Discover Amsterdam’s historic heart as you meet your Travel Director for a guided stroll past the Dam Square and the Royal Palace, the floating flower market, and the graceful arc of the UNESCO-listed canal belt. Gabled merchant houses and stone bridges reveal the prosperity of the Dutch Golden Age.

Hear how trade, tolerance and water shaped the city’s identity, and pause along tree-lined quays where bicycles outnumber cars. This compact introduction helps you get your bearings while soaking up the canal-side atmosphere that defines Amsterdam.

Cruise the River Rhine through its most celebrated stretch, gliding beneath slate cliffs, terraced vines and watchtowers that once guarded medieval trade. Keep your camera ready for castle silhouettes and the narrow passage by the Lorelei Rock, long entwined with legends of river sirens.

From half-timbered villages to island fortresses, each bend reveals a fresh tableau of the Romantic era. Listen for church bells across the water and admire the castle-crowned cliffs that have inspired painters and poets for centuries.

Explore Lucerne’s lakeside charm on an orientation through cobbled squares and frescoed guild houses in the Old Town. Cross the Reuss River on the Chapel Bridge, the 14th-century timber landmark with painted roof panels recalling episodes from the city’s past.

Visit the moving Lion Monument, carved into sandstone to honor Swiss Guards who died defending Louis XVI during the French Revolution. Alpine peaks ring the skyline, giving this compact, walkable city a storybook setting.

Cruise by private launch across the Venetian Lagoon to the heart of the Serenissima. Disembark on St Mark’s Square with views of the Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs, where Gothic facades meet the soft slap of water against stone.

Step into a traditional glassblowing workshop to see masters coax molten glass into elegant forms, a craft rooted in Murano’s centuries-old guilds. Learn how guarded techniques and blazing furnaces shaped Venice’s reputation for exquisite glass.

Experience the Eternal City with a Local Specialist, beginning in the Vatican’s grand embrace of St Peter’s Square, framed by Bernini’s colonnades. Continue across the Tiber to view the Colosseum and Rome’s ancient sites that anchor the city’s imperial story.

Hear tales of emperors and popes as you pass layered landmarks—forums, piazzas and triumphal arches—each revealing Rome’s talent for reinvention. Marble, travertine and time-worn cobbles set the stage for la dolce vita.

Walk Florence’s elegant streets to Piazza Santa Croce, where artisan leather workshops and basilica facades celebrate Renaissance craft. Trace Medici footprints past palaces and riverfront arcades toward the Arno’s graceful bridges.

Climb to Piazzale Michelangelo for a sweeping gaze over terracotta rooftops and the cathedral’s dome rising above it all. Your orientation captures the city’s human-scaled beauty and the artistic spirit that shaped Europe’s Renaissance skyline.

Visit the UNESCO-listed Square of Miracles, where gleaming lawns frame the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Romanesque Baptistery and Cathedral. Stripe-patterned marble and rounded arcades showcase Pisan mastery of stone and proportion.

Learn how centuries of subtle corrections preserved the tower’s famous tilt, turning a medieval engineering mishap into an icon. The ensemble is often read as a cycle—birth, life and death—expressed through architecture and ritual.

Take in the Principality’s glamour on an orientation that sweeps past Monte Carlo, the yacht-packed harbour and the famed Grand Prix hairpin. Limestone cliffs and manicured terraces set a Riviera stage like no other.

See the Prince’s Palace quarter and cathedral precinct, where Grimaldi history meets cliff-edge panoramas. The contrast of old ramparts and modern boulevards captures Monaco’s polished allure in a compact, cliff-top state.

Walk Avignon’s honey-stone lanes to the fortress-like Palais des Papes, seat of the 14th-century papacy. Cafés spill onto sunlit squares as bell towers punctuate the skyline above medieval walls.

Pause for views of the Pont d’Avignon over the Rhône, immortalized in song and story. The city’s blend of sacred power and Provencal ease gives this former papal enclave a distinctive rhythm and grace.

See Paris in grand sweep on a guided drive along the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe, crossing elegant bridges and picture-book quays as the Eiffel Tower steels the skyline. Cream-stone facades and wrought-iron balconies echo Baron Haussmann’s vision.

Hear how revolutions, expositions and café culture shaped the City of Light. Avenues lined with horse-chestnut trees and corner brasseries reveal a Paris that balances ceremony with everyday charm.

Cruise Amsterdam’s canals by night beneath twinkling bridges and past 17th-century gables mirrored in the water. Hear stories of merchants, guilds and narrow canal houses as the boat glides through the UNESCO Canal Ring and lively waterfront quarters.

Strings of lights and café chatter set an intimate mood while you pass storied warehouses and graceful archways. This Choice Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Step into Dutch medieval life at Muiderslot Castle, a 13th-century stronghold guarding the River Vecht. Wander moated ramparts, towers and restored rooms that later hosted Golden Age salons led by poet P.C. Hooft.

Outside, formal herb plots and orchard rows revive period horticulture, with views back to the IJmeer waters. Rich storytelling and hands-on displays bring knighthood, siegecraft and courtly culture to life. This Choice Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Explore the historic hamlet of Zaanse Schans to see working windmills, wooden houses and a wooden shoe (clog) workshop. Sample farm-made cheeses and learn how the former Zuiderzee shaped local trades and reclaimed polders.

Continue to harbor-front Volendam, where fishing boats, green-trim cottages and folk costume displays preserve a proud maritime culture. A relaxed coastal walk pairs perfectly with fresh herring or stroopwafels. This Choice Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Glide across Lake Lucerne by boat to Stans, then ride a heritage funicular and the open-air Cabrio cable car to the summit of Mount Stanserhorn. Alpine meadows, cowbells and lake-studded panoramas unfold in every direction.

At the top, breathe crisp mountain air and trace jagged horizons from Pilatus to the Bernese Alps—a showcase of Swiss engineering and scenery in one outing. This Choice Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Slip into Venice’s quieter waterways on a classic gondola ride, where palazzi doorways meet the waterline and stone bridges frame intimate vistas. The soft sway of the boat carries you beneath balconies and alongside tucked-away campos.

Learn why the gondola’s asymmetrical build and iron prow evolved for tight canals and changing tides, and savor the hush of the city away from the crowds. This Choice Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Sail across the Venetian Lagoon to Burano, a fishermen’s island famous for rainbow-painted houses reflected in narrow canals. Stroll lanes strung with laundry lines and bright doorways that make every corner a photo stop.

Discover the island’s delicate lace-making tradition, once prized by Europe’s courts, and enjoy a relaxed pause in a café facing the water. This Choice Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

See Rome after dusk on a guided drive and stroll past the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona glowing against the night sky. Fountains shimmer, cobbles gleam and café terraces hum with evening life.

From the Tiber’s reflections to St. Peter’s dome on the horizon, Rome’s monuments gain a dramatic new presence after dark. This Choice Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Taste the capital’s culinary soul over a convivial Roman dinner featuring trattoria favorites—perhaps supplì, cacio e pepe or saltimbocca—paired with local wines. Conversation flows as easily as the courses in a relaxed, neighborhood setting.

Hear how recipes travel from Nonna’s kitchen to today’s menus, rooted in seasonal produce and time-honored techniques. Dolce may include a cloud-light tiramisù or ricotta tart. This Choice Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Venture beyond Florence for a rustic Tuscan dinner at a farmhouse or country osteria. Expect bruschette with estate olive oil, ribollita or pappardelle al ragù, grilled meats and local desserts, poured alongside Chianti or Sangiovese.

Stories of vintages, seasons and family traditions accompany each course as cypress-lined hills fade into twilight. This Choice Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Wander the ramparts and cobbled lanes of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, a walled village beloved by artists and filmmakers. Stone archways frame views toward olive groves and the glittering coast beyond.

Browse ateliers and galleries, pause at a pétanque square, and note tributes to Marc Chagall, who chose to be buried here. The mix of medieval bones and Riviera light gives the village an ageless allure. This Choice Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Follow a Local Specialist through the opulent Palace of Versailles, where the Hall of Mirrors and Royal Apartments reflect the Sun King’s vision of absolute power. Gilded salons and ceiling frescoes reveal courtly ritual at its height.

Stroll the geometric parterres of André Le Nôtre’s gardens, where fountains, groves and grand perspectives extend the palace outward. This Choice Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Explore bohemian Montmartre, climbing to Sacré-Cœur for sweeping views before winding to the easels of Place du Tertre. Café terraces, cabaret posters and cobbles recall the days of Picasso, Modigliani and Toulouse-Lautrec.

Hear tales of windmills, ateliers and the hill’s once-independent spirit that shaped Parisian art. Time for sketches, photos or a glass of vin rouge completes the mood. This Choice Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Savor a classic Parisian dinner before an elegant cabaret, where sequined costumes, high-kicks and live music channel the city’s Belle Époque spirit. The fizz of conversation and spotlighted stagecraft set a celebratory tone.

From chanson to can-can, Parisian nightlife unfolds as a polished revue—playful, stylish and irresistibly theatrical. Champagne service is available at the venue. This Choice Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

• 14 Breakfast (B)
• 4 Dinner (D)

• See the historic city centre
• Cruise the romantic Rhine
• Visit the Lion Monument and view the Chapel Bridge
• Scenic St. Gotthard highway
• Cruise by private boat to St. Mark’s Square and visit a traditional glassblowing workshop
• See the Colosseum and the ancient sites
• See Piazza Santa Croce and enjoy panoramic city views from Piazzale Michelangelo
• View the Palace of the Popes and the Pont d’Avignon
• See the Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower

• Deluxe coach travel
• Selected hotel dinners, with optional meals to purchase
• 3-star stays

• Amsterdam: Led by your Travel Director, wander the city to see the floating flower market, Dam Square and the Royal Palace.
• Rhineland: Cruise beneath semi-ruined castles and terraced vineyards. Sleepy villages slip by as you saunter upstream to the Lorelei Rock where the enchantress lured sailors to their doom.
• Lucerne: During an orientation with your Travel Director, see the Lion Monument, Old Town Hall and Chapel Bridge, the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe.
• Venice: Discover the ancient skill of Venetian glassblowing and play a part in preserving this traditional craft.
• Venice: As you journey along some of the water highways of the city, famous sights such as the Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs come into view and introduce you to Venice before docking near St. Mark’s Square.
• Rome: Experience Rome through the eyes of a local, as a passionate Roman guides you past the city’s most iconic sites.
• Pisa: In the Piazza dei Miracoli, see the baptistery, cathedral and the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
• Monaco City: Bask in the stunning views on your Monaco Orientation.
• Avignon: View the Pont d’Avignon and walk the medieval narrow streets of the Old Town to the Palais des Papes.
• Paris: With your Travel Director, you’ll wander through the heart of Paris along its grand boulevards, ornate balconies overhead as cream-stone buildings and tree-lined avenues stretch towards the Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élysées.

Costsaver