DAY 1: Arrive in Rome
![Arrive in Rome]()
Arrive in Rome and make your own way to our accommodation for the start of the tour, and join up with your Expat Explore tour leader and fellow travellers at midday. We'll take the subway into the city centre to meet up with our local guide, who will introduce us to the incredible history of this unique city on a guided walking tour. Rome reigned supreme as the focal point of the Roman Empire, and the local guide will introduce us to highlights such as the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, the Roman Forum and of course the Colosseum.
Experiences
Walking tour of Rome: This city has so much to see and do we can’t list everything here but your walking tour of Rome with a professional local guide will give you a great start for further exploration in your free time. You will see Roman Forum, Arch of Septimus Severus, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and the Spanish steps. You have the option of visiting the Colosseum.
Included Meals
Accommodationi
Hotel Cristoforo Colombo
Hotel Club House Roma
Hotel American Palace
DAY 2: Rome: Free Day
![Rome: Free Day]()
Rome boasts ancient ruins, historical landmarks, religious buildings and a buzzing atmosphere like no other. The Colosseum is spectacular, offering fabulous views of the city, and an unbelievable feeling of drifting backwards in time, to when gladiators, chariots and lions dominated the arena. Later this afternoon you'll have the opportunity to take advantage of an optional excursion to visit the Vatican City - the smallest country in the world! Inside the walls you can visit the Sistine Chapel and see for yourself the famous ceiling painted by Michelangelo, as well as numerous other famous art pieces dotted around the buildings.
Included Meals
Accommodationi
Hotel Cristoforo Colombo
Hotel Club House Roma
Hotel American Palace
Optional Excursions
- Roman Food Tour i €65
- Castel Gandolfo i €75
* Stated prices and availability are subject to change.DAY 3: Siena - Venice
![Siena - Venice]()
Our first stop is the Tuscan town of Siena, which is famous for its cuisine, wine, art, museums, medieval cityscape and the Palio, a horse race held twice a year. You will have time to explore before we continue on our journey. Later, we arrive into Venice in the early evening, a city immortalised in literature, film and art for centuries. Its timeless waterways and artistic masterpieces (more per square kilometre than anywhere else on earth) make it truly unique – this is a city that will capture your heart and imagination. Being Italian, there’s no shortage of incredible food and culture either! You have the evening free to relax at the hotel, or explore Venice with the option to join your tour leader on a twilight water taxi cruise of the Venetian canals.
Experiences
Visit Siena: we visit the Tuscan town of Siena, famous for the Palio horse race and also for its food and wine.
DAY 4: Venice
![Venice]()
You’ll start your stay in Venice with an orientation tour led by your tour leader so you can get your bearings, after which you have free time to explore this unforgettable city at your leisure. Every visit to Venice should include a gondola ride, which your tour leader can organise for you, as well as a trip further out into the lagoon to visit Murano and Burano. These islands are famous for their glass-blowing and lace-making crafts respectively, and rows of beautiful multi-coloured houses. Alternatively you can simply relax and soak up the sun on the sandy beaches at Jesolo or Lido. There’s also St Mark’s Square, The Bridge of Sighs and the Doge’s Palace to see – and any number of culinary delights to sample too!
Experiences
Orientation tour of Venice: Your tour leader will take you into the heart of this unique floating city for an orientation to help you explore and see St. Mark’s Square, St. Mark’s Basilica, St. Mark’s Museum, Campanile, Doge’s Palace, Rialto Market and Scuola Grande di San Rocco.
Included Meals
Accommodationi
Elite Residence Hotel
NH Laguna Palace
Hotel Complex Ambasciatori & Delfino
Hotel Venezia
Optional Excursions
- Murano, Burano & Venetian lagoon i €45
- Venice by Night i €30
* Stated prices and availability are subject to change.DAY 5: Venice - Swiss Alps
![Venice - Swiss Alps]()
Crossing the border into Switzerland, we drive on to the Swiss Alps, climbing higher into the mountains to our accommodation in a typical Swiss mountain village in the Jungfrau region. One of the most popular alpine destinations, it’s a great introduction to the magic of the mountains – and makes for a memorable drive too. Dinner is at your hotel and afterwards relax, drink, chat with your fellow explorers and grab an early night as tomorrow you can join us on our most popular optional excursion – Jungfraujoch, the Top of Europe!
Experiences
Scenic mountain drive: spectacular views as we drive through mountain passes and alongside lakes, breath-taking mountain vistas and scenic views of quaint Swiss towns.
Included Meals
Accommodationi
Alpenrose Hotel & Gardens
Swiss Youth Hostel Interlaken
Hotel Baren Ringgenberg
Hotel Schonbhul
Hotel City Oberland
Das Hotel Sherlock Holmes
DAY 6: Swiss Alps: Free Day
![Swiss Alps: Free Day]()
Enjoy a free day to explore and take in the spectacular local scenery. One of the ‘must see’ highlights of this tour is to take the optional excursion train ride to the ‘Top of Europe’ – Jungfraujoch. The views will leave you breathless (and that isn’t just because of the high altitude!) This 4000m glacier has a beauty all of its own, and the combination of ice, snow, rock and epic views will stay with you for life. There is snow all year round, even in the middle of summer!
Included Meals
Accommodationi
Alpenrose Hotel & Gardens
Swiss Youth Hostel Interlaken
Hotel Baren Ringgenberg
Hotel Schonbhul
Hotel City Oberland
Das Hotel Sherlock Holmes
Optional Excursions
- Train to Jungfraujoch i €175
- White-Water River Rafting i CHF108
- Sky-diving i €345
- Paragliding i €155
- Swiss Dinner i €25
* Stated prices and availability are subject to change.DAY 7: Swiss Alps - Black Forest
![Swiss Alps - Black Forest]()
Leaving the Swiss Alps behind, we venture into Germany. Our route takes us through the magnificent Black Forest. Get ready for the scenic drive of a lifetime. The forest is known for its incredible beauty. Be mesmerised as we drive under tall pine trees. Enjoy frequent stopovers at small towns along the way. This includes Freiburg, where we'll enjoy lunch. Dinner is included at a local restuarant in the Black Forest region this evening.
Experiences
Enjoy a beautiful drive through the Black Forest region, with frequent stops at quaint villages along the way.
Included Meals
Accommodationi
Rheinlust
Ibis Bonn
Hotel Weiland
InterCity Bonn
DAY 8: Black Forest - Rhine Valley - Amsterdam
![Black Forest - Rhine Valley - Amsterdam]()
Auf Wiedersehen Schwarzwald (Black Forest)! We're off to the beautiful Rhine Valley. From Saint Goar, we take a boat cruise to the next river stop of Boppard. Watch vineyards, castles, forests and towers roll by as you relax on board. Disembark and enjoy a wine tasting at a local cellar. The Rhine Valley is renowned for cultivars like Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Journey on to Amsterdam. Here we'll take to the water again on a canal cruise. Our hotel for the night is located in the Amsterdam region.
Experiences
Cruise down the Rhine and see the beautiful scenery and the largest concentration of gothic castles (Sterrenberg, Liebestein, Katz and Fortess Rheinfels).
Rhine Valley Wine Tasting: visit a local wine merchant in one of Germany's most famous wine growing regions, and sample several types of delicious German wine. Popular varieties from the surrounding area and neighbouring regions include Riesling, Spätburgunder and Pinot Noir. The region is also well-known for eiswein (ice wine), a very sweet dessert wine made from grapes harvested in the freezing winter months.
Take a canal cruise in Amsterdam and watch as the city lights up at dusk. Dinner is served aboard the cruise boat.
Included Meals
Accommodationi
Hampton by Hilton Schipol Airport
Holiday Inn Express Schipol Airport
Park Inn Plaza Amsterdam Airport
Crowne Plaza Amsterdam Schiphol
Lake land Hotel
Optional Excursions
- Farewell dinner i €30
- Dutch Countryside Tour i €40
- MOCO Museum & House of Bols i €20
* Stated prices and availability are subject to change.DAY 9: Amsterdam: Free Day
![Amsterdam: Free Day]()
Today you have the choice to either explore Amsterdam at your leisure, or join an optional excursion of the Dutch countryside on offer. This excursion includes a visit to a local cheese farm and clog factory, a photo stop at the historical windmill village, Zaanse Schans, and a visit to the quaint seaside village of Volendam where can wander the streets filled with cafes and admire the picturesque views.
Included Meals
Accommodationi
Hampton by Hilton Schipol Airport
Holiday Inn Express Schipol Airport
Park Inn Plaza Amsterdam Airport
Crowne Plaza Amsterdam Schiphol
Lake land Hotel
Optional Excursions
- Farewell dinner i €30
- Dutch Countryside Tour i €40
- MOCO Museum & House of Bols i €20
* Stated prices and availability are subject to change.DAY 10: Bruges - London
![Bruges - London]()
After breakfast, it’s back to London, stopping en route for a short comfort stop in the medieval city of Bruges that is famous for many things... including beer and chocolates!
Experiences
Visit Bruges: A brief stop in this beautiful medieval town with some free time so you could try the signature national dish of frites and moules, see or even climb the Belfry Tower, have a Belgian beer or buy some amazing Belgian chocolate.