Home to bikes, clogs, cheese, canals and windmills, it can only be the Netherlands! Enjoy a day at leisure before meeting your Travel Director and other travellers this afternoon. See the famous gabled 17th-century fa��ades on your orientation. There’s time to enjoy a Choice Experience this evening to further immerse yourself into Dutch culture.
It won’t take long to fall in love with the Dutch capital! Explore its history, culture and art. Your orientation tour will take you past gabled houses, countless canals and greenspaces. Explore more blockbuster sites on your own later or opt to join a Choice Experience to Volendam where the Dutch traditions of cheese and clog making take centre stage. Later, consider an optional Dutch dinner in a historic gable home.
You won’t want to blink as you head east into the lush landscapes of Germany. Lined with medieval villages, steep vineyards and storybook castles, the Rhine Valley has enchanted painters and writers for centuries. See it in all its glory on your leisurely river cruise winding your way through Rhineland landscapes before dinner.
Slice through the heart of Switzerland bound for Lucerne on your very own ‘Grand Tour’ of Europe. Take a step back in time and join your Travel Director for a stroll of the Old Town including the medieval Chapel Bridge which has spanned the Reuss river since the 14th century. There won’t be a dry eye in the house when you visit the wounded Lion Monument, hewn from rock to commemorate the brave Swiss Guards who lost their lives defending King Louis XVI during the French Revolution. This afternoon, you have time to explore the city your way, or top the day off kicking up your heels with a fondue dinner and folklore show.
Mountain heights, lakes and green landscapes, Lucerne is a mix of quintessential Switzerland. Explore it your way today with our Choice Experiences. Head to the countryside for a horse-drawn carriage ride to a local working farm. Or, embrace the great outdoors and epic views from the top of Mount Pilatus, ascending to the summit by the world’s steepest cog-wheel train. Then, descend by cable car before taking a scenic lake cruise. It doesn’t get much better than this!
Touch the sky when you follow the St. Gotthard highway, winding past mountain scenery and into Italy, arriving into the Veneto region head towards the Island of Venice the ‘Queen of the Adriatic’. Take a Choice Experience by private water taxi and cruise along the Grand Canal, ticking off the palazzi, the Rialto bridge and St Mark’s Square. Continue on your optional adventure with a gondola ride taking you through the iconic narrow waterways, just like you’ve seen in the movies.
Cobbled lanes, artisan shops, little trattorias, 400 canals - Venice is the ultimate explorers’ playground. Cruise the local way, arriving by private launch to St Mark’s Square. All the main attractions are within walking distance of the Piazza so you’ll have easy access to view the famous Byzantine Basilica of St. Mark. Wander the lanes before visiting a glassblowing workshop on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Watch talented master craftsmen at work, as they make the beautiful glass creations that are characteristic of Venice. This afternoon, see the city your way taking an optional cruise across the lagoon to colourful Burano Island.
Farewell Italy, hello next leg of our adventure - Croatia! Get your first taste in Opatija, this coastal town dotted with Habsburg-era villas that will make an impact as you stroll the historic promenade, perhaps stopping for an ice cream along the coastline or for people watching. Later, arrive in Plitvice, home to the epic waterfalls you’ll explore tomorrow.
Find yourself in paradise on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience in UNESCO-listed Plitvice Lakes National Park. Team up with a Local Guide to learn about the Park’s conservation of its native species on easy trails and boardwalks through the blue-green beauty of interconnecting lakes. Duck your head into cool caves and gaze up at waterfalls before you continue your Europe Value tour to Dubrovnik.
Rector’s Palace, check! Onofrio’s Fountain and the city walls, check! It’s one iconic highlight after another in Dubrovnik on this morning’s Locally Guided sightseeing tour, with courtyards and limestone streets throwing you back to the city’s Golden Age. There’s no better way to enjoy this coastline than on tonight’s optional sunset dinner cruise to a secluded bay with the city illuminated in the background. Cheers!
Make a quick stop in Montenegro’s medieval Kotor before pulling into colourful Tirana, Albania. The best way to dig into its history? Explore the previously communist-dominated capital including highlights like Skanderbeg Square and the Palace of Culture. Wander up the main boulevard and see the Prime Ministry building, the Presidential office and the Pyramid Building.
It’s one blockbuster sight after the next as you explore through the city’s colourful architecture, a blend of Ottoman, Fascist and Soviet styles. Take in the Skanderbeg Statue – a national hero, and snap photos of the Et’hem Bey Mosque. Stroll through Blloku neighbourhood where members of the communist party once lived.
Cross into Greece through the scenic Plains of Thessaly to Kalambaka. This afternoon, choose to join an optional tour of the gravity defying Meteora monasteries that cling impressively to immense rounded rock towers. Rebuilt after it was burned by the Nazis in WWII, Meteora holds a magnificent old Byzantine church as well as several museums – one devoted to old schoolbooks and another to mushrooms. So, why not tick off a few more unique sights off your bucket list?
Welcome to Athens! The Greek capital was once the centre of the world and for several days it will be yours. The best way to start your time in Greece? Tailor your night with a Choice Experience at a taverna evening and kick up your heels with dancing and drinks. Opa!
Oh, glorious Athens. Whether you’re a history buff or a lover of Greek food, ask your Travel Director for advice on how to make the most of the day. Evidence of the city’s former status as the ‘Cradle of Western Civilisation’ can be seen around every turn where the literature, art and laws have shaped western civilization as we know it. Join a Choice Experience first crossing the Corinth Canal to ancient Mycenae, 3500 years old and home to the Lion Gate, then see Royal Palace & Tomb of Agamemnon, topped off with the ancient theatre of Epidaurus and the picturesque town of Nafplio, the first capital of modern Greece.
Do it your way and join a Choice Experience to the southernmost tip of mainland Greece to see the fifth-century B.C. Temple of Poseidon at Sounion. See if you can spot where Byron carved his initials on one of the temple’s columns and marvel at the rugged beauty of the coastline as you uncover classical Greek history.
Get your final fix of Athens with a free day to get some last-minute souvenir shopping done. Keen for a last fix of Greek history? You could choose to visit ancient Mycenae with its Royal Palace and Tomb of Agamemnon or take a one-day cruise to the islands of Aegina, Poros and Hydra.
This morning, lace up your walking shoes and go in search of the artistry, architecture and archaeological treasures that have made Athens a popular stop for history lovers. Then we fly from Athens to Rome - you’ll instantly see why there’s so much to love in the land of dolce vita. Whether you’re a foodie or just like to take in the local vibe, choose to tick off the city’s quintessential Italian piazzas and fountains with a Local Guide. Throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain, see the Pantheon and get local exploring hidden corners of the Eternal City.
With so much to see and do, you could explore Rome for an eternity without getting bored. Stand in St. Peter’s Square before you visit St. Peter’s Basilica and view Michelangelo’s greatest work, the Pietà. Cross the Tiber next, to view the mighty Colosseum and the countless blockbusters from the Roman Empire. You can opt to join a Choice Experience to visit the seat of power, markets and daily life in the Roman Forum. Later, explore on your own or embrace the Italian way of la dolce vita with an evening of Italian dishes and Roman music.
Set your sights firmly on Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance and a city that has inspired poets, authors and artists for centuries. There are few cities in the world with an artistic legacy equal to that of Florence and now’s your chance to experience it in all its glory. Start your time here learning about centuries old leathercraft at Peruzzi leatherwork demonstration. Then spend your time exploring the city, from the Baptistery and Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore to Giotto’s Bell Tower and Ponte Vecchio. Delve into Florence’s Renaissance heritage by seeing Piazza Santa Croce and its famous church.
If you’ve always dreamed of visiting that famous leaning tower, we’ll take you to snap a few strategic photos featuring you and the extraordinary Leaning Tower of Pisa. Admire Pisa’s Romanesque Square of Miracles in all its striped marble glory. Next, head west to the shores of Monaco. Keep your eyes peeled as you drive along its glitzy boulevards before arriving in the glamorous French Riviera.
Oh là là! A full free day on the French Riviera. There’s no shame in spending the day sprawled out on a sun lounger with a cocktail. If you can pull yourself away from the sun, you’ll want to join a Choice Experience traveling to the medieval village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Life is rather idyllic in this walled hill-town and, like some of its famous residents, you’ll want to linger here a little longer, but the sun-kissed promenades of Nice beckon. You never know who you might spot seated in those sleek Ferraris and private yachts!
The Mediterranean coastline stretches ahead. Keep your cameras at the ready as you drive along elegant boulevards and attempt to capture the sophistication that seems to ooze from every corner. Take a scenic right into Spain, pulling into in the eclectic city of Barcelona.
Get right to it with a locally guided tour along the Passeig de Gràcia to admire the stunning façades of Spanish Art Nouveau masterpieces created by renowned architects like Antoni Gaudí. Barcelona is a city brimming with photogenic landmarks, from the iconic La Sagrada Familia to the waterfront and the Columbus statue pointing towards the harbour - all will be revealed by your Local Guide. Later, tailor your Barcelona experience with a visit to Montserrat monastery, home to the revered Black Madonna. You could wander the lanes of the Gothic Quarter during your free time. Tonight, end your day on a high note, choose to see the whirling skirts and fiery passion of a flamenco show with dinner – this foot-tapping extravaganza is not to be missed!
Bid adios to Barcelona as you head west with the Pyrenees mountains protecting the northern plains of Spain. Tick off more landscapes winding your way through Catalonia’s vineyards, passing the city of Zaragoza as you cross the Ebro and the landscapes of Aragon to the delights of Pamplona. Sip a glass of something in one of the bars Hemingway drank in or choose to join an optional of Tapas and Sangria.
The beach is back on the agenda today, so get your hat and sunglasses ready for a trip to the glamorous seaside town of Biarritz on the Atlantic coast. Take your cue from the European royals who have been visiting this resort town since the 1800s and find your new favourite spot on a wicker chair in the sun. After a good dose of sun and sea, it’s back into the rolling countryside of Les Landes en route to Bordeaux.
Wind your way through the French countryside to Tours, the gateway to the Loire Valley. In its car-free centre you’ll discover a medieval heart, reflected in its timber-framed houses and Renaissance mansions. Your next stop is Paris, the French capital that doesn’t hold back and doesn’t expect you to either. Take a walk through its grand past, dynamic present and exciting future, from the maze of streets that once nurtured great artists in Montmartre to the Eiffel Tower. You could choose to join a cruise on the Seine, admiring the illuminated skyline at night.
The Parisians know a thing or two about food, fashion and fun, and the City of Light will always deliver. Dive right in, capturing your picture by the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe and shopping on the Champs Élysées. Maybe join a Local Guide to feel like you’ve stepped in the movie Amelie exploring Montmartre’s winding streets of galleries and world-famous Artist’s Square. Or, see the city from Montparnasse’s Panoramic Observation Deck and stroll past the Latin Quarter’s bistros, boutiques and hidden squares. Tonight, the colourful Can-Can dancers entice you with their bold outfits in a Choice Experience cabaret show.
All good things must come to an end. This morning, after breakfast, say farewell to your fellow travellers.
