Road to Rome

Welcome to Paris

Welcome to Paris, enjoy time at leisure to settle into your hotel. During your time here you will see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Place de la Concorde, the Champs Elysées and Arc de Triomphe. In the evening, join your Travel Director for a fabulous welcome dinner at a local brasserie.

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Marriott Rive Gauche, Paris

Paris, the 'City of Light'

Join an avid foodie, as you head into areas where Parisians go about their daily lives to explore small shops and sample local treats and delicacies. With the rest of the afternoon free, there are countless opportunities to enjoy the lively atmosphere of this glittering city, perhaps join an Optional Experience to see the Paris cabaret?

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Marriott Rive Gauche, Paris

Burgundy and Lucerne

Journey through the rural French countryside of Burgundy, famous for its vineyards and wines, and pass the Jura Mountains as you cross into Switzerland. Arrive in glorious lakeside Lucerne, see the town's proud Lion Monument, carved into a limestone cliff and dedicated to the heroic Swiss Guards who died defending King Louis XVI during the French Revolution. Then, take some time to stroll across the covered Chapel Bridge to the baroque Jesuit Church. A range of enticing options is available for your Dine-Around evening. Choose from a selection of hand-picked local restaurants.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Astoria Lucerne

Lucerne and Mount Stanserhorn

Explore Mount Stanserhorn on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, as an open-top cable car powered by solar panels takes you up to the summit. Walk along beautiful scenic pathways, keeping an eye out for marmots and other native animals, with the chance to hear a conservation talk by a Swiss ranger, to learn about local wildlife and flora. Take in the pristine mountain air and, on a clear day, witness views as far as Alsace and the Black Forest in Germany. The rest of the day is at leisure to shop for delectable chocolate and glamorous Swiss watches in the traffic-free Old Town.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Astoria Lucerne

Lucerne to Innsbruck

Start the day with a journey to the heart of the Alps passing through the Principality of Liechtenstein. See its tiny capital, Vaduz, with its castle located on a hillside overlooking the city. Drive into Austria and continue to mountain-ringed Innsbruck. Your Travel Director will show you the 14th century houses of the old town, the impressive Imperial Palace and the delightful Golden Roof.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: AC, Innsbruck

The Dolomites to Venice

Leave Innsbruck to travel across the impressive Europa Bridge and through the Dolomites. Cross into Italy and the romantic city of Venice, Queen of the Adriatic. Long after the day-trippers have returned to their mainland hotels, enjoy the quiet atmosphere of the islands with dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: BW Premier Collection CHC Continental, Venice

The Magic of 'La Serenissima'

In the morning, prepare to embrace this most romantic city. See the immense Campanile and Doge's Palace on St. Mark's Square, connected to the ancient prisons by the Bridge of Sighs. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you witness the skill of glassblowers on a visit to a traditional arts center. The rest of the day is at leisure. Perhaps shop in the small arcades or why not cruise the Venetian lagoon to the island of Burano for a meal of local specialties and wine?

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: BW Premier Collection CHC Continental, Venice

Tuscany, Pisa and Florence

Take in beautiful views of the rolling Tuscan hills, as you enjoy lunch on the veranda when you visit Il Poggio for lunch. Taste the farm's wines and freshly produced olive oil. Enjoy an authentic Italian meal prepared with locally sourced ingredients. Explore the nearby town of Pisa with a Local Expert and see the baptistery with its intricate marble facade, the colonnaded bell tower lurching behind the cathedral and of course the famous Leaning Tower. Afterwards, travel to Florence.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Ambasciatori, Florence

Florence Sightseeing

Walk with your Local Expert to the marble-clad cathedral and baptistery, where Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise have been recreated in all their glory. The next stop is Piazza della Signoria, still the political heart of Florence and an open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces. Spend time gazing at statues such as Neptune and David along the front of the Palazzo Vecchio, this afternoon there's free time to shop or perhaps continue exploring.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Ambasciatori, Florence

Chianti Country to Assisi and on to Rome

Journey through the vineyards of the Chianti region, passing Lake Trasimeno, one of the Italian Peninsula’s largest lakes and the site of a great battle in ancient times against Hannibal and his war elephants. Continue up the foothills of the Apennine Mountains to reach the town of Assisi, built from stone and spilling over the steep hillside. With a Local Expert, visit the tomb of St. Francis and admire the beautiful frescoes by Giotto in the great basilica, before continuing along the valley of the River Tiber towards the Eternal City of Rome.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Radisson Blu GHR, Rome

Papal and Imperial Rome

Visit the Sistine Chapel to admire Michelangelo’s ceiling fresco, painted over four years. Then cross the Tiber River into ancient Rome to explore its iconic landmarks. See the Colosseum, the largest amphitheater of the Roman Empire, and imagine the roar of the crowd at the nearby Circus Maximus, once used for chariot races. This evening, celebrate your journey through Europe with a dinner including wine at a lively Roman restaurant. Please note: On some departures, access to St. Peter’s Basilica may be restricted due to the Papal Audience. You’ll still have time to take in the atmosphere of St. Peter’s Square during your visit to Vatican City.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Radisson Blu GHR, Rome

Arrivederci Roma

Bid farewell to the glories of Italy, savoring the memories of its enchanting cities, historic landmarks and stunning landscapes. Italy's unique allure will linger in your heart long after you leave.

Meals: Breakfast