PACKAGE: 8 Nights/9 days
Summary
Detailed Itinerary
Day 01
Welcome to London! Uniformed Globus Hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay
Day 02
Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes all the famous landmarks: the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the Thames River, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall’s mounted horseguards and the Prime Minister’s Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace. Visit magnificent ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL and see the Changing of the Guard, if held. Optional excursions are available to the Tower of London or to Windsor Castle and maybe later, enjoy dinner, followed by a Thames cruise.
Day 03
Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions, and head for the railway station to board the high-speed EUROSTAR TRAIN to Brussels, Belgium. From here, a comfortable drive will bring you to Amsterdam, Holland’s 700-year-old capital. Enjoy a CANAL CRUISE aboard a glass-roofed launch, which is the best way to get a good impression of how Amsterdam was built and how much still remains from the Golden Age. Why not join an optional Dutch dinner with local specialties, followed by a walk through Old Amsterdam?
Day 04
Pass the Dutch region near Arnhem, best known as the locale of A Bridge Too Far, and enter Germany. Today’s highlight is a romantic RHINE CRUISE along the most scenic part of the river with its centuries-old castles. Continue to Heidelberg for a pleasant walk through the OLD TOWN to the Marktplatz (market square), from where you can take pictures of the famous red-walled ruins of Heidelberg Castle, and enjoy [LF] dinner with beer at Kulturbrauerei Heidelberg restaurant.
Day 05
Enter the lush valleys and pine-clad hills of the BLACK FOREST, famous for cuckoo clocks, where another highlight awaits you: [LF] be welcomed by a local woodcarver, Adolf Herr, watch a WOODCARVING DEMONSTRATION, and see samples of his work. Then, enjoy Kaffee und Schwarzwaldkuchen (coffee and the traditional homemade Black Forest Cake). On the Swiss border, stop at thundering RHINE FALLS before continuing to picturesque Lucerne
Day 06
During your walking tour, visit [LF] the impressive BOURBAKI PANORAMA, Edouard Castres’ circular painting dating back to 1881, depicting scenes of the Franco-Prussian War. Also admire Thorwaldsen’s emotional LION MONUMENT, dedicated to the fallen Swiss Guards who protected the Royal House of France during the French Revolution, and the ornate patrician houses lining the cobblestone streets of the walled Old Town. Cross the famous covered CHAPEL BRIDGE to the Jesuit Church. Of course, you will taste CHOCOLATE PRALINES from Läderach Chocolatier Suisse, one of Switzerland’s most famous chocolate makers. Balance of the day is at leisure. You can shop for Swiss watches and you may wish to join an exciting optional excursion to Mount Pilatus, the “Guard of Lucerne,” by cable car. Tonight is your chance to yodel or blow an alphorn during an optional folklore dinner party for a first-hand impression of Alpine merrymaking
Day 07
Say auf Wiedersehen in Basel and cross the border into France. Drive past the vineyards of the Burgundy wine region, with views of beautiful castles and Fontainebleau Forest. Arrive in Paris, where an optional excursion is available to try out local specialties in one of Paris’ lively restaurants, followed by a drive through the “City of Light.”
Day 08
Discover the world capital of chic and style with a Local Guide and admire its renowned sites: the Opéra, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, and more. For a bird’s-eye view, take the elevator to the second floor of Paris’ most famous landmark: the EIFFEL TOWER. Time to further explore Paris on your own or to join an optional excursion to the lavish baroque Palace and Gardens of Versailles. Tonight, dinner and a lively cabaret show at one of Paris’ nightclubs might just be the ticket!
Day 09
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
EUROPEAN TAPESTRY
14 days from Amsterdam to Paris
PACKAGE: 13 Nights/14 days
Welcome to Amsterdam! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner with wine at your hotel.
See the main sights of the 700-year-old capital with a Local Guide, like the Royal Palace, Mint Tower, the original Heineken Brewery, the Rijksmuseum, and more. Highlight is a leisurely CANAL CRUISE along the patrician mansions and gabled façades. Also visit a major DIAMOND CENTER. Later, you may wish to join an optional excursion to visit a cheese farm, a clog maker, and a working windmill, followed by dinner in the pretty fishing village of Volendam.
On the way to Germany, pass the Dutch region best known as the locale of A Bridge Too Far. Highlight of the day is a romantic RHINE CRUISE past castle-crested cliffs, terraced vineyards, and half-timbered towns. Stop in Heidelberg and take pictures of the famous red-walled castle ruins. Then, [LF] enjoy a beer at the famous Kulturbrauerei Heidelberg.
Stop in the lush valleys and pine-clad hills of the BLACK FOREST, renowned for its cuckoo clocks, hear about the art of WOODCARVING from a local woodcarver, Adolf Herr, and enjoy a taste of traditional fruit wine. On the Swiss border, admire the thundering RHINE FALLS, then continue to picturesque Lucerne. Tonight is your chance to enjoy an optional Swiss folklore party.
Admire Thorwaldsen’s LION MONUMENT, walk through the Old Town, and cross the famous covered CHAPEL BRIDGE to the Jesuit Church. Time to shop for Swiss watches or climb lofty Mount Pilatus. On your way to Austria, stop in the Principality of Liechtenstein, then, drive through Austria’s most famous ski area and enter Tyrol. In Innsbruck, walk through the Old Town and take pictures of Emperor Maximilian’s GOLDEN ROOF
Cross spectacular Brenner Pass to Italy. Enter Venice in style by PRIVATE BOAT to ST. MARK’S SQUARE and admire the byzantine basilica, lavish Doges’ Palace with its Bridge of Sighs, and watch skilled GLASSBLOWERS fashion their delicate objects. You may wish to join an optional gondola ride, and later, [LF] a special dinner with wine awaits you at Rossopomodoro restaurant.
A scenic drive across the Apennine Hills and through vine- and olive-clad Tuscany brings you to the “Eternal City.”
Globus’ unique guided sightseeing includes inside visits to the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL with Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings and The Last Judgment, and monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE and BASILICA to admire Michelangelo’s Pietà. Then, drive to the Roman Forum and visit the amazing COLOSSEUM, where gladiators once fought. For those who wish to see it all, an optional walking tour with a Local Guide is available to further explore famous sites, like the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and more.
Arrive in Florence, where your guided walking tour features a visit to the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS with Michelangelo’s celebrated David. Admire the magnificent cathedral, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze “Gate of Paradise,” and visit sculpture-studded SIGNORIA SQUARE. End in PIAZZA SANTA CROCE with time to shop for gold and leather.
Day 10
In Pisa, marvel at the amazing Leaning Tower, 180 feet high and 12 feet out of the perpendicular. Then, follow the Italian Riviera and arrive in [LF] Monte Carlo for an orientation drive and your overnight stay. Tonight, you may wish to join an exciting optional excursion to see the palace and the church that houses the tombs of the rulers of Monaco, have dinner, and visit the casino.
Day 11
Join the panoramic Moyenne Corniche, with spectacular views to Nice as you drive along the famous Promenade des Anglais. Then, turn north along the scenic Route du Soleil on your way to Lyon, former capital of the Gaules. Enjoy a panoramic view of the Old Town, beautifully located between the Rhône and the Saône Rivers, from FOURVIèRE HILL.
Day 12
A smooth drive through Burgundy, with its vineyards, impressive castles, and views of Fontainebleau Forest, brings you to Paris, “City of Light.” An optional excursion is available to the magnificent Louvre Museum to see the Mona Lisa; tonight, you may wish to join an exciting optional evening at one of Paris’ lively cabarets!
Day 13
Discover the world capital of chic and style with a Local Guide and admire its most renowned sites: the Opéra, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, and more. For a bird’s-eye view, take the elevator to the second floor of Paris’ most iconic landmark, the EIFFEL TOWER. Choose from our optional excursions to the lavish baroque Palace and Gardens of Versailles, and in the evening, a Seine cruise with dinner at one of Paris’ lively restaurants to say au revoir, Paris
Day 14
ESSENTIAL EUROPE
11 days from Rome to London
PACKAGE: 10 Nights/11 days
Welcome to Rome! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and leave the hotel for a welcome dinner with pasta and wine at one of Rome’s lively restaurants.
A pleasant drive through the Tuscan hills brings you to Florence, “Cradle of the Renaissance.” Follow your Local Guide for a visit of the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS with Michelangelo’s celebrated David. Admire the magnificent cathedral, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze “Gate of Paradise,” and visit sculpture-studded SIGNORIA SQUARE. Time to check out the enticing shops selling Florentine leather goods and gold jewelry on Piazza Santa Croce before joining [LF] a PIZZA PARTY with wine at Finisterrae restaurant
Arrive in Venice, city of romantics, and enter in style by PRIVATE BOAT. Visit ST. MARK’S SQUARE. Admire the byzantine basilica, the Clock Tower, lavish Doges’ Palace and the Bridge of Sighs. Also watch a skilled GLASSBLOWER fashion delicate objects in an age-old traditional manner. Then, you may wish to join an optional gondola ride. A PASTA DINNER with wine has been prepared for you at Rossopomodoro restaurant, followed by [LF] an exciting ride by PRIVATE WATER-TAXI through the Grand Canal as a proper arrivederci on your last night in Italy.
Leave the flat Po area and enter the Swiss Alps. Stop in Bellinzona and [LF] ride the elevator to the COURTYARD of Castelgrande, part of the fortifications dating back to the Middle Ages and today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, enjoy a spectacular panoramic view and a light lunch to try out local specialties and the delicious Merlot wine for which the area is famous. Then, admire the towering majesty of the Swiss Alps and St. Gotthard on the way to picturesque Lucerne.
During your walking tour, admire Thorwaldsen’s emotional LION MONUMENT and the ornate patrician houses lining the cobblestone streets of the Old Town. Cross the famous covered CHAPEL BRIDGE to the Jesuit Church. Of course, you will taste CHOCOLATE PRALINES from Läderach Chocolatier Suisse, one of Switzerland’s most famous chocolate makers. Shop for Swiss watches or knives, and to make the most of your stay, choose from our optional activities: climb Mount Pilatus by cable car or take a cruise on the fjord-like lake. Why not sign up for a folklore party with yodeling and alphorn blowing for a first-hand impression of Alpine merrymaking?
Say auf Wiedersehen in Basel and cross the border into France. On your way to Paris, drive past the vineyards of Burgundy with views of beautiful castles and past Fontainebleau Forest. An optional excursion is available to try out local specialties in one of Paris’ lively restaurants, followed by a drive through the “City of Light.”
Discover the world capital of chic and style with a Local Guide and admire its most renowned sites: the Opéra, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, and more. For a bird’s-eye view, take the elevator to the second floor of Paris’ most famous landmark: the EIFFEL TOWER. (On Sundays, the sightseeing may take place in the afternoon). An optional excursion is available to the lavish baroque Palace and Gardens of Versailles. Tonight, an optional evening out for dinner and show at the Moulin Rouge may be the best way to say au revoir, Paris
Board the high-speed EUROSTAR TRAIN for a smooth ride to London, arriving in the afternoon. Why not take in a West End show tonight?
Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes all the famous landmarks: the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the Thames River, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and more. Highlights are a visit to ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL and the ceremonial pageantry of the Changing of the Guard, if held. Afternoon at leisure. Optional excursions are available to the Tower of London or to Windsor Castle, and later, maybe enjoy dinner, followed by a cruise on the Thames River