Board your overnight flight to London today. 

Welcome to England! If you arrive between noon and 6 p.m., we recommend treating yourself to afternoon tea—the traditional British meal of cakes, biscuits, dainty sandwiches, and, of course, tea.

Tonight, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers at a welcome dinner, served with beer or wine.

London’s been settled for almost 2,000 years, and its history winds through Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Viking rule. Today’s guided tour will take you through the relics, landmarks, and stories of this cosmopolitan city of contrasts.

• Pass grand Trafalgar Square, commemorating a British naval victory over France and Spain in 1805. Keep your eye out for the square’s four bronze lion statues guarding Nelson’s Column, as well as the National Gallery art museum.
• Gaze up at the dome and spires of St. Paul’s Cathedral, perched atop Ludgate Hill. This Anglican cathedral, once the tallest building in London, has held services for state funerals and jubilee celebrations, as well as the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.
• See Westminster Abbey, the setting for royal coronations since 1066 and the final resting place of William Shakespeare, Isaac Newton, and many other luminaries.
• View the city’s defining landmarks, including Big Ben—the nickname for the Great Bell of the clock at the Palace of Westminster. It’s also become London’s unofficial calling card. You’ll also pass the Tower of London, home to the Crown Jewels of England and once a menagerie of exotic wild animals like lions and polar bears.
• Take in the contrast of old and new when you pass by Tower Bridge, once the largest drawbridge ever, and the London Eye—the larger-than-life observation wheel that’s quickly become symbolic of the city.
• Stop by Buckingham Palace, the royal residence in London, where you may catch the Changing of the Guard ceremony—just look for the distinctive red tunics and tall bearskin caps.

Can’t get enough of castles and kings? Add the excursion to Windsor Castle for a fascinating peek into royal goings-on at the world’s longest-inhabited castle, as well as the historic market town of Windsor.

If you choose to take the day to yourself, enjoy a free afternoon in London. Shop and dine in posh Covent Garden in the West End, or head to Shoreditch for its vibrant art and street food scene. Your Tour Director is also your go-to source for recommendations.

Board the famed high-speed Eurostar train and travel beneath the English Channel (at speeds close to 186 mph) to the Gare du Nord train station in Paris, France. 

Ready to hit the town? Take a stroll through Montmartre’s art-filled streets to peek into artists’ studios. As you explore, dip into a sandwich shop for the deceptively simple jambon-beurre: a crusty baguette slathered in butter and topped with freshly carved ham. 

For a more elevated experience, opt into the evening’s dinner and Seine River cruise. As the sun sets and the city’s streetlamps begin their nightly twinkle, you’ll see Paris’ monuments in a whole new light.  

Please note: Travelers should be prepared for an early morning train departure. Porterage is not included on train transfers. Travelers must be comfortable lifting and carrying all luggage over steps, onto platforms, and into storage. 

Ready to be dazzled by the City of Light? Begin your first full day in France with a tour of its splendid capital, Paris. With a local guide leading the way, you’ll get an overview of its most recognizable landmarks and a feel for the character of its arrondissements. (That’s French for “districts,” and it’s how Parisians refer to the city’s neighborhoods.) 

• Drive down the sycamore-lined Avenue des Champs-Élysées—an icon of France that’s lined with majestic monuments, glitzy restaurants, and glamorous storefronts. Continue to its western end and take in the magnificent Arc de Triomphe, originally built to commemorate one of Napoleon’s many conquests. A dozen different avenues spoke from this epic arch, making it Paris’ symbolic heart.

• Pass the 16th-century Pont Neuf, the oldest stone bridge in Paris, and Notre-Dame Cathedral. Watching over its arrondissement from an island in the Seine River, this French Gothic masterwork is one of the city’s enduring sights. 

• Make a photo stop at the Eiffel Tower (you know this one!) before viewing the Palais Garnier opera house and the Place de la Concorde, the city’s grandest square. 

• Pass by the I.M. Pei-designed Louvre Pyramid—the grandiose glass gateway to the world’s preeminent art museum. Then, marvel at the Hôtel des Invalides: Erected in the 17th century and built to a height of roughly 350 feet, this gold-domed structure is the largest church building in all of Paris and serves as the final resting place of its greatest military leaders.

If you need a break from the buzz of this electric city, seek royal refuge by adding an afternoon outing to the Palace and Gardens of Versailles. You’ll encounter gilded walkways, fresco-adorned ceilings, and close to 2,000 acres of immaculate green space—all just a few miles west of Paris. Or, stay in town and use your free time to amble to the Champ-de-Mars and savor a picnic in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. 

Ride a high-speed train to Amsterdam. Then, take to the water with a local guide, who’ll introduce you to the Dutch capital’s iconic waterways. Amsterdam’s 60 miles of grachtens, or canals, criss-cross the city, earning it a fitting nickname—the Venice of the North.

• Cruise by icons like the Dutch National Opera & Ballet building and beneath the Magere Brug—the famous “Skinny Bridge” that spans the River Amstel. You’ll also float by the Jodenbuurt, the former Jewish Quarter, and reflect on the city’s long association with Jewish culture.
• See the Dancing Houses, cockeyed structures painted in flashes of vibrant color, and keep an eye out for flower bikes. More than 300 of these bloom-bedecked cycles can be found around the city, decorated and placed by an American expat known simply as “the Flower Bike Man.”
• Disembark and make your way to the Rijksmuseum, the national art collection populated with the works of Dutch masters like Vermeer, Van Gogh, and Rembrandt. Follow it up with a short trek to the Van Gogh Museum and feast your eyes on the largest collection of the artist’s paintings, drawings, and letters in the world.

Please note: Travelers should be prepared for an early morning train departure.

Take your last full day in Amsterdam at your leisure. Ask your Tour Director for a recommendation or while the day away in a canalside cafe. If you’d rather add a bonus Dutch town to your trip, tack on the optional outing to Delft. Medieval architecture, postcard-perfect canals, eponymous pottery—it has the lot.  

Cross into Germany on your way to the Heidelberg region today, following the soft chime of Cologne’s cathedral bells and Boppard’s storybook, half-timbered houses.

• Enter Cologne Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage Site. It took more than 600 years to build, and the cathedral’s team of 100-plus stonemasons continue maintaining the massive structure to this day.
• Board a riverboat and cruise through the Middle Rhine Valley from Boppard to Sankt Goar. You’ll be treated to views of six ancient castles as you go and take in the medieval architecture hugging the riverbanks.

Please note: The Rhine cruise is offered seasonally. From mid-October through March, you’ll instead enjoy a tasting of local wines in Boppard.

Sit down for an included dinner this evening, served with beer or wine.

Cradled by the Neckar River and the Odenwald mountain range, the university town of Heidelberg is famous for its Romantic aesthetics, Baroque architecture, and artistic heritage. Today, embark on a guided tour and fall for the charm of this UNESCO City of Literature.

• Wander into the heart of Heidelberg’s Baroque Old Town and take in the sights and sounds of the Marktplatz—the elegant Market Square, one of the oldest plazas in the city.
• Explore the campus of Heidelberg University. Founded in 1386, it’s the oldest university in Germany and one of the oldest in the world, with the reputation of producing some of history’s most accomplished professionals. Among its alumni: Dmitri Mendeleev, the creator of the modern periodic table of elements; Robert Schumann, the famous classical composer; and Wilhelm Wundt, a pioneer of modern psychology.
• Ride a funicular up to the Renaissance-era Heidelberg Castle. Protecting the city below from its perch on the slopes of the Königstuhl, this rose-colored ruin ranks among the area’s most iconic features.

Then, cross into Switzerland this afternoon and take the rest of the day for yourself.

Set out into lakeside Lucerne (one of Switzerland’s most populated cities) for a guided sightseeing tour and enjoy a taste of Alpine life—complete with clear views of Pilatus, Rigi, and the rugged ridges of other neighboring mountains. 

• View the Lion Monument, a tribute to the Swiss Guards who sacrificed their lives in Paris during the French Revolution. 
• Pass the hand-painted facades that line the cobbled streets of the Old Town—the traditional core of the city that dates to medieval times. 
• Cross the famous wooden Kapellbrücke (say it “ka-PELL-broo-kuh”), a 14th-century covered bridge that spans the Reuss River, and view the adjacent Water Tower. Octagonal in shape and made of stone—with a complicated past as a sentinel’s post, state treasury, and prison—it predates the Kapellbrücke by roughly 100 years. 
• See the Jesuit Church, the first large Baroque building of its kind to be built north of the Alps in Switzerland.

If you’d like, add an afternoon journey to the top of Mount Pilatus and explore Lucerne’s surroundings by ferry, cogwheel railway, and cable car. Alternatively, hang back in town and treat yourself to some rösti: Pronounced “REU-shtee,” this dish centers on grated, fried potatoes—kind of like a Swiss hash brown. Top it with eggs or sausage to elevate it from a satisfying snack to a hearty meal. 

This morning, head out to explore the beautiful architecture, breathtaking views, and turquoise waters of the Lake Como area. 

• Start the day with a visit to Villa Carlotta, a lush botanical garden and art museum with striking, sparkling vistas of Lake Como. Built at the end of the 17th century by the marquises Clerici of Milan, it boasts fragrant rose gardens, splashy azalea bushes, and a pair of citrus-rimmed tunnels that date to the first occupants of the villa. 
• Take to the glittering waters of Lake Como and float by some of Italy’s most sumptuous residences and gardens, draping the hillsides in their regal splendor.  
• Pass charming lakeside towns and arrive in Bellagio, a village blessed with an unbeatable view of the lake and mountains. 
• Enjoy free time in Bellagio to grab lunch, shop, and walk along its meticulously landscaped waterfront promenade. For a great view and even better pictures, take the step streets—the village’s pedestrian thoroughfares made of paved steps—to the upper part of the village.

Return to your hotel in the Lake Como region and enjoy a free evening. Ask your Tour Director for dinner recommendations and remember that Italians typically eat late and linger over their meals.

It’s easy to fall in love in—and with—Verona’s maze of ancient Romanesque, Gothic, and Byzantine architecture, tucked into the bends of the Adige River. (No wonder it served as the backdrop for Romeo and Juliet.) Join your Tour Director for a walk through its UNESCO-recognized center.

• Imagine your own “Oh, Romeo, Romeo” moment with a visit to Casa di Giulietta, site of the famous balcony built in honor of Shakespeare’s ill-fated lovers.
• Soak in the history of the oldest square in Verona, Piazza delle Erbe, then enjoy some free time to explore the less-crowded Gothic surrounds of Piazza Dante—named for famed Italian poet Dante Alighieri of The Divine Comedy fame.
• Marvel at the grandeur of the 2,000-year-old Verona Arena—still in use today—whose pink and white stones have stood witness to gladiator shows, opera productions, and modern concerts.

Enjoy free time to swoon through the streets of Verona before continuing to Venice, where you’ll sit down for an included group dinner, served with beer or wine.

Surrender to the beauty of Venice’s labyrinthine canals, elegant bridges, and ornate Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Close your eyes and let the sound of lapping water and passing gondolas soothe you, but not for too long—there’s so much to see! You’ll meet up with your local guide and explore the heart of Venice on foot and (if you’d like) by vaporetto, or water taxi. 

• Feel the energy of St. Mark’s Square, with its thriving cafes and sumptuous buildings, and marvel at the domes, mosaics, and arches of St. Mark’s Basilica— one of the symbols of Venice. 
• See the windowed Bridge of Sighs, named after the legend that prisoners would sigh at their final view of their beloved city before being taken down to their cells in the New Prison. 
• Watch a Murano glassblowing demonstration, where artisans keep the Venetian glasswork tradition alive. Observe as they skillfully use the distinctive millefiori technique to create intricate patterns by fusing tiny glass rods.

Spend a free afternoon exploring Venice on foot or board a gondola and cruise down the city’s famous canals on today’s optional experience. 

Travel to Rome by train, crossing the Apennine Mountains and basking in views of the Italian countryside. Upon arriving in the Eternal City, take a guided walk to discover its centuries-old squares and fountains. 

• Stroll past the Spanish Steps, where Pietro Bernini’s Baroque-style Fontana della Barcaccia has stood since the 1600s, and head to the intricately carved Trevi Fountain. The latter, a Baroque beauty carved of Travertine marble, has served as the dreamy backdrop to La Dolce Vita and Roman Holiday. Legend says that if you throw one coin into the fountain, you’re bound to return to Rome. 
• Step inside the Pantheon, home to the world’s largest unenforced concrete dome. There, you’ll learn about the engineering skills of the ancient Romans and how they created this well-preserved temple. 
• End at Piazza Navona and see Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, commissioned by Pope Innocent X in the 17th century. It symbolizes the four major rivers of the four continents where papal authority had spread at the time.

On your free day in Rome, you can discover the hidden gem of Trastevere, a bohemian (and mostly car-free) neighborhood filled with narrow streets and delectable trattorias.

Need a moment of respite? Visit the picturesque Aventine Hill, home to the peaceful Giardino degli Aranci (Orange Garden) and the famous keyhole view of St. Peter’s Basilica—which you can visit by adding the guided tour of Vatican City to your day. Here, you’ll also experience the grandeur and serene beauty of the Vatican Museum, as well as the Sistine Chapel’s venerated ceiling fresco. The day is yours to seize.

Then, join your group at tonight’s farewell dinner. As you dine, you’ll be treated to a multi-course, traditional Italian meal with a side of live music.

Transfer to the airport for your flight home or extend your time in Italy with a few days in Florence—the beating heart of the Renaissance period—and final resting place of luminaries such as Galileo, Michelangelo, and Machiavelli.