Flavors of Europe
9 Day Tour to Rome & Paris | Operated by InsightVacations
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9 Days
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4 Countries
Italy, Vatican City, Switzerland, France -
9 Cities
Rome, Vatican, Florence, Cinque Terre, Levanto, Rapallo, Lucerne, Stanserhorn, Paris -
12 Meals
4 Dinner with Wines, 8 Breakfasts -
Pace: Leisurely
3 or more nights in 1 destination. Requires 1-2 miles of walking per day to participate in top sites primarily flat surfaces and with some stairs.
Trip Itinerary
Rome is one of the world’s most historic cities, filled with classical antiquities, medieval buildings, renaissance palaces and baroque churches. Transfers to your hotel depart Rome’s Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport. Then this extraordinary city is yours to discover. Later, join your Travel Director for a Welcome Reception and enjoy the opportunity to mingle and get to know your fellow travelers.
Rome is about art, antiquity, piazzas and pizzazz, and your morning walking tour with a Local Expert includes this in abundance. Toss a coin into the spectacular Trevi Fountain and see the best-preserved monument from the Roman period - the Pantheon, before enjoying free time to do as the Romans do, in Piazza Navona. In the evening, enjoy a private visit to the Basilica of Saint Praxedes, welcomed by the Rector of the basilica. Admire the stunning 9th-century Byzantine mosaics illuminated for this exclusive visit.
Start the day with your Local Expert as they introduce you to the grandeur of the city, starting with the Vatican State, the richest community in the world. Visit the Vatican Museums, full of priceless treasures collected by the Popes. Insight provides special priority entry to avoid the crowds and admire the Papal art collection. Once inside the Sistine Chapel, admire Michelangelo's famous ceiling. Next door, visit St. Peter's Basilica to admire Michelangelo's emotive 'Pieta' and see Bernini's intricately carved Papal Altar. Your travels continue with a drive to the Chianti Hills, to arrive at the city of Florence. A Local Expert will accompany you to the Duomo, where the Gates of Paradise adorn the baptistery. Continue to Piazza della Signoria, the political heart of the city. Lined with fountains and statues, it acts as an open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces. Take time to gaze at Neptune and David as you explore the historic city center.
The famous Italian Riviera and the Cinque Terre are a highlight of your journey. Explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Italy’s most beautiful landscapes. With a Local Expert, appreciate the views as you approach one of the picturesque fishing villages by boat (weather permitting). Please note that the cruise is weather dependent. Spend time exploring the old medieval quarter or the popular sandy beach. Continue by train to Levanto, then on to your resort in Rapallo.
Pass Milan as you head north for the Italian Lake District via Lake Lugano. Continue into the heart of the Swiss Alps, passing through the Gotthard Tunnel, one of the longest road tunnels in the world. Travel alongside towering mountains and past rushing torrents, down to scenic Lake Lucerne, where you are at leisure for the rest of the afternoon.
In the morning, explore Mount Stanserhorn on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, as an open-top cable car powered by solar panels take you up the summit. Walk along beautiful scenic pathways, keeping an eye out for marmots and other native animals, with the chance to hear a conservation talk by a Swiss ranger, to learn about local wildlife and flora.
Upon return to Lucerne, see the town's proud Lion Monument, carved into a limestone cliff and dedicated to the heroic Swiss Guards who died defending King Louis XVI during the French Revolution. Then, take some time to stroll across the covered Chapel Bridge and see the baroque Jesuit church. The rest of the day is at leisure to shop for fine watches and delectable chocolates. Tonight, enjoy a fine selection of restaurants to choose from for your Dine-Around Evening.
Journey through the rural French countryside of Burgundy, famous for its vineyards and wines, to arrive in the vibrant City of Light. During your time in Paris, see the impressive Eiffel Tower, the magnificent Notre-Dame Cathedral and the imposing facades of the Louvre. Discover the banks of the Seine with its many romantic bridges, see the obelisk in the center of the Place de la Concorde and drive along the Champs Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe. With the evening free, there are countless opportunities to enjoy the lively atmosphere of this glittering city. Why not visit one of the world-famous cabaret shows?
Start your day with an Insight Choice. Choose to explore community life in the picturesque Montorgueil district. Alternatively, join an avid foodie to explore small shops and sample local treats and delicacies. In the evening, indulge in refined French cuisine during your Celebration Dinner at the iconic restaurant La Coupole, frequently visited by the French entertainer Josephine Baker.
Bid farewell to your traveling companions as your journey comes to an end. Transfers arrive at Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Price Includes
Dining Summary- - 4 Dinner with Wines (DW)
- - 8 Breakfasts (B)
- During your orientation with your Travel Director see the medieval buildings, including Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches, scattered throughout the city.
- Experience Rome through the eyes of a local, as a passionate Roman guides you through vibrant backstreets, showing you how modern life takes place around ancient treasures.
- Join a Local Expert to view the multi-colored marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, adorned by Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise. Visit the political heart of the city, Signoria Square. See the area around Santa Croce Basilica, famous for the quality of its luxury goods.
- Led by your Local Expert, visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site with dedicated time to explore two of the five charming fishing villages.
- Journey to the top of Mount Stanserhorn on a panoramic, open-top cable car powered by solar energy, and enjoy spectacular views from the summit.
- During your orientation with your Travel Director, see the emotive Lion Monument, Jesuit Church and Chapel Bridge.
- We walk up and down the "quartier" and we see the school, the food stores, the housing situation, the heritage landmarks, the sports facilities and the theaters, in this car-free, pedestrianized, neighborhood. Landmarks will include passages couverts, perhaps also Patrick Blanc's spectacular jardin vertical 'oasis d'Aboukir', the Napoleonic "Egyptian" district etc.
- Explore the iconic sights and streets of Paris. See famous landmarks including Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower and the facades of the Louvre. Stroll the banks of the River Seine and admire romantic bridges, and enjoy a drive along the Champs Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe.
- Enjoy a Welcome Dinner with your fellow travelers at a uniquely Roman local restaurant.
- Savor authentic Italian cuisine made from traditional recipes as you dine for a sea-to-table lunch.
- Choose from a selection of restaurants on your Dine-Around Evening and hand-pick your preferred ambience, cuisine and drinks for an intimate culinary experience.
- Join an avid local foodie on a walk through the streets of Paris. Visit a variety of patisseries, boulangeries and chocolatiers and sample local treats and delicacies along the way.
- Rendezvous with your friends at a typical French bistro for a rousing Celebration Dinner with wine. Bon Appetit!
- Enjoy exclusive access to the Basilica of Saint Praxedes during an after-hours visit. This 9th-century basilica’s simple facade guards the world's best-preserved Byzantine mosaics. The history of the church springs to life as you admire the interior’s treasured collection, including Bernini's first sculpture and the renowned mosaics, illuminated for your visit. This once-in-a-lifetime experience is a rare and unforgettable insight into Rome and its religious history.
- Walk along beautiful scenic pathways, keeping an eye out for marmots and other native animals, with the chance to hear a conservation talk by a Swiss ranger, to learn about local wildlife and flora.
Optional Experiences
Optional Experiences are subject to change. Your Travel Director will supply you with a final list of Optional Experiences available on your trip. Optional Experiences cannot be booked online; they can be purchased during your trip through your Travel Director.
Rome By Night - Illuminations Drive (Available on Day 1)Join our Local Specialist for a classic journey through one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Rome by night is a vision with its ancient monuments, classical buildings, palaces and churches beautifully illuminated against the evening sky. A wonderful introduction to the Eternal City!
Adult Price: €35 Rome Of The Ancient Christians (Available on Day 2)Outside the ancient Roman city walls, we'll visit the early Christian Catacombs, underground cemeteries carved out of soft Tufa Stone, with our Local Expert. Nearby, we'll also visit one of the major basilicas of Rome, St Paul's, the burial place of St Paul the Apostle, famous for its Byzantine Mosaics.
* Please note: on some departures, the Catacombs are offered with a visit to St Peter in Chains to view the magnificent 'Moses' sculpture by Michelangelo, instead of St Paul's.
Adult Price: €43 Roman Dinner Party (Available on Day 2)Enjoy an evening of delicious Roman cuisine with drinks and a great Italian ambiance.
Adult Price: €71 Tuscan Dinner at Villa Machiavelli (Available on Day 3)Through the Chianti hills, we'll drive past vineyards to a delightful hamlet. Our destination is the ancient stone house of Machiavelli, where the great political theorist wrote his immortal work, ‘The Prince'. After a welcome drink and a visit of the villa and its wine-cellars, we'll enjoy the best of Tuscan cuisine accompanied by great music and drinks, including of course, Chianti from the Villa's own vines.
Adult Price: €74 Tuscan Dinner & Cooking Demonstration (Available on Day 3)Florence and Tuscany are renowned for their rich gastronomic heritage. Tonight we'll travel into the hills near Florence to the northernmost part of the Chianti, where a local chef will introduce you to the dishes that make Tuscan cuisine famous throughout the world. This wonderful cooking demonstration, with superb food and wine, will provide warm and genuine Tuscan hospitality.
Adult Price: €76 Lake Lucerne Cruise and Drinks (Available on Day 5)Widely considered to be the loveliest of the mountain lakes, much of the shoreline of Lake Lucerne can only be fully appreciated from the water. Admire the spectacular homes of the fortunate few, privileged to live on its scenic shores, as we cruise gently by. Two drinks will be served during the trip.
Adult Price: ₣54 Swiss Evening (Available on Day 5)There's nothing better than convening with friends around a pot of bubbling fondue with a glass of chilled white wine and having a good yodel! Join us for a tasty Swiss meal in a typical restaurant. While you dine, enjoy a lively folklore show of flag throwing, yodelling, Alpenhorn blowing and other great Swiss entertainment.
Adult Price: ₣110 Swiss Dinner by the Lake (Available on Day 5)Tonight, we'll enjoy a delicious Swiss meal that includes the famous Swiss cheese fondue in a typical local restaurant. Its lakeside location and well-placed terrace will ensure a relaxing evening enjoying the hearty Swiss menu. Two drinks are included.
Adult Price: €104 Carriages & Countryside (Available on Day 6)
In a typical rural community, meet local farmers for a delightful horse-drawn ride. Clip-clop your way through bright green pasture, where the angular spire of a traditional white church shoots skyward and rickety old wooden storehouses still dot the landscape. Call in at a local farm where a wonderful spread of homemade drinks and snacks is served.
Adult Price: ₣77 Moulin Rouge Cabaret and Dinner (Available on Day 7)Enjoy dinner and cabaret, including wine and champagne, at the world-famous Moulin Rouge – the original Paris cabaret. Immortalized by the award-winning film of the same name, this Parisian institution features 60 dancers and entertainers and over 1000 costumes!
Adult Price: €205 La Nouvelle Eve Cabaret and Dinner (Available on Day 7)Nestled in the heart of Montmartre, Nouvelle Eve has been spotlighted by ‘Emily in Paris’ and has hosted events for high-fashion icons like Dolce & Gabbana, Christian Louboutin and Vivienne Westwood. An icon of Parisian elegance for 125 years, this chic revue theater is your ticket to an unforgettable night. An a la carte meal and dazzling cabaret will bring the French Cancan to life before your eyes. Performances run from April 20 to October 26.
Adult Price: €163 Notre Dame & Latin Quarter (Available on Day 8)A guided drive through Paris' bohemian Left Bank, with our Local Expert, brings us to amazing Notre Dame. One of the world’s most famous Cathedrals and the epitome of Gothic architecture, it is thankfully still standing after the tragic fire of 2019. While admiring its miraculously untouched Gothic features, we’ll follow the progress of the restoration work as they reinforce the precious medieval structure before starting in on the challenge of replacing the roof. Afterwards, we’ll take a stroll through the delightful Latin Quarter, a medieval maze of winding cobblestone alleyways where you'll have free time to enjoy the sidewalk bistros, boutiques, and hidden squares.
Adult Price: €36 Seine Cruise and Illuminations (Available on Day 8)The City of Light really lives up to its name when the city's monuments, buildings and bridges are lit up in all of their glory. First, a specially-designed sightseeing boat takes us for an unforgettable cruise along the Seine and beneath famous bridges to appreciate the Left and Right Banks and the Île de la Cité and St Louis. Then, we'll enjoy an illuminations tour, when the rubies and diamonds of the Champs Élysées and the Eiffel Tower are at their magnificent best.
Adult Price: €47