Itinerary
- Day 1
Cologne to Ghent
You'll take the train to Ghent and get settled into your centrally located hotel. Later in the evening, you'll have dinner with the group to kick things off.
- Meals
- Dinner
- Day 2
Ghent
Start the day with a city tour looking at the Ghent Belfry, then head to the Cathedral of St. Bavo to see the famous Ghent Altarpiece by the van Eyck brothers. After that, you'll walk through the vibrant graffiti alley where street artists are working on their pieces. Stop by Filip's chip shop for refreshments. Your afternoon is free, so you can either check out Gravensteen Castle or the Museum of Fine Arts, depending on your interests.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- City tour of Ghent
- Visit Ghent Belfry
- Visit Cathedral of St. Bavo and view Ghent Altarpiece
- Explore graffiti alley
Optional Activities
- Visit Gravensteen Castle
- Visit Museum of Fine Arts to see Flemish paintings including works by Hieronymus Bosch
- Refreshments at Filip's chip shop
Landmarks Ghent Belfry Cathedral of St. Bavo Gravensteen Castle Museum of Fine Arts (Ghent) - Day 3
Ghent to Brussels
Travel to Brussels and start with Manneken Pis near the Grand Place, one of Europe's great market squares. From there, you'll see La Bourse (Brussels Stock Exchange) and try a chocolate tasting at the Chocolate Museum. The afternoon is yours to choose from, so you could visit the House of European History, the Atomium, take a parliament tour, or see the Royal Museums with works by Memling, Rubens, and Magritte.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- City tour of Brussels
- Visit Manneken Pis
- Visit Grand Place
- Visit La Bourse (Brussels Stock Exchange)
- Chocolate tasting at Chocolate Museum
Optional Activities
- Visit House of European History
- Visit Atomium
- Behind-the-scenes tour of Parliament building
- Visit Royal Museums to see paintings by Memling, Rubens, and Magritte
Landmarks Manneken Pis Grand Place La Bourse (Brussels Stock Exchange) Chocolate Museum House of European History Atomium European Parliament Building Royal Museums of Fine Arts 
- Day 4
Brussels to Antwerp
Head to Antwerp, which is Europe's main diamond center. Start at one of the world's most beautiful train stations overlooking the diamond district. Walk down Meir shopping street, see the exterior of Peter Paul Rubens' home, and visit the Cathedral of Our Lady to view four of his paintings. The cathedral's spire is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Later you'll cross the large market square with the Brabo Fountain and UNESCO-listed town hall, then visit the DIVA Diamond Museum to learn about diamond processing. Your afternoon gives you the choice of the Museum aan de Stroom (MAS) for city views or Het Steen Castle.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- City tour of Antwerp
- Visit Cathedral of Our Lady
- Visit DIVA Diamond Museum
Optional Activities
- View exterior of Peter Paul Rubens' home
- Visit Museum aan de Stroom (MAS)
- Visit Het Steen Castle
Landmarks Antwerp Central Station Meir Street Peter Paul Rubens House Cathedral of Our Lady Grote Markt (Market Square) Brabo Fountain Antwerp Town Hall DIVA Diamond Museum Museum aan de Stroom (MAS) Het Steen Castle 
- Day 5
Antwerp to Bruges
Travel to Bruges, often called Belgium's most beautiful city. You'll start with a canal cruise to get oriented, then explore the old town on foot and have time around lunch for your own discoveries. Later, visit De Halve Maan brewery to taste their beer and hear about their famous 3 km underground beer pipeline connecting the brewery in the center to their bottling plant outside the city. End with a farewell dinner to reflect on the past few days.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Farewell dinner)
Included Activities
- City tour of Bruges
- Canal cruise in Bruges
- Visit De Halve Maan brewery and beer tasting
Optional Activities
- Lunch and independent exploration of the old town
Landmarks De Halve Maan Brewery 
- Day 6
Bruges to Lille
Travel from Bruges to Lille, the capital of the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. Check into your hotel and meet new group members over dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 7
Lille to Rouen
Walk through Lille's winding old town streets and look at the traditional Flemish houses from the 17th century. Visit the Grand Place and the Vieille Bourse, an old stock exchange and one of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings in the city. Then travel to Rouen, the capital of Normandy, and check into your hotel there.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Student city tour of Lille
- Visit Vieille Bourse (old stock exchange)
Landmarks Grand Place (Lille) Vieille Bourse - Day 8
Rouen
Explore Rouen's old town and visit Notre-Dame Cathedral, which Claude Monet painted 24 times under different lighting conditions. Look closely at each painting to spot the subtle differences. You'll see where Joan of Arc died and the Gros Horloge, an astronomical clock set in a Renaissance archway. The half-timbered houses packed closely together feel like walking through an open-air museum. Your afternoon is free for wandering on your own.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- City tour of Rouen - Capital of Normandy
- Visit Notre-Dame Cathedral
Optional Activities
- Visit Museum of Fine Arts with impressionist collection
- Enjoy crepes in a cozy café
Landmarks Notre-Dame Cathedral (Rouen) Joan of Arc Memorial Gros Horloge Museum of Fine Arts (Rouen) - Day 9
Rouen to Honfleur
Visit Le Havre, a port city at the mouth of the Seine that was completely rebuilt after World War II. Architect Auguste Perret's reconstruction work earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 2005, and you'll tour the city to understand how it was rebuilt. After that, travel to Honfleur, an old port town connected to Le Havre by a large cable-stayed bridge. Wander the alleyways to reach Le Vieux Bassin and see St. Catherine, the largest wooden church in France, built by ship carpenters. End the day learning about Calvados fruit brandy production and tasting this regional specialty.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- City tour of Le Havre
- Visit Honfleur
- Visit St. Catherine (oldest wooden church in France)
- Calvados tasting and learning about fruit brandy production
Landmarks Le Havre Le Vieux Bassin St. Catherine Church 
- Day 10
Honfleur to Fécamp
Visit Étretat on the Alabaster Coast to see the rock formations that inspired Impressionist painters. Check out Les Jardins d'Étretat with its landscape art and sculptures offering views of the famous rock needle called Aiguille. By midday you'll reach Fécamp, the former seat of the Dukes of Normandy and an active fishing port. Explore the colorful old town behind the Sainte-Trinité abbey, then visit the Palais Bénédictine where they've distilled the herbal liqueur since 1510. Learn about production and taste the spicy liqueur made from 27 herbs and spices.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Étretat chalk cliffs
- Visit Les Jardins d'Étretat
- Visit Fécamp
- Visit Palais Bénédictine and liqueur tasting
Landmarks Étretat Les Jardins d'Étretat Aiguille (rock needle) Sainte-Trinité Abbey Church Palais Bénédictine - Day 11
Fécamp to Pays d'Auge
Spend the day in the Pays d'Auge region in Calvados, Normandy's gastronomic heart with its beautiful landscape. Visit Lisieux, France's second-largest pilgrimage site after Lourdes. Travel to the picturesque village of Beuvron-en-Auge, one of France's most beautiful villages and the start of the cider route. Walk around Place Vermughen to see typical Norman facades and check out the market halls and shops. Learn about traditional Camembert cheese production and taste this regional specialty. At the farewell dinner, you'll reflect on your last few days.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Farewell dinner)
Included Activities
- Visit Lisieux
- Visit Beuvron-en-Auge
- Traditional Camembert cheese production tour and tasting
Landmarks Lisieux Beuvron-en-Auge Place Vermughen - Day 12
Lille to Cologne
Depart from the Pays d'Auge region and travel to Lille station. From there, you'll take the train home to Cologne.
- Meals
- Breakfast
