Explore this imperial city of emperors and senators, gods and goddesses, before joining your companions and Travel Director later for a welcome Dinner and glimpse into what lies in store during our tour.

Join a Local Specialist to delve into the centre of Christianity – the Vatican City. Visit St. Peter’s Basilica, then cross the Tiber for views of the Roman Forum and Circus Maximus, once home to exhilarating chariot races. The rest of the day is yours to explore the city’s history and culture that span almost two millennia. Admire the Spanish Steps, shop up a storm on the Via del Corso or toss a coin in the Trevi Fountain to secure your speedy return to Rome. Enjoy an afternoon of sightseeing on your terms.

We journey across the Tuscan countryside bound for Venice, the ‘Queen of the Adriatic’. The city’s canals and bridges beckon, but not before we Connect With Locals at lunch amidst the olive groves and vineyards of Tuscany for a Be My Guest experience that will linger long after you’ve left.

Witness the centuries-old tradition of Venetian glassmaking during your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at one of the city’s last remaining studios. You’ll watch spellbound as the master craftsmen shape the molten glass the same way their forefathers once did to create the delicate works of art that adorn homes all over the world. Inspired by the talent and skill of these glassblowers, you’ll want to buy a souvenir to remind you of this very special experience. Next, take to the water and cruise by private launch to the gateway of Venice, St. Mark’s Square. Join your Travel Director to see the iconic and unexpected highlights of the city – the ornate Doge’s Palace and Bridge of Sighs, St. Mark’s Basilica and the Campanile with its five bells. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy the sights and sounds of this Byzantine treasure. Cross the Rialto bridge, enjoy a sunset over the Grand Canal or ascend the Campanile for panoramic views.

A scenic drive from Italy to Austria takes us through the Carnic Alps to the imperial capital of Vienna, where we’ll spend the next two nights exploring a city famous for its musical heritage and elegance.

Join your Local Specialist this morning to explore the sights, including views of the famous Opera House, Stadtpark, Parliament, Imperial Boulevards and Hofburg Palace, once home to the powerful Habsburg Dynasty. Spend the rest of the day delving into Vienna’s cosy coffee culture, perhaps visit the exquisite Schönbrunn Palace or discover the harmonies of the world’s music capital, enjoying one of the city’s many musical performances.

Leave the song of Vienna behind, bound for Prague, the ‘Golden City of a Hundred Spires’. Traversing the lush landscapes of Slovakia, we arrive in the capital, Bratislava, with its eclectic Gothic, Baroque and Art Deco architecture. There’s time for an orientation with your Travel Director and lunch, perhaps an opportunity to sample the local bryndzové halyšky potato dumplings. Arriving in Prague this afternoon, you’ll want to get right into the heart of this fairy-tale city.

Join your Local Specialist this morning to explore the jewels of Prague’s Castle District and Old Town. You’ll stroll around the Old Town Square and see the 15th-century Astronomical Clock with its mesmerising Walk of the Apostles. Spend your afternoon exploring Prague your way, tracking down the city’s quirky side, from its famous wall of peace to one of the world’s narrowest streets at just 50cm wide. Don’t forget to stop and sample a steaming street food favourite, trdelník.

You may be tempted to stay in this enchanting city, but Munich promises its own adventures. First stop today however is the UNESCO-listed town of Regensburg with its beautifully preserved medieval centre. Spend some time getting lost in centuries of history, perhaps sampling some of the local Regensburger Wurst. Then it’s time to continue to the Bavarian capital of Munich, where we’ll see the Glockenspiel and Marienplatz on an orientation with our Travel Director. The afternoon is free to explore before we have dinner at our hotel.

We leave Germany for Switzerland, stopping in the Liechtenstein capital of Vaduz. We continue to Lucerne, our home for the next two nights.

Pay tribute to the brave Swiss Guards who lost their lives defending King Louis XVI in the French Revolution and see the famous mournful Lion Monument. Walk along the wooden Chapel Bridge and admire its decorative ceiling. Then spend the rest of the day admiring the colourful façades of the Old Town or join an Optional Experience to one of the surrounding peaks.

View the ruins of Heidelberg Castle perched above the Neckar River and board a relaxing cruise down the mighty Rhine from St. Goar to Boppard – fantasy castles and hillside vineyards line your scenic journey.

Admire the tall twin Gothic spires of the Cologne Cathedral this morning, before crossing into the Netherlands and on to Amsterdam where we spend the next two nights. Sit under the leafy canopy at Leidseplein indulging in Dutch beer and kroketten, hire a bike and hit the city’s tree-lined streets or bask in the warm glow and gezelligheid of one of the city’s renowned bruin cafés.

Enjoy an orientation of Amsterdam and spend the rest of the day exploring the city on foot, by bike or tram. Consider delving into the tragic story of Anne Frank, admire the works of Van Gogh or people-watch in Vondelpark. This evening enjoy a Farewell Dinner with your travel companions on board a glass-top boat. Cruise through the city’s canals looking up at the centuries-old gabled façades for which Amsterdam is so famous.

After breakfast, it’s time to say a fond farewell to your fellow travellers and Travel Director as you return home with wonderful memories.