Product Description
Discover Europe with your family! Start in Rome with a welcome dinner and guided sightseeing that features visits to the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, and the Colosseum, where you get a family picture with a gladiator (if available). On to Pisa to see its Leaning Tower, then to the spa resort of Montecatini. In Florence, visit the Academy of Fine Arts with Michelangelo’s celebrated David and admire the cathedral and sculpture-studded Signoria Square. Enjoy a pizza party lunch at a local restaurant and see how they are made! Enter Venice in style by private boat, savor an authentic pasta dinner at a local restaurant, create your own Venetian mask, and follow your Local Guide for a visit to St. Mark’s Square, Doges’ Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs. On to charming Lake Maggiore, then cross Simplon Pass, ride a mountain train, and arrive in Zermatt for free time at the base of the Matterhorn. Continue to Montreux at Lake Geneva. From Lausanne, ride the high-speed TGV train to Paris for included visits to Notre Dame Cathedral and to the top of the Eiffel Tower. A farewell dinner at a local restaurant celebrates the success of an unforgettable vacation!
No one brings the world’s stories to life like we do. What story will you discover next?
Day 1 Buon Giorno, Roma!
Time to rest or to start exploring the “Eternal City.” At 5 pm, meet your Tour Director and get acquainted with your traveling companions. Then, enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel. (Dinner)
Day 2 Discover Ancient Rome & the Vatican
Morning sightseeing with your Local Guide starts with a visit to the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL, world famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings and The Last Judgement. Continue to monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE and BASILICA. Cross the Tiber and visit one of the New 7 Wonders of the World®, the COLOSSEUM. Learn about life as a gladiator and get a FAMILY PICTURE WITH A GLADIATOR (if available). Your Tour Director will have suggestions for optional excursions. (Breakfast)
Day 3 The Leaning Tower of Pisa & Montecatini
Follow the Aurelian Way along the Tyrrhenian Coast to Tuscany. Stop in Pisa to take pictures of the amazing Leaning Tower, 180 feet high and no less than 12 feet out of the perpendicular. In the afternoon, time to relax by the pool, enjoy a homemade GELATO at a typical gelateria, and explore the famous Tuscan spa town of Montecatini, where your hotel is located. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 4 Explore Renaissance Florence & See the Famous David
This morning, visit Florence, “Cradle of the Renaissance.” Follow your Local Guide to visit the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS with Michelangelo’s celebrated David. Admire the magnificent cathedral, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze “Gate of Paradise,” and visit sculpture-studded SIGNORIA SQUARE. Enjoy a festive PIZZA PARTY LUNCH at a local pizzeria, where a chef demonstrates just how Italian pizzas are made! In the afternoon, drive across the Apennine Hills to Venice. Enter the city in style by PRIVATE BOAT. Later, join your Tour Director for a tasty PASTA DINNER, Venetian style. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 5 Create Your Own Venetian Mask & Visit St. Mark’s Square
Walk through the narrow streets to an original Venetian workshop and enjoy the unique experience of decorating your own VENETIAN CARNIVAL MASK. When you are satisfied with your artistic endeavors, use the included vaporetto ticket to return to the hotel or to find a cozy trattoria for lunch. In the afternoon, meet your Local Guide and visit ST. MARK’S SQUARE, DOGES’ PALACE, and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. This evening, maybe an optional gondola serenade or dinner in Burano for a real Venetian experience. (Breakfast)
Day 6 Journey to Lake Maggiore
Travel to the attractive Lake Maggiore area. Afternoon at leisure to explore, relax at the hotel pool, or join an optional excursion to the baroque palace and peacock gardens of enchanting Isola Bella. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 7 Cogwheel Mountain Train & Zermatt
Drive over the impressive Simplon Pass, reaching the Swiss Valais. In Täsch, board the COGWHEEL MOUNTAIN TRAIN to climb the last few miles up to the picturesque Alpine village of Zermatt at the base of the Matterhorn. Free time to explore the car-free mountain town on your own or to join an optional excursion on Europe’s highest rack-railway up to 10,272-foot Gornergrat mountain for a breathtaking panoramic view of Switzerland’s loftiest peaks, including the famed Matterhorn. In the late afternoon, continue to your Montreux hotel at Lake Geneva and enjoy an included dinner. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 8 Ride the Famous TGV Train to Paris, Visit Notre Dame & the Top of the Eiffel Tower
From Lausanne, depart for Paris on board the high-speed TGV TRAIN (first-class). Upon arrival in Paris, meet your Local Guide and explore the world capital of chic and style. Admire its most famous sights: the Opéra, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, and visit NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL, the setting for Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame, written in 1831. Today, also ride the elevators to the TOP OF THE EIFFEL TOWER and enjoy spectacular views of the city. Try one of France’s specialties, a freshly made CREPE, for an afternoon snack. Your Tour Director can give you some ideas for your free time this evening. (Breakfast)
Day 9 Explore the “City of Light.”
All day at leisure for exploration on your own. Your Tour Director will have some suggestions for optional excursions such as the Louvre Museum, where you can admire da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. This evening, a farewell dinner has been included at a local restaurant to celebrate the success of your European vacation. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 10 Paris
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)
INCLUDED FEATURES
Headsets throughout the tour
Rome:
Welcome dinner; guided sightseeing, visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, and the Colosseum; family picture with a gladiator (if available)
Pisa:
Take pictures of the Leaning Tower
Montecatini:
Taste an Italian gelato
Florence:
Guided walking tour, visit the Academy of Fine Arts to see Michelangelo’s David, admire the cathedral and Signoria Square; pizza party at a local restaurant
Venice:
Private boat ride; pasta dinner at a local restaurant; Venetian Carnival mask decorating; vaporetto ride; guided sightseeing including St. Mark’s Square, Doges’ Palace and Bridge of Sighs
Täsch-Zermatt:
Cogwheel mountain train
Lausanne–Paris:
By TGV train (first-class)
Paris:
Ascend the Eiffel Tower to the top floor; guided sightseeing, visit Notre Dame; taste a crepe; farewell dinner at a local restaurant
INSIDE VISITS
Inside visits and special features are shown in the description, including admission charges when applicable.
MEALS
Full buffet breakfast; 1 pizza-party lunch in Florence; 6 three-course dinners, including a welcome dinner in Rome, a pasta dinner in Venice, and a farewell dinner in Paris.
SUPERIOR HOTELS – (D) Deluxe (SF) Superior First-Class (F) First-Class
Rome Starhotels Michelangelo (SF), Tuscany Francia e Quirinale (F) at Montecatini, Venice All’Angelo (F), Lake Maggiore Grand Hotel Bristol (F) at Stresa, Montreux Eurotel Riviera (F), Paris Novotel Paris Tour Eiffel (F)
Optional Excursions
Important Note: the following list of optional excursions are examples only for this vacation as they are the excursions that are being offered for this cruise in the current travel year. These optional excursions might or might not be offered next year, as well as new optional excursions might be offered. Information about what optional excursions will be offered for your cruise will be available later this year into next year. If no example excursions are listed, please check back a later.
Here’s a list of optional excursions you can enjoy during your vacation. Whether it’s a special dinner, a local show or a special behind-the-scenes glimpse into an historical site, optional excursions are a wonderful way to enrich your vacation even further. Plus, they give you flexibility. We include the must-see sites and experiences, and we also understand that people take interest in different activities and may want to craft a more personal vacation by hand-picking optional excursions that appeal to them.
Availability is subject to sufficient participation, weather conditions, seasonal suitability, days of operation, group interests, and general feasibility for your vacation. The approximate value listed gives you a good, general idea of what you can expect to pay but may vary once you are on your vacation. Some information provided might be in a foreign currency.
CITY: Lake Maggiore
Isola Bella
One of the last privately owned islands open to visitors. Enjoy a boat ride, a tour of the BORROMEO PALACE, and then time for the beautiful gardens, terraces, and market. Note: The Palace is open from March 20 through October 17.
Approximate value: EUR €37 per person
CITY: Paris
Dinner Party and Illumination Drive
A perfect introduction to Paris! After a full-course dinner with choices of typical French dishes, drinks included, your tour director will show you the City of Lights.
Approximate value: EUR €62 per person
Beautiful Paris
Discover more of beautiful Paris with a cruise on the Seine, a walking tour on the famous Champs Elysees, a visit to the historic Le Marais district or to the artistic district of Montmartre, or an illumination drive. Your Tour Director will propose a combination of these highlights to help you fully experience the “City of Light.”
Approximate value: EUR €35 per person
Louvre (closed on Tuesday, Public Holiday, and Sundays to groups)
Let your guide bring to life the most celebrated treasures of the impressive LOUVRE MUSEUM including the famous “Mona Lisa”, the masterpiece of Leonardo Da Vinci. Note: This excursion is not available to groups on Tuesdays, public holidays, and Sundays.
Approximate value: EUR €39 per person
Versailles (closed on Monday)
A short journey from Paris with your local guide to the lavish 17th-century classical palace built by Sun King Louis XIV, with its magnificent STATE APARTMENTS, Hall of Mirrors, and the Royal Chapel. Time to stroll through parts of the elegant 250-acre GARDENS. Note: This excursion is not available on Mondays and public holidays.
Approximate value: EUR €55 per person
CITY: Rome
Roman Highlights
A guided walking tour takes you to some of the most famous monuments. Admire the Spanish Steps, Via Condotti, Piazza Navona, Parliament, and Pantheon. A four-course dinner including drinks at a popular Roman restaurant can also be added for the total price of EUR 63.00 per person.
Approximate value: EUR €36 per person
Roman Hidden Treasures
Your Tour Director will propose a tailor-made itinerary for your tour that features some of Rome’s authentic jewels such as: Trastevere and its basilica of Santa Maria or the baroque district, Campo de’ Fiori, the Pantheon and San Luigi dei Francesi with Caravaggio paintings or famous Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, Via dei Condotti and Piazza del Popolo with its church of Santa Maria del Popolo and displays of Caravaggio paintings.
Approximate value: EUR €36 per person
CITY: Venice
Gondola Serenade
Enjoy a serenaded ride in a traditional gondola (for 6 people), gliding through centuries-old canals, under famous arched bridges, and past lavish palaces and quaint piazzas.
Approximate value: EUR €37 per person
CITY: Zermatt
Gornergrat
Experience incomparable panoramic views. In just 40 minutes by mountain railway, climb 10,132 feet for a magnificent view of Switzerland’s loftiest peaks.
Approximate value: EUR €50 per person
Klein Matterhorn
Take a cable car ride to the top of 12,739-foot-high Klein Matterhorn, the highest sightseeing point in Europe. Enjoy the breathtaking mountain landscape of glaciers and permanent snow.
Approximate value: EUR €62 per person
