European Experience
Day 1 - Depart USA Overnight transatlantic flight to London.
Day 2 - Arrive London (2 nights) Time to relax after checking into your Trafalgar hotel.
Day 3 - London at leisure After breakfast enjoy a full day at leisure to explore Britains exciting capital. (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 4 - London - Amsterdam A warm welcome from our Tour Director as we enjoy a scenic drive through Kent to Dover. Here we view the White Cliffs before boarding our ferry for the short Channel crossing to Calais in France. From here we rejoin our coachto travel first into Belgium and Flanders fields and then across the border into Holland and meadows of turning windmills. We arrive in Amsterdam where we will enjoy a visit to a diamond cutting and polishing factory before going to our hotel. Tonight, why not try out some of the culinary specialities of this friendly city — perhaps later, explore the Red Light district!
Day 5 - Amsterdam — Rhineland (Offenbach) We drive via Arnhem to the German border and are soon approaching the impressive city of Cologne with its magnificent gothic Cathedral. Time for a spot of lunch before following the banks of the Rhine to the village of Boppard where we embark for our scenic Rhine Cruise past clinging vineyards and towering castles. Finally we arrive in our Rhineland hotel for dinner and overnight. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)
Day 6 - Rhineland (Offenbach) — Innsbruck (Igls) We drive to nearby Heidelberg where we view the castle and the University town of Student Prince fame. Then on to fun-loving Munich in Bavaria to see the Glockenspiel, Olympic stadium and Hofbrauhaus. We continue along the Inn valley and into the Austrian Tyrol where we arrive in the picturesque town of Innsbruck. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner
Day 7 - Innsbruck (Igls) — Venice (Marghera) this morning's orientation of this Habsburg city shows us the Golden Roof and Hofburg Palace. Time to shop in the arcaded streets for crystal souvenirs before heading off for the Brenner Pass and an exhilarating drive through the Alps to Italy. The splendid scenery continues as we drive through the Dolomites to the romantic city of Venice where on our included canal cruise to St. Mark's Square new delights abound at each and every turn. We see St. Mark's Basiilca, the Doges Palace and visit a traditional glass-blowing workshop before free time to perhaps take a gondola serenade! (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)
Day 8 - Venice (Marghera) - Rome (2 nights) This morning we drive along the Veneto plain and the via Bologna over the Apennine Mountains
before arriving in Tuscany. Then through Umbria and Lazio to the cradle of the Roman civilisation the Eternal City that is Rome. (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 9 - Rome sightseeing & at leisure After breakfast there's a whole day for in-depth exploration. Our sightseeing tour features St. Peter's Basilica and views of the Forum and Colosseum. There's free time later to marvel at the tapestries in the Vatican Museum and take a trip to Tivoli Gardens. (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 10 - Rome - Florence (Calenzano) We leave Rome to drive through Tufa hills and then into 'Chiantishire' with its fields of tobacco and sunflowers and abundant vineyards. Soon we arrive in the Renaissance city of Florence where after a visit to Piazzale Michelangiolo to enjoy spectacular views of the city, you have time on your own to visit Piazza Signoria, the Duomo and Giotto's Bell-Tower. Time to shop for beautiful leather goods and 18 carat gold jewellery or to perhaps visit one of the city's many Art Galleries and Museums before going to our hotel for dinner and overnight stay. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)
Day 11 - Florence (Calenzano) - Lake Lucerne (2 nights) Today we take the Highway of the Sun and traverse the Apennines to head north to Lombardy and Milan. Then through the Italian Lake District, seeing lake Como, we cross into Switzerland to the lake of Lugano, where we stop to visit the pretty lakeside resort. Finally through the Gotthard range we drive along the shores of glassy Lake Lucerne to our hotel. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)
Day 12 - Lake Lucerne — Lucerne orientation and at leisure Orientation of this medieval town on the banks of the River Reuss and the lake shows us the Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument. Then you have time to perhaps ascend a nearby mountain peak and later this afternoon perhaps shop for delicious chocolates and precision-made timepieces. This evening we will have dinner at the hotel. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 13 - Lake Lucerne — Paris (2 nights) This morning after breakfast, we travel through Basel to France where we skirt the Vosges mountains on our way into Burgundy. Past charming French villages and castles and acres of vineyards we travel to the French capital — the elegant and exciting city of Paris! (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 14 - Paris sightseeing & at leisure Views of the Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysées, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral and more all feature on our morning sightseeing tour. Then time is your own to stroll along the banks of the Seine, admire the works of the great masters in the Louvre or perhaps visit Montmartre and the Sacré Coeur. Tonight why not sample this city's legendary nightlife" (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 15 - Paris — London We travel across the battlefields of the Somme to the port of Calais where we board our ferry to cross the Channel. Soon we are back in London. (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 16 - London - USA Bid farewell on your return flight to the USA. (Buffet Breakfast)
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