ART & HISTORY TOURS

This morning, visit the Vatican Museum with a Local Expert. Admire the papal art collection and enter the Sistine Chapel and admire Michelangelo’s masterpiece on its ceiling. Next door, in St Peter’s Basilica, see one of Michelangelo’s early works, the Pieta, and the splendid dome, completed after his death. Afterwards, visit the Colosseum, where the gladiators prepared for battle. (B, RD)

Journey through the picturesque Tuscan Hills towards Florence. On arrival, join a local art historian to see Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia Museum. (B, D)

This morning, see the multi-coloured marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, adorned by Ghiberti’s ‘Gates of Paradise’. Then join a local guide for a visit to the Uffizi Galleries, one of the oldest and most famous art museums in Europe. You'll also enjoy works by Michelangelo, Botticelli and Raphael, among other masterpieces. (B, RD)

Stop first in Pisa to see the incredible Leaning Tower, as well as its splendid cathedral and baptistery. Continue north to the financial and fashion capital Milan. (B, D)

This morning, visit the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie with a local guide. It is an outstanding work of architecture and an emblem within the Catholic tradition, and is perhaps even more famous for its connection to Leonardo Da Vinci’s fresco of ‘The Last Supper’, which is preserved inside its refectory (dining hall). The Church is one of Renaissance art’s most important testimonies and has therefore been included as a UNESCO World heritage Site (tickets to the Last Supper are subject to availability). 
Later, for a change of pace, we embark on an alternative visit to Milan to see urban graffiti, murals and street art scattered around the city. Get a glimpse of an alternative Milan, meet colourful characters, learn about modern-day Milan and be inspired by the vibrancy of city life.  (B, D)

Travel across the border into Switzerland. En route, we stop for a cheese or chocolate tasting before heading to Basel. (B, D)

Explore Basel, with a local guide, concluding with a visit to Foundation Beyeler In 1997, the famous collection of Ernst and Hildy Beyeler in Riehen. The collection contains around 200 pictures and sculptures, including works by Cézanne, Picasso, Rousseau, Mondrian, Klee, Ernst, Matisse and Newman.  Famous around the world, the astounding temporary exhibitions are highlights of your visit. (B, D)

Travel through the French countryside to Paris. (B, D)

After an orientation tour, visit one of the world's best-known art collections at the Louvre Museum. A specialist art historian guides you through the galleries to see the Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, Mona Lisa and more (Louvre visit subject to availability). Continue on a visit to the Notre Dame Cathedral, famously protected by its roof-top gargoyles, to learn about over-arching Parisian history. This evening, embark on an illuminations journey in Paris to see iconic sights at night. (B, HD)

This morning, visit the Musée de l'Orangerie, an art gallery of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings. Though most famous for being the permanent home of eight Water Lilies murals by Claude Monet, the museum also contains works by Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Amedeo Modigliani, Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Henri Rousseau, Alfred Sisley, Chaim Soutine, and Maurice Utrillo, among others.

Afterwards, we head to Monet’s garden in Giverney to see the inspiration of some of his most famous works before heading back to Paris. (BB, D)

Travel through northern France and Belgium en route to Amsterdam. (BB, D)

Admire world-famous masterpieces in the Rijksmuseum, which has on display 8,000 objects of art and history. There is a total collection of 1 million objects, spanning the years 1200–2000AD, among which are masterpieces by Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Johannes Vermeer. Then onto the Van Gogh Museum, which is dedicated to the works of Vincent van Gogh and his contemporaries in Amsterdam. The museum is home to the largest collection of Van Gogh's paintings and drawings in the world.  This evening, enjoy a canal cruise dinner to bid farewell to our time in Europe. (B, FD)

Your tour concludes after breakfast with a transfer to the airport for your onward flight. (B)

Learn about the significance of the French Revolution and visit key sites such as Place de la Bastille, Les Invalides War Museum, the Conciergerie and Place de la Concorde. In the evening enjoy a walk along the Champs-Elysees, followed by a cruise along the River Seine. (BB)

Spend the day at Disneyland Paris. Included in your tour is a full-day, one-park pass to either Disneyland Park or Disney Studio Park. (BB)

Travel this morning to Versailles and visit the Palace of Versailles to see its opulent rooms and gardens. Experience the extraordinary Hall of Mirrors where the historic Treaty of Versailles was signed, ending World War I. Continue to Arromanches and visit the D Day Memorial. It’s then onto Bayeux for our overnight stay. (BB, D)

Today we visit Amiens and the nearby Somme Battlefields, where some of the most intense fighting took place during World War I. More than 3 million men fought in this battle with1 million wounded or killed. We visit some of the many interesting memorials and museums dedicated to the fallen. Our overnight stay is in Amiens.  (BB, D)

We travel to Verdum where you will visit the Verdum Battlefields and War Memorial. Our journey continues to Strasbourg, on the border of Germany, for our overnight stay. (BB)

In the morning travel to Colmar where you will enjoy a boat tour in the canal quarter, followed by a walking tour around Petite Venise and the historic centre. From Colmar, continue to Riquewihr for a walking tour in the town. We then visit Chateau du Haut-Koenigsbourg for a visit to the castle, before arriving back in Strasbourg for our overnight stay. (BB)

Spend the day at the Europa Park, one of the best theme parks in Europe. This evening we overnight in Friedrichshafen. (BB, D)

Begin your morning with a walk up to Meersburg Castle. We then make our way to the well-known Neuschwanstein for a tour to the castle and a horse-carriage ride down the mountain. Then it’s onto Munich where a local guide will take you on a walking tour in the city centre, including key sites related to Hitler’s time in Munich and the Third Reich. Finally we visit the Nazi Documentation Centre. (BB)

A short drive out of Munich, visit Hitler’s former retreat, known as the Eagle’s Nest. Afterwards, stop for lunch at Obersalzburg (own expense) and continue to the Konigsee for a boat tour on the Lake and a chance to swim in Lake Chiemsee. Return to Munich for your overnight stay. (BB)

We start the day with a tour to the Munich Residenz Museum. It is then onto Dachau for a sobering visit to the concentration camp. Our overnight stay is in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. (BB)

Rothenburg was regarded by the Nazis as the most “German” of German towns. Visit the Museum of Torture, explore the medieval city and battlements, and join a Nightwatchman tour. (BB)

We depart Rothenburg and continue to Nuremburg in the morning. On arrival, join a local guide for a tour to city centre. Walk up to the Kaiserburg Castle, visit the Nazi parade grounds and the Albert Speer Documentation Centre to bring to life the history of Hitler’s rise to power. In the afternoon, visit the Palace of Justice and Courtroom 600, the location of the Nuremburg Nazi trials. (BB)

This morning travel to the Czech Republic and Prague. On arrival, join your Travel Director for an orientation tour of the old town centre, including the town square, St Nicholas Church and Tyn Church. Afterwards visit Prague Castle and walk to Charles Bridge. (BB)

Visit The Prague Communism Museum, Jewish Museum and the Kepler Museum today. (BB)

In the morning we travel to Dresden where we join a local guide for a tur of the Dresden’s Zwinger Palace, the Bundeswehr Military History Museum, the Dresden Armoury and Frauenkirche. (BB)

Depart Dresden and spend the day at the Tropical Islands Water theme park. (BB)

Tour to Berlin starts with a visit to the ‘Story of Berlin’ Museum to provide an overview of the city’s tumultuous history. Your journey with a local guide includes the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie, sections of the Berlin Wall and Alexanderplatz. Visit also the Zeppelin Field and the Jewish Museum, the German Resistance Memorial Centre and the Holocaust Memorial. (BB)

On our final morning we visit the Wansee Haus Museum and Documentation Centre of the “Final Solution”. Later, explore the DDR Museum to learn about life under communist rule after the end of World War II. We bid farewell to Berlin and make our way to the airport for flights home. (BB)