WELCOME TO LONDON

After checking into your hotel, enjoy a free afternoon exploring the pomp and pageantry of England’s capital city. Perhaps relax with a walk along the Serpentine in Hyde Park or window-shop in the elegant boutiques of Knightsbridge? Alternatively, stroll along the River Thames to the iconic Tower Bridge and Tower of London. At 18:00, join your Travel Director for a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant and get to know your fellow travellers during a pleasant evening.

Hotel:Amba Hotel Marble Arch, London.

Meals:Dinner with Wine

DISCOVERING LONDON

London has plenty to offer. Journey through London’s West End, where your Local Expert will show you all the major sights, starting with a panoramic drive from Piccadilly Circus to Parliament Square and on to Westminster Abbey. Stop for the perfect photo opportunity beside an iconic Red Telephone Box, with Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in the background. Continue past Downing Street to Trafalgar Square, where the four Landseer Lions protect Nelson’s Column, erected to honour the victory of 1805. Visit the Horse Guards Parade to meet a serving Royal Horse Guard and learn what it takes to be a part of HM The Queen’s Mounted Bodyguard. At the Household Cavalry Museum, discover the significance and secret messages hidden within a Cavalryman’s uniform, there’s even a chance to try it on for yourself. Next, stroll beside St James’s Park along The Mall to reach the official London Residence of HM The Queen, Buckingham Palace. When available, you will have the opportunity to watch the historical Changing of the Guard ceremony in front of the palace.

Hotel:Amba Hotel Marble Arch, London.

Meals:Buffet Breakfast

DEPART FROM LONDON FOR PARIS BY EUROSTAR

In the morning, transfer to London’s St. Pancras Station to board the high-speed Eurostar. Your comfortable rail journey takes you via the revolutionary Channel Tunnel to Paris. During your time in Paris, see the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, the facades of the Louvre, the banks of the River Seine with its many romantic bridges, Place de la Concorde and drive along the Champs Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe. In the evening, wine and dine in a chic restaurant facing Notre Dame Cathedral and boasting four centuries of culinary excellence.

Hotel:Paris Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel.

Meals:Buffet Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

PARIS, THE CITY OF LIGHT

In small groups, join a local foodie and venture into neighbourhoods where Parisians go about their daily lives. Explore a patisserie, boulangerie, fromagerie and chocolatier – all tiny and filled with character. Treat your senses as you sample the delicacies along the way. With the afternoon and evening free, why not head up the Eiffel tower or see the can-can performed at a famous French cabaret? Perhaps see the city from the second elevation of the iconic Eiffel Tower, or why not visit one of the world-famous cabaret shows?

Hotel:Paris Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel.

Meals:Buffet Breakfast

BEAUTIFUL BURGUNDY AND ON TO LUCERNE

Journey through the Burgundy wine region, before passing the Jura Mountains and crossing into Switzerland to arrive in glorious lakeside Lucerne. See the town’s proud Lion Monument, carved into a limestone cliff and dedicated to the heroic Swiss Guards who died defending King Louis XVI during the French Revolution. Then, take some time to stroll across the covered Chapel Bridge and see the baroque Jesuit Church. The rest of the day is at leisure to shop for fine watches and delectable chocolates. For dinner, choose your own style of cuisine from our selection of local restaurants on your Dine-Around Evening.

Hotel:The Hotel Astoria Lucerne.

Meals:Buffet Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

MOUNTAINS AND LAKES

In the morning, embark on a scenic journey by funicular railway and open-top cable car to the summit of the stunning Mount Stanserhorn, where you will meet a Swiss Ranger and learn about local wildlife. Breathe in the pristine mountain air and, on a clear day, witness views as far as Alsace in France and the Black Forest in Germany. Continue your journey, across the Italian border. On the other side of the Dolomites, enter the beautiful Italian Lake District, a favourite retreat of the rich and famous where alpine scenery combines with lush subtropical vegetation. Arrive at Lake Maggiore’s Baveno, noted for its narrow cobbled streets and charming 16th century square.

Hotel:Hotel Simplon, Baveno, Italian Lakes.

Meals:Buffet Breakfast

VENICE, THE QUEEN OF THE ADRIATIC

Enjoy a morning at leisure, making the most of your final moments amongst the charming Italian Lake District before your travels continue east through Northern Italy, to the glorious city of Venice.

Hotel:B4 Bellini Venezia, Venice.

Meals:Buffet Breakfast

OVER THE CHIANTI HILLS TO FLORENCE

Drive to the Chianti Hills and the city of Florence. A Local Expert will accompany you to the Duomo where the Gates of Paradise adorn the baptistery. Continue to Piazza della Signoria, the political heart of the city, lined with fountains and statues it acts as a virtual open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces. A leisurely afternoon give you time to shop for quality goods, like gold and leather, which Florence is famous for. Alternatively, there is the option to visit the Accademia Gallery with an art historian to see Michelangelo’s famed masterpiece, ‘David.’ In the evening, savour an authentic family-style dinner of home-made cuisine at a local trattoria. Perfectly set among the beautiful Tuscan countryside, you are served fresh ingredients prepared to traditional recipes.

Hotel:Hotel Londra, Florence.

Meals:Buffet Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

ARRIVEDERCI VENICE

Bid farewell to this enchanting city. Your departure transfer arrives at Venice Marco Polo Airport at 08:00 or 09:30.

Meals:Buffet Breakfast