Ultimate European

Paris Today's the day to stroll the beautiful streets of Paris. We'll kick off with a tour of the city's best sights. Then you've got time to lust over designer haute couture or French vintage stores, admire the Notre Dame Cathedral, order coffee and crêpes, or get artsy at the many museums of the Louvre. Tonight, foodies will have the chance to ...

Paris to Swiss Alps Out with the city life, in with the fresh mountain air. On leaving Paris we’ll coast through the pretty wine producing region of Burgundy before crossing the border to Switzerland. With magical views unfolding outside our windows we'll find ourselves in Switzerland, ready for two nights at our accommodation in the heart of this ...

Swiss Alps Open the window of your room and drink in the incredible view. Today you’re free to explore this classic European adventure town. Feeling extra adventurous? You also have the option to ascend Jungfrau mountain, aka ‘the Top of Europe’.

Swiss Alps to Beaujolais Wine Region via Geneva It’s been sweet, but we’re swapping Switzerland back for France again this morning. But first, there's just time for one last breath of fresh mountain air. A quick lunch break in the home of the UN's headquarters and a view of that oh so famous water fountain. Grab a bite to eat and a last mouthful of ...

Beaujolais Wine Region Pinch yourself, this is another day at the Château & another chance to live your best French countryside life with a full day here in Beaujolais. Rise & shine with sunrise yoga on the sprawling lawn of the Château's gardens or loll about poolside in our castle-like setting. Our highlight today is a picnic in the picturesque ...

Beaujolais Wine Region to Barcelona 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 sangria o'clock. Fate, you've done it again! ...

Barcelona 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 optional but highly recommended evening of Flamenco fun.

Barcelona to French Riviera via Arles 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 peek at an ancient Roman Arena and at a typical ...

French Riviera Relaxation on the French Riviera... what could be better?! Market hopping, swimming in the Mediterranean Sea and an optional bike ride with the coastline as the backdrop are on the agenda today. This evening we add even more glamour to your life with a visit to Monaco. Don a fancy necklace and pop a plum in your mouth - we're about ...

French Riviera to Venice Wake up and smell the… French perfume! Today you’ll visit a Perfumery, where you’ll take a look around and even have the chance to craft a signature scent of your own. Afterwards, it’s farewell to the French Riviera and off to Italy. Pizza, pasta, and charming locals are just around the corner. The floating city of gondolas ...

Venice Buongiorno! We'll start exploring The Floating City by jumping aboard our own private motoscafo boat and cruising the canals en route to the historical heart of the city. Next, you have the option to discover Venice on a traditional gondola ride, or taking a guided tour of some of the best foodie hotspots in town.

Venice to Florence After winding through the Apennine Mountains & visiting the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa, we'll glide through Tuscany towards Renaissance Florence. Here we will drink up the secret streets & sacred art around the city's towering Duomo Cathedral. No trip around Europe is complete without seeing the world's most famous #AwkwardLean ...

Florence to Rome This morning is the perfect balance of guided local wisdom and free time to roam. First we'll uncover the beautiful art of traditional leatherwork, then you’re free to make the most of your final hours in Florence. Finally with a heartfelt ‘ciao’ to Florence, we’re bound for the epicentre of Italy: the Eternal City of Rome. After ...

Rome When in Rome... This is the day to learn a thing or two about the Colosseum on an optional guided tour. Espressos and people watching should be high priority, as well as stuffing yourself to the brim with pasta, gelato and caprese salad all washed down with a glass of red at a local trattoria.

Rome to Adriatic Ferry The majestic site of Mt. Vesuvius will interlude our trip from Rome to Brindisi, our ferry port for today's border leap into Greece. Once a totally vibing hang-out of the Romans, Pompeii is now an archaeological site showing remains of what was destroyed by a mountain eruption in the year...wait for it...79AD. The saying ...

Adriatic Ferry to Athens Full steam ahead this morning, our course is set for Athens via the Corinth Canal. Oh hello there...we're pulling up in Greece! The awe of Greece's mainland will begin shortly as we catch a glimpse of the Corinth Canal. This man-made passageway squeezes boats through it's path, sandwiched by two steep cliffs and sitting ...

Athens to Cairo This morning is ours to soak up the last few hours of Athens, before we swap one ancient city for another and jet plane it to Cairo. Landing in Cairo, we'll find a city of ornate mosques, sparkling skyscrapers & sprawling avenues of 19th-century faded grandeur awaiting us. Egypt's capital is full of energy, but we'll save the proper ...

Cairo to Aswan Get ready for a sensory overload of the best possible variety. Markets & mayhem are on every corner, and the epic Egyptian Museum's awaiting your visit. Be ready to be mind-blown. Of the 7 Ancient Wonders of the World only one remains, and today you will be seeing it up close and personal. Get the tissues ready, seeing the iconic ...

Aswan Today is all about the African vibes - how easy it is to forget that Egypt actually spans North Africa!In Aswan you'll be pleased to no end by colourful markets, bakeries & cafes. Walk along the Nile before we hop aboard a wooden felucca sailboat and float alongside the lush botanical gardens.

Aswan to Luxor Enjoy waking up to the Nile and sand dunes as your backdrop, while you sip your coffee and ponder just how good life is. Today you have the option to explore Abu Simbel's Temple of Ramses II, our local guide will uncover the history of one of the world's most iconic sites dating back to 1264 BC. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is ...

Luxor to Red Sea Only on a trip to Egypt would ancient royal tombs make a casual appearance on our daily agenda. Venturing to the Valley of the Kings known as 'City of the Dead,' our local guide will take us to some of the 63 royal tombs found here. Later, choose to visit the Temple of Karnak where we can find the world’s largest religious ...

Red Sea to Cairo No matter which choose-your-own-adventure path you take today, it's probably going to land you submerged in the sea and absorbing a good burst of Egyptian sunshine. If beach hangs aren't quite enough, take the optional cruise to the jaw dropping coral reefs of the Red Sea & see if that hits the spot. Back to where our Egyptian ...

Cairo to Athens That's it for Egypt, time to hit the skies and head back to Europe where another 21-days of endless extraordinary times are waiting for us. Oh hey Athens, it feels like forever since we last hung out! And same goes for our Contiki posse. You have the option to discover the historical Plaka district tonight. Enjoy this reunion night ...

Athens to Kavala By now you should be well and truly acquainted with all things Athens and ready to embark on our next venture. Before arrival in our final destination in this fine country we'll see the grounds of Thermopylae, where an ancient battle of 300 vs. thousands proved size really doesn't matter. The coastal town of Kavala is our nest for ...

Kavala to Eceabat via Gallipoli Get your pout out and blow your final kiss in the direction of Greece. We'll be carving up the seas making our way to...Turkey! Ah, the traveller life. We'll start our Turkish explorations on a sobering note by visiting the battle grounds of Gallipoli. This is the spot where the ANZAC troops landed during WW1. Hello ...

Eceabat to Istanbul Morning, travellers. Today, we'll travel along the coast to the capital. Unlike anywhere else on earth, Istanbul is set to capture your heart and imagination. Rest up tonight and the city is yours from sunrise.

Istanbul The Blue Mosque with its interior of 20,000 handmade tiles; lively spice markets; bazaars bursting at the sides with silver & jewels. Istanbul is one place we'll really have to drag you away from. Our Local Guide will show you the hotspots, and you're always free to get lost and uncover some secrets of your own. Just be sure to find your ...

Istanbul A city like this needs more than a day on our calendar. Take in the sites you missed yesterday or if you're all explored out, go unwind at a "hammam" spa for a Turkish bath. Then drink endless tea and eat your body weight in baklava and you've had the full Turkey experience.

Istanbul to Black Sea Crossing the border from Turkey to Bulgaria, we'll arrive at the Black Sea late afternoon. Here we'll be greeted by coastal resort towns and bar-lined waterfronts, where we'll be heading this evening to enjoy some dinner and a taste of the local nightlife.

Black Sea to Bucharest This morning we'll set our sights on Romania. Crossing the border, we'll arrive in Bucharest this afternoon to discover beautiful architecture, street art, rooftop cafes, and an ornate Parliament building with enough steel, bronze, marble, crystal and wood that combine to make it the heaviest in the world! You'll have free ...

Bucharest to Transylvania Departing Bucharest after breakfast, we'll set our sights for none other than Transylvania. Of course, a stay in Transylvania wouldn't be complete without a drive to Bran Castle to visit the real life setting that inspired Dracula, before driving on towards Târgu Mure?. With a free evening tonight, you'll also have the ...

Transylvania to Budapest We'll leave behind the ghosts of Transylvania's past and hit the road for Budapest. Fun fact #1: Buda and Pest are two different cities separated by a river, together they make Budapest. Fun fact #2: You're going to be head over heels with both of them by the time we scoot outta here. Down goulash and cabbage rolls on ...

Budapest Throw yourself into the optional sightseeing this morning with the church of St. Matthias, the Royal Palace and the Chain Bridge. That way you'll really earn an afternoon soaking in the city's famous outdoor thermal pools set amongst Art Nouveau architecture. Blissed out in Budapest - there's an insta caption for you.

Budapest to Salzburg Bye Budapest! Normally we’d be devastated to be leaving, but with Austria on the horizon we have strudel and music to look forward to. Onwards and upwards we go, into the mountain ranges that made the Sound of Music famous. Also home to Mozart, you can be pretty certain Salzburg knows a tune! This evening you’ll have the chance ...

Salzburg to Austrian Tyrol Morning Salzburg! Today you’ll have the chance to sign up for a tour of the Sights & Sounds of Salzburg before we say goodbye to Salzburg and continue on in our discovery of Austria. Breathe in that fresh alpine air and take in the dreamy setting we’ve descended upon. Here in the Austrian Tyrol we'll be resting up in a ...

Austrian Tyrol Wake up, peel open your curtains, and take in the magnificence of your view...and your life in general. If you're feeling lively you can jump onto a bike tour through green mountains and waterfalls. Or even go tandem paragliding! Not so lively? Stroll around and take in the incredible setting; drink endless hot chocolate, go up a ...

Austrian Tyrol to Munich Polish off your stay in Austria with an optional whitewater rafting adventure - that should get the adrenaline pumping and excitement high for our impending visit to Germany. A city famous the world over for its annual beer festival is a city we need to know about. And luckily enough, its Bavarian culture is a year round ...

Munich to Prague via Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site & Regensburg Today it’s goodbye Germany, hello Czech. But first, we have an important stop to make. Journeying out of Munich, we’ll make a stop at Dachau for a sobering visit to the Dachau concentration camp memorial. You'll be able to spend some time here to learn and reflect, before we ...

Prague Today is the day we get to know the real Prague. Don't miss our optional 'Hidden Prague' adventure, where a local guide will show us the city's best kept secrets. Then, the night is yours to amble around the Old Town Square and find a few haunts to let the hours slip away in.

Prague to Berlin You may have fallen head over heels for Prague, but we have so many more places to be! Back on the coach, we'll roll on to our next country, Germany. A drive from Prague to Berlin wouldn't be complete without stopping in Dresden. Sadly destroyed by World War II, the rebuilt town is now a symbol of resilience, soaked in the beauty ...

Berlin Today you'll have the chance to really uncover Berlin. You can opt to take a historical walking tour, including a visit to the site of Hitler's bunker. Otherwise, you're free to explore all the obscurities tucked away off the main street of Unter Den Linden, see the Brandenburg Gate, discover nature in the Tiergarten, or catch the U-bahn to ...

Berlin to Amsterdam We’ll journey out of Germany today and travel through the gloriously flat Netherlands with Amsterdam in our sights. We'll enjoy an included dinner in Amsterdam this evening, then it’s off to explore the city however you like. Whatever eclectic fantasies you have about Amsterdam, the real life version will impress you more. Fire ...

Amsterdam Today starts with some free time to explore Amsterdam however you like. Hitting up the bars here, strolling the charming streets or even visiting the STRAAT museum - there's plenty to keep you busy. It's been 44 days of jaw-dropping exploration so why not treat yourself to an optional farewell dinner. Then you can choose to cruise the ...

Amsterdam to London Get your tissues ready, it's time to say goodbye to your new Contiki family. If required, we can escort you to Schiphol Airport by about 10am. This afternoon we cross from France to England and then back to London-town, where you'll be left to start dreaming up your next big adventure.