VISITING
ENGLAND, BELGIUM, HOLLAND, GERMANY, SWITZERLAND, ITALY, VATICAN
CITY, MONACO AND FRANCE
Day 1 – Depart USA
Overnight flight to London.
Day 2 – Arrive London
Welcome to London! On arrival you are
transfered to your London tour hotel.
Hotel: Holiday Inn Kings Cross/Bloomsbury.
Day 3 – London Sightseeing
Your half day London sightseeing tour
shows you all the major sights. Afternoon at leisure. (B)
Day 4 – London – Amsterdam
Meet your Tour Director 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. (B)
Day 5 – Amsterdam – Rhineland
Cross the German border and stop in
Cologne to view the Gothic cathedral. 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 reaching
your hotel in Weinheim.
Hotel: NH Weinheim. (B,D)
Day 6 – 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). (B,D)
Day 7 – Lucerne Sightseeing
On a tour of Lucerne, visit the Lion
Monument and see the renowned Chapel Bridge. There’s time set aside to shop
for Swiss chocolate or to take a cable-car excursion up a nearby mountain for breathtaking
views of the Alps. (B,D)
Day 8 – Lake Lucerne – Venice
Enjoy magnificent Alpine scenery as
you cross the Italian border, and travel through the Italian Lake District. At Verona,
home of the legendary Romeo and Juliet, stop to see the elegant squares, the Roman
Arena and Capulet House with its famous balcony. The autostrada then brings you
to glorious Venice, 'Queen of the Adriatic'.
Hotel: Elite. (B,D)
Day 9 – Venice sightseeing
Drive to the Venetian Lagoon where
a private launch takes you to St Mark’s Square to see the 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? (B,D)
Day 10 – 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. (B)
Day 11 – 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 at the Imperial
Roman Forum before moving on to the magnificent Colosseum. (B)
Day 12 – Rome – Sorrento
Leave the 'Eternal City', and head
past the Abbey of Monte Cassino to the Bay of Naples. An optional guided tour of
Pompeii is possible, revealing the daily life of ancient Roman civilisation. Then
continue along the magnificent coastline to the clifftop resort of Sorrento. Hotel:
Holiday Inn. (B,D)
Day 13 – Sorrento
You are free to relax at the hotel
and enjoy the warm southern sunshine or you may wish to take an optional excursion
to the magical island of Capri with its beautiful coastal caves. (B,D)
Day 14 – Sorrento – Tuscany
By-pass Naples and Rome as you travel
north to Florence - centre of art and culture, heart of the Italian Renaissance.
After a demonstration of Florentine leatherwork, the afternoon is yours to relax
and enjoy.
Hotel: Tuscany Inn. (B,D)
Day 15 – 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 sophisticated Cannes
- famous for the Film Festival. Hotel: Amarante. (B,D)
Day 16 – Cannes at leisure
Spend a day on the French Riviera and
enjoy a taste of the jet-set life! Relax, swim browse the shops or maybe join an
optional excursion to St Paul de Vence? (B)
Day 17 – Cannes – Lyon
Drive through the region of Provence
to Avignon. See the "Pont d'Avignon", immortalised in song, and walk through the
narrow streets to see the Popes Palace. This afternoon follow the Rhone Valley north
to Lyon, built at the junction of two of France's great rivers.
Hotel: Mercure Lyon
Sud Vienne. (B,D)
Day 18 – Lyon – Paris
Drive along the Rhone Valley past charming
Beaune and through the wine-producing Burgundy region to the glittering French capital – your base for two nights.
Hotel: Mercure la Defense 5. (B)
Day 19 – 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. (B)
Day 20 – Return to USA
Your memorable tour ends after breakfast
with a transfer to the airport. (B)
