Day-to-day Itinerary June 15 - June 29, 2008
Date/Day	Activity/Overnight Location
June 15 Sun.	Portland Our morning flight departs from Portland for Rome.
June 16 Mon.	ROME You will meet your comfortable coach and professional driver upon arrival at da Vinci Airport, then transfer with your tour guide to nearby Rome for an introduction to the "Eternal City." Our professional city guide will share with you the architectural and historical significance that was, and still is, the city of Rome.   The city's monuments sparkle and shine with renewed grandeur since their remarkable renewal for the Jubilee Year in 2000. Our guide will bring the Colosseum, the Forum, and our many other sights to life, as you walk where the Caesars walked and experience the ancient city.   You may wish to join us this afternoon for a trip outside Rome to view the cascading waters of the Renaissance fountains in beautiful Tivoli Gardens. Or remain at the hotel for a relaxing stroll through this exclusive quiet neighborhood before dinner.
June 17 Tues.	ROME Today will be a full day of the extremely interesting sights and sounds of Rome. In the morning you will visit the Vatican Museum with Michelangelo's famous and recently restored Sistine Chapel, Raphael's paintings within the Papal Apartments, and St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church in the world. The afternoon is free. Join tour leader if you wish on an extended walking tour of the most famous (pedestrian only) section of the city, or return by coach to our hotel. You will see the Pantheon (the oldest structure of Rome still intact), and stroll down the exclusive Via Condotti on our way to the recently restored Spanish Steps. Many other unique highlights of this "eternal city" will be pointed out to you along the way. After dinner you'll go with the group to experience a little night life as you visit the Piazza Navona. Here you will view the impressive "Fountain of the Four Rivers," by the baroque sculptor Bernini, and find artists and entertainers on the big square. You will enjoy the atmosphere and perhaps a piece of tortuffo from the nearby shop. To call this unique frozen concoction ice cream doesn't do it justice! By evening light, this and the many other sights of Rome are exquisite!
June 18 Wed.	Rome - Siena - Florence                                      This morning we make a visit to Villa Lante, an exquisite Renaissance garden, in the small nearby hill town of Bagnaia. After a stroll in the Cardinal's garden, you can rub shoulders with the locals in this pristinely quiet remote village. We then travel to our noonday stop for lunch in the beautiful medieval city of Siena, the rival of nearby Florence for centuries. You will enjoy traveling through the quiet hills and vineyards of the Chianti Region on our way to Florence. Upon our arrival we will stop above the city for a view from Piazzalle Michelangelo. Here you can appreciate the city's beautiful skyline with a gorgeous panoramic view of this "Cradle of the Renaissance" town. After dinner you may want to join the group for a stroll through this remarkable capital of European art and to become acquainted with Italy's sterling achievement, gelato. At Vivoli's it is the worlds best!
June 19 Thurs.	Florence                                      This morning you will fall in love with this city of art, as our guided tour introduces you to Michelangelo's David, the remarkable cathedral with Brunelleschi's famous dome of Santa Maria della Fiore Church, Giotto's bell tower, the Baptistry, and a special tour of Michelangelo's famous Medici Tombs. This city is packed with artistic masterpieces.   Your afternoon is free, with time to see the world famous Uffizi Gallery and other museums and palaces. Perhaps you'd prefer to shop for some silk or leather bargains in the S. Lorenzo Marketplace, nearby our hotel, or you might just enjoy another gelato!
June 20 Fri.	Florence - Venice This morning we bid farewell to Tuscany as we depart for Venice.   We will travel north through the beautiful Po River Valley and into the Veneto region of Italy, to our arrival in Venice. A short ferry transfer across the Venetian Lagoon delivers us to our hotel on the quiet Island of Lido. The remainder of the afternoon is free to visit the beach, or explore the city. Or you may wish join your tour leader for a visit to the remarkable islands of Burano and Murano. After dinner join the group for an excursion to St. Marks Square, to see the Grand Canal at night, or listen to one of the three groups of professional musicians that provide the music on Venice.  The island is beautifully lit after dark and provides for a very pleasant and safe stroll through its picturesque small streets with their enchanted buildings.
June 21 Sat.	Venice Today we have a grand introduction to "La Serenissima," the quiet one, the nickname give to the captivatingly peaceful island of Venezia. Our professional guided tour will include the Doge's Palace and the spectacular Saint Mark's Cathedral, where the apostle's body is buried. The afternoon is free to shop for remarkable glass or linens, visit a museum or church, or simply wander and soak up the ambience of your surroundings. Tonight your tour leader will arrange an after-dinner gondola through the quiet romantic canals within the city, the perfect finish to a remarkably memorable day.
June 22 Sun.	Venice - Salzburg A scenic drive through the spectacular Alps brings us to our afternoon arrival in Salzburg, Austria. We'll have time for a visit to the famous Mirabelle Gardens and a stroll through this old-world city before dinner. This historic city is famous for its castle and remarkable musical heritage, particularly known for its favorite hometown son, Johann Amadeus Mozart. We will show you his "birthhouse,"on the world famous Getreidestrasse in old town. The days of our tour that are spent in this beautiful region are guaranteed to make it one of your favorite stays on our itinerary. After dinner perhaps you'd like to join us at dusk to watch the "Lightning Bugs" magically light up the nearby woods. You'll enjoy this quiet hotel; it's location, it's setting, and it's food.
June 23 Mon.	Salzburg You will love your delicious Austrian breakfast, after which we will take you for a special treat, as we visit beautiful Hellbrunn Palace with its famous Waterworks garden. We then drive deep into one of the most beautiful areas in all of Europe, for a day in the Salzkammergut Region. We have selected the picturesque small villages of St. Wolfgang and Hallstatt to visit. They will undoubtedly endear you to this wonderful countryside forever.
June 24 Tues.	Salzburg - Oberammergau Today will be a treat as you go to the famous and fun Bad Reichenhaller Salt Mines, near Berchtesgaden.   Begun in the thirteenth century, these mines have been in operation ever since.   You will find the tour entertaining and educational, as you have fun riding trains, sliding down slides, and floating across a subterranean salt lake in the heart of this mountain. Afterwards relax, as we travel the Alpenstrasse through the Bavarian Alps and down the Autobahn, for a luncheon stop at Lake Chiemsee. The scenery along the way is breathtaking. We transfer deeper into Bavaria to our destination, a visit to "crazy" King Ludwig's Linderhof Castle, with its enchanting gardens and fountains. Your tour here will also include a trip through King Ludwig's underground Grotto, a man made cavern where he floated around on his subterranean lake and enjoyed his own personal opera performances. We'll spend the afternoon in Oberammergau.   This quiet little town is renowned as the "woodcarving capital of the world" and famous for its "Passion Play," a theatrical production representing the life and persecution of Christ, performed by the village every ten years. Enjoy a peaceful stroll in this quaint setting, do a little bit of interesting shopping, or explore the wonderful examples of Luftmalerei ("air paintings") on the sides of the village chalets.
June 25 Wed.	Oberammergau - Fussen - Engelberg Before we leave Bavaria, this morning we will visit the famous "castle of all castles"- Neuschwanstein (the inspiration for Disney's fantasyland). The unique interiors as well as the scenic vistas that you will experience from this "fairyland" castle are remarkable. After lunch we transfer through the small royal principality of Leichtenstein, and then on into Switzerland. Our grand hotel in Engelberg is located in the very heart of the Swiss Alps. You will be amazed at the spectacular 360-degree mountain panorama that surrounds our hotel in this tiny valley.
June 26 Thurs.	Engelberg - Lucerne - Interlaken Thurs. This morning is free, for you to either ride a gondola to the top of the Swiss Alps for a breathtaking view, or to relax and wander in this beautiful small village. After lunch we travel into nearby Lucerne for a walking tour of the city. Our tour of Lucerne will include a visit to the Lion's Monument, the old town square, the Bridge of the Dead, and the famous Baroque gem, the Jesuit Church. Our afternoon coach-transfer will shuttle the group over the pass and into the Interlaken valley for a wonderful dinner and overnight at our hotel.
June 27 Fri.	Interlaken Today is a day of many options. You may wish to take a ferryboat ride across nearby Thunersee for a relaxing visit to explore the small town of Thun. Or perhaps you would like to join other members of the group for an after breakfast excursion into the foothills of the Alps. This day trip includes a remarkable tram ride up the mountain and an overland railroad ride along the alpine plateau. We will enjoy a leisurely downhill stroll through high alpine villages towards Heidi's village of Grimmelwald. The remarkable backdrop across the valley that is formed by the three majestic peaks of the Eiger, Jungfrau, and Monch is indescribable. Our day excursion finishes with a visit to the awesome inside-the-rock Trummelbach Falls, as its massive cascades of water tumble hundreds of feet downwards, through the inside of the mountain.
June 28 Sat.	Interlaken - Paris This morning we transfer through the Swiss countryside and into France, our afternoon arrival in Paris. After dinner you will enjoy a special event, a trip to top of Eiffel Tower at dusk, to see the "City of Lights" in its splendor.
June 29 Sun.	Paris - Portland An early morning transfer will take us from our Paris hotel to the airport, for our return flight to the US. As we chase the sun westward to our evening arrival in Portland, you will have the opportunity to reflect fondly on the many remarkable memories and experiences you have enjoyed on your "Best of Europe" travel tour, fond memories that will certainly last a lifetime.
-or-

"Kings and Queens"

Paris / London Tour Extension
June 29 - July 3, 2008

Paris London	2 Days 3
Total     5 Days

	Day-to-day Itinerary
June 29 Sun.	Paris Exciting, unbelievable Paris! Yes, It is truly remarkable to be a visitor to such an unforgettable city. You will be amazed at all of the things that there are to see and do in this city. This morning you will have a very special guided tour, directed by the best tour guide in Paris. You will really enjoy your experience seeing Place de la Concorde (where the guillotine was set up during the French Revolution), the Arch de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, with a guided tour inside, the Eiffel Tower, the Ile de la Cite, the Ile St. Louis, the Latin Quarter, the Champs-Elysees, and many other highlights of this beautiful city. Just before lunch you will also visit Les Invalides, for a visit to the tomb of the emperor Napoleon. When we arrive at the recently renovated Paris Opera (the home of the "Phantom"), you can easily find that perfect spot to have yourself a relaxing crepe for lunch at any number of sidewalk cafes.   If you feel more energetic you might walk the short distance to the Hard Rock Cafe, for a more lively meal.   If you are interested in buying any of the famous French perfumes, buy them in Paris, where you can purchase your favorite fragrances at terrific savings. The afternoon is free to allow you to explore the heart of Paris. Spend the balance of the day exploring the lively and ultramodern Pompidou Center, the famous Left Bank, or other nearby sights. After dinner you may want to join the group leader for an educational coach transfer and visit to the hill of Montmartre.   This is the old Artist's Quarter of the city. It is extremely interesting and fascinating in the late evening. You must make it a point to have your portrait done in pastels or charcoal. It and the beautiful view of the city from this vantage point will be your best souvenirs of the trip.
June 30 Mon.	Giverny - Versailles - Paris This morning you we travel out of Paris and into the Normandy countryside to the rural village of Giverny, to visit the country home and gardens of the Impressionist painter, Claude Monet. On the return trip, we stop just outside of Paris in the exquisite small town of Versailles, to discover the grandeur of this largest palace in all of Europe. While in the woods, the group will have time for a nice French picnic lunch. After lunch, our guide will lead your special tour out in the forest grounds and gardens of Versailles with a walk to see the Petite and Grand Trianon Palaces and the recently restored Hamlet of Marie Antoinette. Save a little bread to feed the fish here. A short coach ride through the grounds brings us to the highlight of the day, a grand tour through the Main Palace. You will see why at one time it was the envy of all of Europe. After dinner our group will enjoy boarding the Bateaux Mouches riverboat for at-dusk cruise to view Paris at night on the River Seine.
July 1 Tues.	Paris - London Early this morning we bid farewell to Paris, as we board the high speed Eurostar and travel quickly across Northern France and through the "Chunnel" to London. Our train arrives mid-morning at Victoria Station. Our professional guide, June Galgey, will meet us at Victoria Station for tour of the city. June's remarkable tour will include a visit to the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, St. Paul's Cathedral, and a number of other wonderful sights. Dinner tonight is provided in the hotel, after which an evening visit to see a London Theater show at one of the famous West End London theater productions will be provided for members of the group (budget maximum of 25 UKL per person).
July 2 Wed.	London Today is a free day in London. It is set aside for you to do any personal sightseeing, "museuming,"shopping for take-home souvenirs, or just relaxing and taking in the nice British atmosphere. You may choose to join members of the group in visiting such sights as the British Museum, the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery, Madam Tassauds Wax Museum, Harrod's Department Store, Laura Ashley's and Selfridges Department Store. We will be glad to escort you to the Hard Rock Cafe or Planet Hollywood for those sweatshirts, etc. This town is a marvel of efficient mass transit, with everything easily within reach of the Underground or a speedy cab.   Whatever your plans for the evening, pack early, to insure that you can get some rest to prepare for the flight home tomorrow. To allow individuals making separate plans for the evening, money will be provided to tour participants with which to purchase their own dinner at any number of fine restaurants or pubs of their choice this evening.
July 3 Thurs.	London - Portland An early morning transfer will take us from our London hotel to the airport, for our return flight to the US.   RETURN NOTE:   After you have concluded your Best of Europe experience, and upon your return home, keep in mind that this most memorable of experiences comes to an end only briefly. After just a few short days have passed, and you have rested from your flight, you will begin to again and again re-live the exciting times you had throughout the countries and cities of Europe ! You will find that there was no better way to have traveled through Europe than with our "The Best Of Europe"   travel tour experience . You will have had experiences, impressions, and memories that will last you a lifetime!

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