Explorer - 16 Days

Embark on your overnight flight to London. Meals: In-flight Enjoy a free afternoon to relax and unwind. In the evening, we’ll have our welcome orientation followed by a fun London pub crawl. Meals: In-flight Inclusions: Transfer from airport to hotel included with purchased AESU group airfare Welcome orientation Pub crawl Look up free time suggestions for: England Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and Westminster Abbey: These familiar names become familiar places on our morning tour of London. During an afternoon at leisure, browse the many food, craft and clothing stalls at popular Camden Market, walk in the footsteps of Harry Potter at Leadenhall Market aka Diagon Alley or take a ride on the London Eye for a birds-eye view of the city and the opportunity to take great photographs. After dusk, consider taking in some Shakespeare at the Globe Theater by the Thames River or attending a West End show. Meals: Breakfast Inclusions: 1-day group tube pass Tour of London guided by a local historian Personal audio headset See Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge and more Travel through the “Chunnel” below the English Channel to Paris. Our local art historian shows us the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and Place de la Concorde, where the guillotine once stood. Tonight, dine on French specialties at our bistro dinner. Afterward, we take a romantic cruise down the river Seine. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Inclusions: English Channel Eurostar train Tour of Paris guided by a local historian See the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Place de la Concorde, Arc de Triomphe and more See Paris-by-night illuminations French bistro dinner Seine River cruise Look up free time suggestions for: France Enjoy a free day in Paris today. You can opt to join your tour director for a visit to a French perfumery and museum this morning. Afterwards consider visiting the Palace of Versailles, Louis XIV’s residence. The included museum pass gives you access to the Hall of Mirrors and the King’s Grand Chambers. Marvel at the sheer size of the palace, one of the most beautiful castles in the world with an astonishing 700 rooms. Later check out another one of the 70 museums and monuments included in your pass in and around Paris, such as the world famous Louvre, housing the Mona Lisa, Musée d’Orsay and Musée National Picasso. Your Paris travel card will provide unlimited public transportation throughout the city. This evening you may consider seeing a can-can cabaret show at the world-famous Moulin Rouge. Meals: Breakfast Inclusions: Paris travel card with unlimited access to public transportation system Paris museum pass Optional activity: Optional visit and tour of the Fragonard perfumery & museum French cabaret show This morning, the TGV high-speed train takes us from Paris to Nice, queen resort of the Côte d’Azur. Enjoy your free afternoon on picturesque beaches along the Mediterranean coastline, stroll promenades lined with chic boutiques, or unwind at a sidewalk café. The thriving local art scene and buzzing nightlife is yours to discover after tonight’s brasserie dinner. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Inclusions: High-speed train to Nice See Promenade d’Anglais, Place Macena and more French brasserie dinner Enjoy a free day on the dazzling French Riviera. Relax on the beach, paddle in the azure sea, or sip on a smooth cocktail beneath swaying palms. Consider exploring Nice to visit the magnificent Palais Lascaris, the Cathédrale de Sainte Réparate and harbors filled with opulent yachts. Or, you may opt to join our excursion to Monaco, where Prince Rainier married Hollywood actress Grace Kelly, and glitzy Cannes, known for its famous International Film Festival. Meals: Breakfast Inclusions: See the French Riviera beaches & promenades Optional activity: Excursion to Monte Carlo & Cannes (not offered during Grand Prix) Our journey takes us along the scenic Côte d’Azur’s sun-splashed beaches. We cross the border into Italy and arrive in Pisa with its stunning Piazza dei Miracoli. Take time to admire the Baptistery, the Cathedral, and take selfies in front of the famous Leaning Tower. Now, immerse yourself in the magic of Tuscany. Travel along rolling hills of olive groves and vineyards crowned by castles and ancient abbeys. Renaissance culture is around every corner with hilltop towns unchanged from the Middle Ages. This region is also known for its fabulous farm-to-table agritourism. Enjoy our Chianti wine and olive oil tasting and then savor regional dishes featuring produce and wines direct from the local farms at our Tuscan feast. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Inclusions: Private motor coach from the French Riviera to Tuscany See the scenic Cote D’Azur Visit to Pisa with its Leaning Tower Wine and olive oil tasting Tuscan Feast Look up free time suggestions for: Italy This morning we continue our travels south to the capital of Italy. Get ready to soak up Rome’s dolce vita lifestyle as we explore the city’s picturesque streets and piazzas with our local historian. Ancient icons such as the Colosseum or Caesar’s Roman Forum remind us of the city’s golden age as the capital of the world. Vatican City with St. Peter’s Basilica towering over the square, and colossal cathedrals throughout the city, tells stories of its history as seat of the Catholic Church.Use your included Roma pass to visit the Colosseum (reservations required) and take advantage of the included unlimited use of public transportation. Meals: Breakfast Inclusions: Tour of Rome and Vatican City guided by a local historian Personal audio headset See Caesar’s Forum, Circus Maximus, Pantheon and more Visit St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City Roma pass entrance to Colosseum and Forum Special access and discounts with Roma pass Unlimited access access to local transportation with Roma pass Look up freetime suggestions for: Vatican City A free day in Rome may find you exploring Piazza Navona, climbing the famous Spanish Steps and tossing a coin into the Trevi Fountain to ensure your return to Rome. Try numerous flavors of the fabulous gelato ice cream or find yourself window-dreaming on Via dei Condotti, one of Rome’s fashionable shopping streets. This evening, we cross the Tiber River to Trastevere, one of Rome’s oldest neighborhoods, for our fun Italian Pizza Party. Toppings range from a simple drizzle of olive oil, rosemary and salt, to mushrooms, prosciutto ham and artichokes. Buon appetito! Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Inclusions: See Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and more Special access and discounts with Roma pass Unlimited access to local transportation with Roma pass Pizza Party in Trastevere Sunny olive groves line the way south to Pompeii. Under the shadow of Vesuvius, the volcano that buried this ancient city in 79 A.D., explore the excavated wonders including homes, markets and temples that remain intact, and streets that still bear the marks of chariot wheels from 2,000 years ago. Afterwards, we cross the Italian “boot” and board our overnight ship to Greece. Meals: Breakfast Inclusions: Tour of the Pompeii excavations guided by a local historian Personal audio headset Scenic overnight ship from Italy to Greece After cruising through aquamarine waters, our ship docks at Patras. Motor along the Corinthian Sea across the Peloponnese to Galatas and the island of Poros. Relax and unwind with three days of living like a Greek god or goddess. Enjoy a welcome drink at the pool bar before exploring this idyllic island. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Inclusions: Relaxing pool and beach time Enjoy iconic Greek sunsets Traditional Greek dinner Look up free time suggestions for: Greece Today is free to enjoy at your leisure. Go for a swim, bask in the golden sun, or take part in optional watersports such as waterskiing, wakeboarding, parasailing, banana-boating or tubing. Dancing like Zorba at a local tavern is always a must-do evening activity. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Inclusions: Explore the white-washed village center of Poros Traditional Greek dinner Beach and pool Optional activity: Water sports Poros old town center has great shopping or the more adventurous can venture to the 6th-century BC ruins of Poseidon’s Temple on the island’s highest peak. Bicycles will be provided today, which offer an opportunity to further explore the island. Tonight, we invite everyone to our fun toga party. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Inclusions: Bike rental on the Isle of Poros Beach and pool Greek BBQ dinner Greek toga party In the morning we board our hydrofoil to Athens. See the 2,400-year-old Parthenon, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Constitution Square. A free afternoon may find us wandering the paths of Plato, Socrates and Sophocles or trying our bargaining skills at the markets of Monastiraki. This evening follow the sounds of traditional bouzouki music and join our farewell taverna dinner in the Plaka District – Athens’ oldest neighborhood at the foot of the Acropolis. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Inclusions: Flying Dolphin hydrofoil from Poros to Athens Tour of Athens guided by a local historian Acropolis admission Greek tavern farewell dinner Greek music and dancing Reluctantly we say farewell to Europe and new-found friends. Jet back home with thoughts of planning your next adventure! Meals: Breakfast, In-flight Inclusions: Transfer from hotel to airport included with purchased AESU group airfare