EUROPEAN JEWELS & OBERAMMERGAU - 2010

13 days incl. travel, or 12 days from London to Paris (5400)

Vacation Overview

See some of Europe’s most precious gems on this magnificent mosaic of European culture—a European vacation of a lifetime. Begin your trip in London with a full day to tour and discover the UK’s capital on your own. Then, cross the Channel by ferry and board your motorcoach to Amsterdam, where a guided sightseeing tour and canal cruise await. In Germany, travel along the castle-dotted Rhine River and join the Romantic Road as it passes by medieval fairytale towns with half-timbered houses. Overnight in Munich, one of Germany’s most popular travel destinations, then travel to Oberammergau in the Bavarian Alps. Surrounded by majestic mountains and picturesque meadows, Oberammergau is famous for its Passion Play performed by locals just once a decade to fulfill the town’s promise to God in exchange for protection from the Black Death. Continue south to Innsbruck, Austria, and through the majestic Dolomites. Stop in the world-famous ski resort of Cortina, Italy, on your way to Venice. In Venice, a boat ride along one of the main canals takes you to St. Mark’s Square, and a Local Guide gives you a tour and tells you the stories behind famous Venetian landmarks. On to Florence, “Cradle of the Renaissance,” for a guided walking tour that features Santa Croce, Piazza Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, and the Duomo.

Heading north, cross the Lombardy plain into Switzerland’s Canton Ticino for a stop in subtropical Lugano before climbing toward St. Gotthard Tunnel and descending to the German-speaking side of Switzerland and Lake Lucerne. Lucerne, one of Switzerland’s finest cities, offers impressive city walls, a covered wooden bridge, ornate patrician houses lining cobblestone streets, and the Lion Monument—a masterful stone sculpture in honor of the heroic Swiss Guard of Louis XVI. While in Lucerne, marvel at the surrounding Alpine peaks. Head into France and drive past some of France’s most famous vineyards. Your vacation ends in Paris, “The City of Light,” with two nights. You see the famous Paris sights with a Local Guide on your tour, including La Sorbonne, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, Eiffel Tower, and more. Enjoy time at leisure in Paris to soak up the romantic beauty.

Special Departures:
Mar 30th Departure - Easter Week
Dec 17th Departure - Christmas in Florence

Things to see on your vacation: View Vacation Photo Slideshow
  • The gorgeous rolling hills of the Austrian countryside
  • The beautiful Austrian landscape
  • Marvel at the architecture on London’s infamous Big Ben
  • Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch Golden Age
  • Lake Lucerne
  • The Austrian countryside
  • A majestic view of the famous Italian Dolomites
  • Boats along the beautiful canals of Amsterdam
  • Visit stunning Florence and the Ponte Vecchio
  • Enjoy the lovely canals of Amsterdam
  • Venice is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world
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