Arrival at Milan Airport and transfer to hotel for check-in, dinner and overnight stay. 

Breakfast in hotel and visit in the morning to Milan city centre, including the characteristic Gothic cathedral in the main square, the Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery and Sforzesco Castle, built in the 14th century by the Sforza and Visconti families, with works by Bramante and Leonardo da Vinci and several museums. Lunch in a restaurant and departure for Fenis, where visits can be made to the town’s mediaeval castle, one of Italy’s best preserved. Noted for its picturesque architecture, with double defensive walls topped with battlements and numerous towers around a central keep, the castle is one of the Aosta Valley’s leading tourist attractions. Transfer to hotel in Aosta after the visit for dinner and overnight stay. 

Breakfast in hotel and departure for Switzerland. The first stop is at Chillon Castle, built on a rocky island on the shores of Lake Geneva, just a few kilometres from Montreux. This architectural jewel, the ancient residence of the Counts of Savoy, is Switzerland’s most visited historical monument. Lunch in a restaurant at Montreux, a delightful French town famous for its strong links with the world of music and for its jazz festival. The tour continues in the afternoon along the shores of the lake to Geneva, sometimes called the “Capital of Peace”, because it hosts the European headquarters of the UNO and of several other international organizations, including the Red Cross. Short visit to the city, rich in culture and history, and then continuing for Annecy. Check-in at hotel for dinner and overnight stay. 

Breakfast in hotel. Visit in the morning to the centre of Annecy, criss-crossed by several canals, and the château dominating the city, offering a splendid view over Annecy and the lake on which it stands. Departure for the Loire Valley, a region of France noted for its beautiful landscapes and numerous châteaus. Stop for lunch along the way. Arrival at Tours in the late afternoon. Check-in at hotel for dinner and overnight stay. 

Breakfast in hotel and departure for Chenonceaux for a guided visit to one of the most fascinating châteaus of the Loire Valley, built in Renaissance style on the River Cher and known as the “Château des Dames”, as it was built and lived in mainly by noblewomen. Lunch in a restaurant and in the afternoon guided visit to the Royal Château of Amboise from the 15th and 16th centuries, situated in a panoramic position overlooking the River Loire, and to the Renaissance mansion of Clos Lucé, famous for being the last residence of Leonardo da Vinci. Inside and in the large park there are conserved or reconstructed examples of some of the most spectacular inventions of the Italian genius. After the visit return to Tours, dinner and overnight stay. 

Breakfast in hotel and departure for Paris. Short stop in the morning for a visit outside the château of Chambord, the majestic Renaissance masterpiece of Francis I of France. Lunch in a restaurant at Versailles followed by a visit to the famous palace built in the 17th century by Louis XIV, known as the “Sun King”. Transfer to Paris for hotel check-in, dinner and overnight stay. 

Breakfast in hotel and full day dedicated to a visit with guide to Paris, known as “La Ville Lumière”, a major world capital for fashion and culture. Sights include the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, the Latin Quarter, home to the Sorbonne University since mediaeval times, and the hill of Montmartre, a traditional meeting place for artists. Lunch in a restaurant. Dinner and overnight stay in hotel. 

Breakfast in hotel. Visit in the morning to Fontainebleau Château, one of France’s finest and a royal residence from the times of Francis I through to Napoleon III. Lunch in a restaurant and departure for Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace and the official seat of the European Parliament. Arrival in the afternoon for hotel check-in, dinner and overnight stay. 

Breakfast in hotel and visit to the ancient city centre of Strasbourg, situated on an island on the River Ill, and dominated by the imposing Gothic cathedral, with a lofty spire reaching the height of 142 metres. Lunch in a restaurant and departure for Munich, the capital of Bavaria. Arrival in the late afternoon for hotel check-in, dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast in hotel. Visit in the morning to the central Marienplatz, in the heart of the city, where one side is occupied by the Neues Rathaus city hall, with the famous Rathaus-Glockenspiel automaton clock on its façade, and to the Frauenkirche Cathedral. Lunch in a restaurant and visit in the afternoon to the Nymphenburg Palace, now within the modern-day city and one of the main former summer residences of the Wittelsbach dynasty. Erected initially in 1662, the building was later greatly and embellished during the 17th century. Its numerous rooms include the Great Hall, where Ludwig II, the “Fairytale King” or “Swan King”, was baptized, and where the young Mozart performed at the age of six during his first official concert tour. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight stay. 

Breakfast in hotel. Departure for a full-day excursion to Schwangau, where two of Bavaria’s finest castles can be visited: Hohenschwangau, set in dreamlike scenery and the childhood home of Ludwig II, and Neuschwanstein, the fairytale castle that inspired Walt Disney for his “Sleeping Beauty” cartoon movie. Lunch in a restaurant. Dinner and overnight stay in hotel. 

Breakfast in hotel and departure for Vienna, an ancient imperial city and the capital of Austria. Arrival in the late morning, lunch in a restaurant and guided visit in the afternoon to the city centre, with St Stephen’s Cathedral, the elegant area of the Graben and the Hofburg Palace. Check-in, dinner and overnight stay in hotel.

Breakfast in hotel. Visit in the morning with guide to the Schönbrunn Palace, a masterpiece of Baroque architecture and once the summer residence of the Princess Elisabeth, better known as “Sissi”, surrounded by a splendid park. Lunch in a restaurant and departure for Trieste, a city rich in mixed Slavic, Hapsburg and Mitteleuropean influences. Arrival in the late afternoon for hotel check-in, dinner and overnight stay. 

Breakfast in hotel. Visit in the morning to the city centre, including the splendid Piazza Unità d’Italia square, the Cathedral, the San Giusto Castle and the Risiera di San Sabba, site of the only concentration camp in Italian territory. Lunch in a restaurant and visit in the afternoon to Miramare Castle, a former Hapsburg residence built in a panoramic position right by the sea and surrounded by a verdant park, followed by departure for Verona. Arrival in the late afternoon for hotel check-in, dinner and overnight stay. 

Breakfast in hotel. Guided visit in the morning to the city centre, including the Renaissance gates, the San Zeno Basilica, the Scaligero Castle and Bridge, the Gavi Arch, the Roman Borsari Arch, the Ponte Pietra Bridge and the Roman Theatre. Lunch in a restaurant and excursion in the afternoon along the shores of Lake Garda, up to Malcesine where the Scaligero Castle stands, built by the Lombards around 550 AD and made famous by the sketches and descriptions included by the German writer Goethe in his Italian Journey. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight stay. 

Breakfast in hotel and transfer to Milan Airport. End of our services.