25 DAY Summer Compass EESCLL-8

Transcription

1 25 DAY Summer Compass EESCLL-8 This tour visits: France, Spain, Italy, Vatican City, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Netherlands Spin the compass and let us take you across the vibrant path from London to some of the most popular regions in Europe. We re talking culture, history, food (and lots of it) as we wander through France, Spain, Italy, Vatican City, Switzerland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Lucky you, it s going to be an incredible adventure. Jump on and get excited!

2 The Bucket List More Inclusions Walking tour of Valencia Walking tour of Amsterdam Driving tour of Madrid Walking tour of Venice Canal dinner cruise in Amsterdam Walking tour of Rome Walking tour of Marseille Bordeaux winery experience Driving tour of Barcelona Walking tour of Florence with local guide Driving tour of Paris Visit to the Loire Valley Visit to Verona Gourmet picnic by the Eiffel Tower Vaporetto ride in Venice Dutch cheese & clogs demonstration Visit to Pisa & the famous Leaning Tower Walking tour of San Sebastián 24 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 10 dinners, 18 nights in hostels, 6 nights in bungalows at European campsites English Channel crossings Modern air-conditioned coach with free Wi-Fi Guided tours of all major cities Awesome Trip Leader + Driver Trip Itinerary Day 1 - London, England to Paris, France Bonjour, to the City of Love! Tonight: we spot French poodles on an epic driving tour, and then kick back and feast on a #gourmet picnic under the Eiffel Tower (ooh, you pretty thang!). Once you've had your first 'wow' moment, sit back and truly soak up all of those Parisian vibes. You're a local now right? Enjoy it. -Driving tour of Paris & gourmet picnic by the Eiffel Tower Day 2 - Paris Grab your baguette and go. Run, don't walk. Explore all of the hidden gems in Paris solo or with company because today, it's all yours to take on the city. Explore the local haunts then spill the stories later. We don't like to brag, but a great find is worth sharing, right? 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. Explore by foot or roll with an optional bike tour. Tonight: any takers for an authentic traditional cabaret experience? -Traditional cabaret show in Paris

3 -Scenic river cruise on the Seine -Bike tour of Paris Day 3 - Paris to Bordeaux Enter Bordeaux where vineyards rule and fromage is King. Discover why the region is world famous for its fermented grapes. -Visit the Loire Valley -Lunch -Entry to Château du Chambord Day 4 - Bordeaux Home to over 9,000 wine producers, Bordeaux fo' sure knows how to wine and dine (date night anyone?). See how many grapes you can squeeze into one day. Hit the streets and see how much you can uncover - it's all yours. Raise a glass to the winemakers at happy hour. Day 5 - Bordeaux to San Sebastian, Spain Wake up, roll out of bed - it's wine o'clock somewhere in the world. This morning, learn the A to Z of wine with an included tasting. Taste the range and pick up some bottles to send home. Your future self will thank you. Before you know it, pintxos and tapas x 100 in San Sebastian. All. The. Food. -Bordeaux winery experience -Walking tour of San Sebastian Day 6 - San Sebastian

4 Can you say beach day? Hit up the old town before you catch some rays. Don't miss the option to join a surfing lesson. Shaka like a Spaniard and show off those new found skills. Later, after waves and sand have won out, hit up the Old Town. It's calling your name. After all - we head out tomorrow so make the most of it. -Surfing in San Sebastian Day 7 - San Sebastian to Madrid Head inland to the capital. Home to Spanish masterpieces (Picasso and Dali anyone?) and buzzing nightlife. Spend a spare moment exploring the Royal Palace, Plaza de España, Reina Sofia and all the architectural delights this city has to offer. Need more? Don't miss the Prado Museum, the botanical gardens and the home of Real Madrid FC. -Driving tour of Madrid Day 8 - Madrid Hot foot it along the Gran Vía to the Plaza Major. Before you go, don't miss a visit to the Chocolatería San Ginés - serving some hot dayum churros since In the mood for chills? Kick back and relax in the malasaña and chueca neighbourhoods. Shopping fiends will be well catered for in the Salamanca district. -Food tour of Madrid Day 9 - Madrid to Valencia Put down that calamari sandwich then head to Valencia. More food. And again. Some argue Valencia is THE home to paella but we'll leave that for the Spaniards to battle out. -Walking tour of Valencia Day 10 - Valencia to Barcelona Say hey, Barcelona! Get acquainted with the city on an included driving tour before we set you free into the buzzing city. Uncover the food market gems scattered across Barcelona and unleash your inner gastronome. Visit La Boqueria in Barcelona for a luxe open air experience. Tonight: shall we dance? Prepare for an optional flamenco show.

5 -Driving tour of Barcelona -Flamenco show in Barcelona Day 11 - Barcelona Next up, rowdy Gaudi. Free day today to tick off Park Güell or the La Sagrada Familia. At night, rumble with the Las Ramblas for a taste of the Spanish nightlife. Day 12 - Barcelona to Marseille, France We meet with the French border before crossing back to Marseille. Set foot and head out on an included walking tour and uncover the best that Marseille has to offer. It's multiculturalism and history at its best. -Walking tour of Marseille Day 13 - Marseille It's maritime heaven in the Vieux Port - mast-to-mast with yachts for the sailing fans out there in Marseille. Dig into local French fare and watch the sun set across the port. Charming, really. Day 14 - Marseille to Florence, Italy Time to roll on to Florence aka the home of the world's best gelato and most awe-inspiring open air museum. End your day in true Italian fashion: in a carb induced coma at a local trattoria. It would be rude not too. Day 15 - Florence Renaissance beauty meets Italian style. Say ciao to cheeky David and strut along the Ponte Vecchio, gelato in hand. You could do worse than hunting down a Florentine steak for dinner tonight.

6 -Walking tour of Florence with local guide Day 16 - Florence to Rome Enter Rome. Become an amateur historian in no time on our guided city walking tour in Rome. Cross off some red hot ruins, oodles of obelisks and of course, the big ticket sights. Later, refuel on pizza. Obviously. How can you not fall in love with this city? -Walking tour of Rome -Visit to Pisa & the famous Leaning Tower Day 17 - Rome including Vatican City visit It wouldn't be Rome without a visit to the Pope. Catch that 360-degree view from the Basilica (optional). Top tip: Trastevere. Just go. -Guided tour of Vatican City Day 18 - Rome to Venice We've got a sinking feeling that Venice is the way to go. Fall in love as you jump over bridges. FYI: Bellinis (Prosecco sparkling wine + peach purée magic) were born here. Treat yo' self and sample one. Or two. Maybe more? -Walking tour of Verona Day 19 - Venice Head into St Mark's Square, shoo pigeons and jump over the Rialto Bridge. Here, it's all about the on-foot and getting-lost vibes with maze vibes. Later, steal a chance to jump on an optional gondola ride to complete your Venice experience. Later, it's your last chance to find the best pizza or pasta before we head off tomorrow. -Vaporetto ride in Venice -Walking tour of Venice

7 -Gondola ride in Venice Day 20 - Venice to Swiss Alps, Switzerland Fresh air and Swiss vibes today as we roll up into the alps. Get ready for OMG views. -Lunch Day 21 - Swiss Alps Today, it's all about the excitement and adventure. High five those heights with an optional Jungfrau adventure, or maybe skydiving is more your thang? Fairytale villages en route, sky-diving out of a helicopter upon arrival (if heights don't scare you). Another local feast awaits your return, regardless of how you make your way back down. Then head back down for some hot chocolate. Damn, travelling is hard work. -Lunch -Scenic excursion to Jungfrau ('The Top of Europe') -Skydiving in the Swiss Alps -Scenic helicopter ride in the Swiss Alps -Aare River Float Day 22 - Swiss Alps to Luxembourg City, Luxembourg Roll yourself down the Alps towards Luxembourg, one of the world's top-three nations in both wealth and wine consumption (they know what's up). This city might be small, but it packs a punch. -Walking tour of Luxembourg Day 23 - Luxembourg City to Amsterdam, Netherlands Welcome to the most liberal city in Europe. Eccentric, exciting and charming all in one. When in the land of the Dutch, grab a stroopwafel and hit the streets like a local. A visit to the Heineken HQ, Van Gogh Museum or the Anne Frank house is a must. Before you do, it's our turn to show you the streets of 'Dam, then - over to you.

8 -Dutch cheese & clogs demonstration -Walking tour of Amsterdam Day 24 - Amsterdam Did you sneak a peek last night in the Red Light District? Freshen up and make your own way around the city. Grab some Dutch fries and finish on a high at our farewell dinner cruise tonight. Start swapping those phone numbers - the next adventure together is calling. -Canal dinner cruise in Amsterdam -Bike tour of Amsterdam Day 25 - Amsterdam to London, England Today we love and leave you. Summer Compass, it was fun. Too soon for the next adventure? Accommodation Hostel Plus trips host our most eclectic types of accommodation. While modern hostels make up the majority of your overnighters you could also stay in hotels (free upgrade - yeah!) or bungalows. The 'More Inclusions' section details what type of accommodation will be used for overnight stops on your trip. The number of people to a room on Hostel Plus trips will vary. For hostels you will have multi-share rooms and usually share with between 3 and 5 others (although in some circumstances you will share with more than 5) while in hotels there will be twin or triple-shares (and the odd quad-room). Bungalows can be up to 4 people to a room. Please note: When staying on a Hostel Plus trip, multi-share accommodation is single-sex. Optional Activities On all trips we have arranged extra activities that we think will enhance your travel experience, but you have a choice as to whether or not you will participate. These are not included in the cost of your trip. They are usually organised on a group participation basis and should be taken into consideration when budgeting your spending money.

9 None of the Optional Activities on your trip are operated by Topdeck, nor do they form part of your contract with Topdeck for your trip. Topdeck arranges the activity as an agent of the local supplier. Should you participate in any Optional Activities your contract will be with the local supplier and their conditions will apply. Please note: while we make every effort to keep these prices as accurate and up-to-date as possible, they are subject to change and in rare circumstances the actual price may vary slightly to what is published here. France - Paris Traditional cabaret show in Paris 65 Scenic river cruise on the Seine 10 Bike tour of Paris 26 France - Loire Valley Entry to Châteaux du Chambord 8 Spain - San Sebastian Surfing in San Sebastian 58 Spain - Barcelona Flamenco show in Barcelona 12 Spain - Madrid Madrid Food Tour 69 Switzerland - Swiss Alps Scenic excursion to Jungfrau ('The Top of Europe') CHF Scenic helicopter ride in the Swiss Alps CHF 390 plus 30 deposit Skydiving in the Swiss Alps CHF 100 plus 20 deposit Aare River Float CHF 110 Italy - Venice Gondola ride in Venice 20 Personalised t-shirts and hoodies Italy - Rome Guided tour of Vatican City 40 Netherlands - Amsterdam Bike tour of Amsterdam 14

10 Meals Your included meals are detailed in the 'More Inclusions' section of this document. Breakfasts are included every day (except on the first morning). Included meals will be a combination of those prepared by Topdeck On-Site Chefs, local restaurants and places in which we stay. 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, or make note of this in the Topdeck app when you check in (refer below). 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.

11 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.