TRADITIONAL EUROPE

• All the highlights of Europe lie ahead on this epic journey from the Netherlands to Austria, Italy to France.
• Spend the day exploring Amsterdam on foot, by bike or tram.
• Later, meet your Travel Director and travel companions and board a glass-topped boat for a Welcome Reception canal cruise, including a light dinner and welcome drink as you navigate the city’s labyrinthine canals lined with centuries-old gabled façades.

Arrival Transfer: Depart the airport at 09:00, 11:30, 14:30

• Travel east, crossing the border into Germany bound for Cologne.
• Here, you’ll see the iconic twin spires of its imposing Cathedral, said to be the final resting place of the Three Wise Men.
• We cruise from Boppard to St. Goar along the mighty Rhine, lined with medieval villages and castles that cling to the hills.
• This evening, we stay in the Rhineland and enjoy dinner at our hotel.

Included Experience: See the Cathedral of Cologne and Rhine Valley Cruise

• The imposing ruins of Heidelberg Castle feature on our drive through this vibrant university city en route to the quaint medieval town of Colmar.
• Here we will enjoy an orientation stroll and free time for lunch.
• Our journey continues through the picturesque vineyards of Alsace en route to our hotel in the stunning mountain retreat of Engelberg, with a free evening to enjoy the town.

Included Experience: View Heidelberg Castle and Colmar Orientation

• Spend the day exploring Lucerne. Pay tribute to the Swiss Guards who lost their lives defending Louise XVI during the French Revolution at the mournful Lion Monument, then admire the splendour of the flower-lined Chapel Bridge with its 17th-century paintings.
• Spend the rest of the day at leisure or consider joining an Optional Experience up one of the nearby peaks for spectacular panoramic views before returning to Engelberg.

Included Experience: Lucerne Orientation

Optional Experience: Mount Pilatus and Lake Cruise / Mount Titlis Excursion /  Swiss Countryside & Carriages

• Admire rugged alpine scenery en route to the Principality of Liechtenstein, stopping in its capital, Vaduz.
• Cross the Austrian border and continue along the Arlberg route for a journey filled with pinch-me moments.
• Snow-capped mountains surround you as you travel through the Tyrol to Innsbruck.
• Visit the Old Town where you’ll see the famous Golden Roof completed in 1500 for Emperor Maximilian I to mark his wedding.
•  Admire the fascinating crystal installations and browse for precious gifts and souvenirs at the Swarovski Crystal Worlds Store.

Included Experience: See Vaduz Castle

Optional Experience: Tyrolean Evening With Dinner

• Cross the extraordinary Europa Bridge, rising almost 200 metres above the Wipp Valley, following the Brenner Pass past alpine pastures and pine-clad peaks into Italy and the magical island city of Venice.
•  Spend this evening at leisure, gliding by gondola through the city’s canals, enjoying a Campari spritz in a quiet piazza or watching the sun set over the romantic Grand Canal.

Included Experience: View the Brenner Pass

Optional Experience: Gondolas & the Grand Canal

• Witness the centuries-old tradition of Venetian glassmaking.
• This is a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience which helps to preserve the strong tradition of glassblowing for which Venice is justifiably famous.
• You’ll learn how the talented master craftsmen use the same techniques their forefathers did to create the delicate artworks which adorn homes worldwide, perhaps inspiring you to buy a souvenir to remind you of this special visit.
• Later, board a private launch for your journey through the canals of Venice to St. Mark’s Square where you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the city’s centuries-old history and view the ornate Doge’s Palace and Bridge of Sighs.
• Spend the afternoon exploring Venice your way, which could mean finding a tucked away bacaro to soak up some of the local atmosphere, a cruise around the lagoon or zigzagging up the Le Mercerie shopping street.

Included Experience: Learn about the History and Acient Skills on Venetian Glassblowing

Optional Experience: Lagoon Cruise to Burano with Food and Drinks / Hidden Venice & St. Mark’s Basilica

• Travel over the green and golden landscapes of the Apennine hills through beautiful Tuscany and Umbria, arriving in Rome where you’ll spend the next two nights.
• This evening is yours to embrace la dolce vita.
• Relax in the Piazza Navona with an espresso, sit on the Spanish Steps or savour a tasty gelato.

Included Experience: Scenic Drive through Tuscany

Optional Experience: Piazzas and Fountains

• Delve into the treasures of the Vatican with a Local Specialist who will take you on a sightseeing tour through St. Peter’s Basilica to see Michelangelo’s sorrowful Pietà.
• Cross the Tiber into Ancient Rome to see the mighty Colosseum where brave gladiators once fought to the applause of exhilarated spectators, then enjoy views of Circus Maximus which once hosted chariot races.
• The rest of the day is yours to explore the sights and sounds of this remarkable city.
• Ramble through Rome’s grand boulevards, shop up a storm on the Via Condotti or perhaps take an Optional Excursion to see Michelangelo’s beautiful frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Included Experience: Visit St. peter’s Basilica and Rome City Tour

Optional Experience: Inside the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel / Roman Delights with Dinner / Roman Evening with Dinner

• Enjoy a scenic drive through the vineyards of Frascati into the Campania region where we’ll meet a Local Specialist who will share the fascinating story of Pompeii, a city buried in ash and lost for centuries following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
• We arrive in the sophisticated seaside retreat of Sorrento this evening where we will spend the night.

Included Experience: Visit Pompeii

Optional Experience: Amalfi Coast and Positano

• Cross the deep blue waters of the Bay of Naples to the beautiful Isle of Capri, ascending by funicular to Capri Town where we will join our Local Specialist for a walking tour.
•  Travelling north, we view the restored Abbey of Monte Cassino, the site of a bloody World War II battle, arriving later in mystical Assisi to view the Basilica of St. Francis featuring spectacular frescoes by Giotto with a Local Specialist.

Included Experience: Tour Capri, See the Benedictine Abbey of Cassino, and Visit the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

Optional Experience: Discover The Isle of Capri

• Beautiful Tuscan and Umbrian landscapes that have inspired painters and poets for centuries follow our journey to Florence, the ‘Cradle of the Renaissance’.
• We join a Local Specialist on an included walking tour to see the city’s spectacular heritage, architecture and open-air art, including views of the marble Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio.
• Visit the Piazza della Signoria, Florence’s political hub centuries ago, and learn about the quality and workmanship of one of this city’s historic industries at a demonstration of Florentine leathercraft.

Included Experience: Florence City Tour and Florence Leather Demonstration

Optional Experience: Discover Palazzo Vecchio / Michelangelo’s ‘David’ & Accademia / Dinner in the Tuscan Hills / Tuscan Dinner at Villa Machiavelli

• Journey to Pisa and its Square of Miracles to see the Leaning Tower and its imposing Baptistery.
• Leaving the sights, sounds and flavours of Italy behind, we visit the playground of Monaco and view the Royal Palace before arriving on the French Riviera.

Included Experience: See Pisa’s Landmarks and See Monaco Cathedral

• Tread in the footsteps of famous French actors and artists who for centuries have regarded the medieval town of Saint-Paul-de-Vence as a haven.
• Spend the afternoon at leisure or perhaps join an Optional Experience to see spectacular views of one of the most beautiful coastlines in Europe and pay an aromatic visit to the historic Fragonard perfumery to learn how French fragrances are crafted before trying some specialities from the region at a local restaurant.

Included Experience: Saint-Paul-de-Vence Orientation

Optional Experience: Corniche Coastline Drive with Perfumery Visit and Meal

• Visit what was once the centre of Christendom in the Middle Ages, the papal city of Avignon.
• Here, you will see the Palais des Papes, the Cathedral and famous Pont d’Avignon, which have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and learn about the spiritual significance of this place.
• You’ll travel next to the historically strategic city of Lyon.
• This is a city that lights up magically at night, so be sure to take to the streets and admire its beauty.

Included Experience: Avignon Orientation and Lyon Orientation

• Visit Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy, before continuing north to Paris.
• Our epic European adventure near its end, join your Travel Director and newfound friends for a Farewell Dinner this evening.

Included Experience: Explore Beaune

Optional Experience: Versailles Palace and Gardens

• Join a Local Specialist to see the sights and sounds of Paris, view Notre Dame Cathedral and enjoy a stroll through the Latin Quarter.
• After, why not consider joining a cruise along the famous river Seine or a trip to one of the city’s most famous cabaret shows revealing French pageantry.

Included Experience: Paris City Tour

Optional Experience: Montparnasse and Napoleon’s Tomb / Seine Cruise and Paris Illuminations / Moulin Rouge Cabaret and Dinner / La Nouvelle Eve Cabaret and Dinner

• Today bid adieu to your fellow travellers and Travel Director at the end of your memorable holiday.

Departure Transfer: Arrive at Charles de Gaulle airport at 08:00