European Grandeur - Start Paris, End Amsterdam, Classic Group
See Paris icons like the Champs-Élysées through the eyes of your local expert, enjoy the gastronomic delights of Pintxos tasting tours en route to San Sebastian in Spain and try your hand at Venice glassblowing in Italy, all on the grandest of European tours. From boutique fashionista shopping in the avenues of Paris to Picasso's trail blazing masterpieces in Madrid, this cultural tour de force is all encompassing. Barcelona dazzles with Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece-La Sagrada Família, while Avignon serves up a palate tantalizing taste of traditional farm to table cooking. The French Riviera offers an abundance of opulence, with harbors in Nice and Monaco packed to the brim with luxury yachts, and in Vienna the regal history of Austria's Habsburg dynasty fires up the imagination.


Dining Summary

• 8 Dinner with Wine (DW)
• 25 Breakfast (B)

Choice Highlights

• Choose between two carefully selected activities
• Paris: Join an avid local foodie on a walk through a local food market - Bastille Marché. Visit a variety of stalls and sample local treats and delicacies along the way.
• Paris: We walk up and down the "quartier" and we see the school, the food stores, the housing situation, the heritage landmarks, the sports facilities and the theatres, in this car-free, pedestrianized, neighbourhood. Landmarks will include passages couverts, perhaps also Patrick Blanc's spectacular jardin vertical 'oasis d'Aboukir', the Napoleonic "Egyptian" district etc.

Authentic Dining

• Paris: Join your Travel Director and fellow guests at a local restaurant in the heart of Paris for a delightful Welcome Dinner, served with wine.
• Paris: Join an avid local foodie on a walk through a local food market - Bastille Marché. Visit a variety of stalls and sample local treats and delicacies along the way.
• San Sebastián: Enjoy an evening of pintxos, dining with locals in this Basque tradition. Your delicious dinner includes a wide variety of finger food delicacies, each with their own regional flavour, flair and presentation.
• Avignon: At a local farm learn about olive oil and enjoy a tasting of the freshest produce before indulging in a farm-to-table dinner of traditional French home-style cuisine.
• Venice: In St Marks Square at sunset, long after the day-trippers have gone to their mainland hotels, sip cocktails canal-side before dinner at a local restaurant.
• Lucerne: Choose from a selection of restaurants on your Dine-Around Evening and hand-pick your preferred ambience, cuisine and drinks for an intimate culinary experience.
• Amsterdam: Toast the culmination of your travels during a fabulous Celebration Dinner at a local restaurant.

Insight Experiences

• Vatican: Gain priority access into the Vatican Museums and admire the famous Bramante Staircase. Witness the genius of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and view the splendid dome of St. Peter's Basilica.
• Rhineland: The beautiful scenery of the Rhine River is punctuated by the many castles dotted along its banks. Delight in a private estate viewing of one of these Rhineland castles and learn more about these living cultural monuments located along the Middle Rhine.

Make Travel Matter

• Venice: Witness the ancient skill of glassblowing, now practised by precious few masters. Watch artisans create delicate works of art using rare traditional practices. The workshop's master craftsmen teach visitors about the traditional craft of glassblowing and its history which dates back to the 15th century. Every visit helps to support the workshop and the survival of this traditional craft.  The workshop advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
• Stanserhorn: 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.

Top Rated Highlights

• Paris: We walk up and down the "quartier" and we see the school, the food stores, the housing situation, the heritage landmarks, the sports facilities and the theatres, in this car-free, pedestrianized, neighbourhood. Landmarks will include passages couverts, perhaps also Patrick Blanc's spectacular jardin vertical 'oasis d'Aboukir', the Napoleonic "Egyptian" district etc.
• Chateau Chenonceau: Visit the majestic Chteau de Chenonceau, known as the 'Ladies' Chteau' it perfectly embodies the elegance of 16th century design in the Loire Valley.
• Bordeaux: Your Local Expert will show you the quayside facades, Grand Theatre, Triangle d'Or and magnificent Esplanade des Quinconces.
• San Sebastián: Led by your Local Expert, enjoy a guided walking tour of the Old Quarter including Plaza de la Constitucion.
• Madrid: See the highlights of the city with your Local Expert. Visit the Old Town, travelling along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana, past the fountain in the Plaza de Cibeles, the Cervantes Monument and Royal Palace, before crossing the Puerta del Sol.
• Barcelona: With your Local Expert, drive down Las Ramblas and the elegant Passeig de Grcia to witness some of the finest Modernist architecture. Journey through the Eixample district to see Gaudi's extraordinary masterpiece, the mesmerising Sagrada Família.
• Avignon: View the Pont d'Avignon and walk the medieval narrow streets of the Old Town to the Palais des Papes.
• Nice: Enjoy exploring the beautiful coastal town of Nice on the French Riviera.
• Monaco City: Enjoy a drive along part of the Grand Prix circuit and wander the old town with your Travel Director to see the Royal Palace and the yacht-filled harbour.
• Monaco City: Explore inside Monaco Cathedral.
• Pisa: Your Local ...