London to Bavaria

Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace

Take the Eurostar under the English Channel. Faster than you can say... anything, in French, you'll whiz through a tunnel and arrive in Paris.

Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, Notre Dame Cathedral visit

State Apartments, Hall of Mirrors, Gardens of Versailles

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.)

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

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.

Löwendenkmal (Lion Monument), Kapellbrücke, Jesuitenkirche, Weinmarkt and Kornmarkt Squares

Visit Zurich, an optional excursion, known as "Downtown Switzerland". The city acts as headquarters for five world banks and countless underground gold bullions. Later, explore the old town (altdstadt) and get a sense of why this city was named number one for best quality of life; stroll through parks and quays, relax by Lake Zurich or shop for products unique to Switzerland.

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.

This elaborate castle was built atop a rock ledge over the Pöllat Gorge in the Bavarian Alps by order of Bavaria's King Ludwig II, referred to as "Mad Ludwig," whose favorite pastime was midnight sleigh rides through the countryside. This stronghold was the crowning jewel of the king’s building spree across Bavaria and was the inspiration for Cinderella’s castle in Disney World. Begun in 1869 and left unfinished at Ludwig's death in 1886, this lavish palace is an eccentric reconstruction of a medieval castle, and it boasts major technological and architectural achievements for the time, including running water, flushing toilets, a hot water system for the kitchen, and bathrooms with warm-air heating systems.

Frauenkirche, Glockenspeil, Nymphenburg Palace visit, Olympic site of 1972

LEAP Activity | Bask in Bavarian Arts

Discover the links between traditional dance and Bavarian history. Listen to and learn Bavarian music while participating in ancient folklore storytelling. You’ll also learn (and demonstrate) a variety of traditional dance steps as taught by local experts.