European Whirl

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. And if you want a jaw-dropping view of the city from up above, might we interest you with an optional visit to the A'DAM tower?

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 or even jump on a canal cruise. Hungry? How about an optional dinner at a local cheese-making barn?

Out of Amsterdam, onto the autobahn and on the fast-track to uber-cool Berlin. That's on today's agenda. On the world map of cool party vibes, Berlin has a gold star. We've got two nights to explore every inch of this amazing city, and we'll kick it off with a bit of history into the city and its troubled and interesting past. Once we arrive your Trip Manager can point you in the right direction to go and see the sights.

Kick off the day exploring Berlin at your own pace. From the iconic Checkpoint Charlie to hidden side-street gems, the city is full of surprises. We've got two optional walking tours for you. Dive into the history of Third Reich sites or discover the vibrant culture of Kreuzberg. Either way, it’s a day packed with stories, sights, and a real taste of Berlin.

"More city hangs" you'll all scream in unison as we motor out of Berlin, high on life & still wanting more. Since you asked so nicely, let us present you with Prague, the darling of Europe.  A drive from Berlin to Prague would not be complete without stopping in Dresden. Destroyed by World War II, the rebuilt town is now a symbol of resilience, soaked in the re-birthed beauty of the Opera house, the domed Frauenkirche, & the Royal Residence. We've arrived in the compact & lovable city of Prague. You've got the evening to get a taste of the pints & palaces here. And then tomorrow, we'll check it all out.

With a full day to loiter, expect an entire photo album of Gothic architecture, market antiques & you cheers-ing local beer; not to mention life! Tonight, we'll get out and go exploring, seeing castles and cathedrals and learning of Bohemian Kings and gothic history..

We warned you about falling head over heels for Prague! Sorry team, you cannot live here forever. But there's no need to shed tears just yet, we're heading to somewhere even more exciting! It would seem we were born in need of some delightful Bavarian culture, we just didn't know it until now. Munich may be famed for its Oktoberfest festivities, but the spirit of things kicks on year round. A trip to a traditional beer hall will get you very well acquainted with things. Maybe right after you’ve toured the city on two wheels?

With no time to waste, we'll make our way to Austria this morning. We'll make a stop for a sobering visit to the Dachau concentration camp memorial. You'll be able to spend some time here to learn and reflect, before we head on. Ahhh, cool breeze on sun-kissed skin... we must be in the Austrian Tyrol. Before we reach our final stop for the evening, you'll have the chance to zip through the icy waters while white-water rafting. Afterwards, we'll continue on to Hopfgarten where a delicious welcome dinner awaits.

A free day? In Austria? With epic Alpine views? It must be your lucky day… You have the chance to ride a bike through the valleys and enjoy a BBQ lunch. Or even better, paraglide over them. (Whee!)

Wake up roamers, we have a bountiful breakfast and a floating city in Italy to tend to. Life's tough! You'll think you've seen enough beauty for one day after taking in the Central Austrian Alps & Brenner Pass en route to Italy. And then we'll arrive in Venice & your jaw will hit the floor over hidden lanes, story book bridges & the chance to take a private Gondola ride! Oh, and there's also an optional dinner if you wanna taste the very best Venetian flavours out there.

Farewell floating city, but Italy, we're not done with you yet, our next destination the Eternal City of Rome is just around the corner. The evening will really take it up to high key as we uncover Italian icons in the country's capital of Rome. With a city tour on arrival, we'll get a glimpse of Rome's glory by night, ready to be fully unveiled tomorrow. Gelato, pizza and ancient monuments, we're here for it all.

This morning we're up and out early to make the most of our chance to explore this ancient city. You can opt to take a tour of the famous Colosseum and walk in the footsteps of Emperors and Gladiators in a guided tour, or snap epic selfies against a background of pink azaleas by the entrance. Visit the Trevi Fountain and throw coins to make a wish, sip espresso in a cobbled backstreet and soak up Italian life as it dances by. Or learn how to make pasta (and then gobble it all up too). When in Rome, right?

With antipasto, good vino and golden countryside ahead, saying goodbye to Rome doesn't feel so bad. Cast your eyes over the city one last time this morning before we hit the road, bound for Tuscany.  Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is more proof that Italy has so many great places packed into one small region. Here we'll get into the Tuscan vibes with a drop of Chianti wine, and take in the beauty of the city and its magnificent Duomo Cathedral. Tonight you can choose to begin your Tuscan love affair at an optional dinner - think olives, cured meats, crostini & wine.

Ready for a full day of all things Florence? Take a moment to take in the unique beauty of this beautiful city where culture and la dolce vita is evident in every direction you look at. We'll learn the art of Florentine leather before venturing off to see what this "city of dreams" has in store for the afternoon.

That's it for our feasting on all things Florence. With the Swiss Alps in our sights, the devastation of leaving this place should be well and truly numbed. Arrive in a picture perfect setting ready for two nights at our accommodation in the heart of this traditional resort town. Think peaceful valley vibes, crisp mountain air and waking up to views that make your camera roll very, very happy.

Plenty of views await us today (and if you can find words to do them justice, we applaud you). You've got the option to head to the top of Jungfrau Mountain via cog train and cable car. Want to spike your adrenaline levels too? No probs. You’ll also have the chance to go on the canyon swing. What else? There's some Swiss fondue on the menu for the day too! Yum. Yum. Yum.

It's been sweet, but our time in the Alps 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 quartiers, wander Le Marais for food, shop up a storm on the Champs Elysee, or get arty in the galleries of the Louvre. It's our last night together - make it count with an optional dinner and a Cabaret show.

Soak up your last dose of Paris and feel the astonishment of how much you've seen. And how close you've grown to your loved-up Contiki collective.  For those not leaving us until London, we'll travel south to Calais. This afternoon we cross from France to England... What a journey, on arrival in London say a fond farewell to the group as you wrap up the journey on arrival.