European Cultures

After meeting with your Tour Director , begin exploring the capital of England.

Sightseeing with a local guide includes the Neo-Gothic Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Nelson's Column, and lively Piccadilly Circus. Your tour ends with the Changing of the Guard (seasonal).

Take the high-speed train through the Channel Tunnel to Paris.

A local guide shows you the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Élysées, and Notre Dame Cathedral.

Travel to the top of the Eiffel Tower for breathtaking views of Paris.

Admire the vast grounds, gardens, and salons of the Palace of Versailles.

Art lovers will welcome a visit to the incredible and enormous Louvre.

LEAP Activity | Seize the Château!

This costume workshop is a lively role-play activity that puts you in the shoes of the monarchy, clergy, nobility, bourgeoisie, or peasantry to explore the issues underlying the French Revolution.

Optional add-on.

Board a flight to Italy this afternoon.

LEAP Activity | Cover the Canvas

Live the artist life. Explore line, color, perspective, negative space and form, then paint a masterpiece inspired by the beauty of Paris.

A local guide helps you follow in the footsteps of the ancients in the Colosseum, the Arch of Constantine and the Forum.

Discover the ancient secrets of the Roman gladiator games and master the basics of hand-to-hand combat at gladiator school.

This morning, visit the Vatican and discover the artistic legacy of Catholicism. Marvel at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel before moving up the broad steps of the world's largest Christian church, St. Peter's Basilica.

Visit this town of 17 medieval neighborhoods, each with its own church and symbol. Visit the Siena Cathedral, an ornate Roman Catholic structure completed in 1348.

LEAP Activity | Great Renaissance Debate

Greet six renaissance giants including Giotto, Galileo, and Isabella d’Este, and debate who made the greatest impact on civilization.

A local guide introduces the Duomo, Ghiberti's bronze Baptistery doors, the tiny shops on the Ponte Vecchio, and the Accademia, where you can view Michelangelo's David.

Opt to spend the afternoon exploring the famous Uffizi Gallery, one of the most popular attractions in Florence. With works dating back to the 16th century from artists such as da Vinci, Michelangelo and Botticelli, there is plenty of beautiful artwork to observe and discover.

Tonight, roll up your sleeves and create delicacies!

LEAP Activity | Cucina Fiorentina

Cook up a three-course traditional meal with a local chef using fresh local produce. Get a taste of Tuscan life and zesty flavors! Mangia!

Marvel at the most famous battle between engineering and Mother Nature - the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Head north to the Alps and Switzerland.

Lucerne tour director-led sightseeing

One of the city's famous landmarks is Chapel Bridge, or Kapellbrücke, a wooden bridge first built in the 14th century. It has also been voted as the 5th most popular tourism destination in the world.

View the Lion Monument, or Löwendenkmal, created in 1820 in honor of the Swiss Guards who lost their lives in 1792 during the French Revolution.

View the impressive Jesuitenkirche which was the first large baroque church built in Switzerland. The ostentatious baroque style architecture is meant to represent the power and glory of the Catholic tradition.

Stroll through the picturesque medieval Weinmarkt Square and the Kornmarkt Square in the historical heart of Lucerne.

Description

LEAP Activity | Swiss Life and Legends

Legends of William Tell, the Lion Monument, Swiss independence, and more come to life as you reenact episodes in the history of Switzerland.

Surrounded by mountains, forests, and the Neckar River, Heidelberg showcases a quintessential German landscape. Join your Tour Director as you drive through this granddaddy of all college towns, with its scores of bars, cafés, and shops. Get a beautiful view Germany’s oldest university —founded in 1386—from the Marktplatz, Heidelberg’s main square. Head up to Heidelberg Castle, which is still a little wobbly from its partial destruction during the Thirty Years’ War, a 17th-century attack by the French, and a major lightening hit in 1764. The castle’s courtyard is home to the largest wine barrel in world, the Great Vat, which holds about 50,000 gallons of wine (possibly another contributing factor to the castle’s romantically off-balance appearance).

Head up to Heidelberg Castle, which is still a little wobbly from its partial destruction during the Thirty Years’ War, a 17th-century attack by the French, and a major lightening hit in 1764. The castle is considered to be one of the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps, and the castle’s courtyard is home to the largest wine barrel in world!

Visit the town's historical Marktplatz, the Market Square.