26 Days,
London to London
An all-encompassing Europe adventure that won’t disappoint.
Visiting 12 countries: France, Switzerland, Italy, Vatican City, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands
Introducing the Europe all-rounder – a comprehensive exploration of some of Europe’s most popular and sought-after destinations. Casually picnic by a ‘certain tower’ in Paris, get your Dutch on with cheese, clogs and an optional bicycle tour, and vaporetto across Venice’s Grand Canal. Combining east, west and bucket list must-dos, this epic European getaway will make all your holiday dreams a reality.
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Day 1:
London, England to Paris, France
All good things start with Paris. Meet the crew, grab some supplies and hit the road early in the morning as we jump across the English Channel to Paris. Pinch yourself and Instagram your first selfie before we kick off the trip with a driving tour and picnic next to the Eiffel Tower with your Trip Leader. Home to Coco Chanel, the Eiffel Tower and the Mona Lisa, Paris has more than earned its reputation as the European capital for all things culture, fashion and food. Now's your chance to find out why.
Included today:
-Driving tour of Paris & gourmet picnic by the Eiffel Tower
Meals:
-Dinner
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Day 2:
Paris
This morning: free time en Francais. From the Louvre and Musée d'Orsay to the l'Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysées, you'll be sure to make a solid dent in your bucket list. Then: hop on an optional bike tour of Paris or roam the streets on your own. End your day with an optional Seine River cruise or a #throwback bohemian cabaret show.
Meals:
-Breakfast
Optional activities:
-Traditional cabaret show in Paris
-Scenic river cruise on the Seine
-Bike tour of Paris
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Day 3:
Paris to Swiss Alps, Switzerland
Trade in Parisian streets for snowy peaks. Home to the highest point in Europe, 72 waterfalls and one of the largest nature conservations in Switzerland, Lauterbrunnen is obviously where we're spending the night. Urban charm ain't got nothing on Swiss scenery. Upon arrival, chow down on Swiss cuisine and hit the bar for a nightcap.
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
-Dinner
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Day 4:
Swiss Alps
Scenic hikes and jaw-dropping views are on today's agenda. Go low key with a mountain walk or hop on board the Jungfraubahn railway for an optional visit to the Jungfrau Mountain summit.
Expect fairytale villages en route and sky-diving out of a helicopter upon arrival (if heights don't scare you). Another feast awaits your return, regardless of how you make your way back down.
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
-Dinner
Optional activities:
-Scenic excursion to Jungfrau ('The Top of Europe')
-Skydiving in the Swiss Alps
-Scenic helicopter ride in the Swiss Alps
-Schilthorn cable car experience
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Day 5:
Swiss Alps to Florence, Italy
Hand back the skis and yodel your way down the mountains and into the land of the long boot. Stop for THAT photo at Pisa, and then make your food baby sing as we roll into the land of hearty Tuscan cuisine and birthplace of gelato: Florence. Whip around Santa Maria del Fiore before tucking into amore on a plate. Then the evening is yours to stroll along the real-life watercolour of the Arno River, wishing you were a painter.
Included today:
-Visit Pisa & the famous Leaning Tower
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
-Dinner
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Day 6:
Florence to Rome
Step back to 753 BC in one of the world's oldest open-air museums on an in-depth walking tour and give that bucket list a workout. Make like Caesar (the emperor, not the salad) and work up a colossus hunger as you pass by the Pantheon, throw your two cents in the Trevi Fountain, sit on the Spanish Steps and visit ancient history's version of the Hunger Games set at the Colosseum. Tonight, you're in Disneyland for foodies. Have fun.
Included today:
-Walking tour of Rome
-Walking tour of Florence with local guide
Meals:
-Breakfast
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Day 7:
Rome including Vatican City visit
Create the ultimate Roman Holiday in one day with a whirlwind of Vespas, espresso, two-cheek kisses and pizza the way it's supposed to taste. Count your blessings on an optional tour of the Vatican City to see how Michelangelo messed around and created the High Renaissance, then play eye spy with two-and-a-half millennia worth of history. Shop 'til you drop on Via Condotti, head to Capitoline Hill for awesome views of the Roman Forum and Colosseum or just kick back in Piazza Navona for some dolce far niente (delicious idleness).
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Dinner
Optional activities:
-Guided tour of Vatican City
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Day 8:
Rome to Venice
Hark! Maketh haste to whence the lady Juliet was wooed in Verona. Snap a selfie at her balcony and join throngs of lovers leaving notes on the wall (or avoid the crowds and just marvel at the ancient arena). Say ciao to Venice from across the lagoon as we check into our campsite, have an Eat Pray Love-worthy relationship with an irresistible Italian (meal) and get pumped for living out your own version of The Italian Job tomorrow.
Included today:
-Walking tour of Verona
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
-Dinner
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Day 9:
Venice
You know it as the floating city, but this place is actually sinking (slowly). Check out St. Mark's Square, Accademia Bridge and a who's who of Venice's usual suspects on a guided walking tour then jump on a vaporetto and explore the Grand Canal. Also on the schedule: an optional gondola ride through the maze of marble bridges and gelato shops we call Venice. Throw away your map in the afternoon and try to find the world's most epic little bookshop, Libreria Acqua Alta, or just go on a mission to find the perfect gelato.
Included today:
-Walking tour of Venice
-Vaporetto ride in Venice
Meals:
-Breakfast
Optional activities:
-Gondola ride in Venice
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Day 10:
Venice to Pula, Croatia via Postojna Caves, Slovenia
Check out Postojna Caves and cast your eye out for stalagmites on the way to one of Croatia's coolest places today.
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
-Dinner
Optional activities:
-Entry to the world-famous Postojna Cave
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Day 11:
Pula
Two whole days to relax and chill out in the sun. The water is warm, the food is awesome and this city is ready to be explored. Later, discover what it means to party with a taste of the Pula nightlife.
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
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Day 12:
Pula
Another day, another beach and another round of cocktails to sip as you watch the sun go down.
Meals:
-Breakfast
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Day 13:
Pula to Budapest, Hungary
Hungary for more? Your house in Budapest awaits. A driving tour will get you down and Danube (that be the river) with twin cities, Buda and Pest. Check out Hero's Square, Parliament House, the National Palace, Fisherman's Bastion and swanky Andrássy Ave. Then it's time to meet the major food groups: goulash and cabbage rolls and dumplings, oh my!
Included today:
-Driving tour of Budapest
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
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Day 14:
Budapest
Free day = Put down your Rubik's Cube and take on a city with enough baroque, neoclassical and art nouveau architecture to keep you puzzled for hours. Tonight, hang with the hipsters and drink local fruit brandy at one of the original ruin bars.
Meals:
-Breakfast
Optional activities:
-Dinner cruise on the Danube
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Day 15:
Budapest to Krakow, Poland
Legend has it a dragon had to be smited in order for Krakow to be built (with a sulphur-stuffed lamb as bait). Bit tougher than the usual council approvals, no? Meet Poland's beating heart – and the largest medieval town square in Europe – on foot. Buff up on history at Wawel Castle, feed the ducks on the bank of the Wisla and after dinner, slay a few glasses of mead.
Included today:
-Walking tour of Krakow
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
Optional activities:
-Nightlife tour of Krakow
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Day 16:
Krakow
Your day, your choice. Wander the streets and discover the city's inner-hipster in the Jewish district and shop for amber in the UNESCO-listed Cloth Hall.
Meals:
-Breakfast
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Day 17:
Krakow to Prague, Czech Republic
First, a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp for a lesson in the resilience of humanity. Then, onto Prague. Channel your inner bohemian and seek out the John Lennon memorial wall, soak up some more Czech history at the National or Communist Museum or get a taste of the quirky local culture at a marionette puppet opera (you gotta see it to believe it).
Included today:
-Guided tour of former concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau
-Walking tour of Prague
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
-Dinner
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Day 18:
Prague
Another free day for the win. Snap a selfie at Prague's own Eiffel Tower, visit a miniatures museum, eat roast pork from one of the street vendors lining Old Town Square and drink beer. Really. Good. Beer.
Meals:
-Breakfast
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Day 19:
Prague to Berlin, Germany
Get acquainted with 800 year-old Dresden – a city virtually destroyed in WWII and then rebuilt – and ogle the Frauenkirche before making your beard all the more ironic in Berlin. Prep yourself for currywurst, absinthe and more hipsters per capita than anywhere else. We'll drive you around to see (what's left of) the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag building before making your food baby sing with a hearty German meal.
Included today:
-Walking tour of the restored city of Dresden
-Driving tour of Berlin
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Dinner
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Day 20:
Berlin
Shake off last night with a wander around the German capital. Optional: Third Reich walking tour and local insight into what the city was like under Nazi rule during World War II. Kreuzberg is a hit for lunch. Afternoon suggestion? Have a picnic at the historic Tempelhof airport turned public park #picniconthetarmac. Tonight: explore modern Berlin on an optional alternative tour then hit the city's night time hot spots
Meals:
-Breakfast
Optional activities:
-Third Reich walking tour
-Street art & nightlife tour of Berlin
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Day 21:
Berlin to Copenhagen, Denmark
On to Copenhagen to find out why this city keeps popping up among the top five most liveable cities in the world. Get your bearings on a guided driving tour and discover why Copenhagen is home to half of the nation's population.
Included today:
-Driving tour of Copenhagen
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
-Dinner
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Day 22:
Copenhagen
Last night's tour crossed the main sights off your list. Today you have the chance to explore the city in true local fashion: on a bike. Romantic streak? Check out The Little Mermaid, a tribute to the fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen's pre-Disney masterpieces. Spoiler: his version has the lovestruck mermaid become foam on the sea after she fails to win the prince's affections (even back then, it seems, #thestrugglewasreal).
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
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Day 23:
Copenhagen to Hamburg, Germany
Boasting more bridges than Venice and Amsterdam combined, no skyscrapers (views for days) and the first zoo with no enclosures, Hamburg is one of the hippest cities in Europe. With 3km of funfair and the biggest Japanese garden in Europe why wouldn't you want to explore this gem? Later, check out the nightlife at the Port.
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
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Day 24:
Hamburg to Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amster-DAM it's going to be a good day! Start dreaming of cheese, clogs and cheeky cafe stops as we roll through tulip and windmill dotted fields to Amsterdam. Learn how cheddar and the chunky wooden shoes are made then get your bearings on a walking tour of the vibrant capital and see the Dam Square, Royal Palace and National Monument. End the night with a cone of hot chips with mayo. Mmm.
Included today:
-Walking tour of Amsterdam
-Dutch cheese & clogs demonstration
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
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Day 25:
Amsterdam
Join the 881,000 bicycles and get local on an optional city bike tour of Amsterdam's iconic canals, bridges and parks. Culture fiends, delve deeper with a visit to the Anne Frank House, Van Gogh or Rijksmuseum. Still thirsty for more? Check out the Heineken Experience for an interactive visit and tasting at the brewery. Top it off with an optional drinks cruise on the canal.
Meals:
-Breakfast
-Dinner
Optional activities:
-Canal drinks cruise in Amsterdam
-Bike tour of Amsterdam
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Day 26:
Amstedam to London, England
After all the Amster-damage has been done and dusted, it's time to hit the road and make tracks to ol' Blighty. Soak up all the happy group vibes you can possibly handle – this is your last coach ride with the gang. #sadface.
Meals:
-Breakfast