USA - London, England

Relax on your international flight to London as you start your journey to the Old World.

Arrive in London

On arrival in London, meet your Peony Tours representative at the airport and enjoy a comfortable transfer to the city, the European Union’s largest metropolis. Along the way, stop by Windsor Castle*, the oldest occupied castle in the world and Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite weekend retreat. See inside this magnificent castle in historical Windsor town and learn how it’s been a royal residence for more than 900 years before returning to London for your two-night stay.

Included: Lunch

Accommodation:

★★★★ Clayton Hotel City of London or Similar

London

Following breakfast, start your sightseeing at Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress, the Tower of London*. Learn its storied history and legends as you explore, and hear how Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, two of Henry VIII’s six wives, were executed here. View the tower’s priceless Crown Jewels, whose crowns, orbs and jewels are invested with the monarch’s power. Afterward, absorb the main sights on a panoramic tour, passing Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and Parliament, and pause for photos at Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Enjoy the rest of the day free to explore as you wish.

Included: Breakfast

Accommodation:

★★★★ Clayton Hotel City of London or Similar

London - Eurostar Train - Paris, France

Today, depart on the high-speed Eurostar train to Paris. Arrive in the “City of Lights,” whose landmarks inspire genuine awe. Upon arrival, explore at your own pace, perhaps relaxing at a café or strolling the handsome boulevards and streets. Later today, relax on an optional scenic River Seine Cruise, feasting your eyes on Notre Dame Cathedral and other landmarks from the water. (* Itinerary and free time in Paris may be adjusted without prior notice due to local attractions' availability.)

Included: Breakfast

Accommodation:

★★★★ Renaissance Paris La Defense Hotel or Similar

Optional Tours & Extras:

• French Dinner at Épicerie Mère Brazier: $99pp
• La Seine River Cruise: $35pp

Paris

This morning, enjoy a guided visit to the Palace of Versailles*, the gilded residence of France’s kings from 1682 to 1789. Marvel at the formal gardens and majestic palace and then return to Paris to visit the peerless Louvre Museum*, home to many of the world’s greatest artworks. Behold Leonardo da Vinci’s playfully smiling Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo as you explore the vast collections. After a panoramic drive around top Paris landmarks such as the Place de la Concorde, Champs-Elysées and Arc de Triomphe, the Opera House, and the city’s most recognizable symbol, the Eiffel Tower. This afternoon, enjoy free time to explore Paris on your own, perhaps shopping for souvenirs or just relaxing at its sidewalk cafes. Enjoying a delicious French Cuisine Dinner this evening.

Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation:

★★★★ Renaissance Paris La Defense Hotel or Similar

Paris - Lucerne, Switzerland

Leave Paris, travel by coach to Lucerne in Switzerland. Tucked between Lake Lucerne and snow-tipped mountains, this lovely city encapsulates Switzerland’s reputation as “the playground of Europe.” If time allows, enjoy a short tour to its postcard-pretty Chapel Bridge. Built in 1333 across the Reuss River, this covered footbridge is the oldest in Europe and begs to be captured on camera. Admire the bridge and Lake Lucerne and then see another of Lucerne’s highlights — the Lion Monument. A memorial to the Swiss soldiers who died defending the French king, Louis XVI, in Paris in 1792, this stone sculpture by Bertel Thorvaldsen was described by Mark Twain as the “most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.”

Included: Breakfast, Dinner at hotel

Accommodation:

★★★★ Astoria Hotel or Similar

Lucerne - Mt. Titlis (optional) - Milan, Italy

This morning, admire Lucerne’s Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument if time didn’t allow visits yesterday. You may take the optional tour up to the top of Mt. Titlis by Titlis Rotair for a fantastic bird’s eye view of the surrounding snow covered peaks. Later, leave Lucerne by coach and travel to Milan, Italy’s second-biggest city and known as the world’s “fashion capital.”

Included: Breakfast, Dinner at hotel

Accommodation:

★★★★ Crowne Plaza Milan-Linate or Similar

Optional Tours & Extras:

• Lake Lucerne Cruise : $39pp
• Mt. Titlis Tour: $98pp

Milan - Verona - Venice

Glamorous Milan combines contemporary swagger with a rich history. Today, dive into this bustling city that embodies Italy’s passions for fashion, food and design. See magnificent Milan Cathedral and La Scala Opera House, where greats including Maria Callas and Luciano Pavarotti once performed. View the statue of Leonardo da Vinci fronting the theatre, and then travel to Verona, the fictional setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Admire its highlights on a guided tour and see Juliet’s House, where a stone balcony celebrates the great love story. Later, leave Verona and stay overnight in the provincial town of Padova.

Included: Breakfast, Dinner at hotel

Accommodation:

★★★★ Crowne Plaza Padova or Similar

Venice - Montecatini

Today brings a trip to magical Venice, the hub of trade between Europe and the Orient in medieval times. Board a ferry ride to Murano, the Glass Island, and then to the Venice Island. Our sightseeing tour of Venice Island includes the St. Mark's Basilica, the magical Piazza St. Marco, and the jewel-like Bridge of Sighs. If you desire, you may want to take an unforgettable gondola ride and see the Grand Canal from the best vantage point. After an optional gondola ride on the Grand Canal, depart Venice this afternoon for an overnight stay in the lovely spa town of Montecatini.

Included: Breakfast, Dinner at hotel

Accommodation:

★★★★ Grand Hotel Croce di Malta Wellness & Golf or Similar

Optional Tours & Extras:

• Venice Gondola Ride & Serenade: $61pp

Montecatini - Pisa - Florence - Rome

Today’s destination is Pisa, where you’ll marvel at the remarkable Leaning Tower of Pisa. After taking in the tower, continue by coach to Tuscany’s graceful capital, Florence. Considered the “Cradle of the Renaissance”, Florence was home to Renaissance luminaries including Dante, Michelangelo and Galileo. Take a walking tour of its signature sights, including the sumptuous red-tile Duomo, Baptistry, Signoria Square and St. Croce Basilica. Later, leave Florence for Rome.

Included: Breakfast

Accommodation:

★★★★ Holiday Inn Rome Eur Parco dei Medici or Similar

Rome

This morning, arrive in Rome, a UNESCO World Heritage site and sightseer’s paradise. Tour the best of Italy’s glorious capital, dubbed the “Eternal City”. See the Vatican City, the papal residence and spiritual center for the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics; stroll around St. Peter’s Basilica and Square. Later photo stop at the ancient Colosseum as you hear of the grisly gladiatorial contests once staged here and witness other sights such as the Roman Forum, Constantine’s Triumphal Arch, the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. The rest of the afternoon is yours to enjoy as you wish and, this evening, sit down to a Farewell Dinner with your fellow travelers.

Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation:

★★★★ Holiday Inn Rome Eur Parco dei Medici or Similar

Rome - USA

Savor the memories of your odyssey around Europe as you take your return flight to the USA.

Included: Breakfast