Join us on onboard our custom-built deluxe Emerald 'Star Ship' and experience the romance of Europe's waterways.
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80 80 Day 1 Arrive Paris Welcome to Paris. You will be met at Charles de Gaulle International Airport and transferred ^ to your hotel. Tonight, meet your Tour Director and fellow travellers for a welcome drink and reception at your hotel. Three Night Stay: Concorde Montparnasse or similar Day 2 Paris HD (FB,HD) A sightseeing tour with a local guide takes you to see Notre Dame Cathedral famous for the tale of Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame. See the Obelisk in the centre of the Place de la Concorde and drive along the elegant Champs Élysees to the Arc de Triomphe. Enjoy a sightseeing cruise on the River Seine fi nishing at the Eiffel Tower. Our day is completed with a Parisian dinner. Day 3 Paris (FB) Sightseeing is an endless pleasure in Paris, and your Tour Director is on hand to help you plan your day to explore the romance capital of the world. View the Mona Lisa at The Louvre or stroll the Champs Elysees. Discover More: Palace of Versailles and/or Lido Parisian cabaret (see page 134-137) Day 4 Paris – Lyon (FB,D) We travel south into Burgundy and arrive in Lyon, the former Roman capital. Our guided city tour includes the magnifi cent hilltop Basilique Notre Dame de Forviere plus the 2000 year old Roman Amphitheatre which was excavated by archaeologists in 1945. Lyon is known for its cuisine, so tonight we will enjoy some local dishes. Overnight stay: Novotel, Lyon Day 5 Lyon – Nice – Monaco (FB,D) Today we arrive in the French Riviera and our fi rst glimpse of the Mediterranean Sea. We drive to the exclusive principality of Monaco for a tour of the Palace district and Monte Carlo. Enjoy a panoramic drive along the coastline to Nice. Two Night Stay: Holiday Inn, Nice Day 6 Nice (FB) Relax and enjoy the Riviera today with plenty of free time to enjoy the beach, markets and shopping that Nice has to offer. Discover More: Cannes Excursion (see pages 134-137) Day 7 Nice – Pisa – Florence (FB,D) Leaving France behind we drive the Italian Riviera where the Alps meet with the Mediterranean. Arriving in Pisa our local guide will show us the Square of Miracles including the famous Leaning Tower. We continue onto renaissance Florence and enjoy Tuscan cuisine in our hotel. Overnight Stay: Hotel Diplomat, Florence or similar Day 8 Florence – Rome (FB,D) This morning our tour takes in the Academy of Fine Arts featuring Michelangelo's Statue of David and The Duomo with its spectacular exterior of marble panels. Later we drive to Rome and take a walk to the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon and Piazza Navona. Two Night Stay: Kolbe Hotel, Rome Day 9 Rome Sightseeing (FB) We begin today's included sightseeing at the Vatican City. See centuries of accumulated wealth and the breathtaking Sistine Chapel. Enter St Peter's Basilica, the largest church in the world, then cross the River Tiber into ancient Rome to overlook the Forum, Circus Maximus and the mighty Colosseum. Day 10 Rome – Venice (FB,D) Explore Rome at leisure this morning. Heading inland we travel towards the maritime stronghold and island city of Venice. Two Night Stay: NH Laguna Palace Day 11 Venice (FB,D) Cruise by private motor launch along the Grand Canal to St Marks Square. Later enjoy an included gondola serenade around the city's labyrinth of canals. See the bustling cafes in the square, the clock tower 'del Mori', the Campanile and visit both the stunning Basilica of San Marco and the spectacular Doge's Palace with its Bridge of Sighs. Day 12 Venice – Lake Bled (FB,D) Leaving Italy we cross into Slovenia and visit the Karst Caves of Postojna. A mini train will take us underground through a series of beautiful halls adorned with stalagmites and stalagtites. Later we reach Lake Bled, at the foot of the Julian Alps. Overnight Stay: Hotel Park, Lake Bled Day 13 Lake Bled – Salzburg – Munich (FB) We cross into Austria and arrive at Salzburg, famous for its onion shaped domes and charming courtyards, all dwarfed by the imposing Hohensalzburg Fortress. Our included walking tour encompasses these charms as well as Mozart's birthplace and many of the locations used during the fi lming of 'The Sound of Music'. Continuing on to Munich our walking tour takes us to Marienplatz to view the Glockenspiel. Discover More: Bavarian Traditional Dinner (see pages 134-137) Overnight Stay: Courtyard by Marriott, Munich or similar Day 14 Munich – Neuschwanstein – Lucerne (FB) This morning we drive to Fussen and 'Mad King Ludwigs' fairytale castle at Neuschwanstein. Be amazed at the intricately carved furnishings, frescoes and mosaics on our included guided tour, followed by a relaxing horse and carriage ride. Continue onto the picturesque lakeside town of Lucerne, Switzerland. Two Night Stay: Hotel Monopol, Lucerne or similar Day 15 Lucerne at Leisure HD (FB,HD) Stroll with our local guide to the Lion Monument, dedicated to the Swiss Guard massacred during the French Revolution. Cross the medieval Chapel Bridge and visit the Old Town. Enjoy a guided cruise on Lucerne's gorgeous lake en-route to the quaint village of Vitznau. Here we join the oldest cogwheel railway in Switzerland for a breathtaking ascent of Mount Rigi, known as 'the Queen of the Mountains'. You're Invited: Tonight we enjoy a traditional folklore show as we savour a typical Swiss fondue in a local restaurant. Day 16 Lucerne – Trier (FB) Back into France today to Strasbourg, capital of the Alsace region hotly disputed in past confl icts. The Cathedral Tower at 142 metres was once considered the tallest building in the modern world, and is still the tallest cathedral in Europe. We continue onto Trier known for its well preserved Roman and medieval buildings. The Porta Nigra is the best preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps and we will explore the ruins of the old city baths, a hive of activity during ancient times. Overnight Stay: Mercure Hotel, Trier 33 Day Ultimate Europe Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany & Splendours of Europe River Cruise