Duration: 17 Nights / 18 Days
DAY 1: LONDON - PARIS (FRANCE):
You meet your tour Manger this morning at the London Ryan Hotel, then leave London for your ferry to Calais. You head for the glittering capital, Paris.
DAY 2: PARIS – SIGHTSEEING:
Paris is so loved! You tour the city with a local guide, visiting Notre Dame Cathedral and admiring the Eiffel Tower. Then there’s time for you to explore the Louvre And tonight, enjoy the exciting nightlife.
DAY 3: PARIS - LOIRE VALLEY – BORDEAUX:
You follow the River Loire past the Chateau of Amboise where Leonardo da Vinci spent his later years. You can visit the incredible Chateau of Chenonceau, then its via the Cognac vineyards to Bordeaux.
DAY 4: BORDEAUX – LOURDES:
Lourdes has become a place of pilgrimage following visions by Bernadette Soubirous in the 19th century. Visit the miraculous Grotto, drink the spring waters credited with curative powers and join the moving torchlight procession!
DAY 5: LOURDES - MADRID (SPAIN):
Spain, a country where isolation behind the Pyrenees mountains has shaped its culture and history. “Bienvenido” (welcome) to a land of colourful fiestas, bullfights and hospitable inhabitants. Experience some of the remoter regions and see the real Spain as you cross the Sierras via Burgos to Madrid.
DAY 6: MADRID - SIGHTSEEING:
Your tourstarts with the most famous sights - Puerta del Sol, Cibeles Fountain
and the Gran Via. Next an included highlight visit of the elegant apartments
of King Juan Carlos’ Royal Palace. This afternoon maybe visit the Prado Museum,
visit Toledo or try ‘tapas hopping’.
DAY 7: MADRID – BARCELONA:
Over the Castilian Plain to Aragon and the Morata Pass where you descend to
the River Ebro. Then to lively Barcelona, host to the 1992 Olympics. Perhaps
some fiery flamenco tonight - Ole!
DAY 8: BARCELONA – SIGHTSEEING:
Gaudi’s unfinished Sagrada Familia, the Gothic Quarter, Christopher Columbus Column and the lively Rambles with its colourful flower markets are the main sights of your our. Then relax at a pavement cafe or visit the Pueblo Espanol with fine replicas of regional Spanish villages.
DAY 9: BARCELONA - THE CAMARGUE - NICE (FRANCE):
Through Languedoc and into the marshes of the Camargue, an area of wild horses, bulls and flamingoes. Into Provence, the Inspiration for Van Gogh, then to Nice.
DAY 10: NICE AT LEISURE:
A day on the Riviera! Swim in the Mediterranean and stroll the Promenade des Anglais. Perhaps a trip to a medieval hill town, a perfumery, or enjoy a flutter in Monte Carlo’s casino!
DAY 11: NICE - FLORENCE (ITALY):
You follow the Riviera past Genova to Florence. Here you enjoy a demonstration of leatherwork and discover the city’s treasures. The 14th century Ponce Vecchio and open air museum of Piazza Signoria are sights to behold!
DAY 12: FLORENCE - ASSISI – SORRENTO:
You take the winding road through Tuscany to St. Francis’ hillside town of Assisi. South past Monte Cassino and Naples, then follow the dramatic clifftop coast road to Sorrento.
DAY 13: SORRENTO - OPTIONAL POMPEII OR CAPRI EXCURSION – ROME:
Perhaps take an excursion to the magical Isle of Capri or take the chance to visit the ancient ruins of Pompeii. Then you start your journey north following the Appenines to your hotel in seaside Rome Lido.
DAY 14: ROME – SIGHTSEEING:
You hear about the glories of the Empire as you overlook the Roman Forum and visit the Colosseum. Cross the Tiber to visit monumental St. Peter’s Basilica with its moving ‘Pieta’. Perhaps a typical Roman dinner tonight?
DAY 15: ROME – VENICE:
Don’t miss the chance of a visit to the Vatican Museum to see the famous Sistine Chapel this morning! Etruscan hill towns, olive groves, the Chianti vineyards and the Po Valley take us to your hotel in the Venice region.
DAY 16: VENICE – SIGHTSEEING:
You see Byron’s ‘pink palaces floating in a blue lagoon’, the Bridge of Sighs and St. Mark’s, then watch a master craftsman demonstrate Venetian glassblowing. Perhaps, later, a lagoon cruise and special lunch?
DAY 17: VENICE - VIENNA (AUSTRIA):
You leave Italy for the majestic scenery of the Austrian Lake District. You glide past the forests and streams of Carinthia and Styria before reaching your hotel in the Vienna Woods.
DAY 18: VIENNA – SIGHTSEEING:
Your tour shows us the Imperial Hofburg Winter Palace, the Parliament, the elegant Opera House and a visit to Belvedere Gardens. The choice is then yours - waltz to Strauss, trot to the Spanish Riding School or be amazed by the state apartments of Schonbrunn Palace.
DAY 19: VIENNA – SALZKAMMERGUT - INNSBRUCK:
Along the Danube Valley to lakeside Mondsee where you see the ‘Sound of Music’ wedding church. Now into the beautiful Alpine scenery of the Tyrol to Innsbruck.
DAY 20: INNSBRUCK - LIECHTENSTEIN - LAKE LUCERNE (SWITZERLAND):
You see the Imperial Palace and Golden Roof, then through lovely Alpine scenery to Vaduz, capital of Liechtenstein. On to Lake Lucerne. Tonight, how about some Swiss Folklore.
DAY 21: LUCERNE AT LEISURE:
See the emotive Lion Monument, stroll across the wooden Chapel Bridge to the magnificent Jesuit Church or join a mountain excursion to admire the snow capped peaks of the Swiss Alps.
DAY 22: LUCERNE - RHINE FALLS - BLACK FOREST - HEIDELBERG - RHINELAND
(GERMANY):
You visit the thundering Rhine Falls then across the beautiful Black Forest to Heidelberg, Germany’s oldest university town. Enjoy the sweeping view from the terrace of Heidelberg’s imposing ruined castle.
DAY 23: RHINELAND - RHINE CRUISE -COLOGNE - AMSTERDAM (HOLLAND):
You pass the legendary Lorelei Rock, and Pfalz Castle then a Rhine cruise past ruined castles and picturesque villages. In Cologne you visit the magnificent 13th Century Cathedral then into the Dutch countryside to your hotel.
DAY 24: AMSTERDAM – SIGHTSEEING:
Cruise the canals, photo a windmill, watch diamond cutting and clog making, and you still have time to explore the Van Gogh Museum, Ann Frank’s House or sit at a pavement cafe. Tonight perhaps go ‘Dutch’ on a farewell dinner.
DAY 25: AMSTERDAM - BELGIUM - CALAIS (FRANCE) – LONDON:
You cross the Flanders Fields, passing Dunkirk on your way to London.
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