Overview
Explore three capitals with your students. Three cultures. All amazing. Begin your exploration of London, the cosmopolitan capital city. You'll see the highlights, such as Parliament, St. Paul's, and Buckingham Palace. Then Paris, the City of Lights, including Versailles, the house of kings, and the famous Louvre. Finally, Rome, the Eternal City.
Itinerary
Day 1
Overnight flight to England
Day 2
Arrive in London
Meet your Tour Director
Your 24-hour Tour Director will meet you at the airport and remain with your group until your final airport departure.
London city walk
Thames River, Trafalgar Square, National Gallery visit, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden, Leicester Square
Day 3
London guided sightseeing tour
Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace
Day 4
Eurostar Chunnel crossing
You’re so close, why not continue to London? Hop on the Eurostar under the English Channel and, faster than you can say anything in French, you’ll zip through the tunnel and arrive in London.
Paris guided sightseeing tour
What’s that huge white arch at the end of the Champs-Élysées? It’s the Arc de Triomphe, commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 after his victory at Austerlitz. Your licensed local guide will elaborate on this and other Parisian landmarks. See some of the city’s most famous sites, including the ornate 19th-century Opera, the presidential residence, and the Place de la Concorde—where, at the center, you’ll find the Obelisk of Luxor, a gift from Egypt in 1836. Spot chic locals (and plenty of tourists) strolling the Champs-Élysées. Look up at the iron girders of the Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution. Visit Les Invalides (a refuge for war-wounded soldiers) and the École Militaire (Napoleon’s alma mater).
Eiffel Tower ascent (optional)
Line up to climb to the top floor of this iconic landmark for a spectacular birds-eye view of the glittering City of Light.
Day 5
Versailles guided excursion
The ultimate palace, Versailles was begun by Louis XIII and transformed by Louis XIV into the seat of royal power until the French Revolution. Inside, admire the 250-foot Hall of Mirrors, flanked by the salons of War and Peace, and the State Apartments where lavish ceremonies unfolded. Step into the magnificent Gardens of Versailles, a masterpiece of fountains, sculptures, and sweeping vistas. Be sure to visit Marie Antoinette’s rustic hamlet, where she escaped court life by tending sheep and playing at village life. Please note: Versailles is closed on Mondays.
LEAP Seize the Château!
A lively role-play puts you in the shoes of the monarchy, clergy, nobility, bourgeoisie, or peasantry to explore the issues underlying the French Revolution.
Louvre visit
The world's largest art museum, the Louvre, is housed in a medieval fortress-turned-castle so grand it's worth a tour itself. You walk through the 71-foot glass pyramid designed by I.M. Pei and added in 1989, and step into another world--one with carved ceilings, deep-set windows, and so many architectural details you could spend a week just admiring the rooms. The Mona Lisa is here, as well as the Venus de Milo and Winged Victory (the headless statue, circa 200 BC, discovered at Samothrace). The Louvre has seven different departments of paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures and antiquities. Don't miss the Egyptian collection, complete with creepy sarcophagi, or the collection of Greek ceramics, one of the largest in the world. Please note: The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.
Day 6
LEAP Cover the Canvas (optional)
Art Workshop, Art studio workshop class
Fly to Rome
Day 7
Rome guided sightseeing tour
Colosseum visit with Whisper headset, Arch of Constantine, Forum Romanum visit
Day 8
Vatican City guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel visit, St. Peter’s Basilica visit
LEAP Caesar's Gladiators (optional)
Discover the ancient secrets of the Roman gladiator games and master the basics of hand-to-hand combat at the gladiator school.
Day 9
Flight home from Rome
Already Included
Transportation to & from your destination
Hotel accommodations
Meals (unless otherwise noted on your itinerary)
Admissions to top attractions (details in itinerary)
Guided sightseeing tours & city walks (details in itinerary)
Tips for local guides and drivers
WorldAssist staff members available 24/7/365 should your group need extra help
Free high school credit for students who choose to complete WorldStrides free online coursework post-program
Professional development credits (CEUs) for educators
Scenes from London, Paris, and Rome
Health & Safety
Additional health and safety measures may be available within your respective destination. Refer to your program-specific materials for complete details.
Financial Assistance
Financial Assistance
WorldStrides provides over $2.5 million in financial assistance each year to thousands of families. Families with annual adjusted gross incomes of less than $85,000 may qualify. One simple call to Customer Service and you’ll know how much may be available for your trip even before signing up. Please note: financial assistance is given on a first-come, first-served basis.
Payment Plans
Advantage Payment Plan
At program sign-up you can opt to pay in full, or break up the cost of your trip with the Advantage Payment Plan. This plan allows you to pay a small initial deposit, then have your remaining payments spread out into affordable monthly amounts.
EZPay
We offer an EZPay option, which is a simple way to pay for your WorldStrides program by scheduling hassle-free, automatic drafts from your checking account. With EZPay, you'll never be late or miss an installment.
Fundraising Tools
Our easy-to-use tools put students in the driver's seat of their own fundraising efforts. Students can send e-cards, share links on social media, and even send out printed letters through WorldStrides' Gift of Education program. In one click friends and family members can make a direct donation to the trip - with 100% of the money raised going to offset their trip price. Thousands of students pay for their entire trip each year through the Gift of Education.
Also, WorldStrides makes program-specific scholarships available as well as other scholarship resources. Ask your Account Manager for more information about scholarships and fundraising tools.