| 14 Days ~ England
~ Belgium ~ Germany ~ Austria ~ Italy ~ Switzerland ~ France
Tour Pace
This tour is well-balanced with
the majority of the one night stays in the first section and then two night
stays in the key cities of Venice, Rome, Lucerne and Paris, where there is
ample time to relax or to take optional tours. Travelling days are
interspersed with frequent rest stops.
DAY 1 – MON – LONDON –
BRUSSELS
This morning meet your Tour
Director and transfer to Dover. Bid farewell to the famous white cliffs as
you cross the channel bound for the French port of Calais. Now past historic
Dunkirk, famous for its Second World War evacuations, and along the coast to
Belgium. At medieval Bruges, walk with your Tour Director along peaceful
canals and through the cobbled streets lined with high gabled houses from
the Golden Age of the 16th century. In the Market Square there is time to
admire the exquisite lace work traditional to the town. Continue to the
capital of Brussels, where you visit the Grand Place and see the cheeky
Mannekin Pis. Tonight, enjoy a Welcome Drink. Hotel: Renaissance/Sofitel
Toison d’Or.
DAY 2 – TUE – BRUSSELS
– RHINELAND
Travel into Germany to view
Cologne Cathedral before continuing along the Rhine, via Bonn, to board a
Highlight cruise at Boppard. Relax as you glide past medieval castles and
steep vineyards to the village of St Goar, near the legendary Loreley Rock.
Continue on to Heidelberg, town of the ‘Student Prince’, to see the
clifftop castle before arriving at your Rhineland hotel. Hotel: Renaissance
Karlsruhe/Radisson Ettlingen.
(Buffet breakfast, dinner)
DAY 3 – WED – RHINELAND
– INNSBRUCK
Visit Bavaria and fun-loving
Munich; see the Olympic Stadium, Hofbrauhaus and visit the Marienplatz with
its Glockenspiel. Head into the Alps and over the Austrian border to reach
the Tyrolean capital of Innsbruck. Perhaps spend the evening enjoying a
fabulous Tyrolean folklore evening. Hotel: Hilton. (Buffet breakfast)
DAY 4 – THU – INNSBRUCK
– SALZBURG
See the Golden Roof and the
Imperial Palace in the old town before visiting the decorative Wilten
Basilica and following the Inn Valley to Salzburg. Join a local guide to see
the imposing fortress, Mozart’s birthplace and the cathedral. Hotel:
Castellani Parkhotel. (Buffet breakfast, dinner)
DAY 5 – FRI – SALZBURG
– VENICE
This morning a spectacular
drive takes you through the Tauern Mountains to the Carinthian Lake
District, and on to the Italian border. Follow mountain valleys and
cascading streams down to the Veneto Plain on your way to the unique
magical, water-bound city of Venice. Hotel: Continental / Mabapa. (Buffet breakfast,
dinner)
DAY 6 – SAT – VENICE
SIGHTSEEING
Cruise by private launch to
St Mark’s Square and alight to see the Bridge of Sighs which connects
the Doges’ Palace to the prisons. Cross the square to seethe famous
Moors, who have been striking the hour for over 500 years, the belltower
and the beautiful mosaics of St Mark’s Basilica. After a demonstration
of Venetian glass blowing, join an included romantic Premium Highlight
gondola ride along the canals. Perhaps consider taking a boat trip to the
island of Burano for a delicious seafood meal. (Buffet breakfast)
DAY 7 – SUN – VENICE –
ROME
Head south over the Apennine
Mountains and follow the ‘Highway of the Sun’ to Rome. Tonight stroll to
the Spanish Steps before your Highlight Dinner of pasta, wine and music.
Hotel: Sheraton/Cicerone. (Buffet
breakfast, Speciality Highlight Dinner)
DAY 8 – MON – ROME
SIGHTSEEING
Join a local guide to visit St
Peter’s Basilica to see Michelangelo’s moving work the ‘Pieta’.
Drive across the Tiber to visit the mighty Colosseum, where gladiators
fought to the death against armed warriors and wild beasts. Look out over
the Roman Forum, once a bustling centre of commerce, law and religion. The
afternoon is at leisure. (Buffet breakfast)
DAY 9 – TUE – ROME –
FLORENCE
Drive north into the Chianti
Hills and the Renaissance city of Florence. Sightseeing with a local guide
takes you to see the original statue of ‘David’ in the Academy Gallery.
Afterwards, visit the Cathedral and see Giotto’s belltower, and the Gates
of Paradise on the Baptistery. Continue to Signoria Square, lined with many
statues. After watching a demonstration of leatherwork, there is time at
leisure to shop or perhaps continue sightseeing. Hotel: Sheraton/Villa
Gabriele D'Annunzio. (Buffet breakfast, dinner)
DAY 10 – WED – FLORENCE
– LUCERNE
Journey north, past the great
commercial centre of Milan and the Italian Lake District, to the Swiss
border. Take the St Gotthard route and enjoy its Alpine scenery on the way
to Lucerne. Hotel: Astoria. (Buffet breakfast)
DAY 11 – THU – LUCERNE
SIGHTSEEING
Sightseeing in Lucerne begins
with a visit to the emotive Lion Monument. See the covered Chapel Bridge and
the Jesuit Church, then enjoy a superb Premium Highlight as you ascend Mount
Pilatus by cog-wheel railway. From the summit, admire some of the best
possible views of the snow-covered Alps. (Buffet breakfast, dinner)
DAY 12 – FRI – LUCERNE
– PARIS
Pass the Swiss port city of
Basel on your way to France. After crossing the wine region of Burgundy,
it’s on to glittering Paris for two fabulous nights. Consider spending the
evening sampling wonderful French cuisine. Hotel: Concorde Ambassador/Paris
Rive Gauche. (Buffet breakfast)
DAY 13 – SAT – PARIS
SIGHTSEEING
A guided sightseeing tour
takes you to see the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, the Opera House and on a
drive down the Champs Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe. Ascend the Eiffel
Tower before visiting the Tomb of Napoleon in the Église du Dôme. As
evening falls, there is the chance to see a cabaret show. (Buffet breakfast)
DAY 14 – SUN – PARIS –
LONDON
This morning we cross the
battlefields of the First World War to Calais. We sail across the channel to
Dover and continue to London where our tour comes to an end. (Buffet
breakfast)
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