Welcome
Orientation * English Channel Crossing * French
Bistro Dinner * Paris by Night * Seine River Boat
Cruise * Brussels Grand' Place *Dutch Dinner * Amsterdam
Canal Boat Ride * Edam Cheese Farm * Bicycling in
Windmill Country * Cologne Gothic Cathedral * Rhine
River Cruise * Traditional German Dinner * Heidelberg
Castle * Hansel & Gretel's Black Forest * Roaring
Rhine Falls * Liechtenstein * Munich Glockenspiel
* Salzburg Mozart Sights * AESU's ALPINE CENTER
* Venice Grand Canal Boatride * Murano Glass-blowing
Workshop * Florentine Leather Workshop * Lavish
Roman Banquet * Rome's Trevi Fountain & Ancient
Illuminated Ruins * Vatican City...AND MUCH MORE!
Day 1
Travel to London
Your journey begins with an overnight flight to "Royal London
Town."
Meals:
In-flight
Day 2
London
Free afternoon, followed by our welcome orientation, London Pub Crawl and dinner.
Meals:
In-flight, Fish & Chips dinner
Day 3
London
Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and Piccadilly Circus: these familiar names become familiar places on our morning tour. Afternoon at leisure, take in the city’s monuments or embark on a Harrod’s shopping spree. Why not attend a West End theater show tonight?
Meals:
Breakfast
Day 4
London
Enjoy a day at leisure in London. Explore the British Museum, the National Gallery or the London Dungeons. After dusk, you may want to take in some Shakespeare at the Globe Theater.
Meals:
Breakfast
Day 5
London * English Channel * Paris
Travel to southeast England today and board our ship to the continent. Motor through northern France and arrive in Paris, “City of Lights.” We’ll dine together at our French Bistro Dinner, then enjoy our romantic Seine River Cruise.
Meals:
Breakfast, French Bistro Dinner
Day 6
Paris
Morning tour of Paris, see the hunchback “Quasimodo’s” Notre Dame Cathedral, Place de la Concorde, where the guillotine once stood, and the Eiffel Tower’s steel lacework. Free time in the afternoon – visit Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum, or shop the chic boutiques of Paris.
Meals:
Breakfast
Day 7
Paris * Optional Cabaret Show
Today is free for wandering
through the Louvre Museum to see the Mona Lisa, browsing among
bookstalls on the Left Bank, shopping at chic boutiques or sampling
sinfully delicious pastries at a sidewalk cafe. Evenings in
Paris are full of excitement, whether it's a can-can cabaret
or wild night club.
Meals:
Breakfast
Day 8
Paris * Brussels * Amsterdam - Dutch Countryside
Motor through
champagne country to Belgium. Reaching Brussels, NATO's headquarters,
we see the Grand' Place, a perfect medieval square with ornate
guild houses of gold, the Palace of Justice, and statue of naughty
Mennekin-Pis. Continue to Amsterdam and enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure.
Meals:
Breakfast,
Day 9
Amsterdam - Dutch Countryside
Let the
good times roll as we go biking through 13th-century Dutch fishing
villages along the IJssel Lake beaches. Watch wooden shoes being
carved and sample Edam cheese at a cheese farm. Back in Amsterdam
there will be free time this afternoon to tour the Van Gogh
or Rijksmuseum, the Anne Frank house or shop for famous Delftware
china. This evening we invite you on a boat cruise on the canals of Amsterdam followed by our Dutch-Indonesian "Rice Table" dinner.
Meals:
Breakfast,Dutch- Indonesian Rice Table Dinner
Day 10
Cologne - Rhine River Curise * Heidelberg
Pass the
university city of Utrecht and the battle grounds of Arnhem.
Cross the German border into Cologne, famous for the world's
largest Gothic cathedral that took over 600 years to complete.
From here board our ship and cruise along the fabled Rhine River,
passing steeply sloped vineyards, ancient castles and the legendary
Lorelei Rock. Once ashore we motor to Heidelberg, the City of
the Student Prince. We'll climb to the ruins of the Castle of
the Palatine Elector for a bird's-eye view of the town and the
Neckar River; later we'll dine on traditional German fare.
Meals:
Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11
Black Forest - Rhinefalls * Swiss Alps
Journey
south into the mysterious Black Forest where gingerbread cottages
dot the lush, green scenery. Stop deep in the forest, with free
time to watch cuckoo clocks being made, enjoy lunch or snack
on delicious Black Forest Cake. The Rhine Falls, Europe's largest
waterfalls, come into view as we cross the Swiss border. Our
route through Zurich brings us to William Tell Country and the
world-famous resort areas surrounding Lucerne.
Meals:
Breakfast
Day 12
Lucerne Area * Optional Swiss Folklore party & dinner
Roam through
scenic Lucerne's cobblestone streets beneath festive flags and
walk along the covered wooden bridges dating from 1333. See
the Lion Monument, sculpted in honor of the heroic Swiss Guard
of Louis XVI. Then catch up on your Swiss watch and chocolate
shopping. This afternoon you may want to take an excursion up
on one of the highest mountains in central Switzerland to enjoy
panoramic views that will stay with you for a lifetime. Tonight
join our optional Swiss Folklore and party dinner.
Meals:
Breakfast,
Day 13
Lucerne * Liechtenstein * Munich
Drive
to the tiny Principality of Liechtenstein where the wealthy
reigning prince still resides in an awesome castle overlooking
Vaduz. Then it’s on to the fun-filled Oktoberfest city
of Munich. After dinner there’s free time to check out
the oom-pah-pah bands at the famous Hofbrauhaus.
Meals:
Breakfast, Bavarian Dinner
Day 14
Munich * Salzburg - Austrian Alpine Center
After a
morning in Munich where we see the Glockenspiel chimes, we travel
to Salzburg, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's birthplace and home of
the famous summer music festival. Walk down narrow streets lined
with colorful wrought iron signs and shops in this quaint city
where the classic movie "Sound of Music" was filmed.
Continue to Europe's largest alpine sports region and be our
guest for two nights of fitness and fun while nestled in the
snow-capped Austrian mountains at our Alpine Center.
All day
today is at your leisure; go for a hike in the Alps, take a
ride on horseback through alpine meadows, or join the fun and
excitement of whitewater rafting.
Meals:
Breakfast
Day 16
Austrian Lake District * Venice
The picturesque landscape of the Austrian Lake District brings us to sunny Italy’s Venice--”Sinking City in the Sea.” Walk to St. Mark’s Square, stop at a Murano glass-blowing workshop and watch famous Venetian glass being made. Consider a romantic gondola ride this evening gliding through the intricate maze of canals beneath arched bridges passing 12th and 18th-century marble palaces.
Meals:
Breakfast
Day 17
Venice, Florence
Through
the fertile Po Valley we approach Florence, Golden City of the
Renaissance and birthplace of Michelangelo. Our local art expert
shows us why Florence is considered the art capital of the world.
See the Gates of Paradise, the marble Santa Maria del Fiore
Cathedral and Giotto's Belltower. Visit the Florentine leather
workshop before embarking on free time for shopping and museums.
We’ll dine at a lovely Florentine trattoria.
Meals:
Breakfast, Tuscan Dinner
Day 18
Florence * Rome
Travel
past Chianti vineyards along the Highway of the Sun to the Eternal
City of Rome. Leisure time to relax and enjoy “La Dolce
Vita.” Visit Piazza Navona, one of the city's most beautiful
squares, designed by the Baroque master, Bernini. Stop to toss
three coins in Trevi Fountain to ensure your return to Rome
or just people-watch at a lively piazza while sampling the local
"gelati" ice cream.
Meals:
Breakfast
Day 19
Rome * Vatican City
Today’s city tour takes us to the Colosseum, where gladiators were thrown to the lions, and the historical ruins of Caesar’s Forum. Then on to Vatican City – the world’s smallest state. Visit St. Peter’s Basilica housing Michelangelo’s magnificent “Pieta.” Our dinner tonight is a mouth-watering Roman Banquet complete with Italian specialties.
Meals:
Breakfast, Roman Banquet Dinner
Day 20
Travel Home
Our
Euro Focus ends with breakfast this morning. Board your flight
bound for home with great memories and plans to return another
time.
