Welcome to Madrid!
!!


IMPORTANT -IF YOU REQUESTED
ADDITIONAL NIGHTS upon arrival at the hotel, you would have your room booked,
but your trip guide would normally contact you at the beginning of the included
activities. YOUR TIME THEREFORE BEFORE THIS MOMENT IS FREE. The hotel staff can help you with all the information you need.

Note: The schedules that you will find in this itinerary are indicative. The guide, depending on the situation and in order to improve the development of the trip, may adjust the schedules.
Upon arrival at the airport, we shall be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Check the informative panels in the hotel reception area for the welcome meeting with your guide and fellow travellers to receive information about the trip.

In the evening we provide transfers to the Plaza Mayor and La Latina, Madrid´s most famous area for night life and tapas restaurants, where you can dine at your preferred restaurant: Indian, Chinese, Spanish and Middle Eastern are some of the options.







Note: All mentioned hotels below are for your reference only, you might also check-in other same-level hotels.

The day starts around 08.30 hrs with a city tour through the centre of Madrid, including Paseo del Prado, Cibeles, Neptuno, the Gate of Alcalá, Plaza de Colón and Plaza Mayor.

We will visit Retiro Park, an oasis in the city centre, where we will see the lake and the Glass Palace. Entrance to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, the football stadium of Real Madrid. We get to know the areas reserved for the players as well as the public areas and the small museum about this team, considered by some as the best in the world.

Enjoy the rest of the afternoon.

At the end of the evening, we will return to the hotel.

Total distance: 640Km
Scenery: Varied. Abrupt in some sections, very arid in others, Mediterranean at the end.

07:30h Madrid – Departure. We will make a brief stop on our way.
12:30h Zaragoza – Arrival. Our guide provides with the orientative information about the city of Zaragoza, leaving you next to the Pilar Square to visit the basilica and have lunch.

14:30 hrs. -Zaragoza - Departure.
17:00 hrs. – Monastery of Poblet (entrance included). We will make a stop to see this beautiful medieval monastery, which, surrounded by its walls in a beautiful setting, is one of the best-preserved medieval monasteries in the world.

18:15 hrs. – Monastery of Poblet - Departure.- We cross rich agricultural regions of central Catalonia.
20:00 hrs. - Barcelona - Arrival.

09:00 h. - City tour with our guide or the local guide of Barcelona, famous for Gaudí and its modernist architecture. We will see the Columbus monument, Plaza de Cataluña, Paseo de Gracia, Diagonal, Sagrada Familia, Montjuich with the Olympic facilities and Plaza de España. We finish at the Ramblas area. You can have a walk in the historic center - Gothic quarter. After the city tour our guide will offer you optionally the visit to the Gaudí´s masterpiece and emblem of the city, the Sagrada Familia. Free time in the afternoon.

18.30 hrs- In the evening we include a transfer to the Maremagnum, a modern leisure center and restaurants facing the sea, next to Plaza Colón, where you can stroll through this lively area and dine.
20.30 hrs- Return to hotel.

At the time scheduled by your guide we will include a transfer to the station to take the Barcelona/ Paris high-speed train included in your trip. In just over 6 hours you will reach your destination on the comfortable train. Upon arrival at the destination, we will provide a new transfer to the hotel. Your guide will contact you in the evening or you can consult the information placed at the reception of your hotel.


Note: the train journey will be made without an Europamundo guide.

Total distance covered: 80 km


07:45 hrs. - Paris – departure.
08:30 hrs. - Versailles – Arrival. We include the entrance to the Palace of Versailles (long waits for tickets due to influx on some occasions). Immense Palace that belonged to the French kings; a good way to get acquainted with the culture and history of France.


11:30 hrs. - Versailles – departure - (the departure might be later in case of a long wait to enter the palace). Upon returning to Paris we head to Montmartre and taking a small cable car (included) we go up to this bohemian artists´ neighborhood to see the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and take a walk through its square and alleys.

15:00 hrs. - With a local guide we will begin the city tour of Paris lasting 2 and a half hours. During the visit you will be able to see the Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysées, Madelaine, Place de la Concorde, Opera, Louvre Museum, Tower St. Jacques, town hall, Ile de la Cite with the Notre Dame cathedral, Latin quarter, Pantheon, Sorbonne, Luxembourg gardens, Invalides, Military School, Champ de Mars-Eiffel Tower, banks of the Seine. We will make brief stops near the Invalides and the Champ de Mars. At the end of the city tour, we will return to the hotel, making a stop in the city center, so that people who still want to take advantage of their free time in Paris can get off the bus.

In the end of this very complete day, optionally, the guide will suggest you attend a cabaret or variety show in the evening, the Moulin Rouge or the Paradis Latin.


Note: due to the tourist complexity of Paris, the order of the services offered in the city may vary.

Note: if your trip coincides in Paris with the first Sunday of the month, in Versailles, only the gardens will be visited.





Very important note: during the Olympics games dates, that will take place in Paris between July 23rd and August 11th, we cannot guarantee accommodation in this city and its very likely that the stay will be in a nearby location. In this case, Europamundo will offer the necessary transfers so that the services can be carried out and you can enjoy the city in the best possible way.

08.30 hrs.- Departure from the hotel. We go to the EIFFEL TOWER, we include the ticket to go up to the second floor of this impressive metal monument (in some cases there are long waits to gain access due to massive influx). The second floor is considered to be the one with the best view, due to the optimal altitude in relation to the buildings below (on the third floor, they are less visible) and the general perspective (obviously more limited on the first floor). When the weather permits, it is estimated that it is possible to see up to 70 km away.
After descending the tower we include a boat trip along the Seine River. Magnificent views of the main monuments and bridges of Paris on the majestic river. Journey of approximately an hour and a quarter.
Free time later.


Note: in some cases the waits to go up the Eiffel Tower are long. Thus the climb may take place at a different time (or on Sunday), if it is considered convenient for organizational reasons.

Total distance: 470 km.

Scenery: Pleasant landscapes in the center of France; Picturesque villages. Cable car climb in Lyon.


08.00 hrs.- París –departure-. We travel to the center of France. We cross the region of Bourgogne, an area known for its wines.
12.15 hrs.- Beaune- Charming small village in the middle of the wine region of Bourgogne; Its streets full of flowers, its hospice, its wine museum. Free time.


14.30 hrs.- Beaune – departure.
16.30 hrs.- Lyon – Arrival. On the banks of the Rhône River, the third city of France that once was the capital of the Roman Gallia. The historic centre of this lively City has been declared a World Heritage site. We include a cable car climb to Notre Dame de Fourvière, where we have a great view of the city. Free time.

Note: in some cases a part of the group will be accommodated in Chambery, a nearby city, we will leave Lyon at 19.00 hrs arriving in Chambery around 20.30 hrs. The next day, early in the morning, we will have time to take a walk through the beautiful historic center of Savoy.

Total Distance: 425 km

Scenery: Mountains and lakes.
Notes: Remember to bring your camera along! Also, please carry your passport in hand as it might be requested when crossing into Switzerland.


08.00 hrs- Lyon- Departure. A beautiful stage awaits us as we set off for Switzerland.
10.00 hrs- Geneva, capital of French-speaking Switzerland, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva. The guide will take us to the Palais des Nations (the European headquarters of the United Nations), the beautiful “Jardin Anglais” (with its quaint flower clock), and the “Jet d´Eau”, the tallest fountain in Europe.


13.00 hrs- After lunch, we will continue travelling through Switzerland by the beautiful Leman and Neuchatel lakes.
14.30 hrs- Neuchatel- We will stop in this town with a rich cultural and architectural past. Here you can go on a walk by the lake, the historic town centre or visit its beautiful, 10th century castle.


16.00 hrs- Neuchatel departure. We will pass by the beautiful Lake Biel.
18.15 hrs- Zurich – Arrival. We will have time to explore the city center.


Note: depending on the number of passengers travelling from Geneva to Zürich, this part of the trip might be done by train - in which case, there will be no stop in Neuchatel.

Total distance covered by train: 42 km

Note: Our stage today is different; we travel across Lake Zurich by boat and return by train. The transfers from the hotel to the center may also be done on public transport (depending on the total number of participants). The indicated timetables of the boat we use may change (the itinerary may be adapted accordingly).


09.00 hrs.- We will leave the hotel on this peaceful day. With our guide, we will take a walk around the most populated city of Switzerland, which is also the country’s financial and cultural capital. The city of banks as been twice declared the city with the best quality of life in the world.
10.30 hrs.- We start our almost two-hour cruise on Lake Zurich. The boat makes brief stops to allow us to admire the villages along the way.

12.30 hrs.- RAPPERSWIL, a small, picturesque village overlooked by its mediaeval castle. Time for a stroll and lunch.
15.00 hrs.- Rapperswil, We return to Zurich by train, and will see the efficiency and punctuality of the Swiss railways. We will reach Zurich in a little under 35 minutes. Free time afterwards.


Note: Depending on the number of travelers, the transfers to and from the center might be carried out by public transport.

Total distance: 280 km

Note: Wear warm clothing and comfortable shoes to walk, and bring your camera.
Note: Due to weather conditions (strong wind) or maintenance reasons, the cable car may not operate at certain times. If this happens, we will provide an alternative transportation to another similar place.


07.30 hrs- Zurich- departure to a spectacular stage with beautiful landscapes with high mountains and lakes.
10.00 hrs.- Grindelwald. Time to have a coffee in this mountain resort in the Bernese Alps before taking the cable car to Grindelwald First (ticket included), the largest ski center in the region. We will walk along the path (30 minutes) in which we will have the opportunity in breathtaking alpine landscapes, to take the
"footbridge over the emptiness" enjoying the glaciers that surround us; Lunch included for all passengers (vegetarian option available).


13.45 hrs- Grindelwald departure. We continue to Lucerne.
15.30 hrs- Lucerne- arrival in time to explore one of the most interesting Swiss cities and see the KapellBrück, covered bridge over the river Reuss, the Town Hall and Square with its Clock Tower and its pedestrian streets and elegant shops. Time for a stroll to enjoy the city.


17.30 h. - Lucerne, departure to Zurich.
18.30 h. -Zurich - arrival at the shores of Lake Zurich and free time to explore the monumental city center before going to the hotel.


Note: The guide will offer you the possibility of a full day optional visit, leaving in the morning and, after some free time to discover Lucerne, we take a rotating cable car to reach the top of Mount Titlis. At the alpine summit, at over 3000 m above sea level, you will enjoy breathtaking views of the glacier and the Alps.

Total distance covered: 295 km

Scenery: Spectacular alpine landscapes, quaint villages and lakes. Do not forget to bring your camera!
Notes: Please carry your passport in hand as it might be requested when crossing into Italy.


08.00 hrs. - Zurich – We will leave Zurich early in the morning and cut across the Alps in order to reach the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. Along the route we will get to see beautiful lakes and snow-capped mountains.
11.00 hrs.- LUGANO. Arrival in the capital of Ticino, the Italian-speaking canton of Switzerland and an elegant cosmopolitan city, built on the shores of Lake Lugano. Free time to explore this quaint city and to have lunch.

13.30 hrs. Lugano. Departure.
14.00 hrs – Morcote. Arrival in this very picturesque village by Lake Lugano, famous for its flowery stone houses.

15.00 h. Morcote – Departure. We will travel towards the Italian border.
16.30 h. Milan – The guide will take us to the impressive Duomo Square. There will be time to dine at Porta Venecia (Port of Venice) where an outstanding variety of restaurants can be found to suit all tastes. From restaurants serving Swiss and Italian food to French, Chinese and international cuisines. Transfer to the hotel at about 20.00 hrs.

Total distance: 640 km. Scenery: surprising scenery along the coast of Liguria and the Tuscan Apennines.


08.30 hrs- We leave the Italian financial capital towards Pisa.
12.00 hrs- Pisa –On a little touristic train we will travel to the Piazza Dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles) where there will be time to admire one of the most alluring and beautiful art complexes in Italy, including the well-known Leaning Tower of Pisa.


15.00 hrs- Pisa – Departure for Rome, passing through ancient Etruscan regions.
20:30 h. Rome - Arrival.


Note: This stage may have a different schedule (arriving somewhat later to Pisa and Rome) for the meeting en route of travelers coming from Nice.

08.30 hrs. - In the morning, we have the city tour, which will be a great introduction to “The Eternal city”. We enter the tiny state of the Vatican. The Vatican City is a principal center of Christianity in the world. You will be able to visit St. Peter’s Basilica. We continue visiting the Imperial Forums (entrance included), an impressive architectural ensemble formed by buildings and monumental squares, center of the political activity of the moment.

18.30 hrs. - In the evening we provide a transfer to Trastevere area. A stroll in the narrow cobbled streets of the Trastevere district reveals hidden treasures to us, such as some modest medieval churches, small shops with the most peculiar objects or scenes of daily life. Many trattorias (informal Italian eating establishments) and osterias (inns) imbued with the Italian spirit will be ready to serve you local dishes. Other restaurants serving Indian, Chinese and international food can be found in this area.

20.30 hrs. - Return to the hotel.

After breakfast, end of our services.

Note: Remember that hotels check-out time is usually at 10.00 hrs. In most cases, you can leave your luggage at the hotel reception at check-out time, so you can enjoy the city and pick it up at the time you require that same day. If you need more time to use your room, please consider booking an additional night at the end of your tour.