Your itinerary
Day 1 – London –
Amsterdam
Meet your Tour Director this
morning at the Holiday Inn Kings
Cross/Bloomsbury,
then to Dover for the ferry to
France. Across Belgium's Flanders Fields
into
Holland and to Amsterdam. Here we visit
Dam Square and see the Mint Tower before
visiting a diamond-polishing factory,
then we continue to our hotel. Hotel:
Dorint
Sofitel Schipol. (D)
Day 2 – Amsterdam –
Rhineland
We head for Germany and Cologne to
see the Gothic cathedral with its soaring
spires. We drive along the Rhine and
join our cruise before we continue to
our hotel.
Hotel: NH Weinheim. (B,D)
Day 3 – Rhineland –
Lake Lucerne
First to Heidelberg to view the
castle. Then we drive through the Black
Forest,
passing the resort of Lake Titisee,
before we head for Switzerland and the
Rhine
Falls at Schaffhausen. Finally we arrive
at Lake Lucerne. Hotel: City (Brunnen).
(B,D)
Day 4 – Lucerne
Sightseeing
View the Lion Monument and see the
Chapel Bridge this morning, then there is
time to shop or you may like to join an
excursion to ascend a spectacular Swiss
Alp by cable car. How about a lively
Swiss Folklore Show tonight? (B,D)
Day 5 – Lake Lucerne –
Innsbruck
We pause at Liechtenstein today,
famous for its 700 year old Vaduz Castle
and
stamps. Now on to the Alpine Tyrol and
Innsbruck to see the 'Golden Roof'. Hotel:
Alpenhotel Speckbacherhof. (B,D)
Day 6 – Innsbruck –
Vienna
We drive along the Inn Valley to
Salzburg, city of Mozart. Here we see
Mozart's
birthplace and some of the sites where
'The Sound of Music' was filmed. We
continue
through the scenery of lakes and
mountains of the Salzkammergut to
Vienna. Hotel:
Bellevue. (B,D)
Day 7 – Vienna
Sightseeing
Our guided tour of Imperial
Vienna shows us the Winter Palace and
St. Charles'
Church. Later we are at leisure. Perhaps
visit magnificent Schonbrunn Palace? (B)
Day 8 – Vienna –
Venice
Over the hair-pin bends of the
Semmering Pass and through
the forests of
Carinthia into Austria's lake district.
Then across the vast Venetian Plain to our
hotel. Hotel: Park Hotel Relais Villa
Fiorita. (B,D)
Day 9 – Venice
Sightseeing
We drive to the Venetian Lagoon where
our private launch takes us to St. Mark's
Square. We see the Basilica, Bridge of
Sighs and Doges' Palace before a
demonstration
of Venetian glass-blowing. This
afternoon is at leisure. Perhaps enjoy a
gondola
ride? (B,D)
Day 10 – Venice –
Rome
We climb into the Apennine Mountains
today. The Etruscan hill towns of Orte and
Orvieto overlook the road to Rome, we
follow the Tiber river to the 'Eternal
City'.
Hotel: Grand Hotel Fleming. (B)
Day 11 – Rome –
Sightseeing
With our guide we visit
the Vatican City to explore inside
St. Peter's Basilica.
We then see the Roman Forum and
mighty Colosseum. Tonight, perhaps dine out
Roman style? (B)
Day 12 – Rome –
Overnight ferry
This morning we say 'Arrivederci
Roma' before crossing the the spine of
Italy,
the rugged Appenine Mountains, to Bari
for our overnight ferry to Greece. (B)
Day 13 – Patras –
Athens
This morning we dock at Patras and
then make a stop at the Corinth Canal. Next
we continue to Athens, the cradle of
European civilisation. Hotel: Acropol.
(B)
Days 14, 15, 16 –
Athens Sightseeing or optional Saronic
Gulf cruise
Passengers taking the 3 day cruise
option board their ship this morning
(details
opposite). Others enjoy a sightseeing
tour of Athens, including the Acropolis and
Parthenon. While in Athens, we also
relax on a day cruise to the islands of
Hydra,
Poros & Aegina, including lunch. The
remainder of the time is at leisure.
(B,L)
Day 17 – Athens –
Overnight Ferry
Time to explore the fascinating
markets of the Plaka before returning to
the
port of Patras to take our overnight
ferry back to Italy. (B)
Day 18 – Bari –
Naples
We cross the Italian peninsula to the
Bay of Naples where we stay tonight. Hotel:
Holiday Inn. (B,D)
Day 19 – Sorrento
Excursion
This morning we take the clifftop
road to the resort town of Sorrento.
Here there
is an opportunity to join an excursion
to the Isle of Capri. (B,D)
Day 20 – Naples –
Tuscany
We pass Monte Cassino on our journey
to Florence. After a demonstration of
Florentine
leatherwork and free time we continue to
our Tuscan hotel. Hotel: Ambasciatori.
(B,D)
Day 21 – Tuscany –
French Riviera
First stop today is the amazing
Leaning Tower of Pisa in the Field of
Miracles.
Later we follow the Italian and French
riviera coasts past Genoa, and visit the
principality of Monaco before continuing
to our hotel. Hotel: Grand Mercure Sophia
Country Club. (B,D)
Day 22 – French Riviera
A day on the French Riviera. Swim or
maybe visit a perfumery. (B)
Day 23 – French Riviera
– Barcelona
Our first stop this morning is the
resort of Cannes. Then through Provence and
the Camargue, famous for its wild bulls
and pink flamingos. We continue around the
coast into Spain and Barcelona. Hotel:
NH La Maquinista. (B,D)
Day 24 – Barcelona
Sightseeing
Today we see Gaudi's Sagrada Familia
cathedral, the Columbus Monument, the
Ramblas
and the Olympic complex. Tonight, why
not experience some fiery Flamenco? (B)
Day 25 – Barcelona –
Madrid
We cross the River Ebro and continue
through the Morata Pass. Reaching the
Plains
of Old Castille, we soon arrive at
Madrid. Hotel: Silken Puerta. (B)
Day 26 – Madrid
Sightseeing
Our guided tour starts with the
most famous sights – Puerta del Sol,
Cibeles Fountain, the Gran Via and the
Royal Palace of King Juan Carlos. This
afternoon
the choice is yours to maybe visit the
Prado Museum or Toledo? (B)
Day 27 – Madrid –
Lourdes
See the unspoilt heart of Spain,
reaching the Pyrenees and the
pilgrimage
centre of Lourdes in time to join the
torchlight procession. Hotel: Christina.
(B,D)
Day 28 – Lourdes –
Bordeaux
Lourdes is a place of pilgrimage for
thousands. Visit the miraculous Grotto and
drink the curative waters before driving
to Bordeaux for an orientation tour.Hotel:
Mercure Bordeaux Meriadeck Centre. (B,D)
Day 29 – Bordeaux –
Paris
We drive to the Loire Valley to see
Amboise Castle, where Leonardo da Vinci is
buried. Then a photo-stop at the Chateau
of Blois before arriving in Paris.Hotel:
Mecure La Defense. (B)
Day 30 – Paris
Sightseeing
Our local guide shows us the Champs
Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Place de la
Concorde,
Eiffel Tower and the cathedral of Notre
Dame. Perhaps tonight enjoy a spectacular
cabaret or farewell dinner in a Parisian
restaurant? (B)
Day 31 – Paris –
London
Across some of the battlefields of
World War I to join our ferry to Dover and
its White Cliffs. On to London and 'au
revoir' to our new found friends.
(B)
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