13-Nights European Experience from $3,025

CostSaver

OFFER ID 1503909

European Experience
Get out of that armchair and experience the beauty of Europe with her centuries-old history, vibrant cities and splendid landscapes. You’ll tick many bucket-list boxes on this 14 day trip that takes you from London to Amsterdam, from the Swiss Alps to Italy, through the canals of Venice and St. Mark’s Square and on to Austria and finally through the Rhineland to Amsterdam.

Dining Summary

13 Breakfast (B)
4 Dinner (D)

Essentials

View the Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower on your sightseeing tour
Visit the Lion Monument and view the Chapel Bridge
See Piazza Santa Croce
Visit St. Peter's Basilica and see the ancient sites with your Local Guide
Cruise by private boat to St. Mark's Square and visit a glassblowing workshop
Picture-book scenery
See the Glockenspiel in the Marienplatz and the Hofbräuhaus
Cruise the romantic Rhine
View the Gothic cathedral
See the historic city center

Whats Included

An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
Many meals and daily breakfasts included
City orientation tours
Audio headsets are provided throughout your holiday to enhance your included sightseeing experiences
Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries
Extensive variety of Choice Experiences
Ferry from Calais to Dover
On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.

13 nights from $3,025 per person

Valid on new bookings deposited November 1, 2024 – December 5, 2024 for travel in 2025.

*Discount may already be included in the displayed price. Promotion may not be combinable with any other offers, promotions, or discounts, and is subject to availability and airline booking guidelines. Other restrictions may apply.

Itinerary

Costsaver: European Experience

Day 1 - Arrive London
Keep it real on the vibrant streets of London, where old meets new and best of British icons jostle for your attention. Don't resist the urge to hit the streets straight out of the starting gate after checking in. There's something for everyone as you'll come to discover exploring the capital's culture, history and scenic spaces. Delve into London's royal heritage, stroll along the Thames or admire treasures from across the globe in one of its museums before retiring to your neighborhood 'local' for a pint or two.
Accommodations: Novotel Brentford, ibis London Excel Docklands

Day 2 - London free day
What a treat! A full free day in London to do as you please. The British capital wears its diversity with pride - an epicenter attracting people from all over the world who are helping to shape its vibrant cosmopolitan spirit. Dive right in and visit all the iconic sights and some hidden surprises, from the British Museum to the London Dungeon. When night falls, head to the bright lights of Soho or pop in to Brick Lane for a curry. You won't be left empty handed when it comes to grabbing a plate of what London is serving up.
Accommodations: Novotel Brentford, ibis London Excel Docklands
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 - London – Paris
Greetings from your Travel Director this morning. For now, London bids you safe travels as you continue south through the Kent countryside to Dover and then on by ferry to Calais. Next stop is Paris, another capital that doesn't hold back and doesn't expect you to either. Take a walk through its grand past, dynamic present and exciting future, from the maze of streets that once nurtured great artists in Montmartre to the Eiffel Tower.
Accommodations: Ibis Alésia Montparnasse 14éme, Hampton by Hilton Clichy
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 - Paris Sightseeing and Free Time
Audrey Hepburn described it best when she said: 'Paris is always a good idea.' We’re sure you’ll agree. Hit its grand boulevards on a city sightseeing tour with your Travel Director. See the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Élysées then spend the rest of the day discovering the city on your terms. Don’t resist the urge to tread in the footsteps of Picasso and Dalí and visit Montmartre this afternoon, exploring its maze of streets and Artist’s Square. There’s time to shop for artwork and savor some local specialties before considering a real highlight this evening – an optional dinner and cabaret performance.
Accommodations: Ibis Alésia Montparnasse 14éme, Hampton by Hilton Clichy
Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 - Paris - Lucerne Region
Journey through the idyllic French countryside before arriving in Lake Lucerne. You’ll want to put the 'heart' of Switzerland in your pocket and take its history, culture and epic landscapes with you.
Accommodations: Ibis Kriens, SwissEver Zug
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 6 - Lucerne orientation and free time
Turn the page to a land of fairy-tale landscapes and medieval history. You have a full day to see the sights and explore Lucerne, starting with a morning orientation including the Chapel Bridge and the Jesuit Church. No visit to Lucerne is complete without a visit to the Lion Monument, built to commemorate the brave Swiss Guards who died defending Louis XVI during the French Revolution. You may be tempted to do some souvenir shopping, but an Optional Experience into the mountains will be hard to resist. Ascend Mount Pilatus by a cog-wheel railway then embark on a scenic lake cruise.
Accommodations: Ibis Kriens, SwissEver Zug
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 - Lucerne - Florence
Your journey heads south to the city of Florence - home to various masterpieces of Renaissance architecture and outstanding fine arts. Enjoy dinner with your fellow travelers tonight as you prepare to soak up the beauty of the city, surrounded by Tuscan hills, that has remained unchanged throughout the centuries.
Accommodations: Miro
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8 - Florence – Rome
2025 marks a Jubilee Year, a momentous Roman Catholic event celebrated every 25 years, turning Rome into a center of celebration. As festivities unfold, itineraries may be adjusted to ensure you make the most of your time as you visit the Eternal City. Enjoy your day in Florence before heading to Rome. Admire the city skyline from Piazzale Michelangelo. There’s time to explore Piazza della Signoria, the Duomo and Giotto's Bell Tower or shop for the bespoke Italian leather goods and fine gold jewelery for which Florence is justifiably famous. You could choose instead to join an Optional Experience revealing the Renaissance heritage of a city which attracted artists, physicists, astronomers and philosophers like Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo.Next, travel to Rome. If Rome was a person, she would be confident, alluring and complex. You’ll get to know her, and her quirks, over the next two days. You’ll find reminders of an ancient world, a holy empire and the Renaissance around every turn. You could choose to join a Local Specialist for an optional guided stroll through Rome’s piazzas. Linger in your favorite square, or perhaps enjoy a scoop or three of the local gelato and soak up the effervescent energy of a city that knows how to enjoy life.
Accommodations: Raganelli, Ergife Palace
Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 - Rome Sightseeing and Free Time
You could spend a lifetime exploring Rome and just scratch the surface, but with your Local Guide on hand you’ll dive right into the city’s heart and soul. Head to Vatican City to watch the pigeons and people tread on holy ground. The rest of your day is free to explore the City, this evening why not consider an optional dinner at one of the local restaurants.
Accommodations: Raganelli, Ergife Palace
Meals: Breakfast

Day 10 - Rome – Venice
Journey on to Venice, which bewitches in all her Byzantine glory, softening even the hardest of hearts with her opulence. Highlights include a cruise on a private launch to St. Mark’s Square and views of the magnificent St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge's Palace. The talents of master craftsmen are the star of the show later as you visit their glassblowing workshop, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. There’s even time for an optional Gondola and Grand Canal cruise – grand palazzi, churches and ornate bridges line your journey.
Accommodations: San Giuliano
Meals: Breakfast

Day 11 - Venice – Innsbruck
Today you continue along the Inn Valley to the Austrian Tyrol and its capital, Innsbruck, where you can 'ooh and aah' at the impressive ski jump and view the famed Golden Roof, constructed from 2,657 copper tiles. Admire the fascinating crystal installations and browse for precious gifts and souvenirs at the Swarovski Crystal Worlds Store. This evening, a Choice Experience could see you enjoy a lively evening of entertainment during a traditional Tyrolean evening.
Accommodations: Bon Alpina
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 12 - Innsbruck - Munich - Rhineland
Your first stop today is Munich where you can admire the Glockenspiel in the Marienplatz and the Hofbräuhaus. Continue onto the main cultural center of the Rhineland.
Accommodations: Achat Hotel Bad Durkheim
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 13 - Rhineland - Cologne - Amsterdam
Suitably inspired by its spires, you’ll board a lazy river cruise down the Rhine past terraced vineyards and fairy-tale castles. Your experience of a lifetime ends in the free-thinking capital of the Netherlands. Immerse yourself in Amsterdam's gezelligheid as you soak up the buzz of the city's canals, gabled houses and festive squares. There's no better way to see the capital than from its waterways, so choose an Optional Experience in a glass-topped boat winding through Amsterdam's historic canal ring.
Accommodations: Ibis Schiphol
Meals: Breakfast

Day 14 - Depart Amsterdam
Say farewell to your Travel Director and traveling companions at the end of an amazing holiday.
Meals: Breakfast

Featured Destinations

Rhineland

Amsterdam

Cosmopolitan Amsterdam is most famous for its narrow, gabled houses lining the canals. Interesting attractions include the medieval weighhouse, Royal Palace on Dam Square, and New Church. Its most glamorous industry is the diamond trade. Not too far from Amsterdam are the flower centers of Aalsmeer, the picturesque fishing villages of Volendam and Marken, cheese markets at Edam and Gouda, and historic Haarlem, the main center of the bulb-growing industry. Enjoy the city’s sights from a glass-topped sightseeing boat which passes characteristic gabled houses and negotiates picturesque arched bridges. Facing Dam Square, the Royal Palace was built in 1648 and is still officially the royal residence, although the royal family resides in The Hague. The marbled Citizens Hall with inlaid maps of the world is worth seeing. One of Amsterdam’s most visited sites is historic Anne Frank House. Rijksmuseum, the city’s most prestigious museum, houses the largest collection of Dutch paintings in the world. Van Gogh Museum houses a striking collection.

Excursions

Amsterdam: An Introduction to Amsterdam – 4 hours

Amsterdam: Highlights of Amsterdam - 8 Hours

Amsterdam: The Three Sisters, Delft & Den Haag - 8 Hours

You are met at Amsterdam port for a full-day excursion outside of the city. Head south into the countryside for a photo opportunity at the impressive Three Sisters Windmills in Stompwijk. As over a third of the Netherlands lies below sea level, windmills were initially designed to pump vast amount of water out, thus protecting land from flooding. Today, these silent giants draw many visitors every year for their charming appearances.

From here, you travel on to Delft, world-renowned for its famous blue and white pottery and one of the most beautiful towns in the Netherlands. Take in the town’s architectural gems and charming ambience, which are best appreciated by walking along its small canals with their graceful humpbacked bridges.

Following this, enjoy a privately-guided tour at the Royal Delft Experience, where a painter shares the passion behind the production of this stunning 17th-century earthenware during a special demonstration.

After lunch at leisure, you continue to the Hague, the home of the Dutch Royal Family and the administrative capital of the Netherlands; walk the Inner court past the Government buildings and take the opportunity for a photo stop at the International Court of Justice. You may like to visit the Mauritshuis Museum, which holds one of the world's finest collections of paintings, including Rembrandt, Steen, Hals, Rubens and Van Dyck, or you may choose to visit the Panorama Mesdag, which hosts the Panorama, one of the largest canvas paintings in the world (subject to opening times).

On your return journey, stop at Scheveningen beach for some spectacular views before continuing back. (8 hours, driver and guide)

Highlights:

Witness the majestic windmills known as the Three Sisters
Delve into Delft's artistic heritage

Tour Duration: 8 Hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning/ Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

Private transport by luxury car or minivan
An expert local guide for 8 hours
Entrance fees to all sights and museums
All taxes

Exclusions:

All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
Gratuities

Innsbruck

Venice

With a great historic past and incomparable art treasures, Venice is renowned as one of the world’s great cities. Its 118 islands are separated by more than 150 canals and spanned by 400 bridges. During Venice's artistic golden age many magnificent structures were erected to create world-famous masterpieces. One of the best sightseeing routes is along Grand Canal, with many palaces lining the famous waterway. St. Mark’s Square offers access to some of Venice’s most famed attractions - St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace. From Piazza San Marco, a maze of narrow streets are lined with shops, cafés and restaurants. A popular pastime is sitting at an outdoor café facing the square while people-watching and letting the whole marvelous scenario unfold. Venice’s Murano, Burano and Torcello Islands comprise an area famous as home of Venice’s glass-blowing industry and known for their charm, skilled lace-making and medieval monuments. Relax on a gondola ride, see art treasures in museums, churches and palaces, and have a sumptuous meal - all in this incomparable city.

Excursions

Venice: Splendours of Venice Walking Tour - 4 hours

Venice: Venice for Art Lovers Walking Tour - 4 hours

Venice: The Roman City of Verona - 7 hours

Venice: Lagoon Islands - 7 hours

The story of Murano and Burano

The Canal Grande cruise followed by a walking tour of Venice

Rome

Sprawled across seven legendary hills, romantic and beautiful Rome was one
of the great centers of the ancient world. Although its beginning is shrouded
in legend and its development is full of intrigue and struggle, Rome has always
been and remains the Eternal City.

Rome enjoyed its greatest splendor during the 1st and 2nd centuries when art
flourished, monumental works of architecture were erected, and the mighty Roman
legions swept outward, conquering all of Italy. These victorious armies then
swept across the Mediterranean and beyond to conquer most of the known world.
With Rome's establishment as capital of the western world, a new ascent to glory
began.

Today's Rome, with its splendid churches, ancient monuments and palaces, spacious
parks, tree-lined boulevards, fountains, outdoor cafes and elegant shops, is
one of the world’s most attractive and exciting cities. Among the most famous
monuments is the Colosseum. As you walk its cool, dark passageways, imagine
the voices that once filled the arena as 50,000 spectators watched combats between
muscled gladiators and ferocious animals.

Stop to see the remains of the Forum, once the city's political and commercial
center. In later times, Rome's squares were enhanced with such imposing structures
as the Vittorio Emanuele Monument and grandiose fountains like the Fontana di
Trevi. Join the millions who stand in awe of Christendom’s most magnificent
church and admire the timeless masterpieces of Michelangelo's frescoes in the
Sistine Chapel.

Rome jars the senses and captures the soul. Grasp all you can during the short,
precious time you have available in the Eternal City. With so much to see and
do, a day or two will only allow you a sampling of the city's marvelous treasures.

Caution: As in many big cities and tourist destinations purse snatching
and pickpocketing is common. Valuable jewelry and excess cash are best left
in a safety deposit box in your hotel.

Shopping For most visitors shopping for beautiful Italian leather articles,
designer shoes, fashions for men and women, linens, knitwear, silk scarves and
ties is a favorite pastime. Except for tourist-oriented shops, the majority
of stores are closed on Sundays. Some of the department stores, such as Rinascente,
open in the late afternoon on Sundays.

Cuisine Rome's choice of restaurants is mindboggling as is the variety
of cuisine. Whether your meal is at a top-rated restaurant or a rustic trattoria,
you can be sure that you will enjoy your food, especially when accompanied by
wines from the hill towns surrounding Rome.

Other Sights Rome's attractions are endless, and depending on how much
time you have at your disposal a careful selection has to be made about what
to see. Be aware of horrendous traffic conditions and major construction work
all around the city in preparation of Jubilee 2000, the Holy Year. Some of the
sights not to be missed:

Piazza Venezia - This busy square is easily recognized by its imposing Vittorio
Emanuele II Monument. The white marble structure was inaugurated in 1911 as
a symbol of Italy’s unification.

The Forum - Once the civic heart of ancient Rome, today the remains include
a series of ruins, marble fragments, isolated columns and some worn arches.

Colosseum - No visit to Rome is complete without a stop at this awe-inspiring
theater, which is among the world’s most celebrated buildings. Here ancient
Rome flocked to see gladiatorial contests and numerous other spectacles.

Trevi Fountain - Take a stroll to Rome's famous fountain. A spectacular fantasy
of mythical sea creatures and cascades of splashing water, the fountain is one
of the city's foremost attractions. Legend has it that visitors must toss a
coin into the fountain to ensure their return to Rome.

St. Peter's Square - Part of Vatican City, this square created by Bernini
is considered one of the loveliest squares in the world. Twin Doric colonnades
topped with statues of various saints and martyrs flank either side of the square.
In the center stands an 84-foot obelisk, brought from Egypt in 37 A.D.

St. Peter's Basilica - At the head of the square stands Christendom's most
magnificent church, which was begun in 1452 on the site where St. Peter was
buried. Throughout the following 200 years, such Renaissance masters as Bramante,
Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini worked on its design and created an unparalleled
masterpiece. Of special note are Michelangelo's Pieta and the bronze canopy
over the high altar by Bernini. The immense dome was designed by Michelangelo.

Vatican Museum - To see this museum's immense collection would take days.
As you enter, there are special posters that plot a choice of four color-coded
itineraries. They are repeated throughout the museum and are easy to follow.
It is a good idea to pickup a leaflet at the main entrance and concentrate on
exhibits of major interest. Of course, the Sistine Chapel is a must. Most likely
you may have to wait in line to enter.

Florence

Lucerne

Paris

London

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

11/29/2024 - 12/12/2024

from $3,025 per person *

12/06/2024 - 12/19/2024

from $3,025 per person *

12/13/2024 - 12/26/2024

from $3,225 per person *

12/20/2024 - 01/02/2025

from $3,236 per person *

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $3,025 per person

Length

13 Nights

Air City

Call for airfares from your city.

Vacation Rating

Superior
These above average establishments provide guests with a greater level of style, comfort and personalized service. On-site dining, limited room service, gift or sundry shops, spa services and baggage assistance may be found at these hotels and resorts. For the business traveler, superior hotels and resorts often provide conference or meeting rooms and extended business services. Activities may include an on-site pool and fitness center. Guestrooms are usually tastefully decorated and offer more by way of amenities.

Remarks

Trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discounts. Trip prices and discounts are subject to change. Airfare is additional. Tour prices, dates and itineraries are correct at the time of the website going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. Other restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1503909

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Merced Travel

(209) 383-1511 Alternate (209) 658-6518