Thirteen nights across three countries — Frankfurt, Berlin, and Munich in Germany, Prague in Czech Republic, then Florence and Rome in Italy — connected by high-speed train and one short regional flight. No car required.
| Stop | Dates | Nights |
|---|---|---|
| Frankfurt | May 10–12 | 2 |
| Berlin | May 12–14 | 2 |
| Prague | May 14–16 | 2 |
| Munich | May 16–18 | 2 |
| Florence | May 18–20 | 2 |
| Rome | May 20–23 | 3 |
A jet-lagged first stop — Römerberg's old square, the view from Main Tower, and a climb up Frankfurt Cathedral.
Two nights easing into the trip after an overnight flight from Dallas. The one full day centered on Frankfurt's compact old center: Römerberg's medieval square for lunch, the 200-meter Main Tower for a rooftop view over the skyline, then a walk along the Main river to the Iron Bridge and up the 324 steps of Frankfurt Cathedral. A hop-on-hop-off bus tour the next morning covered St. Paul's Church, the Museumsufer riverbank, and Zeil Street's shopping before an early train to Berlin. GF pizza at Vapiano and a GF-marked menu at Maredo Steakhouse handled the two dinners — modest chain options, but easy ones for a first stop still adjusting to a new country.
Full Frankfurt guide →A Hertha Berlin match at Olympiastadion, the East Side Gallery, and a full day covering Checkpoint Charlie, the Holocaust Memorial, and the Reichstag.
Two nights built around a mix of history and an actual soccer match — Hertha Berlin vs. RB Leipzig at Olympiastadion the afternoon we arrived, followed by a walk out to the Cold War–era Teufelsberg listening station. The full second day covered the East Side Gallery section of the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the Holocaust Memorial, the Reichstag, Berlin Cathedral, and the TV Tower, with a stop at Mauerpark's Sunday flea market and open-air karaoke on the way. A Fat Tire bike tour was booked for the morning before the train to Prague. Brammibal's Donuts, a dedicated gluten-free donut shop in Kreuzberg, was the one stop I made a point of building the morning walk around.
Full Berlin guide →Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge, and one of the best dedicated gluten-free restaurants of the whole trip.
Two nights covering Old Town and the castle district on foot. The plan walked from the Astronomical Clock and Old Town Square across Charles Bridge to the Lennon Wall, then up to Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral (roughly 800 steps to the top), finishing at the Prague Metronome and Petřín Observation Tower for skyline views. Dinner the first night was at Švejk Restaurant U Karla, which had a notably large gluten-free menu — beer, dumplings, and bread included — and lunch the next day was Alriso Risotteria Italiana, a fully dedicated gluten-free restaurant in Old Town. Prague scores lower than the rest of this route for GF friendliness overall, so those two stood out.
Full Prague guide →Marienplatz, Hofbräuhaus, and a day's worth of sights before a long train day into Italy.
Two nights, arriving by a short Lufthansa flight from Prague. The one full day covered Munich's greatest hits on foot — Marienplatz, Frauenkirche, St. Peter's Church, the Viktualienmarkt food market, and the Hofbräuhaus beer hall — with GF pizza at Pizzesco for lunch and a GF-marked pie from Fritz Mühlenbäckerei for dessert. The English Garden and Allianz Arena were both on the list for the afternoon, weather and energy permitting, before deciding between sushi, Mexican, or traditional brats for dinner depending on how the day went. The next morning started early for the long haul into Italy — a nearly 8-hour train to Bologna, then a short connection on to Florence.
Full Munich guide →The Duomo, Michelangelo's David, and a dedicated gluten-free bakery two minutes from the hotel.
Two nights after the long train day from Munich by way of Bologna. The plan covered Florence's core sights on foot — Piazza della Signoria, the Ponte Vecchio, Santa Maria del Fiore and its 463-step climb to the dome, and the Galleria dell'Accademia to see the statue of David — along with Sant'Ambrogio Market and Piazzale Michelangelo for the view back over the city. StarBene Senza Glutine, a dedicated gluten-free bakery, and La Luna's gluten-free pizza and Nutella calzones were both built in as full-GF stops, along with GF croissants from La Cocotte on the way to the train the last morning. Florence was the first stop on this route where eating out stopped feeling like extra effort.
Full Florence guide →The trip's longest stop — the Vatican, the Colosseum, and a Lazio match at Stadio Olimpico.
Three nights, the longest stay of the trip, built around a 48-hour Roma Pass covering the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and public transport. The first afternoon was a Lazio vs. Inter Milan match at Stadio Olimpico; the following days covered the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, and a full morning at the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. Rome had the deepest bench of gluten-free options of the whole trip — Pandalì's dedicated GF bakery, gluten-free pizza and pasta at Pantha Rei, and a full celiac menu at Mama Eat, including GF bruschetta and lobster noodles. The flight home the next morning required leaving the hotel by 6 a.m., over an hour of transit ahead of an international departure.
Full Rome guide →