Your itinerary
Day 1
Day 1: Arrive Amsterdam
Welcome to Amsterdam. Spend the day at leisure before meeting your Travel Director this evening. Cruise the city’s charming, tree-lined canals to explore the heart of the Old City, then gather with your fellow travellers for a delightful dinner with wine at a local restaurant.
Meals: Dinner
Day 2
Day 2: Amsterdam to Würzburg
Depart the Dutch capital this morning and journey into the heart of Germany’s romantic Rhine Valley. In Boppard, board a river cruise and glide past vineyard-covered slopes, turreted castles and the legendary Lorelei rock. Among the sights, admire the silhouettes of Burg Rheinfels, Burg Katz and Burg Maus. Later, arrive in Würzburg, a city celebrated for its baroque charm and wine-making heritage.
Meals: Breakfast,Dinner
Day 3
Day 3: Rothenburg and Golden Prague
In the morning venture to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the most well-preserved town on the Romantic Road. Continue east to the Czech border, passing the town of Pilsen renowned for its beer, before reaching the Golden City of Prague. In the evening, perhaps take a river cruise through the heart of the city?
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4
Day 4: Prague, City of a Hundred Spires
Explore Prague with your choice experience. Choose to walk the courtyards of the castle and visit the imposing St. Vitus Cathedral. Alternatively, join your Local Specialist through the Jewish Quarter and hear about the history, traditions and legends of the Jewish people while you visit the Old‑New Synagogue and the Jewish cemetery. Then, the city is all yours to explore. Perhaps rummage through the antique stores or shop for Bohemian crystal?
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5
Day 5: Through Bohemia to Budapest
Travel to Hungary, following the River Danube to Budapest. In the evening, enjoy a scenic dinner cruise, gliding past UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city’s spectacular night-time beauty earns it the nickname ‘Pearl of the Danube’.
Meals: Breakfast,Dinner
Day 6
Day 6: Budapest, Queen of the Danube
Drive along the beautiful Andrassy Avenue to Heroes’ Square. Stroll through the alleys of the Old Town of Buda and admire sweeping views from the Fisherman’s Bastion with a Local Specialist. Marvel at extensive panoramic views as you look out over the famous river dividing Buda and Pest – the two sides linked by the mighty Chain Bridge and the elegant, newer Elizabeth Bridge.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7
Day 7: The Flavours of Budapest
This morning enjoy a tour of the Liszt Music Academy with a student, followed by an enchanting recital. The university was founded by the piano virtuoso and composer Franz Liszt in 1875. Continue your travels, past the Turul Monument, a large eagle statue overlooking the town of Tatabanya, to the Austrian border and through pleasant farming country to the imperial capital of Vienna.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8
Day 8: Vienna and the Habsburgs
In the morning, there is the option to join a private tour of Maria Theresa’s Schönbrunn Palace and formal gardens. Get your camera ready for a drive around the famous Ring Road. This grand boulevard, built along the lines of the old city walls, showcases many of the capital’s architectural masterpieces, including the Opera House, magnificent Hofburg Imperial Residence and Parliament building. Later, join your Local Specialist for a walk through Innere Stadt, the first district and historic core of Vienna. Sit down for traditional coffee and cake and mingle with locals at a cosy cafe.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9
Day 9: Along the shores of Lake Wörthersee to Venice
This day’s route takes you past quiet villages, through Styria’s forested mountains and into the Carinthian Lake District. Continue past Europe’s warmest lake, the Wörthersee, to cross into Italy near Tarvisio. Then follow mountain valleys and cascading streams down to the Veneto Plain en route to the unique city of Venice. Arrive by private boat to your hotel. In the late afternoon and early evening, sip a cocktail on the corner of Piazza San Marco, whilst you are serenaded by an ensemble of talented musicians. Afterwards, stroll past the Doge’s Palace and the famous ‘Bridge of Sighs’ to a local restaurant in the heart of the historic centre for a magical dinner.
Meals: Breakfast,Dinner
Day 10
Day 10: The Magic of 'La Serenissima'
In the morning, prepare to embrace this awe-inspiring city. Visit St. Mark’s Square, dominated by its magnificent Basilica and overlooked by the great Clock Tower. Also in the square stands the immense Campanile and Doge’s Palace, which is connected to the ancient prisons by the Bridge of Sighs. Join a visit to a traditional Venetian glassblowing workshop, where you’ll see how beautiful, handcrafted glass is made by expert artisans, preserving centuries-old skills. The rest of the day is free. Perhaps shop in the small arcades or why not cruise the Venetian lagoon to the island of Burano for a meal of local specialities and wine?
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11
Day 11: Journey From Tuscany to Rome
Climbing into the Apennines, you arrive at Fattoria di Bagnolo, a historic Tuscan estate watched over by the Bartolini Baldelli family for generations. A family member welcomes you personally, sharing how the estate moved from Machiavelli’s era to its revival in 1852 as the Marquis’ summer residence. Inside the villa and atmospheric cellars, cool stone, oak barrels and the scent of olive oil anchor you in Tuscan country life before you walk among the vines with the Chianti hills stretching in folds beyond. You taste the estate wines with the family’s own olive oil, then follow the Tiber towards Rome, where the Eternal City waits at the end of the road.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch
Day 12
Day 12: Rome Sights: Vatican and Colosseum
With fast-track entry, your Local Specialist guides you into the Vatican Museums, where long galleries lead you past Raphael’s works and classical sculptures collected by the Popes. In the Sistine Chapel, its sweep of biblical scenes from Genesis to David and Goliath spreads out above you in intricate colours and immense detail. Continuing to St. Peter’s Basilica, the world’s largest church, you may pause before Michelangelo’s Pietà to notice the detail carved into marble, from the folds of Mary’s robe to the stillness of her face. Across the Tiber, ancient Rome lies in all its ruined glory. You might trace the Colosseum’s tiers of arches and weathered stone before enjoying free time to follow your own curiosity through Rome. On some departures, access to St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums may be restricted. You’ll still enjoy the atmosphere of St. Peter’s Square during your visit to the Vatican City, and if tickets are unavailable to the Vatican Museums, you’ll instead explore the Capitoline Museums, home to iconic Roman art and archaeology.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 13
Day 13: Lorenzo’s Farm and Florence Beyond
At Lorenzo’s family farm in Umbria, you join the chef in the kitchen, where flour dusts the table and pasta dough is pressed, folded and cut by hand. His demonstration leads straight into lunch. You sit down to pasta served with Orvieto Classico, the wine cool in the glass and warm steam rising from the plate. Afterwards, you’ll continue to your hotel in Florence, the taste of Umbria still lingering on your tongue.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch
Day 14
Day 14: Renaissance Florence
Begin the morning by joining a Local Specialist in Florence to view the multicoloured marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery adorned by Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise. You also visit the open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces in Piazza della Signoria, the political heart of the city. In the afternoon, enjoy free time to explore the Renaissance capital. Perhaps take the opportunity to visit Pisa and see the famous Leaning Tower?
Meals: Breakfast
Day 15
Day 15: Across the Alps to Lucerne
Head north towards the Italian Lake District via Lake Lugano. Continue into the heart of the Swiss Alps, passing through the Saint Gotthard Tunnel, one of the longest road tunnels in the world, before travelling alongside towering mountains and past rushing torrents, down to scenic Lake Lucerne. Upon arrival to 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 and see the baroque Jesuit Church.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 16
Day 16: Lucerne’s Heights: Stanserhorn and Old Town
On your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience, you ride the solar-powered open-top cable car towards Mount Stanserhorn’s summit, open to the alpine air as cowbells sound from the slopes and the mountains spread wide around you. If the skies are clear, you may look as far as Alsace and the Black Forest in Germany before following the summit pathways in search of marmots and native wildlife. Back in Lucerne, you wander the traffic-free Old Town, passing chocolate shop windows stacked with pralines, truffles and gold-wrapped bars. You could also join today’s Optional Experience into the countryside, travelling by horse-drawn carriage before meeting local farmers. For your Dine-Around Evening, choose from a selection of restaurants and settle in for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast,Dinner
Day 17
Day 17: Journey Through Burgundy to Paris
Crossing rural Burgundy, you watch vine rows comb the countryside on the way to Paris, one of France’s great wine regions slipping past the window. During your time in Paris, you look up through the Eiffel Tower’s ironwork, pass Notre-Dame on the Île de la Cité and follow the Louvre’s long stone façades along the river. Beside the Seine, you’ll travel past bridges arcing over the water before reaching Place de la Concorde, where the obelisk cuts a clean line through the square. Drive along the Champs-Élysées towards the Arc de Triomphe, then claim the evening for yourself, perhaps slipping into a world-famous cabaret show where velvet seats, stage lights and music carry Paris late into the night.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 18
Day 18: The Flavours of Paris
With your Local Specialist, you’ll cross Paris on a panoramic tour, taking in the iron lattice of the Eiffel Tower, the broad sweep of the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe. At Place de la Concorde, you’ll see one of Paris’s grandest squares and hear how this elegant setting became the site of the guillotine during the French Revolution. Later, settle in at a local restaurant, where good cheer and aromas from the kitchen accompany a dinner of French cuisine.
Meals: Breakfast,Dinner
Day 19
Day 19: Share Farewells to Europe
Share your goodbyes with your travelling companions before your transfer takes you to Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Meals: Breakfast
What’s included
What’s not included
Additional information
Dining Summary
- 6 Dinner (D)
- 18 Breakfast (B)
- 2 Lunch (L)
How You'll Travel
- Business class coach with extended leg room
- Top-rated dining, from farm-to-table to local restaurants
- 4 & 5-star stays
Authentic Dining
- Amsterdam: Toast to the travels ahead during your dinner of modern European cuisine at a local restaurant.
- Budapest: Enjoy a scenic dinner cruise and take in the city’s night time beauty as you float along the Danube.
- Venice: Savour a Venetian dinner with wine in a restaurant in the heart of this historic city.
- Tuscany: Gather at a family-owned estate in the Chianti hills for an intimate tasting of their estate wines, paired with silky extra-virgin olive oil pressed from the surrounding groves. As you sip and swirl, your hosts share the story of this land shaped by sun, stone and centuries of Tuscan know-how, turning a simple glass and drizzle into something far more personal. It is a true taste of Tuscany, enjoyed up close and personal with the people who call it home.
- Umbria: Explore the art of Italian cooking with Chef Lorenzo followed by a tasty lunch.
- 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.
- Paris: With your newfound friends indulge in refined French cuisine during your dinner at the iconic restaurant L’Alsace.
Trafalgar Choice
- Prague: Stroll through the Jewish Quarter with your Local Specialist to hear how the Jewish community has shaped the history of Prague, and visit the Old-New Synagogue and the Jewish cemetery.
- Prague: Explore Prague with your Local Specialist, walk the courtyards of the Castle, and visit the imposing St. Vitus Cathedral. The city is then yours to explore. Maybe take a river cruise through the heart of the city, or walk in the footsteps of kings along the Royal Route?
Premium Experience
- Budapest: Enjoy a tour of the Liszt Music Academy with a student, followed by an enchanting recital. Producing incredible musical talent, the university was founded by piano virtuoso and composer Franz Liszt in 1875.
- Vienna: Be pampered with traditional coffee and cake. An experience like no other, this cosy cafe provides companionship, and promotes well-being and support for the community, in addition to crafting delicious treats.
- Tuscany: Be welcomed like an honoured guest at historic Fattoria di Bagnolo as a member of the noble Bartolini Baldelli family opens the doors to their Tuscan home. Discover a legacy stretching back nearly a thousand years, from Machiavelli’s era to today, as you explore the villa, vineyards and atmospheric cellars, up close and personal with those who call it home.
- Vatican City: Visit the Vatican Museums and witness the genius of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber Medieval Walk
Walk Rothenburg’s medieval walls and wander the half-timbered lanes leading to the Marktplatz and Town Hall. Photogenic corners like the Plonlein reveal steep roofs, cobbles, and flower boxes unchanged in spirit for centuries.
Learn how this Romantic Road jewel preserved its storybook character through careful restoration. Tower gateways, clock towers and artisan workshops evoke a living museum of Middle Ages urban life within encircling ramparts.
Prague Castle Courtyards & St. Vitus Cathedral (Choice Experience)
Walk Prague Castle’s courtyards with your Local Specialist and step inside St. Vitus Cathedral, where stained glass bathes soaring vaults and flying buttresses frame the skyline. From castle terraces, take in red rooftops rolling to the Vltava.
Hear of Bohemian kings and saints, the Czech crown jewels, and the power that radiated from this hilltop complex. Offered as one of your included choices during your time in Prague.
Prague Jewish Quarter: Old–New Synagogue & Cemetery (Choice Experience)
Explore the Jewish Quarter of Josefov with a Local Specialist, visit the Old–New Synagogue and wander the Old Jewish Cemetery, where layered headstones tell centuries of community life and memory.
Stories of resilience, scholarship and tradition unfold among prayer halls and narrow lanes tied to Prague’s wider cultural tapestry. Offered as one of your included choices during your time in Prague.
Budapest Dinner Cruise on the Danube
Sail the illuminated riverbanks and cruise the Danube at night past the Hungarian Parliament, Buda Castle and the Chain Bridge. Dine as reflections shimmer on the water and the city’s limestone facades glow like lanterns.
As you pass UNESCO-listed vistas linking Buda and Pest, hear about Magyar history and the grand 19th-century rebuilding. Seasonal dishes, warm hospitality and gentle melodies set a memorable Budapest mood.
Budapest Panoramic & Buda Old Town Walk
Drive elegant Andrássy Avenue to Heroes’ Square, then stroll Buda’s Castle District to the neo-Romanesque terraces of Fisherman’s Bastion for sweeping views over the Danube and Pest’s grand boulevards.
Trace Magyar milestones at the Millennium Monument and hear how bridges united the twin cities. Cobblestones, baroque facades and café scents add a lived-in texture to Budapest’s story-rich hillsides.
Liszt Music Academy Tour & Student Recital
Visit the Liszt Academy with a student guide to discover jewel-like Art Nouveau concert halls and rehearsal rooms before settling in for an intimate student-led recital that fills the space with virtuosic sound.
Founded in 1875 by Franz Liszt, the academy nurtured generations of performers and composers. Frescoed walls, gilded balconies and crystalline acoustics form a living tribute to Hungary’s musical legacy.
Vienna Ringstrasse Panoramic & Innere Stadt Walk with Coffeehouse Pause
Drive the Ringstrasse to see the Vienna State Opera, Hofburg Imperial Residence and Parliament before a guided walk through the Innere Stadt’s gracious streets and arcades. Conclude with a classic pause for coffee and cake in a cosy café.
Hear of Habsburg ceremony, waltz seasons and the city’s salon culture. Marble facades, horse-drawn carriages and coffee aromas capture Vienna’s refined urban theatre.
Venice Orientation by Private Boat on the Giudecca Canal
Travel by private boat along the broad Giudecca Canal as your Travel Director orients you to palazzi-lined shores, the Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Square. The city’s maritime soul is best felt from the water.
Watch domes and campanili rise above the lagoon while vaporetti crisscross the basins. Light, tide, and stone conspire to reveal La Serenissima’s theatrical beauty at every turn.
St Mark’s Square Landmarks & Murano Glassblowing Demonstration
See St Mark’s Square with its Basilica, Clock Tower and Campanile, and pause by the Bridge of Sighs linking palace to prisons. Then watch Murano glassblowers shape molten glass into delicate forms using generations-old techniques.
Hear how guilds safeguarded this fiery craft as workshops moved to Murano in the 13th century. The furnace’s glow, the maestro’s breath and the clink of cooling glass reveal Venice’s artisan heart.
Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St Peter’s Basilica Fast-Track
Skip the line at the Vatican Museums to view classical statuary and Raphael’s rooms before entering the Sistine Chapel, where Genesis scenes and prophets sweep across the ceiling. Continue into St. Peter’s Basilica, the spiritual heart of Catholicism.
Stand before Michelangelo’s Pietà and Bernini’s bronze baldachin while hearing of papal patrons, artists and architects who shaped this vast complex of art and faith.
Ancient Rome: Colosseum Exterior & Forum Overview
See the Colosseum’s arches and travertine tiers while hearing of gladiators, emperors and roaring crowds. From nearby vantage points, take in the Roman Forum and traces of the Via Sacra threading through temples and triumphal arches.
Stories of the Flavian dynasty, imperial propaganda and civic ritual bring the stones to life. Weathered columns, inscriptions and layers of history reveal the city once called caput mundi—capital of the world.
Umbria Farm Cooking Demonstration & Lunch with Lorenzo
Learn to hand-make pasta alongside a local chef in a farmhouse kitchen, then sit down to a convivial lunch paired with tasteful Umbrian wines. Flour-dusted boards, simmering sauces and farm kitchen aromas set an inviting scene.
Discover agriturismo traditions rooted in seasonal produce and family recipes. Rolling hills, olive groves and convivial table talk capture central Italy’s generous countryside spirit.
Fattoria di Bagnolo: Tuscan Villa, Cellars & Tasting
Visit Fattoria di Bagnolo with a family host to explore the villa and cool stone cellars before you sample estate wines with peppery extra-virgin olive oil pressed from surrounding groves.
Hear how the Bartolini Baldelli lineage bridges Machiavelli’s era and modern Tuscany. Vineyard views, oak barrels and the scent of oil mills translate heritage into vivid tastes.
Florence Walking Tour & Leather–Gold Craft Demonstration
View Florence’s Duomo complex with the Cathedral, Campanile and Baptistery’s Gates of Paradise, then continue to Piazza della Signoria, the city’s open-air gallery of Renaissance power and artistry.
In the Santa Croce quarter, meet artisans preserving guild-era skills as they cut, stitch and gild during a leather and goldworking demonstration. Marble, bronze and craft bench tools reveal Florence’s enduring creative engine.
Lucerne Old Town, Chapel Bridge & Lion Monument
See the Lion Monument carved into a cliff face, then walk the Chapel Bridge over the Reuss with its water tower and painted panels. Pause by the Jesuit Church, whose baroque domes grace the riverfront.
Hear of Swiss Guards’ sacrifice commemorated by the lion and how Lucerne’s merchants prospered along alpine trade routes. Timbered houses, frescoed facades and lakeside views frame this lakeshore classic.
Stanserhorn Cabrio Cable Car & Summit Paths (Make Travel Matter)
Ride the open-top Cabrio cable car powered in part by solar energy to Stanserhorn’s summit for alpine panoramas that can stretch to Alsace and the Black Forest. Follow summit pathways in search of marmots and wildflowers.
Your visit supports conservation awareness through ranger talks and sustainable operations. Cowbells, meadow scents and sweeping views celebrate Switzerland’s mountain landscapes with a light footprint.
Paris Panoramic City Tour
Join a guided panoramic tour taking in the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Seine embankments, and the Champs-Élysées and Arc de Triomphe. See Place de la Concorde where an obelisk now marks a storied square.
Hear of Haussmann’s grand boulevards, bridge legends and revolutions that reshaped the capital. Stone facades, wrought-iron balconies and café terraces frame Paris’s enduring theatre of life.
Schönbrunn Palace & Gardens (Private Tour)
Tour Schonbrunn Palace, the Habsburgs’ summer residence, to admire gilded salons and the frescoed Great Gallery before strolling the formal gardens aligned with baroque precision.
Hear of Maria Theresa’s court life and imperial ceremonies within these opulent rooms. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.
Venetian Lagoon Cruise to Burano with Seafood Dinner
Cruise the Venetian Lagoon to the rainbow-hued island of Burano, where fishermen’s houses line quiet canals. Settle in for a fresh seafood dinner paired with Veneto wines in a welcoming trattoria.
Learn of lace-making traditions and island life far from San Marco’s bustle. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.
Lucerne Countryside Carriage Ride & Farm Visit
Ride by horse-drawn carriage through meadows and villages framed by lake and alpine peaks. Meet local farmers, sample seasonal produce and capture classic lake-and-mountain views.
Gain insight into Swiss rural rhythms, from barns and bell-collared herds to neatly stacked hay bales. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.
Prague Vltava River Cruise
Cruise the Vltava River beneath Charles Bridge and past the castle-crowned skyline as baroque domes and spires mirror on the water. Gentle currents reveal Prague’s poetic angles.
Hear tales of saints, emperors and astronomers who shaped the City of a Hundred Spires. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.
Pisa and the Square of Miracles
Travel to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, cathedral and baptistery on the Piazza dei Miracoli, a luminous ensemble of white-marble Romanesque facades set on green lawns.
Learn how soil and time tilted the tower, then perfected its iconic silhouette through careful stabilization. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.
Parisian Cabaret Evening
Attend a Parisian cabaret where high-energy choreography, champagne and sequins, and a live band conjure Belle Époque sparkle for a modern stage. Velvet seats and footlights frame a night of showmanship.
Discover the city’s love of spectacle and music-hall tradition that has entertained Parisians for generations. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.
Operated By
Insight Vacations
Amsterdam Canal Cruise through the Golden Age
Glide along Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed waterways and cruise Amsterdam’s canals past 17th-century gabled mansions on the mansion-lined Herengracht and Keizersgracht. Watch bicycle-filled bridges arc over the water and see merchant houses crowned with hoisting beams and elegant neck gables from the city’s trading zenith.
Hear how prosperity from the Dutch East India Company shaped these Golden Age townhouses, while tree-lined quays and arched stone bridges ripple across the glassy canals. The perspective from the water reveals Amsterdam’s harmonious architecture and easygoing rhythm.
Middle Rhine Cruise: Boppard to Sankt Goar
Board your river boat to glide the Middle Rhine, passing storybook castles like Burg Rheinfels, Katz and Maus perched above vineyard-clad slopes. Sip a glass of crisp local Riesling as sheer cliffs give way to charming river towns and timbered quaysides.
Drift beneath the fabled Lorelei Rock, where legends of a siren lured sailors, and learn how this UNESCO-listed valley inspired Romantic poets and painters. Scenic bends and bell towers frame one of Europe’s most storied waterways.
Würzburg Old Town & Alte Mainbrücke Views
Explore Wurzburg’s baroque heart and stand on the Alte Mainbrucke, lined with saints’ statues and views across the river to the Marienberg Fortress. Stroll among pastel facades, wine taverns and market stalls that showcase Franconia’s easy charm.
Hear how the city flourished under prince-bishops whose palaces and churches shaped its skyline. Between vineyard hills and the winding Main, Wurzburg blends ecclesiastical grandeur with a living baroque streetscape and celebrated wine culture.
