• 12 Dinner (D)
• 44 Breakfast (B)
• 1 Picnic Lunch (PL)

• London: For this trip, we recommend that you carry the British Pound, Euro, Czech Koruna, Hungarian Forint, Romanian Lei, Turkish Lira, Bulgarian Lev, Swiss Francs, Egyptian Pound & US Dollars. (It’s a coin collector’s dream!)
• London: This varies from group to group and is subject to availability. Either way, your trip manager will let you know about this on Day 1 of your trip. 
• Cairo: Tipping’s a big deal in Egypt – it’s part of the culture and helps support locals (especially those working in tourism). During your trip, you’ll be expected to tip people like hotel staff, local guides, porters, and restaurant crews. To keep it simple (and avoid the awkward maths), your Trip Manager will organise a tipping kitty. They’ll let you know the suggested amount upon arrival in Egypt, and collect it in USD or Egyptian Pounds to cover group service tips along the way. Heads-up: this doesn’t include a tip for your Trip Manager.
• London: You’ll need Essential Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)From?January 8, 2025, UK law means that if you’re entering/transiting through border control in the United Kingdom (UK) and Northern Ireland you’ll need an?Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)?before you travel. Confused? Don’t be – just read on here.
• Istanbul: At the end of 2021 the Republic of Turkey officially changed its English name to ‘The Republic of Turkiye’ (pronounced “Tur-key-yeah”), which is how it is both spelt and pronounced in Turkish.
• London: Your Trip Manager will advise you on who you’ll share your room with. On this trip, you’ll stay in a multi-share room with other travellers of the same sex.
• London: Most accommodations on the trip offer self-service laundry or a laundry service. Wanna know the best time and place to do your laundry? Ask your Trip Manager! They have all the info you need.
• London: You’ll stay in a Twin share room (meaning you’ll be paired with a fellow traveller of the same gender, and will have two separate beds). If you’re booking your trip with a friend/travel companion – just let us know, so we can join your bookings and ensure you share a room. Need a lil’ more privacy? You’re welcome to opt for a single supplement if you like.

• Paris: Take a dreamy jaunt around the city of romance. Fall in love with landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Champs-Élysées and Notre-Dame Cathedral.
• Beaujolais: Be a VIP at the epic Contiki Château and fill up on a banquet of classic French dishes and wines. Ooh la la! 
• Beaujolais Wine Region: Set within the rolling hills of the Beaujolais wine region, the legendary Contiki Château special stay has been wowing travellers for decades. From the luxe bar to the elegant new bedrooms, our Château is the perfect backdrop to long summer days lounging by the pool, capped off with French feasts, local wine and dancing the night away in ‘La Cave.’
• Beaujolais: Clear out the cobwebs and get in touch with you zen side with a guided yoga session on the sweeping lawns of the château.
• Beaujolais: Enjoy a French-style picnic while admiring the gorgeous Beaujolais countryside.
• Barcelona: Combat boots at the ready, folks! Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter and Las Ramblas are so cool, you won’t know what to photograph first!
• Arles: Visit the historic city of Arles, famous for inspiring the paintings of Van Gogh.
• Monaco City: Walk in the footsteps of Grace Kelly at the Royal Palace and see the Monte Carlo Casino (where the car park looks like a Fast & Furious set).
• Nice: Your chance to learn the art of fragrance at a French perfume house. You know it makes scents! (soz).
• Venice: Speed across the lagoon to the aqueous island of Venice.
• Rome: Stroll around the Italian capital, ticking off some sights on your bucket list! 
• Amalfi Coast: Definitely one for the bucket list. Your chance to view one of Europe’s active volcanoes from a distance. 
• Corinth Canal: The world’s deepest canal is an epic sight. It was carved through the rock, as a link between the Aegean and Ionian Seas.
• Athens: Walk in the footsteps of Gods and Goddesses, as you take a guided tour around the Ancient Greek monuments and explore the Parthenon temple. 
• Cairo: Time to take to the sky. Cairo, here we come!
• Cairo: Needs no introduction! Marvel at the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx. #bucketlist
• Cairo: The world’s largest archaeological museum complex is no joke. You’ll find 100,000 artifacts here (including King Tut’s ENTIRE treasure collection). You don’t wanna miss this one…
• Aswan: Jump on a traditional Felucca boat and sail down the famous river.
• Luxor: Stroll through the mighty mortuary temple built during the reign of Pharaoh Hatshepsut. Don’t forget to bring your camera! You’ll definitely want to capture the perfectly symmetrical poles of the Porticos. This is also the spot where the Beautiful Festival of the Valley (celebrated to meet your ancestors) used to take place back in the middle ages.
• Luxor: Grab your camera and explore one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites. See the tomb of Tutankhamun from the outside (with the option to add on exploring it from the inside!) and many other Egyptian pharaohs. 
• Athens: Time to take to the sky. Athens, here we come!
• Thermopylae: Fans of the film 300 will love this tribute to Spartan warriors, on the site of the Thermopylae battle. 
• Gallipoli: See the infamous site of the ANZAC troop landings at the battle of Gallipoli in WWI. 
• Gallipoli: Brush up on your history knowledge with a visit to WWI battle sites: Lone Pine Cemetery and Chunuk Bair Gallipoli  
• Istanbul: If you’re looking for ornate and photogenic buildings we have a treat for you. See the Byzantine Hagia Sophia (Blue Mosque), Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar and Suleymaniye Mosque.
• Târgu Mure?: Visit the national monument in Transylvania (and also the inspiration for Dracula’s castle) – which is now a museum with art and furniture collected by Queen Marie. And of course, you can take a look inside if you’d like!
• Hopfgarten im Brixental: Join us in the cute lil Austrian Tyrol village of Hopfgarten, where you’ll find Haus Schoneck by Contiki. Next to one of the world’s largest ski regions, this traditional property has had a fresh facelift with all the modcons. We’re talking on-site sauna, Schnapps bar, communal lounge area, a shuttle to the main gondola. Hungry after a day on the slopes? Chow down on some warming locally sourced meals in our dining room.
• Munich: We’ll make a stop at a traditional Bavarian ‘Bier Halle’. Grab your Contiki crew and a beer. Prost!
• Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site: Take a somber but impactful visit to the site of a World War II concentration camp in Munich. 
• Prague: Walk through the winding cobbled streets and head up into the fairytale-like Castle District for panoramic city views.
• Berlin: Heads up culture vultures. Here’s your chance to check out the longest open-air gallery in the world.

Walk with a Local Guide through the Acropolis complex to gaze up at the Parthenon, a marble manifesto of proportion and power. The hilltop views sweep from Lycabettus to the Saronic Gulf.

Descend to the birthplace of modern sport at the Panathenaic Stadium, rebuilt in gleaming marble for 1896’s Olympic revival. Classical myths and city-making history frame each stop.

Glide along the Nile by traditional felucca, feeling the canvas fill with afternoon breeze as palms, domes and dunes drift by. The river’s hush contrasts delightfully with the city’s bustle.

Float past the lush botanical haven of Kitchener’s Island, tracing a waterway that sustained pharaohs and traders alike. It’s a serene window onto Nubian culture and timeless river rhythms.

Pay respects at the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, the first camp established by the Nazi regime. Walk the grounds and exhibition spaces that document persecution, resistance and survival.

Memorial chapels, foundations and the Path of Remembrance trace what stood here and why remembrance matters. A sober, informative visit invites reflection and learning.

Witness Riviera glamour on an evening visit to the cliff-top principality. See the Prince’s Palace of Monaco silhouetted above the sea, and wander manicured lanes toward the harbor bobbing with superyachts.

Take a turn by the ornate Monte Carlo Casino and the Grand Prix circuit’s famed hairpins. The atmosphere is cinematic—limestone facades, glossy boutiques, and the Mediterranean shimmering under the lights.

Visit a traditional French perfume house to uncover the craft that made the Riviera a capital of scent. Learn how essential oils are blended into accords, test your nose, and hear about the flower fields that once blanketed nearby Grasse.

From extraction to maceration, you’ll follow the fragrance journey and leave with insider tips on wearing and caring for perfume. It’s a window into a storied local art form.

Cruise across the lagoon by private motoscafo, skimming toward the domes of St Mark’s Basin and the marble palazzi that line the Grand Canal. The water route frames Venice as it was meant to be seen—stone, sky and tide in constant dialogue.

Hear stories of merchants, gondoliers and Doges while drifting past bell towers and centuries-old mooring posts. The city’s mosaic of canals and campi unfolds in living color.

Walk onto the lawn of the Piazza dei Miracoli to view Pisa’s famous tilt in person. Admire the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Romanesque Baptistery and the Cathedral’s striped marble—an ensemble that epitomizes Tuscan artistry.

Learn how shifting subsoil caused the tower’s lean and how engineering stabilized it in modern times. Photo angles abound amid white stone, cypresses and Tuscan light.

Join a guided walking tour through Renaissance Florence to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto’s bell tower and the goldsmiths’ shops of the Ponte Vecchio. Streets brim with ateliers and stories of Medici patronage.

Step inside a studio for a leather-working demonstration, discovering techniques Florence has perfected for centuries. The scent of tanned hide and burnished tools sets the scene for timeless craftsmanship.

Stroll baroque Rome at golden hour to the Trevi Fountain, the oculus-lit Pantheon and lively Piazza Navona. Fountains sparkle, cobbles glow, and café chatter rises as locals take the passeggiata.

Hear stories of ancient temples reborn as churches and artists who shaped the city’s exuberant facades. Coins tossed, wishes made—Rome’s charisma works fast.

Pause to admire the man-made chasm linking the Aegean and Ionian Seas. The Corinth Canal slices through rock, its sheer limestone walls plunging to sapphire water below as small vessels thread the needle.

Hear how ancient rulers dreamed of this shortcut and how 19th-century engineering finally realized it. It’s a striking fusion of Mediterranean seascape and human ambition.

Explore Cairo’s vast Grand Egyptian Museum, a showcase for pharaonic civilization. Stand before colossal statues, intricately carved sarcophagi and the complete Tutankhamun treasures displayed with modern storytelling and conservation.

Curators reveal how artisans worked gold, faience and stone, while multimedia brings ancient rituals to life. The galleries’ scale and light set a powerful stage for 5,000 years of history.

Stand face to face with the last survivor of the ancient wonders. Gaze up at the Great Pyramid of Khufu, trace the precise stone courses, and meet the enigmatic Great Sphinx guarding the plateau.

Learn how royal tombs aligned with the stars and how 4,600 years of desert wind have shaped this monumental landscape. Expect goosebumps and ample time for photos and reflection.

Venture into the Valley of the Kings to see vividly painted tomb chambers that once sealed Egypt’s pharaohs from time. Hieroglyphic walls glow with scenes of rebirth and celestial voyages.

Continue to the cliff-carved Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, a masterpiece of terraces and colonnades honoring Egypt’s female pharaoh. The stark desert backdrop heightens the site’s drama and grace.

Pause at historic Thermopylae, where a narrow pass became a stage for outsized courage. See the Leonidas monument and learn how geography shaped the clash between Spartans and Persians.

The tale—part tactics, part legend—still resonates across military history and popular culture. This is a moment to pause for photos and reflection at one of antiquity’s iconic sites.

Visit the shores of ANZAC Cove and the cemeteries of Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair, where the Gallipoli campaign etched itself into national memory. Slopes and scrub reveal the brutal topography of 1915.

Guided commentary illuminates strategies, sacrifice and the campaign’s legacy for Australia, New Zealand and Turkiye. A somber, respectful experience invites quiet contemplation.

Discover a city of empires with visits to the Hagia Sophia, the tile-clad Blue Mosque and the sultans’ opulent Topkapi Palace. Mosques, domes and minarets create a skyline unlike any other.

Dive into the Grand Bazaar and admire the proportions of the Suleymaniye Mosque. Stories of Byzantium and the Ottomans link cultures where Europe meets Asia.

Explore Bran Castle, a fortress set on a crag amid the Carpathian foothills. Wind through timbered rooms and stone stairways while separating legend from history in the so-called “Dracula’s Castle.”

View collections tied to Queen Marie and learn how medieval trade routes and folklore shaped Transylvania’s aura. The vistas over forests and villages seal its fairytale mood.

Ascend to the Castle District for views over red roofs and the curve of the Vltava. Cross the statues of Charles Bridge and wander into the Old Town Square, where the Astronomical Clock marks the hours.

Gothic spires, Baroque facades and café arcades reveal centuries of Bohemian history. Your guide offers context and photo stops throughout this fairytale core.

Walk along the East Side Gallery, the longest open-air remnant of the Berlin Wall. Vivid murals and slogans transform a former border into a canvas of hope and critique.

Hear how artists reclaimed concrete after 1989 and how this site anchors memories of division and unity. Snap the most iconic panels as river light shimmers beside you.

Step into a traditional Bavarian Bierhalle for clinking steins, wood-beamed ceilings and maybe a brass band at full tilt. Long tables make quick friends of strangers.

Learn the lore behind Märzen and Helles, and toast with a hearty Prost! Classic Bavarian fare and convivial ritual offer a lively slice of Munich culture—festival spirit, any time of year.

Taste local vintages in the cellars before sitting down to a French feast at our historic Beaujolais base. A guided wine tasting introduces light-bodied reds and the terroir of these storied hills.

Evening lingers in the château’s salons and garden nooks—artwork on the walls, conversation in the air. A convivial celebration of countryside flavors and rhythm.

Ease into the day with a guided yoga session on the château’s lawns, framed by vines and orchards. Breathe deep as the Beaujolais hills catch the first light.

The setting—birdsongs, dew-bright grass, soft breeze—invites calm and clarity. It’s a restorative counterpoint to the journey’s city energy and late-night laughter.

Savor a French-style picnic amid hedges and hill views, with seasonal bites and a glass of local wine. The château’s gardens offer shade, scent and space to linger.

Between panoramic vineyard views and conversation, you’ll capture the gentle pace of rural France—simple, generous and deeply photogenic.

Dine in Montmartre amid cobbles, cafés and the glow of the Sacré-Cœur dome before an evening of Parisian cabaret. Expect live orchestra, sequined costumes and razor-sharp choreography in a velvet-draped theatre.

This is a classic night out in the City of Light—culinary indulgence followed by showtime sparkle. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Ascend by cogwheel train to Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe for an ice palace, glacier vistas and the Aletsch Glacier unfurled below. Or crank up the adrenaline on a canyon swing soaring between rock walls above alpine streams.

Choose serene heights or heart-thumping flight—either way, the Alps deliver big. Optional experiences at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Experience flamenco in an intimate tablao as guitar, palmas and voice drive dancers to explosive footwork. Candlelit brick arches and close-up artistry amplify the emotion—what Andalusians call duende.

Tapas and local wine set the mood for a night where rhythm and passion take center stage. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Pedal a guided coastal route with the Mediterranean as your backdrop. Glide past Belle Époque facades, palms and pocket beaches as sea air and sunshine set an easy cadence.

Photo stops highlight coves and viewpoints the coach can’t reach. A relaxed way to trace the Côte d’Azur’s luminous edge. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Choose a classic gondola ride through narrow canals beneath stone bridges, or join a walking tour of bacari wine bars for cicchetti tastings paired with local pours.

One option revels in quiet waterways and Venetian craftsmanship; the other in neighborhood flavors and convivial chatter. Optional experiences at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Sit down to a Tuscan trattoria dinner—think ribollita, bistecca or pappardelle al ragù—accompanied by Chianti and warm, candlelit ambiance.

Later, step into the historic Red Garter for live music and a lively Florentine night out. Two flavors of the city—culinary and convivial—on one evening. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Enter the arena on a guided Colosseum tour to decode arches, hypogeum tunnels and the spectacles that gripped ancient Rome. Later, roll up your sleeves for a hands-on pasta-making class with a local chef.

It’s a day of engineering genius and edible tradition—from vaulted stone to silky strands of tagliatelle. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Walk the ancient streets of Pompeii with a specialist guide to see frescoed villas, bakeries and stepping-stone crosswalks preserved by Vesuvius’ 79 AD eruption.

Learn how daily life unfolded amid forums, bathhouses and amphitheaters, and view poignant plaster casts that humanize the catastrophe. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Cruise the Nile past Cairo’s skyline while enjoying a buffet dinner and folkloric entertainment. Music swells, city lights shimmer, and a whirling tanoura dancer brings Sufi tradition to the stage.

From open decks to dining salons, this evening pairs river breezes with Egyptian hospitality. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Travel to Abu Simbel to stand before four colossal statues of Ramses II and step inside a temple reassembled stone by stone above Lake Nasser.

Reliefs glow with sun-god symbolism and royal might, while your guide recounts the UNESCO rescue project that saved it from the Nile’s rising waters. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Enter the vast Temple of Karnak, where the Hypostyle Hall’s forest of columns vaults the sky. Obelisks pierce the light and carved reliefs narrate pharaohs’ triumphs and devotion.

From the sacred lake to ceremonial avenues, Karnak reveals the scale and ceremony of Amun’s cult. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Sail out on a Red Sea boat trip to snorkel technicolor reefs alive with parrotfish, butterflyfish and gliding rays. Clear water and desert mountains frame a day of easy adventure.

Guides brief you on sites and marine life before you plunge in. Sun, salt and coral gardens—pure Hurghada magic. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Stroll the lantern-lit lanes of Plaka, Athens’ oldest quarter, where neoclassical facades, bougainvillea-draped balconies and artisanal shops set a romantic scene.

Sample meze plates and hear the pluck of bouzouki drifting from tavernas as the Acropolis glows above. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Join a morning tour of Matthias Church, the Royal Palace district and the Chain Bridge before returning by evening to board a Danube dinner cruise.

As paprika-scented dishes are served, watch lit facades—Parliament, bridges, quays—drift by in shimmering reflection. Optional experiences at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Trace Mozart’s footsteps past Mirabell Gardens, the Getreidegasse and baroque squares, with stops tied to The Sound of Music lore.

Your guide weaves music history with Habsburg elegance, revealing why Salzburg’s skyline of domes and fortress cuts such a graceful profile. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Drive into the hills to dine at a family-hosted farm, sharing seasonal dishes and homemade schnaps while hearing stories of alpine life.

Ingredients are sourced locally, hospitality is heartfelt, and the views roll across meadows and peaks. A cultural exchange over comfort food. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Choose your alpine thrill: soar on tandem paragliding flights, tackle white-water rafting on mountain rivers, or join a guided mountain bike ride through valley trails.

Snow-capped ridges, wildflower meadows and waterfalls set an epic stage whatever you pick. Optional experiences at additional cost, bookable on tour.

See Munich at pedal pace on a guided bike tour through the Englischer Garten, the Residenz quarter and lively Viktualienmarkt.

Parks, beer gardens and royal avenues link up effortlessly on two wheels as your guide shares local anecdotes and shortcuts. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Dive into Hidden Prague—courtyards, passages and lesser-known churches—on a storytelling walk that reveals cubist corners and historic guilds.

It’s a deeper read of the city beyond the postcard, led by a local who knows where Prague keeps its secrets. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Sit down to a hearty meal as a folklore show of traditional music and dance brings Bohemian customs to life. Expect lively fiddle tunes, swirling skirts and audience clap-alongs.

Beer and comfort dishes fuel the merriment—an evening steeped in Central European warmth. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Choose a deep-dive into history—Brandenburg Gate, Unter den Linden and the site of Hitler’s bunker—or opt for an alternative walk through Kreuzberg’s street art and creative spaces.

Each route brings Berlin’s layers into focus, from Prussian pomp and Cold War scars to today’s subcultures. Optional experiences at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Cruise Amsterdam’s canals beneath arched bridges and past gabled Golden Age houses mirrored in the water. Commentary sketches the city’s trading heyday and quirky modern spirit.

Whether by day or under evening lights, the waterways frame Amsterdam at its most photogenic—a relaxed finale with friends. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Step into a family kitchen to prepare homemade meze, simmer stews and roll pastries as tea and stories flow. Techniques and spices are explained dish by dish.

Share the meal you’ve made together and learn the customs behind Turkish hospitality. A delicious cultural exchange. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Unwind in a traditional hammam, moving from warm marble to steamy chambers before a brisk kese scrub and cloudlike foam massage leave you refreshed.

This centuries-old ritual blends wellness with Ottoman ambiance—arched domes, patterned tiles and the soothing chorus of water. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Discover Paris on a guided panoramic tour, taking in the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, the grand axis of the Champs-Élysées and the courtyards of the Louvre. Glide past the Île de la Cité to glimpse Notre-Dame Cathedral and the elegant bridges that bind the Seine’s Left and Right Banks.

Hear how the city evolved from medieval lanes to Haussmann’s boulevards, and why its monuments still set the pace for style and romance. Expect photo pauses and local insights that bring Paris’s layers to life.

Walk the tangled lanes of the Barri Gòtic on a guided orientation walk, from Roman walls to shadowy courtyards and sunlit squares. Stroll the city’s famous promenade, Las Ramblas, where flower stalls and street performers animate the route from Placa de Catalunya to the waterfront.

Trace hidden chapels, Catalan Art Nouveau facades and artisan boutiques as you soak in the city’s rhythmic pace. Expect tips on must-try bites and where to admire Gothic spires after dark.

Explore Arles, a Provencal town where Roman grandeur meets sun-baked shutters. Visit the Roman Arena and see remnants of the ancient theatre that once staged spectacles for Augustus’ citizens.

Gain context on Arles’ role in the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis, and hear how its light enchanted Vincent van Gogh. Cafés and cobbles frame your snapshots, with time to pause amid fountains and plane trees.

Contiki