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Begin your vacation in London with two overnights and plenty of leisure time to make your own discoveries in this lively city. Cross the Channel by ferry and board your motorcoach to Paris. Your 2-night stay includes guided sightseeing and free time to see more of the French capital at your own pace. Head south through Burgundy to picture-perfect Lucerne in Switzerland, then visit Lugano in the Swiss Italian-speaking canton of Ticino before crossing into Italy. Stop in Verona to see Juliet’s balcony, and in beautiful Venice for a canal boat ride to St. Mark’s Square, guided sightseeing, and time at leisure to maybe try an optional gondola ride. In Florence, “Cradle of the Renaissance,” enjoy a guided walking tour that introduces you to Santa Croce, Piazza Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, the Giotto Campanile and Brunelleschi Cupola in Piazza del Duomo. Admire the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa before spending two nights in the “Eternal City” of Rome. |
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City Highlights Visits to Lucerne, Lugano, Verona, Pisa Meals 11 buffet breakfasts (B); 3 dinners (D) Hotels: Listed below or equivalent. Rooms with private bath or shower, hotel taxes, porterage, tips, and service chargesLONDON Thistle Euston (ST), PARIS Ibis Paris Berthier (ST), LAKE LUCERNE Seehof (ST) at Flüelen, VENICE AREA Poppi (ST) at Mira, FLORENCE AREA Europa (ST) at Signa, ROME Dei Massimi (F)
Day 1:
Tue. BOARD YOUR OVERNIGHT TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT. Day 2: Wed. ARRIVAL IN LONDON, ENGLAND. Check into your hotel. In the afternoon you may want to start exploring the lively British capital. Uniformed Hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay. Day 3: Thu. LONDON. A full day to savor our rich program of optional activities: take a panoramic tour of London’s landmarks, visit the Tower of London, or choose an excursion to Windsor Castle. Tonight maybe a leisurely cruise on the River Thames? (B) Day 4: Fri. LONDON-PARIS, FRANCE. Leave London in the early morning and head through the lush English countryside to the Channel port, where you board your ferry for the Continent. Here you’ll be met by your Tour Director and luxury coach. Drive through the French countryside by way of the fast autoroute, arriving in Paris in time to enjoy your first evening here. (B) Day 5: Sat. PARIS. One full day to explore the city that’s known throughout the world for its fashions, art and museums, delicious food, and joie de vivre. Included sightseeing with a local expert of many of the best-known Parisian sights: La Sorbonne, Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramid near the Louvre, the Invalides, and Champs Elysées. Optional excursions are also available to the Palace and Gardens of Versailles. This evening why not join an optional welcome dinner. (B) Day 6: Sun. PARIS-LAKE LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND. Fascinating, ever-changing scenery today. Views of Fontainebleau Forest, the wine-growing area of Burgundy, then prosperous farms and tidy half-timbered villages as you head through the Alpine heart of Switzerland to picture-book Lake Lucerne. (B,D) Day 7: Mon. LUCERNE. Enjoy one of Switzerland’s finest cities, nestled amid its snow-capped Alps, surrounded by its lake, and embellished by the clear mountain waters of the River Reuss. Your sightseeing focuses on the impressive city walls, a covered wooden bridge, ornate patrician houses lining cobblestone streets, and the Lion Monument—a masterful stone sculpture in honor of the heroic Swiss Guard of Louis XVI. A grand selection of optional activities completes the day: a cable car ride to the 10,000-foot summit of Mount Titlis, a cruise on the fjord-like lake, a typical Swiss folklore evening, and, of course, time to shop for that very Swiss watch. (B) Day 8: Tue. LAKE LUCERNE-LUGANO-VENICE AREA, ITALY. More wonderful Alpine scenery as you drive into the mountain ranges that surround the massive St. Gotthard. Once through its great tunnel, you’ll start your scenic descent into the warmer and sunnier ambiance of the Canton Ticino. Stop in beautiful Lugano and take a stroll along the lakeside promenade. In the afternoon, cross into Italy and drive through the Lombardy plains on to Verona for a stop to see Juliet’s balcony. Overnight in the Venice area. (B) Day 9: Wed. VENICE. Venice is more like a marvelous film set than a real live city, with criss-crossing canals, gondolas and water buses, arched bridges, palaces, and little quiet piazzas. The included tour starts with a boat ride and is followed by a visit to St. Mark’s Basilica and a chance to watch Venetian glassblowers fashion their delicate objects as they did centuries ago. Don’t miss out on the optional gondola trip, gliding along the picturesque canals with a local troubadour to serenade you. (B,D) Day 10: Thu. VENICE AREA-FLORENCE AREA. Start the day by journeying south across the Apennines into the gentle and hilly countryside of Tuscany, to Florence for an included walking tour with a Local Guide. (B,D) Day 11: Fri. FLORENCE AREA-PISA-ROME. Traffic is banned in part of the historic center so visitors can wander at leisure and admire this Renaissance gem and city of the Medicis. Later, stop in Pisa to see the famed Square of Miracles and view the Leaning Tower. Then journey south to Rome. Tonight an optional evening drive through the city, a floodlit spectacular of shimmering fountains, magnificent churches and piazzas, followed by dinner. (B) Day 12: Sat. ROME. Included sightseeing with a Local Guide starts in St. Peter’s Square, followed by a visit to the Roman Forum and the mighty Colosseum. (B) Day 13: Sun. YOUR HOMEBOUND FLIGHT ARRIVES THE SAME DAY. (B)
Visits to Lucerne, Lugano, Verona, Pisa
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Note: All prices are per person, double occupancy, subject to availability. These pages are not endorsed or supported by the tour operator in any way. All information presented is based on promotional material provided by the tour operator. All prices, itineraries, accommodations and dates are subject to change without notice and at any time by the tour operators. Availability is limited and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. The prices on this website are not guaranteed. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in pricing. Please call us toll free at 1-800-942-3301 to confirm availability and pricing.
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