Grande Europe 14 Days
Day 1: London – Calais – Brussels – Holland Depart towards Dover for your crossing to Calais. From Calais, settle into your comfortable seats and travel to the capital city of Belgium, Brussels. On arrival the tour starts with a photo stop at the most iconic structure of Brussels, The Atomium, followed by the famous Manneken Pis Statue and Grand Place. Note on occasions there can be severe delays crossing the English Channel and therefore a city tour of Brussels will be replaced by city tour of Zurich on day four.
Day 2: Keukenhof Tulip Gardens or Madurodam – Amsterdam Begin the morning by visiting the world renowned Keukenhof Tulip Gardens; celebrating its 70th edition of the spring park, with Flower Power the theme for the year. Admire over 6 million bulbs at the world-famous attraction, between March and May. (After 19th May departures Keukenhof will be replaced by Madurodam model village). Early afternoon, visit the cheese and clog demonstration. Later visit Amsterdam, to view the amazing architecture from a glasstopped canal boats. Have free time later to explore the bustling hub of the city centre, where cultures are welcomed, and its tolerant society can be observed.
Day 3: Holland – Cologne – River Rhine Cruise Travel to the city of Cologne, Germany. Visit the breathtaking Cologne Cathedral, known as the Dome Church which stands 157 meters in height. The Cathedral is truly a masterpiece; taking over six hundred years to construct and is one of the best-known architectural monuments in Germany. Depart for a scenic boat cruise on the River Rhine; enjoy picturesque views of vineyards and castles as you cruise along the longest river in Germany. Whilst aboard your cruise, enjoy a hot cup of tea to accompany the wonderful scenery.
Day 4: Heidelberg – Black Forest – Rhine Falls Travel to Heidelberg; here, have an opportunity to photograph the famous Heidelberg Castle on the hills above. Drive to the Black Forest region in South Germany where we stop at the largest natural lake in the Black Forest, Lake Titisee. Here enjoy free time, and have an opportunity to purchase cuckoo clocks and other souvenirs. Later, travel to Switzerland and walk around the largest plain waterfalls in Europe, the Rhine Falls.
Day 5: Mt. Jungfrau – Interlaken Today depart for Mt. Jungfrau. On arrival board a cogwheel train to the top of Mt. Jungfrau at 3454 meters above sea level. At the top, have free time to explore the Ice Palace to view lifesized ice sculptures, visit the Sphinx observation terrace for spectacular views of the Aletsch glacier and surrounding peaks. After, continue to Interlaken; where you can enjoy a walk on the main street and admire breathtaking scenery.
Day 6: Mt. Titlis – Lucerne Ascend 10,000ft to the summit of Mt. Titlis. Take the world’s first revolving cable car, the Titlis Rotair. Enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding Swiss landscapes. At Mt. Titlis have free time to play in the snow and visit the ice caves or take a unique professional photo in traditional Swiss outfits. Depart for Lucerne to view the Lion Monument and one of the oldest wooden bridges in the world, the Chapel Bridge, enjoy free time to explore the town.
Day 7: Switzerland – Vaduz – Innsbruck – Swarovski Depart for Liechtenstein, one of the smallest countries in Europe. Stop in the capital city, Vaduz. Later proceed to Austria to see Innsbruck, offering a combination of culture, history and nature. On arrival, take an orientation tour, covering the Golden roof (a symbol of the city) and the Hofburg. Finally visit the famous Swarovski Crystal World Museum, before checking into the hotel.
Day 8: Innsbruck – Venice Depart for Venice; the most romantic city in Italy with its distinctive architecture and famous gondolas. Begin with a boat ride to St Mark’s Square, one of the most elegant squares in the world. See the famous Bridge of Sighs and the Basilica di San Marco. Visit the Murano Glass Showroom and purchase some beautiful Murano glass items. Finally enjoy a gondola ride while enjoying the ambience of Venice.
Day 9: Venice – Florence – Rome Depart for Florence. On arrival, be greeted by your local professional guide. The tour of this renaissance city starts by viewing the impressive architecture of some of the finest historic buildings in Italy, such as the Duomo of Florence, along with photo stops at Basilica of Santa Croce, the final burial place of Michelangelo, statue of David replica, famous Ponte Vecchio Bridge on the Arno River and The Piazelle Michelangelo, for the most outstanding views of Florence.
Day 10: Rome – Vatican City Today be greeted by a local professional guide. The tour starts with a photo stop at the Colosseum which is surrounded by other sights such as Constantine arch. Visit the Time Elevator; a multi sensational and dynamic cinema experience stimulating a travel into time, taking viewers through the History of Rome. View the Roman Forums, where ancient civilisation developed. Visit the Vatican City, home to the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church to see the St. Peter’s Basilica. View Trevi Fountains, arguably the most beautiful fountains in all of Rome.
Day 11: Pisa – Geneva Today start the journey to Pisa. On arrival, marvel at The Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square) which is dominated by four great religious structures: the Duomo, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Baptistery and the Camposanto. Enjoy some free time here to buy souvenirs for friends and family. In the afternoon, continue the journey to Geneva (approximate drive time will be 6 hours). Here be taken on a short city tour to see the United Nations Building, The Flower Clock and the symbol of Geneva, the Jet d’Eau (operation permitting).
Day 12: Geneva – Paris Depart for Paris (approximate drive time will be 6 hours). On arrival enjoy a cruise along the River Seine. The cruise is perfectly designed to discover and admire the rich architecture such as the Eiffel Tower, Musée d’Orsay and more. Enjoy the famous illuminations of Paris during your night tour. This panoramic tour will cover the impressive ‘Eiffel Tower’, the world famous ‘Champs Élysées’, the beautiful ‘Arc de Triomphe’ and many other historic buildings.
Day 13: Disneyland® Paris or City Tour with Versailles Gardens. Disneyland® Resort Paris Today depart for the world famous Disneyland® Resort Paris. Here enjoy a fun and adventurous day out; choose between Disneyland® Park; which explores five themed lands filled with Disney classic stories and fairy-tales or Walt Disney Studios® Park; the behind-the scenes destination sensation allowing you to experience movie and cinema sets coming to life.
Day 14: Paris – Calais – London This morning depart for Paris to embark on a journey to the Eiffel Tower for a breathtaking bird’s eye view of Paris. Later drive through Avenue Des Champs Élysées, the most prestigious avenue in Paris; with its cinemas, café and luxury speciality shops before driving back to Calais for the channel crossing OR you may end your tour at Paris CDG airport for your return flight. Bid farewell to the group before arriving at your drop off point.