European Spotlight and Zurich

In the morning we have a sightseeing tour with a local guide (note: explanations may be given by our guide if the group has fewer than twelve people). We visit traditional neighbourhoods, which take in the Belem district, the birthplace of the great Portuguese navigators who sailed the oceans in the Fifteenth Century. We will look around the Monument to the Discoveries, Belem Tower, and the beautiful Jeronimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure to explore the city independently. In the late afternoon, we transfer to the Restauradores Square, a public square with restaurants and cafes. We suggest you ride the Elevador Da Gloria funicular that takes you to the viewpoint of San Pedro with beautiful views over Lisbon and the Bairro Alto. Return to the hotel.

Today we travel to the north of Portugal and visit FATIMA, an important sanctuary (a pilgrimage site). We will continue on our way through the green lands of the centre, passing into Spain, and over grasslands we cross the North of Extremadura. Lunch included en route in a regional food restaurant. Continuing to MADRID, arriving at the end of the day. Then we include transportation to Plaza Mayor where you can enjoy at some typical taverns.

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 return 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, surrounded by its walls in a beautiful site that is one of thebest-preserved medieval monasteries in the world (entrance 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 architect Gaudí. Following this, we include the entry ticket to visit ‘Poble Espanyol’ (meaning ‘Spanish Village’). This openair architectural museum is situated in one of the most emblematic areas of Barcelona. Enjoy Spanish 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 Ramblas and Plaza Catalunya area for dinner, where you can select from a great variety of restaurants. Return to hotel.

After breakfast we will transfer you to the train station to catch the high-speed train to Paris. The train is comfortable, and the journey takes you through wonderful landscapes. The train journey takes 6 hours and 30 minutes. After arriving in Paris, we will transfer to the hotel. In the evening, we will go to the Montmartre district.This neighbourhood is known for its painters, artists, and its cabarets. Choose from one of the many restaurants and sit down to a relaxing dinner. We ascend to the top of the hill by cable car to admire the spectacular views of Paris. After this we will return to hotel.

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 perfumeries in Paris.

Today we travel to the centre of France, to the Bourgogne region, famous for its wines. Making a stop in SEMUR EN AUXOIS, a small medieval town listed surrounded by impressive walls. After this we will visit BEAUNE, located in the centre of the Bourgogne region, with its streets full of flowers, hospice and wine museum all points of interest. Time for lunch. Continuing 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 Nations 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 Geneva) 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 capital 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, allowing 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.

After breakfast, end of our services. Check the time of your flight in case you need an additional night.