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12-day England , France & Italy Experience
Itinerary
DAY 1 DEPART
Departure from the US.
DAY 2 LONDON
From plane, to bus, to 3-star hotel… you’ve arrived! Leave your hotel behind for a low-key introduction to London with a stroll through the pedestrianized Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square. Nod off to the chimes of Big Ben and dream about your adventures to come.
DAY 3 LONDON
Sit back and take in the sights on your private bus with an expert guide, who will regale you with anecdotes, historical tales, and tidbits about the lives of those famous figures from the past and present who have called London their home. The route will take you past Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, with stops along the way. Afternoon ECI Experience Extra of your choice (recommended: Globe Theatre workshop). After dinner, enjoy an optional theater performance in the famous West End.
DAY 4 PARIS
Fancy a morning of culture or of shopping? Spend your time at the British Museum or in Harrods… you decide. Then it’s, “Cheerio, London! Bienvenue à Paris!”
Speed through the Channel Tunnel on the Eurostar as you leave the British Isles for Continental Europe. Get off the train, drop your bags at the hotel, and head straight for the culinary center of the city – Ile St Louis, where you will savor a tasty crêpe dinner and some delectable Berthillon ice cream. Enjoy a moonlit stroll down the Champs-Élysées, culminating in stunning views from atop the Arc de Triomphe.
DAY 5 PARIS
Enjoy a morning’s sightseeing, including Europe’s premier art museum – the Louvre. Don’t leave Paris without at least a glimpse of Mona Lisa’s smile. Then visit a great restaurant in an utterly unique location – Restaurant Altitude 95 in the Eiffel Tower. First stop after lunch is Notre Dame, famed for its gruesome gargoyles and flying buttresses. During dinner look forward to your magical boat ride down the Seine, taking you past marvellous monuments magnificently illuminated in the Paris night.
DAY 6 PARIS
Climb the steps to Sacré Coeur and immerse yourself in the artists’ quarter of Montmartre, before an afternoon visit to the Palace of Versailles. Don’t miss the magnificent Hall of Mirrors and opulent state apartments haunted by the ghosts of Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI. Alternatively enjoy free time in Paris. Then it’s time for one of the great travel experiences of life – an overnight train ride. Enjoy the novelty of going to sleep in Paris and waking up in Nice.
DAY 7 NICE
Your day begins in a comfy couchette, followed by breakfast at your Nice hotel. Fully fortified, you’re ready for your day of Riviera exploration. Another day, another train, but this time you’ll be on the train touristique, which winds its way through Nice’s Old Town and all the highlights of the capital of the Côte d’Azur. After lunch board your bus for the tiny principality of Monaco, famous throughout the world for its wealth, beauty, and royal family. After a fun walking tour, enjoy free time and shopping. As you’re off to the hilltop village of Eze, let your nose be your guide, and dabble in the art of perfumery. Evening ECI Experience Extra of your choice.
DAY 8 VENICE
Your adventure continues with a morning journey to Venice – a truly magical introduction to Italy. On the way, stop off in Verona for a chance to step back in time to the city of the Capulets and Montagues, where you’ll be able to have your picture taken standing under Juliet’s balcony. Spend the afternoon wandering Venice’s jumble of winding streets and beautiful piazzas. Pick up a souvenir on the Rialto Bridge or a great coffee in St. Mark’s Square. Round off your day with the ultimate Venetian experience – a gondola ride along the Grand Canal – bellissimo!
DAY 9 VENICE
Time to experience the Venetian hot spots… Your must-see sights for the day include the Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica, and the Bridge of Sighs. Opt for an afternoon on the tiny island of Murano and watch Venice’s famed glassmakers at work, or enjoy free time to further explore the city. Evening ECI Experience Extra of your choice.
DAY 10 ROME
Spend the first half of the day in fantastic Florence, a city simply overflowing with Renaissance masterpieces. Your guided tour will take you to the Accademia to see Michelangelo’s David as well as to the Baptistry Doors, the Duomo, and the Santa Croce church. Later that day you will head to Rome where there will still be time to top off your day with an evening floodlit walk through the magnificent center of the Eternal City.
DAY 11 ROME
Your Grand Tour is almost at an end, but you have one final day to discover the delights of Rome – a European gem. Your cultural tour of Rome’s highlights will take you to the Vatican City to see St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. You will also discover the treasures of ancient Rome at the Forum and the Colosseum. In the evening, your farewell dinner will give you a chance to reflect upon your exciting European adventure, and to start planning where you want to travel to next year…
DAY 12 HOME
Depart for the US.