Provincial Diversions: off the Beaten Track
From Rome to Paris in the Autumn, via the hill villages and market towns of Tuscany, the Swiss Lakes, and the South of France.

Detailed Tour Itinerary

Sunday, Sept. 27th:  

Tonight join your Singapore Airlines flight to Europe.

Monday, Sept. 28th:  

On arrival in Rome, we transfer to our centrally located hotel, our home for 3 nights. On the Great Trains of Europe Tour, the room is booked for the night before morning flight arrivals, so that you can freshen up and then choose to rest or stroll for the remainder of the day. Get to know your fellow travellers at Welcome Drinks and Dinner this evening. Is there anybody for the traditional Roman evening stroll, la passegiata? It is said to aid digestion, and it permits a fashion statement. Tonight's Dinner [D] is included in the tour cost.

Tuesday, Sept. 29th:  

Every day on our Great Trains of Europe Tours starts with a full Buffet Breakfast [B] Today's sightseeing focuses on Classical Rome and includes entrances to the Pantheon, the Forum and the Colosseum. “Roma - non basta una vita!” (Rome - one life is not enough!) Join your Tour Leader for a stroll to the Trevi Fountain after dinner. If you throw three coins in the fountain, your return to Rome is guaranteed, so the legend goes.

Wednesday, Sept. 30th:  

Catholic Rome today, including entrances and a guided tour of St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo's masterpiece. The fashion shops on the Via Condotti are open this afternoon. Dinner in the Piazza Navona as we watch the water play in Bernini's fountains?

Thursday, October 1st:  ^ Top ^

Our luggage is transported on ahead as we commence our love affair with the Great Trains of Europe, taking our reserved First Class seats on Italy's flagship train, the High Speed Eurostar Italia.

We are soon in Florence where we transfer to a local train through the Vale of Chianti, archetypal Tuscan countryside - vineyards, olive-groves and cypresses - and up the winding road to San Gimignano. The walled hilltop village of San Gimignano, with its 13 towers, stands almost unchanged since the 13th century. It is our home for 4 nights.

Spend a quiet afternoon in our hilltop village. Today is market day, so you can shop in the morning and, in the afternoon, explore the narrow alleyways or climb a tower for sweeping views of the Tuscan countryside. If you loved Judi Dench and Maggie Smith in “Tea with Mussolini” you will want to check out the film locations in San Gimignano.

Most days a short excursion from San Gimignano is provided (and included in your tour cost). You may choose to join the excursion or simply stay in San Gimignano and relax.

Friday, Oct. 2nd: 

A drive through Southern Tuscan vineyards and olive groves this morning to visit two beautiful hilltop villages which are also important wine centres - Montalcino, where it is Market Day, and Montepulciano. Home to San Gimignano for a quiet afternoon and in time for the shops to re-open after siesta.

Saturday, Oct. 3rd: 

This morning we explore the artistic gem of Siena, which stands today much as it did in the twelfth century. You know it from “My House in Umbria” and “Under the Tuscan Sun”. Where better to take lunch than at one of the open air trattoria on the Campo? This is the historic city square, the setting for the Palio horse race in the summer. Home to San Gimignano this afternoon.

Sunday, Oct. 4th: 

We take the local train through the Vale of Chianti today for a visit to Florence, the cradle of our civilisation and birthplace of the Renaissance. After a brief orientation tour, the city is yours - museums, churches and leather shops to die for. Home to San Gimignano this afternoon for our final night.

Monday, Oct. 5th: 

Our luggage is transported on ahead today as we make our way to Florence to join a Eurostar Italia train to Milan where we change to the state-of-the-art Cisalpino train, a joint Swiss - Italian venture, bound for Switzerland. We wind through the Italian Lakes District, cross the border at Domodossola and cross the Swiss Alps through the Simplon Tunnel. For 20 years after its completion in 1906, the 19.7 kilometre long Simplon Tunnel was the longest in the world. We arrive at the pretty lakeside village of Spiez as the sun sets. Here is our home for 3 nights.

Tuesday, Oct. 6th: 

A quiet day in the picturesque village of Spiez. Pay a visit to its mediaeval castle or take a steamer ride down the lake to Interlaken.

Wednesday, Oct. 7th: 

Truly one of the Great Rail Journeys of the World today on the Jungfrau Railway as we climb and tunnel through the Eiger to Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest railway station - an unbelievable 11,333 feet above sea level. Superlatives fail when one tries to describe the view across the roof of the world. Home to Spiez for our last night.

Thursday, Oct. 8th: ^ Top ^

We take a local train to Geneva today where we join our French TGV train bound for Avignon in Provence, in the South of France. We are transferred from the station to our hotel in the village of Villeneuve. As in Tuscany, excursions from Villeneuve are offered most days and included in the tour cost, but you are free to choose only those that appeal to you.

Friday, Oct. 9th: 

A drive through some of Provence's most picturesque villages today, - Bonnieux (Market day) Goult, rainbow-coloured Roussillon - with the occasional coffee or shopping stop, and a break for lunch in Lourmarin, Albert Camus' birthplace and well known for its excellent restaurants and bistros. We return to our hotel.

Saturday, Oct. 10th: 

A visit today to the historic city of Avignon, home of the Roman Catholic Popes from 1309 to 1377. The historic walled town has some good shopping and excellent restaurants.

Sunday, Oct. 11th: 

The nearby village of L'Isle-Sur-la-Sourge prides itself on being France's second largest antiques centre, and Sunday is its Market Day. The market spreads throughout the town and offers not just antiques: local food produce, crafts, fabrics and gifts also abound. Visa cards with chronic fatigue syndrome have been known here. Quite apart from the markets, L'Isle-Sur-la-Sourge is a very attractive town with streams and water wheels. It deserves its nickname, “the Venice of Provence”. Our last night in Provence tonight.

Monday, Oct. 12th: 

We transfer to the railway station and, as our luggage goes on ahead, we join another TGV train bound for Toulouse, where we are collected and transferred to our hotel in the heart of the mediaeval market town of Montignac, one of the gems of the Dordogne region. We settle in for 3 nights. As before, excursions from Montignac are offered most days and included in the tour cost, but you are free to choose those that appeal to you or simply to spend the days pottering about in our “home” village.

Tuesday, Oct. 13th: 

Winding along the banks of the Dordogne River today we make our way to the mediaeval village of Rocamadour, a pilgrimage destination since the 12th century, clinging perilously to a cliff face. After lunch we make our way home through the walled 'bastide' town of Domme, with excellent shopping and a fine view of a vast sweep of the Dordogne River Valley.

Wednesday, Oct. 14th: 

Today is Market day in the nearby mediaeval village of Sarlat. This is a “foodie's” paradise. In the afternoon we visit one of rural France's most beautiful gardens, the Jardin d'Eyrignac.

Thursday, Oct. 15th: ^ Top ^

We farewell Montignac and enjoy a change of pace for this morning's train journey. Firstly, a leisurely trundle on a local train down the length of the Dordogne Valley, then through Bordeaux vineyards to the city of Bordeaux (the world's wine capital). Here we join our High Speed TGV train to Paris. On arrival, we transfer to our hotel, where our luggage awaits. A short stroll this evening reminds us why the world calls Paris the City of Lights.

Friday, Oct. 16th: 

This morning's sightseeing includes the Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees and Notre Dame Cathedral. There is time to visit Mona Lisa in the Louvre. We are spoilt for choice of restaurant this evening.

Saturday, Oct. 17th: 

The museums and the boutiques beckon today. There is an afternoon excursion to Monet's Garden at Giverney. Here we see the waterlilies and the Japanese bridge. Our Farewell Dinner tonight.

Sunday, Oct. 18th: 

We enjoy a last morning in Paris before we bid “au revoir” and transfer to the airport for our homeward flight. A stopover is possible in Singapore. Alternatively, you may extend your stay Europe for up to six months, flying home from any city served by Singapore Airlines (this may increase the airfare), or join the optional London Add-On - see below.

Tuesday, Oct. 20th:  

LONDON OPTIONAL ADD-ON: Add $600 (single supplement $100)

Costs:

Option 1. $AUD 11,950 per person Twin Share. Land Content only (i.e. join the tour in Rome and leave the tour in London)

Or:

Option 2. $AUD 13,950 per person Twin Share. Including return economy class airfares to Europe from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne or Perth.

Single Room supplement $AUD 2000.

Enquire about Business or First Class airfare upgrades (Remember, if you don't fly First Class, your grandchildren will).

Combined Tours Discount:
Combine the Eastern European Capitals and this Provincial Diversions Tour: off the Beaten Track and save 10% on the land content cost of the second tour.

What's included?^ Top ^

All Great Trains of Europe Tours include:

• All stops 3 nights minimum
• Quality, centrally located hotels
• First Class travel on Europe's Great Trains
• Luggage transported on ahead
• Escorted by Australian historian / tour guide
• Guided orientation / sightseeing tours in all cities

The Provincial Diversions Tour: off the Beaten Track, departing September 27th 2009 also includes:

• Return economy airfare - but NOT taxes - from your Australian international airport to Europe, with airport transfers if arriving and departing on group dates. Inquire about the cost of earlier departure or later return. Not included if you have opted for “land content only”.
• Twin share accommodation with buffet breakfast in centrally located First Class (European 4 star) hotels with private facilities and air-conditioning in Venice and Paris and in quality, traditional, village inns and hotels with private facilities in rural Italy, Switzerland and France. See note in Tour Conditions on air-conditioning.
• Sightseeing / orientation tour of each overnight city or village. Restaurant dinner (3 courses plus wine or beer) on the first night in each new city or village, except Paris, where the included dinner is our farewell dinner on the last night.
• First Class rail travel in reserved seats on many of Europe's great trains, including Italia Eurostar, Swiss-Italian Cisalpino, French TGV, (Second Class seats on local trains where no First Class provided e.g. Jungfrau Railway, Dordogne Valley SNCF Rail.)
• Luggage handling from each overnight stop to the next (except on Eurostar on London Add-On).
• NOTE: There are no Optional Excursions offered on the Provincial Diversions Tour, other than the London Add-On.

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 Paris 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.

Note well: Booking Conditions « Tours index ^ Top ^