Globus > CONTINENTAL INTRODUCTION

CONTINENTAL INTRODUCTION
17 Days starting from $2,839

Countries Visited:
England, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland

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Length: 17 Days
Type: Other Tours
Category: Other Tours
Operator: Globus
Tour Code: HYTW-2008
   
 
About This Tour


The name already tells you that this 15-day vacation from Paris to Amsterdam is paced to give you a quick taste of Europe. Enjoy a special Welcome Dinner in a Paris restaurant on your first evening in Europe. Enjoy 2-night stays in Paris, Rome, Venice, and Amsterdam, and guided sightseeing featuring major sights like the second floor of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Michelangelo’s David in Florence, the Colosseum and the Sistine Chapel in Rome, and St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice. Overnight stays at Lake Como and Munich, a private boat transfer in Venice, a cruise down the romantic Rhine, and a canal cruise in Amsterdam are included. This is the best way to see all of Europe any time of year, but in the winter you’ll enjoy the extra benefit of not having the crowds!

 
  • What's Included
  • Itinerary
  • Dates & Prices
  • Sightseeing Highlights
  • SPECIALS

City Highlights
PARIS
Welcome dinner in a local restaurant,
Guided sightseeing
Ascend Eiffel Tower

LUCERNE
Walking tour including the Lion Monument and the Chapel Bridge

PISA
Picture stop at the Leaning Tower

FLORENCE
Guided sightseeing including headsets, visit Michelangelo’s David, the cathedral, and Signoria Square

ROME
Guided sightseeing including headsets
Wisit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Colosseum and Roman Forum

ASSISI
Visit St. Francis’ Basilica

VENICE
Private boat ride; guided sightseeing including headsets, visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doges’ Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs; glassblowers’ demonstration

INNSBRUCK
Orientation including the Golden Roof

MUNICH
Orientation

RHINE CRUISE (weather permitting)

COLOGNE
Visit the cathedral

AMSTERDAM
Canal cruise, guided sightseeing, visit a major diamond center

BRUSSELS
Orientation including Grand’ Place

BRUSSELS-LONDON
By Eurostar train

LONDON
Guided sightseeing, visit St. Paul’s Cathedral, see the Changing of the Guard, if held

Meals
13 buffet breakfasts (BB); 2 full English breakfasts (FB); 7 three-course dinners (D), incl. a special welcome dinner with wine in Paris

Hotels:
PARIS Holiday Inn La Villette (F), LUCERNE Monopol (F), COMO Barchetta Excelsior (F), FLORENCE Grand Hotel Majestic (F), ROME Holiday Inn Rome West (F), VENICE Sant''Elena (F), MUNICH Holiday Inn City Centre (F), RHINELAND NH Bingen (F) at Bingen am Rhein, AMSTERDAM Jolly Carlton (F), LONDON Hilton London Metropole (SF)
Day 1:
(Fri.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2:
Arrival in Paris, France. (Sat.) The day is free to rest or to start exploring the splendid French capital. At 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a special welcome dinner with wine in one of Paris’ fine restaurants. (D)

Day 3:
Paris. (Sun.) Sightseeing with a Local Guide features Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, Champs-Elysées, and more. For a panoramic view take the elevator to the second floor of the EIFFEL TOWER. Afternoon at leisure. An optional excursion to the Palace of Versailles is available. Tonight, a lively cabaret show might just be the ticket. (BB)

Day 4:
Paris–Lucerne, Switzerland. (Mon.) Enjoy a comfortable ride skirting Fontainebleau Forest and through the vineyards of Burgundy to the Swiss border. Enjoy vistas of the Alps as you arrive in picture-book Lucerne. (BB,D)

Day 5:
Lucerne–Como, Italy. (Tue.) Admire Thorwaldsen’s LION MONUMENT and walk through the walled Old Town, then cross the famous covered CHAPEL BRIDGE to the Jesuit Church. Why not join an optional excursion to the top of a mountain? In the afternoon, continue on the St. Gotthard highway past Lugano to the Italian border and arrive in Como, beautifully situated at the lake for your overnight stay. (BB,D)

Day 6:
Como–Pisa–Florence. (Wed.) Past Italy’s commercial capital of Milan reach Pisa, where you stop for pictures of its amazing Leaning Tower. Stay overnight in Florence, cradle of Renaissance art and architecture. (BB,D)

Day 7:
Florence–Rome. (Thu.) Visit Michelangelo’s celebrated David in the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS and the magnificent CATHEDRAL with a Local Guide, admire Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze “Gate of Paradise,” and sculpture-studded SIGNORIA SQUARE. Time to shop for Florentine leather goods and gold jewelry. Early afternoon departure for a fast and easy ride on the Highway of the Sun to the Eternal City. (BB)

Day 8:
Rome. (Fri.) Sightseeing with your Local Guide starts with a visit to the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL, world famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings and The Last Judgement. Continue to monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE and BASILICA. Cross the Tiber and visit the COLOSSEUM and the ROMAN FORUM, where Roman Legions marched in triumph. Then time for independent activities and exciting optional excursion possibilities. (BB)

Day 9:
Rome–Assisi–Venice. (Sat.) Morning break in peaceful Assisi. Visit the massive 13th-century BASILICA OF ST. FRANCIS built above the Saint’s grave. Next, drive across the Apennine Mountains and through the flat Po area to the Adriatic coast and enter Venice in style by PRIVATE BOAT. (BB)

Day 10:
Venice. (Sun.) Highlights of your walking tour with a Local Guide are St. Mark’s Square and its BASILICA, lavish DOGES’ PALACE and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Also watch skilled GLASSBLOWERS fashion their delicate objects. Exciting optional activities are available. (BB)

Day 11:
Venice–Innsbruck, Austria–Munich, Germany. (Mon.) Leave Italy on spectacular Brenner Pass, which leads through the Tyrolean Alps to Austria. In Innsbruck, enjoy a pleasant stroll through quaint medieval lanes to Emperor Maximilian’s GOLDEN ROOF, before continuing through the Bavarian Alps to Munich, Germany’s “secret capital.” Your orientation tour features the major landmarks: Nymphenburg Palace, the Olympic Stadium, and the 1,000-foot-high Television Tower. How about a stein of beer at the famous Hofbräuhaus tonight? (BB,D)

Day 12:
Munich–Rothenburg–Rhineland. (Tue.) Motor from the verdant valleys of Bavaria through the Swabian Jura to the walled town of Rothenburg. Enjoy free time here before continuing to the Rhineland for your overnight stay. (BB,D)

Day 13:
Rhineland–Amsterdam, Holland. (Wed.) A special treat this morning: a RHINE CRUISE (weather permitting) along castle-crested hills and terraced vineyards. Then continue past the Lorelei cliff to Cologne and visit the awesome twin-spired GOTHIC CATHEDRAL, before traveling through the Dutch region best known as the locale of A Bridge Too Far to Amsterdam. (BB,D)

Day 14:
Amsterdam. (Thu.) A Local Guide shows you the 700-year-old capital, and the highlight is a CANAL CRUISE past patrician mansions and humpback bridges. Time to visit a major DIAMOND CENTER or one of Amsterdam’s famous museums. The afternoon is at leisure, and an optional excursion to Volendam can be arranged. (BB)

Day 15:
Amsterdam–Brussels, Belgium–London, England. (Fri.) Transfer to Brussels. Visit GRAND'' PLACE. Then board the Eurostar train to London arriving in the late afternoon. Optional evening outings are available. Your hotel is the Hilton London Metropole (SF). (BB)

Day 16:
London. (Sat.) Sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the most famous landmarks, a visit to ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL and the Changing of the Guard, if held. (FB)

Day 17:
(Sun.) Your homebound flight from London arrives the same day. (FB)


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Airfare Disclaimer
A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link.

Documents
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

         
Touring Date
Land Only
Land + Air
Single
(Land Only)
Single
(Land + Air)
11/7/2008 - 11/23/2008
$2,839
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11/21/2008 - 12/7/2008
$2,839
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12/5/2008 - 12/21/2008
$2,839
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12/19/2008 - 1/4/2009
$2,949
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1/2/2009 - 1/18/2009
$2,909
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1/30/2009 - 2/15/2009
$2,919
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2/27/2009 - 3/15/2009
$2,919
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3/13/2009 - 3/29/2009
$2,919
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3/27/2009 - 4/12/2009
$2,919
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4/10/2009 - 4/26/2009
$3,389
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PARIS
Welcome dinner in a local restaurant,
Guided sightseeing
Ascend Eiffel Tower

LUCERNE
Walking tour including the Lion Monument and the Chapel Bridge

PISA
Picture stop at the Leaning Tower

FLORENCE
Guided sightseeing including headsets, visit Michelangelo’s David, the cathedral, and Signoria Square

ROME
Guided sightseeing including headsets
Wisit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Colosseum and Roman Forum

ASSISI
Visit St. Francis’ Basilica

VENICE
Private boat ride; guided sightseeing including headsets, visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doges’ Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs; glassblowers’ demonstration

INNSBRUCK
Orientation including the Golden Roof

MUNICH
Orientation

RHINE CRUISE (weather permitting)

COLOGNE
Visit the cathedral

AMSTERDAM
Canal cruise, guided sightseeing, visit a major diamond center

BRUSSELS
Orientation including Grand’ Place

BRUSSELS-LONDON
By Eurostar train

LONDON
Guided sightseeing, visit St. Paul’s Cathedral, see the Changing of the Guard, if held

CURRENT SPECIALS:

Book now and take $200 off per couple on any air-inclusive European Low Season Vacations.*

* Book a 2008/2009 Globus Europe Winter air-inclusive vacation on select carriers to receive the $100 per person discount. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between June 4 and August 31, 2008 for travel commencing between October 1, 2008 and April 30, 2009. To secure the air booking, an additional deposit of $250 is required, which is refundable until the time that the flight information is confirmed. Offers not valid with one another or any offer and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


Save up to $600 per stateroom on 2009 Globus River and Small Ship Cruises

Discover an entirely new way to uncover the wonders of the world with river and small ship cruises. From a wine tasting adventure through the vineyards of France to island hopping in the Galapagos Islands, you’re sure to find a Globus river or small ship cruise that speaks to your heart. There’s simply no more peaceful way to sample the charming cities and awe-inspiring sights of Europe, China, Egypt and the Galápagos Islands.

*Book a 2009 Globus River Cruise air-inclusive vacation to receive the $300 off per person offer. Cruise-only bookings are eligible for the $125 off per person offer. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between May 14 and August 31, 2008 for travel through December 31, 2009. To secure the air booking, an additional deposit of $250 is required, which is refundable until the time that the flight information is confirmed. Offers not valid with one-another or any other offer and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


Standard Offers and Specials provided by Globus

Discount for young travelers

Share the pleasure of a Globus vacation with your children and grandchildren and take advantage of a 10-percent discount on the land-only price. For eligibility, children must be under 18 years of age on the departure date and must be accompanied by an adult. On escorted vacations we don’t accept children under eight years old because we have found that they are too young to enjoy these vacations.

Pay less for your second vacation

We charge you vacation price for your first vacation in 2008, but for every additional Globus vacation you take in the same year, you pay US$35 under list. Our vacations are designed and scheduled so you can combine them almost any way you want. It’s fun to play the add-a-vacation game yourself or talk to your travel agent.

Triple room reduction

On most Globus vacations you receive a reduction when three people travel together and share the same accommodations. Triple room reductions, when available, are listed on the itinerary pages. A word of caution: Triple rooms usually are no larger than twin rooms and the third bed, if there is one, is often a rollaway put in a twin-bedded room.

Avoid the single room supplement

We do not take reservations on a “share” basis because we have found that strangers rarely enjoy sharing a room for the duration of their vacation. Avoid the single room supplement by traveling with a friend. It’s less expensive and much more fun!


Do you have a large party of friends or family that wants to travel?

Right now when you book between 5 and 7 people before December 31, 2008, each passenger will save $75.* For example, book 5 passengers and receive a $375 discount, 6 passengers equals a $450 discount and 7 passengers will receive a $525 discount. With an offer like this, the world’s greatest destinations are now closer than ever!

*Book a 2009 Globus vacation for five, six or seven travelers to receive the $75 off per person offer. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between Jun 4 and Dec 31, 2008 for travel through December 31, 2009. Individuals must be traveling together from the same origination point to receive the discount. Not valid with any other offer and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


   
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