EUROPEAN TAPESTRY WITH LONDON EXTENSION - 2010

17 days incl. travel, or 16 days from London to London (HAL)

Return to England Vacations

Vacation Overview

This is the perfect way to discover “traditional” Europe! Enjoy include guided sightseeing of the major landmarks, like St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Changing of the Guard (if held) in London, the Lion Monument and Chapel Bridge in Lucerne, the opulent Golden Roof in Innsbruck, Doges’ Palace and the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Rome’s Sistine Chapel and Colosseum, Michelangelo’s David and Signoria Square in Florence, and Notre Dame and the Louvre in Paris. Ride a high-speed Eurostar train between London and Brussels and a high-speed TGV train from Nice to Paris. Other highlights are a canal cruise in Amsterdam, a cruise down the romantic Rhine, a private boat transfer and glassblowing demonstration in Venice, scenic drives through the Black Forest, the Swiss and Tyrolean Alps, Brenner Pass, an overnight stay on the French Riviera, a picture stop at Pisa’s Leaning Tower, and a bird’s-eye view of Paris from the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. You’ll see it all! Return to London by Eurostar train and stay one night in London.

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Things to see on your vacation: View Vacation Photo Slideshow

A Vacation Story Vatican Museums

"In the early 1500s, Rome was full of neglected ruins from the days of the ancient Empire, which still contained artworks buried amongst the rubble. The Renaissance had seen a sudden growth of interest in all things classical, and the popes – cultivated men who were in touch with the intellectual currents of the day – were the richest art collectors in Italy. They began offering substantial cash rewards for any sculptures, until Rome was scoured by freelance treasure hunters on the hunt for pagan masterpieces. The most dramatic discovery occurred in 1506, when a Roman father-and-son team of excavators reported a promising find near the ruined Baths of Titus. The artist Michelangelo himself excitedly hurried over to help with the work, followed by the pope’s official agent, Guiliano da Sangallo. When the excavators brushed away the dirt of 1,000 years, they found an enormous marble sculpture, perfectly intact, of a muscular Trojan hero being attacked by giant snakes. Guilano cried out in amazement, “This is the very Laocoön described by (the ancient Roman author) Pliny!” The sculpture was carted off to the Vatican Museum."