Mediterranean Journey
Experience Overview
Marvel at Gaudi’s masterpieces in Barcelona, spot locals sipping pastis in Nice and admire Florence the home of Michelangelo and the Renaissance, as you circle the azure waters of the Mediterranean. Embrace the city of Pisa with a stop at the famous leaning tower, where Italian astronomer Galileo was said to have pioneered his theories of gravity. In France, work up an appetite in the medieval streets. In Spain, dine with the locals in Basque tradition with an evening of San Sebastian pintxos tastings, snack-sized tapas, while sipping on a refreshing glass of local Txakoli wine. In Rome, taste the seasonal flavors and of course, handmade pasta.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 4 Dinner (D)
- 15 Breakfast (B)
Choice Highlights
- Monaco City: Admire the Italian Renaissance frescoes and State Apartments of the Prince's Palace.
- Monaco City: Visit the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. Admire grand aquariums of the Mediterranean and tropical seas, and gain insight into the challenges of scientific research in Polar environments.
Additional Included Highlights
- Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
- Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
- Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
- If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
Authentic Dining
- Paris: Join your Travel Director and fellow guests at a local restaurant for a delightful dinner.
- San Sebastián: Enjoy an evening of pintxos, dining with locals in this Basque tradition. Your delicious dinner includes a wide variety of finger food delicacies, each with their own regional flavor, flair and presentation.
- Rome: Toast your Mediterranean journey with delicious Italian cuisine and wine.
Insight Choice
- Monaco City: Admire the Italian Renaissance frescoes and State Apartments of the Prince's Palace.
- Monaco City: Visit the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. Admire grand aquariums of the Mediterranean and tropical seas, and gain insight into the challenges of scientific research in Polar environments.
Insight Experiences
- Madrid: Visit the Reina Sofia Museum with an art historian and see Pablo Picasso's masterpiece Guernica, one of the world's greatest anti-war paintings. Alternatively, join a neighborhood walking tour to discuss social equity empowerment and learn about the history of women's movements in Spain.
- Vatican City: Visit the Vatican Museums, witness the genius of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and see St. Peter's Basilica.
Top Rated Highlights
- Chateau Chenonceau: Visit the majestic Château de Chenonceau, known as the 'Ladies' Château' it perfectly embodies the elegance of 16th-century design in the Loire Valley.
- Bordeaux: Your Local Expert will show you the quayside facades, Grand Theater, Triangle d'Or and magnificent Esplanade des Quinconces.
- San Sebastián: Led by your Local Expert, enjoy a guided walking tour of the Old Quarter including Plaza de la Constitucion.
- Madrid: Explore Madrid’s Old Quarter with a Local Expert who outlines how the district developed from a small medieval citadel into the center of Habsburg Madrid. You’ll see the compact street grid, market squares and civic buildings that shaped the early city, and trace how each layer of expansion created the foundations of the modern capital.
- Barcelona: Explore Barcelona with a Local Expert who sets out the city’s shape from street level — the long run of Passeig de Gràcia, the sharp grid of the Eixample and the way the skyline shifts as the Sagrada Família comes into view. The route ties together the city’s Modernista detail and its ongoing architectural change.
- Monaco City: Enjoy a drive along part of the Grand Prix circuit and wander the old town with your Travel Director to see the Royal Palace and the yacht-filled harbor.
- Florence: Join a Local Expert 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.
- Rome: During your orientation with your Travel Director see the medieval buildings, including Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches, scattered throughout the city.
Well-being
- Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
- Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.
Trip Details
Product Code: 34711
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Adventure, Budget
Tour Operator:
Insight Vacations (CA)
Supplier Code: 131.1366A
Starts: Paris, France
Finishes: Rome, Italy
Duration: 16 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $9920 ($620 /day)
Itinerary
Welcome to Paris, enjoy time at leisure to settle into your hotel. During your time here you will see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Place de la Concorde, the Champs Elysées and Arc de Triomphe. In the evening, join your Travel Director for a fabulous welcome dinner at a local brasserie.
Accommodation: Marriott Rive Gauche, Paris
Meals: Dinner
Your Travel Director will introduce you to Paris with an orientation, taking in the Arc de Triomphe, the tree-lined Champs-Élysées and the grand Place de la Concorde. The afternoon is yours to explore – perhaps linger over a cafe crème at a sidewalk bistro, browse the boutiques of the Marais or stroll through the Tuileries Gardens towards the Louvre’s glass pyramid. Art lovers may wish to step inside to admire masterpieces from the Mona Lisa to the Winged Victory of Samothrace, while others might cross the Seine to the literary heart of the Left Bank. As evening falls, there’s the opportunity to join an Optional Experience at one of Paris’ celebrated cabarets, combining dazzling costumes, live music and a sumptuous dinner.
Accommodation: Marriott Rive Gauche, Paris
Meals: Breakfast
Head southwards towards Châteaux Country. Take a scenic drive along the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region is known as the Jardins de France for the beautifully maintained gardens created on vast estates as outdoor living areas. Visit the majestic Chenonceau Castle, an elegant French château spanning the River Cher. Continue on to the bustling in-land port of Bordeaux with its unique 18th-century character.
Accommodation: Novotel Gare St Jean, Bordeaux
Meals: Breakfast
Join a Local Expert for a guided tour of France's best 18th-century architecture. The facades of the quaysides, the Grand Théâtre, Triangle d'Or and magnificent Esplanade des Quinconces all contributed to Bordeaux earning inclusion on UNESCO's World Heritage list. Next, continue to picturesque San Sebastián where you will have the chance to dine with the locals in the evening. In small groups, wander through the Old Town for a progressive dinner, as you enjoy the gastronomic Basque tradition of pintxos. Similar to tapas, enjoy a variety of snack-sized treats to make your meal and be sure to try some of the local Txakoli wine.
Accommodation: Barceló Costa Vasca, San Sebastián
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Continue this European Grandeur tour through the mountains and gorges of the north and emerge from the tunnel in the Sierra de Guadarrama onto the plateau of New Castile and Spain's elegant capital of Madrid. In the evening, why not see the city lit up it all its glory, with a drive along the grand avenues and past the spectacular fountains?
Accommodation: Barceló Torre de Madrid
Meals: Breakfast
Join your Local Expert for a sightseeing tour of the Old Town as well as, along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana and past the fountain in the Plaza de Cibeles. Enjoy sightseeing with your Local Expert, as they guide you through the most historic neighborhoods in the Spanish capital. Your drive continues through the Old Quarter to discover the origins of the city. Visit the Reina Sofía Museum with an art historian to see Picasso's Guernica.
Accommodation: Barceló Torre de Madrid
Meals: Breakfast
Cross the Castilian plain, past Zaragoza, and continue to the vibrant port of Barcelona. In the evening, why not try delicious local Catalan cuisine and as night descends, view the city from the heights of Montjuic, with lights sparkling below from the mountains to sea.
Accommodation: Labtwentytwo, Barcelona, Torre Melina Gran Meliá, Barcelona
Meals: Breakfast
Join your Local Expert to explore the heart of the Gothic Quarter. See the cathedral and walk through the Roman gate to tour the narrow lanes and old squares. Travel by the Ramblas and along the Passeig de Gràcia. Continue through the Eixample district to see Gaudi’s extraordinary masterpiece, the mesmerizing Sagrada Família.
Accommodation: Labtwentytwo, Barcelona, Torre Melina Gran Meliá, Barcelona
Meals: Breakfast
Journey around the Mediterranean Sea to the elegant French Riviera. Arrive in Nice and glory in the unforgettable moment you see the Bay of Angels. Stroll along the Promenade des Anglais and take in the atmosphere of the Côte d'Azur of one of Europe's popular, cosmopolitan playgrounds.
Accommodation: Apollinaire, Nice
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Wake up ready to rub shoulders with the jet set on the glamorous Côte d’Azur, a stretch of coastline long favored by artists, aristocrats and film stars. Enjoy a drive along part of Monaco’s famous Grand Prix circuit, where the roar of Formula 1 cars has echoed through the principality since 1929. With Insight Choice, take your pick; step inside the Oceanographic Museum, founded by Prince Albert I in 1910 and home to over 6,000 marine species, or visit the Royal Palace of Monaco and see the 19th-century Monaco Cathedral, final resting place of Princess Grace. The remainder of the day is yours to soak up the sun-drenched elegance of the French Riviera.
Accommodation: Apollinaire, Nice
Meals: Breakfast
Cross into Italy and follow the arc of the Italian Riviera before arriving in Pisa. In the Square of Miracles, stop to see the incredible Leaning Tower of Pisa with a Local Expert, from which Galileo is said to have conducted experiments on velocity and gravity. Also see the splendid 11th-century cathedral and baptistery, decorated with mosaics and designs in solid marble. Continue through Tuscany to the captivating city of Florence.
Accommodation: Columbus Urban Resort
Meals: Breakfast
Walk with your Local Expert to the marble-clad cathedral and baptistery, where Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise have been recreated in all their glory. The next stop is Piazza della Signoria, still the political heart of Florence and an open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces. Spend time gazing at statues such as Neptune and David along the front of the Palazzo Vecchi, this afternoon there's free time to shop or perhaps continue exploring.
Accommodation: Columbus Urban Resort
Meals: Breakfast
Relax and enjoy the grand landscapes of the Chianti hills and Umbria, before passing the Apennine Mountains to arrive at the Eternal City, filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches. In the evening, what better way to toast the culmination of your Mediterranean journey, than with delicious Italian cuisine and wine.
Accommodation: Golden Tulip Rome Piram
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
A Local Expert introduces the grandeur of the city, starting with the Vatican State, the richest community in the world. Visit the Vatican Museums, full of priceless treasures collected by the Popes. Once inside the Sistine Chapel, admire Michelangelo's famous ceiling. Visit St. Peter’s Basilica to admire Michelangelo's emotive 'Pieta' and see Bernini's intricately carved Papal Altar. The afternoon is yours to shop in the trendy boutiques or relax at a sidewalk cafe.
Accommodation: Golden Tulip Rome Piram
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy Rome at your own pace today. Perhaps take an optional experience to the ill-fated town of Pompeii, frozen in time when it was engulfed by an eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Alternatively, spend some time in the boutiques of the Via del Corso, the Via Nazionale or the elegant designer stores near the Spanish Steps.
Accommodation: Golden Tulip Rome Piram
Meals: Breakfast
Bid farewell to the glories of Italy.
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Insight Vacations (CA)
Part of The Travel Company (TTC) family of brands, Insight Vacations began operations in 1978 and is based in Cypress, CA. Journeys are featured to destinations, such as the U.S. and Canada, Europe, Latin America, North Africa, Asia, the UK and Ireland. The company offers are a variety of tours under the classifications of Regional Journeys, Country Roads, Discovery Journeys, Easy Pace trips, and Special Interest tours. Insight is the ideal name for the tour operator, as the journeys provided by Insight Vacations allow travelers to gain further insight into whatever destination they wish to explore. For example, Discovery Journeys are the ideal choice for first-time visitors to Europe. Itineraries include Dine-at-Home or Farm-to-Table experiences so travelers can learn more about how locals live and dine. Regional Journeys allow trip-goers to see a specific location in Europe that they have always wanted to see – Poland, Switzerland, Italy, etc. The carefully planned trips enable customers to immerse themselves in one specific region or country and to become acquainted with its culture, traditions, and people. For anyone seeking travel off the beaten track, Insight Vacations offers Country Roads – trips that lead travelers off the well-tread tourist trail to explore hidden gems where visitors can savor the local produce with Farm-to-Table dining. Some trips are offered under the Easy Pace travel style – the ideal trip choice for trip-goers who wish to slow their pace during their vacation. During these tours, vacationers stay at least 3 nights at each destination, giving them some additional time to explore a place and enjoy it. Regardless of the travel style, many of the vacations offered by Insight Vacations begin with Relaxed Starts – giving travelers time to sleep in a little, spend more time at breakfast, or explore an area on their own. The tour company prides itself on providing business class tours that features luxury coaches with 40 seats. While most coach touring operators provide vehicles with 53 seats, Insight Vacations has re-configured its motor coaches to hold up to 40 guests. This gives passengers extra leg room while traveling and offers them more space and privacy.
In Business Since 1978
Reviews
Anonymous - Traveled, April 2024
It would be best to use the service as a great way to get from one city to the next without the hassle of finding a place to stay and checking in etc. Having the tour director check in for us and the bus driver navigate was very helpful. It was also nice to have a kind bus driver to help us off the bus and get our bags. The tour guide made it less enjoyable because he did not give us all the fine details about each city. He did not give basic details like; the fact that the hotel in Madrid was 500 metres from the Royal Palace; where we could find pharmacies as was needed by a few people in the group. We often went to great places but were so rushed that we could not see everything and the group were annoyed they could not stay longer. It seemed like he wanted to get away from the group as soon as possible. He also changed the timings of things so that we could not join in as we had booked some private tours to suit the schedule on the programme. We felt quite disappointed about the price of the optional extras were very expensive and often a let down, especially when we looked up the actual costs of things we saw and did. Some of the included dinners were so rushed that again we did not feel as happy about them. The first dinner at Bofinger I was given raw chicken and so felt ill for several days, as was another person, who actually vomitted. The hotel in Avignon was awful and smelt like a combination of sewage and a hospital. There was no need to stay there, going to Nice for two nights would have been so much better. The included dinner in Avignon was not worth it and would have been better put towards an extra night in Nice, which was beautiful. We actually had an amazing trip and saw so many wonderful sights but the expectations were not met in relation to the tour director as we believe he was lazy with information and the ability to communicate appropriately with passengers. Highlights include: Crowne Plaza Republique Hotel Food tour in Paris Chateau Chenonceau Pullman Bordeaux Barcelo Costa Vasca Dinner in Sans Sebastian Hotel Riu Plaza Espano Hilton Barcelona Hotel West End Nice NH Firenze Florence Tuscan Dinner at Villa Machiavelli Rome by night Vatican An excellent itinerary, except two nights in Nice would have been better and no need to stay in Avignon. More time on each little tour would have been great as sometimes it felt very rushed.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/05/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, April 2024
I think it all depends on the tour director you get, ours did not meet our expectations. Information had to be requested continually, important information would be given as we arrived at a location, not before so you could properly prepare. The itinerary was not always followed as expected. This was especially annoying in Monaco in relation to the formula one track where it clearly states you drive on a part of the track, this did. Not happen and then the tour director claims we are now driving on part of the track that wasn't even close to the track, as an avid F1 fan it was absolute rubbish. Our bus driver was amazing, so helpful and polite. Overall they itinerary was great, a good look at Europe. Avignon was a wasted stop, hotel in this location was below standard. An additional night in Nice would improve the tour greatly. Tour director changing things made doing your own thing difficult and meant we missed out on several included experiences. Some stops were a waste of time, being taken to retailers in Florence for gold and leather then not having enough time to enjoy a visit later in the day.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/01/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2020
Great customer service answering queries and questions relating to the trip. Would have preferred to have Venice added to the itinerary and missed Burgos. Overall the itinerary was good and we saw alot of places in the time we traveled. Was disappointing being in Paris and not having the Eiffel Tower on the itinerary or Sagrada Famiglia in Barcelona or enough free time to do them on our own.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/30/2020
Anonymous - Traveled, May 2024
The trip was overall good with optional tours offered and Frank Looze was a knowledgeable, helpful tour guide. There was not enough time offered in Paris. Barcelona was shortchanged because we weren't allowed off the bus to explore the street of homes Gaudi built. We also didn't get a chance to see inside his church. Another thing that Rome offered was an inside tour of the Forum and Coliseum. Action packed and offered different options.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/24/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2024
Good customer service. Fair price. Well organized. Knowledge. First time to Europe for us. Enjoyed the culture, foods and drinks. Beautiful landscape (some clean, some unclean) Good hospitality in some hotels.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/30/2023
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2020
Fantastic guide, great accommodation, & brilliant sites Plenty of room on the comfortable bus Very.. Friendly tour group Value for money.No glitches. Plenty to see, sites visited exceptional, breakfasts all good & included dinners delicious
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/24/2020
Sally S. - Traveled, June 2020
tour director was very knowledgeable, but it was obvious he was under pressure to upsell the optional experiences. the bus was very comfortable, but the accomodation in a lot of the places we stayed was definately not up to scratch. Rooms were small, smelly, and I would have rated them 2 stars if that. A lot of the included meals were also very average Saw a lot of really good attractions
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/30/2020
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2020
Excellent transportation services and good assortment of experiences. Seemed to be a hard sell of the extra excursions. I would like to see these costs upfront without pressure to purchase in a short time to decide. Our tour director Nathalie was outstanding. I would like to see more down time in evenings for personal time. Some hotels were not up to the standard expected. Example was the monastery in D'Avignon and the Venetian Palace in Rome due to lack of services like A/C or cleanliness. Rome hotel had filthy carpets with plumbing fixtures not working properly. It seems this hotel is in a convenient location but is lacking in quality. Maybe a 3 star at best. Overall experience was good but a few tweaks could make it great.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/30/2020
Peter L. - Traveled, June 2020
Great experience overall, although our pick up at the airport wasn't there when we arrived and there was some confusion as to our departure time on the first morning with mixed messages from the hotel representative and our Tour Director Well paced Programme that allowed sufficient free time to do our own thing. The optional excursions were good value and served to enhance our overall experience. The Tour Director, Laurent, was a gem and his efforts were much appreciated by the whole group.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/30/2020
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2019
We had a great time on our trip and saw some amazing places. Our guide Laurent was fabulous. He was knowledgeable and fun and caring. The only negatives for me were that it was all a bit too rushed and I would have liked a day extra in each place to be able to wander and get the feel of the places we were visiting. Most hotels were wonderful, but a few should be reviewed. They were a little below standard. We didn't do as many optional experiences as others because we wanted to be able to get a sense of the places ourselves. The ones we did were good though. I was not overly impressed with the meals, but that's just a personal thing.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/20/2019
Robin S. - Traveled, June 2020
The experience was great the tour guide was grate and everything went very smoothly. Trip Rating 5 We loved the places we visited and the local guides were well versed on the local sites and history
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/23/2020
Virginia P. - Traveled, October 2024
I will use Insight Vacations Service again and again for its complete coverage of services. I received what I was promised and more. The attention to detail was incredible. Thank you for making my first tour so memorable. Read less It's intense, complete, and amazing. We got an equally awesome Travel Director, *Personal information removed by Feefo*, who had knowledge of all the places visited. Everything was well organized from the hotels, the restaurants, important places to visit, great tour companions, as well as our comfortable coach accommodations. Not forgetting our equally respectful driver, *Personal information removed by Feefo.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/05/2024
Elena N. - Traveled, October 2025
*Personal details removed by Feefo* is wonderful and very helpful. I don't how he does it but he is very knowledgeable and very good at what he does. Our driver and also excellent and kept us safe. He's such a gentleman and both are very professional
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/28/2024
Lisa - Traveled, June 2024
The insight service was absolutely amazing! could not fault them in any way, they went over and above the expectations. The itinerary in Paris was very good, however to see everything I would recommend a couple of extra days in Paris before starting the tour.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/02/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2024
Good knowledge and history of all areas Lovely Driver and Richard was available at all times lovely scenery great hotels very nice food and restaurants we always travel with insight
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/03/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, April 2024
Overall all went well, thank you. Bit hectic but everything was covered.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/03/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, May 2019
Earlier notifications of included and extra costs of tours would have been advantageous due to budget constraints. On fthe stops where there were more than one night a map or directions to the closest laundry would be great the costs in the hotel were expensive Loved the itinerary great as a taster to go back and see more
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/30/2019
Robert T. - Traveled, May 2019
Extremely knowledgeable Tour Director who was able to give us the history and information of all the places we visited. Very comfortable coaches with plenty of leg room which was not available on previous tours with other providers. We covered all the major towns and cities and places of interest.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/30/2019
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