28 DAY European Paradiso ECJNLL-8

Transcription

1 28 DAY European Paradiso ECJNLL-8 This tour visits: France, Spain, Italy, Vatican City, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands Ain t nothing that epitomises a Euro summer like a hit of Spanish culture and an exclusive stay in Sardinia (a stop that only certain Topdeck trips do!) Expect sandy beaches, a mountainous interior famed for hiking, and a rugged landscape perfect for practising your photo skills. Picnic in Paris, get Frenchy in Bordeaux, learn the history of Pompeii and day trip it to Corsica all while topping up your tan.

2 The Bucket List More Inclusions Walking tour of Amsterdam Driving tour of Madrid Day trip to Corsica Bordeaux winery tour & tasting Walking tour of Venice Walking tour of Rome Visit Pisa & the famous Leaning Tower Driving tour of Barcelona Walking tour of Florence with local guide Walking tour of Pamplona Vaporetto ride in Venice Dutch cheese & clogs demonstration Day trip to Pompeii Driving tour of Paris & gourmet picnic by the Eiffel Tower 27 breakfasts, 15 lunches, 15 dinners 16 nights in European campsites in spacious twin-share dome style tents with air mattresses, 10 nights in hostel accommodation upgrades, 1 night on an overnight ferry English Channel crossing Modern air-conditioned coach with free Wi-Fi Guided tours of all major cities Awesome Trip Leader + Driver + Topdeck Chef Driving tour of Paris & gourmet picnic by the Eiffel Tower Dinner Trip Itinerary Day 1 - London, England to Paris, France All good things start with Paris. Meet the crew, grab some supplies and hit the road early in the morning as we jump across the English Channel to Paris. Pinch yourself and Instagram your first selfie before we kick off the trip with a driving tour of Paris and a gourmet picnic by the Eiffel Tower. Home to Coco Chanel, the Eiffel Tower and the Mona Lisa, Paris has more than earned its reputation as the European capital for all things culture, fashion and food. Now's your chance to find out why. -Driving tour of Paris & gourmet picnic by the Eiffel Tower Day 2 - Paris

3 This morning: free time en Francais. From the Louvre and Musée d'orsay to the l'arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysées, you'll be sure to make a solid dent in your bucket list. Hop on an optional bike tour of Paris or roam the streets on your own before ending your day with an optional Seine River cruise or a #throwback bohemian cabaret show. -Paris bicycle tour -Seine River cruise -Traditional cabaret show Day 3 - Paris to Mont St-Michel Jump back to the Middle Ages in the alleys of this tiny island. Prepare for spiraling steps and epic views that are totes worth the climb. Day 4 - Mont St-Michel to Bordeaux Onwards to Bordeaux. This evening, check out the city known as the world's wine capital, then return to your camp to score some welldeserved rest. -Bordeaux winery experience Day 5 - Bordeaux to San Sebastian, Spain Wake up, rise and shine then head off to Spain's endless beaches. Get your bearings in San Sebastian before digging into a local feast. Day 6 - San Sebastian Beach day for the win - an entire day to work on your tan. Catch some waves on Playa de la Gros or tan like a millionaire at Playa de la Ondarreta. Plus a pintxos culture you won't want to miss. But don't miss the Old Town for some local vibes. Tonight dig into some more local nosh.

4 -Surfing in San Sebastian Day 7 - San Sebastian to Madrid Pit stop in Pamplona for an orientation tour. Madrid next to get down with the Spanish capital. Cue non-stop marcha (action) and instaworthy grub. -Walking tour of Pamplona -Driving tour of Madrid Day 8 - Madrid Over to you. Get your art fix at the Prado Museum or make like a local at one of the buzzing bistros in Malasaña - an uber trendy, neighbourhood with a unique character and a provocative past. You can't lose. Day 9 - Madrid to Barcelona Off to Zaragoza for a bit of history and a glimpse of the mighty Basilica of Our Lady before we take Barcelona for a spin. -Visit to Zaragoza -Driving tour of Barcelona -Flamenco show in Barcelona Day 10 - Barcelona Who needs the snooze button when you've got a whole day in a city packed to the rafters with art nouveau, alluring accents and most importantly, tapas. Hit the side streets and alleyways of Las Ramblas, take in the eccentric work of artist Antoni Gaudi at Parc Güell or give in to your inner football tragic and kneel to the sporting gods at Camp Nou.

5 Day 11 - Barcelona to Sardinia, Italy via Overnight Ferry Take today to tick off all those things you haven't already seen. Or, hit the beach. We don't board our ferry 'til this evening so you're free as a bird. Next up, three nights in Sardinia to set our watches to island time. Cue epic coastal drives, beachy vibes and four million sheep. Day 12 - Sardinia Prepare for love at first sight as you lay eyes on Sardinia's translucent sands and impossibly-blue waters. Yep, this place is paradise on earth. With a pinch of Italy, a dash of Greece and a whole lot of its own flavour, this island haven offers coastal trails, mouthwatering cuisine and a bunch of archaeological sites that'll have you Snapchatting for days. Day 13 - Sardinia Day 2 of laying on a beach in paradise. Bored yet? Not possible. Beware of a possible traffic jam with the island's sheep. Check out the Grotto or the old town of Alghero for some pretty impressive views. Day 14 - Sardinia A day trip to Sardinia's French cousin Corsica to put another tick on your list, and add a French layer to your tan. Ogle at the white cliffs of Bonifacio before swapping the beach for ancient ruins (and lots of gelato!). -Day trip to Corsica Day 15 - Sardinia to Rome Onto the best for a lesson in carbs. We may have a late arrival by ferry, but for those with the will (and the energy) a pro tip has us in the small streets behind Piazza Navona for a nightcap.

6 Day 16 - Rome Today is all you. Get up close and personal with the Colosseum or splurge on Via del Corso. Step back to 753 BC in one of the world's oldest open-air museums on a walking tour and give that bucket list a workout. Make like Caesar and work up a colossus hunger as you pass by the Pantheon, throw your two cents in the Trevi Fountain, sit on the Spanish Steps and visit ancient history's version of the Hunger Games set at the Colosseum. -Walking tour of Rome Day 17 - Rome Today we're off to explore the ancient city of Pompeii - the once thriving and sophisticated Roman city that was buried in ash and pumice after the catastrophic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE. Like stepping inside a real-life history book, you'll get the chance to experience a guided look at some of the site's highlights including the theatre, thermal baths and the extraordinarily preserved frescoes and mosaics. -Guided tour of historical Pompeii Day 18 - Rome to Florence including Vatican City visit Check out the home of the Pope, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel (optional) before we head off to Florence. -Guided tour of Vatican City Day 19 - Florence Get down with the Renaissance on a walking tour and meet a local artisan. Your mission tonight: hunt down the best aperitivo (Google it). -Walking tour of Florence with local guide

7 Day 20 - Florence to Venice Buh bye Florence, and hello Venice. Wave hello and get excited for the upcoming maze and bridge hopping ahead of you. -Visit to Pisa & the famous Leaning Tower Day 21 - Venice Tick off the Bridge of Sighs and shoo pigeons in San Marco Square on today's walking tour. Then it's over to you. Don't miss the winning combo of bubbly and peach purée - yep, the Bellini was born here. -Walking tour of Venice -Vaporetto ride in Venice -Gondola ride in Venice Day 22 - Venice to Austrian Alps, Austria An action packed afternoon to work off those Italian carbs. Plus scenery so smashing, it'll leave your jaw sore. -Canyoning -Tandem paragliding in the Austrian Alps -Skydiving in the Austrian Alps -Bike tour in the Austrian Alps Day 23 - Austrian Alps to Swiss Alps via Vaduz Liechtenstein Gear up for another day to crane your neck, we're hitting the Swiss Alps next. #YO(de)LO -Walking tour of Liechtenstein

8 Day 24 - Swiss Alps A day to hang out in the Alpine village or catch the epic views from the top of Jungfrau mountain. Also: last chance to skydive. Just sayin' -Scenic excursion to Jungfrau ('The Top of Europe') -Scenic helicopter ride in the Swiss Alps -Skydiving in the Swiss Alps -Schilthorn cable car experience Day 25 - Swiss Alps to Rhine Valley, Germany Medieval castles, vineyards and the mighty Rhine River are all up next today. Breathe in as we weave our way through narrow cobblestone streets and tunnels. Besides its obvious appeal (hello, fairytale views over the Rhine) half of Germany's wine comes from here. Shame not to try some. -Rhine Valley river cruise Day 26 - Rhine Valley to Amsterdam, Netherlands Amster-DAM it's going to be a good day! Start dreaming of cheese, clogs and cheeky cafe stops as we roll through tulip and windmill dotted fields to Amsterdam. Cue liberal views, vintage bikes and fries served with mayo #winning. See the Dam Square, Royal Palace and National Monument. -Dutch cheese & clogs demonstration -Walking tour of Amsterdam

9 Day 27 - Amsterdam A free day to explore. Hit the Jordaan district to shop vintage between art galleries or kick back in Vondel Park. Don't miss the chance for an optional cruise along the canals tonight. Optional Activities: -Bike tour of Amsterdam -Canal drinks cruise in Amsterdam Day 28 - Amstedam to London, England After all the Amster-damage has been done and dusted, it's time to hit the road and make tracks to ol' Blighty. Soak up all the happy group vibes you can possibly handle - this is your last coach ride with the gang. #sadface. Accommodation Your trip will mainly stay in campsites. Topdeck provides comfortable, twin - share dome tents to sleep in and every passenger will have an inflatable air mattress to sleep on. If you are travelling alone, you will be paired with a tent partner of the same sex. The tents have ventilation windows, zipped-up fronts and sewn-in ground sheets. They are light and easy to erect (you will be given a demonstration at the start of the trip). You and your tent partner will be responsible for pitching your own tent, and you will generally have the same tent for the entire trip. Our camping trips encourage passenger participation in all activities - social and otherwise! The Camping trips feature some included accommodation upgrades in certain locations. On such occasions, the number of people in a room varies depending on the type of accommodation. Rooms in hostels are usually shared by four to six people. When staying in multi-share accommodation, our Camping trips operate a single-sex policy. Meals Accompanying you on your trip will be a trained Topdeck Chef who is responsible for providing any included meals. The coach will be equipped with all the utensils required for the Chef to cook dishes fresh at every destination, whether breakfast, lunch or a two-course dinner. Occasionally, some of the included meals may be in local restaurants or accommodations. A full list of included meals is in the 'More Inclusions' section of this document.

10 If you have any dietary requirements we will make every effort to cater to your specific needs as long as you advise your travel agent or Customer Service Consultant when you book. However, please be aware that although we will do everything in our power to arrange it, we cannot guarantee that every restaurant we use will be able to cater to all dietary needs, particularly in Eastern Europe. We also cannot cater for tastes or dislikes, as most of our included evening meals feature a set menu. No Tip Necessary Your Topdeck crew never expect tips themselves and will not ask for any; that s not what friends do! We also know how much tipping can cost you. So go ahead, spoil yourself with the money you will save by travelling with Topdeck (just don t forget Mum s souvenir). Topdeck Travel App Our travel app has landed! With a range of awesome features including a Currency Converter, Budget Tracker, Check-In tool and Social Timeline you can plan your trip like a pro. Think of it like your very own Topdeck Trip Leader, always on call with the latest info, weather, maps and city guides to give you the trip of a lifetime, all in the palm of your hand. Please note: The Topdeck Travel App should only be downloaded once you have booked onto your trip. You will not be able to log in unless you have a Topdeck Booking Reference Number. Get it for iphone Get it for Android Passenger safety One of the best parts of travelling is experiencing the nightlife and entertainment each city has to offer. However, amidst the fun and excitement, it s important to be aware of your surroundings and personal safety as well. Before you hit the road with us, it s important to be aware of the following: When you re on a night out, remember to avoid walking alone, particularly through deserted areas like beaches and back streets. Always stick together, take a taxi where possible, and keep a note of your accommodation details so you can find your way back to your fellow Topdeckers if you become separated. In some countries, alcoholic measures can be considerably larger than what you may be used to. Try to keep track of what you re drinking, and if you see one of your trip mates looking a little worse for wear, take them back to your accommodation. Be cautious when accepting drinks from strangers and never leave your drink unattended. It s also important to be aware that what you might consider harmless flirting may be interpreted differently in some countries. Be yourself and have fun, but don t be naïve, and be mindful of the signals you are sending out so that you don t find yourself in an uncomfortable situation.