Begin your vacation in London with two overnights and plenty of leisure time to make your own discoveries in this lively city. Cross the Channel by ferry and board your motorcoach to Paris. Your 2-night stay includes guided sightseeing that highlights the Arc d’Triompe, Champs Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower, then free time to see more of the French capital at your own pace. Head south through Burgundy to picture-perfect Lucerne in Switzerland, then visit Lugano in the Italian-speaking Swiss canton of Ticino before crossing into Italy. Stop in Verona to see Juliet’s balcony, and in beautiful Venice for a canal boat ride to St. Mark’s Square and free time to maybe try an optional gondola ride. In Florence, “Cradle of the Renaissance,” enjoy a guided walking tour that introduces you to Santa Croce, Piazza Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, the Giotto Campanile and Brunelleschi Cupola in Piazza del Duomo. Admire the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa before spending two nights in the “Eternal City” of Rome, with included guided sightseeing featuring St. Peter’s Square, the Roman Forum, and the mighty Colosseum.

Day 1 Tue.
BOARD YOUR OVERNIGHT TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT

Day 2 Wed. ARRIVE IN LONDON, ENGLAND
Check into your hotel. In the afternoon you may want to start exploring the lively British capital. Uniformed Hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay.

Day 3 Thu. LONDON
A full day to savor our rich program of optional activities: take a panoramic tour of London’s landmarks, visit the Tower of London, or choose an excursion to Windsor Castle. Tonight, maybe a leisurely cruise on the River Thames? (B)

Day 4 Fri. LONDON–PARIS, FRANCE
Leave London in the early morning and head through the lush English countryside to the Channel port, where you board your ferry for the Continent. Here you’ll be met by your Tour Director and luxury coach. Drive through the French countryside by way of the fast autoroute, arriving in Paris in time to enjoy your first evening here. (B)

Day 5 Sat. PARIS
One full day to explore the city that’s known throughout the world for its fashions, art and museums, delicious food, and joie de vivre. Included sightseeing with a local expert of many of the best-known Parisian sights: La Sorbonne, Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramid near the Louvre, the Invalides, and Champs Elysées. Optional excursions are also available to the Palace and Gardens of Versailles. This evening, why not join an optional welcome dinner. (B)

Day 6 Sun. PARIS–LAKE LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND
Fascinating, ever-changing scenery today. Views of Fontainebleau Forest, the wine-growing area of Burgundy, then prosperous farms and tidy half-timbered villages as you head through the Alpine heart of Switzerland to picture-book Lake Lucerne. (B,D)

Day 7 Mon. LAKE LUCERNE
Enjoy one of Switzerland’s finest cities, nestled amid its snowcapped Alps, surrounded by its lake, and embellished by the clear mountain waters of the River Reuss. Your visit focuses on the impressive city walls, a covered wooden bridge, ornate patrician houses lining cobblestone streets, and the Lion Monument—a masterful stone sculpture in honor of the heroic Swiss Guard of Louis XVI. A grand selection of optional activities completes the day: a cable car ride to the 10,000-foot summit of Mount Titlis, a cruise on the fjord-like lake, a typical Swiss folklore evening, and, of course, time to shop for that very Swiss watch. (B)

Day 8 Tue. LAKE LUCERNE–LUGANO–VERONA–VENICE AREA, ITALY
More wonderful Alpine scenery as you drive into the mountain ranges that surround the massive St. Gotthard. Once through its great tunnel, you’ll start your scenic descent into the warmer and sunnier ambiance of the Canton Ticino. Stop in beautiful Lugano and take a stroll along the lakeside promenade. In the afternoon, cross into Italy and drive through the Lombardy plains to Verona for a stop to see Juliet’s balcony. Overnight in the Venice area. (B)

Day 9 Wed. VENICE AREA
Venice is more like a marvelous film set than a real live city, with criss-crossing canals, gondolas and water buses, arched bridges, palaces, and little quiet piazzas. The orientation tour starts with a boat ride and is followed by a chance to watch Venetian glassblowers fashion their delicate objects as they did centuries ago. Don’t miss out on the optional gondola trip, gliding along the picturesque canals with a local troubadour to serenade you. (B,D)

Day 10 Thu. VENICE AREA–FLORENCE AREA
Start the day by journeying south across the Apennines into the gentle and hilly countryside of Tuscany, then, to Florence for an included walking tour with a Local Guide. (B,D)

Day 11 Fri. FLORENCE AREA–PISA–ROME
Leave this Renaissance gem and city of the Medicis this morning. Later, stop in Pisa to see the famed Square of Miracles and view the Leaning Tower. Then, journey south to Rome. Tonight an optional evening drive through the city, a floodlit spectacular of shimmering fountains, magnificent churches, and piazzas, followed by dinner. (B)

Day 12 Sat. ROME
Included sightseeing with a Local Guide starts in St. Peter’s Square, followed by a visit to the Roman Forum and the mighty Colosseum. (B)

Day 13 Sun.
YOUR HOMEBOUND FLIGHT ARRIVES THE SAME DAY. (B)

Price
$1,629 US per person based on double occupancy