European Grandeur 27 Day tour from $5368     an Insight Vacations luxury tour

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Tour Highlights

Hotels

On this tour there is a selection of both modern hotels, such as the Innsbruck Hilton & the Inntel in Amsterdam, and traditional like the Tamerici & Principe in Montecatini & the elegant Beau Rivage in Nice .

 Fellow Passengers

This tour is largely popular with visitors from the southern hemisphere, who don't get a chance to visit Europe too often. They want a comprehensive tour to see everything in one go - and this tour fits the bill perfectly!

Highlights

This extensive tour has a vast array of highlights, including Madrid's Royal Palace, Chenonceau Chateau and glorious Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna. Plus there  are stunning vistas from the Eiffel Tower & Mount Pilatus!.

Excursions & Sights

• Visit Vimy Ridge Memorial
• See Notre Dame Cathedral & Arch de Triomphe
• Scenic Loire Valley drive
• Visit the Grotto in Lourdes and  join the torchlit procession
• See the Cervantes Monument, Puerta del Sol and Cibeles Fountain in Madrid
• See the Eixample District, Sagrada Familia, Gothic Quarter and Ramblas in Barcelona
• Scenic drive across the Camargue
• Visit the hilltop artists' town of St Paul de Vence
• See Monaco's Casino, Palace & Grand Prix circuit
• See the leaning tower of Pisa
• Skyline view over Florence and see Signoria Square, Santa Croce, Duomo & Baptistery
• See the Cathedral & Piazza del Campo in Siena
• Visit St Peter's Basilica in the VaticanVisit the Colosseum
• See  the Roman Forum
• Visit the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi
• Cruise to St Mark's Square to see the Doges' Palace, Bridge of Sighs & Basilica in Venice
• Drive  along Vienna's Ring Road to see the Parliament, Winter Palace & Opera House
• See  Mozart's Birthplace and walk through Salzburg's Old Town to the Cathedral Square
• See the Golden Roof and Imperial Palace & visit the Wilten Basilica in Innsbruck
• See Vaduz Castle in Liechtenstein
• View Lucerne's Lion Monument & Chapel Bridge
• See the Rhine Falls
• Black Forest drive
• Scenic Rhine Cruise
• See Cologne Cathedral
• Visit the fishing village of Volendam
• See Amsterdam's  Mint Tower & Dam Square
• Demonstrations of diamond cutting and polishing, cheese  & clog making in Holland, Venetian glass-blowing, Florentine leather-work and a French perfumery visit

Guided City Tours

In depth sightseeing tours in Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Florence,  Rome, Vienna and Salzburg

Orientation tours in Bordeaux, Lourdes, Monaco,  Siena, Assisi, Venice, Innsbruck, Liechtenstein, Lucerne, Cologne and Amsterdam

Insight's First Class Services

• Escorted by a professional Tour Director
• Luxury air-conditioned coach with onboard toilet
• First Class hotels with all service charges, taxes and porterage
• Free Airport transfers when booking our London hotel (ask for details)

Quality Dining

Highlight Dinner of local cuisine, wine and entertainment  in Rome

26 enhanced or buffet breakfasts and 9 three course table d'hote dinners, or buffets, plus tea or coffee

Tour Itinerary

Tour Pace

This tour is well planned. Nearly all stops are 2 nights in duration with only a small number of overnight stops where necessary. As it is a long tour, there is a relaxing 3 day break in Rome in the middle of the itinerary.

DAY 1 TUE - LONDON - PARIS

We leave London and cross the Channel to Calais. We visit Vimy Ridge Memorial  on our way to glittering Paris. Hotel: Sofitel Forum Rive Gauche.

DAY 2 WED - PARIS SIGHTSEEING

With our guide we see Notre Dame and drive along the Champs Elysees  to the Arc de Triomphe. Now we ascend the Eiffel Tower, before visiting Napoleon's  Tomb. (BB)

DAY 3 THU - PARIS - BORDEAUX

We visit the magnificent Chateau of Chenonceau in the Loire Valley. Then continue through the famous vineyards to Bordeaux. Hotel: Sofitel. (BB,D)

DAY 4 FRI - BORDEAUX - LOURDES

We drive to Lourdes where we visit the miraculous Grotto, drink the spring waters  and join the torchlight procession. Hotel: Grand Hotel de la Grotte. (BB,D)

DAY 5 SAT - LOURDES - MADRID

We cross the Pyrenees and Sierras to the heart of Spain and the capital of Madrid. Hotel: NH Alcala. (BB)

DAY 6 SUN - MADRID SIGHTSEEING

Our local guide shows us all the major sights of Madrid. Next a highlight tour of the elegant apartments of the Royal Palace. The afternoon is free. (BB)

DAY 7 MON - MADRID - BARCELONA

We drive via the Castilian plain and Morata Pass to the bustling port of Barcelona.  Hotel: Princess Sofia. (BB)

DAY 8 TUE - BARCELONA SIGHTSEEING

On our guided tour we see Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, the Gothic Quarter, the port  and the Ramblas, with its colourful flower stalls and markets. (BB)

DAY 9 WED - BARCELONA - NICE

Across the Camargue into the landscapes of Van Gogh's beloved Provence. Now to fashionable Nice on the French Riviera. Hotel: Beau Rivage. (BB)

DAY 10 THU - NICE

This morning we visit the hilltop artists village of St Paul de Vence. Time to enjoy the views and craft shops before we return to Nice for time at leisure. (BB)

DAY 11 FRI - NICE - TUSCANY

We visit a French perfumery, then visit elegant Monaco. Now into Italy to see  the leaning tower of Pisa, before reaching our hotel. Hotel: Tamerici & Principe. (BB,D)

DAY 12 SAT - FLORENCE SIGHTSEEING

We view Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo, then our guide shows us Signoria  Square, Santa Croce, the Duomo and Baptistery. Later, its time to shop. (BB)

DAY 13 SUN - TUSCANY - ROME

We drive to Siena where we walk to the cathedral and the piazza where the Palio  horse race takes place. Finally we continue to Rome. Tonight, we enjoy a highlight  dinner at a local restaurant. Hotel: International Palace. (BB)

DAY 14 MON - ROME SIGHTSEEING

With our guide we visit the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Museums. We then visit the vast St Peter's Basilica, the mighty Colosseum and we see the Roman Forum. (BB)

DAY 15 TUE - ROME AT LEISURE

A day to relax or why not visit Pompeii and Sorrento? (BB)

DAY 16 WED - ROME - ASSISI

Into the Apennine Mountains today, to visit St Francis' Basilica in hilltop  Assisi. Hotel: Subasio. (BB,D)

DAY 17 THU - ASSISI - VENICE

Today to the magical city of Venice, where we stay on the fashionable Lido. Hotel: Hungaria Palace. (BB,D)

DAY 18 FRI - VENICE SIGHTSEEING

A private launch takes us to St Mark's Square to view the Bridge of Sighs, Doges'  Palace and the Basilica. We then watch Venetian glass being blown and enjoy a highlight gondola ride through the canals. (BB)

DAY 19 SAT - VENICE - VIENNA

We drive to Vienna via the lake district and Kindberg's maypole. Hotel: Hilton Vienna Plaza. (BB,HD)

DAY 20 SUN - VIENNA SIGHTSEEING

Our sightseeing includes a visit to the glorious Schonbrunn Palace and its gardens, then past the Winter Palace, St Charles Church and City Hall. (BB)

DAY 21 MON - VIENNA - INNSBRUCK

A guided tour of Salzburg today, then we continue to Innsbruck to visit the Wilten Basilica and see the Golden Roof and Imperial Palace. Hotel: Hilton. (BB,D)

DAY 22 TUE - INNSBRUCK - LUCERNE

A beautiful drive into Switzerland via Liechtenstein, a tiny country dominated by Vaduz Castle, and on to Lucerne. Hotel: Astoria. (BB)

DAY 23 WED - LUCERNE SIGHTSEEING

Our sightseeing shows us the Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument, after which, we  ascend Mount Pilatus by cog-wheel railway and cable car. (BB,D)

DAY 24 THU - LUCERNE - RHINELAND

We see the Rhine Falls, then into Germany, via the Black Forest, to the Rhineland. Hotel: NH Bingen. (BB,D)

DAY 25 FRI - RHINELAND - AMSTERDAM

This morning we take a scenic cruise along the Rhine. Later we stop in Cologne to see the cathedral. Then on to Amsterdam. Hotel: Golden Tulip Inntel Centre. (BB)

DAY 26 SAT - AMSTERDAM SIGHTSEEING

We visit a diamond factory, and see the Royal Palace in Dam Square. We see cheese  and clogs being made, then visit the fishing village of Volendam. (BB)

DAY 27 SUN - AMSTERDAM - LONDON

We cross Belgium to Calais, then across the Channel to London, where we bid farewell to our Tour Director.