Settle on deck to cruise the River Rhine past terrace-lined vineyards, half-timbered villages, and castle-crowned cliffs. Cameras come into their own as you glide by slate hillsides and legendary headlands, including the siren-haunted Lorelei Rock that has inspired centuries of folklore.

This storied waterway once powered medieval trade and shaped the character of the Rhineland. Today, the steep vineyards produce fine Rieslings, while Romantic-era poets and painters left a legacy that heightens the gorge’s atmospheric, almost theatrical vistas.

Stroll Lucerne’s lakefront and lanes on an introduction that spotlights the Chapel Bridge with its painted roof panels and the moving Lion Monument, hewn from sandstone to honor Swiss Guards. Wander pastel facades in the Old Town, where arcaded squares open to mountain views.

Lucerne’s prosperity grew from Alpine trade routes and its jewel-like setting on the Reuss. Your walk weaves history with scenery—medieval guild houses, baroque spires, and a lakescape that has lured travelers since the days of Mark Twain.

Skim across the lagoon by private boat to cruise by private launch into the heart of Venice, docking by St Mark’s Square. From the water, take in the Bridge of Sighs and Doge’s Palace before stepping inside a workshop to witness a traditional glassblowing demonstration.

The techniques you’ll see trace back to the Venetian Republic’s heyday, when Murano masters guarded their craft like state secrets. Outside, Byzantine domes, marble lions, and echoing campaniles frame a city built on trade, artistry, and the tides.

Gain perspective on the Eternal City as you meet a Local Specialist for a panoramic exploration. Stand in St Peter’s Square beneath Bernini’s embracing colonnades, then continue to viewpoints of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, where triumphal arches and ruins evoke imperial grandeur.

Layers of history unfold—from papal Rome crowned by Michelangelo’s dome to avenues that trace the ambitions of emperors. Hear stories that connect marble monuments with the people and passions that shaped them.

Walk the Renaissance city that sparked a cultural revolution. In Piazza della Signoria, statues hint at Medici power; in Piazza Santa Croce, artisans and chapels frame daily Florentine life. Cap the experience with sweeping city views from panoramic views from Piazzale Michelangelo.

Between Dante’s verses and Botticelli’s brushstrokes, Florence’s streets became a laboratory for beauty and ideas. Your orientation reveals the dialogue between stone palazzi, lively workshops, and churches layered with frescoes and history.

Visit the grassy expanse of Piazza dei Miracoli to admire the Leaning Tower of Pisa alongside the striped-marble baptistery and cathedral. The ensemble’s pale stone glows against Tuscan skies, creating one of Italy’s most photogenic scenes.

This Romanesque complex mirrors maritime Pisa’s medieval might, when wealth from sea trade funded ambitious architecture. The tower’s visible tilt, caused by soft subsoil, only heightens the sense of wonder at the artistry and engineering on display.

Glide along corniche roads into the Principality to see Monte Carlo and Casino Square, where palms shade Belle Époque facades and luxury cars purr past café terraces. Look up to the Prince’s Palace and down over the yacht-filled harbour that anchors cliffside streets.

An independent microstate since the 13th century, Monaco pairs Grimaldi pageantry with Grand Prix adrenaline—its tight hairpins and tunnels etched into the urban fabric. Opulence here is not a show; it’s the setting.

Trace papal history inside Avignon’s medieval core. View the fortress-like Palais des Papes and the storied Pont d’Avignon (St Bénézet Bridge), framed by Rhône-side ramparts and honey-colored stone streets.

For much of the 14th century, Avignon hosted the Papacy, leaving a legacy of frescoed halls and civic pride. As bells ring over shaded squares, the city’s Provencal cadence blends with echoes of councils, conclaves, and centuries of pilgrimage.

See the French capital’s showpieces on a sweeping orientation. Drive the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe, pass elegant bridges arcing over the Seine, and pause for views of the Eiffel Tower rising above grand Haussmann boulevards.

Paris tells its story in aligned vistas—Napoleonic monuments, Belle Époque ironwork, and tree-lined avenues planned for light and life. This overview helps you plot museum stops, riverside strolls, and café corners that fit your style.

Slip beneath low arches on a tranquil canal cruise past Golden Age merchants’ houses and lamp-lit quays. Hear stories of trade, tolerance, and daily life as you drift through the UNESCO-listed Grachtengordel, gliding under picture-perfect arched bridges.

Seen from the water, Amsterdam reveals quiet courtyards and hidden church towers. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, ideal for your first evening in the Dutch capital.

Go beyond the city to working heritage at Zaanse Schans windmills, watch traditional wooden clog-making, and stroll the fishing village of Volendam. Sample regional cheeses while learning how the former inland sea shaped Dutch life and land.

Green-painted houses, polder fields, and harbor views frame stories of resilience and trade. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, blending hands-on craft with countryside charm.

Step into a storybook at Muiderslot Castle, a perfectly preserved fortress with moat and battlements guarding the River Vecht. Wander knight’s halls and gardens while hearing about scholars and artists who gathered here in the Dutch Golden Age.

From armored doors to herb knots, each detail speaks to defense and domesticity in equal measure. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Cross the fjord-like lake on a scenic cruise on Lake Lucerne to Stans, then rise above meadows and cliffs on a cable car ascent for a sweeping alpine panorama. Gaze over snow-dusted peaks and shimmering water from lofty terraces.

The lake-to-summit journey reveals Switzerland’s dramatic geology and impeccable transport engineering. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Glide by gondola along quiet rii and beneath stone arches as palace facades and lantern-lit quays slip by at water level. Hear the tap of the oar and the city’s soft echo, a serenely Venetian counterpoint to lively squares.

This floating perspective reveals private gardens, waterside shrines, and the textured brickwork of centuries. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Sail across the lagoon to Burano, where rainbow-coloured fishermen’s houses line narrow canals and lace-makers keep an intricate craft alive. Stroll pastel alleys, photograph leaning bell towers, and browse small ateliers.

The island’s vivid palette once helped sailors find their homes through fog; today it sets a joyful scene for wandering. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Settle into a convivial trattoria to sample regional wines and plates that Rome does best—think cacio e pepe, saltimbocca, and seasonal contorni. Laughter, clinking glasses, and the aroma of sage and rosemary capture the city’s appetite for life.

Between toasts and stories, discover the pleasure of simple ingredients elevated by tradition. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Drive into vine-cloaked hills for a rustic feast where Chianti wines meet grilled meats, pappa al pomodoro, and olive oil pressed nearby. Candlelight, stone walls, and farm aromas create a warm Tuscan tableau.

Local recipes showcase the region’s pantry—peppery greens, pecorino, and herbs from the garden. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Wander cobbled lanes to ramparts that frame the Riviera’s silvery light in Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Peek into studios and galleries, linger by fountains, and admire stone archways softened by climbing vines.

Picasso, Chagall, and Matisse found inspiration in this aerie above the coast. The village’s intimate scale and timeless textures invite slow exploration. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Follow a guide through the opulent world of the Palace of Versailles. Walk the glittering Hall of Mirrors, then look across the axial vistas of André Le Nôtre’s formal gardens—geometry made grand under the ‘Sun King’.

Court ritual, diplomacy, and spectacle once unfolded here daily. The artistry of gilded salons and parterres still conveys absolute monarchy’s stagecraft. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Climb to Montmartre for café terraces, ivy-draped lanes, and the white domes of Sacré-Cœur Basilica. In Artists’ Square (Place du Tertre), easels and sketchbooks animate a village atmosphere above the Paris skyline.

This Bohemian enclave once nurtured Picasso and Modigliani; today, it blends ateliers with bakeries and bistros. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Dress for sparkle and step into a classic venue where Parisian cabaret pairs feathers and footwork with chansons and dinner with wine. Velvet banquettes, gleaming mirrors, and stage lights conjure Belle Époque glamour.

The city’s love of spectacle shines in choreography, costumes, and live music that sweep you along for the evening. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Explore Amsterdam on foot as you join a guided orientation through the compact historic center. Take in the energy of Dam Square and the Royal Palace, admire the gabled facades along the UNESCO-listed canals, and browse the fragrant stalls of the floating flower market (Bloemenmarkt).

Hear how 17th-century trade shaped a tolerant, outward-looking city whose merchant houses and humpbacked bridges still set the scene. This introduction balances headline sights with local color, offering context that enriches any museum visits, café stops, or canal-side wandering you choose later.

• 16 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.

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