Itinerary
- Intro
Introduction
- Day 1
Paris
Paris - Day 2
Les Andelys
Les Andelys- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Cruise along the Seine to Les Andelys
- Stroll alongside the river and through the town centre
Optional Activities
- Hike to Château Gaillard with 'Richard the Lionheart' Medieval-themed walking tour with costumed guide
- Tour of Les Andelys with local guide and Château Gaillard
- Cider farm visit to see artisanal production and taste Normandy cider
- Château d'Acquigny Gardens & Louviers—explore castle gardens and charming Norman town with Gothic Church of Notre-Dame
Landmarks Château Gaillard Château d'Acquigny Church of Notre-Dame, Louviers - Day 3
Rouen
Rouen- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Expert lecture: WWI 'A day in the life of a Tommy' - interactive experience with equipment, weapons, and rations tasting
Optional Activities
- Rouen city tour - see cathedral district, old marketplace, Saint-Maclou Quarter, Joan of Arc sites
- Guided tour of Rouen with Rollo the Viking - learn about Viking raiders and medieval history
- In the footsteps of Joan of Arc - walking tour from St. Ouen Church to Old Market Square
Landmarks Rouen Cathedral Old Market Square (Joan of Arc execution site) Saint-Maclou Quarter St. Ouen Church - Day 4
Rouen
Rouen- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Exquisite French pastry dessert buffet with local pastry chef creations
Optional Activities
- Somme Battlefields excursion with Newfoundland Memorial Park - visit Australian National Memorial, Franco-Australian Museum, Lochnagar Crater
- Somme Battlefields excursion with Thiepval - includes Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Thiepval Memorial to the Missing
- Claude Monet and the colours of Rouen - walking tour of Cathedral and Musée des Beaux-Arts
Landmarks Rouen Cathedral Musée des Beaux-Arts Lochnagar Crater Newfoundland Memorial Park Australian National Memorial (Sir John Monash Centre) Franco-Australian Museum Caterpillar Valley Cemetery Thiepval Memorial to the Missing - Day 5
Honfleur
Honfleur- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided walking tour of Honfleur - Inner Harbour, Church of Sainte-Catherine, Garden of Personalities
- French cheesemaking presentation and cheese tasting - Camembert de Normandie, Pont-l'Évêque, Neufchâtel
- Lecture on Operation Fortitude and D-Day in Honfleur
Landmarks Honfleur Inner Harbour Church of Sainte-Catherine Garden of Personalities - Day 6
Honfleur
Honfleur- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Normandy Beaches excursion - US history focused: Utah Beach memorial, Sainte-Mère-Église, Normandy American Cemetery, Omaha Beach Memorial
- Normandy Beaches excursion - UK history focused: Bayeux War Cemetery, Museum of the Battle of Normandy, Landing Museum at Arromanches, British Normandy Memorial, Pegasus Bridge & Museum, Ranville War Cemetery
- Normandy Beaches excursion - Canadian history focused: Abbey d'Ardenne, Juno Beach Centre, Bény-sur-Mer Canadian Cemetery, Pegasus Bridge & Museum
- Bayeux tour - Notre Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, free time to explore town
Landmarks Utah Beach Omaha Beach Sainte-Mère-Église Normandy American Cemetery Bayeux Bayeux War Cemetery Museum of the Battle of Normandy Arromanches Landing Museum British Normandy Memorial Pegasus Bridge & Museum Ranville War Cemetery Abbey d'Ardenne Juno Beach Centre Bény-sur-Mer Canadian Cemetery Notre Dame Cathedral of Bayeux - Day 7
Honfleur - Caudebec-en-Caux
Honfleur - Caudebec-en-Caux- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- E-bike cycle to Villequier with Victor Hugo Museum - 8km each way flat route along River Seine
- Fécamp and Bénédictine Palace - coach transfer, guided tour of 19th-century palace, liqueur tasting
- Tales of the French Resistance - walking tour with stories of heroism during Nazi occupation
- Normandy Abbey Road - walking tour exploring abbeys on the banks of the River Seine
Landmarks Notre Dame Caudebec-en-Caux Villequier Victor Hugo Museum Fécamp Bénédictine Palace - Day 8
Vernon - La Roche-Guyon
Vernon - La Roche-Guyon- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Classical concert at Château de La Roche-Guyon - drink and concert featuring French composers, 16th-century château with orchard and gardens
Optional Activities
- Monet's House and Garden - guided tour including Japanese-inspired water garden with lilies, free time to explore
- Self-guided cycle from Vernon to Giverny - approximately 5km each way, visit Monet's House and Garden or explore town
- Onboard painting class
Landmarks Monet's House and Garden Giverny Château de La Roche-Guyon - Day 9
Conflans-Saint-Honorine - Paris
Conflans-Saint-Honorine - Paris- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Visit to Auvers-sur-Oise - Van Gogh's final masterpiece locations, entry to Van Gogh's room rented 1890, free time
- Château de Chantilly - guided tour of castle built by Henri d'Orléans, fine collections, gardens, free time
- Château de Versailles Palace and Garden - replaces Chantilly on Tuesdays
- Active walk with Musée de la Batellerie - inland water transport museum in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine
- Château de Malmaison - residence of Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine de Beauharnais, neoclassical architecture, museum
Landmarks Auvers-sur-Oise Notre Dame de l'Assomption (Auvers-sur-Oise) Château de Chantilly Palace of Versailles Musée de la Batellerie Château de Malmaison - Day 10
Paris
Paris- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Trendy Marais with a local Parisian - guided walking tour of diverse district with architecture, arts, fashion
- Highlights of Paris city tour - coach tour visiting Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysée, Arc de Triomphe, Concorde Square, Notre-Dame Cathedral
- Opéra Garnier - tour of opera house with ornate rooms, grand staircases, chandeliers
- Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte - coach excursion, French formal gardens that inspired Versailles
Landmarks Marais District Eiffel Tower Notre-Dame Cathedral Champs Elysée Arc de Triomphe Concorde Square Opéra Garnier Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte Moulin Rouge Montmartre - Day 11
Paris - Amsterdam
Paris - AmsterdamIncluded Activities
- Included flight Paris to Amsterdam
- Day 12
Amsterdam
Amsterdam- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Canal cruise - one hour cruise along historic waterways with Golden Age mansions, grand warehouses, bridges
- Walking tour of Amsterdam - explore canals, bridges, history, modern lifestyle, Dutch culture, taste herring
- Dutch countryside e-bike tour - ferry to outskirts, local guide information on Dutch people and bicycle culture
- Excursion to Schermerhorn & Alkmaar - 16th-century windmills, historic buildings, picturesque canals
Landmarks Amsterdam Canals Schermerhorn Alkmaar - Day 13
Cologne - Bonn
Cologne - Bonn- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Lavish dinner accompanied by classical music at La Redoute recital hall)
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Old Town - historic buildings, beautiful squares, World Heritage Cologne Cathedral
- Lavish dinner with classical music at La Redoute recital hall in Bonn
Landmarks Cologne Cathedral Cologne Old Town La Redoute - Day 14
Rhine Gorge - Rüdesheim
Rhine Gorge - Rüdesheim- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Cruise through Rhine Gorge - 65km with approximately 40 hilltop castles and fortresses
Optional Activities
- Siegfried's Musikkabinett Museum - mechanical musical instruments, option to take cable car to Niederwald Monument
- Hike & cable car - hike through vineyards with spectacular views, cable car to Niederwald Monument, return on foot
Landmarks Rhine Gorge Lorelei Niederwald Monument Siegfried's Musikkabinett Museum - Day 15
Miltenberg - Wertheim
Miltenberg - Wertheim- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Wertheim tour and winery - Miltenberg orientation tour with free time, visit winery to meet winemaker
- Gamburg Castle tour - visit castle and meet Baron and Baroness for private reception with sparkling wine
- Miltenberg hike - guided hike through Franconian landscape with panoramic views of Main River and vineyard terraces
- Tastes & treasures of Miltenberg - artisanal butchers, bakers, Schnapps producers, Franconian craftsmanship
- Schnapps tasting - orientation tour, local schnapps distillery tour and tasting, transfer to Wertheim
Landmarks Miltenberg Zum Riesen Gamburg Castle Wertheim - Day 16
Würzburg
Würzburg- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Walking tour and Würzburg Residence - Baroque palace with manicured gardens, valuable paintings, tapestries, period furniture, free time
- Romantic Road to Rothenburg - coach drive along historic trading route, guided medieval old town tour, free time
Landmarks Würzburg Residence Romantic Road Rothenburg ob der Tauber - Day 17
Bamberg
Bamberg- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Guided tour of Bamberg Old Town - World Heritage-listed centre, medieval and Baroque buildings
- Excursion to Coburg - coach journey to seat of Prince Albert, impressive castle with museum of carriages, weapons, armoury, paintings
Landmarks Bamberg Old Town Bamberg Cathedral Bamberg Town Hall Little Venice Coburg Coburg Castle - Day 18
Nuremberg
Nuremberg- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Guided tour of Nuremberg Old Town - pass ancient city walls, visit Imperial Castle, St. Egidien's Church, market square
- World War II tour - guided highlights of Nazi regime events, important historical sites
- Nuremberg's Castle and City Walls - active walking tour with cobblestone streets, Imperial Castle, medieval city walls
Landmarks Imperial Castle Nuremberg Old Town St. Egidien's Church Nuremberg City Walls - Day 19
Regensburg
Regensburg- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Walking tour of Regensburg - old stone bridge, Church of St James, Porta Praetoria, local guide
- Weltenburg Abbey - ferry through Danube Gorge to oldest Bavarian monastery founded circa 600AD, award-winning beer tasting
- Thurn und Taxis active walking tour - guided tour of castle home to German noble family traced to 12th century
- Cycle to Walhalla Memorial - cycling through Danube Valley scenery to Walhalla Memorial commissioned by King Ludwig I
Landmarks Regensburg Old Town Stone Bridge (Regensburg) Church of St James Porta Praetoria Weltenburg Abbey Danube Gorge Thurn und Taxis Castle Walhalla Memorial - Day 20
Passau
Passau- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Full day excursion to Salzburg - storybook city surrounded by alpine peaks, Mozart's birthplace, Hohensalzburg Fortress, lunch at local restaurant, free time
- Full day excursion to Český Krumlov - World Heritage Czech town, Gothic/Renaissance/Baroque architecture, local guide, lunch
- Highlights of Passau - walking tour with local guide, brightly coloured waterfront buildings, St Stephens Cathedral (rebuilt Baroque after 1662 fire)
Landmarks Salzburg Mozart's Birthplace Hohensalzburg Fortress Český Krumlov Passau Old Town St Stephens Cathedral - Day 21
Dürnstein - Krems
Dürnstein - Krems- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Göttweig Abbey - founded 6th century, 18th-century rebuilt masterpiece with magnificent frescoes, largest Baroque staircase in Austria
- Wachau Valley wine tasting - visit local winemaker, learn age-old winemaking traditions, wine sampling
- UNESCO Wachau Valley e-bike experience - guided bicycle tour along Danube to Krems, charming villages, vineyard landscapes, scenic stops
Landmarks Dürnstein Wachau Valley Göttweig Abbey Krems - Day 22
Vienna
Vienna- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Coach transfer and walking tour - Opera House, St Stephen's Cathedral, Belvedere Palace
- Classical concert at Palais Liechtenstein - glass of Austrian Sekt, renowned orchestra, ballet dancers, vocalists, world-famous art
Landmarks Vienna Opera House St Stephen's Cathedral Belvedere Palace Palais Liechtenstein - Day 23
Vienna
Vienna- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Cycle to Danube Island - guided e-bike tour to recreational playground with bathing, boating, cycling, beaches, open spaces
- Excursion to Bratislava - Slovakia's capital since 1993, Old Town, hilltop castle, socialist architecture, Hlavn Námestie square, Old Town Hall
- Klosterneuburg Abbey - Austria's oldest wine estate producing wine for 900 years, serene halls, Imperial Apartments, wine tasting
Landmarks Ringstrasse Danube Island Bratislava Bratislava Castle Hlavn Námestie Klosterneuburg Abbey - Day 24
Budapest
Budapest- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Budapest in depth - coach tour starting in Buda with Várkert Bazár, Margaret Bridge to Pest, Széchenyi Square, Elizabeth Square, piano recital at Institute for the Blind
- Budapest's past and present - walking and coach tour of communist history, 1956 Hungarian revolution, Jewish heritage, European Union life today
- Hospital in the Rock - underground exploration of secret WWII hospital under Castle District, later nuclear bunker
- Guided hike of Buda - beautiful hike through Buda district with Várkert Bazár, landscaped gardens, Danube and city architecture views
- Hungarian culinary market tour - Grand Central Market and other locations, local delicacies tasting, city traditions stories
Landmarks Várkert Bazár Margaret Bridge Széchenyi Square Elizabeth Square Institute for the Blind Hospital in the Rock Grand Central Market - Day 25
Budapest
Budapest- Meals
- Breakfast
