Your 21-day Europe train journey

Begin with four nights in Paris so the holiday does not start with another departure. On arrival, travel to your hotel, leave the bags and take a modest neighbourhood walk. A café, the Seine and an early night are enough for the first chapter. Choose a base with an easy Métro connection; proximity to your sightseeing matters more than being beside the station you will use only once.

Give the next days different personalities. Walk the islands and riverbanks on one day, choose a major museum on another, and leave time for Montmartre or a quieter neighbourhood. The Louvre and Musée d’Orsay are separate, substantial visits: book the one that interests you most instead of treating both as compulsory stops. An Eiffel Tower visit also needs its own reservation and travel time.

Leave Paris after breakfast and make Strasbourg a destination, not just a platform change. The fast TGV journey usually leaves much of the day for the city. Choose accommodation around the station or the walkable centre, checking the actual walking route with your bags. The old streets are charming precisely because they were not laid out for rolling suitcases.

Petite France is the obvious first wander: waterways, bridges and timber-framed buildings make a fine contrast with Parisian boulevards. Follow the public lanes slowly, pause beside the water and continue towards the cathedral when you feel ready. The district once supported working trades along the river; its beauty is more interesting when you imagine the labour behind those façades.

Travel through Basel SBB to Lucerne, shown as Luzern in Swiss timetables. This is a useful place to slow down after the cities of France. The station, waterfront and old town sit close enough for a compact introduction, although the best hotel location still depends on accessible entrances, lifts and how much walking you want to do.

Start with the Reuss river and Chapel Bridge, then let the old-town lanes lead you away from the busiest viewpoint. The bridge you see today includes reconstruction after the 1993 fire; it is both a historic landmark and a story of restoration. Crossing it is a small experience to enjoy at walking pace, not a whole day’s programme.

Travel from Lucerne through Zürich and across western Austria to Innsbruck, checking the actual route for your date. This is a travel day to enjoy from the window. Bring a snack and water, keep the camera handy, and do not make the arrival evening depend on a timed attraction. Engineering work can replace part of the expected railway experience with another connection.

Innsbruck is a rewarding two-night pause between Switzerland and Italy. Walk from your base towards Maria-Theresien-Strasse and the old town, where the Golden Roof brings imperial history into a compact square. Built for Emperor Maximilian I around the turn of the sixteenth century, the decorated balcony makes more sense as part of this living city than as a quick photograph alone.

The journey south follows the Brenner corridor towards Verona and Venice. Select a connection to Venezia Santa Lucia if staying in the island city: Venezia Mestre is on the mainland. The arrival at Santa Lucia is part of the experience, with the Grand Canal outside rather than an airport shuttle and motorway.

Decide how to reach the hotel before you arrive. A short-looking walk can involve several bridges and steps, while a vaporetto needs the correct stop, direction and ticket. Accommodation close to an appropriate waterbus stop can be worth more than a central address that is awkward with luggage. Confirm the final approach with your property.

Take a high-speed train to Firenze Santa Maria Novella, usually abbreviated Firenze S. M. Novella or SMN. This central station is convenient for many accommodation areas, but check the precise street and entrance. Historic buildings may have steps or small lifts, and a beautiful upper-floor room is not automatically an easy arrival.

Start with the cathedral square and a walk towards the Arno. Florence’s compact centre invites walking, but compact does not mean empty: queues, stone paving and summer heat can make a packed schedule tiring. Choose one major art reservation for each full day at most. The Uffizi, Accademia and cathedral complex have different ticketing arrangements; book the experience you actually want rather than a vague idea of seeing everything.

The final high-speed leg brings you to Roma Termini. Choose accommodation for the Rome you want to explore, with a straightforward airport transfer for departure day. Being close to Termini can simplify connections, but a central sightseeing base may suit you better if you are happy to use a taxi or public transport with luggage.

Spend the arrival afternoon on a modest walk, then give ancient Rome a full day. The Colosseum, Forum and Palatine are a substantial outing with uneven ground, queues and exposure to sun. Check the official ticket rules and timed entry before committing to a schedule. Another day can focus on the Pantheon and central squares, or the Vatican area if that is your priority. Those alternatives are not an invitation to squeeze both into a rushed afternoon.