Itinerary
- Day 1
Amsterdam
You'll arrive in Amsterdam and spend your first hours getting oriented to the city on your own. Walk through the neighborhoods, take in the canals and those distinctive gabled houses. Later this evening, you'll meet your Travel Director and group for an orientation tour. During that tour, you'll stroll past the historic canals and squares before heading on a canal cruise where you can watch the bridges light up and see the waterfront come alive.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Orientation tour of Amsterdam with Travel Director
- Evening canal cruise
Landmarks/POIs Amsterdam Canals - Day 2
Amsterdam
This is a full day where you choose your own adventure in Amsterdam. You can head out to Muiderslot Castle to walk through medieval rooms and gardens, or drive to the Zuider Zee region where you'll see windmills, try local cheese, and watch wooden shoe making in the fishing village of Volendam. After your choice activity, you'll head back for dinner in a traditional Dutch house with that cosy atmosphere that makes the country special.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner in a historic Dutch house)
Included Activities
- Dinner in a historic Dutch house
Optional Activities
- Visit Muiderslot Castle with medieval halls and gardens tour
- Zuider Zee experience including cheese tasting, wooden shoe making demonstration, windmill visit, and Volendam fishing village tour
- Dinner in historic Dutch house
Landmarks/POIs Muiderslot Castle Volendam - Day 3
Amsterdam to Rhine Valley, Germany
You'll travel east into Germany for a Rhine River cruise that takes you past small medieval villages, vineyards climbing steep hillsides, and castles that look like they're straight from storybooks. The boat ride itself is relaxed and scenic, giving you time to take in the landscape. Once you reach your hotel later, you'll have dinner and settle in for the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Rhine River cruise through Rhine Valley
- Dinner at hotel
Landmarks/POIs Rhine Valley - Day 4
Rhine Valley to Lucerne, Switzerland
Heading south, you'll cross into Switzerland and arrive in Lucerne. Your Travel Director will lead an orientation tour through the Old Town where you'll cross the wooden Chapel Bridge and see the Lion Monument carved into the rock, which marks a somber piece of history. After that tour wraps up, the rest of your day is open. You can explore the town on your own pace or sign up for an optional alpine adventure if you want something more active.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Orientation tour of Lucerne Old Town
- View Chapel Bridge
- Visit Lion Monument
Optional Activities
- Scenic cruise across Lake Lucerne to Stans with railway and cable car to alpine mountains for mountain views
Landmarks/POIs Chapel Bridge Lion Monument Lake Lucerne - Day 5
Lucerne to Venice, Italy
You'll drive south through the St. Gotthard Pass, which takes you through some serious mountain scenery before crossing into Italy. From there, you'll head past the lakes and plains until you reach Venice. Once you arrive, you have time to get settled and explore on your own, or join a choice experience that takes you on a gondola and water taxi ride through the Grand Canal and smaller waterways.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Private water taxi cruise along Venice's Grand Canal and gondola ride through narrow calle and waterways
Landmarks/POIs St. Gotthard Highway Lake Como Venice Grand Canal - Day 6
Venice
A private launch will take you to St. Mark's Square where everything is within walking distance. You'll see the famous Byzantine basilica and wander through the narrow streets. The day includes a visit to a glassblowing workshop where you'll watch craftspeople make glass the same way their ancestors did for centuries. In the afternoon, there's an option to take a cruise out to Burano, the colorful island known for its painted houses and lace work.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Cruise by private launch to St. Mark's Square
- Visit Byzantine Basilica of St. Mark
- Glassblowing workshop visit (MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience)
Optional Activities
- Optional cruise across the lagoon to the island of Burano
Landmarks/POIs St. Mark's Square Basilica of St. Mark Burano - Day 7
Venice to Rome, Italy
You'll travel south through Tuscany's rolling countryside and over the Apennine mountains until you reach Rome. Once there, your day is open for exploring at your own pace. Grab lunch at a local spot, sit in one of the piazzas and watch people go by, or join an optional guided tour if you want more structure. Rome moves at its own rhythm, so adjust your pace to match.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Guided sightseeing tour of Rome
Landmarks/POIs Rome - Day 8
Rome
This morning your Local Guide leads a sightseeing tour starting in Vatican City. You'll see St. Peter's Basilica and the square that surrounds it, taking in the sheer scale of it all. After the tour, the rest of the day is free for you to walk around Rome however you like. Later in the evening, there's an optional meal where you can taste food prepared the way Italian families have been making it for generations.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided sightseeing tour of Vatican City with Local Guide
- Visit St. Peter's Basilica and St. Peter's Square
Optional Activities
- Optional light-hearted dinner in the evening
Landmarks/POIs St. Peter's Basilica St. Peter's Square Vatican City - Day 9
Rome to Florence, Italy
You'll head west to Florence, the city where the Renaissance started and where artists and writers have found inspiration for centuries. Walk through the center and see the Fountain of Neptune in Piazza della Signoria. Then in the evening, there's an option to join a dinner experience out in the Tuscan countryside, which gives you a completely different side of the region.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Fountain of Neptune in Piazza della Signoria
Optional Activities
- Choice Experience dinner in Tuscan countryside
Landmarks/POIs Fountain of Neptune Piazza della Signoria - Day 10
Florence to Monaco and French Riviera, France
Your drive west takes you first to Pisa where you can photograph that leaning tower and walk around the Piazza dei Miracoli with its striped marble buildings. After that, you'll continue to Monaco and drive along its fancy boulevards before heading to the French Riviera. By evening you'll be settled on the coast, ready to soak up the area's sophisticated atmosphere.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Leaning Tower of Pisa
- View Pisa's Romanesque Square of Miracles (Cathedral and Baptistery)
Landmarks/POIs Leaning Tower of Pisa Square of Miracles Pisa Cathedral Pisa Baptistery Monaco - Day 11
French Riviera
You've got the full day to spend however you want on the French Riviera. Some people prefer to relax by the water with a drink in hand. Others head inland to Saint-Paul-de-Vence, a hilltop town surrounded by walls where you can walk narrow streets and see why famous people have been drawn to it for decades. Either way, you're in for a glamorous kind of day.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Optional exploration of Saint-Paul-de-Vence walled hill-town
Landmarks/POIs Saint-Paul-de-Vence - Day 12
French Riviera to Avignon to Lyon, France
You'll travel north to Avignon in Provence where history really shows itself. The 14th century left behind the Palace of the Popes and the St. Bénézet Bridge, both incredible examples of religious architecture. You'll see these while your guide explains the papal history. Later in the day, you'll continue on to Lyon, leaving the heart of Provence behind.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- View Palace of the Popes
- View St. Bénézet Bridge
Landmarks/POIs Palace of the Popes St. Bénézet Bridge - Day 13
Lyon to Versailles and Paris, France
A choice experience tour takes you to Versailles where you'll walk through the palace that King Louis XIV built to show off his power and wealth. You'll see the Hall of Mirrors with its chandeliers and reflective surfaces, plus the massive gardens that surround the whole compound. After that, you'll head into Paris for the evening and get to experience the city after dark.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Palace of Versailles tour with Local Specialist
- View Palace of Versailles gardens
- Visit Hall of Mirrors
Landmarks/POIs Palace of Versailles Hall of Mirrors - Day 14
Paris
Your full day in Paris starts with a sightseeing tour led by your Travel Director where you'll see the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Élysées, and the Eiffel Tower. After that tour wraps up, Paris is yours to explore. You can wander Montmartre's streets, check out the artist's square, shop for paintings, or just find a café and settle in. If you want, end your evening with an optional dinner and cabaret show.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Sightseeing tour with Travel Director
- View Arc de Triomphe
- View Champs-Élysées
- View Eiffel Tower
Optional Activities
- Optional visit to Montmartre with maze of streets and Artist's Square exploration
- Optional dinner and cabaret performance in the evening
Landmarks/POIs Arc de Triomphe Champs-Élysées Eiffel Tower Montmartre Artist's Square - Day 15
Paris
After breakfast, you'll say goodbye to your travel group and head out. Your tour comes to an end today.
- Meals
- Breakfast
