16 Days European Winter Sampler Tour Package

Duration: 16 Days / 15 Nights
Priced Fro,m: $2,839 pp Dbl. Occ.
Dates: Nov, Jan - Mar

As the name implies, this vacation is a sample of some of the major highlights of Europe. Start with London, then travel by Eurostar train to Brussels and continue by motorcoach to Amsterdam. Stay one night at the Rhine and enjoy a Rhine River cruise (weather depending) before entering the Alps. Explore Lucerne and Lugano in Switzerland, then enter Italy across spectacular Brenner Pass and arrive in Venice. Sail by private boat to St. Mark’s Square. In Rome, guided sightseeing includes visits to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s, the Colosseum, and the Roman Forum. After admiring Michelangelo’s David in the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, follow the Mediterranean coast to Nice, from where you will travel the next morning on a high-speed TGV train to Paris. In the “City of Light,” guided sightseeing includes a ride to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.

Day 1

Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2 Arrive in London

The London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, England
Uniformed Hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay.

Day 3 London

Sightseeing with a Local Guide includes all the famous landmarks: the Houses of Parliament

Overlooking The Houses of Parliament along the north bank of the Thames River

and Big Ben  Story aboutHouses of Parliament
"Big Ben may be the most famous feature of the Houses of Parliament, but equally impressive is the hammerbeam ceiling of Westminster Hall. The Hall dates back to 1097 and, at that time, the roof was supported by pillars. During the reign of King Richard II (14th century), however, it was replaced by the hammerbeam roof seen today. This roof – its beauty and sustainability – is even more impressive when you know its history. It was built with beams made from trees that were ancient at the time, reputedly acorns, dating back to the 6th century (or earlier). If only these walls (beams, rather) could talk!"
beside the River Thames, Westminster Abbey  Story about"Story of Mary, Queen of Scots"
"Crowned Queen of Scotland at less than a year of age in 1543 and heralded as the true Queen of England by many Catholics at age 15, as well as the Queen Consort of France at 16, Mary, Queen of Scots was charismatic, shrewd, courageous and beautiful. She loved archery, riding horses, hunting and hawking and played golf, billiards, cards and chess. Despite her passion for fun, she entered the world’s stage at a time of especially heated conflict between Catholics and Protestants. It was this conflict that drove the intrigue, plotting and backstabbing that dominated much of her life. In 1568, Mary, Queen of Scots, was unjustly accused of complicity in the murder of one husband and later imprisoned in England for 19 years, not because she was guilty of a crime but because her freedom would have been a threat to the English throne. At age 44, she was executed for treason in a plot to kill Elizabeth I, a conviction that was purely political. Despite the fact that Mary and Elizabeth I were blood cousins, queens of contiguous countries reigning at the same time and inextricably bound by political rivalry, Mary and Elizabeth never met. Only in death did they become close: Both are buried in Westminster Abbey."
, Whitehall’s mounted horseguards and the Prime Minister’s Downing Street, and Buckingham Palace  Story aboutBuckingham Palace
"Amid the splendor of modern cities it’s hard to imagine what places looked like before they became what we know today. In a previous incarnation, the ground where Buckingham Palace now stands was a mulberry garden cultivated by King James I as food for silkworms. The silk industry he hoped to nurture never materialized, and eventually a roadhouse was built there, followed in due course by the Blake House, Goring House and Arlington House.Originally known as the Buckingham House, built as a townhouse by the Duke of Buckingham in 1709, the estate was acquired by King George III in 1762."
. Also see the ceremonial pageantry of the Changing of the Guard  Story aboutChanging of the Guard
"Changing the Guard dates to Henry VII (reigned 1485-1509) and was designed to show military discipline as well as ceremony. The tall bearskin hats were introduced in the 18th century to make the soldiers look taller and thus more frightening, and they were adopted for ceremonial use in 1832. The ceremony we know today started in the late 1800s and involves real soldiers who fulfill all military duties, guarding the Queen being just part of their service."
, if held. Afternoon free for an optional excursion to the Tower of London  Story aboutTower of London
"Since its founding in the 11th century, the Tower of London has served many roles: impregnable fortress, royal residence, armory, treasury, home of the famed Crown Jewels, and a prison for those who offended the monarchy. To this day it is guarded by the “Beefeaters,” a name that likely originates from when Tower guards were paid part of their salary with chunks of beef, a practice that continued until the 1800s."
. (B)

Day 4 London–Brussels

View the magnificent Gothic and Baroque architecture on the Grand Place in Brussels, Belgium–Amsterdam
Enjoy the lovely canals of Amsterdam, Holland

Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and transfer to the railway station to board the EUROSTAR TRAIN to Brussels, Belgium. From here, a comfortable drive brings you to Amsterdam, Holland. Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel. (B,D)

Day 5 Amsterdam

A Local Guide shows you the 700-year-old capital, and the highlight is a CANAL CRUISE, where you’ll marvel at patrician mansions, gabled façades, and humpback bridges. Next, visit a major DIAMOND CENTER and appreciate how a rough mineral is transformed into a sparkling jewel. Balance of the day is at leisure; you may wish to join an optional excursion to Volendam. (B)

Day 6 Amsterdam–Rhineland

Germany’s amazing landscapes along the Rhine river, Germany
On the way to Germany, enjoy a passing glance at the Dutch region best known as the locale of A Bridge Too Far. Enjoy a RHINE CRUISE  Story aboutA Short Wine Guide
"Historically, Germany’s wine has suffered with an “inferiority complex” fueled by the reputation of wine powerhouses France and Italy. And in modern times, they’ve tacked of “how to compete with a Bordeaux or a Chianti” by improving quality, while keep prices reasonable. Finally, German vintners are starting to reap the rewards. The world famous Riesling region, centered on the Rhine and its tributaries and in eastern Germany near Dresden, is the biggest success story to come out of Germany’s 13 wine growing regions. White grapes form 80 percent of the harvest, but reds are on the rise, as well as the general reputation of German wines."
(weather permitting) before arriving at your Rhineland hotel. (B,D)

Day 7 Rhineland–Lucerne, Switzerland

Enjoy some time in the wonderful town of Lucerne

A comfortable drive past the Black Forest

The Black Forest in southwestern Germany

to Switzerland and picture-book Lucerne. During your walking tour, admire Thorwaldsen’s LION MONUMENT  Story aboutLion Monument
“The Lion of Lucerne” (Lowendenkmal) is a compelling statue in the north section of Old Town dedicated to the 42 members of the Swiss Guard who were assigned to protect Louis the XVI, Maria Antoinette and their family at the Royal Palace. When the Tuileries was stormed on August 10, 1792 by rioting Parisians at the start of the French Revolution, the king ordered the soldiers to lay down their arms. They were subsequently slaughtered by the crowd and the royal family was captured. Louis had made a big mistake. In 1821 Danish sculpture Berthel Thorwaldsen finished the sculpture, a 30-foot likeness of a wounded and dying lion with a broken lance in its heart and his paw resting atop the fleur-de-lys shield of the Bourbon king. The Latin inscription translated “To the bravery and fidelity of the Swiss.”
and the ornate patrician houses lining the cobbled streets of the Old Town, then cross the CHAPEL BRIDGE
The iconic Chapel Bridge in Lucerne is the oldest wooden bridge in Europe

to the Jesuit Church. (B,D)

Day 8 Lucerne–Lugano

Admire the towering majesty of the Swiss Alps and St. Gotthard on the way to the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. Arrive in the subtropical town of Lugano with time to admire the lake and the little shops under the arcades of Via Nassa. (B,D)

Day 9 Lugano–Venice

Venice is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the worl , Italy
Cross the Italian border and drive past Milan

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele shopping Center in Milan, Italy

to the Adriatic coast. Enter Venice in style by PRIVATE BOAT to ST. MARK’S SQUARE. Admire the byzantine basilica, the Clock Tower, lavish Doges’ Palace and the Bridge of Sighs  Story aboutBridge of Sighs
"The world’s most poetically-named bridge, Il Ponte dei Sospiri, the Bridge of Sighs, was built in 1614 so that prisoners of the Venetian state could be transferred in secret from the Doge’s Palace to the so-called Nuovi Prigioni, or New Prisons. The wistful name was actually conceived by the English poet Lord Byron in the early 1800s that imagined the horror of prisoners taking their last glimpse of Venice before going underground to captivity. "
. Watch skilled GLASSBLOWERS fashion their delicate objects, then time to explore or to join an optional gondola ride. (B)

Day 10 Venice–Rome

Saint Peter's Square in Rome

A scenic drive across the Apennine Mountains and through the vine- and olive-clad Tuscan Hills, home of the popular Chianti wines, brings you to the “Eternal City.” (B)

Day 11 Rome

Sightseeing with your Local Guide starts with a visit to the VATICAN MUSEUMS  Story aboutVatican Museums
"In the early 1500s, Rome was full of neglected ruins from the days of the ancient Empire, which still contained artworks buried amongst the rubble. The Renaissance had seen a sudden growth of interest in all things classical, and the popes – cultivated men who were in touch with the intellectual currents of the day – were the richest art collectors in Italy. They began offering substantial cash rewards for any sculptures, until Rome was scoured by freelance treasure hunters on the hunt for pagan masterpieces. The most dramatic discovery occurred in 1506, when a Roman father-and-son team of excavators reported a promising find near the ruined Baths of Titus. The artist Michelangelo himself excitedly hurried over to help with the work, followed by the pope’s official agent, Guiliano da Sangallo. When the excavators brushed away the dirt of 1,000 years, they found an enormous marble sculpture, perfectly intact, of a muscular Trojan hero being attacked by giant snakes. Guilano cried out in amazement, “This is the very Laocoön described by (the ancient Roman author) Pliny!” The sculpture was carted off to the Vatican Museum."
and SISTINE CHAPEL

The Sistine Chapel is world famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings

, world famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings. Continue to monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE and BASILICA. Cross the Tiber and visit the COLOSSEUM  Story aboutThe Colosseum
"Thanks to Hollywood recreations such as Gladiator, nothing symbolizes the cruelty of Imperial Rome as much as the Colosseum. In truth, the games held there were even more extreme and theatrical than modern film directors dare to suggest. A day at the Empire’s most famous arena was a total entertainment package, mixing bouts of savage violence with solemn religious pageantry, sexual titillation, slapstick comedy and kitschy stage shows."
and the ROMAN FORUM  Story aboutThe Roman Forum
"Visitors can be a little confused by the Roman Forum; at first glance, it is a rather lifeless array of marble fragments. But we must remember that in ancient times, this space was far more than the temples and monuments whose ruins we can explore today. It was filled with bustling, noisy life as the popular crossroads of the city – the predecessor, in fact, of the modern Italian piazza. Every morning at dawn, average Romans would escape their cramped, dark apartment blocks (called insulae, or “islands”) and spent their days outdoors. "
, where Roman legions marched in triumph. Time for independent activities and optional excursion possibilities. (B)

Day 12 Rome–Florence

Visit stunning Florence and the Ponte Vecchio

An easy morning drive back north to Florence. Enjoy a walking tour with a Local Guide and visit the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS with Michelangelo’s celebrated David

Admire the detailed craftsmanship of Michelangelo's David

, the magnificent CATHEDRAL, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze “Gate of Paradise,” and SIGNORIA SQUARE  Story aboutLa Piazza Della Signoria
"What’s the best vantage point to ponder the most illustrious town square in Florence, the Signoria? An outdoor table in the venerable Caffè Rivoire – preferably over a delicious, if not painfully expensive cioccolata con pane, a dark and mud-thick hot chocolate. Late at night, when the crowds have gone, you can search the long shadows and imagine that very little has changed here since the 1400s. The Signoria is the most elegant sculpture garden in Europe. Masterpieces include the splendid Neptune Fountain by Ammannati, Hercules and Cacus by Bandinelli and a precise copy of Michelangelo’s David, all strategically poised in front of the Palazzo Vecchio. This grand public space has been the centerpiece of Florence since the 15th Century, the golden age when the city was established as the most beautiful in Europe. Eminent merchants in their ostentatious finery met here to discuss business in the midst of Florence’s raucous daily life."
. Later, take a moment to check out the enticing shops with Florentine leather goods and gold jewelry. (B,D)

Day 13 Florence–Nice, France

Today, follow the Mediterranean coast past a string of Italian and French Riviera

Take in the beautiful sites of the French Riviera

resorts to Nice. An optional outing is available to Monte Carlo. (B)

Day 14 Nice–Paris

Transfer to the railway station and board the high-speed TGV TRAIN to Paris. You may wish to try out one of Paris’ fine restaurants and explore the “City of Light.” (B)

Day 15 Paris

Discover the world capital of chic and style  Story aboutFrench Fashion
There’s more than one way to conquer the world. The flabby, charismatic “Sun King,” Louis XIV, knew that he could impress the French people with his insanely lavish royal lifestyle, but he also wanted to make his mark on Europe. Throughout his 55 year rule in the 17th Century, he campaigned vigorously to establish Paris as the continent’s capital of style, promoting its gourmet food and wine, haute couture, cutting-edge perfumes, opulent furnishings and exquisite jewelry. Every new innovation required Louis’ personal imprimatur, making him the world’s first fashion dictator. Author Joan DeJean claimed in “The Essence of Style” that Louis’ devotion to elegance has shaped the culture of indulgence today – “Without the Sun King’s program for defining France as the land of luxury in glamour, there would never have been a Stork Club, a Bergdorf Goodman, a Chez Panisse or a Christophe of Beverly Hills.”
with a Local Guide and admire its most famous sights: the Opéra, Notre Dame Cathedral  Story aboutNotre Dame Cathedral
Europe’s most famous cathedral, whose twin Gothic towers loom above France’s most beloved river, the Seine, actually owes a lot of its international success to the author Victor Hugo. Back in 1831, when Hugo wrote his classic novel about a hunchbacked bell-ringer at Notre Dame who falls in love with a beautiful gypsy, the medieval cathedral had fallen on hard times. During the Revolution in 1789, it had been seized, looted of its treasures and converted into an atheistic “Temple of Reason.” Even worse, after the monarchy was restored in 1815, Notre Dame was used as riverside warehouse – its once-splendid glass windows now dimmed and its facades decaying pathetically above the Île de la Cité. But Parisian’s indifference to their landmark ended suddenly in 1831, when Victor Hugo published his romantic novel the “Hunchback of Notre Dame,” (called “Notre-Dame de Paris” in French). The book was an international bestseller and lured armies of tourists to Paris in search of its Gothic cathedral setting. Hugo used this groundswell of public interest to lobby the French government for renovations of his beloved Notre Dame. From 1845 to 1864, repairs were indeed carried out – the clogged medieval streets nearby were cleared, revealing the marvelous edifice we see today.
, Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe standing in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle

, and Champs-Elysées. For a bird’s-eye view, take the elevator to the second floor of Paris’ most famous landmark: the EIFFEL TOWER  Story aboutEiffel Tower
Imagining Paris without the Eiffel Tower is like London without Big Ben or San Francisco without the Golden Gate Bridge. But no sooner had the architect Gustav Eiffel beaten his 700 competitors in the design competition for the 1889 Centennial Exposition, celebrating a century since the French Revolution, than a vocal outcry began to halt construction of the edifice. Three hundred famous French artists and writers signed a petition in the newspaper “Le Temps” denouncing Eiffel’s radically modern design as “useless and monstrous,” a blight upon the elegant fabric of the City of Light. Others critics were even more vicious, describing the proposed tower as a “tragic street lamp,” a gymnasium apparatus…incomplete, confused and deformed,” “a giant ungainly skeleton,” “a half-built factory pipe,” “a carcass” and even “a hole-riddled suppository.” Nature-lovers argued that it would disturb the flight patterns of Parisian birds. Even as the iron lattice began to rise, Parisians continued to refer to it by the less-than-flattering nickname, “the metal asparagus.” Of course, no sooner had the tower opened in 1889 than the rabid criticism evaporated.
. An optional excursion to the baroque Palace of Versailles is available, and tonight a lively cabaret show might just be the ticket. (B)

Day 16

Your homebound flight from Paris arrives the same day. (B)