Run Club: European Whirl

London to Amsterdam

Welcome to London! Join forces here & get to know the running crew you’re about to take on Europe with. Then, we'll hit the ground running by jumping on the coach & making tracks for two weeks of adventure. Shortly before we find our ferry for France, we'll be taking in the English coastline beauty of the White Cliffs of Dover. Off the ferry we arrive in the port town of Calais - French soil! We’ll travel via World War I battlefields in the Valley of the Somme, 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.

Holiday Inn Express Amsterdam North Riverside (or similar)

• London
• Dover
• Calais
• Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is cute as a button & sure to win your heart with a refreshing run through Vliegenbos & Noorderpark (or just one of them if you prefer). Then the day is yours to explore as you wish. This evening, choose to float along the canal or dining on local food or both.

Holiday Inn Express Amsterdam North Riverside (or similar)

• Amsterdam

Amsterdam to Berlin

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.

Ibis Berlin Messe (or similar)

• Amsterdam
• Berlin

Berlin

Hit record on your watch. Today we’re running to Brandenburg Gate, right through the Tiergarten. Then it’s back to our hotel for a hearty breakfast. Spend the day lapping up history, scouting the Berlin Wall and dialling up your intellect at sites like the Russian War Memorial & the historic Reichstag building.

Ibis Berlin Messe (or similar)

• Berlin

Berlin to Prague via Dresden

"More city hangs" you'll all scream in unison as we motor out of Berlin after bolting through the Grunewald forest. 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 On arrival in the compact & lovable city of Prague, we'll get out and go exploring, seeing castles and cathedrals and learning of Bohemian Kings and gothic history.

Ibis Praha Mala Strana Hotel (or similar)

• Berlin
• Dresden
• Prague

Prague

Rise & shine besties. Prague’s got a river (and so many spectacular sights to see). And we’ve got an early morning run to tick it all off. Then it's a full day of exploring around. Expect an entire photo album of Gothic architecture, market antiques & cheers-ing local beer; not to mention - life! Tonight, you could see yourself spending the evening indulging in traditional Czech cuisine while admiring the local folklore dancers.

Ibis Praha Mala Strana Hotel (or similar)

• Prague

Prague to Munich

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?

Holiday Inn Express Munich City West (or similar)

• Prague
• Munich

Munich to Austrian Tyrol via Dachau

We’ve got time for one last run in Munich this morning before hitting the road once again. 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. When it comes to hitting the hay tonight, you'll sleep in a same-sex multi-share with up to 5 other travellers.

Contiki Haus Schoneck (or similar)

• Munich
• Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site
• Hopfgarten im Brixental

Austrian Tyrol

Step 1: Run along Hopfgarten’s picture-perfect peaks. Step 2: Enjoy a well-deserved BBQ lunch with your crew. Does it get any better? Yep. You have the chance to go paragliding this afternoon before settling down for a delicious dinner. This day deserves a crown.

Contiki Haus Schoneck (or similar)

• Hopfgarten im Brixental

Austrian Tyrol to Venice

Morning! Wanna go for one last run in this Austrian beauty? Yeah you do! Afterwards, we’ll make our way to the City of Love… And just like that, we're in a new country and a whole new vibe. Fresh pasta, lilting accents & romantic architecture - we've arrived in one of Italy's most famous cities. And what better way to explore than a Gondola ride? Plus, you have the chance to visit Venice’s most famous restaurants! This is what La Dolce Vita must be all about...

LH Hotel Sirio Venice (or similar)

• Hopfgarten im Brixental
• Venice

Venice to Rome

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. We’ve been running for 11 days. So the only thing on the agenda today? Rest. Recover. Roam Rome. (And carb load with loads of pasta).

Hotel Santa Costanza (or similar)

• Venice
• Rome

Rome

Rise and shine! After an early morning run to see the most iconic sites of Rome, we'll head back to the hotel for breakfast with espresso to keep you buzzin’. Today will be a whirlwind of Roman architecture & the chance to see the Colosseum up close. The afternoon’s free & an optional pasta cooking class with dinner is on the agenda tonight. Oh, and treat yourself to some gelato, will ya? You’ve earned it.

Hotel Santa Costanza (or similar)

• Rome

Rome to Florence

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.  We’ll stop off to visit a gorgeous 16th Century villa that’s now a working winery. We’ll check out the old cellar, and even sample some Chianti wine for ourselves – with antipasti too of course. Rude not to, right? Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is more proof that Italy has so many great places packed into one small region. Here we'll drift along the River Arno, get into the Tuscan vibes with a drop of Chianti wine, and take in the beauty of the city and its magnificent Duomo Cathedral. Take it all in - we have all day tomorrow to let the explorations continue.

BB Giustizia (or similar)

• Rome
• Chianti
• Florence

Florence

Ready for a full day of all things Florence? We’ll kick off with (you guessed it) a park run - this time with the locals! Then we’ll head to our hotel for a shower & breakfast before a local guide will help us uncover the beautiful art of traditional leatherwork, explore streets bursting with heritage, and see all the top sights on a walking tour. This evening, you can choose to visit a 14th century Certosan monastery, followed by dinner and wine at a magical Tuscan restaurant nestled in the countryside nearby.

BB Giustizia (or similar)

• Florence

Florence to Lucerne via Pisa

It's almost time to say a heartfelt 'ciao' to Italy, and hello to the land of creamy chocolate, cheese and watches. But we have one more thing to do in Italy first.... As if we were going to jump from Florence to Switzerland without a sneaky side trip to the Leaning Tower of Pisa! Here's your chance to perfect the holding-up-the-tower shot, so make it a good one.With magical views unfolding outside our windows we'll find ourselves in Switzerland, pulling up in the fairytale town of Lucerne, famous for its wooden bridges, cobbled lanes and beautiful setting against the lake it's named after. Here we'll visit the wooden chapel bridge and lion monument and take the chance to explore. Our recommendation for tonight? Swiss chocolate.

Ibis Budget Luzern City (or similar)

• Florence
• Pisa
• Lucerne

Lucerne

A morning run? Around Lake Lucerne? With breathtaking alpine vistas as your backdrop? Stoppp. After breakfast at the hotel, you can opt for a visit to the top of Mt. Pilatus for breathtaking views over the Swiss Alps, or take an optional cruise across Lake Lucerne for a look at the epic Swiss Alps reflected off the water. Don't say we don't spoil you.

Ibis Budget Luzern City (or similar)

• Lucerne

Lucerne to Paris

It's been sweet, but after an optional run this morning, our time in Lucerne is officially up this morning. We're Paris-bound! Out with the altitude, in with the inner-city 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? Once we've seen the most famous landmarks, we'll celebrate our first night in the city by heading up the Montparnasse Tower for the best panoramic views of the city.

Ibis Paris Porte D'Orleans Hotel (or similar)

• Lucerne
• Paris

Paris

Bonjour, runners! We’ll kick off our first run on the trip with a metro ride to Jardin de Luxembourg, then sprint along the Seine, past Paris’ iconic spots (wave to Notre Dame…). And end right at the Eiffel Tower! Then it’s back to the hostel for a well-deserved brekkie & a full day of exploration. Tonight, you can choose to get together with the crew for a delicious French-style dinner followed by a Cabaret show.

Ibis Paris Porte D'Orleans Hotel (or similar)

• Paris

Paris to London

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 through Belgium, then cross into France to Calais.We'll make our way back to London-town, where you'll be left to start dreaming up your next big adventure.Aaand after 19 days of some of the most scenic sprints in Europe, our run has come to an end. And what a journey it has been! Say a fond farewell to the group as you wrap up the trip on arrival in London.

• Paris
• Calais
• Dover
• London