The Original (Start London, end Amsterdam)
Overview
Highlights
- See the White Cliffs of Dover
- Exclusive 'Paris by Night' sightseeing tour
- See the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, the Champs-Élysées, and Notre Dame Cathedral
- See Gaudi's Sagrada Família & the 1992 Olympic Games complex
- Walking tour of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter
- Visit the historic city of Arles
- Scenic drive along the Côte d'Azur
- Visit a French perfumery
- See the Royal Palace in Monaco
- Rub shoulders with the rich & famous with a visit to a Monte Carlo casino
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Activities
Popular Trips
Itinerary
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
Meet up with your fellow travellers and Contiki team as you start your adventure. Tonight you will be introduce to Paris on the 'Tour of Illuminations', where the French capital transforms into the "City of Lights". Lamp-lit bridges and cool little cafés give us a r...
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 Cathedral or explore the endless galleries ...
Today we'll travel through the famous Beaujolais wine region
Southbound, we roll on through Burgundy’s wine country to Beaujolais’ green hills and vineyards.
First stop: Montjuic. The hilltop has full-blown vistas of the city and it’s where we stop to check out the 1992 Olympic Games complex. Afterwards, get a look into Spanish architect Gaudi’s wild imagination with his Art Nouveau masterpiece, the Sagrada Família churc...
Unwind on the coach and take in the rustic beauty of Provence, known for its pretty landscapes of lavender, sunflowers and wild herbs. A stop for lunch in Arles means a look at the ancient Roman Arena and at a typical provincial French town. It’s back on the road to ...
Next stop on the Riviera and home to the French perfume industry is Fragonard perfumery. Learn about how perfume is made and some of its more surprising ingredients. It’s also a chance to pick up a bottle or 2 at great prices. In your free time live a bit of the life...
Onwards to Italy and Verona, another UNESCO World Heritage site. Get Romantic in the city that was the setting for the most famous love story of all time - Rome and Juliet. Check out the main shopping street and the Roman arena, before heading on to Venice.
Venice is packed with character - crammed with hidden lanes and linked by a network of canals. The group travels on our private boat through the waters of the lagoon to visit the city’s historical heart. The limestone Bridge of Sighs, the Gothic arches of the Doge's...
Wind through the Apennine Mountains and Tuscan countryside to the Renaissance city of Florence, with a stop at the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. The scene-stealing Duomo Cathedral rises above Florence, which serves up frescoes, markets and priceless art. After dinner...
Jump start the day uncovering this open-air museum and its UNESCO World Heritage city centre. Our Local Guide gives you the inside track as the group learns about Florence’s cultural beginnings and explores streets crammed with artworks from masters like Michelangelo....
Travel through Tuscany’s rustic hills, past the recognisable cypress tree landscapes of this olive oil-producing region, to vibrant Rome. Stylish Rome oozes energy and overflows with relics from another age. Our special access coach tour gets you right into the thr...
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 tha...
From Naples, it’s a boat ride to the main marina of the Isle of Capri. Soak up the views and head off with some friends into the cute, white-washed villages where you could try out the region’s sweet lemon liqueur, limoncello. Set on sheer slopes, Sorrento doles up s...
Then there’s time to chill out on the coach, crossing through the rugged landscapes of southern Italy, before boarding the overnight ferry to Greece. Check out the amazing 360 degree views from the deck!
Corfu is all that’s great about Greek island living. You’ll immediately find yourself on "local time", browsing the markets of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Old Town and bargaining with the laid-back locals. Jump on board Captains cruise of Corfu optional with a b...
From Corfu, head to the mainland and travel to the impressive, man-made Corinth Canal. Athens is next, a city crammed with myth and ancient wonders, and busy with modern, urban soul.
This morning, soak up the city sights on a sightseeing tour, then make the most of your day in Athens and explore the back streets of the Plaka district, do some shopping and indulge in the local delicacies of this ancient city. Tonight, take time to chill at the campsite after dinner.
Northbound, we travel past mythical Mt Olympus, Greece’s highest peak, and stop off for a crash-course in ancient heroism at Thermopylae, where just 300 Spartan soldiers held off the invading Persian army’s masses of thousands. After cruising by Byzantine Thessaloniki, we arrive in the port town of Kavala.
This morning, we farewell Greece and travel into Turkey. Make a pilgrimage to the site of a major bloody battle, Gallipoli. Visit stunning Anzac Cove where World War I troops landed, Lone Pine Cemetery, where Australian troops are buried and check out the memorial fo...
Ferry across the Dardanelles, crossing from Europe into to Asia, to Troy. We get inside the legend of one the world’s most famous battles and explore the excavation site of mythical Troy. Learn how heroes and gods fought in a ten year war, as our Local Guide unravels...
With a full day here, there is time to get a real feel for this cultural melting pot. You've got the chance to check out one of the city’s major draw cards, the stunning Blue Mosque. It’s an amazing building with a series of domes and minarets dominating the skyline, ...
This morning, it’s on to Sofia, Bulgaria’s largest city. Once behind the Iron Curtain and today an emerging capital, Sofia brings together traditional Tsarist architecture and a modern feel. It’s the perfect place to explore on foot. Your Tour Manager will lead a w...
Cut across Macedonia and stop off for lunch in Skopje, known for its thriving outdoor cafés. Try some Macedonian specialities like burek (delicious local bread) with white cheese or a local pizza. Next up it’s Struga, tucked in between mountains and one of Europe’s ...
Today we say farewell Macedonia and head over the border and into Albania. Albania serves up mind-blowing scenery scattered with the remains of old war-bunkers – a sad reminder of its recent past. Your Trip Manager will give you this country’s story on the coach as we follow the coast to our overnight stop.
Sticking to the shoreline, continue through tiny Montenegro to the spectacular fortress town of Dubrovnik, well known as the “Pearl of the Adriatic”.
With Baroque buildings, museums and monasteries, this eye-catching UNESCO World Heritage Site is great to explore. Get lost in the walled city’s web of winding streets. You’ve got free time so pull up at a table in the pedestrian district of the stunning Old Town. Lun...
Weaving up the Dalmatian Coast towards Split, we pass crystal clear waters scattered with green islands. Meet with Roman heritage when you wander through the domain of Diocletian’s Palace in the city centre, complete with 220 buildings and an imposing cathedral.
Cruise through stunning Paklencia National Park and pass Central Europe’s largest lake, Lake Balaton, often dubbed the ‘Hungarian Sea’, before continuing on to the ‘Paris of the East’, Budapest. With two cities rolled into one, this exotic town has a bit of everything...
On the Buda side of the river, from the Fisherman’s Bastion, you’ll get a full-blown view of the city and learn about Budapest’s history in a nutshell! Check out the colourful Church of St. Matthias, the Royal Palace and the Chain Bridge. Your Tour Manager knows all a...
As we cruise through Slovakia we’ll pause for lunch in quaint Bratislava. We head into the compact old town and check out its medieval castle. Order yourself the regional speciality, treska (cold fish salad), or try some local cheeses. Our next stop is the cultural ...
Your Tour Manager starts the day by introducing the group to the city’s historical heritage. There’s the imperial grandeur of Schönbrunn Palace, the elegantly ornate State Opera House and St. Stephen’s Cathedral – a Gothic masterpiece. Cruise down Kärntner Strasse, ...
Roll through Bohemia to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Český Krumlov. The town is all about old-world charm, cute shops, cosy cafés and winding cobblestone lanes. This afternoon, relax on the coach as we head to the capital of the Czech Republic, Prague.
Prague is a beautiful and atmospheric city. It’s also pretty compact, so it’s best explored on foot. Get straight into Prague’s historic heart with your Trip Manager. You’ll walk together over the landmark Charles Bridge, through Hradčany Castle, the home of the origi...
Remember one of history’s darkest moments with a sobering stop at the Dachau concentration camp memorial. Learn more at the museum and walk through the remaining living quarters. Afterwards we travel to the home of the world-famous Oktoberfest, Munich - a city that bl...
Use your free time to discover more of Munich. Give an optional bike tour a go and get off the beaten track and onto Munich’s side streets with our Local Guide. Otherwise head back to the old town and hunt around the little shops on the pedestrian-only lanes or for a ...
Today, travel past the stony cliffs of Liechtenstein, into the capital, Vaduz, where you can grab some lunch and in enjoy it in the shadow of the Royal Family’s 12th century castle. Next stop: the jaw-droppingly beautiful alpine town of Lucerne. With covered wooden ...
It’s a change of pace among Switzerland’s massive Alps. Take in the amazing views from the campsite. Opt to visit Jungfrau Mountain, head up the sheer slopes of this UNESCO World Heritage-listed site on a cog rail to Europe’s highest railway station, and step out onto the “roof” of Europe for spine-tingling views.
Over the border and into Germany, we head to the university town of Heidelberg. Wander around, grab a late lunch and check out its famous Baroque church. With free time this afternoon, you could relax at one of Heidelberg’s pubs with some friends or climb the Gothic...
The coach follows the Rhine River, weaving through valleys dotted with castles and vineyards. Next stop - the pretty, old-world village of St. Goar, complete with fairy tale castle and even a free-hanging cuckoo clock! Learn about local know-how and get savvy on th...
Kick start the morning with an optional bike ride and cruise into the countryside, where you can bike around like the laid back locals, past working windmills, in the world-famous cheese village of Edam. In an intro into Dutch culture, see how clogs are made and try s...
This morning after breakfast we transfer you to Schiphol Airport (estimated arrival 10:00am) where your trip ends. Or choose to take a complimentary transfer to central London & extend your stay.
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Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Contiki.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
Contiki Reviews & Ratings
Other Contiki Reviews
Jas Singh
Apr 2024
European Horizon
Excellent tour manager, amazing fellow travellers, beautiful destinations!
Neil Pilger
Apr 2024
Japan Unrivalled
The tour was an absolute blast!
Juvenal Magana Martinez Jr
Apr 2024
Solo traveler best experience!
The trip was great! Although the trip is condensed, our tour guid Yuj made the best of it. From the locations to visit to the food, everything he recommended was bet...
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We’re firm believers that life’s greatest experiences are made better by the people you share them with. That’s why Contiki invented group travel for young people in 1962 and we’ve spent the past 53 years perfecting it. You’ll explore amazing destinations with a group of 18-35 year olds from around the world who share your passion for adventure, good times and creating memories that define what it is to be young, wild and free.
No two travellers are the same and we know that, which is why we offer eight unique ways to explore the world. We have a number of options to choose from to create a vacation that’s perfect for you, from budget to accommodation style.
We're all about exploring the world with like-minded people, which is why we only run trips for 18-35 year olds, to celebrate being young, spirited and curious. You can expect to join a group of 18-53 awesome people from around the world on our Europe, Australia, North America and New Zealand trips, and in Asia and Latin America it's all about small group adventures with up to 25 travellers. Don't worry if you're not traveling as a couple or with a friend from home – though there are plenty of pairs, 50% of our travellers set off solo, meaning you'll have a ton of opportunities to make new friends.
With over 270 trips around the world and plenty of departure dates to work into your schedule, you'll never be short of options on where to go for your next great adventure.
About the company:
Contiki are the world leaders in social youth travel. We’ve been providing amazing travel experiences for young travellers, from 18-35 years old, since 1962. Imagine how good you would be at something if you had been doing it for more than 60 years?
Everything about Contiki is deeply rooted in our core values ‘Make Every Moment Count’ and ‘We’re about people’. We don’t just talk the talk, we walk the walk and live by our brand philosophy of ‘Travel.Together.’ which means to travel with one another, the destinations we visit, the cultures we enjoy and the environment, too.
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