Day
1
| USA-London
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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Start our Europe Discovery tour by boarding an international flight bound for
England. The jetliner traverses multiple time zones as it flies over the Atlantic Ocean.
Spend the night aboard.
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Day
2
| Arrive-London
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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The jetliner touches down in London, the capital of England. England is the largest
and most populous country (51 million) of those that comprise the United Kingdom.
After the ice age, it was re-populated some 13,000 years ago by migrants who
adopted the Celtic culture. The Kingdom of England was fi nally unifi ed under one
ruler in 954 AD. Upon baggage retrieval and clearing customs, we enter into the
arrival hall to meet the Ritz Tours guide and transfer to the hotel. Sightseeing will
begin in earnest tomorrow.
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Day
3
| London
(B)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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London serves double duty as the capital city of both England and the United
Kingdom. London s history dates back to its establishment by the Romans in 43
AD and has always held an important role as being one of the world s leading
centers of culture, art, business and finance. We begin our full day sightseeing
with a city orientation tour in the morning. We visit the Tower of London, a
fortress built in 1078 by William the Conqueror that has also served as a royal
palace and a prison. Our motorcoach makes a photo stops at Westminster Abbey
and Buckingham Palace, the offi cial principal London residence of the British
king/queen. Depending on seasonality and schedule, we may be able to witness
the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.
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Day
4
| London-Paris
(B)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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Today we leave London on a Eurostar train bound for Paris, France. The Eurostar is a high
speed train service that connects London with Paris and Brussels. Service began in 1994
as the 18 carriages are capable of hurtling its passengers under the English Channel and
over land at speeds of 186 mph. A little over 2 hours after we depart London, the train
pulls into the station at Paris, the “City of Lights.” The capital of France, Paris has been one
of the world s most important centers of business and culture for over two thousand years.
Paris also holds distinction as being the most popular tourist destination in the world,
drawing over 30 million visitors each year. Our sightseeing tour of this fabulous city
begins in earnest tomorrow.
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Day
5
| Paris
(B)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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After breakfast, the motorcoach takes our group to The Louvre, one of the world s most
famous art museums and also a symbol of national pride. Construction began in 1190
under King Philip Augustus on “Le Palais du Louvre.” Throughout its existence, the Louvre
has served in the functions of fortress, royal residence, and now a showplace for artwork.
The museum contains some 35,000 pieces of art, including Leonardo DaVinci s masterpiece
Mona Lisa. Reboard the motorcoach as it drives by the Notre Dame Cathedral, yet another
famous landmark of Paris. Construction began in 1163 under the reign of King Louis VII and
was not completed until 1345. The Notre Dame is a gothic cathedral built to refl ect the style
of architecture prevalent during that era. Today, it serves as the seat of the Archbishop of
Paris. A leisurely cruise on the romantic Seine River provides the perfect ending to the day.
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Day
6
| Paris-Lucerne
(B,DH)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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We depart France today headed for Switzerland. A leisurely drive to Lucerne offers the
rural vistas of France and Switzerland: vineyards, rolling farmlands, forests, pastures, and
villages. Late in the afternoon, our motorcoach arrives at Lucerne, where we take dinner
at the hotel. Lucerne is a charming, historic city with a population of 58,000 that is
located on the banks of Lake Lucerne. Evening activities abound as our hotel is within a
few minutes walking distance of the town s center. Take some time to souvenir shop or
have a drink at one of the outdoor cafes of Lucerne.
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Day
7
| Lucerne
(B)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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Our morning sightseeing tour takes us to the ancient Kapell Bridge and the Lion Monument.
Walk along the shores of lovely Lake Lucerne or on the wooden Kapell Bridge. In the
afternoon, enjoy free time to cruise the lake or shop for world famous Swiss watches and
other Swiss specialties. An optional tour is available to the top of Mt. Titlis by cable car,
where a fantastic bird s eye view of the surrounding snow covered peaks awaits.
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Day
8
| Lucerne-Verona-Venice
(B,DH)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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This morning after breakfast we board the motorcoach as it travels southwards to Verona, a historic city in northern Italy that serves as provincial capital for Veneto. A city orientation
tour takes us around this town filled with medieval architectures. Verona is perhaps most
famous for being the setting for Shakespeare s famous play “Romeo and Juliet.” The motorcoach
continues driving south to perhaps the most enchanting city in Italy - Venice! With
a population of 272,000, Venice is spread out over 118 small islands. During the Middle
Ages and the Renaissance, the Venetian Republic existed as a major maritime power and
an important center of commerce. We overnight at the Crowne Plaza Padova.
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Day
9
| Venice-Pisa-Florence
(B,DH)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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Our sightseeing tour of Venice includes St. Mark s Basilica, the magical Piazza St. Marco,
and the Bridge of Sighs. Here in the water town of Venice, optional gondola rides afford
us an unforgettable way to traverse Grand Canal. After our city tour of Venice, we reboard
the motorcoach as it continues on to Pisa to see the world renowned Leaning Tower in the
afternoon. We overnight at the Grand Guinigi Hotel at Lucca, where dinner is served.
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Day
10
| Florence-Rome
(B)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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Florence is the capital of the Tuscany region. Lying on the Arno River, Florence was once
the capital of Italy and was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. Florence is a city of
such cultural and historic importance that the entire city was designated a World Cultural
Heritage Site by UNESCO. Some of the famous names that called Florence home included
Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Galileo, Dante, and Machiavelli. A walking tour of the
city shows us the most famous landmarks: the Duomo, the Bronze Doors of the Baptistry
called the “Door of Paradise,” the 13th Century Santa Croce Basilica, and Signoria Square.
We also visit the Academy Gallery. In the afternoon while on our way to Rome, we have
an opportunity to shop in a major leather factory outlet store. Our motorcoach arrives in
Rome later in the day.
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Day
11
| Rome
(B,D )
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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Legend has it that Rome was founded by the twins Romulus and Remus in 753 BC and
eventually developed into the capital of the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic, and finally
the Roman Empire. In Rome, one can feel the uninterrupted flow of the ages from the
classical era of the ancient Romans to the contemporary life being lived in centuries-old
settings. A wondrous city of great cultural and political significance, Rome is one of the
most-visited cities in the world. Today s sightseeing takes us first to the Vatican where we
visit Vatican Museum, St. Peter s Square and St. Peter s Basilica. We next go to the eternal
Colosseum, and the Roman Fourm. In the evening, our group will have a farewell dinner.
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Day
12
| Rome-USA
(B)
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AB:
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Full American Breakfast
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B:
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Breakfast at hotel or on cruise
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D :
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Dinner at Local Restaurant
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DH:
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International Buffet Dinner at Hotel
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Our European Discovery is over all too soon as we are transferred to the airport to board
the homebound international flight.
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