Grand European 2009
Day 1 - Depart USA Overnight flight to London
Day 2 - Arrive London (2 nights) After check-in, time to relax and unwind. Day 3 - London sightseeing and at leisure Many major sights are included on our morning sightseeing tour. Then enjoy free time at leisure to explore this exciting city. (Buffet breakfast)
Day 4 - London — Bruges — Brussels We drive to Dover to take the Channel crossing to Calais. Then into Belgium and we stop in Bruges. Later we continue to Brussels, where we see the Atomium and the Royal Palaces. Then our Tour Director shows us the Manneken Pis and the Grand Place plus a Hidden Treasure! Tonight, we enjoy a Welcome Drink with our Tour Director and fellow travellers. (continential breakfast)
Day 5 - Brussels — Amsterdam We drive to Amsterdam, where we enjoy a canal cruise in a glass-topped boat and a visit to a diamond-polishing factory. (Buffet breakfast)
Day 6 - Amsterdam — Rhine Cruise — Heidelberg — Rhineland First to Germany and we stop to see Cologne Cathedral. Then past Bonn, we head into the Rhine Valley for a cruise. Then on to Heidelberg where we view the castle. Next on to our hotel in Mannheim. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Day 7 - Rhineland — Black Forest — Rhine Falls — Engelberg (2 nights) Today's drive takes us through the fairytale Black Forest and on to the Swiss border. After viewing the Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen, we make our way to the ski resort of Engelberg for the next two nights. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Day 8 - Lucerne Excursion It's a short drive to lakeside Lucerne. Here an orientation of this medieval town includes a visit to the poignant Lion Monument and we see the wooden Chapel Bridge which spans the River Reuss. The rest of the day is free to explore. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Day 9 - Engelberg — Liechtenstein — Innsbruck We drive past the Walensee to Liechtenstein, stopping in its capital Vaduz. Then we cross the border into Austria and follow the Arlberg route into the Tyrol and Innsbruck. Our orientation tour reveals highlights of the Hapsburg legacy. (Buffet breakast / Dinner)
Day 10 - Innsbruck — Salzburg — Vienna (2 nights) We drive to Salzburg where our guided walking tour explores the city that featured in "The Sound of Music" and we see the house where Mozart was born. Then on towards Vienna. (Buffet breakfast)
Day 11 - Vienna sightseeing and at leisure Today's sightseeing tour shows us the State Opera House, the Hofburg, City Hall, Parliament and the Imperial Boulevards. Then time at leisure. (Buffet breakfast)
Day 12 - Vienna — Venice (Mestre) (2 nights) Enjoy a scenic drive to the Austrian Lake District and Italian border. Then the Carnic Alps give way to Northern Italy and Venice. Tonight, a gondola serenade along ancient canals will be hard to resist! (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Day 13 - Venice sightseeing and at leisure The delights of this city are included on a canal cruise by private motor launch to St. Mark's Square, viewing the Bridge of Sighs and more. After a visit to a glass-blowing factory, why not take a lagoon cruise to the Island of Burano" (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Day 14 - Venice (Mestre) — Assisi We cross the Apennines to Assisi where we visit St. Mary of the Angels and enjoy a tour including St. Francis Basilica. Then our Tour Director shares another Hidden Treasure with us. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Day 15 - Assisi — Isle of Capri — Sorrento We pass Monte Cassino en route to the Bay of Naples. Today's highlight is a visit to the Isle of Capri where we enjoy a guided walking tour before free time and sailing back to the mainland and Sorrento. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Day 16 - Sorrento — Pompeii " Rome (2 nights) We drive to Pompeii for a guided walking tour which brings to life the Roman town which was 'petrified' by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. From here we continue to Rome. (Buffet breakfast)
Day 17 - Rome sightseeing and at leisure Our guided tour includes a visit to the Sistine Chapel. Then in St. Peter's Basilica we see Michelangelo's Pieta. Then we cross the Tiber for views of the Forum, the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus. Afterwards free time to explore. (Buffet breakfast)
Day 18 - Rome — Florence We drive through Tuscany to Florence, where our guided walking tour highlights the marble cathedral, Signoria Square, the baptistery and visits the Santa Croce Basilica. Tonight enjoy a Highlight Dinner. (Buffet breakfast / Highlight dinner)
Day 19 - Florence — Pisa — Nice (2 nights) — Monte Carlo Excursion We drive to Pisa where we see its famous Leaning Tower. Then via Genoa, to the magnificent Riviera coastline to jet-set Nice. Later, we visit the Principality of Monaco seeing the Monte Carlo Casino before we enjoy a Highlight Dinner in a specially selected restaurant this evening. (Buffet breakfast / Highlight dinner)
Day 20 - Nice — Côte d'Azur Excursion We drive to the medieval hilltop town of St. Paul de Vence. Later, we visit a perfumery before we return to Nice, with the rest of the day free. (Buffet breakfast)
Day 21 - Nice — Avignon — Beaune We drive through the countryside to Avignon, where orientation includes the Papal Palace and St. Benezet Bridge. Then past Lyon and into the hills of Burgundy to the wine-town of Beaune. (Buffet breakfast / Dinner)
Day 22 - Beaune — Paris (2 nights) Morning orientation shows us the ancient walls and old town square. Then we head for the capital city of Paris. (Buffet breakfast)
Day 23 - Paris sightseeing and at leisure Our guided sightseeing tour features a drive along the Champs Élysées and then to the Eiffel Tower where we ascend to the second level. Then we view Notre Dame Cathedral on the Île de la Cité. This evening we join our Tour Director for a celebration Farewell Dinner with wine in a local restaurant. (Buffet breakfast / Farewell dinner)
Day 24 - Paris - USA "Au revoir" to Paris and our new-found friends as our tour comes to an end. (Buffet breakfast)
Day 25 - Free airport transfers Return transfer from the last hotel will arrive at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport at 08.00.
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