By: Sunny Lewis
AffordableTours.com Tour Consultant
Here’s a perfect tour for anyone traveling to Europe for the first time: the European Traveler from Trafalgar. This 11-day trip covers four countries, and it overnights in six cities, from London to Rome. It’s a fast-paced itinerary, but it was ideal for my adult son, Jared, who accompanied me on this tour. He had never traveled “across the pond,” but on this vacation he got a little taste of England, France, Switzerland and Italy – whetting his appetite to return to Europe sometime soon!
We started our journey in London in late April of 2011, the same weekend Prince William and Kate Middleton were married. Even though the city was very crowded, everyone was celebrating and in a jolly mood. The festive air we encountered was contagious! We had two days in London to acclimate to the time change, and we enjoyed an included city sightseeing tour before heading to Paris by way of Dover, where we took the ferry across the channel.
In Paris, we visited the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and the Louvre, where we joined the crowds to view Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Jared was surprised at how small the painting is; I think he was expecting a billboard-sized portrait! From Paris, we headed to Lucerne, where we stayed at a lovely hotel on the lake. Here, we shopped in the village with wonderful chocolate shops on every corner.
Our next stop was Venice, where we took a canal cruise and saw St. Mark’s Square and the Doge’s Palace, and of course we could not leave Venice without taking gondola tour of the famous canals. From Venice, we motored to Florence for walking tour of the city and a wonderful group dinner with Italian wines.
Our last stop was Rome, where we visited St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican and saw the amazing art of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel. We also saw the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus, where ancient chariot races took place. We ended our tour that evening with a farewell dinner complete with singing waiters.
What’s included: Visit St. Peter’s Basilica and see Michelangelo’s Pieta (pictured right)!
We were fortunate to travel with a wonderful group; we got along and mixed well thanks to our amazing tour director Brendon. He was so knowledgeable about the culture and history of Europe without being stuffy. Brendon kept everyone laughing and even did a back flip on the bus.
The European Traveler moves quickly, but covers a lot of ground. I highly recommend this tour that is great for the young and the young at heart!
Tour Highlights
Countries Visited: England, France, Italy, Switzerland
Cities Visited: Florence, London, Lucerne, Paris, Rome, Venice
Want to Learn more about this tour?
Click Here to See the Itinerary for European Traveler by Trafalgar
The 11-day European Traveler itinerary from Trafalgar is offered April through October. Other tour companies that offer similar tours of Europe include Globus, Cosmos and Insight Vacations. Contact your AffordableTours.com travel consultant for more details.
About the Author
Sunny Lewis is a Tour Specialist at AffordableTours.com
Contact Information:
Tel: 800.935.2620 Ext 127
Email: [email protected]
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