Your itinerary
Day 1 – London –
Paris
We meet our Tour Director this
morning at the Holiday Inn Kings
Cross/Bloomsbury,
and depart for Dover and our ferry
across the English Channel to Calais.
Then we
cross the World War I battlefields of
the Somme to reach Paris, the 'City of
Light'.
Tonight, perhaps join a tour of the
illuminations?Hotel: Mercure La Defense.
Day 2 – Paris
Sightseeing
Today's sightseeing with a local
guide shows us the Eiffel Tower, Arc de
Triomphe,
Champs Elysees, Notre Dame Cathedral and
the Place de la Concorde. Later, there
is time at leisure to perhaps visit the
Mona Lisa in the Louvre? Tonight, maybe
enjoy dinner in a typical Parisian
bistro? (B)
Day 3 – Paris –
Lucerne
Our journey today takes us via the
vineyards of Burgundy, and across the Rhine
at Basel. We enter Switzerland, with
wonderful scenery of snow-capped mountains
and tranquil lakes, en route to
picturesque Lucerne. Hotel: Luzernerhof.
(B,D)
Day 4 – Lucerne –
Italian Lakes
This morning we admire the Lion
Monument, carved into a limestone cliff
to commemorate
those Swiss Guards who lost their lives
during the French Revolution. Then we
stroll
along the Chapel Bridge, before time at
leisure to relax and do some shopping or
perhaps take a thrilling cable-car ride
up a nearby mountain? Later, we take the
magnificent St Gotthard route past
cascading waterfalls and soaring
mountains, to
descend into the picturesque Italian
Lake District. Hotel: Albavilla. (B,D)
Day 5 – Italian Lakes
– Rome
Today we head south to the fertile Po
Valley, passing by the commercial centre
of Milan. Then we ascend the Appenines,
following the spectacular route of the
Autostrada
del Sole. We drive through Tuscany and
Umbria before we follow the Tiber river to
the 'Eternal City' of Rome. Hotel:
Cristoforo Colombo. (B)
Day 6 – Rome
Sightseeing
Our city tour with an expert guide
begins with the Vatican City. We visit the
impressive St. Peter's Basilica to
admire Michelangelo's 'Pieta' and
splendid dome.
There is also time for an optional to
visit the Vatican Museum to see the ceiling
of the Sistine Chapel. Then our local
guide unfurls the history of the empire at
the Imperial Roman Forum and we see the
magnificent Colosseum. (B)
Day 7 – Rome –
Florence
Arrivederci Roma as we head north
to Tuscany and Renaissance Florence
–
city of art and culture. We enjoy our
first view of Florence from Piazzale
Michelangelo,
the entire city at our feet. Then we
enjoy a demonstration of Florentine
leatherwork,
before the city's treasures are yours to
discover – the Cathedral, Giotto's
Belltower and the amazing open-air
sculpture gallery of Signoria Square.
There's
also time to shop for the latest Italian
fashions in leather and gold or perhaps
walk along the Ponte Vecchio? Hotel: Art
Hotel Miro. (B,D)
Day 8 – Florence
– Venice
This morning we bid farewell to
Florence as we cross the northern plain
to reach
magical Venice. By private launch we
cruise to St. Mark's Square. The
palatial residences
seem to float on the water and gondolas
bob beneath the Bridge of Sighs –
the city itself is a poem. We see St
Mark's Basilica before watching a master
craftsman
demonstrate Venetian glass-blowing.
Later, after time to explore, we drive
to our
hotel in the Veneto region. Hotel: La
Meridiana. (Mogliano) (B,D)
Day 9 – Venice –
Vienna
Today we leave Italy for the majestic
scenery of the Austrian Lake District.
We drive past the peaceful forests of
Carinthia and little-known Styria before
reaching
our hotel in Vienna. Tonight, perhaps
enjoy an Hungarian dinner with gipsy
violins
in a typical setting? Hotel: Bosei. (B)
Day 10 – Vienna
Sightseeing
Our guided tour of Imperial Vienna
shows us the Hofburg, beautiful St.
Charles'
Church and we see the statue of Strauss
in the Stadtpark. Then along the 'Ring'
to see the Parliament and glorious City
Hall. This afternoon, perhaps a visit to
the impressive Schonbrunn Palace or some
shopping in elegant Karntner Street? (B)
Day 11 – Vienna –
Innsbruck
Leaving the city of Vienna this
morning, we pass the mighty baroque
abbey of
Melk as we follow the valley of the
Danube. Later we come to the region
known as
the Salzkammergut, renowned for its
placid lakes and mountains. The hills
are alive
as we see 'The Sound of Music' wedding
scene church at Mondsee lake, before we
take
a scenic alpine drive to the capital of
the Tyrol, Innsbruck. Hotel: Alpinpark.
(B,D)
Day 12 – Innsbruck
– Rhineland
Our sightseeing this morning includes
the decorative Wilten Basilica and the
Old Town, where we see the splendid
Golden Roof and Imperial Palace. Then we
leave
Innsbruck and travel into the wooded
Bavarian Alps for a sight of King Ludwig's
fairytale castle of Neuschwanstein. Then
we continue to the city of the 'Student
Prince', Heidelberg, where we see the
medieval castle which overlooks the town,
before continuing to our Rhineland
hotel. Hotel: NH Weinheim. (B,D)
Day 13 – Rhineland
– Amsterdam
We pass the Pfalz Castle and
legendary Loreley Rock, before joining
our highlight
Rhine Cruise to follow the most romantic
stretch of the river. We continue on via
Bonn to Cologne where we view the 13th
century Cathedral with its soaring spires.
Now through the famous Ruhr valley and
to Amsterdam, where we pass canals, bridges
and historic gabled buildings to reach
Dam Square and view the Royal Palace. Then
we see sparkling stones transformed
before our eyes as we visit a diamond
polishing
factory. Hotel: Tulip Inn Lakeside.
(B,D)
Day 14 – Amsterdam
– London
This morning we leave this lively
city and make our way to Belgium and across
Flanders Fields en route to Calais. We
cross the Channel to Dover, where we can
see the famous White Cliffs before
continuing on to London where our tour
ends.
(B)
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