European Accent

Begin your epic journey across Europe on the busy streets of London. After check-in, you have the rest of the day to get acquainted with Britain's multicultural capital on your terms. That may mean pounding the pavements on Oxford and Carnaby streets or exploring millennia of art and culture, the history of the British Empire and the wonders of the natural world at one of the city's celebrated museums.

If you didn't get to all the sights yesterday, never fear. You have a full free day to tick all your boxes and more as you venture through London on your own. You could choose to take a leisurely stroll along the Thames, board the London Eye for panoramic views or relax in one of the royal parks in preparation for your epic adventure across Europe.

This morning meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers as you board your coach leaving London behind. You'll head through the pretty Kent countryside and cross by ferry to Calais. Continue by coach through the plains of Belgium to the Netherlands. Its historic, yet edgy capital, oozes gezelligheid with its leafy canals and gabled 17th-century façades. Enjoy an orientation before boarding an optional canal cruise in a glass-topped boat. This Optional Experience is a mesmerising way to see this old-world capital and its iconic sights.

Keep your cameras at the ready as you head east into the lush landscapes of Germany. You'd be forgiven for wanting to jump ship and stay forever as you cruise down the Rhine River, passing medieval villages on its shores, steep vineyards and storybook castles. The Rhine Valley has enchanted painters and writers for centuries. See it in all its glory as you board a leisurely river cruise, winding your way through romantic Rhineland landscapes.

Slice through the heart of Switzerland bound for Lucerne on your very own 'Grand Tour' of Europe. Take a step back in time when you join your Travel Director for an orientation tour, exploring the Old Town, the ancient wooden Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument. The mournful, mortally wounded lion hewn from rock commemorates the sacrifice made by the Swiss Guard who died defending Louis XVI during the French Revolution. You'll have some time to explore the city your way, perhaps with some retail therapy. You could choose to ascend to the alpine heavens instead, joining an optional scenic cruise across Lake Lucerne to Stans, then travelling by railway and cable car up into the mountains for exhilarating mountain views.

Touch the sky when you follow the St. Gotthard highway, winding past epic mountain scenery south to Chiasso, on the border of Italy. Cross the border and continue past Italy's enchanting Lake District and the Veneto Plains to the Queen of the Adriatic, Venice. You'll have some time to explore on your own or perhaps admire the beauty of Venice from its labyrinthine network of canals. Join an Optional Experience cruise by private water taxi along Venice's Grand Canal and board a gondola, watching life unfold along the city's narrow calle and enchanting waterways.

Watch talented master craftsmen at work engaged in the same craft as their ancestors from centuries ago when you visit Giudecca Island. Witness them crafting the beautiful glass creations that are characteristic of Venice. Then cruise by private launch to St. Mark's Square. All the main attractions are within walking distance of the Piazza so you'll have easy access to view the Byzantine Basilica of St. Mark. Spend your time getting lost in the calle of Venice or consider taking an optional cruise across the lagoon to colourful Burano Island.

The 'Eternal City' beckons as you cross the Apennines through Tuscany to Rome. There's time for a leisurely stroll to one of the city's thronging piazze to people watch or consider joining an optional sightseeing tour of Rome. Embrace life lived the Italian way - to the fullest.

There's no better way to see Rome than to dive right in. Consider an Optional Experience that will reveal the artistry and heritage of the famous Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums. Meet your Local Specialist later for a sightseeing tour that begins in Vatican City. The dome of St. Peter's Basilica looms over the expansive St. Peter's Square - the impressive backdrop for time spent learning about the world's smallest country. See Michelangelo's mournful Pietà up close then continue to Ancient Rome, to view the mighty Colosseum, followed by some time to explore on your own. Consider joining an optional light-hearted evening meal revealing all the flavours that would make any Italian mamma proud.

Set your sights firmly on Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance and a city that has inspired poets, authors and artists for centuries. There are few cities in the world with an artistic legacy equal to that of Florence. Now's your chance to experience it in all its glory. Head to Piazzale Michelangelo and see Florence's signature skyline, then spend your time exploring the city, from the Baptistery and Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore to Giotto's Bell Tower and Ponte Vecchio. You could choose to delve into Florence's Renaissance heritage, visiting Santa Croce church and the political centre of Florence. Spend your evening in the Tuscan hills, joining an Optional Experience dinner.

Don't resist peer pressure and snap a few strategic photos featuring you and the extraordinary Leaning Tower of Pisa. Admire Pisa's Romanesque Square of Miracles in all its striped marble glory. Its structures are said to symbolise the three main stages of human life - the Baptistery (birth), the Cathedral (life) and the Camposanto (death). Head south to the stylish shores of Monaco. Keep your cameras at the ready as you drive along its elegant boulevards and attempt to capture the sophistication that seems to ooze from every corner. Next stop, the glamorous French Riviera.

What a treat! You have a full free day to do as you wish on the French Riviera. There's no shame in spending the day sprawled out on a sun lounger with a cocktail, but if you can pull yourself away from the pool, you may choose to join your fellow travellers for an optional exploration of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Life is rather idyllic in this enchanting walled hill-town and, like some of its famous residents, you'll want to linger here a little longer. You never know who you might spot seated in those sleek Ferraris and private yachts that dot the French Riviera.

Stop in the heart of Provence and the city of Avignon. A brief brush with the Papacy in the 14th century has gifted Avignon with one of the world's most incredible religious architectural legacies. While it may no longer hold the importance that the Vatican does today, views of its Palace of the Popes and St. Bénezet Bridge are no less inspiring. Later today you'll arrive in Lyon. Get your bearings during your orientation tour.

Maybe, join a Local Specialist today to explore the opulent Palace of Versailles on an Optional Experience. Its splendour and beauty was created to reflect the self-proclaimed majesty of King Louis XIV, the Sun King. See the exquisite sprawling gardens, the Hall of Mirrors with its impressive chandeliers and glinting mirrors. Carry on to Paris later to enjoy the city by night.

The Parisians know a thing or two about beauty, elegance and a life well lived which your full day in Paris will deliver in abundance. During a sightseeing tour with your Travel Director, you will see the Arc de Triomphe, Champs Élysées and Eiffel Tower. Then spend the rest of the day discovering the city on your terms. Don't resist the urge to tread in the footsteps of Picasso and Dali during an optional visit to Montmartre this afternoon, exploring its maze of streets and Artist's Square. There's time to shop for artwork and savour some local specialties before a real highlight this evening - an optional dinner and cabaret performance.

This morning after breakfast say farewell to your fellow travellers. Airport transfers are available. Conditions apply.