Europe's Cultural Capitals 2011
Paris, Vienna, Venice, Prague, Florence & Berlin
Tour dates highlighted - click on a date to view details.
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Setting Off
Saturday, May 28th 2011:
Join our flight for Europe this afternoon.
Paris [D]
Sunday, May 29th:
On arrival in Paris, transfer to our hotel in the heart of the Latin Quarter, 300 metres from Notre Dame. This is our home for 4 nights. Rest from the flight. This evening meet your fellow travellers over Welcome Drinks and Dinner. [D]
Paris [B]
Monday, May 30th:
Every day on a Great Trains of Europe Tour begins with a full buffet breakfast [B]. Our sightseeing this morning includes the Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees and Notre Dame. In the afternoon there is a visit to Louis' Palace of Versailles on Paris' outskirts.
Paris - or Somme Battlefields [B]
Tuesday, May 31st:
Tuesday is the “museums closed” day in Paris, so an optional excursion is offered to the Somme Battlefields of World War I. Here we visit sites that are sacred in Australia's national history. Alternatively, you may wish to visit the Paris fashion stores, or Disneyland.
Paris [B]
Wednesday, June 1st:
Paris must have a thousand museums. The Louvre Museum (Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo) and the Orsay Museum (home of the Impressionists) beckon. So many restaurants; so few nights.
To Venice [B][D]
Thursday, June 2nd: ^ Top ^
We begin our love affair with the Great Trains of Europe today. Our luggage is sent on ahead as we cruise the rails on two of the continent's great trains: the high speed French TGV to Milan in Italy, and then Italy's flagship - the Eurostar Italia - to the romantic city of Venice, arriving as the sun sets across the lagoon.
Venice [B]
Friday, June 3rd:
Awake to the sounds of the water traffic. This morning we enjoy one of the great experiences of Europe: riding a vaporetto (waterbus) down the length of the Grand Canal. We begin to explore the art and history of Venice. St Mark's, the historic Doge's Palace and its Bridge of Sighs are “must sees.” Venice is best appreciated at leisure, wandering along her canals and bridges.
Venice [B]
Saturday June 4th:
There is time for a gondola ride or for a visit to an outer island. Art lovers will want to see the Tintoretto paintings in the Scuola di San Rocco, the Titian in the Friary Church, and the collection of Venetian Renaissance art in the Accademia Gallery.
To Florence [B][D]
Sunday, June 5th:
We enjoy a last morning in Venice's shops before we join the Eurostar Italia for our rail journey across Italy's Northern Plain and through the Appenines to the cradle of our civilization and birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence. This afternoon we tread the cobblestones Cosimo d'Medici and Leonardo da Vinci trod.
Florence [B]
Monday, June 6th:
We visit Michelangelo's statue of “David”, the cathedral and the Baptistery with its bronze doors, and the twelfth century Ponte Vecchio bridge. If you loved the movies “Room with a View” and “Tea with Mussolini”, this is your town.
Florence - Day Trip to Rome [B]
Tuesday June 7th: ^ Top ^
The High Speed Eurostar Italia has us in the eternal city in time to enjoy Classical Rome - the Colosseum and the Pantheon - before a leisurely lunch, and Catholic Rome - the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St Peter's Basilica - in the afternoon. The Eurostar has us home again in Florence at a lightning pace.
Florence - or Optional Tuscany Excursion[B]
Wednesday June 8th:
A quiet day in Florence - the markets, quality shops and the museums. Or you may wish to join an optional excursion into the Tuscan countryside to visit the mediaeval hill village of San Gimignano and the cultural gem of Siena.
To Vienna [B][D]
Thursday, June 9th:
Farewell Italy, as we join our EuroCity train, heading north. We arrive in the evening in Vienna, the Imperial Capital of the Hapsburgs and world's classical music capital - home of Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss.
Vienna [B]
Friday, June 10th:
Today's sightseeing includes the Ring, the Hofburg, St Stephen's and the Schonbrunn Palace. Watch the fountains and listen to the music.
Vienna - Optional Salzburg Excursion [B]
Saturday June 11th:
A free day in Vienna or an optional excursion on an Intercity train trip to Mozart's birthplace - Salzburg. Firstly, we enjoy a panoramic view of the city and then visit the cathedral where the great man made his first acquaintance with music. Back to Vienna tonight.
To Prague [B][D]
Sunday, June 12th:
Departing Vienna this morning on a EuroCity train, we journey through the old Iron Curtain and arrive in Prague, another of Europe's fascinating cultural capitals. Our hotel is located in the pedestrianised historic city heart.
Prague [B]
Monday, June 13th: ^ Top ^
This morning we begin to discover this magnificent city. Much of Prague is untouched from the 12th century. The Old Town, the Charles Bridge, Wenceslas Square, and the Jewish Quarter feature in our sightseeing. An opera or a concert tonight?
Prague [B]
Tuesday, June 14th:
A free day for the shops or to enjoy the music. Prague is rich in Mozart associations. Bohemian crystal is world-famous.
To Berlin via Dresden [B]
Wednesday, June 15th:
Departing Prague this morning, we pay a visit to Dresden, said to be Germany's most beautiful city until firebombed in 1945. The baroque city is now re-emerging from the ashes. After a sightseeing tour and a leisurely lunch, we journey on to Berlin, capital since 1990 of the re-united Germany.
Berlin[B]
Thursday, June 16th:
This morning's sightseeing introduces us to the city which divided Europe for 44 years - the Brandenberg Gate, the Reichstag, Unter den Linden. Many of the art treasures of Europe are in Berlin, from the 3,000 year old bust of Egypt's Nefertiti to the Moderns. Berlin's best kept secret is the KaDeWe department store.
Berlin - Optional Leipzig Excursion [B][D]
Friday June 17th:
Another day in the museums and shops of Berlin or an optional excursion on the ICE train to two German historical gems - Wittenberg, the home of Martin Luther, father of the Protestant Reformation, and Leipzig, Johan Sebastian Bach's city. Home to Berlin for our Farewell Dinner tonight.
Heading Home[B]
Saturday, June 18th: ^ Top ^
Auf Wiedersehen, Berlin. The tour ends after breakfast this morning.
Europe's Cultural Capitals 2011 Optional Excursions:
Somme Battlefields $275
May 31st:
We visit major battlefields and cemeteries associated with the horror of the Battle of the Somme - Beaumont Hamel, Thiepval and the Australian Memorials at Pozieres and Villiers- Brettoneux. « Go back
Tuscany: Siena & San Gimignano $250
June 8th:
Through a Tuscan landscape of vineyards, cypress pines, and stone cottages to the fortified hill village of San Gimignano with its thirteen towers dating from the twelfth century. Then we visit the city of Siena, home of many Renaissance treasures of art. « Go back
Salzburg $275
June 11th:
On arrival in Salzburg, we ride the rack railway to the top of the 12th century Hohensalzburg fortress for a panoramic view over the city. Then we visit Salzburg cathedral where Mozart's father was organist and where the young genius first played. The Altstadt (old city) is very compact and an all-pedestrian shopping zone. « Go back
Leipzig, home of Goethe & Bach $175
June 17th:
We take Germany's High Speed Inter City Express to Leipzig, a major trade fair centre since the 12th century. It was home to Goethe, Germany's Shakespeare, and we lunch in the Bierkeller where he set the opening scene of “Faust”. We also visit Bach's grave in his church, the Thomaskirche. On the way home to Berlin we drop into Martin Luther's town of Wittenberg, where the Protestant Reformation began. « Go back
Tour costs:
$AUD 13,950 per person Twin Share
Enquire about competitive airfares.
Single Room supplement $AUD 2000.
What's included?^ Top ^
All Great Trains of Europe Tours include:
- First Class rail travel in reserved seats
- 4 & 5 star city centre hotels
- 6 three course dinners with drinks
- 20 buffet breakfasts
- Full luggage handling
- Local expert guides
- Full time Tour Leader who is the Tour Company Principal
The TOUR COST does NOT include:^ Top ^
- Hotel incidentals (eg. Mini-bars, telephone calls, laundry), airport and departure taxes, local transport in any city,
- optional excursions listed or meals other than breakfast and the one restaurant dinner in each city - the first night in each new city, except Berlin where it takes the form of a farewell dinner. On other nights, the Tour Leaders are available to accompany group members to local, authentic restaurants.
About the Europe's Cultural Capitals 2011 Tour
Brochure & Booking Form (1.1MB PDF)
Note well: Booking Conditions « Tours index ^ Top ^