Grand Tour of Europe

Travel from the French to the Catalan capital in just 6 hours 25 minutes. Watch the countryside change from arable land around Paris to the pine trees and olive groves of Provence, before heading through the Perthus Tunnel into Spanish Catalonia and through to mighty Barcelona.

Host of the 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona is a bustling port, cultural centre and vibrant city, whose museums, churches and architectural wonders like the Sagrada Familia, are just some of the sights not to be missed. Your hotel for the next 2 nights is the Gran Torre Catalunya (or similar).

Heading back into France this morning, your TGV train deposits you in the town of Valence, where you change onto another high-speed French train that travels along the Mediterranean coastline, past the glamorous city of Cannes, into Nice. Here, you’ll spend 2 nights at the Hotel Ellington (or similar).

The capital of the Cote d’Azur, Nice has a glorious sandy beach on the Baie des Anges, serenaded by the famous, palm-tree-lined Promenade des Anglais. One particular highlight is Vieux Nice, the pretty old town area.

The journey from Nice to Milan is beautiful, heading along the Ligurian Coast, before continuing inland to Milan. Here, change platforms and catch a train on to Venice in time for an evening meal. Your hotel for the next 2 nights is the Hotel Bisanzio (or similar).

Uniquely situated on islands in a lagoon, Venice is a city like no other. Everything travels by boat or on foot here, with dreamy canals, hidden gems and stunning open squares just waiting to be explored. Don’t miss the fascinating Doge’s Palace or the Peggy Guggenheim Museum.

Heading back to Santa Lucia station today, board an excellent Italo train from Venice to Rome’s Ostiense station, close to the Colosseum, by mid-afternoon. Check in for a 2 night stay at the Empire Palace Hotel (or similar).

The Eternal City, Rome has a plethora of some of the world’s top attractions. Choose from Roman history at the Colosseum or Forum Magnum, through to Ecclesiastical history at the Vatican City and St Peters Square, or the beautiful classical attractions of the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and the Borghese Gardens.

Board a high-speed Frecciarossa (Red Arrow) train this morning to whisk you up the spine of Italy to Milan. From here, you’ll continue onwards from there by Swiss train up through the Gotthard Pass high in the Alps (pictured), one of Europe’s most scenic rail journeys.

On arrival in Lucerne, it’s just a short walk to the Hotel Waldstätterhof (or similar), where you have a 2-night stay.

Right at the heart of Switzerland and situated on a spectacular lake, Lucerne is a feast for the eyes and the taste buds, as you sample the local specialities of fondue and raclette. Take time for a boat cruise on the lake, or photograph the famous covered bridge, the Kapellbrücke (pictured).

You might also like to go and see the ‘Lion of Lucerne’, a famous monument hewn into a cliff face which honours the Swiss Guards who were massacred during the French Revolution.

A sleek German ICE train awaits today, to escort you out of Switzerland and through the bulk of Germany, delivering you seamlessly into the German capital in time for dinner. Stay 3 nights in the Park Plaza Wall Street (or similar).

Celebrating more than 25 years since the Fall of the Berlin Wall, this cosmopolitan city is one of Europe’s true highlights. Museums, parks, wide boulevards and bohemian inner suburbs all contribute to a city destination which has it all, and which you won’t want to leave.

Today’s journey takes you across the former East Germany through Dresden, the “Florence of the Elbe”. Some beautiful riverside scenery is there to be enjoyed once you cross through “Saxon Switzerland” and into the Czech Republic near Usti nad Labem. Check in for 2 nights at the Hotel Botanique (or similar).

The Old Town, historic hilltop castle and Charles Bridge are the main highlights of the Czech Capital, not forgetting the famous Wenceslas Square and Astronomical Clock.

Make your way on a direct service from Prague, through the wooded hills of Moravia and eventually into Hungary in the afternoon. Arrive into Budapest in the early evening and check into the Adina Apartment Hotel (or similar) for a 2-night stay.

With its iconic parliament building on the banks of the Danube, this iconic European capital is one of Europe’s most revered. Take in Heroes’ Square, the boutiques of Andrassy utca and the panoramic views from the Gellert Hill.

Your tour ends today in the Hungarian capital, where you can transfer to the airport for your onward journey.

Alternatively we can extend your European tour. Why not visit imperial Vienna or head down to the Croatian coast? The choices are endless! Call us for more inspiration.