and tapas, London’s pageantry, the Côte d’Azur’s light, Bavarian fairy-tale castles, Rome’s ancient drama, and Sicily’s volcanic flavors—each destination a distinct chapter, yet all connected by effortless rail and flight links.

This route flows west-to-east to minimize backtracking: Madrid → London → Nice → Munich → Rome → Sicily. Expect short morning hops (mostly 1–2.5 hours), freeing afternoons for museums, seaside promenades, beer gardens, or baroque piazzas. Wherever lines can be long, we’ve included skip-the-line options.

Practical notes: Book major attractions ahead (Colosseum arena access, Vatican, Tower of London). Contactless cards work widely (especially in London). Pack light for easy city-to-city moves. For intra-Europe transport searches, use Omio (flights) and Omio (trains); for long-haul flights to/from Europe, check Trip.com (flights).

Madrid

Days 1–3: Golden Age art, grand boulevards, tapas and flamenco

Madrid pairs royal grandeur with late-night verve. The Prado, Thyssen, and Reina Sofía form Europe’s densest art triangle, while the Paseo del Prado and El Retiro Park together earned UNESCO status. Evenings spill into literary taverns and tiled tabernas serving vermouth and croquetas.

Start with the Habsburg core around Plaza Mayor and the Royal Palace, then drift through Barrio de Las Letras and La Latina for tapas crawls. Football fans can peek at Real Madrid’s temple; food lovers can learn paella secrets, then catch an intimate flamenco in a vaulted tablao.

• Don’t miss: Prado masterpieces (Velázquez, Goya), the Royal Palace state rooms, and sunset at Templo de Debod.
• Breakfast/coffee: La Mallorquina (napolitana pastries) on Puerta del Sol; Toma Café or Hola Coffee for specialty brews.
• Lunch: Mercado de San Miguel (Gilda pintxos, Iberian ham cones); Casa Revuelta for bacalao; El Sur for hearty raciones.
• Dinner: Botín (roast suckling pig; historic cellar); Casa Lucio (famed huevos rotos); StreetXO for creative, loud fun.

• Top activities (skip lines and go deeper):
• Prado Museum Guided Tour with Skip-the-Line Ticket

  

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• Madrid Tapas & Wine Tasting Walking Tour – Small Group

  

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• Essential Flamenco: Pure Flamenco Show in the Heart of Madrid

  

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• Where to stay (Hotels.com/VRBO picks): Gran Meliá Palacio de los Duques (classic elegance near the Royal Palace), Novotel Madrid Center (great value in Salamanca), Room007 Ventura Hostel (budget, prime location). Browse more: Hotels.com Madrid | VRBO Madrid
• Arriving and getting around: Fly into Madrid-Barajas; compare on Omio (within Europe) or Trip.com (long-haul). Metro is fast; buy a reloadable Multi card.
• To London (morning of Day 4): Flight 2h20; fares often $60–$150 one-way on Omio. Door-to-door with security, budget 5 hours.

London

Days 4–6: Royal landmarks, riverside walks, pubs and markets

London layers Roman walls, Tudor intrigue, and modern design in a city built for walkers. Trace the monarchy from Westminster to the Tower, then graze through Borough Market before sunset along the South Bank.

Time your day for Changing of the Guard, a Thames cruise, or the Tower’s Beefeater tales. Evenings shine in the West End—or in a snug pub over a pint and a pie.

• Don’t miss: Big Ben and Parliament, Westminster Abbey cloisters, Tower Bridge views, and a ride atop a red double-decker.
• Breakfast/coffee: Dishoom (bacon naan roll), Regency Café (art deco), Monmouth Coffee (Covent Garden) for single-origin brews.
• Lunch: Borough Market: Kappacasein (grilled cheese), Padella (handmade pasta, go early), Fish! Kitchen (classic fish & chips).
• Dinner: St. John Bread and Wine (nose-to-tail), The Palomar (Jerusalem plates), Hawksmoor Seven Dials (steak and sticky toffee).

• Top activities:
• Tower of London and Crown Jewels Exhibition Ticket

  

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• Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham Guided Tour of London

  

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• London Dinner Cruise on the Thames River

  

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• Where to stay: The Savoy (Art Deco icon on the Strand), Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London (steps from the Eye), Point A Hotel London Kings Cross – St Pancras (budget, easy trains), YHA London Central (excellent value). Browse more: Hotels.com London | VRBO London
• To Nice (morning of Day 7): Flight 2h; fares ~$70–$180 via Omio. Train via Paris is scenic but ~9–10h; compare on Omio Trains.

Nice

Days 7–8: Seaside promenades, hill towns, and Riviera flavors

Nice bathes in blue: bay, shutters, sky. Stroll the Promenade des Anglais, climb Castle Hill for apricot sunsets, and wander Old Town’s alleys perfumed by socca and pissaladière. In 2021 the city’s winter-resort heritage joined UNESCO’s list.

Use your full day for a Riviera sampler: Èze’s eagle-nest views, Monaco’s harbor, or Antibes’ ramparts. Or stay hyper-local with market tastes and a coastal boat ride.

• Essentials: Cours Saleya flower and food market, Matisse Museum in Cimiez, and late swim at Blue Beach.
• Breakfast/coffee: Boulangerie Jeannot (butter-laminated bliss), Marinette for brunch, Néro for espresso.
• Lunch: Chez Pipo (socca from a wood-fired oven), Kiosque Tintin (pan bagnat), Lou Pilha Leva (niçoise plates).
• Dinner: La Merenda (tiny, no phone; traditional Niçoise), Le Séjour Café (market-driven), Peixes (Mediterranean seafood).

• Top activities:
• The Best of the French Riviera Small Group Guided Tour from Nice

  

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• NO DIET CLUB – Unique Local Food in Nice!

  

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• Private Boat Tour: Nice, Villefranche, St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

  

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• Where to stay: Hotel Negresco (Belle Époque on the promenade), Radisson Blu Hotel, Nice (private beach access), Hotel Amaryllis (budget near the station). Browse more: Hotels.com Nice | VRBO Nice
• To Munich (morning of Day 9): Flight 1h25–1h40; ~$80–$180 on Omio. Train is ~9–10h with changes; compare on Omio Trains.

Munich

Days 9–10: Beer gardens, Baroque churches, and a fairy‑tale castle day trip

Munich is gemütlich by design: stately squares, onion-domed churches, the English Garden’s leafy beer gardens, and markets piled with pretzels and sausages. It’s also the gateway to King Ludwig II’s dream castles in the Alps.

Use Day 9 for Old Town—Marienplatz, Viktualienmarkt tastings, and a liter at a classic beer hall. Day 10 is for Neuschwanstein and Linderhof or a sober, essential visit to Dachau Memorial.

• Breakfast/coffee: Café Frischhut (schmalznudel), Rischart am Marienplatz, Man Versus Machine (specialty roasts).
• Lunch: Viktualienmarkt (Schlemmermeyer for leberkäse, Caspar Plautz for potatoes), Augustiner-Keller beer garden.
• Dinner: Schneider Bräuhaus (weisswurst and Hefeweizen), Zum Dürnbräu (Bavarian classics).

• Top activities:
• Neuschwanstein & Linderhof – Fairytale Castles Tour from Munich

  

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• Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site Tour from Munich by Train

  

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• Munich Old Town Food Tour with 10+ Bavarian Specialties

  

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• Where to stay: Hotel Bayerischer Hof (grand, central), Motel One München‑Campus (design on a budget), Euro Youth Hotel Munich (budget, near Hbf). Browse more: Hotels.com Munich | VRBO Munich
• To Rome (morning of Day 11): Flight ~1h30; ~$80–$200 via Omio. Day train via Verona/Bologna ~8–9h on Omio Trains.

Rome

Days 11–12: The Colosseum, Vatican art, and twilight trattorias

Rome is a palimpsest—Republican brick under Baroque marble, scooters weaving past aqueducts. Split your time between Ancient Rome (Colosseum, Forum, Palatine) and the Vatican’s galleries culminating in the Sistine Chapel.

Reserve early dinners in Trastevere or Testaccio, where recipes from nonna meet Lazio wines. Save space for gelato between piazzas: Navona, Campo de’ Fiori, and the Trevi Fountain at night.

• Breakfast/coffee: Roscioli Caffè for maritozzi; Sant’Eustachio Il Caffè for classic espresso.
• Lunch: Da Enzo al 29 (carbonara), Flavio al Velavevodetto (amatriciana), Trapizzino (stuffed pizza pockets).
• Dinner: Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina (cacio e pepe), Seu Pizza Illuminati (inventive pies), Armando al Pantheon (Roman staples).

• Top activities:
• Colosseum Arena Floor, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Guided Tour

  

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• Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St Peter’s Basilica Guided Tour

  

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• Winner 2025 Rome Twilight Trastevere Food Tour by Eating Europe

  

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• Where to stay: Hotel Eden, Dorchester Collection (Via Veneto views), Hotel Santa Maria (Trastevere, courtyard bliss), The Beehive (stylish budget near Termini). Browse more: Hotels.com Rome | VRBO Rome
• To Sicily (morning of Day 13): Fly Rome–Catania or Palermo ~1h10; fares $40–$120 via Omio. Overland: rail+ferry via the Strait of Messina ~10–12h on Omio Trains or overnight ferry Civitavecchia–Palermo via Omio Ferries.

Sicily

Days 13–14: Etna’s lava fields, Taormina terraces, and Palermo’s street food

Sicily is a crossroads: Greek temples, Arab domes, Norman mosaics, and volcanic terroir. With two days, focus on the east (Catania–Etna–Taormina) for epic landscapes and granita mornings; or base in Palermo for markets and mosaics. If you can add a day, do both.

In the east, start with an Etna hike and cellar tastings, then Taormina’s Greek Theatre at golden hour. In Palermo, follow guides through Capo and Vucciria markets for panelle, arancine, and cannoli under Baroque facades.

• East Sicily eats: Catania’s Savia (arancini), Trattoria da Antonio (seafood), in Taormina Bam Bar (granita & brioche), Trattoria Da Nino (terrace views).
• Palermo eats: Antica Focacceria San Francesco (sfincione), Ke Palle (arancine), Pasticceria Cappello (Setteveli cake).

• Top activities:
• Tour Etna & Wine Tasting (from Catania area)

  

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• Taormina and Castelmola Tour (from Messina)

  

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• Palermo Original Street Food Walking Tour by Streaty

  

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• Where to stay: East base: browse Hotels.com Taormina, VRBO Taormina, or Hotels.com Catania. West base: Hotels.com Palermo | VRBO Palermo
• Departure: Fly from Catania (CTA) or Palermo (PMO) to your next hub; compare on Omio (within Europe) or Trip.com for long-haul connections.

Logistics Overview (travel times and typical costs)

• Madrid → London: flight 2h20; ~$60–$150 one-way. Search on Omio
• London → Nice: flight ~2h; ~$70–$180. Search on Omio | Train via Paris ~9–10h. Omio Trains
• Nice → Munich: flight ~1h30; ~$80–$180. Omio
• Munich → Rome: flight ~1h30; ~$80–$200; day train ~8–9h. Flights | Trains
• Rome → Sicily (Catania/Palermo): flight ~1h10; $40–$120; rail+ferry ~10–12h. Flights | Trains | Ferries

Pacing Guide

Suggested multi-day blocks

• Days 1–3: Madrid (art triangle, Royal Palace, tapas and flamenco)
• Days 4–6: London (Westminster to Tower; market grazing; river at night)
• Days 7–8: Nice (Old Town, Riviera day trip, coastal boat)
• Days 9–10: Munich (Old Town, food market, Neuschwanstein or Dachau)
• Days 11–12: Rome (Colosseum/Forum, Vatican, Trastevere evening)
• Days 13–14: Sicily (Etna + Taormina, or Palermo street food and mosaics)

Two weeks, six destinations, and a lifetime of flavors and stories—from Madrid’s Goya to Etna’s vineyards. With smart morning transfers and pre-booked highlights, you’ll spend your time where it counts: at the table, by the sea, and under Europe’s greatest ceilings.

Save this itinerary as your go-to Europe planner: links to transport, hotels, and tours are all in one place so you can book quickly and focus on the joy of discovery.