Day 1 -
(Sat.) Make your own way to Amsterdam to join the tour.
Day 2 - Amsterdam, Holland.
(Embarkation)
(Sun.) Welcome to Amsterdam! Holland's capital is sophisticated
and modern, with a rich and fascinating history. The works of
famous Dutch masters can be seen in world-renowned museums such as
the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh. This afternoon the crew of your
vessel awaits to welcome you on board. (D)
Day 3 - Amsterdam
(Mon.) There is no better way to see the city than by CANAL
BOAT, cruising through the elegant grachten lined with
stately homes dating back to Amsterdam's "Golden Age." There is
plenty of free time to explore on your own. Your Cruise Director
will have suggestions of how to make the most of your stay.
(FB,L,D)
Day 4 - Dordrecht-Rotterdam.
Excursion to The Hague
(Tue.) Sitting between two branches of the Rhine, charming
Dordrecht inspired many painters in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Nearby is KINDERDIJK with its picturesque row of windmills.
Rotterdam is a bustling city that was leveled by German bombs in
WWII, and now boasts the world's busiest port. The Hague is the
political capital of The Netherlands, and the Parliament building
is located prominently in the center of the city. In recent years
the city has attained importance as the seat of The International
Court of Law. (FB,L,D)
Day 5 - Arnhem
(Wed.) One of the major tragedies of World War II was the Battle
of Arnhem, featured vividly in the AIRBORNE MUSEUM HARTENSTEIN and
the inspiration for the movie A Bridge Too Far. (FB,L,D)
Day 6 - Cologne, Germany
(Thu.) Cologne is the capital of the Rhineland and one of
Germany's largest cities. The soaring twin steeples of the
magnificent Gothic cathedral dominate the river skyline. The
Germano-Roman Museum, located next to the cathedral, is a must for
history buffs! The Old Town abounds with taverns, cafés and
shops. Try a Kölsch, the favourite local beer, and shop
for a bottle of 4711, the original "eau de cologne".
(FB,L,D)
Day 7 - Koblenz-Cochem
(Fri.) Situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle
Rivers, 2,000-year-old Koblenz is the cultural and business centre
of the Middle Rhine region. The Deutsches Eck, located on a
tongue of land where the two rivers converge, holds a gigantic
equestrian statue of Wilhelm I. The Moselle River is some 312 miles
long, rising in the Vosges Mountains of north eastern France and
entering Germany at Trier. The entire Moselle Valley is famous for
its beautiful and tranquil scenery. (FB,L,D)
Day 8 - Cochem
(Sat.) REICHSBURG CASTLE, towering above the river at Cochem,
can be seen from afar and sits on the top of a conical hill covered
in vines. The views of the little town of Cochem, nestled down
below, and of the river valley are splendid. Cruising the wide
peaceful curves of the river, it quickly becomes obvious that the
Moselle is an important wine growing region. Most notably the
Riesling grape is cultivated, producing a dry to sweet, floral
white wine. (FB,L,D)
Day 9 - Trier-Bernkastel
(Sun.) The venerable Episcopal city of Trier is the oldest in
Germany and, some claim, even older than Rome! A house on the
marketplace bears the inscription "Trier was standing 1,300 years
before Rome." The famous PORTA NIGRA is the only surviving
fortified gate from the original Roman settlement and still gives
access to the town centre. Trier's most famous son was the
socialist revolutionary, Karl Marx. (FB,L,D)
Day 10 - Bernkastel
(Mon.) In the middle of the Moselle region is the charming wine
village of Bernkastel with its well preserved half-timbered houses
surrounding the beautiful MARKET PLACE. Wine growers in this area
look after Germany's largest expanse of vineyards, the most
celebrated of the vintages being the Bernkasteler Doktor.
(FB,L,D)
Day 11 - Rhine
Gorge-Rüdesheim-Mainz
(Tue.) The dramatic Rhine Gorge is the most beautiful stretch of
river. Pass the legendary Rock of the Lorelei where sweet
songs of local beauties lured enchanted sailors to their doom.
Rüdesheim is the perfect example of a Rhine Valley wine town
and SIEGFRIED'S MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM is a real
surprise! Explore the Drosselgasse and be sure to try one of
the vintages in any of the wine taverns. Situated on the left bank
of the Rhine, opposite the mouth of the Main River, Mainz is
Germany's largest and most important wine market. (FB,L,D)
Day 12 - Mainz-Worms
(Wed.) Mainz' charming Old Town is waiting to be explored. A
curiosity is the fountain on Schillerplatz decorated with scenes of
the famous annual carnival. Gutenberg, the father of modern
printing, was born here and the GUTENBERG MUSEUM is well worth a
visit. Worms, like Mainz and Speyer, was an imperial residence with
a legendary past. (FB,L,D)
Day 13 - Worms-Excursion to
Heidelberg
(Thu.) It was in Worms that the reformer Martin Luther attended
the Imperial Diet of Worms, with far-reaching consequences.
Heidelberg is Germany's oldest university town. The ruins of the
imposing red sandstone CASTLE tower above the city. Of particular
interest is the GIANT VAT, an 18th-century wine cask holding 49,000
gallons! (FB,L,D)
Day 14 - Strasbourg,
France
(Fri.) Situated on the border of France and Germany, Strasbourg
is influenced by the culture of both countries and is the capital
of the Alsace region. It is the seat of the Council of Europe and
the European Parliament. Noteworthy sights are the GOTHIC
CATHEDRAL, the lovely LA PETITE FRANCE district, Place Kleber and
Place Gutenberg with the statue of the inventor of the printing
press. An optional excursion to the Alsace wine region is available
today. (FB,L,D)
Day 15 - Breisach, Germany
Excursion to the Black
Forest. (Sat.) Located at the foot of Kaiserstuhl Mountain
on the French-German border, Breisach is a charming little medieval
town. Once surrounded by city walls, the gates to the city still
stand today. Breisach is the gateway to Germany's Black Forest
region, an area of unrivalled natural beauty with its forests of
thick pine trees. Surely the most well-known products from this
region are Black Forest ham and Black Forest cherry cake.
(FB,L,D)
Day 16 - Basel,
Switzerland
(Disembarkation) (Sun.) Leave the tour to make your way home.
Homebound flights should not leave Zurich Airport before 10 a.m.
(FB)
Other Information -
Every Journey Tells a Story
A Globus Journey. When you travel with Globus, you get more
than the sights. You get the stories behind them that bring a
destination to life, creating unforgettable journeys.
Let Globus take you to places that expand your horizons and
encourage personal discovery. Experience a destination in a deeper,
more memorable way-the Globus way.
The Globus Difference
Globus vacations are designed to offer you flexibility and choice,
plus a pace that best fits the way you want to travel. Globus
offers MORE included features, MORE quality hotels, and MORE
experience with more than 75 years of taking travellers on
unforgettable journeys. In addition, Globus offers MORE value with
an average price less per day than our nearest competitor. The
safety of our travellers and the richness of our vacations is a
priority, and it is what has made Globus the worldwide leader in
travel and a name you can trust.
With Globus, you visit the key sights, but, more importantly, you
learn the stories behind the sights-from the Sistine Chapel, the
Colosseum and the Forum in Rome, to the Prado Museum in Madrid and
Michelangelo's David in the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, your
journey is filled with insider's information unique to your Globus
vacation. You'll also enjoy many inclusions such as cruises,
high-speed trains, and Local Guides. We offer over twice the number
of included features as our nearest competitor, without any
additional cost to you.
Globus not only brings you the experiences that others simply don't
offer, we also ensure that you end up with more free time to enjoy
your destination on your own. Most competitors require you to take
extra optional excursions to see these important sights, costing
you additional time and money. And, if you don't join their
excursion, you'll spend most of your time waiting in line. But with
Globus, these sights are already included, freeing up the remainder
of your time to enjoy independent activities.
Leave all the details to us. We provide a Tour Director,
comfortable transportation, many meals, a rich sightseeing
programme and much more!
Accurate, detailed tour descriptions -
Read our tour descriptions and you'll understand the true value
of our tours. The agenda for each day is spelled out so that you
know exactly what is included in the price. Inside visits are
spelled out in UPPERCASE. With Globus you don't have to guess.
Compare what we give you in a tour with what other companies
offer-and then compare prices. You'll see why knowledgeable
travelers consider Globus vacations the best value on the market
with even more savings in the off season.
Saving Options -
Various reductions are possible: group reduction, child reduction,
triple room reduction, multiple tour reduction
Discount for young tour members
Share the pleasure of a Globus tour with your children and
grandchildren and take advantage of a 10 percent discount on the
land-only price. For eligibility, children must be under 18 years
old on the departure date, and must be accompanied by an adult.
On escorted tours we do not accept children under eight years old
because we've found that they are too young to enjoy these
vacations.
On Monograms-Independent Vacations there is no age
restriction.
New!
For Monograms-Independent Vacations the following land only
discounts apply:
- Free of charge: infants under 2 years of age sharing adult's
accommodation
- 50% discount: under 12 years of age when sharing accommodation
with two adults
- 10% discount: under 18 years of age
Note: We recommend that children under 12 years of age share
accommodation with an adult.
Triple room reduction
On most Globus tours you receive a reduction when three people
travel together and share the same accommodation. Triple room
reductions are listed on the tour pages. A word of caution: Triple
rooms usually are not larger than twin rooms, and the third bed, if
there is one, is often a rollaway put in a twin-bedded room for the
night.
Avoid
the single room supplement
Single rooms are expensive and often are quite small. We do not
take reservations on a "share" basis because we have found that
strangers rarely enjoy sharing a room for the duration of a
vacation. Sidestep the single room supplement by travelling with a
friend. It's less expensive and much more fun!
Pay
less for your second tour
We charge you list price for your first vacation in 2007, but
for every additional Globus vacation that you take in the same
year, you pay US$35 under list. It's fun to combine vacations to
make the perfect trip, or ask your travel agent for suggestions.
This discount does not apply if one of the vacations is a single
city stay Monograms vacation.
Consecutive vacations can be booked with or without transatlantic
flights. Any intra-European flights between vacations cannot be
reserved as part of the Globus package. Please ask your travel
agent to reserve and ticket such flights for you.
Save
by forming your own group
If you form your own group, you'll receive the following rebates
on the land arrangement of your tour. On vacations to Mexico and
vacations including a cruise of three or more nights, one person
travels free in a group of 32; while one person travels at half
price in a group of 16. On River Cruise Vacations, one person
travels free in a group of 16.
On all other tours, one person travels free in a group of 16; one
person travels at half price in a group of eight.
These rebates are applicable to land-only prices (not air-inclusive
prices). Free and half-price land arrangements are credited at the
twin rate; single room supplements have to be paid in full.
Tour conditions for group bookings may differ from those for
individual bookings.
Joining
late and leaving early
Many Globus land arrangements start and end in London. If you
have already spent time in the British capital, you may want to
skip one or more of the included London nights or even join at the
first overnight hotel on the Continent. Call your Travel Consultant
for any reductions that apply to your vacation for joining late or
leaving early. Vacations with these reductions are sold on a
land-only basis.
It's
in your interest to book early
Plan your vacation in advance, and book your tour as soon as
possible to guard against the disappointment of not finding space.
Many Globus tours sell out months before the departure date.
And remember, the moment we receive your deposit your land price is
guaranteed.
This is valuable protection against currency fluctuations and other
cost increases. So please don't wait. Contact your travel agent now
for a vacation you'll never forget!
Help Along The Way -
Professional Tour Director while touring, Cruise Director on
river cruises, Local Host services on independent vacations, and
hosts to assist you at airports and hotels.
Hotels -
Twin-bedded rooms with private bath or shower, hotel taxes,
service charges, and tips for baggage handling.
Globus Hotels Set the Standard for First-class Touring
At the end of a busy day of sightseeing, you want to relax in
comfortable, clean, attractive accommodations. At our first-class,
conveniently located hotels, you'll always feel welcome and well
looked after.
We know that excellent accommodations are of paramount
importance to your enjoyment on tour. Our hotels--many of them
through long association with us--have mastered the art of handling
group check-ins and baggage speedily, preparing tasty and wholesome
meals, and balancing the need for efficiency with the desire of
each traveller to receive individual attention.
You won't be surprised with any hidden charges when you check
out of your Globus hotel. All hotel taxes and tips for restaurant
service and baggage handling are included in the price of your
tour.
Hotel
locations maximize your sightseeing time
We take extra care to select downtown locations for our
independent tours and for longer stays on escorted tours, when your
itinerary features days at leisure to explore on your own.
When your itinerary allows time only for a good night's sleep
between two busy sightseeing days, our expert contractors sometimes
sensibly opt for quiet residential areas.
And you'll be delighted with our choice of hotels in scenic
countryside locations. Wake up to the sound of cow bells, take a
morning walk in crisp mountain air, enjoy glorious panoramic views
of the majestic Alps or the Norwegian fjord country.
Superior
accommodation
Globus uses chains such as Crowne Plaza, Forte, Hilton, Holiday
Inn, Hyatt, Inter-Continental, Jolly, Queens Moat Houses, Marriott,
Mövenpick, Radisson SAS, Renaissance, Scandic, Sheraton,
Sofitel, Thistle and Westin.
The specific hotels we have selected for you are listed
separately for each tour. The vast majority of our hotels are rated
deluxe (D), superior first-class (SF), or first-class (F). In
overnight places where there is no hotel in these categories or
where our demand exceeds the supply, we choose the best available
superior tourist-class (ST) hotels.
Most hotels have amenities such as satellite TV, mini-bar, a
cocktail lounge, a restaurant, room service and concierge services.
Many also have a swimming pool, health club, shops, and dry
cleaning and laundry services.
Globus hotel ratings follow standards set by the independent
Official Hotel Guide (OHG) or by national tourist boards. The
specific rating for each contract hotel is determined by our
quality controllers.
We reserve the right to substitute hotels listed on the tour
pages with hotels of equivalent standard. With your Globus travel
documents you'll receive a list of hotel addresses, telephone
numbers, and fax numbers for your tour.
Transportation -
Including private deluxe motor coach with air-conditioning and
extra leg room.
We offer many modes of transportation, from trains and motor
coaches to cruise ships and ferries. Each is selected and designed
with comfort in mind.
Coaches -
Each Globus motor coach has upholstered, reclining seats with
headrests and individual air-conditioning vents. A high-fidelity
sound system broadcasts your Tour Director's commentary to every
seat. Our custom of daily seat rotation gives everyone a variety of
vantage points to see the passing countryside and city scenes.
Limited group size for extra comfort
The length and width of modern motor coaches is standard,
prescribed by law. The difference among tour operators is in the
number of seats installed and actually sold. While it is customary
to install and sell 53 seats, Globus installs fewer seats for extra
leg room, and limits group size to a maximum of 46 tour members.
The extra space contributes enormously to your comfort. For airport
and port transfers in Britain we generally use motor coaches with
53 seats.
Smoke-free coaches
For non-smokers and moderate
smokers an otherwise perfect vacation can be spoiled if they are
forced to inhale other people's smoke on a motor coach. We
therefore do not allow smoking on the coach. There are plenty of
opportunities to smoke during the frequent stops.
Globus drivers are experienced professionals
Globus drivers take pride in driving and in their vehicles, keeping
them in great shape and spotlessly clean. Your driver will help you
on and off the motor coach with a smile and load your bags with
care. Our travellers consistently lavish the highest praise on the
person behind the wheel!
Trains, Ferries, Cruises and Gondola Rides -
Many of our itineraries include cruises, river jet boat and
mountain gondola rides, whale-watching expeditions, and journeys by
train. Experience the ultra-modern Eurostar train from Rome to
Florence and the exciting high-speed AVE train from Madrid to
Seville. In the Canadian Rockies, you might take one of the sleek,
ultra-modern BC Ferries or, if travelling by railcar in Canada or
Alaska, enjoy travel operated by VIA Rail ®. Other fascinating
Globus vacations feature cruises on the Rhine or Venetian Canals to
enhance your travel experience.
Ships and River Cruises -
Globus provides the most spacious and newest ships from Avalon
Waterways. Features include unmatched luxury, fine dining, larger
accommodations and impeccable service. Whether you're travelling
Europe, Russia or China-on a Globus river cruise, you'll always
feel well looked after.
Why is the Avalon Tapestry
special?
