European Bliss

Today we will visit the capital, Prague, the Baroque jewel of Europe. Our local expert will provide an informative city tour, which will include outstanding monuments. During the visit we walk through Prague Castle (admission included). Subsequently, we shall take a boat tour on the Vltava River. In the afternoon enjoy some free time to explore the city. In the evening, we will enjoy more time in the historic city centre and there will be an opportunity for you to take dinner. Return to hotel.

We leave for Germany. In the region of Bavaria, we will see LAUF AN DER PEGNITZ, a picturesque little village which stands out because of its busy Market Square and Castle. After this we will carry on to WURZBURG, with time for lunch and to see this Bavarian city on the banks of the Maine River, a former bishopric centre and now a very busy university city. Our journey continues to FRANKFURT. Explore the historic city and choose one of the many international restaurants. Go to the hotel.

Today we will take a small Cruise on the Rhine, be- tween the villages of RUDESHEIM and ST. GOAR, un- doubtedly the river’s most picturesque section. After this we will travel to COLOGNE, a city which stands out for its immense gothic cathedral. Then on to the Neth- erlands. Arriving to AMSTERDAM in the late afternoon.

Today we have a very exciting day in the Netherlands. We will go to Zaanse Schans with its mills, canals and its typical houses. Next VOLENDAM, a very pictur- esque fishing village. A short boat trip from Volendam, will take us to MARKEN (an island that was joined to the mainland by a fixed dike), where the houses there are built on stilts. After this, we travel to AMSTERDAM where we will enjoy a panoramic visit of the city to see its narrow canals, its official buildings and parks. We will also see the technique of diamond cutting. A large part of the visit will be done on foot, the informationwill be given through headphones. Time for dinner in Rembrandtplein, an area with many restaurants from all corners of the world and near the red-light district with its liberal values. Go to the hotel.

Today we will leave for BRUSSELS, taking time in the Grand Place and making a stop to photograph the Ato- mium. Continuing to BRUGES, the marvellous Flemish city known as the Venice of the North. Time for lunch. Our journey will take us to France. Arriving in PARIS at the end of the day.

Today we take a guided tour to discover the history, main boulevards and the breathtaking monuments of Paris. We end the visit at the Eiffel Tower. You will have the opportunity to climb up to the second floor of this remarkable metal monument (ticket admission included). End your visit with a boat cruise along the River Seine, which divides the north of Paris from the south. Enjoy an afternoon of leisure to explore and relax! At sunset enjoy dinner in the Latin Quarter, a very picturesque historic area where a wide variety of international cuisines await you. We will then return to hotel.

We will start the day by going to the centre of Paris, to the area of the Louvre Museum. Enjoy some leisure time to explore. If you wish, we can accompany you to Benlux, one of the most complete and best-known per- fumeries in Paris.

Today we travel to the centre of France, to the Bour- gogne region, famous for its wines. Making a stop in SEMUR EN AUXOIS, a small medieval town listed sur- rounded by impressive walls. After this we will visit BEAUNE, located in the centre of the Bourgogne re- gion, with its streets full of flowers, hospice and wine museum all points of interest. Time for lunch. Continu- ing on, we will arrive to LYON in the mid-afternoon, the capital of Roman Gallia on the banks of the Rhône (its historic centre has been declared a World Heritage site). We include a funicular climb to Notre Dame de Fourviere where we have a great view of the city. Enjoy some leisure time to walk around.

Next, we have a beautiful stage of our journey as we travel to Switzerland. In GENEVA, with our guide, we will go to the Palais des Nations (the United Na- tions headquarters in Europe) and then to the beautiful Jardin Anglais (English Garden) with its famous flower clock. You can also admire the Jet d’Eau, the tallest fountain in Europe. After lunch, we will continue through Switzerland passing the beautiful Leman Lake (Lake Ge- neva) and Neuchatel Lake. We will arrive to ZURICH in the late afternoon.

We start the day with a stroll in the most populated city of Switzerland, Zurich, the financial and cultural capi- tal of the country. Zurich has twice been declared the city with the best quality of life in the world. After this we will board a boat for a trip on Zurich lake, this will last about two hours. The boat makes brief stops, allow- ing us to admire the villages along the way. We get off in RAPPERSWIL, a small and highly picturesque village overlooked by its medieval castle. We return to Zurich by train and will see the efficiency and punctuality of the Swiss Railways. Enjoy an evening in the historic centre next to the lake, here you can dine at one of the many restaurants offering a wide range of different cuisines.

Today´s journey has beautiful landscapes with high mountains and lakes. Breathtaking scenery in the region of Interlaken. We will stop in GRINDELWALD where we will have time for a coffee before taking the cable car up to mountain. We will walk along the winding path which will lead us to the ¨footbridge over the empty¨. Dare to walk along the bridge amongst the fantastic scenery enjoying glaciers all around us. We will take lunch up the mountain (included) before heading back down. We continue to LUCERNE, one of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland. In the evening we have time to stroll around, enjoying the city and taking dinner before we return to the hotel in Zurich.

In the morning we will travel to BURGLEN, the tiny vil- lage where William Tell was born, we will visit the chapel of the XVI century with paintings illustrating his life. Af- terwards continue to the enchanting little town of MOR- COTE, with its houses made of stone and covered with flowers. Next, we enter Italy and make a stop in Como, on the shores of a lake. The city highlights a Gothic Ca- thedral. On to MILAN, where our guide will take you to the impressive Duomo Square. Time for dinner at one of the restaurants offering a wide range of international cuisines. After dinner, transfer back to the hotel.

Today we continue our journey towards PISA. On a little tourist train, we will travel to the Piazza Dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), where there will be time to admire one of the most alluring and beautiful art complexes in Italy, including the well-known Leaning Tower of Pisa. Then, we continue to Rome, arriving at the end of the afternoon.

In the morning, we will have a tour of the city, which will be a great introduction to “The Eternal city”. We en- ter the tiny state of the Vatican. The Vatican City is a principal centre of Christianity in the world. You will be able to visit St. Peter’s Basilica. We will also enter the Roman Coliseum (admission price included), the prin- cipal symbol of Rome. This impressive construction dates back 2,000 years and will transport us in time so that we can learn about ancient society in the Roman Empire.In the evening we will transfer you to the Via Cavour area, where you will find many international restaurants to enjoy your dinner at. After dinner return to the hotel.

After breakfast a transfer takes you to the airport to take your flight at around 11.00 to Madrid. Upon ar- rival we shall be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Towards the end of the day, we provide transfer to the Egyptian Debod temple, Plaza de España and Gran Via; a vibrant district where you can dine at your pre- ferred restaurant: Indian, Chinese, Spanish and Middle Eastern are some of the options.

The morning starts with a comprehensive tour through the centre of Madrid including Paseo del Prado, Cibeles, Neptuno, the Gate of Alcalá, Plaza de Colón and Plaza Mayor. We then visit to Retiro Park, an oasis in the city centre, where we will see the lake and the Glass Palace. A visit to Las Ventas Bullring (admission included) is next, this is one of the most famous bullrings in the world where we will learn about the tradition of “corridas” in the Bullfighting Museum. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure. At sunset we provide a transfer to Plaza de Oriente, opposite the Royal Palace, an elegant and bustling area with many restaurants serving different cuisines such as local Spanish food, international, and Chinese. Enjoy a pleasant dinner of your choice, then re- turn to hotel together.

In the morning we leave for Aragón over the lands of Castile. In ZARAGOZA we stop briefly to see the Pilar Basilica. We continue to the Monastery of Poblet, sur- rounded by its walls in a beautiful site that is one of the best-preserved medieval monasteries in the world (en- trance and guided tour included). We then proceed to the Monastery of Montserrat where you will go up the mountain on a rack train to see its fantastic scenery. Following this we will continue to BARCELONA, arriving in the late afternoon.

Today we will explore Barcelona, an impressive city right on the Mediterranean Sea. Starting with an informative city tour with a local expert (note: If the group has fewer than fifteen people, explanations can be given by our guide.) We also visit the city’s historic central area with its Gothic neighbourhood dating back to the Middle Ages. We will visit the area where the Olympic Games took place. We will get the chance to see La Sagrada Familia Basilica; the masterpiece designed by the archi- tect Gaudí. Following this, we include the entry ticket to visit ‘Poble Espanyol’ (meaning ‘Spanish Village’). This open-air architectural museum is situated in one of the most emblematic areas of Barcelona. Enjoy Span- ish craftsmanship and discover the architectural styles, traditions and folklore of the different communities in Spain. Take some free time to explore the city on your own. In the evening we provide transfers to Las Ram- blas and Plaza Catalunya area for dinner, where you can select from a great variety of restaurants. Return to hotel.

After breakfast, end of our services.