Meet up with your Contiki Crew before we hit the road and take a ferry past the White Cliffs of Dover. We travel via World War 1 battle fields in the Valley of the Somme to Paris.

If you’re adventurous, get right into French culture when you arrive at the campsite. Your Contiki Cook will prepare authentic escargots (snails) for the group. It’s a perfect opportunity to try out this national delicacy.

You’ll also get to toast the start of your tour together in style with our special “Taste of France” welcome. Your Crew will serve champagne and local cheeses before we kick start Paris with the “Tour of Illuminations”, where the French capital transforms into the ‘City of Lights’. Lamp-lit bridges and cool little cafes give us a real taste of Paris’ romance. Your Tour Manager will fill you in on the world’s most recognised monuments, like the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower.

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Southbound, we stop off at the massive 12th Century chateau, Fontainebleau. Walk around the imperial gardens and check out the chateau’s imposing, regal exterior.

We continue on through Burgundy’s wine country to Beaujolais’ green hills and vineyards.

Our team will make you feel right at home in Contiki’s very own 16th Century chateau. There’s a wine tasting within the chateau’s working winery, where our resident expert will teach you about Beaujolais wine as you swirl and sip on wines made in the area for centuries.

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There’s loads of time to catch up on some sleep, laze about the Chateau or position yourself poolside. Explore the French countryside with a walk through the vineyards and picnic in the hills above the chateau. In the afternoon, get a feel for a real French country town and head into nearby Thiezé.

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Today, it’s on to Pont du Gard in Southern France. It’s a stunning bridge with 2000 year old arches spanning across the river. This imposing Roman Aqueduct is an impressive feat of ancient engineering.

We keep heading south through the rugged and dramatic scenery of the Pyrénées mountains, over the border into Barcelona.

A sizzling, festive capital any night of the week, Barcelona is all about action. In Spain, fiesta time starts late, so park yourself at one of the city’s many outdoor squares to enjoy a glass of sangria and nibble on tapas (plate sized snacks) before a fun night out exploring Barcelona’s nightlife with your new friends.

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First stop: Mont Juic. The hilltop has full-blown vistas of the city and it’s where we stop to check out the 1992 Olympic Games complex. Afterwards, get a look into Spanish architect Gaudi’s wild imagination with his art nouveau masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia cathedral. Your Tour Manager walks you through the cobbled lanes of Barcelona’s oldest district, the Gothic Quarter.

There’s free time to discover more of Barcelona’s creative core. Pick up some quirky buys in the side streets or hit the big label shops on Plaça de Catalunya. Take in all of Barcelona’s buzzing street life on the tree-lined La Rambla – a boulevard packed with street performers, artists, shops and stalls.

Other ideas for your afternoon off include hanging out in the colourful gardens of Parc Güell or kicking back with the locals on the beach and taking a swim in the Mediterranean sea. For lunch, there’s plenty of delicious local seafood to try like Spain’s signature dish, paella.

Wrap up your time in this hot city with an optional Flamenco dance show for a closer look into Spanish culture. Get some tips on regional food from your Tour Manager and head to one of the excellent local restaurants to try out the flavours of Catalan cuisine, like crema catalana (caramalised custard), cargos a la llauna(cooked snails) and the fantastic Rioja wine! Afterward, hit the pumping clubs of Port Olympico, by the water.

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Unwind on the coach and take in the rustic beauty of Provence, known for its pretty landscapes of lavender, sunflowers and wild herbs. A stop for lunch in Arles means a look at the ancient Roman Arena and at a typical provincial French town.

It’s back on the road to the rugged coast line of the stunning Cote d’Azur. Follow the beautiful sapphire waters past the movie-star glamour of Cannes (famous for its annual film festival), to Antibes.

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Next stop on the Riviera and home to the French perfume industry is Fragonard Perfumery. Learn about how perfume is made and some of its more surprising ingredients. It’s also a chance to pick up a bottle or 2 at great prices.

In your free time live a bit of the lifestyle with a visit to the local markets. Try out the region’s produce like lavender honey, aioli (garlic mayonnaise) and mouth-watering rosé wine.

Window shop the chic boutiques or choose a beach and catch some sun among all the bronzed bodies!

Tonight get a taste of the high life in Monaco, the glamorous principality packed into just 1.92km2 and home to the Formula 1. Get the inside story on the royal family and their place of residence from your Tour Manager. Try your luck at a casino later on.

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Onwards to Italy and Verona, another UNESCO World Heritage site. Get romantic and stand under one of the world’s most famous shrines to love, Juliet’s balcony from Romeo and Juliet. Check out the main shopping street and the Roman arena, before heading on to Venice.

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Known as the “floating city” Venice is packed with character, crammed with hidden lanes and linked by a network of canals.

The group travels on our private boat through the waters of the lagoon to visit the city’s historical heart. The limestone Bridge of Sighs, the gothic arches of Doges’ Palace and the expanse of St Mark’s Square (pigeons and all!) show off Venice’s unique beauty and way of life.

Learn about local artistry with a traditional glass blowing demonstration – a craft the city has been famous for since the 13th century.

Take some time to explore the floating city and lose yourself in the backstreets. There’s an optional walking tour where you can discover the labyrinth of interweaving lanes, waterways, palaces, piazzi and markets with our Local Guide. You’ll see historic monuments, hidden treasures and the Rialto market – a local favourite for food shopping.

Maybe grab a table on St Mark’s Square and eat some delicious Italian food al fresco.

Cap off the day with an optional gondola ride with your friends. Take a bottle of prosecco (Italian champagne) and toast this unforgettable experience as you are punted through the waterways.

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Wind through the Apennine Mountains and Tuscan countryside to the Renaissance city of Florence, with a stop at the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The scene-stealing Duomo cathedral rises above Florence, which serves up frescoes, markets and priceless art. After dinner, walk along the River Arno with your Tour Manager, take in the atmosphere and head into the heart of Florence, where you can sit back and relax Tuscan style with a glass of chianti wine.

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Jump start the day uncovering this open-air museum and its UNESCO World Heritage city centre..

Our Local Guide gives you the inside track as the group learns about Florence’s cultural beginnings and explores streets crammed with artworks from masters like Michelangelo. Then take a look into a skillful demonstration of Florentine leather making and understand this region’s traditional art.

With bargains and bustle, the city’s markets are a great place to hang out. Grab a gelato and enjoy this gorgeous city.

Tonight, there’s a choice of a group dinner – an authentic Tuscan feast. Try regional dishes in the heart of Florence. Then keep it moving with a night out and get your groove on at Florence’s biggest club.

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Travel through Tuscany’s rustic hills, past the recognisable cypress tree landscapes of this olive-oil producing region, to vibrant Rome.

Stylish Rome oozes energy and overflows with relics from another age. Our special access coach tour of the city gets you right into the thriving atmosphere of this living timeline as your Tour Manager shows you the Colosseum and the Piazza Venezia. Continue on foot to check out the Pantheon and the Piazza Navona. Honour tradition at the Trevi Fountain and throw a coin in the fountain’s waters (it’s meant to improve your chances of returning to Rome!) or hang out with your new friends at the Spanish Steps and sit back with a few slices of pizza.

Make the most of our Local Guide’s inside knowledge and uncover the remains of an ancient empire with a fantastic optional tour of the Roman Forum and Colosseum.

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This morning, check-out the smallest country in the world and home to the Pope, the Vatican City. You’ve got plenty of time to take a closer look at St Peter’s Basilica or Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel.

Take off into the city and absorb the atmosphere, as vespas flash past timeworn monuments that are surrounded by fountains, pizzerias, cafes and bars.

Before you hit the shops, let your Tour Manager point you in the right direction with some tips on the best buys.

In your free time, live the local lifestyle by indulging in a long lunch on a paved piazza or knock back a shot of espresso at the bar, like the Romans do.

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Pass gritty Naples, see Mt Vesuvius and plunge into Pompeii’s well-preserved past in an interesting optional excursion and retrace ancient history with our expert Local Guide.

Then there’s time to chill out on the coach, crossing through the rugged landscapes of Southern Italy, before boarding the overnight ferry to Greece in Brindisi. Check out the amazing 360 degree views from the deck!

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From Corfu, head to the mainland and travel to the impressive, man-made Corinth Canal.

Athens is next, a city crammed with myth and ancient wonders, and busy with modern, urban soul.

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Step back in time in Europe’s oldest city to the birthplace of democracy. Get the run down on the Parthenon and the Acropolis from our Local Guide, as you wander around the marble columns perched above the city sprawl.

Then we check out the first modern Olympic Stadium from the 1896 games. Later, jump on the ferry to the island of Ios for the Greek Island option or catch your flight to Cairo for the Egyptian option.

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Today: change islands and it’s a total change of scene.

As stunning proof of a massive volcanic eruption, Santorini will make your jaw drop with its natural beauty. From the water, look up at the well-recognised sight of iconic blue-domed, whitewashed churches.

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Cruising back to Athens today for your final night in the capital. Catch up with your fellow travellers on their arrival back from Egypt and swap stories. Dinner is your choice tonight, a great opportunity to dine in the famous Plaka district.

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Northbound, we travel past mythical Mt Olympus, Greece’s highest peak, and stop off for a crash course in ancient heroism at Thermopylae, where just 300 Spartan soldiers held off the invading Persian army’s masses of 1000s.

After cruising by Byzantine Thessaloniki, we arrive in the port town of Kavala.

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Ferry across the Dardanelles, crossing from Europe into to Asia, to the habourside town of Cannakale.

Get inside the legend of one the world’s most famous battles and explore the excavation site of mythical Troy. Learn how heroes and gods fought in a ten year war, as our Local Guide unravels the layers of history.

Tonight, take a walk along the waterfront, complete with stunning views or catch up on your emails back at the hotel.

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This morning, make a pilgrimage to the site of the region’s other bloody battle, Gallipoli. Visit stunning Anzac Cove where World War I troops landed, Lone Pine Cemetery, where Australian troops are buried and check out the memorial for New Zealand soldiers.

Enjoy some down-time on the coach, following the coastline of the Marmara Sea to the cosmopolitan hub of Istanbul – the last stop on the Silk Road and the only city in the world to span two continents.

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This morning, it’s on to Sofia, Bulgaria’s largest city.

Once behind the iron curtain and today an emerging capital, Sofia brings together traditional Tsarist architecture and a modern feel.

It’s the perfect place to explore on foot. Your Tour Manager will lead a walking tour through this compact town. You’ll see the massive Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, complete with golden domes, mosaics and murals, and then check out the stalls that surround the building.

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Parked between the Danube and Sava Rivers, Belgrade is a little rough around the edges, mixing up extravagant churches and dull, communist building blocks.

Your Tour Manager will show off the city’s treasures including the Kalemegdan Fortress and the historic old town. Free time means you can go deeper into Belgrade’s heart, and find many cute, little shops and interesting galleries.

Tonight, enjoy the town’s festive vibe, grab some friends and party on one of Belgrade’s floating bars.

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We’ll head north along the Danube River, to the “Paris of the East”, Budapest. With two cities rolled into one, this exotic town has a bit of everything. Buda and Pest sit on different sides of the river, but bring together the stunning buildings and atmosphere that makes Budapest so romantic.

To get a another take on Budapest from the water, jump on board tonight’s optional cruise, and see the city aglow from the water as you feast on a buffet full of local specialties.
Launch into Budapest’s nightlife and live it up like the locals by heading to a beerhouse, a riverside bar or a happening club.

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On the Buda side of the river, from the Fisherman’s Bastion, you’ll get a full-blown view of the city and learn about Budapest’s history in a nutshell! Check out the colourful Church of St Mathias, the Royal Palace and the Chain Bridge. Your Tour Manager knows all about Budapest’s troubled history and will tell you more with a visit to the Liberation Monument.

Next stop is the cultural hub of Vienna. Tonight, there’s a chance to experience Vienna’s musical legacy with a Mozart concert in one of the city’s imperial palaces.

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Your Tour Manager starts the day by introducing the group to the city’s historical heritage. There’s the imperial grandeur of Schönbrunn Palace, the elegantly ornate State Opera House and St. Stephen’s Cathedral – a gothic masterpiece. Cruise down Kärterner Strasse, Vienna’s main shopping spot and buy some traditional ceramics and materials for gifts back home.

There’s free time to check out the magnificent squares and majestic palaces or the city’s art galleries. Take a break in a coffee house like the locals do, chill out in Vienna’s manicured gardens or wander along the Danube River.

Get schnaps savvy with a behind-the-scenes look into this local liqueuer’s production in an optional excursion to the Old Vienna Schnaps Museum. Later, there’s a chance for a traditional meal with the group in the Viennese country side.

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Journey through the Tyrols and Sound of Music country to a cute Austrian village in a region famous for adventure sports. With 2 nights in Contiki’s very own Austrian Gasthof (guest inn), there’s plenty of time for pulse-racing activities. Our resident crew will give you pointers on the best stuff to do in the region and make sure you get everything out of your time here.

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This morning, fill your lungs with clean mountain air, jump on a bike and get into the region’s outdoor lifestyle with a fully guided optional tour through the Tyrol’s picture perfect scenery, complete with waterfalls and mountain fields. Work up an appetite – a BBQ lunch is waiting for you at the end!

With time to do your own thing, laze about or get out for a walk in the surrounding hills. Catch up on some emails or postcards at the inn or take a gondola up the mountainside for more spectacular views of the area. For something different, pop into the local trout farm.

For adrenaline-junkies, an optional tandem paraglide will give you an awesome angle on the surrounding alpine scenery.
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Kick start the day and plunge into some white-water rafting in an adrenaline-pumping optional activity on the river.

This afternoon, travel north to the home of the world-famous Oktoberfest, Munich – a city that blends traditional Bavarian culture and modern lifestyle.

Explore the heart of Munich’s Old Town with the crew, and head to Marienplatz. It’s a central gathering spot famous for the Glockenspiel – a gothic clock, complete with 32 dancing figures and 43 chiming bells.

Give an optional bike tour a go and get off the beaten track and onto Munich’s side streets with our Local Guide.

Then head off with some friends for a taste of tradition to a typical beer hall and park yourselves at a long wooden table. In this optional excursion, you’ll feast on hearty local food, like roasted pork knuckle, and quench your thirst with a stein of one of Germany’s 5000 brews.

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Today, travel past the stony cliffs of Liechtenstein, into the capital, Vaduz, where you can grab some lunch and enjoy it in the shadow of the royal family’s 12th Century Castle.

Next stop: the jaw-droppingly beautiful alpine town of Lucerne. With covered wooden bridges, cobbled lanes and quaint buildings, Lucerne’s centre is perfect to explore on foot. Also to stock up on lots of genuine Swiss chocolate! Your Tour Manager can give you pointers on where to pick up the best-priced watches Switzerland is so famous for.

Tonight, we head to the alpine heights of Lauterbrunnen and stay at Contiki’s very own Swiss chalet.

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It’s a change of pace among Switzerland’s massive alps. Take in the amazing views from the campsite.

Opt to visit Jungfrau mountain, head up the sheer slopes of this UNESCO World Heritage listed site on a cog rail to Europe’s highest railway station, and step out onto the “roof” of Europe for spine-tingling views.

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Over the border and into Germany, we head to the university town of Heidelberg. Wander around, grab a late lunch and check out its famous baroque church.

The coach follows the Rhine River, weaving through valleys dotted with castles and vineyards.

Next stop – the pretty, old-world village of St Goar, complete with fairy-tale castle and even a free-standing cuckoo clock! Learn about local know-how and get savvy on the craft of beer steins.

Then kick back with a glass of local wine and choose to find out more with the optional wine tasting in a candlelit underground cellar.

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In an intro into Dutch culture, see how clogs are made and try some of the famous Dutch Edam at a cheese farm.

Cruise into the countryside and bike around like the laid back locals, past working windmills, to the world-famous cheese village of Edam.

Head into the buzzing capital of Amsterdam and check out the eye-opening Red Light District, where the creative and the wacky come together on narrow cobbled streets, 24/7.

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There’s free time to experience Amsterdam’s coffee shops, museums and quirky, cool boutiques. Wander along the canals and pass gabled houses or experience Amsterdam’s multi-ethnic cuisine. This cultural melting pot dishes up loads of affordable food.

With an optional evening canal cruise, there’s a chance to toast your travels with the group, unwind with a few drinks and uncover Amsterdam at water level as you drift past the city lights.

For your last night on tour, get some pointers from your Tour Manager, dive into Amsterdam’s night action with your friends and finish up your travels with a night to remember.

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Circle back to France via Belgium and ferry across the English Channel to England. A short drive brings us back to London where the tour ends and it’s time to say farewell to your new friends.

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