European Wonderland
Experience Overview
Bring history to life on your European travels as you learn about life as a Roman gladiator and try your hand at pizza-making on an epic European family trip. Visit grand cities and see ancient sites. Fill your days with carnival masks, medieval castle banquets and tons of fun for the whole family.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 5 Dinner (D)
- 10 Breakfast (B)
Be My Guest
- Florence: The Pazzi and de Medici feud is brought to light on this visit to the 12th-century Castle of Trebbio. Meet Anna and Alberto, enjoy a traditional Tuscan buffet, explore the cellars, and indulge in olive oil and wine tasting.
Family Fun
- Rome: A cooking experience with all the trimmings! Learn how to make tasty Italian pizza from an expert and then share your masterpiece with the family.
- Venice: Discover the great Venetian tradition of Carnival masks and paint and decorate your own.
Iconic Experience
- Rome: Experience Rome through the eyes of a local, as a passionate Roman guides you past the city's most iconic sites.
- Follow in the footsteps of gladiators for a deeper insight into life in ancient Rome when you enter the Colosseum.
- Siena: See the Fountain of Joy, striped cathedral and vast Piazza del Campo.
- Florence: Join a Local Specialist to view the multi-colored marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, adorned by Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise. Visit the political heart of the city, Signoria Square.
- Florence: See the area around Santa Croce Basilica, famous for the quality of its luxury goods, and witness a gold and leatherwork demonstration.
- Bologna: Join a Local Specialist on an exploration of Bologna. See the medieval squares and red-bricked façades of this historic city.
- Venice: As you journey along some of the water highways of the city, famous sights such as the Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs come into view and introduce you to Venice before docking near St. Mark's Square.
- Como: Take in exquisite views of the lake and its alpine backdrop as you enjoy an orientation of this magnificent town.
- Switzerland: Marvel at the Alpine landscape as you drive past breathtakingly beautiful mountains and valleys.
- Lucerne: During an orientation with your Travel Director, see the Lion Monument, Old Town Hall and Chapel Bridge, the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe.
- Paris: Join a Local Specialist to discover the hidden squares and secret lanes of Paris.
- Paris: Admire the famous landmarks of Paris during your leisurely Seine River cruise.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
- Venice: Discover the ancient skill of Venetian glassblowing and play a part in preserving this traditional craft. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Must-see Highlights
- Explore Rome, Florence, Bologna and Paris
- Discover Siena, Venice and Lucerne
- Visit a glassblowing factory and a mask-making studio in Venice
- View the ancient sites of Rome, St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, scenic Lake Como, the spectacular alpine scenery of Switzerland, the Chapel Bridge in Lucerne and the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
- See the vineyards of Burgundy and the Somme Battlefields in France
- Scenic Cruise by private launch to St. Mark's Square in Venice and along the Seine River in Paris
Trip Details
Product Code: 20061
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Moderate
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family
Tour Operator:
Trafalgar (CA)
Supplier Code: 289.1739A
Starts: Rome, Italy
Finishes: Paris, France
Duration: 11 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Whats Included
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Optional Experiences and free time
- Eurostar high-speed train from Paris to London
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $4,297 ($391 /day)
Itinerary
2025 marks a Jubilee Year, a momentous Roman Catholic event celebrated every 25 years, turning Rome into a center of celebration. As festivities unfold, itineraries may be adjusted to ensure you make the most of your time as you visit the Eternal City. Buckle up Bambini – we're off on a grand adventure through Europe, launching our Family Experience in the 'Eternal City' of Rome. This evening we enjoy dinner with our travel companions, we Dive Into Culture with a Family Fun experience and learn how to make a pizza that would make any Italian mamma proud.
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza St. Peter's
Meals: Dinner
Delve into the open-air museum that is Rome as you join a Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour, before crossing the Tiber into Ancient Rome. Enjoy an in-depth, guided visit to the Colosseum, then take in the sweeping view of Circus Maximus—once the grand stage for celebrated chariot races—from a nearby vantage point.
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza St. Peter's
Meals: Breakfast
Explore the medieval playground of Siena, strolling to the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo where you’ll imagine the fun and fanfare that the festive Palio bareback horse race brings to the city twice a year against the backdrop of colorful flags and emblems. You’ll journey to Florence this afternoon where the Cradle of Renaissance comes alive in ways you could never imagine. You’ll go back in time and learn how Florence drove innovation and imagination all those centuries ago. This evening we head to a real 12th-century castle in the Tuscan countryside to Connect With Locals for a Be My Guest dinner. As you walk through its stony halls, you’ll be thrilled to learn about the plot hatched by the Pazzi family against the Medici rulers of Florence centuries ago. You’ll enjoy a delicious meal featuring homegrown produce in the magnificent grand hall and be inspired by the dedication and passion of your hosts, the Baj Macario family who are committed to running the estate in harmony with nature.
Accommodation: Grand Mediterraneo
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
The treasures of the Medici family are on full display as we delve into the centuries of art, architecture and tumultuous history. Join a Local Specialist for a walking tour of the city. Visit the Piazza della Signoria, the hub of the city, and view the magnificent marble Duomo. Learn about the quality and workmanship of two of this city's historic industries at demonstrations of Florentine leathercraft and 18-carat gold. Then, spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure. Why not visit the Boboli Gardens or tick off great masterpieces in the Uffizi Gallery? You could also join an Optional Experience to snap a selfie next to the Leaning Tower of Pisa before returning to Florence and pounding the pavements in search of the city's tastiest gelato.
Accommodation: Grand Mediterraneo
Meals: Breakfast
Cross the Apennine Mountains to the city of Bologna where you will join a Local Specialist to view the city's Kissing Towers and Il Gigante, commonly known as Neptune's Fountain. Ditch your diet and indulge in the delicious flavors of what is widely regarded as the gastronomic capital of Italy – chase tortellini around your plate or twirl Spaghetti Bolognese like a local. This afternoon, we arrive in the island city of Venice. Spend a leisurely afternoon exploring with the family or enjoy an Optional Experience gondola ride through Venice's labyrinthine canals.
Accommodation: Novotel Mestre Castellana
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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. Enjoy an unforgettable MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you witness first-hand the centuries-old tradition of Venetian glassblowing. You’ll learn how the master craftsmen shape the molten glass to make the exquisite and delicate works of art that adorn homes all over the world and perhaps be inspired to buy your own souvenir as a reminder of this special visit. Later, take part in a Family Fun experience to learn about the great Venetian tradition of Carnival Masks, with an opportunity to create your own colorful alter egos. This afternoon, consider a lagoon cruise to the colorful island of Burano, on an Optional Experience, for a mouth-watering meal.
Accommodation: Novotel Mestre Castellana
Meals: Breakfast
We travel through the Italian Lake District bound for Switzerland this morning and enjoy some free time for lunch in the laid-back lakeside town of Como, which for centuries has served as the crossroads between Central Europe and the Mediterranean. We continue through Alpine landscapes, past Lugano and through the St. Gotthard tunnel into central Switzerland, before arriving in Engelberg.
Accommodation: H+ Hotel & Spa
Meals: Breakfast
Walk across the flower-lined 14th-century wooden Chapel Bridge and into a land of lakes and lions. See the giant lion hewn from sandstone rock to commemorate the heroism of the Swiss Guards during the French Revolution. Ascend one of the magnificent surrounding mountains during an Optional Experience or spend the afternoon sampling the rich flavors of delicious Swiss chocolate.
Accommodation: H+ Hotel & Spa
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
From Switzerland, we cross the mighty Rhine River and into France, traveling through the Burgundy wine region to the 'City of Light'. This evening, amble up grand boulevards and through tiny cobblestone lanes in search of the French treasures you'll have an opportunity to sample tomorrow.
Accommodation: Novotel Center Bercy
Meals: Breakfast
Join a Local Specialist on a guided sightseeing tour which includes a drive along the Champs-Élysées with views of the magnificent Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. Now, take to the water for a leisurely cruise on the Seine River with spectacular views of the city's bridges and life on the river. This evening, we close the curtains on an epic family adventure through Europe, celebrating with our travel companions and Travel Director at a special dinner.
Accommodation: Novotel Center Bercy
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
For now, it's time to say au revoir to your fellow travelers at the end of an unforgettable experience.
Meals: Breakfast
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Tour Operator
Trafalgar (CA)
Family owned and run since 1920, The Travel Corporation (TTC) is the world leader in immersive travel experiences across an extensive range of travel categories. Each year TTC's 40 award winning hospitality and travel brands connect over 1 million happy travellers to the world. We give you access to the 12 DMC’s behind these brands, so you can build your business by capitalizing on the extensive experience, local expertise, and financial assurance of TTC. LOCAL EXPERTISE The world leaders in travel for over 100 years, we offer unparalleled local expertise with a global footprint. Our 12 DMCs, led by experienced in-destination teams, deliver experience rich travel solutions in more than 80 countries. Additionally, our market based teams are on hand to support across our 40 offices worldwide
In Business Since 1931
Reviews
Trusted Customer - Traveled, May 2024
Trafalgar Tour Tribute. Good hotels except Florence Food included Generally good Optional experience definitely helped to fulfil our time ontop of normal tour Once again organised so well. Lots to do and see Very organised and with a v v v terrific tour guide Gerry who was a joy to have around with his experience of arranging Everything Give him11 The driver was v good to and also helpful.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/25/2024
Jeremy Beckman - Traveled, April 2024
Trip of a Lifetime, Great experiences, once we left Rome. Our tour guide was amazing! Once in a lifetime experiences and kept us informed every step of the way. She was amazing, so was our driver. Great add on experiences, trip of a lifetime. We were annoyed that the Coliseum was changed off of the tour very last minute. While most of the hotels were outstanding, the Crowne Plaza in Rome we stayed at was not a great choice. Late night dance parties, minimal air movement in the rooms. Same as above, tour, driver, coach, and the choice of places to visit were great. Many of the hotels were amazing, the Crown Plaza Saint Peters was NOT one of them. Very loud dance party until midnight right outside of the room, hard to handle when we just handed and had a 6AM departure the next morning. Should avoid that one. Especially at the start of the tour.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/26/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, March 2024
Truly memorable vacation with many new traveler friends! Having previously lived and traveled in Europe and Asia this was the first fully escorted motor coach tour I’ve ever taken; and it was exceptional. We purchased the basic tour with the Eurostar extension to London and while on the tour we signed up for all but one of the optional experiences. In hindsight without the optional experiences the tour would not have been as enjoyable as it was. An unexpected highlight of the tour were the “Be My Guest” experience where we were able to visit, have dinner, party and dance with the owners of a Tuscan vineyard. The motor coach and the hotels were comfortable. What contributed to making the trip as memorable as it was were the other travelers on the tour, the children of those that had children, and especially the Tour Director ************ and our driver Vincenzo. The itinerary was very well thought out and planned. Brendon always had everything very well organized and optimized our travel time explaining the history or trivia behind the sites we were traveling to visit in such an entertaining way that I think we all really enjoyed riding in the “Love Bus”, as Brendon called our motor coach, as much as touring the sites. We always arrived at sites on schedule and never seemed to have to wait despite the summer crowds and the local experts at each location were superb. Every morning we’d start out our coach travel whether short or long we would be greeted on the bus with the song “Love Is In The Air”. Sometimes when I start my day the lyrics of that song, “Love is in the Air Everywhere I look around” are still stuck in my head. It was really a wonderful trip. Thank you, Trafalgar, Brendon, Vincenzo, and all our new friends that we met and truly enjoyed that made this a once in a lifetime vacation. The itinerary was very well thought out and visiting some lesser visited sites made it all the more interesting.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/20/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, March 2024
We have been on multiple Trafalgar tours and keep coming back due to the excellent service and superb quality of the guides and drivers (shoutout to Lara and Ferdinando!). The staff go above and beyond and have a lot of in-depth knowledge of their tour areas. Wonderland was a fantastic sampler of sites to visit, the coach was great and well take care of, hotels all very nice, comfortable, clean, and in good locations.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/30/2024
Kelly Oppenheimer - Traveled, March 2024
Service was great. Was a great itinerary for our family
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/26/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, February 2024
Wonderful. Our family tour of eight, age ranging from 76 to 9, was a wonderful experience for all. It was well curated with activities that related to all age levels. Highly recommended. What made it exceptional was our tour director, ************. His professionalism, expertise and Brendon genuinely wanting us to experience all that the tour had to offer made it memorable and left a lasting positive vacation experience. The overall value was a bit on the expensive side after computing the land tour, airfare and optional excursion but overall worth every dollar spend. Why not include airfare to the price?
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/16/2024
George Sepeda Iv - Traveled, February 2024
Amazing 1st family trip! Exceptional experience with no stress or hassle for planning. Beautiful smaller cities to also explore.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/28/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, January 2024
Great Trip! The travel directors are phenomenal! The optional experiences are always well organized and so much fun! My wife and I took this trip for our honeymoon and loved every minute! There’s so much to see and do and the included and optional experiences ensure that you get a chance to see everything!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/12/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, June 2024
Hard to keep up due to tight schedules of sightseeings and too early in the morning (not enough time for breakfast and enjoy at the hotels, always in a rush to meet up with group, and fear of leaving behind, etc). It’s a family tour and had kids but didn’t have much activities for kids, too much sightseeing and walking made them bored, tired, and less enjoyable as a family. This was our first tour trip with the group, so didn’t expect it would turn out like this and didn’t enjoy much. Need more time to relax, enjoy and let the sceneries sinks in as vacation supposed to be, instead of rushing and keep up with the group all the time.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/27/2024
Rebecca Conroy - Traveled, August 2024
Streamlined booking. The website was user friendly and our Travel Director gave us useful information about the upcoming holiday. Trafalgar provided us with an unforgettable holiday. We maximised the experiences with the time we had in each city, full of experts and knowledge for a learning experience for our family.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/19/2023
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