The Southern Trail
Overview
Highlights
- See Gaudi's Sagrada Família & the 1992 Olympic Games complex
- Walking tour of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter
- Visit a French perfumery
- Scenic drive along the Côte d'Azur
- Private boat through the canals & islands of Venice
- See the Bridge of Sighs, the Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Square
- See Venice's iconic canals & gondolas
- Discover the Secrets of Michelangelo's Florence – see Ponte Vecchio, the Medici Palace & much more on our locally guided walking tour of Florence
- See the Duomo, Basilica Santa Croce, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Baptistery & Piazza della Signoria
- Learn about Florence's leather craft with a demonstration
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Itinerary
Check in to your hotel after 2:00pm and head out into the humming capital of Britain for a sneak peek at what’s to come. At 4:00pm meet up with your Trip Manager and get to know your fellow travellers.
Welcome to the first day of the best trip of your life - we're calling it early! After a few pleasantries in London we'll get the show on the road with Paris in our sights. A few hours in and your jaws are on the floor already. These chalk cliffs that edge the English...
Croissant in one hand, cappuccino in the other - this should be your signature look for the next few days. See Louis the XIV's favourite Palace of Versailles, then head back to Paris to window shop with wishful eyes, admire old world art works, & take in the iconic sites, you have plenty of time to fall head over heels for the city of love.
Miss the Mona Lisa yesterday? Didn't get a chance to stroll the Seine river and watch artists brushing ballerinas on easels? Keen to pack a cheese picnic and sit near Montmartre for a new view on the city. Luckily for you Paris is still your oyster (or snail) - we're in no great hurry to move on from this bliss.
Just before you get too comfortable in that beret and striped shirt combo, we're dragging you away in search of vineyards and châteaus. Southbound, we roll on through Burgundy’s wine country to Beaujolais’ green hills and vineyards.
Bye-bye Beaujolais! And hello Barcelona. The Pyrénées mountains will keep our eyes satisfied today as we roll across the border for Spain's most lively city. Each day as sweet as the last. Well would you look at that for timing, we've pulled into Barcelona just on sa...
Cobbled lanes of the Gothic Quarter, Montjuic hilltop vistas, & wild Spanish architecture will season our day to perfection. There's plenty of free time to roam free or take a dip in the Mediterranean sea, just don't tire yourself out - chances are you'll want to partake in the evening of Flamenco fun.
As smitten as we are by Barcelona, we have more of Europe to conquer. Much, much more... After a dreamy drive across the border into France through landscapes of lavender, sunflowers and wild herbs, we'll arrive at our lunch break town of Arles. Here we will get a pee...
Fragonard Perfumery in the French Riviera, now there's a place to check in on Facebook! And stock up on perfume, obviously. Especially given the greatly discounted prices and authenticity of buying in France. Please tell us you didn't throw away all of your pennies on...
Today we say our farewells to the French Riviera and take our first jaunt into Italy. Pizza, pasta, & charming locals are just around the corner. In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, a posse of travellers, all alike in excitement, check out the place that insp...
Wake-up sleeping beauties! Venice is yours for the entirety of this glorious Italian day. We'll be jumping aboard our own private boat and hitting the canals en route to the historical heart of the city. A guided walking tour and a gondola ride are up for grabs, or you can always choose to get lost on your own and see where the maze takes you.
Venice we love you, but we need to see a bit more of this boot to satisfy our hungry wanderlust ways. As if we were going to leg it from Venice to Florence without a sneaky side trip to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Depriving you of the chance to perfect the holding-up-t...
Today is a perfect balance of guided wisdom and free time to roam. We'll uncover the beautiful art of traditional leather & explore streets bursting with heritage. Take to the local markets, down some gelato & make yourself known for the evening of optional festivities.
Farewell Florence - today we have the epicenter of Italy on our horizons. Pizza, piazzas...we're coming in hot. After our drift through the rustic Tuscan hillsides of cypress trees and glowing fields, we'll be back city side in the Italian capital of Rome. The Trevi Fountain, Pantheon & Piazza Navona are just some of the icons we'll be casting our eyes upon before the sun sets.
When in Rome...take an optional guided tour of the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Religious or not, the Vatican's Italian Renaissance church will send shivers down your spine. This is also the day to learn a thing or two about the Colosseum & do a bit of your own exploring. Espressos and people watching should be high priority.
One more destination is left to cement our Italian love affair. And it could be one of the European destinations you've been lusting over the most. The island of Capri; we'll sail over the Tyrrhenian Sea taking in the glorious waters and majestic beauty of coastal Ita...
Arrivederci Italy! You've been real. And the next few days have a lot to live up to. Luckily, with Greece on the horizon, we're in pretty safe hands. After less than an hour gazing lovingly out of our windows at the Italian countryside, it will be time for a stop. He...
The best version of island time? Greek island time. And you'll settle straight into it on the dream scene of Corfu. A heritage listed old town, water sports aplenty & the option to hit the seas again on a cruise - this is a what your first day in Greece will look like.
The best version of island time? Greek island time. And you'll settle straight into it on the dream scene of Corfu. A heritage listed old town, water sports aplenty & the option to hit the seas again on a cruise - this is a what your first day in Greece will look like.
Remember when you first looked at our itinerary and wondered if 3-days in Corfu would be too much? LOL! What a joke those feels are now. It's our final full day here and we all wish it would last for 3-months. Do any daredevil things you've been putting off or give yourself a day to relax if you've been giving it a nudge since we first arrived.
Before we lose all sense of reality and morph into sea-soaked island dwellers, we're making tracks to Athens for a dose of city meets history. The awe of Greece's mainland will begin shortly after our arrival as we catch a glimpse of Corinth Canal. This man-made passa...
Today is ours to absorb the best of Athens. Our Local Guide will escort us through the history of the city visiting the Parthenon and the Acropolis. The trip winds down in the heart of the city at Syntagma Square, home to the Greek Parliament. Make the most of a last look at the Parthenon before you farewell your friends.
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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
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Trusted Customer
Apr 2024
Easy and fast responding
Booking the trip was easy even though I was doing it last minute. Last time I did a contiki they didn’t have the online travel portal so that is definitely a great a...
Trusted Customer
Apr 2024
Rome to London Trail
Hi, I have mentioned what I liked above.
Trusted Customer
Apr 2024
Anonymous
Best contiki I've been on yet. Very focused itinerary.
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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.
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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.
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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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