• 8 Dinner (D)
• 25 Breakfast (B)

• Vatican City: Visit the Vatican Museums and witness the genius of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel.

Celebrate with a dinner cruise through Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed canal district. Share a meal with fellow travellers as the boat passes beneath bridges and alongside gabled merchant houses, churches and illuminated streets.

The canals and waterside homes reflect the prosperity of Amsterdam’s 17th-century Golden Age. Viewing them from the water gives you the perspective from which this carefully planned district was built to be seen, with an evening meal adding a convivial close to the tour.

• Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Insight Vacations

• Business class coach with extended leg room
• Top-rated dining, from farm-to-table to local restaurants
• 4 & 5-star stays

Discover central Paris with your Travel Director, taking in the Arc de Triomphe, the tree-lined Champs-Élysées and the grand Place de la Concorde. This orientation introduces the broad avenues and monuments that give the French capital its distinctive scale.

See how the triumphal arch anchors one end of the avenue, while the vast square opens towards the Tuileries. The sights are viewed as part of the orientation; entry to museums or monuments is not specified.

Join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a welcome dinner at a Parisian brasserie. Share a table in a local restaurant and get to know the group over a meal that marks the beginning of your European journey.

Brasseries are a familiar part of Paris dining culture, prized for their lively rooms and unhurried conversation. This hosted evening offers a sociable introduction to the city rather than a sightseeing visit.

Visit the Château de Chenonceau, a graceful Loire Valley residence whose gallery spans the River Cher. Explore a château closely associated with the influential women who shaped its architecture, interiors and gardens.

Known as the “Ladies’ Château”, Chenonceau embodies the elegance of 16th-century French design. Its riverside setting and long arched gallery make it one of the Loire’s most recognisable landmarks, within a valley celebrated for its Renaissance estates.

Walk through Bordeaux with a Local Expert to see the 18th-century quayside facades, the Grand Théâtre and the elegant Triangle d’Or. Continue towards the expansive Esplanade des Quinconces while learning how the city grew around its river port.

Bordeaux’s pale stone buildings and carefully planned public spaces form part of its UNESCO-listed historic urban landscape. The tour reveals the architectural character behind a city equally known for commerce and wine.

Explore San Sebastián’s Old Quarter with a Local Expert, walking its compact streets and visiting Plaza de la Constitución. See the heart of a Basque coastal city where everyday life gathers around squares, shops and closely spaced pintxos bars.

The plaza’s numbered balconies recall its past use as a bullring. Your guided walk provides a closer look at the neighbourhood’s civic history and lively street atmosphere, beyond the city’s celebrated bay.

Experience a progressive pintxos dinner in San Sebastián’s Old Town, moving between local bars in small groups. Choose from snack-sized dishes displayed at the counter and dine amid the conversation and bustle of this Basque evening tradition.

Pintxos turn a meal into a chance to sample different flavours and preparations across several venues. You may also wish to try Txakoli, a lightly sparkling Basque wine, alongside the included dinner.

Explore Plaza del Castillo in Pamplona, the historic capital of Navarre, and step inside Café Iruña. Notice its tiled floors, ornate mirrors and dark wood, details that preserve the atmosphere of an early-20th-century gathering place.

The café is associated with Ernest Hemingway’s visits to Pamplona, a city he brought to international attention through his writing. This stop offers a tangible connection to local social life and literary history.

Explore Barcelona with a Local Expert, viewing the Gothic Quarter and cathedral before travelling along La Rambla and Passeig de Gràcia. See the Eixample’s orderly street grid and its flamboyant Modernista buildings, with Gaudí’s Sagrada Família rising above the skyline.

The route contrasts the medieval city with Barcelona’s ambitious 19th-century expansion. Gaudí’s still-evolving basilica is viewed as part of the sightseeing tour; entry inside is not specified.

Walk along Nice’s Promenade des Anglais and take in views across the Bay of Angels. The broad seafront promenade places the Mediterranean beside the city’s hotels, palm trees and long-established Riviera gathering places.

Named for the English visitors who helped develop it in the 19th century, the promenade reflects Nice’s history as a winter resort. The walk offers a simple way to experience the light and coastal atmosphere of the Côte d’Azur.

Drive along part of Monaco’s Grand Prix circuit, whose city streets have hosted Formula 1 racing since 1929. Walk the old town with your Travel Director to see the Prince’s Palace and look towards the harbour filled with yachts.

Monaco’s steep terrain packs ceremonial buildings, winding streets and a world-famous racecourse into a small principality. This experience combines a view of its royal heritage with the setting of its best-known sporting event.

Choose to step inside the Prince’s Palace of Monaco and view its State Apartments and Italian Renaissance frescoes. This Insight Choice offers a closer look at the residence of the principality’s ruling family.

Set high on the Rock of Monaco, the palace grew from a medieval fortress into a royal home. Its decorated rooms reveal a more intimate side of Monaco’s history than the harbour and Grand Prix streets below. This is one of two included Monaco choices.

Choose to visit the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, exploring aquariums devoted to Mediterranean and tropical marine life. Discover displays that also address the challenges of scientific research in polar environments.

Founded by Prince Albert I and opened in 1910, the museum reflects Monaco’s long association with ocean exploration. This Insight Choice pairs a landmark building above the sea with a perspective on marine science and conservation. It is one of two included Monaco choices.

Savour a seasonal Riviera dinner in Nice, featuring ingredients sourced from the region and authentic Nicoise specialities. This hosted meal offers a taste of the Côte d’Azur beyond its seafront views.

Local cooking draws on Mediterranean produce and the traditions of the surrounding countryside. Gathering over dishes shaped by the season gives the evening its distinctive focus: the flavours and food culture of southern France.

Visit Pisa’s Square of Miracles with a Local Expert to view the Leaning Tower, the 11th-century cathedral and the baptistery. See how the tower’s unmistakable tilt sits alongside a remarkable group of marble-clad religious buildings.

The UNESCO-listed square expresses the wealth and artistic ambition of medieval Pisa. Galileo is said to have used the tower for experiments, adding a story of scientific enquiry to a setting best known for its architecture. Tower entry is not specified.

Walk through Florence with a Local Expert to view the marble-clad cathedral and baptistery, including the recreated panels of Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise. Visit Piazza della Signoria, where sculptures stand before the Palazzo Vecchio.

The square remains Florence’s civic heart and an open-air introduction to Renaissance art and politics. Seeing its monuments alongside the cathedral complex reveals how religious devotion, public life and artistic patronage shaped the city.

Get your bearings in Rome with your Travel Director, encountering a city where medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches share the streets with traces of antiquity. This orientation introduces the layers that give the Eternal City its character.

Rome was reshaped repeatedly by emperors, popes and generations of residents. Rather than focusing on a single monument, the experience helps you recognise how different periods of history remain visible in the cityscape.

Explore Vatican City with a Local Expert, visiting the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel to see works collected by the popes and Michelangelo’s celebrated ceiling frescoes. At St. Peter’s Basilica, view Michelangelo’s Pietà and Bernini’s papal altar.

The visit brings together centuries of art, faith and papal patronage. Access can be restricted on some departures; St. Peter’s Square remains part of the visit, and the Capitoline Museums may replace the Vatican Museums if tickets are unavailable.

Sip sunset cocktails in St. Mark’s Square while musicians perform, and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. The evening offers time to experience Venice’s best-known square as daylight fades and its cafés and historic facades take on a different character.

St. Mark’s has long been the ceremonial centre of the Venetian Republic. Sharing a meal here, with music and the evening atmosphere as its focus, makes this more than a standard restaurant dinner.

Visit a traditional Venetian glassblowing workshop and watch skilled artisans shape molten glass into delicate objects. See the precision involved in a craft preserved by specialist makers over centuries.

Venetian glass became renowned across Europe, with glassmaking closely associated with the lagoon from the medieval period onward. Hearing about its history while observing the work firsthand connects a celebrated local tradition to the people who still practise it.

Travel by boat along the Giudecca Canal as your Travel Director introduces Venice from the water. Pass historic palazzi and see the Doge’s Palace before reaching St. Mark’s Square, where the basilica reflects the city’s former wealth and influence.

Approaching by boat reveals why waterways, rather than roads, shaped the Venetian Republic. The experience includes a private cruise and views of the landmarks; entry to the Doge’s Palace or basilica is not specified.

Walk through Ljubljana with a Local Expert, following the Ljubljanica riverbanks and central squares. See Plecnik’s Triple Bridge, City Hall, St. Nicholas’s Cathedral and Ljubljana Castle overlooking the city from its hilltop.

The route brings together Baroque buildings and the distinctive urban design of architect Jože Plecnik. Along the compact riverside centre, bridges and public spaces reveal how Slovenia’s capital balances its historic landmarks with everyday street life.

Explore Maribor with your Travel Director and take in the mix of old and new architecture in Slovenia’s second-largest city. This guided look introduces a place with a different scale and pace from the capital.

Set beside the Drava River, Maribor has a long history as a regional centre and university town. Its streets offer a glimpse of Slovenian urban life beyond the better-known sights of Ljubljana.

Tour Vienna with a Local Expert, driving the Ringstrasse to see the Opera House, Hofburg Imperial Residence and Parliament, with Karlskirche among the city’s noted sights. Walk through the Innere Stadt, Vienna’s historic first district.

The Ringstrasse was laid out along the line of the former city walls, creating a monumental setting for the capital’s public buildings. Together, the boulevard and old centre trace Vienna’s imperial legacy and civic life.

Choose to visit Vienna’s Capuchin Crypt, the historic burial place of members of the Habsburg dynasty. Explore a site that offers a quieter, more personal perspective on the family whose rule shaped Austria for centuries.

The crypt’s tombs reflect changing artistic styles and the rituals of imperial remembrance. This included Insight Choice is an alternative to the Viennese coffeehouse experience, allowing you to focus on the city’s dynastic history.

Choose a traditional Viennese coffeehouse visit and enjoy coffee with Sachertorte. Take time to experience a social institution where conversation, reading and an expertly served slice of cake are part of the pleasure.

Vienna’s coffeehouse culture has long brought writers, artists and neighbours together. This included Insight Choice offers a taste of that everyday tradition and is an alternative to visiting the Capuchin Crypt.

Explore Salzburg with a Local Expert, visiting the Mirabell Palace gardens and crossing Residence Square, both familiar from The Sound of Music. See the cathedral, the hilltop fortress and Mozart’s birthplace on Getreidegasse.

The walk connects Salzburg’s musical associations with the Baroque architecture of its historic centre. Fountains, formal gardens and busy old-town streets provide the setting for stories that extend well beyond the film.

Stroll Innsbruck’s Old Town with your Travel Director, seeing the Golden Roof and Imperial Palace amid Gothic and Baroque streets. The surrounding mountains form a striking backdrop to the compact centre of this Tyrolean capital.

The Golden Roof recalls Innsbruck’s importance under Emperor Maximilian I, while the palace reflects its long imperial connections. The walk brings the city’s architecture and Alpine setting into view together.

Spend time in Vaduz, Liechtenstein’s capital, and look up to Vaduz Castle above the town. The hilltop residence of the princely family makes a distinctive sight against the surrounding Alpine landscape.

Liechtenstein’s small capital provides an introduction to one of Europe’s smallest countries. The castle is viewed from outside rather than visited, giving you a sense of the principality’s royal heritage and mountain setting.

See Lucerne’s Lion Monument, carved into a rock face in memory of Swiss Guards who died during the French Revolution. Stroll across the covered Chapel Bridge and view the Baroque Jesuit Church beside the Reuss River.

These landmarks tell different parts of Lucerne’s story, from remembrance and religious life to the city’s medieval river crossing. Together they offer a compact introduction to its historic centre and lakeside setting.

Choose from a selection of Lucerne restaurants for a Dine-Around evening, selecting the setting and cuisine that appeal to you. This organised dining experience gives you more choice than a single group restaurant while keeping dinner part of the tour.

Whether your preference is a relaxed room or a more intimate table, the evening is designed around your dining style. Enjoy conversation over a meal in the heart of this Swiss lakeside city.

Ascend Mount Stanserhorn in a panoramic open-top cable car powered by solar energy. Breathe in the mountain air, follow scenic summit paths and look across the Alps; in clear conditions, views can reach towards Alsace and Germany’s Black Forest.

Watch for marmots and other native animals, with the chance to hear a Swiss ranger discuss local wildlife and flora. This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience supports conservation awareness and the protection of life on land.

Cruise the Rhine from Boppard to Sankt Goar, sipping a glass of local wine as riverside villages, terraced vineyards and stone castles come into view. Pass the Lorelei Rock, a landmark wrapped in the river’s legends.

This stretch of the Rhine is known for its close succession of historic settlements and steep vineyard slopes. Seeing them from the water reveals the landscape that shaped both the region’s wine culture and its enduring stories.

Experience a Paris cabaret performance combining elaborate costumes, live music and dinner. Spend an evening immersed in a style of entertainment long associated with the city’s nightlife.

Parisian cabarets pair stage spectacle with the shared atmosphere of a night out. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour; the specific venue is not named in the itinerary.

Travel from Bordeaux through the vineyards to a château for a cellar tour and local wine tasting. Visit Saint-Émilion to see its remarkable monolithic church carved into limestone.

The medieval town and surrounding wine landscape form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This Optional Experience combines the region’s winemaking tradition with a distinctive underground landmark. It is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Explore the French Basque coast with a Local Specialist, visiting Biarritz, known for its grand hotels and seaside resort heritage. Continue to Saint-Jean-de-Luz and visit the church where Louis XIV married the Spanish princess Maria Theresa in 1660.

The excursion pairs the Atlantic coast’s resort culture with a site linked to European royal history. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Visit Pompeii, the Roman town buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Explore a place where preserved streets and buildings offer an unusually direct view of life in the ancient world.

The volcanic disaster ended the town’s daily life but also protected much of its physical fabric beneath ash. This excursion offers a different perspective on Roman history from the monuments of the capital. It is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Visit Lake Bled and ride a traditional wooden pletna boat across its glacial waters towards the small island at its centre. Take in the lake’s wooded shores and Alpine backdrop from the water.

Pletna boats are closely associated with Bled, making the crossing a distinctive way to experience one of Slovenia’s best-known landscapes. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Join a private tour of Schonbrunn Palace and its formal gardens in Vienna. Explore the former imperial summer residence associated with Maria Theresa and see the grand setting in which the Habsburg court lived and entertained.

The palace and landscaped grounds express the scale of Austria’s imperial past. This Optional Experience provides a closer look at that history beyond Vienna’s central streets. It is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Consider an excursion to the Eagle’s Nest, the mountaintop building above Berchtesgaden known for its dramatic Alpine position and connection to Nazi-era history. The elevated setting offers wide views across the surrounding mountains.

Its scenic outlook sits alongside a difficult historical legacy, making context an important part of any visit. This Optional Experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour; the itinerary does not specify the exact activities included at the site.