European Horizon

The adventure of a lifetime kicks off today. Meet up with your new Contiki family in London town before hitting the road to Amsterdam. Shortly before we find our ferry for France, we'll be taking in the English coastline beauty of the White Cliffs of Dover. They owe their gorgeousness to their composition of chalk - you're learning and we haven't even left the UK! Off the ferry we arrive in the port town of Calais - French soil! We travel north through Belgium before reaching...Amsterdam! Tonight, the famed-for-fun Amsterdam is ours to explore. First fill up on your included group dinner, then you're free to explore or hit the local bars.

Amsterdam is cute as a button & sure to win your heart with its canals, obscure museums & a cafe culture like no other. This afternoon use your time to get local, bar hop, museum crawl, and see what other tastes take your fancy, this town is famous for pancakes, frites and stroopwafels or you can take the opportunity to visit a local cheese farm for an optional dinner. Tonight, you have the option to sign up for an iconic cruise through Amsterdam, complete with an onboard bar.

Amsterdam, it's been lovely, but it's time to say 'Vaarwel!' because we're setting off for our next country, Germany. Is that grumbling we hear?? Well, you're in luck! We'll make a quick stop in Cologne for you to grab lunch. After the scenic journey of fairy tale castles, vineyards and valleys, you'll be charmed before we even arrive in Germany's famous Rhine Valley. This back-in-time town is our wine tasting host for the evening. Squeal!!!

Saying goodbye to the Rhine Valley, we'll head on to Munich – where lederhosen, dirndls, steins of beer and gingerbread-style buildings await. But not before we explore a Bavarian hidden gem! Quintessential German experiences don't get much better than visiting this charming medieval town. We'll stroll the cobblestoned streets, checking out vibrant market squares and picturesque half-timbered houses along the way. Today our eyes will be treated to a famous Glockenspiel, a charming old town & a traditional Bavarian culture. This afternoon join an optional walking tour to see the famous sights and uncover the history of the charming old town. Later immerse yourself in traditional Bavarian culture at one of the city's famous beer halls.

'Auf Wiedersehen' Munich, we're off to tick more countries off our list. This morning we'll climb aboard our coach ready for a scenic roll through the Bavarian Alps, past fairytale castles and rambling vineyards, en route to Austria. Drive through Austria without getting out to say hello? Never! We'll pull into Innsbruck for lunch, a laid-back student city made famous by a medieval old town, an old Olympic Ski Jump & a Royal Palace.  Quick pitstop! We'll check out the charming little city of Trento, right in the heart of the oh-so-beautiful Adige Valley. And just like that, we're in a new country and a whole new vibe. We've arrived in one of Italy's most famous cities. Tonight we'll relax here, knowing we have all day tomorrow to cruise canals & explore picturesque cobbled streets.

Buongiorno! Venice is ours for a full and glorious Italian day. We'll start exploring The Floating City by jumping aboard our own private motoscafo and cruising the canals en route to the historical heart of the city. Next, you'll have the chance to take a traditional gondola ride, choose to learn how to steer a gondola (taught by literal experts) or discover Venice with a guided food tour.

With a few days left, it's time to say 'ciao' to our time in Venice. We'll never forget you, city of canals and beauty, but Switzerland is calling us. Back on our coach we'll pass Lake Como as we cruise out of Italy and head onwards and upwards toward the Swiss Alps.  Welcome to lush green Lauterbrunnen! We’ll head to our hostel, enjoy a warm, home-cooked dinner and rest your travel-tired limbs for the day.

It's been sweet, but our time in Interlaken is up this morning. We're Paris-bound! Out with the altitude, in with the inner-city Parisian bliss. We'll jump back onto our coach to cross the border out of Switzerland and (back) into France. After coasting through the pretty wine producing region of Burgundy, we'll arrive in the City of Lights. Lamp-lit bridges, a sparkling Eiffel Tower, & evening coffee haunts, this evening we'll fall in love with everything Paris on a dreamy night-time tour. Is it just us, or is love in the air?

Pastries, paintings, perfume - Paris is yours! We'll take you to the glamorous Fragonard perfumery, then the time is yours to roam tree-lined quarters, see Notre Dame Cathedral, or get arty in the galleries of the Louvre. It's our last night together - make it count with an optional Parisian Dinner followed by a cabaret show!

Whether you take your complimentary transfer to Paris CDG Airport or central London, it will be sad goodbyes all round this morning as our trip comes to an end.