By Jean Strauber, Travel Editor
Last week I wrote you about my quandary in deciding which Trafalgar European Experience I will take in 2012, a “0” birthday year. In perusing the brochure I found five other European tours of 15 days or long for me to consider. Decisions! Decisions! Decisions! I am considering the 15- Day Trafalgar European Experience holiday. The 15 days also begins, like the European Impressions tour, in Amsterdam. And, from Amsterdam we’ll travel to Cologne to view the Cologne Cathedral, enjoy a cruise down the Rhine River and end our day at the Hotel Europea Ludwigshafen in Rhineland. We’ll travel from Rhineland to Munich and on to Innsbruck where our hotel will be the Bon Alpina. From Innsbruck to journey to Venice where we’ll spend only one night. We’ll board our comfortable motorcoach and enjoy the view of the Veneto plain and cross the Apennine Mountains into Tuscany.
The journey continues through Umbria to Rome to spend the next two nights. Our hotel is the Aran Park. From Rome we journey to Florence (Hotel Demidoff) for one night. Following Florence, our driver will take us past the city of Milan and we’ll continue north to the Swiss border and follow the scenic St. Gotthard route to Lake Lucerne where we’ll be for the next two nights. From Lucerne we drive on to Paris. This tour includes 11 buffet breakfasts and 6 threecourse dinners. Plus One Surprise Hidden Treasure courtesy of our tour director. Leaves frequently from February 23, 2012. Rates from $2685. During the Olympics the fare begins in Amsterdam and the brochure fare is $2350 (land only). Or, the 15-Day Trafalgar European Magic escorted vacation. This tour begins in Paris where we’ll be lodged for the first two nights.
From Paris we head south past the Forest of Fountainbleau to the medieval town of Beaune, the wine capital of the Burgundy region. We’ll then cross into Switzerland and arrive at Geneva, which lies at the end of Lake Leman and our hotel Ramada Encore for the next two nights. We’ll leave Geneva and drive south past Grenoble (remember it was the site of the Winter Olympics a few years ago), through the awesome landscape the leads us to Cote d’Azur from the Alps. We’ll continue on to Nice for the next two nights and our hotel: Busby. While in Nice we’ll visit Cannes and even have time to relax on the beach or enjoy shopping. From Nice we’ll drive through the Principality of Monaco and continue along the coast into Italy, past the port of Genoa to Pisa and end the day in the Tuscan spa town of Montecatini and our hotel: Tuscany Inn. From Montecatini we drive a short distance to Florence where there will be time on our own.
We’ll reboard our motorcoach and arrive in Venice for the next two nights. From Venice we then cross the Veneto plain via Bologna, Tuscany, Umbria and into Rome for the next two nights at the Hotel Aran Park where our tour will end. Highlights of this memorable vacation include: – Sightseeing and orientation in Paris, Geneva, Nice, Pisa, Venice and Rome – A visit to the Fragonard Perfumery in Eze – Viewing the Leaning Tower in Pisa – In Venice, a cruise by private boat to St. Mark’s Square and a visit to a glass-blowing workshop – In Rome, visiting St. Peter’s Basilica and viewing the Forum and Colosseum The tour includes: 11 buffet breakfasts and 4 three-course dinners This tour runs from April through Sunday October 7, 2012. Fare from $2675 and, during the Olympics when London is omitted for six weeks, the fare is $2325.
Or, the 17- Day Trafalgar European Accent This tour varies from the 18- Day European Experience that I wrote about last week in that we will visit Lucerne after our visit to Rhineland and omit Innsbruck and Salzburg. After being in Lucerne (one night) we then proceed to Venice for two nights. From Venice we cross the Veneto Plain via Bologna and continue through Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio to Rome for two nights. From Rome we will head north to the Renaissance city of Florence for one night. From Florence, proceed to Pisa to view the Leaning Tower in the Square of Miracles. Then, follow the Italian coast to the French Rivera and visit Monaco en route to Nice, the Cote d’Azur for two nights. When we leave Nice we’ll proceed to the ancient papal town of Avignon to Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy.
From Beaune we’ll travel north through Burgundy’s splendid scenery to arrive in the city of Paris where we’ll enjoy two nights before saying goodbye to our fellow travelers. Of course, we might experience an additional night or two in the City of Light. We’re provided with sightseeing or orientation tours in Amsterdam, Lucerne, Venice, Rome, Florence, Monaco, Nice, Avignon and Paris. We’ll also be provided with 13 buffet breakfasts and five three-course dinners. And, there will be at least one surprise hidden treasure experience, unique to our itinerary, again courtesy of our Tour Director. This tour begins April and runs through Sunday, October 14, 2012. Land only fare is from $2575. All the fares I’ve mentioned are priced for per person/ double occupancy. Trafalgar also is offering additional discounts: an early payment/second trip discount. Like I said at the beginning of this article, “Decisions! Decisions! Decisions!”