European Encounter (Start London, end London)

Day 1: Arrive London

Check-in to your hotel after 2pm and the remainder of the day is free to relax before meeting your fellow travellers for your Kickstart meeting this evening. Afterwards why not grab some dinner at one of the local restaurants or take a short walk to explore nearby Covent Garden

Day 2: London to Amsterdam

Meet up with your Contiki Team before we hit the road and take a ferry past the White Cliffs of Dover. Next stop: the buzzing, free-wheeling city of Amsterdam. Check out Amsterdam’s eye-opening Red Light District, where the creative and wacky come together on narrow cobbled streets.

Day 3: Amsterdam to Berlin

Motor down the autobahn and get ready for a dose of uber-cool Berlin. We’ll give you the background on Berlin’s troubled history on a driving city tour. Learn about the East/West split at the Berlin Wall and check out the controversial Reichstag (German Parliament) as well as Tiergarten (one the world’s biggest parks), while you Trip Manager points out the little details and peels back the layers of history. With two nights in this historical hot spot, you’ve got time to find out what makes Germany’s capital one of the most cutting-edge cities in the world. It’s hard to believe that this funky town has had such a troubled past.

Day 4: Berlin

Fuel up on breakfast this morning as we've got one big ol' day of Berlin exploring ahead of us. First up, we'll tour the city's best bits, stopping for photo ops at the Holocaust memorial, the Brandenburg gate and Checkpoint Charlie. We'll then take a humbling trip out to Sachsenhausen, a Nazi concentration camp where prisoners were kept from 1936-1945. Here we'll discover more about the brutal Nazi regime, documenting the experience in poignant black and white photography. Once back in the city you'll then have the afternoon free to wander and shoot as you please. Maybe you'll feel yourself graviating towards trendy Mitte or the hipster haven of Kreuzberg, or perhaps our optional Berlin tour is more your jam - think street art photography that includes the East Side Gallery, plus a progressive dinner that will see you eating at various stops throughout the city.

Day 5: Berlin to Prague

Heading south, we roll on to the region of Dresden, often dubbed 'Florence of the North' because of its beauty. This town completely rebuilt itself after being flattened in World War II. Your Trip Manager will show you Dresden’s signature buildings, like the Opera House, the domed Frauenkirche, the Royal Residence – once home to the Saxon Kings – and the massive Zwinger Palace, where the royals went to party! Lunchtime! Go local and hang out in a cafe, order some hearty German dishes with regional specialities like sour roast and potato soup. Then we head over the border and into the Czech Republic to Prague.

Day 6: Prague

The early bird may well capture the worm, but so does the photographer. Wake up bright and early for our sunrise photography session to learn the trick to capturing the first golden rays of the day. Heading back to the hotel for breakfast, you've then got an entirely free day to explore your fariytale surrounds. Do your own thing, or opt to join our cycling trip through the city, stopping off for regular shooting ops on route.

Day 7: Prague to Salzburg

Prague Stock up on breakfast treats, then it's eyes to the green and grassy horizon as we make for Salzburg. Berchtesgaden Lunch stops don't come much more picturesque than this. Nestled in the Bavarian Alps on the Austrian border, Berchtesgaden is the town best known for the Eagle's Nest - a teahouse that was built for Adolf Hitler, and a work of engineering mastery thanks to it's elevation of 1834m above sea level. Today, you can take the specially adapted mountain bus up to the nest to enjoy 360 degree panoramic views of the surrounding alps. Next up: storybook Austria. Salzburg is famed for two things, Mozart and The Sound of Music, but you'll soon realise this magical town deserves your praise entirely in its own right. Our evening walking tour, accompanied by a Local Guide, will take us through Mirabel Gardens and into the streets of the old town, where classical music drifts from open windows. We'll stop by the resplendent Hohensalzburg castle lit up in all its night time glory (read - photographers dream), then dinner tonight is on us, with an optional food photography lesson for those who are keen. If you're looking to up your Insta food game, this is your chance.

Day 8: Salzburg to Venice

Austria you’re an overwhelming beauty. Although it would be nice to stay forever, it’s time for us to cross the border and prepare to stuff ourselves full of all things pizza & pasta. Yes, traveller we’re making our way to Italy!

Day 9: Venice to Rome

Today we’ll cross the Apennines mountain range on the way to the ancient city of Rome. Stylish Rome oozes energy and overflows with relics from another age. Our special access coach tour gets you right into the thriving atmosphere of this living timeline as your Trip Manager shows you the Colosseum and Piazza Venezia. Continue on foot to check out the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. Honour tradition at the Trevi Fountain and throw a coin in the fountain’s waters (it’s meant to improve your chances of returning to Rome!) or maybe hang out with your new friends at the Spanish Steps, sit back with a few slices of pizza and people watch.

Day 10: Rome

This morning, make the most of our Local Guide’s inside knowledge with an optional guided tour of the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Take off into the city and absorb the atmosphere, as Vespas flash past timeworn monuments that are surrounded by fountains, pizzerias, cafés and bars. Before you hit the shops, let your Trip Manager point you in the right direction with some tips on the best buys. In your free time, live the local lifestyle by indulging in a long lunch on a paved piazza or knock back a shot of espresso at the bar, like the Romans do.

Day 11: Rome to Florence

Next up: Umbria’s rustic hills and many vineyards. Travel past the iconic cypress trees of this olive oil producing region, to the Renaissance city of Florence. The scene-stealing Duomo Cathedral rises above the city. Get the inside track on Florence’s cultural beginnings from our Local Guide as the group explores streets crammed with artworks from masters like Michelangelo. Then, take a look into a skilful demonstration of Florentine leather making and understand this region’s traditional art. The city’s markets are a great place to hang out and bargain. Grab a gelato in your free time and enjoy the feel of this gorgeous city. Tonight there’s a choice of a group dinner – an authentic Italian feast in the Tuscan hillsides, where you’ll get to indulge in regional dishes & sip on local Chianti wine. Afterwards, take it up a notch & opt to head with the group to one of Florence’s top clubs where you can show off your moves on the dance floor.

Day 12: Florence to Italian Riviera

Today, journey to Pisa and get up close to its most famous monument, the Leaning Tower. Later, it’s onto the to the national park and UNESCO World Heritage site of Cinque Terre, where colourful coastal villages dot 18km of ragged cliffs and old walled vineyards reach the water’s edge. As we ride the train along the coast, take in the atmospheric scenes and watch the locals fishing along the shore. Rub shoulders with the rich and famous in Portovenere and check out picture-perfect Monterosso. Some ideas for your free time in the area include walking the legendary Via dell’Amore (Lover’s Lane) for amazing sea views. If you want to just chill out and get into the good life, grab a table at a beachfront cafe and try some mouthwatering pesto or foccacia bread.

Day 13: The Riviera to Lucerne

Walk away from the Italian Riviera with plans to come back here for a few weeks or months, why not?

Day 14: Lucerne

With covered wooden bridges, cobbled lanes and quaint buildings, Lucerne’s centre is perfect to explore on foot. Also to stock up on lots of genuine Swiss chocolate! Your Trip Manager can give you pointers on where to pick up the best-priced watches Switzerland is so famous for. This afternoon, choose an optional cruise on one of Europe’s most striking lakes, where stunning scenes of the Swiss Alps reflect back across the water.

Day 15: Lucerne to Paris

With down-time on the coach, plug in your MP3, chill out to some music and chat with friends while travelling through the scenic wine producing region of Burgundy. Tonight, the group kick-starts Paris with the ‘Tour of Illuminations’, which shows off the French capital’s transformation into the “City of Lights”. Lamp-lit bridges and cool little cafés give us a real taste of Paris’ romance. Your Tour Manager will fill you in on the world’s most-recognised monuments, like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.

Day 16: Paris

This town is loaded with possibilities. Discover its many bistros, museums, tree-lined avenues and diverse quartiers (neighbourhoods). Get a feel for French flair by window shopping on the Left Bank. Step into the Notre Dame or explore the endless galleries of the Louvre, where you can get up close to the famous Mona Lisa. Try indulging in some delicious pastries and relax in one of Paris’ many green spaces. Tonight is the last night with your friends, so make it special. Treat yourself to the full Parisian experience with a cabaret show, complete with can-can girls, dinner and Champagne. But don’t stop there – afterwards hit the clubs and finish up your travels with a big Parisian night out.

Day 17: Depart Paris

This morning after breakfast we transfer you to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (estimated arrival 10:00am) where your trip ends. Or choose to take a complimentary transfer to central London & extend your stay.