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The tring-tring of bicycles sounds the start of your European Whirl. Kick back on the canals of Amsterdam and Venice, in the quiet lakeside beauty of Lucerne and among the Tuscan hills near Florence, with flavours of Italian Chianti setting the tone for an unforgettable trip.
The tring-tring of bicycles sounds the start of your European Whirl. Kick back on the canals of Amsterdam and Venice, in the quiet lakeside beauty of Lucerne and among the Tuscan hills near Florence, with flavours of Italian Chianti setting the tone for an unforgettable trip.
A brief interlude with the British capital this morning sees us meet our Travel Director before travelling to London's St. Pancras International where we will board the Eurostar™ for a high-speed train journey to Brussels and a luxury coach journey to Amsterdam. Enjoy an orientation of this historic Dutch city before joining your fellow travellers and Travel Director for a Welcome Reception dinner cruise on its canals.
Trip Summary Accomodation IconHotel - Mercure City
Driving through the lush landscapes of the Netherlands and Germany, we arrive in Boppard where we board a cruise along the Rhine to St. Goar, passing vineyard-clad hills and medieval castles perched above riverside towns. Onwards via coach to the Baroque city of Heidelberg, we explore its iconic and unexpected highlights before travelling to our Rhineland hotel.
Crossing the Swabian Alps on the edge of the Black Forest, we arrive in the Bavarian capital of Munich. Our orientation takes us past the Hofbrauhaus, reputedly the most famous Beerhall in the world, and the neo-Gothic Town Hall which dominates the Marienplatz. We cross the Austrian border next, arriving in Innsbruck, the capital of the Alps. Admire the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture of the Old Town, including Emperor Maximilian's famous Golden Roof with its ornate façade and consider an evening of traditional Tyrolean entertainment.
Trip Summary Accomodation IconHotel - Rumer Hof
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
Day 4
Onwards to the Canals of Venice
Journey through the emerald-green landscape along the Brenner Pass into Italy and across the Dolomite Mountains to Venice. We cruise the beautiful Venetian lagoon by private launch to the gateway of Venice, St. Mark's Square. View the ornate Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs, so named for the sound made by condemned prisoners as they took one last longing look at their beautiful city before meeting their fate. Then, Dive Into Culture and enjoy a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience where you’ll witness the centuries-old craft of Venetian glassblowing. You’ll learn how the master craftsmen shape the molten glass to make the exquisite and delicate works of art that adorn homes all over the world and perhaps be inspired to buy your own souvenir as a reminder of this special visit. There’s time later to enjoy the city your way. Get lost in Venice, cross bridges and discover hidden campi where locals share their daily stories over a glass of Venetian Spritz.
Travel south across the Veneto Plain, passing Bologna and the dramatic Apennine Mountains as well as the green and golden fields of Lazio before reaching Rome, the 'Eternal City'. En route, we Connect With Locals over lunch at a Be My Guest experience and enjoy true Tuscan hospitality with a local family on their private estate in the Chianti countryside.
Trip Summary Accomodation IconHotel - A. Roma Lifestyle
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast, Be My Guest
TODAY'S INCLUDED HIGHLIGHT EXPERIENCE
Day 6
Discover Ancient Rome and the Vatican City
Our first stop today sees us discover the divine beauty of the Vatican City. We'll visit St. Peter's Basilica with a Local Specialist to view Michelangelo's Renaissance masterpiece, the Pietà. We continue to Ancient Rome to view the iconic Colosseum and Circus Maximus, once the site of exhilarating chariot races centuries ago. The afternoon is yours to explore the city on your terms. Sit on the Spanish Steps savouring a tasty gelato, shop up a storm on the trendy Via Condotti or perhaps join an Optional Experience to see the magnificent frescoed ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
Day 7
Continue to Renaissance Florence
From Rome, we travel north through the rolling countryside of Tuscany and along the Arno valley to the 'Cradle of the Renaissance', Florence. Delve into the rich Medici heritage of this beautiful medieval city with your Local Specialist. Visit what was once the political hub of the city, Piazza della Signoria, with its impressive sculptures and stunning palazzi. View the imposing Duomo, crowned by Brunelleschi’s dome, and the Baptistery, renowned for its sculptured bronze doors.
Drive via the scenic Italian Lakes District, across the Alps into beautiful Switzerland, where we'll spend the next two nights in the medieval lakeside city of Lucerne. Tonight, why not consider an optional Swiss Folklore Show?
Trip Summary Accomodation IconHotel - Grand Europe
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
Day 9
Explore Lucerne
This morning, view the mournful, mortally wounded lion hewn from rock to commemorate the Swiss Guards who lost their lives defending Louis XVI. Walk along the flower-lined 14th-century covered Chapel Bridge, crossing the river Reuss. Or join an exciting Optional Experience to one of the surrounding peaks for breathtaking views of the Swiss countryside. We have some time later to discover the best Swiss chocolates in town.
Crossing the border into France this morning, we travel past the picturesque vineyards and country towns of Burgundy en route to the 'City of Lights'. Spend some time this evening strolling along the Seine and grand boulevards in search of a cosy bistro for fine French cuisine or consider an Optional Experience to a colourful Parisian cabaret.
Join a Local Specialist today for a sightseeing tour of this romantic city. View the sophisticated Champs-Élysées, Place de la Concorde, the 19th-century Arc de Triomphe, honouring those who fought for France, and Notre Dame Cathedral, then enjoy a stroll through the Latin Quarter. Our European Whirl almost at its end, we spend the evening with fellow travellers and our Travel Director, enjoying a Farewell Dinner in a local bistro.
Travel past poignant World War I battlefields to the coast and board a cross-channel ferry to Dover, where we are greeted by the famous white cliffs. We continue by local coach to London where our amazing adventure ends.
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About this trip
About this trip
What's included
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11 nights
Accommodation
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16 Meals
1 Be My Guest, 1 Farewell Dinner, 1 Welcome Reception, 11 Breakfasts, 2 Dinners
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On-trip Transport
All transport shown
The Trafalgar difference
Connect With Locals
Eight generations of history with plenty of stories to tell. Enjoy a traditional Be My Guest lunch with the Landi family at their home near Florence, set within a garden of oak trees against the backdrop of Tuscan vineyards and olive groves.
Dive into Culture
Witness the exquisite craft of glassblowing, a delicate tradition that generations of Venetian craftsmen have perfected over the centuries.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
Learn about the history and ancient skill of Venetian glassblowing, playing your role in ensuring the survival of this traditional craft through your visit.
Sightseeing highlights
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Explore Rome, Florence and Paris with a Local Specialist
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Discover Amsterdam, Heidelberg, Munich, Innsbruck, Venice and Lucerne
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Visit a glassblowing factory in Venice and St. Peter's Basilica in Rome
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View the canals in Amsterdam, the Golden Roof in Innsbruck, St. Mark's Square in Venice, the ancient sites in Rome, the Chapel Bridge in Lucerne and the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
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See the Lorelei Rock and the vineyards of Burgundy
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Scenic Cruise along the canals of Amsterdam, the Rhine River and by private launch to St. Mark's Square in Venice
Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
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Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
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Drop-off if you stay at the Trafalgar recommended London hotel, booked through Trafalgar
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Eurostar high-speed train from London to Brussels
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Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
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Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
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Optional Experiences and free time
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The services of a Trafalgar Local Host when you stay at Trafalgar's recommended London hotel.
Live, unedited & independent traveller reviews
European Whirl End London trip reviews
Our guests are at the heart of everything we do, their feedback fuels our innovation, inspiring us to improve continuously and craft Simply The Best vacations. That's why we ask each of our guests to leave a third-party verified, independent review after every trip. As testament to our commitment we have been given the Trusted Service Award from Feefo, recognising we deliver exceptional experiences as rated by real guests.
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4.7
Out of 5
Based on 1,929 independent reviews
Trip rating
Customer experience
Trip rating is the overall quality of the itinerary and trip
4.7
Out of 5
5
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1,520
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Customer experience is the standard of service you receive
Everything was well planned. The tour director (Emile) was fantastic! The 'whirl' was just that, fast paced in order to see and do everything on our list. Would highly recommend this tour to someone who has never been to Europe and wants to see the highlights in a relatively short period of time. (12 days).
Be My Guest (BMG), Breakfast (B), Dinner (D), Farewell Dinner (FD), Welcome Reception (WR)
Your London Hotel: This trip starts at The Tower hotel.
Bastille Day is a national holiday in France. Celebrations will be taking place throughout Paris on 14 July.
Drinking Water: Tap water is safe to drink in all of the destinations on this trip. Please remember to bring a water bottle.
Unless otherwise stated, trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discount. Discounts are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice.
Trip prices are correct at the time of the products going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. All trip information is correct at time of trips going live, however are subject to change - please confirm all details at time of booking.
Twin-share option not available for trips to South America, Costa Rica, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, South Africa, Kenya & Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia or for any holiday & cruise combination, or in Asia and Eastern Mediterranean except Highlights of Turkey (without cruise) & Best of Turkey. It's also not available on Small Group trips. Guided Vacations included in this restriction are Newfoundland and Labrador (DNLA). Does not apply to trips operated by Inspiring Journeys & our Mini-stays.
For trips that are part of our Guaranteed Room Share, please note that there is a no smoking policy in all shared rooms. Solo travel is not accepted on guided Family Experiences holidays unless travelling as part of a family group.
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Your selected departure date will feature some seasonal itinerary changes to what is displayed. Click 'VIEW ITINERARY' below to see full details.
Active Trip Details
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What is an Active Trip? This is an "Active" lifestyle itinerary, with walks and hikes most days. Hikes will range from easy/moderate to strenuous. No technical climbing skills are required but a reasonable level of fitness is required to make the trip more enjoyable. Understanding that not all people want to hike at the same pace or even on the same trail we will, where possible, host map orientation and then let everyone disperse to enjoy the trails best suited to them.
What to Pack Guests should bring lightweight hiking shoes or boots, broad brimmed sun hats, sunglasses, layered clothing, reusable water bottle(s), a hiking day pack and hiking poles (optional)
Weather & Altitude While the itinerary is laid out below, we are at the mercy of the weather and so reserve the right to adjust the program as necessary. Please keep in mind that the higher elevations and possible variations in weather and temperature can increase the perceived level of difficulty of our activities. Elevation ranges up to 9,000 feet for Utah’s Mighty Five and up to 11,000 feet for California High Country Adventure.
Everyone reacts differently to altitude and so if you do have any health issues you should check with your doctor that this trip is suitable for you.