European Discovery from Contiki Holidays

ARRIVE LONDON

Check-in to your hotel after 2:00pm and the remainder of the day is free to relax before meeting your fellow travelers for your Kickstart meeting this evening at 4:00pm . Afterwards why not grab some dinner at one of the local restaurants or take a short walk to explore nearby Covent Garden.

LONDON TO AMSTERDAM

Meet up with your Contiki team and share notes before we hit the road and take a ferry past the White Cliffs of Dover. Then, Off the ferry we arrive in the port town of Calais – French soil! We travel north via Belgium. Next stop: the buzzing, free-wheeling city of Amsterdam.

Check out Amsterdam’s eye-opening Red Light District, where the creative and wacky come together on narrow cobbled streets, 24/7.

With an optional evening canal cruise, you’ve got a chance to get to know the group, unwind with a few drinks and uncover Amsterdam at water level. Get some pointers on the city’s hot spots from your Trip Manager and head into town for a fun night out.

Hotel Dinner

AMSTERDAM TO RHINE VALLEY

Experience Amsterdam’s coffee shops, museums and cool, quirky boutiques. In your free time, wander along shady canals and pass gabled houses or hop on two wheels like the laid-back locals and bike through the centre of town.

Chill out while the coach follows the Rhine River, weaving through valleys dotted with castles and vineyards.

Next stop – the pretty, old-world village of St. Goar, complete with fairy tale castle and the world’s largest free-hanging cuckoo clock! Kick back with a glass of local wine and choose to find out more with the optional wine tasting in a candlelit underground cellar.

Hotel Breakfast,Dinner

RHINE VALLEY TO MUNICH

Travelling south, pull into the home of the world-famous Oktoberfest, Munich – a city that blends traditional Bavarian culture with modern lifestyle.

Explore the heart of Munich’s old town with the crew, and head to Marienplatz. It’s a central gathering spot famous for the Glockenspiel – a Gothic clock, complete with 32 dancing figures and 43 chiming bells.

Get off the beaten track and onto Munich’s side streets with our Local Guide by  bicyle – it’s a great way to see the sights.

Then, get a taste of tradition at a typical beer hall. Park yourself at a long wooden table, order yourself some hearty local food, like roasted pork knuckle, and quench your thirst with a stein of one of Germany’s 5000 brews.

Hotel Breakfast

MUNICH TO AUSTRAN TYROL VIA INNSBRUCK

Say Goodbye to Munich and hello to Mountains. After crossing through the Bavarian Alps, we visit the famous Olympic town and jaw will drop at the sight of the famous ski jump and in afternoon  you also have chance  to soak up the medieval old town atmosphere.

Later, in the night time you will staying in a local Austrian Gasthof with fresh air to breathe and explore the dreamy setting we’ve descended upon. this is the perfect cosy retreat to swap stories with new friends while tucking into traditional Austrian food and local Beer  that is prepared on the site itself and served by chefs and bar staff.

Hotel Breakfast

• The Golden roof
• Royal palace in Innsbruck
• Traditional Austrian food  Prepared by Contiki Chefs.

AUSTRIAN TYROL TO VENICE

This morning, roll on to Venice. Known as the “floating city”, Venice is packed with character, crammed with hidden lanes and linked by a network of canals and also take some time to practice your Italian phrases on the coach as we travel through the Brenner Pass en route to Italy and the  Central Austrian Alps.

Jump on our private boat and travel through the waters of the lagoon to visit the city’s historical heart. The limestone Bridge of Sighs, the gothic arches of Doge’s Palace and the expanse of St. Mark’s Square (pigeons and all!) show Venice’s unique beauty and way of life.

Take some time to explore the floating city and lose yourself in the backstreets. There’s an optional walking tour where you can discover the labyrinth of interweaving lanes, waterways, palaces, piazzi and markets with our Local Guide. You’ll see historic monuments, hidden treasures and the Rialto market – a local favorite for food shopping.

Maybe grab a table on St. Mark’s Square and eat some delicious Italian food al fresco.

Cap off the day with an optional gondola ride & share this amazing experience with your friends – seeing Venice from on the water is unforgettable!

Hotel Breakfast

VENICE TO ROME

Farewell floating city , but italy is not done so Criss-cross the Apennine Mountains on the road to Rome.

Stylish Rome oozes energy and overflows with relics from another age. Our special access coach tour gets you right into the thriving atmosphere of this living timeline as your Trip Manager shows you Gelato, pizza and ancient monuments – perfecto!. Continue on foot to check out  honour tradition at the Trevi Fountain.

Hotel Breakfast,Dinner

ROME

This morning, make the most of our Local Guide’s inside knowledge with an optional guided tour of the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Devout or not, the Vatican’s Italian Renaissance church will send shudders down your spine. This can be moreover the day to memorize a thing or two around the Colosseum & do a bit of your own exploring .

Snap pink azaleas by the Colosseum and throw a coin in the fountain’s waters (it’s meant to improve your chances of returning to Rome!) or maybe hang out with your new friends at the Spanish Steps, sit back and people watch.

Before you hit the shops, let your Trip Manager point you in the right direction with some tips on the best buys. In your free time, visit the Trevi fountain and throw coins to make a wish and indulging in a long lunch on a paved piazza or knock back a shot of espresso at the bar, like the Romans do.

Hotel Breakfast

• St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City

ROME TO FLORENCE

Next up: Umbria’s rustic hills and many vineyards. Travel past the iconic cypress trees of this olive oil producing region, to the Renaissance city of Florence.

The scene-stealing Duomo Cathedral rises above the city.  Take a look into a skillful demonstration of Florentine leather making and understand this region’s traditional art.

The city’s markets are a great place to hang out and bargain. Grab a gelato in your free time and enjoy the feel of this gorgeous city.

Tonight there’s a choice of a group dinner – an authentic Italian feast in the Tuscan hillsides, where you’ll get to indulge in regional dishes & sip on local Chianti wine. Afterwards, take it up a notch & opt to head with the group to one of Florence’s top clubs where you can show off your moves on the dance floor.

Hotel Breakfast

FLORENCE TO LUCERNE

Hello Switzerland!Catch a glimpse of stunning Lake Como as we make our way into the massive Swiss Alps.

With covered wooden bridges, cobbled lanes and quaint buildings, Lucerne’s centre is perfect to explore on foot. Also to stock up on lots of genuine Swiss chocolate! Your Trip Manager can give you pointers on where to pick up the best-priced watches that Switzerland is so famous for.

Hotel Breakfast

LUCERNE TO PARIS

With down-time on the coach, plug in your MP3, chill out to some music and chat with friends while travelling through the scenic wine producing region of Burgundy.

Tonight, the group kick-starts Paris with the ‘Tour of Illuminations’, which shows off the French capital’s transformation into the “City of Lights”. Lamp-lit bridges and cool little cafés give us a real taste of Paris’ romance. Your Trip Manager will fill you in on the world’s most-recognised monuments, like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.

Then get a stunning view of the entire city with included entry to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Oui, oui, Paris!

Hotel Breakfast,Dinner

PARIS

Next up: Fragonard! This perfumery has an elegant interior and is a unique setting for a look into the history of perfume. It’s also a chance to pick up some French perfume at great prices.

This town is loaded with possibilities. Discover its many bistros, museums, tree-lined avenues and diverse quartiers (neighbourhoods). Get a feel for French flair by window shopping on the Left Bank. Step into the Notre Dame or explore the endless galleries of the Louvre, where you can get up close to the famous Mona Lisa. In your free time, try indulging in some delicious pastries and relax in one of Paris’ many city parks.

Treat yourself to the full Parisian experience with a cabaret show, complete with can-can girls, dinner and Champagne. But don’t stop there – afterwards hit the clubs and finish up your time here with a big Parisian night out.

Hotel Breakfast

PARIS TO LONDON

Splash up your final dose of Paris this morning over a coffee and croissant and wonder at how much you’ve seen. And how near you’ve developed to your Contiki buddies. Wail! Jump back on the coach for a complimentary exchange to CDG airplane terminal this morning, or remain onboard for the ride back to London. Plenty of time to begin planning the next reunion.

What a travel! Say a affectionate goodbye to the bunch as you wrap up the trip on entry in London.