If you’re still planning to watch the series on iPlayer, please do so before you read this blog, as it reveals answers and plot twists. Just press Ctrl+D to bookmark this blog, so you can discover more about visiting the destinations yourself, but only after you’ve heard comedian Rob Brydon announce the winner.
Just like budget travellers, the contestants were given a challenge before they left the starting point - a fake terminal in Baden Baden airport. They were asked to find suitcases of the exact maximum weight for hand luggage - anything to maximise your included cabin baggage allowance! Out of the 13 contestants, only 10 were allowed to proceed to the first destination - at least that’s what we were led to believe!
Destination 1 - Eiffel Tower, Paris
After leaving Germany, the coach headed towards Paris. The stop in Alsace confused many of the contestants - with clues pointing to French signage but Alsatian being spoken and a further clue being an Alsatian (German Shepherd) dog. However, the one which revealed the destination was actually the easily missable clue back at the airport. Remember the actor posing as a German businessman getting a phone call? His ringtone was Blue by Eiffel 65.
Deborah was eliminated as her guess was furthest from the actual destination. As she was asked to leave the coach she found herself on the banks of the River Seine, with an illuminated Eiffel Tower in the background.
Paris is often seen as a pricey city for a short break, but if you choose your dates carefully you’ll be able to find cheap hotels near the Eiffel Tower. You can pre-book your Eiffel Tower pass online, or buy your ticket on the day. There’s different prices, depending on how high you wish to go. You can save money by not taking the lifts. If you’re wondering “How many steps in the Eiffel Tower?”, there are 327 steps between the ground and first floor, and a further 347 steps between the first and second. The stairs to the very top are not open to the public, but you can still buy a reduced-price summit ticket if you’re willing to climb the steps to the second floor.
Destination 2 - Zermatt and the Matterhorn, Switzerland
Even if you’ve never seen the second destination first-hand, or even seen a photo of it, you’ll almost certainly have seen it in illustration form. This large near-symmetric pyramidal peak is the mountain used on the packaging design for Toblerone. Although, some sources claim the Matterhorn wasn’t actually the inspiration for the design of the chocolate bar. Swiss confectioner Theodor Tobler may have actually used a dance formation as his inspiration.
So what’s the actual location of the Matterhorn? This is what led to Dawn being eliminated. She saw a lake and thought of Lake Geneva, which is a huge stretch of water, but one of many in Switzerland. The Matterhorn is close to the Switzerland-Italy boundary and around 4 hours from Geneva. On a map the Matterhorn looks roughly equidistant from Annecy and Turin. From Turin it’s around 1 hour 45 drive to the Matterhorn, so easily doable as a day trip. From Annecy you’d spend 4 hours zigzagging around mountains.
Want a city break that gives you the opportunity to see the Matterhorn? Turin hotels would be our recommendation.
Destination 3 - Munich’s Oktoberfest
This was the stage where divisions between the competitors started to show. Saiska, Josh and Judith won the challenge, so they were given additional clues. These included a magazine showing Harry Kane on the cover, and seeing people enjoying sausage and beer outside the window. Combined with the other clues - such as a ticket saying Oktober, it didn’t need a nuclear engineer like Judith to solve them. However, Nick, Ben and Daren only had some of the clues. Saiska proposed that she, Josh and Judith lied about the additional clues they had to lead the others to a different destination in Germany, with Josh inventing a Dortmund story. Nick saw through the lie, but Daren and Ben placed their Xs on Dortmund, with Ben getting eliminated. As Ben stepped off the bus he was greeted by Bavarian music and dancing.
If you’re heading to Oktoberfest and want to go for the traditional Oktoberfest outfit, the male version is tight-fitting lederhosen (with braces) and a chequered shirt. For women it’s a tight-fitting Bavarian dirndl dress, worn over a white blouse and an apron tied around it. Ladies - be careful where you tie the bow - putting it on the left hand side is seen as a sign you’re single, the right is a sign you’re taken. Don’t think putting it in the middle is a way of staying quiet about your relationship status - that’s an indication you’re a waitress!
If you’re not able to travel in late September/early October, Munich also hosts Frühlingsfest in late April/early May, which is sometimes referred to as Oktoberfest’s little sister.
Destination 4 - The Sound of Music, Salzburg
This round started with a twist - the three people who didn’t make it on the bus following the airport luggage challenge were now joining the challenge. They’d actually been travelling alongside the coach all along! Chloe, a young historian, was one of the three, and she and Daren received the most clues for destination four. Unfortunately, for Chloe the music and film references went over her head, so she only worked out they were in Austria but had no idea where. On the other hand, 58 year old cabbie Daren got The Sound of Music filming location references and knew the location was Salzburg. Chloe decided to consult with Daren - did he play nice? No, he told her the location was Vienna, which led to her being eliminated. If you’re wanting to join a Sound of Music tour, our recommendation would be to book a central Salzburg hotel, as most tours start in the city centre and take you out to the countryside.
Salzburg has another entry in the music hall of fame. It’s also the birthplace of Mozart. Want to find exactly where? Remember to look up! Mozart was born at Hagenauer Haus, No. 9 Getreidegasse, Salzburg. This is open to the public as a museum, but it’s on the third floor. The ground floor is a convenience store - they do stock the Mozartkugeln chocolate, but it should be noted the type they sell is the mass-produced imitation. For the original handmade type head to Cafe Konditorei Fürst, located at 13 Brodgasse, Salzburg.
Destination 5 - Venice
As Ashvin was eliminated and stepped off the coach, he noticed it had been loaded onto a barge, with the skyline of Venice in the background. This was the only time the destination was revealed to the remaining participants. As it was, retired detective sergeant Claire sniffed a rat and confronted the others about the games they were playing. This led to the Dortmund lie being exposed, Daren feeling betrayed and Judith accusing Saiska of forcing her to lie to the others when she wasn’t comfortable doing it.
While the six remaining participants were in Venice they were asked to choose a pasta dish. There were three dishes and two of each type. After they finished eating Rob revealed that they would now be paired with the person who chose the same dish as them, for the next challenge. This led to Judith and Saiska being paired with each other and having to sit together in possibly the most uncomfortable gondola ride of all time!
Gondola rides in Venice are pricey - so much so that you can fly to Venice for less than a private tour! If you’re looking for a cheap alternative take the traghetto across the Grand Canal - effectively a large shared option, where the short ride will cost just €2.
Destination 6 - Pula Arena, Croatia
The contestants were given a clear view of Pula Arena as the coach drove around it. This led to a mix of views - with some thinking they were in Rome, and others thinking Rome’s Colosseum doesn’t look like that. In the end it wasn’t a case of mistaken identity that led to someone being eliminated - it was Nick’s inability to find where Pula actually was on the map.
There’s more to Pula than just the arena. Other historic buildings in the Old Town highlight both the Venetian and Austro-Hungarian history of the city. Plus there’s opportunities to go diving, dolphin watching or explore hidden lagoons on boat trips.
Destination 7 - Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
Building a tower for your fellow contestant was the challenge in this round, with the tallest tower winning. There was another catch - the bricks were floating on the lake and had to be collected by canoe. Judith decided to use this as an opportunity to get back at Saiska, and Daren to get back at Josh. Saiska didn’t end up with a leaning tower, it was pushed over and demolished! Josh built the winning tower, but as he was building it for Daren he didn’t get the clue, as Daren instead opted to share it with Clare.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa buildings are a small complex of separate constructions that make up the (Catholic) cathedral. A separate bell tower might not seem that unusual, but why have a baptistery building? Well, this wasn’t because there were a lot of babies to christen! It relates to early Christians baptising adults through immersion in a full sized pool, rather than using fonts located in the church itself. Parts of Italy have retained the idea of having separate baptistery buildings, even though the idea of using pools (in the Catholic Church) ended a very long time ago.
The majority of hotels in Pisa are fairly close to both the leaning tower and the airport. So you won’t face a long transfer time, or find yourself staying in a completely different district.
Destination 8 - Monaco
For the challenge in this leg Saiska was paired with Josh, and Judith with Daren. The former won and gained considerably more clues - including a model F1 car. Even though the few clues Judith and Daren got could have been interpreted as if they were returning to Paris - Judith went with how she was feeling - the warmth of the Monaco weather led her to believe they were in the south of France. So while she went for Marseille, not Monaco, she survived the round with Daren being eliminated after placing his X on Paris.
Monaco’s not just about F1 and casinos. It's got glamour down to a fine art – Belle Époque buildings, sparkling marinas and cobbled old town lanes that wind up above the Mediterranean. It’s pocket-sized but big on atmosphere. The luxury buzz is surprisingly laid-back when you’re soaking in those sea views over a morning espresso.
Destination 9 - Spanish Steps, Rome
The last episode was where comparisons to Race Across The World were most valid. The remaining three contestants had to go to three different locations in Rome, to solve clues, which would reveal the final destination. They were each given them in a different order, so they had no idea how their rivals were doing. This is where there was a twist in the plot. Airline pilot Josh was the favourite to win. However, Judith excelled when working on puzzles independently and was crowned winner.
There’s a wide selection of hotels close to the Spanish steps in Rome - Charme Spagna Boutique Hotel is a popular choice, offering both Room Only and B&B stays, as well as boasting a Tripadvisor rating of 4.5/5. If you’re wondering “Where are the Spanish steps in Rome?”, they’re north of the Roman Forum and Trevi Fountain and just south of Villa Borghese. It’s easy to reach from most parts of the city thanks to Spagna Metro station on Line A.
>> If you’re a budget traveller, looking for the best deal, check out this handy link to find the lowest cost packages for all the destinations featured in series 1 of Destination X.
About the author
Edd Myerscough has explored more than 15 destinations solo, from discovering top European cities to hiking in the Carpathian Mountains, and admiring the stunning beauty of the Canadian Rockies. If you're after top tips on planning a seamless city break or an adventurous escape, Edd's got you covered with stories and practical advice to inspire your next journey.