European Inspiration | Classic | Start Amsterdam | Winter | Season 2024/2025

Get ready for 19 days of unforgettable adventures through Europe! You'll meet up with your Contiki crew in London and we'll all board our coach here, ready to set off for European soil. Our first stop is Dover, where we'll take a ferry to cross over the channel. One step closer! As we set off, take in that last glimpse of English coastline with the beauty of the White Cliffs of Dover. Off the ferry, we arrive in the port town of Calais. We're in France! With no time to waste, we'll jump back on our coach and head onwards to Amsterdam. And here we are at our final stop for this evening: Amsterdam! We'll start our exploration of this city with a peek of canals, bicycles & 17th century gable houses lit up by night. Afterwards, there's plenty of nightlife to keep you going until the early hours.

Amsterdam is as cute as it comes & sure to win your heart with its cobbled main streets, canalside views, obscure museums & a café culture like no other. On the agenda, you'll have the option to get an exclusive entry pass to the A'Dam Tower and Swing, skipping the queues to enjoy epic views over the sprawling city below. Then, you're free to use your time to get local, bar hop, museum crawl, or just explore. If you're hungry to taste your way through the local culture, this place is famous for Dutch pancakes, frites, cheese, stroopwafels and coffee – or you can take the opportunity to visit the small Dutch fishing village of Volendam for an optional dinner. Tonight, you have the option to sign up for an iconic cruise through Amsterdam, complete with an onboard bar.

Amsterdam, it's been lovely, but today's agenda is onto the autobahn and on the fast-track to uber-cool Berlin. On the world map of party vibes, Berlin has a gold star. We've got two nights to explore every inch of this iconic city, and we'll kick it off with a bit of a tour of the city and its troubled but fascinating past. Once we've gotten acquainted with the key sites, we'll get ready for an included dinner at Kruezburger Himmel.

Tours, glorious tours! After our taster of Berlin's history yesterday, we’ll have two inspiring walking tours in store for today (totally optional of course). First up, take a historical walking tour, including a visit to the site of Hitler's bunker. Next, we’ll embark on an Alternative Berlin walking tour, taking us to all the city’s hipster haunts and historical hotspots. If you're looking for a night out, tonight is the perfect time to scope out one of those underground raves or cocktail-lounge-in-the-basement scenarios that Berlin is famous for.

This morning we'll motor out of Berlin, ready for our next city. Berlin is one tough act to follow, but luckily we're headed for the darling of Europe: Prague. A drive from Berlin to Prague wouldn't be complete without stopping in Dresden. Sadly destroyed by World War II, the rebuilt town is now a symbol of resilience, soaked in the beauty of an Opera house, the domed Frauenkirche, & the Royal Residence. We'll spot them all on a tour of the best spots before hitting the road again. Arriving in the fairytale city of Prague with medieval spires, curvy cobbled lanes and street carts selling fried cheese, we'll waste no time in getting out and exploring for ourselves. Starting with castles and cathedrals, we'll soak up stories of Bohemian Kings and gothic history.Tonight, you'll have the chance to join an optional Czech evening with traditional music, dancing & dinner for all the Czech vibes you could hope for.

With a full day to explore, Prague is yours! By the end of today you'll be an expert on Gothic architecture, artisanal food markets & locally-brewed Czech beer. Then, the night is yours to amble around the Old Town Square and find a few haunts to let the hours slip away in.

We warned you about falling head over heels for Prague! Sorry team, you cannot live here forever. Unless....? Journeying out of the Czech Republic, we'll start our time in Germany with a sobering visit to the Dachau concentration camp memorial. You'll be able to spend some time here to learn and reflect, before we head on to the city of Munich. It would seem we were born in need of some delightful Bavarian culture, we just didn't know it until now. Munich may be famed for its Oktoberfest festivities, but the spirit of things kicks on year round. A trip to a traditional beer hall will get you very well acquainted with things, just after you've swooned at a Gothic clock complete with 32 dancing figures and 43 chiming bells.

Today is your chance to dive deep into Munich's cute culture and urban life. After our walking tour, you're free to roam the old town, buy yourself a pair or lederhosen or a traditional dirndl, or visit the busy streets and cafes of the university district.

Goodbye Munich, hello mountains. Today we're hitting the road for Italy, but first we're in search of lands so sweet they made The Sound of Music. Drive through Austria without getting out to say hello? Never! We'll pull into Innsbruck for lunch, a laid-back student city made famous by a medieval old town, an old Olympic Ski Jump & a Royal Palace.  And just like that, we're in a new country and a whole new vibe. Ah, Venice! Fresh pasta, lilting accents & romantic architecture - we've arrived in one of Italy's most famous cities. Tonight we'll relax here, knowing we have all day tomorrow to cruise canals & explore picturesque cobbled streets.

Buongiorno! Venice is ours for a full and glorious Italian day. We'll start exploring The Floating City by jumping aboard our own private motoscafo boat and cruising the canals en route to the historical heart of the city. Next, you have the option to discover hidden Venice with a guided walking tour or a traditional gondola ride, or venture over to the UNESCO heritage site of Burano. At this picture-perfect fisherman's island decorated with gorgeous technicolour houses, you'll visit a local family restaurant and indulge in a seafood feast.

Farewell floating city, but Italy, we're not done with you yet, our next destination the Eternal City of Rome is just around the corner. The evening will really take it up to high key as we uncover Italian icons in the country's capital of Rome. With a city tour on arrival, we'll get a glimpse of Rome's glory by night, ready to be fully unveiled tomorrow. Gelato, pizza and ancient monuments, we're here for it all.

This morning we're up and out early to make the most of our chance to explore this ancient city. Hit the streets and discover the incredible ancient civilisation on your doorstep. You can opt to take a tour of the famous Colosseum and walk in the footsteps of Emperors and Gladiators in a guided tour, or snap epic selfies against a background of pink azaleas by the entrance. Foodies, we've got you covered with the chance to get off the beaten track with an optional tasting tour through Testaccio. Afterwards, visit the Trevi Fountain and throw coins to make a wish, sip espresso in a cobbled backstreet and soak up Italian life as it dances by.

With antipasto, good vino and golden countryside ahead, saying goodbye to Rome doesn't feel so bad. Cast your eyes over the city one last time this morning before we hit the road, bound for Tuscany.  We’ll stop off to visit a gorgeous 16th Century villa that’s now a working winery. We’ll check out the old cellar, and even sample some Chianti wine for ourselves – with antipasti too of course (rude not to, right?)  Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is more proof that Italy has so many great places packed into one small region. Get into the Tuscan vibes with another drop of Chianti wine, and take in the beauty of the city and its magnificent Duomo Cathedral. Take it all in - we have all day tomorrow to let the explorations continue.

Ready for a full day of all things Florence? Today is the perfect balance of guided local wisdom and free time to roam. We'll uncover the beautiful art of traditional leatherwork, explore streets bursting with heritage, and see all the top sights on a walking tour. This afternoon you'll have free time to take to the local markets and taste the local gelato before a special optional evening out tonight, dinner and wine at a magical Tuscan restaurant nestled in the countryside nearby.

It's almost time to say a heartfelt 'ciao' to Italy, and hello to the land of creamy chocolate, cheese and watches. But we have one more thing to do in Italy first.... As if we were going to jump from Florence to Switzerland without a sneaky side trip to the Leaning Tower of Pisa! Here's your chance to perfect the holding-up-the-tower shot, so make it a good one. With magical views unfolding outside our windows we'll find ourselves in Switzerland, pulling up in the fairytale town of Lucerne, famous for its wooden bridges, cobbled lanes and beautiful setting against the lake it's named after. Here we'll visit the wooden chapel bridge and lion monument and take the chance to explore. Our recommendation for tonight? Swiss chocolate.

Today you're free to stroll the beautiful streets of Lucerne, sit in a coffee shop soaking up mountain life, or consume your body weight in chocolate. But if you're looking for something a little more adventurous, you can opt for a visit the top of Mt. Pilatus for breathtaking views over the Swiss Alps or take an optional cruise across Lake Lucerne for a look at the epic Swiss Alps reflected off the water. Don't say we don't spoil you.

It's been sweet, but our time in Lucerne is up this morning. We're Paris-bound! Out with the altitude, in with the inner-city Parisian bliss. We'll jump back onto our coach to cross the border out of Switzerland and (back) into France. After coasting through the pretty wine producing region of Burgundy, we'll arrive in the City of Lights. Lamp-lit bridges, a sparkling Eiffel Tower, & evening coffee haunts, this evening we'll fall in love with everything Paris on a dreamy night-time tour. Is it just us, or is love in the air? Once we've seen the most famous landmarks, we'll celebrate our first night in the city by heading up the Montparnasse Tower for the best panoramic views of the city.

Today's the day to stroll the beautiful streets of Paris - and we'll start with a visit to an authentic French perfumery to learn all the secrets of the trade. Then there's plenty of time to lust over designer haute couture or French vintage stores, admire the Notre Dame Cathedral, order coffee and crepes, or get artsy at the many museums of the Louvre. Just don't wear yourself out, because tonight's your chance to get involved with VIP seats, dinner & French champagne at an iconic Parisian cabaret show. With your last night looming, this is the perfect way to make it one to remember. Get ready to go out with a bang!

Rise, shine, and soak up your last dose of Paris this morning over a coffee and croissant together, as we marvel at how much we've seen on this magical journey. It may be over for now, but these friendships and memories will last a lifetime. Our last coach ride together will be a complimentary transfer to CDG airport this morning, or you can stay onboard for the full ride back to London. Plenty of time to start planning the next reunion... What an adventure! Say a fond farewell to the group as you wrap up the trip on arrival in London.