Jet off to the trip of a lifetime awaiting you in Europe!

Check-in to your hotel after 2pm and the remainder of the day is free to relax before meeting your fellow travellers at 6pm. After dinner take a short walk to explore nearby Covent Garden.

Meet up with your fellow travellers and Contiki Crew, as you start your 21 day adventure. Your Tour Manager knows all the ins and outs of where you’re going and your tour’s own Contiki Cook will make sure you get big portions of tasty meals, made from fresh, local produce.

Then we hit the road and take a ferry past the White Cliffs of Dover. We travel via World War 1 battle fields in the Valley of the Somme to Paris.

If you’re adventurous, get right into French culture when you arrive at the campsite. Your Contiki Cook will prepare authentic escargots (snails) for the group. It’s a perfect opportunity to try out this national delicacy.

You’ll also get to toast the start of your tour together in style with our special “Taste of France” welcome. Your Crew will serve champagne and local cheeses before we kick star Paris with the “Tour of Illuminations”, where the French capital transforms into the ‘City of Lights’. Lamp-lit bridges and cool little cafes give us a real taste of Paris’ romance. Your Tour Manager will fill you in on the world’s most recognised monuments, like the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower.

• Contiki Village

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Time in Paris includes a trip out to France’s most well-known chateau: Versailles, once home to the Sun King, Louis 14th and hot spot of the French Revolution. Check out the impressive exterior of this extravagant palace. Then there’s an opportunity to explore the former royal family’s luxurious living quarters.

This town is loaded with possibilities. Discover its many bistros, museums, tree-lined avenues and diverse quartiers (neighbourhoods).

Get a feel for French flair by window shopping on the Left Bank, step into the Notre Dame cathedral or explore the endless galleries of the Louvre and get up close to the famous Mona Lisa. Try indulging in some delicious pastries and relax in one of Paris’ many green spaces.

Treat yourself to a real Parisian night out, starting with an optional dinner in an atmospheric restaurant, where you can get to know your group. Then sign up for an authentic cabaret experience, complete with can-can girls and champagne

• Contiki Village

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Today’s journey leads us to Contiki’s exclusive Château de Cruix nestled in the Beaujolais vineyards near Lyon.

• Contiki Special Stopover

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This morning explore the French countryside and enjoy your included picnic lunch. In the afternoon relax and soak up the idyllic atmosphere of rural France.

• Contiki Special Stopover

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• Picnic Lunch

We continue south to the fabulous Cóte d’Azur via the Autoroute de Soleil. Tonight we visit Monaco! View the Royal Palace and take the opportunity to try your luck at the casinos of Monte Carlo.

• Contiki Village

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It’s your choice today – perhaps mix with the rich and famous on the beach at Cannes or take a trip into Nice to shop for souvenirs and explore this “Queen of the Riviera”.

• Contiki Village

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We visit a French perfumery before continuing to Pisa, home of the Leaning Tower. From here it’s a short journey to the most spectacular of Renaissance cities, Florence.

• Contiki Village

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Jump start the day uncovering this open-air museum and its city centre.

Our Local Guide gives you the inside track as the group learns about Florence’s cultural beginnings and explores streets crammed with artworks from masters like Michelangelo. Then take a look into a skillful demonstration of Florentine leather making and understand this region’s traditional art.

With bargains and bustle, the city’s markets are a great place to hang out. Grab a gelato and enjoy this gorgeous city.

Tonight, there’s a choice of a group dinner – an authentic Tuscan feast. Try regional dishes in the heart of Florence. Then keep it moving with a night out and get your groove on at Florence’s biggest club.

• Contiki Village

• Breakfast

All roads lead to Rome where our included sightseeing tour is the perfect introduction to the Eternal City. This afternoon why not discover this city of Gladiators with a local guide? Then, do as the Romans do and stroll past the Trevi Fountain, the amazing Pantheon, and Piazza Navona.

• Contiki Village

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This morning, make the most of our Local Guide’s inside knowledge and uncover the remains of an ancient empire with a fantastic optional tour of the Roman Forum and Colosseum.

Then check-out the smallest country in the world and home to the Pope, the Vatican City. You’ve got plenty of time to take a closer look at St Peter’s Basilica or Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel.

Take off into the city and absorb the atmosphere, as vespas flash past timeworn monuments that are surrounded by fountains, pizzerias, cafes and bars. Before you hit the shops, let your Tour Manager point you in the right direction with some tips on the best buys.

In your free time, live the local lifestyle by indulging in a long lunch on a paved piazza or knock back a shot of espresso at the bar, like the Romans do.

• Contiki Village

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Pass gritty Naples, see Mt Vesuvius and plunge into Pompeii’s well-preserved past in an interesting optional excursion and retrace ancient history with our expert Local Guide.



Then there’s time to chill out on the coach, crossing through the rugged landscapes of Southern Italy, before boarding the overnight ferry to Greece in Brindisi. Check out the amazing 360 degree views from the deck!

• Adriatic Ferry

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Today we cruise across the Adriatic Sea to Venice. With a full day and night on board, you’ve got plenty of time to catch up on some sleep, kick back with a book or hang out with the group.

• Adriatic Ferry

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Our spectacular morning arrival into the Port of Venice is one of Europe’s most impressive sights. After docking, we make our way to Verona, home of Romeo and Juliet. A warm welcome awaits us tonight at Contiki’s Venice Village.

• Contiki Village

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Known as the “floating city” Venice is packed with character, crammed with hidden lanes and linked by a network of canals.

The group travels on our private boat through the waters of the lagoon to visit the city’s historical heart. The limestone Bridge of Sighs, the gothic arches of Doges’ Palace and the expanse of St Mark’s Square (pigeons and all!) show off Venice’s unique beauty and way of life.

Learn about local artistry with a traditional glass blowing demonstration – a craft the city has been famous for since the 13th century.

Take some time to explore the floating city and lose yourself in the backstreets. There’s an optional walking tour where you can discover the labyrinth of interweaving lanes, waterways, palaces, piazzi and markets with our Local Guide. You’ll see historic monuments, hidden treasures and the Rialto market – a local favourite for food shopping.

Maybe grab a table on St Mark’s Square and eat some delicious Italian food al fresco.

Cap off the day with an optional gondola ride with your friends. Take a bottle of prosecco (Italian champagne) and toast this unforgettable experience as you are punted through the waterways.

• Contiki Village

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An enchanting drive as we waltz into the home of Mozart and Strauss to see the splendours of the once mighty Austrian Empire. Classical music to heighten your senses tonight?

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On our sightseeing tour see the fabulous Palace of the Hapsburgs, the State Opera House and fashionable Kärntnerstrasse. In your free time try authentic apple strudel and Viennese coffee. Later why not sample some local schnaps and a traditional Viennese meal?

• Hostel

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Stop at the World Heritage town Český Krumlov before arriving in the Czech capital Prague.

• Hostel

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This morning’s sightseeing tour includes Hradcany Castle, the Cathedral of St Vitus and Wenceslas Square. Then time to explore the Jewish Quarter.

• Hostel

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This morning, travel southwest to the home of the world-famous Oktoberfest, Munich – a city that blends traditional Bavarian culture and modern lifestyle.

Explore the heart of Munich’s Old Town with the crew, and head to Marienplatz. It’s a central gathering spot famous for the Glockenspiel – a gothic clock, complete with 32 dancing figures and 43 chiming bells.

Then head off with some friends for a taste of tradition to a typical beer hall and park yourselves at a long wooden table. In this optional excursion, you’ll feast on hearty local food, like roasted pork knuckle, and quench your thirst with a stein of one of Germany’s 5000 brews.

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Explore the cultural side of Munich. There’s world-class museums, shopping & lots of traditional food & beer gardens.

• Hostel

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We stop for lunch in Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein. Enjoy time to shop and see the sights in Lucerne before reaching our idyllic stop in the Swiss Alps.

• Contiki Special Stopover

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It’s a change of pace amongst Switzerland’s massive alps. Take in the amazing views from the campsite.

Opt to visit Jungfrau mountain, head up the sheer slopes of this UNESCO World Heritage listed site on a cog rail to Europe’s highest railway station, and step out onto the “roof” of Europe for spine-tingling views.

• Contiki Special Stopover

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Heading north we re-enter Germany and visit the university town of Heidelberg on the banks of the Neckar River. Tonight we stay in the picturesque Rhine Valley after seeing the famous Lorelei and hearing how German beersteins are crafted in St. Goar.

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We cross the Dutch border and make our way towards Amsterdam. Visit a cheese farm and see how clogs are made. Cycle through the countryside and the village of Edam and enjoy the famous Amsterdam nightlife.

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This morning why not take a canal bike ride to further explore Amsterdam? In your free time perhaps visit famous sights such as Anne Frank’s House or the Van Gogh Museum. Tonight we celebrate our last evening together.

• Hotel

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After breakfast, there will be a transfer for you to Schipol Airport (estimated arrival at 10:00 am) OR choose to take a complimentary transfer to central London with your Tour Manager and Driver and extend your stay.

• Breakfast