For those who visit Europe once in a lifetime and want to experience as much as possible, this is THE vacation to explore the Continent, from London and Vienna to Rome, Madrid, and Paris. Spend two nights each in Barcelona, London, Lucerne, Madrid, Nice, Paris, Rome, Sorrento, Vienna, and Venice. Then, there’s the high-speed Eurostar train ride from London to Brussels, a canal cruise in Amsterdam, a Rhine cruise, the Black Forest, Rhine Falls, Liechtenstein, and Innsbruck. Also enjoy a special dinner at a local farm and a guided walking tour in Salzburg, Zagreb, a stop in Kumrovec for lunch and a visit to the Staro Selo Ethnological Museum, an overnight in Ljubljana, a private boat transfer in Venice, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, St. Paul de Vence, Arles, Burgos, Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum, Biarritz, Bordeaux, and a high-speed TGV train ride to Paris. Sightseeing in all major cities includes the major sights, such as Doges’ Palace, the Colosseum, Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s David, the Prado Museum, and a ride up to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. More highlights are a scenic drive along the world-renowned Amalfi Coast to Positano, where you can taste the local limoncello liqueur, and a traditional paella dinner in Madrid. Finally, hop aboard the high-speed Eurostar train and return to London for free time to enjoy one final night in jolly old England. By the conclusion of your adventure you will have seen all of Europe’s continental coasts: the English Channel, North Sea coast, the Italian and French Rivieras, and the Bay of Biscay—an amazing journey!
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in London, England. Welcome to London! Uniformed Globus Hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay.
Day #2 London. Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes all the famous landmarks: the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the River Thames, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall’s mounted horseguards and the Prime Minister’s Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace. Visit ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL and see the Changing of the Guard, if held. (B)
Day #3 London–Brussels, Belgium. Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and board the high-speed EUROSTAR TRAIN to Brussels. Walk to the GRAND’PLACE and admire its baroque guild houses and the gothic Town Hall. You cannot leave Brussels without rubbing the statue of Everard ‘t Serclaes, a 14th-century hero, for good luck, and taking pictures of the tiny but world-famous statue of Manneken Pis. A welcome dinner awaits you at your hotel. (B,D)
Day #4 Brussels–Amsterdam, Holland. In Amsterdam, enjoy a CANAL CRUISE, the best way to see the 700-year-old capital, and visit a major DIAMOND CENTER. Later, maybe join an optional excursion to visit a cheese farm, a clog maker, a working windmill, and the pretty fishing village of Volendam. (B,D)
Day #5 Amsterdam–Cologne–Heidelberg, Germany–Rhineland. Pass the locale of A Bridge Too Far on the way to Germany and stop in Cologne to visit the gothic CATHEDRAL and maybe shop for the “4711” cologne. The afternoon’s highlight is a romantic RHINE CRUISE along the prettiest part of the Rhine River. Arrive in Heidelberg and take pictures of its castle. (B,D)
Day #6 Rhineland–Lucerne, Switzerland. Morning stop in the BLACK FOREST, renowned for cuckoo clocks. Hear about the art of WOODCARVING from a local woodcarver, Adolf Herr, and enjoy a taste of the local fruitwine. Next, take pictures of the thundering RHINE FALLS and continue to picture-book Lucerne. (B,D)
Day #7 Lucerne. During your walking tour, admire the emotional LION MONUMENT, dedicated to the fallen Swiss Guards who protected the Royal House of France during the French Revolution, and cross the famous covered CHAPEL BRIDGE to the Jesuit Church. Choose from our optional activities: climb Mount Pilatus by cable car, take a cruise on the fjord-like lake, or sign up for a folklore party. (B)
Day #8 Lucerne–Lichtenstein–Innsbruck, Austria–Salzburg. A short stop in Vaduz, capital of the pocket-sized Principality of Liechtenstein. Next is Innsbruck, Austria’s Olympic resort in the Tyrolean mountains. Walk through the Old Town to Emperor Maximilian’s GOLDEN ROOF, and shop for crystal, for which Innsbruck is famous, before continuing to Salzburg, where a [LF] special dinner with wine awaits you at a traditional FARMHOUSE. (B,D)
Day #9 Salzburg–Vienna. A pleasant stroll with your Local Guide takes you through the historic center. Admire exquisite MIRABELL GARDENS, the Great Festival Hall, and ST. PETER’S CHURCHYARD. Then, drive past the lovely Salzkammergut Lake District, made famous by the movie The Sound of Music, and along the Danube Valley to Vienna, proud capital of Austria (B)
Day #10 Vienna. Guided sightseeing features the State Opera House, the Jewish quarter, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, a stop at Hofburg Palace, [LF] a picture stop at the unusual Hundertwasserhaus, and a visit to the Strauss House. Optional excursions are available to magnificent Schönbrunn Palace or to Grinzing, to taste the Heurigen wine. (B)
Day #11 Vienna–Kumrovec, Croatia–Zagreb. A scenic drive through Carinthia and part of Slovenia brings you to Croatia. [LF] Stop in Kumrovec to visit the ETHNOLOGICAL MUSEUM STARO SELO and have an early dinner with local specialties. Next, continue to Zagreb, proud capital of Croatia. (B,D)
Day #12 Zagreb–Ljubljana, Slovenia. Morning guided sightseeing features all important landmarks of the Lower and medieval Upper Town, such as the Parliament, Stone Gate, the Archbishop’s Palace, and a visit to the majestic CATHEDRAL. In the late afternoon, arrive in Ljubljana, the elegant capital of Slovenia. (B,D)
Day #13 Ljubljana–Venice, Italy. Admire Ljubljana’s medieval castle, the impressive City Hall, and visit the magnificent ST. NICHOLAS’ CATHEDRAL with a Local Guide. Then, leave Slovenia and follow the Adriatic coast to romantic Venice. Tonight is your chance to sample the city’s fine restaurants. (B)
Day #14 Venice. Enter in style by PRIVATE BOAT. Highlights of your guided walking tour are ST. MARK’S SQUARE and its BASILICA, lavish DOGES’ PALACE and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Also enjoy a GLASSBLOWERS’ DEMONSTRATION. The afternoon is free to explore the maze of little streets, bridges, and canals on your own or to join exciting optional excursions to enhance your stay. (B,D)
Day #15 Venice–Assisi. Through the Apennine Mountains to peaceful Assisi. Visit ST. FRANCIS’ BASILICA, the hub of a religious order devoted to the ideals of humanity, forgiveness, simplicity, and love for all God’s creatures. (B,D)
Day #16 Assisi–Amalfi Coast–Sorrento. Follow the Apennine Mountains past Rome to Sorrento and continue along one of Italy’s most beautiful coastlines, the Amalfi coast, to Positano, a picturesque village where you can [LF] taste the local LIMONCELLO LIQUEUR. Then, return to Sorrento, where you will stay for the next two nights. (B)
Day #17 Sorrento. Excursion to Capri. Speed across the bay by JETFOIL to the Isle of Capri. Ride the FUNICULAR to Capri Village for a guided visit of this pretty town. Free time to explore the little shops on the piazzetta before returning to Sorrento. (B)
Day #18 Sorrento–Pompeii–Rome. In POMPEII, the Roman city both destroyed and preserved by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, follow your Local Guide past patrician homes, public baths, and commercial districts strikingly recalling day-to-day life when Rome was at the apex of her power. Continue to Rome, the “Eternal City.” (B)
Day #19 Rome. Sightseeing with your Local Guide starts with a visit to the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL. Continue to monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE and BASILICA. Also visit the COLOSSEUM and the ROMAN FORUM, where Roman Legions marched in triumph. To make the most of your stay, join our optional Roman Highlights excursion and see the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and the sites and squares of medieval Rome made famous in the movie Angels and Demons. (B)
Day #20 Rome–Florence–Tuscany. In Florence, the “Cradle of the Renaissance,” enjoy a walking tour with a Local Guide and visit Michelangelo’s celebrated David in the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS. Admire the cathedral, its baptistry, the “Gate of Paradise,” and visit sculpture-studded SIGNORIA SQUARE. Time to shop for leather and gold before continuing to Montecatini, your peaceful Tuscan resort. (B,D)
Day #21 Tuscany–Pisa–Nice, France. Marvel at the Leaning Tower in Pisa before continuing on a spectacular drive along the Italian and French Rivieras. Leave the highway in France, and join the Moyenne Corniche. In Eze, visit a PERFUME FACTORY and hear about the history and production of perfume. Continue to your hotel in Nice at the Côte d’Azur. (B)
Day #22 Nice. Excursion to St. Paul de Vence. This morning, visit the picturesque hilltop town of St. Paul de Vence. Enjoy the many art galleries and spectacular views from the ramparts of this town. Balance of the day is at leisure to explore the beach or the Old Town of Nice. Tonight, an optional excursion is available to Monte Carlo. (B)
Day #23 Nice–Arles–Barcelona, Spain. In Arles, walk to the impressive Roman Amphitheater and explore the quaint little streets of this pretty town. Continue to the Spanish border and arrive in splendid Barcelona. (B,D)
Day #24 Barcelona. Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the spectacular Sagrada Familia Basilica, Gaudi’s masterpiece, and a panoramic view of the city and harbor from Montjuïc Hill. Also visit the GOTHIC QUARTER. Exciting optional excursions are available. (B)
Day #25 Barcelona–Madrid. Enjoy rustic Catalonian and Aragonian landscapes on your journey to Madrid, the capital of Spain since 1561. (B)
Day #26 Madrid. Guided sightseeing features the highlights of Madrid and a special visit to the palatial PRADO MUSEUM with its priceless art treasures. Afternoon at leisure. Tonight, [LF] a traditional Paella dinner with wine awaits your at one of Madrid’s fine restaurants. (B,D)
Day #27 Madrid–Burgos–Bilbao. North to Burgos to admire the cathedral, then continue to Bilbao and visit the spectacular GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM, designed by architect Frank Gehri in 1997. (B,D)
Day #28 Bilbao–Biarritz, France–Bordeaux. Stop in picturesque Biarritz, an ancient fishing village turned trendy seaside resort. Continue through the Landes region to Bordeaux and enjoy an orientation tour. (B,D)
Day #29 Bordeaux–Paris. Travel by high-speed TGV TRAIN to Paris. Afternoon at leisure with the possibility to join an optional excursion to the magnificent Louvre Museum with the Mona Lisa. Tonight, dinner and a show at the famous Moulin Rouge might just be the ticket! (B)
Day #30 Paris. Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the most famous sights and a visit to the second floor of the EIFFEL TOWER. An optional excursion to the lush Palace and Gardens of Versailles is available. This evening, a special farewell dinner with wine has been prepared for you at one of Paris’ fine restaurants as a proper way to say, “Au Revoir, Paris.” Afterwards, you may wish to join an optional drive through the “City of Light.” (B,D)
Day #31 Paris–London, England. Board the high-speed EUROSTAR TRAIN to London, arriving in the afternoon. Why not take in a West End show tonight? (B)
Day #32 London. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)