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European Charm2012 Season
Departs From: Amsterdam |
From 1,964EUR |
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Length: 12 days from Amsterdam to Paris, or 13 days incl. travel
Overview
This vacation consists almost entirely of 2-night stays in a variety of famous cities and picturesque towns. In Amsterdam, enjoy guided sightseeing and a canal cruise. Cruise the Rhine River and marvel at the terraced vineyards and castle-crested cliffs. Stop in Cologne, Heidelberg, medieval Rothenburg, and Munich. Stay two nights in the Passion Play village Oberammergau and visit nearby King Ludwig’s Castle in Neuschwanstein. Drive through the Alps via Innsbruck to Venice, where guided sightseeing includes St. Mark’s Square and Doges’ Palace with its Bridge of Sighs. From Venice, drive to Lake Maggiore and stop in Stresa, with the possibility to visit enchanting Isola Bella. Then, enter Switzerland and stay overnight in car-free Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn. In the morning, an optional ride on Europe’s highest rack-railway to the Gornergrat is available. Next is French-speaking Montreux of festival fame for an overnight stay, before boarding the high-speed TGV train from Lausanne to Paris, where guided sightseeing features a visit to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. A full day at leisure offers the possibility to visit the Palace of Versailles and the Louvre Museum.
Duration: 12 Days
Schedule:
| Start Date |
End Date |
| 28 May, 2012 |
08 June, 2012 |
| 04 June, 2012 |
15 June, 2012 |
| 11 June, 2012 |
22 June, 2012 |
| 25 June, 2012 |
06 July, 2012 |
| 02 July, 2012 |
13 July, 2012 |
| 16 July, 2012 |
27 July, 2012 |
| 30 July, 2012 |
10 August, 2012 |
| 13 August, 2012 |
24 August, 2012 |
| 27 August, 2012 |
07 September, 2012 |
| 03 September, 2012 |
14 September, 2012 |
| 17 September, 2012 |
28 September, 2012 |
| 24 September, 2012 |
05 October, 2012 |
City Highlights
AmsterdamWelcome dinner; guided sightseeing; canal cruise; visit a major diamond centerCologneVisit the cathedralRhine CruiseHeidelberg Take pictures of the castleRothenburg Walking tour of the walled townMunichOrientation including MarienplatzNeuschwanstein Visit King Ludwig’s castleInnsbruck Walk through the Old Town to the Golden RoofVenicePrivate boat ride; guided walking tour, visit St. Mark’s Square, Doges’ Palace and the Bridge of Sighs; glassblowers’ demonstrationLake Maggiore Stop in the town of StresaTäsch–Zermatt–Täsch By mountain trainLausanne–Paris By high-speed TGV train (first-class)Paris Guided sightseeing, ascend the Eiffel Tower Headsets throughout the tourNote: In the rare event that the TGV train is unavailable, alternative services will be provided.
Day 1 Arrive in Amsterdam, Holland. The day is free to rest or to start exploring the Dutch capital. At 6 pm, meet your traveling companions and Tour Director for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)
Day 2 Amsterdam. Your guided sightseeing tour features a CANAL CRUISE past patrician mansions and humpback bridges. Next, visit a major DIAMOND CENTER. Later, maybe an optional excursion to Volendam? (B)
Day 3 Amsterdam–Cologne–Heidelberg, Germany. Journey via the Dutch region best known as the locale of A Bridge Too Far to Cologne. Visit the awesome twin-spired gothic CATHEDRAL. Then, enjoy a RHINE CRUISE past castle-crested cliffs and terraced vineyards. Arrive in Heidelberg, and take pictures of its castle. (B,D)
Day 4 Heidelberg–Rothenburg–Munich–Oberammergau. In spectacular Rothenburg, admire the ramparts, towers, and 16th-century houses. Next is Munich. See the Olympic Stadium, 1,000-foot-high Television Tower, and MARIENPLATZ with the Old and New Town Halls before continuing to the Passion Play town of Oberammergau. (B,D)
Day 5 Oberammergau. Bavarian Excursion. Focus on Neuschwanstein and visit KING LUDWIG’S CASTLE on its craggy outcrop high above a sparkling lake. Afternoon at leisure with the chance to join an optional excursion to nearby Linderhof Castle. (B)
Day 6 Oberammergau–Innsbruck, Austria–Venice, Italy. Morning break in Innsbruck, capital of the Austrian Tyrol. Stroll through the Old Town to Emperor Maximilian’s GOLDEN ROOF. Across spectacular Brenner Pass through the Tyrolean Alps and into Italy. Arrive in Venice, the celebrated “Pearl of the Adriatic.” Tonight is your chance to sample the city’s fine restaurants. (B)
Day 7 Venice. Enter Venice in style by PRIVATE BOAT to meet your Local Guide. Highlights of your walking tour are ST. MARK’S SQUARE and the byzantine basilica, the Clock Tower, lavish DOGES’ PALACE and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Also watch skilled GLASSBLOWERS fashion their delicate objects in an age-old traditional manner. Then, enjoy Venice at your own pace or join an optional gondola ride. (B,D)
Day 8 Venice–Lake Maggiore–Zermatt, Switzerland. Pass the commercial capital of Milan towards the Italian-Swiss Lake District. Arrive in elegant Stresa at Lake Maggiore. An optional boat ride to the enchanting Isola Bella can be arranged. On over lofty Simplon Pass into the Swiss Valais, an area renowned for its excellent wines and great mountain resorts. To reach the most famous of them, leave the coach behind in Täsch and board a MOUNTAIN TRAIN to climb the last few miles up to Zermatt, a picturesque cluster of rustic chalets beneath the Matterhorn. (B,D)
Day 9 Zermatt–Montreux. Morning at leisure. A suggestion: ride Europe’s highest rack-railway to 10,272-foot Gornergrat for a breathtaking panoramic view of the Alps. Next, motor through the vineyards and apricot groves of the lower Rhône Valley and arrive at Lake Geneva in Montreux, of festival fame. (B,D)
Day 10 Montreux–Lausanne–Paris, France. A short drive to Lausanne, home to the International Olympic Committee, where you board the high-speed TGV TRAIN to Paris. On arrival, sightseeing with a Local Guide features the most famous sights: the Opéra, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, Notre Dame Cathedral, and more. For a bird’s-eye view, take the elevator to the second floor of Paris’ most famous landmark, the EIFFEL TOWER. (B)
Day 11 At Leisure in Paris. Another day to enjoy what this extraordinary metropolis has to offer. Shop for perfume and fancy fashion accessories, or take your pick from many fine museums. Optional excursions are available to the Louvre Museum and the lavish baroque Palace of Versailles. Tonight, maybe a lively cabaret show? (B)
Day 12 Paris. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Meals: Full buffet breakfast (B); 6 three-course dinners (D), including a welcome dinner in Amsterdam
Hotel Information: AMSTERDAM NH Carlton (F), HEIDELBERG Leonardo (F), OBERAMMERGAU Ringhotel Böld (F), VENICE Ambasciatori (F) at Mestre, ZERMATT Walliserhof (F), MONTREUX Eurotel Riviera (F), PARIS Concorde Montparnasse (F) |
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Austria
