| Day 1 - London - Amsterdam
Meet your Tour Director at the
Holiday Inn Kings Cross/Bloomsbury and head for the White Cliffs of Dover
and your ferry to Calais. Cross Belgium’s Flanders Fields to Holland’s
lively Amsterdam. Pass canals and tall gabled houses to see the Royal Palace
in Dam Square and sparkling stones transformed during a visit to a
diamond-polishing factory.
Hotel: Tulip Inn Riverside.
Day 2 - Amsterdam -
Rhineland
Cross the border into Germany,
and stop in Cologne to view the Gothic cathedral and its soaring spires.
Pass Beethoven’s home town of Bonn and continue to the village of Boppard to
join a Rhine cruise past castles, vineyards and villages. Rejoin the coach
and see the legendary Loreley Rock before continuing to your Rhineland
hotel. Hotel: NH Weinheim. (Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 3 - Rhineland -
Lake Lucerne Visit
Heidelberg to view the ruined castle before travelling into the Black
Forest, past Lake Titisee and pine- covered hill sides dotted with
geranium-decked farmhouses. Cross the Swiss border to see the Rhine Falls at
Schaffhausen before finishing the day at Lake Lucerne. Hotel: Postillon (Buochs).
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 4 - Lucerne Sightseeing
On a tour of Lucerne, visit the
Lion Monument, carved out of a limestone cliff, and see the renowned Chapel
Bridge. There’s time set aside to shop for Swiss chocolate or to take a
cable- car excursion up one of the nearby mountains for breathtaking views
of the Alps. (Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 5 - Lake Lucerne -
Innsbruck
In Liechtenstein, visit Vaduz,
overlooked by its 700-year-old castle. Travel through spectacular
countryside to Innsbruck to see the Imperial Palace and Golden Roof. Tonight
perhaps consider enjoying an evening of Tyrolean folklore. Hotel: Alpin
Park. (Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 6 - Innsbruck - Venice
Cross the impressive Europa
Bridge before taking the Brenner Pass into Italy. Visit Romeo and Juliet’s
Verona to see Juliet’s balcony and the Roman arena before continuing across
the fertile Adriatic Plain to your hotel. Hotel: Park Bolognese Villa Pace (Preganziol).
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 7 - Venice sightseeing
Drive to the Venetian Lagoon
where a private launch takes you to St Mark’s Square to see the ornate
Basilica of St Mark, Doges’ Palace, Bridge of Sighs and the prison in which
Casanova was incarcerated (but from which he later escaped). A demonstration
of Venetian glass-blowing follows, as does an afternoon at leisure. Why not
explore the islands of the beautiful lagoon and try a local seafood lunch?
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 8 - Venice - Rome
Cross the Appenine Mountains
and follow the Autostrada del Sole past Etruscan hill towns to Rome, a city
founded on seven hills above the river Tiber. Spend the evening discovering
Rome’s hidden piazzas and fountains. Hotel: Cristoforo Colombo. (Full
Breakfast)
Day 9 - Rome Sightseeing
An expert guide takes you to
the Vatican City to visit the St Peter’s Basilica and admire Michelangelo’s
‘Pieta’, as well as the splendid dome. There is also time for an optional to
visit the Vatican Museum to see the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Hear your
local guide unfurl the history of the empire at the Imperial Roman Forum
before moving on to the magnificent Colosseum. (Full Breakfast)
Day 10 - Rome - Naples
Pass Monte Cassino on your
journey south to the Bay of Naples. Consider an excursion to the isle of
Capri with its perfumed flowers and gardens before relaxing over dinner at
the hotel. Hotel: Holiday Inn. (Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 11 - Naples - Tuscany
Join an optional visit to the
excavations at Pompeii before your drive north through Tuscany and to the
Renaissance city of Florence. After a demonstration of Florentine
leatherwork, the afternoon is yours to relax and enjoy Florence.Hotel:
Panoramic. (Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 12 - Tuscany - Cannes
Stop at the famous Leaning
Tower of Pisa, set in the Field of Miracles. Later, follow the Italian and
French riviera coasts past Genoa to Monaco before settling for the night in
Cannes. Hotel: Novotel. (Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 13 - Cannes at leisure
Spend a day on the French
Riviera: join an optional excursion to St Paul de Vence or relax, swim or be
tempted by the shops. (Full Breakfast)
Day 14 - Cannes - Lyon
Travel the coastline through
Provence to Avignon where you will see the Papal Palace and St Benezet
Bridge before moving on to Lyon, the ancient capital of Gaul. Hotel: Mercure
Lyon Sud Vienne. (Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 15 - Lyon - Paris
Drive along the Rhone Valley
past charming Beaune and through the wine- producing Burgundy region to
Paris - your base for two nights.Hotel: Mercure La Defense 5. (Full
Breakfast)
Day 16 - Paris Sightseeing
Tour the city with a local
guide, seeing the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Cathedral of Notre Dame,
the Opera and Place de la Concorde. Spend the afternoon at leisure: shop for
souvenirs, visit the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, plan a farewell dinner in a
typical Parisian restaurant or join the fun at a cabaret. (Full Breakfast)
Day 17 - Paris - London
Cross the Somme’s World War One
battlefields to Calais for your journey back to Dover. The tour ends a short
time later in London. (Full Breakfast) |
