Overview
Bring your student ensemble to explore three of Europe’s most famous cities. You’ll begin in London, with visits to iconic spots like Windsor Castle and Westminster Abbey, a cruise down the Thames, and a performance a beautiful local venue. In Paris, your musicians can look forward to exploring the Tuileries, visiting the Louvre, and performing in a venue like La Trinité. In Rome, your group will explore the Eternal City with immersive visits to the Colosseum and Vatican City and perform for another international audience or participate in an exchange program with a local school.
Itinerary
Day 1
Overnight flight to England (London)
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
Take a guided city walk through the heart of London. Stroll along the Thames River and cross Trafalgar Square, a gathering place for the city. Step inside the National Gallery, home to masterpieces by da Vinci, Monet, and Rembrandt. Continue past the bright lights of Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square, wander through bohemian Soho with its cafés and shops, and finish in Covent Garden, where markets, street performers, and the Royal Opera House showcase London’s lively spirit.
Thames River cruise
Enjoy a Thames River Cruise, a relaxing way to view many of London's most magnificent sights. Our trip will take us past the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben and under the famous Tower Bridge.
Day 3
Windsor Castle guided excursion
See how the King relaxes on this guided tour of the royal weekend estate, originally built as a fortress in the 11th century under William the Conqueror. Visit the East Terrace Gardens, marvel at the Gothic St. George’s Chapel, or peek into Queen Mary’s dollhouse with its perfect miniature furnishings.
Westminster Abbey visit
London performance
Potential venues include (but not limited to): Southwark Cathedral, The Community of St. Stephens, Victoria Park Bandstand, St. Gabriel's Church Pimlico, the lively Spitafields Market, Hillsong Church, Christ Church Spitafields, or an exchange with a local school, university or community group. Additional options such as Cadogan Hall or St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square are available at additional cost.
Day 4
Eurostar Chunnel crossing to Paris
You're so close, why not continue to Paris? Take the Eurostar under the English Channel and, faster than you can say anything in French, you will zip through the tunnel and arrive in Paris.
Montmartre Tour Director-led sightseeing
Discover Montmartre on a Tour Director-led walk through the hilltop neighborhood that inspired artists like Picasso and Van Gogh. Stroll the lively Place du Tertre, where painters still work today, see the famous Moulin Rouge cabaret, and climb to the Basilica of Sacré-Coeur for sweeping views over Paris.
Day 5
Tuileries Garden
Tuileries was originally the name of an old tiles factory. Yet, in the sixteen century, the queen of France, Marie de Medicis, ordered to build a castle with a long French garden at this place. Parisians used to call this new building the Tuileries Palace. During three centuries the garden was exclusively reserved for the court and the King. During the nineteen century, the Tuileries palace became the residence of Napoleon I, Louis XVIII, Charles X, Louis-Phillipe and Napoleon III. In 1871, Parisians burnt down the castle of Tuileries, during the last French Revolution and the insurrection of Paris. However, the garden kept its 17th-century design and became a popular place, always crowded in summer time.
Louvre Museum visit
The world’s largest art museum, the Louvre, is housed in a former medieval fortress and entered through I.M. Pei’s striking glass pyramid. Inside, discover masterpieces like the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory, along with vast collections of Egyptian antiquities, Greek ceramics, and works spanning seven departments. Please note: The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.
Paris performance
Potential venues include (but not limited to): La Trinité, where Messiaen served as organist and where Hector Berlioz had his funeral, Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, The American Church in Paris, and the Église de la Madeleine, which is another of our most popular venues for attracting good audiences. Finally, the Église St-Roch regularly hosts concerts. It is an excellent venue for visiting choirs and has good facilities and very organized publicity.
Day 6
Fly to Rome
Rome city walk
Discover Rome’s iconic landmarks on a guided walk. At the Spanish Steps, see the “sinking ship” fountain, designed that way because of low water pressure that forced the artist to sink it below street level. Marvel at the Trevi Fountain’s Baroque grandeur, the Pantheon’s soaring dome, and Piazza Navona, where Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers anchors the bustling square.
Day 7
Rome guided sightseeing tour
Colosseum visit with Whisper headset, Arch of Constantine, Forum Romanum visit
Trajan's Column and Market visit
Enjoy a view of Trajan’s Column and Market. Completed in 113 A.D. as a monument to the Emperor Trajan, the column is most famous for its spiral bas-relief. It stands in front of the market, the ancient equivalent of a shopping center, which housed no less than 150 shops and offices. From there, stroll past the Victor Emmanuel Monument, a giant building created to honor the first king of a unified Italy.
Pantheon visit
Discover Rome’s best-preserved, ancient monument and learn about how it remains as the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome and contains the tombs of prominent Italian figures.
Day 8
Vatican City guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel visit, St. Peter’s Basilica visit
Rome performance
Potential venues include (but are not limited to): the Pantheon, St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Gardens, the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, or Sant'Agnese in Agone near Piazza Navona. Groups may have the opportunity to perform during a service, present a standalone concert, or participate in exchange experiences with local schools, universities, or community organizations.
Day 9
Return home
Already Included
- Transportation to & from your destination 
- Hotel accommodations 
- Admissions to top attractions (details in itinerary) 
- Meals (unless otherwise noted on your itinerary) 
- 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 
- Guided sightseeing tours & city walks (details in itinerary) 
- Tips for local guides and drivers 
- WorldStrides Tour Director: A dynamic destination expert who makes learning come to life by leading your group's activities and discussions 
- Adjudicated group performances and an optional solo/duo competition 
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.
