Greater London Trip Overview
This one gives you a taste of Europe’s highlights for those tight on time. Think 8 countries, 9 days and a handful of the top hotspots – this is how you tick off Europe’s essential travel destinations without hanging around. Glide through the canals of Venice, see the Eiffel Tower & Arc de Triomphe lit up by night, indulge in some sausages and steins at a Bavarian beer hall, explore the glory of the Swiss Alps and visit the cute gable-houses of Amsterdam – all in just over a week. Now that’s magic.
Additional Info
Duration: 9 days
Starts: Greater London, United Kingdom
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Greater London Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Greater London, England, United Kingdom
This one gives you a taste of Europe’s highlights for those tight on time. Think 8 countries, 9 days and a handful of the top hotspots – this is how you tick off Europe’s essential travel destinations without hanging around. Glide through the canals of Venice, see the Eiffel Tower & Arc de Triomphe lit up by night, indulge in some sausages and steins at a Bavarian beer hall, explore the glory of the Swiss Alps and visit the cute gable-houses of Amsterdam – all in just over a week. Now that’s magic.
Itinerary
Day 1: London to Amsterdam
Pass By: London, London, England
Your heart-pounding adventure kicks off today. Meet up with your fellow Contiki travellers and hit the road to Amsterdam.
Pass By: The White Cliffs of Dover, Upper Road Langdon Cliffs, Dover CT16 1HJ England
Shortly before we find our ferry for Europe, we’ll be taking in the English coastline beauty of the White Cliffs of Dover. They owe their gorgeousness to their composition of chalk – you’re learning and we haven’t even left the UK!
Pass By: Calais, Calais, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France
Off the ferry we arrive in the port town of Calais – French soil! We travel via Belgium before reaching … Amsterdam!
Pass By: Belgium, Belgium
Cross off another country off your list as you cruise through Belgium on your way to Amsterdam.
Stop At: Amsterdam, Amsterdam, North Holland Province
And here we are at our final stop for this evening: Amsterdam! We’ll start our exploration of this city with a peek of canals, bicycles & 17th century gable houses lit up by night. Next on the agenda tonight, we have an authentic canal-side Dutch dinner on the cards, followed by an optional evening cruise along the canals – the perfect way for our travel crew to get to know each other. Afterwards, there’s plenty of nightlife to keep you going until the early hours.
Duration: 4 hours
Stop At: Flagship Amsterdam – Canal Cruise – Anne Frank, Prinsengracht 263, 1016 GV Amsterdam, Netherlands
Floating down Amsterdam’s canals by night is the perfect way to start your trip. Cruise past historic buildings & the eye-opening Red Light District. The cruise gives you a different take on one of Europe’s hottest creative capitals!
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Meals included:
• Dinner: Authentic Dutch dinner at canal side Delirium Restaurant
Accommodation included: A&O Hotel Amsterdam (or similar)
Day 2: Amsterdam to Frankfurt
Stop At: Amsterdam, Amsterdam, North Holland Province
This morning is your chance to explore Amsterdam. Take a wander down a cobbled canal-lined street, step into a local ‘Poffertjes’ cafe for Dutch mini pancakes, or check out some of the cute bookshops lining the canal. Then say ‘Vaarwel!’ because this afternoon we’re setting off for our next country, Germany.
Duration: 4 hours
Stop At: Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Hesse
Wilkommen to Frankfurt, Germany’s thriving city metropolis with a big city scene by day and a vibrant nightlife in the evenings. We’ll start off with an orientation tour here in Frankfurt, then tonight you’re free to find yourself some dinner and discover the city by night.
Duration: 4 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: A&O Hotel Frankfurt (or similar)
Day 3: Frankfurt to Munich
Pass By: Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Hesse
Saying goodbye to Frankfurt, we’ll head on to the German city of Munich. where lederhosen, dirndls, steins of beer and gingerbread-style buildings await.
Stop At: Munich, Munich, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria
“Prost!”. Here in the home of Oktoberfest we’ll take a quick tour of the city, and amuse ourselves watching the antics of mechanical figurines in the city’s famous Glockenspiel
Duration: 8 hours
Stop At: Mike’s Bike Tours & Rentals, Bräuhaus Str. 10 cnr, Hochbrückenstraße 10, 80331 München, Germany
Take a funny and fascinating tour through Munich on two wheels with Mike’s Bikes (Summer Only). In winter a locally guided tour of Munich’s famous landmarks will be offered.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Hofbräuhaus München, Platzl 9, 80331 München, Germany
Making the most of our time in Munich this evening, clink your steins & say “Prost!” as we get introduced to 800 years of history at a traditional Bavarian beer hall.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Holiday Inn Express Munich City West (or similar)
Day 4: Munich to Venice via Innsbruck
Pass By: Munich, Munich, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria
Say “Auf Wiedersehen” to Munich as you climb aboard the coach ready for a scenic roll through the Bavarian Alps en route to Italy.
Stop At: Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Tirol, Austrian Alps
Drive through Austria without getting out to say hello? Never! We’ll pull into Innsbruck for lunch, a laid-back student city made famous by a medieval old town, an old Olympic Ski Jump & a Royal Palace.
Duration: 4 hours
Pass By: The Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl), Duke Friedrich Street 15, Innsbruck 6020 Austria
See the Golden Roof & Royal Palace in Innsbruck
Stop At: Nordkette Cable Car, Rennweg 3, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
The mountain at the heart of Innsbruck. The Nordkette is part of Austria’s largest nature park, the Karwendel Nature Park. The breathtaking 360° view leaves a lasting impression, with the capital of the Alps on one side and Tyrol’s most extensive conservation area on the other. The Seegrube, at an altitude of 6,250 ft invites visitors and locals alike to relax, unwind and take in nature at its very best.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Padua, Padua, Province of Padua, Veneto
Stop in historic Padua on route to Venice for some time to grab dinner and wander through lively piazzas and arcaded streets.
Duration: 2 hours
Pass By: Venice, Venice, Veneto
Passionate lands abounding in Fresh pasta, lilting accents & romantic architecture – we’ve arrived in Italy! Tonight we’ll relax here, knowing we have all day tomorrow to cruise canals & explore picturesque cobbled streets.
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel Ambra Quarto Daltino (or similar)
Day 5: Venice
Stop At: Venice, Venice, Veneto
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.
Duration: 6 hours
Stop At: Gondola Bacino Orseolo, Bacino Orseolo, 30121 Venezia VE, Italy
Sit back & watch the city open up from the canals in a gondola. From magnificent palazzi looming in the distance to the locals’ laundry strung across the backwaters, Venice’s charm gets you at every turn.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Piazza San Marco, 31024 Venice Italy
Get an in-depth look into Venice as you walk through the lanes & squares of the city’s historic heart. Our Local Guide will show you the monuments & reveal the hidden secrets of the floating city before finishing with a drink & some cicchetti (Venetian style tapas) in true Venetian fashion.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Tragicomica, Calle dei Nomboli San Polo 2800, Venice Italy
Take a course on mask making from a master artisan in Venice & use your imagination and paint your very own Venetian mask to create a truly unique masterpiece.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Ristorante Mondo Novo, Salizada S. Lio, 5409, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy
Feast on an authentic Venetian 3-course meal with specialities like antipasti & local seafood. Sweeten the experience with something a little ‘dolce’ for dessert.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel Ambra Quarto Daltino (or similar)
Day 6: Venice to Lucerne
Pass By: Venice, Venice, Veneto
With a few days left, it’s time to say ‘ciao’ to our time in Venice. We’ll never forget you, city of canals and beauty, but Switzerland is calling us. Back on our coach we’ll pass Lake Como as we cruise out of Italy and head onwards and upwards toward the Swiss Alps.
Stop At: Lucerne, Lucerne
With magical views unfolding outside our windows we’ll find ourselves in Switzerland, pulling up in the fairy-tale town of Lucerne, famous for its wooden bridges, cobbled lanes and beautiful setting against Lake Lucerne. Take an optional cruise tonight giving yourself a better look at the stunning Swiss Alps reflected off the water. And chocolate. Don’t forget to eat ALL the chocolate.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Chapel Bridge, Kapellbruecke, Lucerne 6003 Switzerland
See the Wooden Chapel Bridge in Lucerne, Europe’s oldest covered bridge.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Lake Lucerne, Lucerne Switzerland
From the waters of Lake Lucerne, your jaw will drop at the endless panoramas. Take in the typically Swiss scenes – green pastures spotted with chalets & bell-wearing cows – surrounded by beautiful mountains.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Ibis Budget Hotel Luzern City (or similar)
Day 7: Lucerne to Paris
Pass By: Lucerne, Lucerne
It’s been sweet, but our time in Lucerne is up this morning. We’re Paris-bound! Out with the altitude, in with the inner-city Parisian bliss. We’ll jump back onto our coach to cross the border out of Switzerland and (back) into France.
Stop At: Paris, Paris, Ile-de-France
After coasting through the pretty wine producing region of Burgundy, we’ll arrive in the City of Lights. Lamp-lit bridges, a sparkling Eiffel Tower, & evening coffee haunts. Tonight we’ll fall in love with everything Paris on a dreamy night-time tour.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Paris, Paris, Ile-de-France
Our Trip Manager fills us in on the city’s secrets and once we’ve seen the most famous landmarks, we’ll celebrate our first night in the city by heading up the Montparnasse Tower for the best panoramic views of the city.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Observatoire Panoramique de la Tour Montparnasse, 33 avenue du Maine, 75015 Paris France
Ascend 56 floors for panoramic views of Paris from the Montparnasse Tower.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner: Included at Accommodation
Accommodation included: Ibis Hotel Porte d’Orleans (or similar)
Day 8: Paris
Stop At: Paris, Paris, Ile-de-France
Today’s the day to stroll the dreamy streets of Paris – and we’ll start with a morning visit to Montmartre’s cobbled street, village-esque cafes, street artists and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. Then there’s plenty of time to lust over haute couture you can’t afford, admire the Notre Dame Cathedral whilst juggling coffee and crêpes, & get artsy at the many museums of the Louvre. Just don’t wear yourself out, you will probably want to get involved with VIP seats and dinner at the iconic Moulin Rouge cabaret show. With your last night looming, make it one to remember in the city of lights.
Duration: 6 hours
Stop At: Musee du Parfum – Fragonard, 3 Square de l Opera Louis Jouvet, 75009 Paris France
Visit a French Perfumery in Paris to learn about the secrets of the perfume trade through an olfactory journey.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Moulin Rouge, 82 Boulevard de Clichy, 75018 Paris France
Dress up for a special night out at this world-famous cabaret. The exciting atmosphere of the evening show is the perfect way to toast your travels with the group over a three-course French meal. From your lamp-lit table, watch a succession of can-can girls, acrobats, comedians, feathers & sequins whirl by as you sip champagne.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Ibis Hotel Porte d’Orleans (or similar)
Day 9: Paris to London
Pass By: Paris, Paris, Ile-de-France
Rise, shine, and soak up your last dose of Paris this morning over a coffee and croissant together, as we marvel at how much we’ve seen on this magical journey. It may be over for now, but these friendships and memories will last a lifetime. Our last coach ride together will be a complimentary transfer to CDG airport this morning, or you can stay onboard for the full ride back to London. Plenty of time to start planning the next reunion…
Pass By: Dover Castle, Castle Hill, Dover CT16 1HU England
See Dover Castle, known as the “Key to England” due to its defensive significance throughout history.
Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.
