| Day 1 – London – Paris
Meet your Tour Director at the
Holiday Inn Kings Cross/Bloomsbury before crossing picturesque Kentish
farmlands en route to the port of Dover where your ferry to Calais awaits.
Follow the Autoroute across the battlefields of northern France where names
like the Somme and Arras evoke memories of World War One. Arrive in the
French capital in the late afternoon; consider joining an evening
illuminations tour the perfect introduction to one of Europe's loveliest
cities. Hotel: Novotel Porte de Bagnolet.
Day 2 – Paris
Sightseeing
Sightseeing with a local guide
this morning shows you the highlights of the city, including the Eiffel
Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Opera House, Invalides and the immense facades of
the Louvre. See also the city’s famous 13th century Gothic cathedral, with
its memories of the tale of Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame. The
afternoon is yours to shop, ascend the Eiffel Tower or to visit the superb
collections of the Louvre. A Parisian bistro is a wonderful way to soak up
the city’s atmosphere at night. (Full Breakfast)
Day 3 – Paris – Lake
Lucerne
Journey via the vineyards of
Burgundy, crossing the Rhine at Basel and entering Switzerland, with its
wonderful snow-capped mountains and tranquil lakes. Hotel: Postillon (Buochs).
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 4 – Lucerne
Sightseeing
This morning admire the Lion
Monument, carved into a limestone cliff to commemorate the Swiss Guards who
lost their lives during the French Revolution. Stroll along the Chapel
Bridge before taking time to relax, shop or perhaps take a cable-car ride up
a nearby mountain. (Full
Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 5 – Lake Lucerne –
Florence
After a truly spectacular drive
through Switzerland (and one of Europe’s longest tunnels), arrive in the
splendid Italian Lake District. Glimpse beautiful Lake Como as you continue
southwards to Milan, the heart of the Italian fashion world. The smooth
highway carries you across the fertile plains of the Po Valley, into the
wild Apennine Mountains and into the heart of Tuscany. Your destination: the
Renaissance city of Florence. Hotel: Datini.
(Full Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 6 – Florence – Rome
Start your sightseeing with the
superb view over Florence from Piazza Michelangelo before walking with your
Tour Director to the Santa Croce area for a leather working demonstration.
Take time to explore the cathedral, Ghiberti’s ‘Gates of Paradise’ and the
Signoria Square, the political centre of old Florence and a living museum of
Renaissance art. Take the ‘autostrada’ south through the province of Umbria
to the ‘Eternal City’, Rome. The Italian capital comes alive at night, with
beautiful fountains providing the perfect backdrop to the lights around the
Via Veneto and the cosmopolitan square of Piazza Navona. Hotel: Cristoforo
Colombo. (Full Breakfast)
Day 7 – Rome
Sightseeing
Your city tour with an expert
guide begins with the Vatican City: visit the impressive St Peter’s Basilica
to admire Michelangelo’s ‘Pieta’ and splendid dome. There is also time for
an optional visit to the Vatican Museum to see the ceiling of the Sistine
Chapel. Your local guide unfurls the history of the empire at the Imperial
Roman Forum before moving on to see the magnificent Colosseum.
(Full Breakfast)
Day 8 – Rome
Your tour ends after breakfast
with a transfer to Rome Airport.
(Full Breakfast) |
