| Day 1 – London –
Amsterdam Meet
your Tour Director at the Holiday Inn Kings Cross/Bloomsbury and travel to
Dover for the ferry to France. Cross Belgium’s Flanders Fields to Holland
and Amsterdam. Visit Dam Square and see the Mint Tower before visiting a
diamond-polishing factory. Hotel: Dorint Sofitel Airport. (Dinner)
Day 2 – Amsterdam –
Rhineland
Head for the German city of
Cologne to see the soaring spires of the Gothic cathedral. Drive along the
Rhine and join a cruise before continuing to your hotel. Hotel: NH Weinheim.
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 3 – Rhineland –
Lake Lucerne
View the castle at Heidelberg
before driving through the Black Forest, passing the resort of Lake Titisee
en route to the Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen and Lake Lucerne.Hotel: City (Brunnen).
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 4 – Lucerne
Sightseeing
View the Lion Monument and see
the Chapel Bridge, then shop or join a cable-car excursion up the
spectacular Swiss Alps. Perhaps join a lively Swiss Folklore show as night
falls. (Full Breakfast,
Dinner)
Day 5 – Lake Lucerne –
Innsbruck
Pause at Liechtenstein to see
700-year-old Vaduz Castle before moving on to the Alpine Tyrol and
Innsbruck’s ‘Golden Roof’.Hotel: Alpin Park.
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 6 – Innsbruck –
Vienna
Drive along the Inn Valley to
Salzburg to visit Mozart’s birthplace and some of the sites where ‘The Sound
of Music’ was filmed. Continue through the lakes and mountains of the
Salzkammergut to Vienna. Hotel: Bosei.
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 7 – Vienna
Sightseeing
A guided tour of Imperial
Vienna shows you the Winter Palace and St Charles’ Church. Spend the
afternoon at leisure exploring the city, perhaps also visiting the
magnificent Schonbrunn Palace.
(Full Breakfast)
Day 8 – Vienna – Venice
Cross the Semmering Pass, drive
through the forests of Carinthia to Austria’s Lake District and see the
Venetian Plains before arriving at your hotel.Hotel: Villa Fiorita (Monastier).
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 9 – Venice
Sightseeing
Drive to the Venetian Lagoon
where a private launch takes you to St Mark’s Square; see the Basilica, the
Bridge of Sighs and Doges’ Palace before taking in a demonstration of
Venetian glass-blowing. Spend the afternoon at leisure: perhaps enjoy a
gondola ride. (Full
Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 10 – Venice – Rome
Climb the Apennine Mountains,
passing the Etruscan hill towns of Orte and Orvieto which overlook the road
to Rome. Follow the Tiber River all the way to the ‘Eternal City’. Hotel:
Cristoforo Colombo. (Full
Breakfast)
Day 11 – Rome –
Sightseeing
With your guide, visit the
Vatican City to explore St Peter’s Basilica, before seeing the Roman Forum
and Colosseum. Consider dining out in Roman style when night falls.
(Full Breakfast)
Day 12 – Rome –
Overnight ferry
Bid Rome farewell before
crossing the rugged Appenine Mountains to Bari where an overnight ferry to
Greece awaits. (Full
Breakfast)
Day 13 – Patras –
Athens
Dock at Patras and make a stop
at the Corinth Canal before continuing to Athens, the cradle of European
civilisation. Hotel: Acropol/Grand O.
(Full Breakfast)
Days 14, 15, 16 –
Athens Sightseeing or optional Saronic Gulf cruise
Passengers taking the three-day
cruise option board their ship (details opposite), while others enjoy a
sightseeing tour of Athens, which includes the Acropolis and Parthenon.
While in Athens, relax on a day cruise to the islands of Hydra, Poros and
Aegina. Spend the remainder of the time at leisure.
(Full Breakfast,
Lunch)
Day 17 – Athens –
Overnight Ferry
Explore the fascinating markets
of the Plaka before returning to the port of Patras to take an overnight
ferry back to Italy. (Full
Breakfast)
Day 18 – Bari – Naples
Cross the Italian peninsula to
the Bay of Naples. Hotel: Holiday Inn.
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 19 – Sorrento
Excursion
Take the clifftop road to the
resort town of Sorrento, where you can join an optional excursion to the
Isle of Capri. (Full
Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 20 – Naples –
Tuscany
Pass Monte Cassino en route to
Florence. After a demonstration of Florentine leatherwork and free time to
relax, continue to your Tuscan hotel. Hotel: Tuscany Inn.
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 21 – Tuscany –
French Riviera
Stop at the Leaning Tower of
Pisa before continuing on to the Italian and French Riviera coasts, past
Genoa. Visit Monaco before arriving at your hotel. Hotel: Grand Mercure
Sophia Country Club. (Full
Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 22 – French Riviera
Spend a day relaxing on the
French Riviera; swim or maybe visit a perfumery.
(Full Breakfast)
Day 23 – French Riviera
– Barcelona
Stop at the resort of Cannes
before travelling through Provence and the Camargue, famous for its wild
bulls and pink flamingos. Continue around the coast to the Spanish city of
Barcelona. Hotel: Abba Garden.
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 24 – Barcelona
Sightseeing
See Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia
cathedral, the Columbus Monument, the Ramblas and the Olympic complex. Why
not spend the night experiencing some fiery Flamenco?
(Full Breakfast)
Day 25 – Barcelona –
Madrid
Cross the River Ebro and
continue through the Morata Pass. Reaching the Plains of Old Castille, you
will arrive in Madrid. Hotel: Abba Madrid.
(Full Breakfast)
Day 26 – Madrid
Sightseeing
A guided tour takes in the most
famous sights: Puerta del Sol, Cibeles Fountain, the Gran Via and the Royal
Palace of King Juan Carlos. The afternoon is yours to visit the Prado Museum
or perhaps take a trip to nearby Toledo.
(Full Breakfast)
Day 27 – Madrid –
Lourdes
See the unspoilt heart of
Spain, reaching the Pyrenees and the pilgrimage centre of Lourdes in time to
join the torchlight procession. Hotel: Sainte Rose.
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 28 – Lourdes –
Bordeaux
Visit the miraculous Grotto and
drink the curative waters before driving to Bordeaux for an orientation
tour. Hotel: Mercure Meriadeck Centre.
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 29 – Bordeaux –
Paris
Drive to the Loire Valley to
see Amboise Castle, where Leonardo da Vinci is buried. A photo-stop at the
Chateau of Blois is followed by arrival in Paris. Hotel: Novotel Porte de
Bagnolet. (Full Breakfast)
Day 30 – Paris
Sightseeing
Your local guide shows you the
Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde, Eiffel Tower and the
cathedral of Notre Dame. Perhaps enjoy a night of cabaret or a farewell
dinner in a Parisian restaurant.
(Full Breakfast)
Day 31 – Paris – London
Cross the battlefields of World
War One to join your ferry to Dover’s White Cliffs. The tour ends a short
time later in London. (Full
Breakfast)
Alternative 3 day Greek Island Cruise
VISITING MYKONOS,
RHODES, PATMOS & KUSADASI
On Day 14 it is possible to
embark on a fabulous 3 day cruise aboard a Louis Lines Cruise ship to the
sun drenched Greek Islands and Turkey. Enjoy excellent facilities on board,
such as pool, bar, sun decks and more.
Day 14 – Athens –
Cruise Transfer to Piraeus to board a cruise ship to set sail for
the lively island of Mykonos, with its dazzling sugarcube houses and
white-washed windmills.
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 15 – Cruising –
Rhodes Enjoy a full day on Rhodes, once a fortified headquartes of
the crusaders and home to the Colossus of Rhodes.
(Full Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 16 – Cruising –
Patmos – Kusadasi Sail to the island of Patmos where St John wrote
the Book of Revelations. Dock at the Turkish port of Kusadasi, where you can
visit the bazaar or take an excursion to visit the ancient ruins of Ephesus.
(Full Breakfast, Lunch,
Dinner)
Day 17 – Athens –
Overnight Ferry Disembark and rejoin the tour. See Day 17 opposite.
(Full Breakfast) |
