| Day 1 – London –
Amsterdam Meet
your Tour Director at the Holiday Inn Kings Cross/Bloomsbury and head south
to board your ferry to Calais. Cross Belgium’s Flanders Fields to Holland’s
lively Amsterdam. See the Royal Palace in Dam Square and visit a
diamond-cutting and polishing factory. Hotel: Tulip Inn Riverside.
Day 2 – Amsterdam –
Rhineland
Drive to Cologne to view the
Gothic cathedral before embarking on a Rhine cruise: sail past castles,
vineyards and villages. Rejoin the coach to drive past the legendary Loreley
Rock en route to your hotel. Hotel: Ramada Micador. (Full Breakfast, dinner)
Day 3 – Rhineland –
Lake Lucerne
Visit Heidelberg and view the
ruined castle before driving through the Black Forest, passing Lake Titisee
en route to the Swiss border. See the Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen before
arriving at Lake Lucerne. Hotel: Postillon (Buochs). (Full Breakfast,
dinner)
Day 4 – Lucerne
Sightseeing
On a tour of Lucerne, visit the
Lion Monument and see the Chapel Bridge. There’s time to shop or perhaps
take an excursion by cable-car up a nearby mountain 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 before travelling on through
spectacular scenery to Innsbruck. See the Imperial Palace and Golden Roof,
and consider joining an evening of Tyrolean folklore. Hotel: Alpin Park.
(Full Breakfast, dinner)
Day 6 – Innsbruck –
Venice
Cross the Europa Bridge and the
Brenner Pass and follow the Adige valley to Venice. Cruise by private launch
to St Mark’s Square and Basilica, and see the Bridge of Sighs and Doges’
Palace before enjoying a demonstration of Venetian glass-blowing en route to
your hotel in the Veneto region. Hotel: Villa Fiorita (Monastier). (Full
Breakfast, dinner)
Day 7 – Venice – Assisi
Spend a leisurely day
travelling through the Apennine mountains to St Francis’ hilltop Assisi to
see the great Basilica, its magnificent frescoes the work of Giotto. Hotel:
II Castello. (Full Breakfast, dinner)
Day 8 – Assisi – Naples
Travel southwards, passing the
Abbey of Monte Cassino, to the Bay of Naples. You will have the opportunity
to visit Pompeii before continuing to your hotel.Hotel: Holiday Inn. (Full
Breakfast, dinner)
Day 9 – Naples – Rome
Consider an excursion to the
perfumed isle of Capri before continuing your journey to the ‘Eternal City’
of Rome. Hotel: Cristoforo Colombo. (Full Breakfast)
Day 10 – Rome
Sightseeing
Your guided tour begins with a
visit to the Vatican City and St Peter’s Basilica, with its moving ‘Pieta’
by Michelangelo and its splendid dome, both highlights. There is also an
optional excursion to the Vatican Museums to see the Sistine Chapel.
Afterwards, admire the Imperial Forum and the Colosseum, with time reserved
for you to explore Rome on your own. (Full Breakfast)
Day 11 – Rome – Tuscany
Travel north to Renaissance
Florence, the artistic hub of Italy. Enjoy views over the city from Piazzale
Michelangelo and watch a demonstration of leatherwork. Spend the afternoon
in Florence before continuing on to your hotel in the Tuscan hills near
Montecatini. Hotel: Tuscany Inn. (Full Breakfast, dinner)
Day 12 – Tuscany –
French Riviera
After seeing the Leaning Tower
of Pisa, travel the spectacular Italian Riviera coast. Cross the French
border and pass elegant Monaco. Pause to visit a French perfumery before
continuing to your hotel. In the evening, be tempted by a flutter at the
Monte Carlo casino. Hotel: Grand Mercure Sophia Country Club. (Full
Breakfast, dinner)
Day 13 – French Riviera
Spend a day on the French
Riviera. Consider an optional excursion to St Paul de Vence, relax, swim or
indulge yourself with a spot of shopping. Spend the evening enjoying local
specialities over an optional dinner. (Full Breakfast)
Day 14 – French Riviera
–Barcelona
Travel across the Camargue,
famous for its wild horses, bulls and flamingos, to Catalonia’s Barcelona.
Hotel: Amrey Diagonal. (Full Breakfast, dinner)
Day 15 – Barcelona
Sightseeing
On a tour of the city, see
Gaudi’s famous Sagrada Familia, the gothic cathedral and Christopher
Columbus’ Monument in the historic port. The afternoon is yours: consider
visiting the Pueblo Espanol with its replicas of regional Spanish villages.
(Full Breakfast)
Day 16 – Barcelona –
Madrid
Cross the River Ebro in Aragon
and ascend the Morata Pass to the plains of Old Castille. Arrive in the
Spanish capital, Madrid, a city virtually created from scratch by Philip II
in the 16th century. Hotel: Abba Madrid. (Full Breakfast, dinner)
Day 17 – Madrid
Sightseeing
With your local guide, see the
Royal Palace, Puerta del Sol, the celebrated Cibeles Fountain and the Gran
Via. Spend the afternoon shopping for local goods or perhaps exploring
nearby Toledo. (Full Breakfast)
Day 18 – Madrid –
Lourdes
Cross the soaring Pyrenees into
France’s famous pilgrimage centre of Lourdes, where you can visit the Grotto
and join the moving candlelight procession. Hotel: Sainte Rose. (Full
Breakfast, dinner)
Day 19 – Lourdes –
Bordeaux
Spend the morning exploring
this mountain-ringed town before continuing north to the world-famous
vineyards of Bordeaux. Hotel: Mercure Meriadeck Centre. (Full Breakfast,
dinner)
Day 20 – Bordeaux –
Paris
Travel across the Dordogne
River to the Loire Valley and follow the lovely river Loire, pausing to view
the Chateau of Amboise, where Leonardo da Vinci is buried, and also the
castle at Blois. Journey on to Paris, where you can tour the fabulous
night-time illuminations. Hotel: Novotel Porte D'Asnieres. (Full Breakfast)
Day 21 – Paris
Sightseeing
In this city of romance, join
your local guide to see the Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame
Cathedral and the Eiffel Tower. Consider visiting Montmartre or the Louvre,
or spend the night enjoying a typical Parisian cabaret. (Full Breakfast)
Day 22 – Paris – London
See the Somme’s World War One
battlefields en route to Calais, where a ferry awaits for the crossing to
Dover. The tour ends a short time later in London. (Full Breakfast) |
