Day 1 - Arrive Florence

Upon arrival into Florence Airport, your local representative will be waiting in the arrivals hall for your private transfer to your hotel in Florence.

This afternoon your guide will meet you for a walking tour of the world’s favourite Renaissance city - Firenze. Stroll through the city admiring some of the lovely piazzas, churches and palaces with your expert guide. Stop for a visit to the Galleria dell'Accademia (Academy of Fine Arts) to see the most famous of Michelangelo's work; David, a colossal 5.2m (17ft) nude of the biblical hero who killed the giant Goliath. You also visit the Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore), the famous landmark of Florence, where you may wish to climb up the 464 steps to reach the top of the dome for a breath-taking view over the city. Finish your walk with a visit of the Church of San Lorenzo and the Medici chapels, where you can see the colourful Chapel of Princes and the New Sacristy with Michelangelo's statues Dawn and Dusk and Night and Day. The evening is yours to spend at leisure.

Overnight: Hotel Savoy

Day 2 - Uffizi Gallery

A walking tour of Florence is an excellent way to discover the city. Step out with your local guide, who takes you to the world-famous Uffizi Gallery, housed in the Palazzo degli Uffizi, a building originally designed to hold the Uffizi (administrative offices) of the Medici Grand Duke Cosimo. Later, the Medici decided to house their art collection here and, in 1591, created what was then Europe’s first modern museum, opening it to the public. Its celebrated assembly of works includes paintings from the late Middle Ages through the early 18th-century. Here you can admire such striking works as Caravaggio’s “Medusa”, Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus”, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Annunciation” and “Madonna of the Goldfinch” by Raphael. Afterwards, continue on to the Church of Santa Croce, where many famous Florentines such as Michelangelo and Galileo are buried.

The remainder of the day is yours to spend independently.

Overnight: Hotel Savoy

Meal Plan: B

Day 3 - Florence – Verona – St. Moritz

Leave Florence this morning and follow the highway through the Appennines, and over the vast plain of the Po River to Verona, a city that preserves monuments from Roman times, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Upon arrival meet your city guide and depart on an orientation walking tour of the city centre. You will see the churches around the Piazza dei Signori, and the Piazza delle Erbe on the site of the Roman Forum. You will also pass the Capulet House, said to have been the inspiration for Shakespeare’s 'Romeo and Juliet'. 

You will continue your journey north into the Alps along the banks of Lake Iseo, one of the smaller Italian Lakes en route to the Italian-Swiss border. Once you cross into Switzerland, you will pass some dramatic glacial landscapes around the fabled Bernina Peak. The road from here will bring you down to St Moritz, arguably the most famous winter resort in the world. The evening is yours to spend at leisure.

Overnight: Carlton Hotel

Meal Plan: B

Day 4 - St Moritz – Glacier Express – Zermatt

This morning transfer to the train station, where you will board the Glacier Express train, possibly the best-loved scenic rail journey in the world. From your reserved seats in a first class coach, sit back and enjoy the alpine panoramas that unfold around every bend in the track. Lunch will be served as you travel. 

The journey takes around 7½ hours, and brings you right into the centre of Zermatt. Here you will be met and transferred by electric vehicles to your hotel. (Your luggage will be awaiting you in your rooms having been transferred by road from St Moritz). The evening is yours to spend at leisure.

Overnight: Grand Hotel Zermatterhof

Meal Plan: B,L

Day 5 - Gornergrat

This morning walk to cable-railway station and board a train that winds its way up the hillside to the village of Gornergrat. From here you will enjoy the most spectacular views of the Matterhorn, the most instantly recognizable mountain in all of Europe. After lunch return to Zermatt and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

Overnight: Grand Hotel Zermatterhof

Meal Plan: B

Day 6 - Klein Matterhorn Glacier Paradise

Today take a gondola up to the Furi station where you transfer to a cable car to travel further up to Trockener Steg. From here the highest cableway in Europe transports visitors up past giant crevasses to the Matterhorn glacier paradise and into a breathtaking mountain landscape of glaciers and permanent snow. It is even possible to go into the permanent ice. From the Matterhorn glacier paradise station an elevator takes you down nearly 50ft where you walk through an ice tunnel into a glacier palace which contains ice sculptures. The more adventurous can make their exit through a glacier crevasse. After lunch return to Zermatt.

Overnight: Grand Hotel Zermatterhof

Meal Plan: B

Day 7 - Zermatt – Lausanne – Paris

Return by electric vehicle to the train station and take a shuttle train to Täsch, where you will board your private motorcoach and proceed to Lausanne.

Upon arrival enjoy lunch in a restaurant in the attractive Old Town. Later transfer to the station and take a high speed TGV to Paris. Upon arrival at the end of the afternoon transfer to your hotel and dine independently this evening.

Overnight: Hospes Lancaster

Meal Plan: B,L

Day 8 - Notre Dame & Versailles

Situated to the west of Paris, Versailles is the location of the vast palace that was constructed in the seventeenth century for Louis XIV, the 'Sun King'. Housing up to 4,000 people, the palace was the the epicentre of political power in France at the time. It became the model for grand houses all over Europe.

This morning, explore the complex network of rooms and apartments that make up this grand palace, including the Gallery of Palace History, Apartments of Mesdames (the six daughters of Louis XV) before touring the opulent Grand Apartments - a collection of seven prestigious and lavishly decorated rooms, which served as a parade apartment for the King’s official acts. Your tour of the Palace culminates in the magnificent Hall of Mirrors. You may then like to take a stroll in the formal ornamental gardens and see the Grand Canal that stretches into the distance across the park.

After lunch at leisure (payable locally), spend the afternoon exploring the Trianon Estate and the estate of Marie Antoinette. From the Petit Trianon to the Queen’s Gardens, passing by the Queen’s Hamlet, the former Queen’s estate reveals Marie-Antoinette’s private life and is much like a country hamlet where she found a simple life away from the formality of Court.  Attesting to King Louis XVI elaborate tastes, some say her home resembles a fairytale village. 

Finish your tour with by enjoying the beautiful architecture, ornate furnishings, and charming gardens of Grand Trianon. Commissioned in 1687 by Louis XIV, it was to be his retreat from the strict étiquette of Court life and was later also the home to Napoleon and his family.

Overnight: Hospes Lancaster

Meal Plan: B,D

Day 9 - Louvre, Eiffel Tower & Dinner River Cruise

Accompanied by your local guide depart for a full day city tour beginning with a visit  to Musée du Louvre. Housed in a former royal palace in Paris, this museum preserves one of the finest collections of ancient artifacts and Old Master Paintings in existence. Among many treasures are the 'Mona Lisa' by Leonardo da Vinci, and the Greek sculpture of 'Venus de Milo'. This afternoon, travel across the river to the Eiffel Tower, arguably the most iconic structure in Europe. Take elevators up to the highest level, from where you will obtain a magnificent view of the city.

This evening you will enjoy an entertaining dinner cruise watching the sights of the Paris slip past serenely as you enjoy a delicious meal accompanied by atmospheric local entertainment.

Overnight: Hospes Lancaster

Meal Plan: B,D

Day 10 - Depart Paris

Transfer privately to the Charles de Gaulle Airport to board your homebound flight.

Meal Plan: B