Wonderful trip! I strongly recommend several of the Optional Experiences to make the most of your time, including the sunset boat trip in Paris (you see the Eiffel Tower aglow!), walking tour of Hidden Venice, and walking tour of the Colosseum in Rome.
Be prepared to walk a lot (I hit 10-14k steps most days!) Be prepared for early mornings.
Join us for this fantastic 14-day private trip, where delicious food, inspiring wine, rich culture, and splendid art are on the menu!
Our stunning itinerary begins in Bordeaux, where we invite you to explore France’s ‘Petit Paris’ (little Paris) and the biggest urban World Heritage site in the world. Let yourself be seduced by some of France’s finest wines and inspired by the city’s incredible culinary scene! This voyage of the senses then takes you south, to the Basque Country (both French and then Spanish) where art, culture, and gastronomy are a fundamental part of the local tradition. Your cultural pilgrimage will culminate in Santiago de Compostela; Galicia’s capital known for receiving thousands of visitors every year, many of them, attracted to its ancient history and religious heritage.
Marvel at Gaudi’s masterpieces in Barcelona, spot locals sipping pastis in Nice and admire Florence the home of Michelangelo and the Renaissance, as you circle the azure waters of the Mediterranean. Embrace the city of Pisa with a stop at the famous leaning tower, where Italian astronomer Galileo was said to have pioneered his theories of gravity. In France, work up an appetite in the medieval streets. In Spain, dine with the locals in Basque tradition with an evening of San Sebastian pintxos tastings, snack-sized tapas, while sipping on a refreshing glass of local Txakoli wine. In Rome, taste the seasonal flavours and of course, handmade pasta.
From Amsterdam to Rome and onto Paris, this grand tour takes in Cinque Terre, abundant Florence sightseeing and a delectable Lucerne Dine Around evening. Start your tour with a curated cruise through the canals led by local experts—the perfect introduction to the Netherlands. Onwards in style into Germany, the Rhine's UNESCO world heritage sites give way to the golden city of Prague—where your local guide will lead you through the hilltop castle courtyards and the grandiose St Vitus Cathedral or through the Jewish Quarter. A tour of Italy serves up the gondola-filled canals of Venice and the opulence of Rome, before Swiss delights beckon in Lucerne. Paris dazzles last with a chance to shop the city's boutiques like a local and enjoy views of iconic sights, including Notre-Dame and the Louvre.
I enjoyed the variety of places we visited. I especially liked having a local guide at each location to learn about the history and culture of each place. The only regret for me was that we couldn’t spend more time in Lake Bled. I liked that we were able to take the boats over to the island, but I would have also enjoyed seeing a view of the lake from a higher vantage point to be able to see the entire lake with the island in the middle. Otherwise, I was fully pleased with the itinerary of the tour.
Itinerary was very full of wonderful activities and sights to see! You're up and going early every day but it's well worth it to get going to be first in line ahead of the many other tour groups that follow.
All of our accommodations and transportation every place we visited in Greece on this trip were top notch. Comfortable and safe, and at each hotel location there was a lot to do within walking distance.
Wonderful trip with our guide Lisa. The itinerary was good, but many long bus rides-which is necessary to cover mainland Greece and get in as much as we did in 7 full days. Would have loved to have an overnight stay in Nafplio. Enjoyed staying in hotels within walking distance to the towns-made it really easy to just go during free times. The dinner buffets at the hotels were not my favorite but understand why since a couple nights we were getting into the hotels late due to traveling. Kalabaka and Meteora were a highlight for me. The Olive Farm and Cooking night were wonderful. Both the Santorini and Mykonos stays were wonderful. The optional catamaran excursion on Santorini was great.
Excellent tour venues . The tour director Francis was very knowledgeable and accommodating to all. The Driver and local guides were amazing. A couple of hotels were substandard but the optional tours were were mostly worth it
