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 46 day adventure. Your Tour Manager knows all the ins and outs of where you’re going and your tour’s own Mobile Cook will make sure you get big portions of tasty meals, made from fresh, local produce.

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

Tonight, the group kick starts Paris with the “Tour of Illuminations”, which shows off the French capital’s transformation into the “City of Lights”. Lamp-lit bridges and cool little cafés give us a real taste of Paris’ romance. Your Tour Manager will fill you in on the world’s most-recognised monuments, like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.

• Contiki Village

• Dinner

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

• Contiki Special Stopover

• Breakfast
• Dinner

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

• Breakfast
• Dinner
• Picnic Lunch

Our journey south today takes us to the impressive Roman aqueduct at Pont du Gard. As we skim past the Pyrénées we catch our first glimpse of the world-famous Mediterranean and arrive in vibrant Barcelona.

• Hostel

• Breakfast
• Dinner

First stop: Mont Juic. The hilltop has full-blown vistas of the city and it’s where we stop to check out the 1992 Olympic Games complex. Afterward get a look into the wild imagination of famous Spanish architect, Gaudi, with his art nouveau masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia cathedral. Your Tour Manager walks you through the cobbled lanes of Barcelona’s oldest district, the Gothic Quarter.

Then there’s free time to discover more of Barcelona’s creative core. Pick up some quirky buys in the side streets or hit the big label shops on Plaça de Catalunya. Take in all of Barcelona’s buzzing street life on the tree-lined La Rambla – a boulevard packed with street performers, artists, shops and stalls.

Other ideas for your afternoon off include hanging out in the colourful gardens of Parc Guell or kicking back with the locals on the beach and taking a swim in the Mediterranean sea. There’s plenty of delicious local seafood to try like Spain’s signature dish, paella.

Tonight’s optional dinner and show is a perfect way to finish off your time in this hot city and a chance to get into the local flavours with a Flamenco dance performance and some sangria. Afterward, get the low down on Barcelona’s hottest spots and maybe hit the pumping clubs of Port Olympico, by the water.

• Hostel

• Breakfast

We return to France today and travel through the beautiful Provence region to Arles. Wander through the streets as the Romans once did in this historic town, before continuing to the glamorous French Riviera.

• Contiki Village

• Breakfast
• Dinner

Next stop on the Riviera and home to the French perfume industry is Fragonard Perfumery. Learn about how perfume is made and some of its more surprising ingredients. It’s also a chance to pick up a bottle or 2 at great prices.

In your free time live a bit of the lifestyle with a visit to the local markets. Try out the region’s produce like lavender honey, aioli (garlic mayonnaise) and mouth-watering rosé wine.

Window shop the chic boutiques or choose a beach and catch some sun among all the bronzed bodies!

Tonight get a taste of the high life in Monaco, the glamorous principality packed into just 1.92km2 and home to the Formula 1. Get the inside story on the royal family and their place of residence from your Tour Manager. Try your luck at a casino later on.

• Contiki Village

• Breakfast
• Dinner

Today we leave France and enter Italy! We skim past the seaside city of Genoa and stop in Verona, home of Romeo and Juliet, before arriving in mainland Venice.

• Contiki Village

• Breakfast
• Dinner

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

• Breakfast
• Dinner

We travel to Pisa, home of the famous Leaning Tower. From here it’s a short journey to the most spectacular of Renaissance cities, Florence.

• Contiki Village

• Breakfast
• Dinner

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

• Breakfast

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

• Breakfast
• Dinner

Say your farewells and swap addresses as your tour ends after breakfast.

• Breakfast