Joyful Treasures – 11 Days

From € 1,527

Departures Dates: Saturday All Year

Itinerary:

Day 1: Paris Arrival | Saturday

• Welcome to Paris! On arrival at the airport we shall be waiting to transfer you to the hotel. You can enjoy your free time until the tour starts, information about the meeting place and start time can be found on the information boards in the hotel reception area.

Day 2: Paris | Sunday
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Transfer to Versailles Palace. Funicular ride included to Montmartre district. City tour in Paris.

• Early in the morning, we will leave for Versailles, the immense palace of the kings of France. After that, we will return to Paris at lunch time where we provide a transfer to the Montmartre district. We will ascend by funicular to the hill and admire the spectacular view of Paris from the top. This neighborhood is known for its painters, artists, and its cabarets… Sit down for lunch and enjoy a magical atmosphere. Then, a scenic guided tour to discover the history, main boulevards and the breathtaking monuments of Paris will take place. Return to hotel.

Day 3: Paris | Monday
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Eiffel Tower and boat cruise in the City of Lights.

• We go to the center of Paris, starting by the Eiffel Tower area. You will have the opportunity to go up to the second floor of this remarkable metal monument (ticket included). Then, we enjoy a boat cruise along the River Seine, which divides the north of Paris from the south. Enjoy a free afternoon to explore as you choose.

Day 4: Paris – Semur – Beaune – Lyon | Tuesday
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Vineyards in Beaune and Bourgogne region. Funicular ride in Lyon.

• Today we travel to the center of France, to the Bourgogne region, famous for its wines. Making a stop in SEMUR EN AUXOIS, a small medieval town listed surrounded by impressive walls. After this we will visit BEAUNE, located in the center of the Bourgogne region, with its streets full of flowers, hospice and wine museum all points of interest. Time for lunch. Continuing on, we will arrive to LYON in the mid-afternoon, the capital of Roman Gallia on the banks of the Rhône (its historic center has been declared a World Heritage site). We include a funicular climb to Notre Dame de Fourvière where we have a great view of the city. Enjoy some leisure time to walk around.

Note: Sometimes, due to events or congresses, accommodation may be provided in a city near Lyon (normally Chambery).

Day 5: Lyon – Geneva – Neuchatel – Zurich | Wednesday
TODAY´S HIGHLIGHTS: Scenic tour around the lakes and vineyards of Switzerland.

• A beautiful stage awaits us as we set off for Switzerland. Arrival in GENEVA. The guide will take us to the Palais des Nations (the European headquarters of the United Nations), the beautiful “Jardin Anglais” (with its quaint flower clock), and the “Jet d´Eau”, the tallest fountain in Europe.After lunch, we will continue travelling through Switzerland by the beautiful Leman, Neuchatel and Biel lakes. We will drive the scenic road alongside the three large lakes, with their magnificent vineyards overlooking the mountains. We will stop in NEUCHATEL, where you can enjoy a walk by the lake, the historic town center or visit its beautiful, 10th century castle. We will then head to ZURICH. Arrival in the late afternoon.

Note: depending on the number of passengers travelling from Geneva to Zürich, this part of the trip might be done by train – in which case, there will be no stop in Neuchatel.

Day 6: Zurich – Rapperswil – Zurich
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Boat trip across Zurich lake. Journey by train.

• We start the day with a stroll in the most populated city of Switzerland, Zurich, the financial and cultural capital of the country. Zurich has twice been declared the city with the best quality of life in the world. After this we will board a boat for a trip on Zurich lake, this will last about two hours. The boat makes brief stops, allowing us to admire the villages along the way. We get off in RAPPERSWIL, a small and highly picturesque village overlooked by its medieval castle. We return to Zurich by train and will see the efficiency and punctuality of the Swiss Railways. Enjoy an evening in the historic center next to the lake, here you can dine at one of the many restaurants offering a wide range of different cuisines.

Day 7: Zurich – Grindelwald – Lucerne – Zurich | Friday
TODAY´S HIGHLIGHTS: Admire the fantastic landscapes. Cable car included to Grindelwald. Lunch included.

• Today´s journey has beautiful landscapes with high mountains and lakes. Breathtaking scenery in the region of Interlaken. We will stop in GRINDELWALD where we will have time for a coffee before taking the cable car up to mountain. We will walk along the winding path which will lead us to the ¨footbridge over the empty¨. Dare to walk along the bridge amongst the fantastic scenery enjoying glaciers all around us. We will take lunch up the mountain (included) before heading back down. We continue to LUCERNE, one of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland. In the evening we have time to stroll around, enjoying the city and taking dinner before we return to the hotel in Zurich.

Day 8: Zurich – Lugano – Marcote – Milan | Saturday
TODAY´S HIGHLIGHTS: Spectacular alpine landscapes, quaint villages and lakes

• We will leave Zurich early in the morning and cut across the Alps in order to reach the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. Alongside the route we will get to see beautiful lakes and snowcapped mountains. LUGANO. Arrival in the cosmopolitan capital of the Italian Switzerland built next to its beautiful lake. Time to have a stroll and grab lunch. Next, we will reach the enchanting little town of MORCOTE famous for its flowery stone houses. We will then travel to Italy. Arrival in MILAN where the guide will take us to the impressive Duomo Square. Here you will find a variety of local and international restaurants to have dinner at. Transfer to the hotel.

Day 9: Milan – Pisa – Rome | Sunday
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Coast of Liguria, Leaning Tower of Pisa.

• Today we continue our journey towards PISA. On a little tourist train, we will travel to the Piazza Dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), where there will be time to admire one of the most alluring and beautiful art complexes in Italy, including the wellknown Leaning Tower of Pisa. Then, we continue to ROME, arriving at the end of the day.

Day 10: Rome | Monday
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: City tour of Rome. Roman Coliseum (admission price included). Evening transfer to the Trastevere area.

• In the morning, we have a scenic tour, which will be a great introduction to “The Eternal city”. We will visit the tiny state of the Vatican, the epicenter of Christianity in the world. You will be able to visit St. Peter’s Basilica. We have included admission to the Roman Coliseum, the symbol of Rome. This impressive construction dates back 2,000 years and will transport us in time so that we can learn about ancient society in the Roman Empire. At the end of the evening we arrange a transfer to Trastevere area for a stroll in the narrow cobbled streets of the district with hidden treasures, such as some modest medieval churches, small shops with the most peculiar of objects or scenes of daily life. Many trattorias (informal Italian eating establishments) and osterias (inns) imbued with the Italian spirit will be ready to serve you local dishes. Other restaurants serving Indian, Chinese and international food can be found in this area. Return to hotel.

Day 11: Rome | Tuesday

• After breakfast, end of our services.

Includes:

• Includes arrival transfer
• Boat: River Seine in Paris, Zurich lake.
• City tour in: Paris, Rome.
• Evening Transfer: Trastevere in Rome.
• Transfer: Montmartre District in Paris, Versailles Palace in Paris (entrance not included).
• Ticket admission: 2nd floor Eiffel Tower in Paris, Coliseum of Rome.
• Train: Rapperswil / Zurich, Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa.
• Funicular: To Montmartre district in Paris, Lyon, Cable Car to Grindelwald First.
• 1 Lunch or Dinner Included in: Grindelwald.