London & Paris (HC) - 2013

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7 days from London to Paris

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Vacation Overview

Enjoy a week in London and Paris in centrally located hotels and accompanied by an expert Tour Director. After your arrival in London, enjoy a traditional dining experience combined with a relaxed night-time river cruise on the Thames. Guided sightseeing includes all the famous landmarks: the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace, and ends with a London Eye Champagne Experience—a ride on the world’s tallest observation wheel while you sip a glass of champagne. The rest of the time is free for independent activities. Then, hop aboard the high-speed Eurostar train and head for Paris, where an orientation drive shows off the city’s most famous landmarks. Ascend to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, visit Notre Dame Cathedral, sample a crepe, explore the Montmartre art district, visit Sacre Coeur Basilica, and enjoy a special lunch. This getaway is truly magnifique!

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Receive a $200 per couple air credit on all 2013 Globus air-inclusive Europe vacations.*

*Book a 2013 Globus air-inclusive Europe (excluding Jordan) vacation to receive the $100 per person air credit. Must be booked, under deposit and discount applied between January 9 and June 25, 2013 for travel between January 9 and December 31, 2013. Not applicable on instant purchase air. Applies to coach class only. Air must be purchased through Globus in conjunction with a Europe tour. Air credit will apply to the per person air price and is non-transferable. Offers not valid with any other offer except Journeys Club Repeat Traveler benefit. Applies to new 2013 bookings only, and offer will not be applied to pre-existing bookings. An additional $300 non-refundable deposit is required for air booked in conjunction with a land vacation. Once airfare is confirmed and Globus has received your full air and land deposit, your air-inclusive price is guaranteed. Globus reserves the right to ticket passengers upon receipt of full land and air deposit; Any subsequent changes and/or revisions to airline reservations at your request after receipt of full land deposit are subject to revision fees and/or airline-imposed change or cancellation fees. These fees are a minimum of $300, and in some instances may be up to 100% of the ticket price. In addition, promotional discounts do not carry forward on changed air bookings. However, promotions in effect at the time of the change will apply. Total air price includes all government-imposed taxes and fees applicable at the time of booking. Air price, air tax and security fees are non-commissionable. Additional airline fees for baggage may apply. For the most current airline-imposed baggage fees, please check the following website, www.iflybags.com. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.

LONDON
Narrated Thames River cruise and dinner; guided sightseeing; London Eye Champagne Experience

LONDON–PARIS
By high-speed Eurostar train

PARIS
Orientation drive, ascend the Eiffel Tower; guided visit of Notre Dame and enjoy a crêpe at a local crêperie; Montmartre train ride and guided walking tour, including a visit to the Sacre Coeur Basilica, followed by a special lunch; farewell dinner with wine at a local restaurant

Headsets in Paris

NOTE:

In the rare event that the Eurostar train is unavailable, alternative services will be provided.

DAY 1Arrive in London, England

Welcome to London! Your Tour Director will meet you upon your arrival at the hotel, and is available to help you make the most of your stay. This evening, enjoy a unique chance to combine a traditional dining experience with a relaxed, night-time river cruise. A three-course welcome dinner with wine at a contemporary London restaurant is followed by a private, narrated CRUISE on the River Thames to admire some of the capital’s most beautiful illuminated sights, including Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the Houses of Parliament. (Dinner)

Ride the iconic double decker bus in London

Marvel at the architecture on Londons infamous Big Ben

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DAY 2London

After a hearty English breakfast, morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes all the famous landmarks: the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the River Thames, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall’s mounted horseguards and the Prime Minister’s Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace. A special highlight is the LONDON EYE CHAMPAGNE EXPERIENCE—a ride on the world’s tallest observation wheel, with stunning views of the city while you sip a glass of champagne. Free time in the afternoon for independent activities. Later, why not take in one of London’s West End theater shows? (Breakfast)

The London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel

Houses of Parliament

"Big Ben may be the most famous feature of the Houses of Parliament, but equally impressive is the hammerbeam ceiling of Westminster Hall. The Hall dates back to 1097 and, at that time, the roof was supported by pillars. During the reign of King Richard II (14th century), however, it was replaced by the hammerbeam roof seen today. This roof – its beauty and sustainability – is even more impressive when you know its history. It was built with beams made from trees that were ancient at the time, reputedly acorns, dating back to the 6th century (or earlier). If only these walls (beams, rather) could talk!"

Buckingham Palace

"Amid the splendor of modern cities it’s hard to imagine what places looked like before they became what we know today. In a previous incarnation, the ground where Buckingham Palace now stands was a mulberry garden cultivated by King James I as food for silkworms. The silk industry he hoped to nurture never materialized, and eventually a roadhouse was built there, followed in due course by the Blake House, Goring House and Arlington House.Originally known as the Buckingham House, built as a townhouse by the Duke of Buckingham in 1709, the estate was acquired by King George III in 1762."

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DAY 3At Leisure in London

Today offers you the opportunity to join one of our optional excursions. Consider a visit to the Tower of London, which has been guarded by the Beefeaters since the 14th century and houses the fabulous Crown Jewels; to Windsor Castle, the largest inhabited castle in the world and the Queen’s favorite residence; or one of the exciting full-day excursions available for your enjoyment. (Breakfast)

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Tower of London

"Since its founding in the 11th century, the Tower of London has served many roles: impregnable fortress, royal residence, armory, treasury, home of the famed Crown Jewels, and a prison for those who offended the monarchy. To this day it is guarded by the “Beefeaters,” a name that likely originates from when Tower guards were paid part of their salary with chunks of beef, a practice that continued until the 1800s."

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DAY 4London–Paris, France

Board the high-speed EUROSTAR TRAIN for an exciting ride to Paris. On arrival, an orientation drive features the highlights of the splendid capital of chic and style, and for a bird’s-eye view, take the elevator to the second floor of Paris’ most famous landmark: the EIFFEL TOWER. This evening, you may wish to join an optional dinner at one of Paris’ fine restaurants followed by an illumination drive to see the “City of Light” by night. (Breakfast)

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DAY 5Paris

Start with a guided visit of magnificent NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL with its Rose Window. Next, enjoy a CRÊPE at a local crêperie, before continuing to MONTMARTRE, the most famous Parisian artist area. Ride the little TRAIN uphill through narrow lanes, then follow your Local Guide on a walking tour to visit famous SACRE COEUR BASILICA, with the chance to take pictures of the spectacular view of Paris. End up at Place du Tertre, where artists display their art. Enjoy a special lunch in one of the many restaurants here, consisting of the traditional soupe à l’oignon (onion soup), accompanied by French baguette, and tarte tatin as dessert. In the evening, an optional dinner and show at the world-famous Moulin Rouge in the famous Pigalle area is available. (Breakfast, Lunch)

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Notre Dame Cathedral

Europe’s most famous cathedral, whose twin Gothic towers loom above France’s most beloved river, the Seine, actually owes a lot of its international success to the author Victor Hugo. Back in 1831, when Hugo wrote his classic novel about a hunchbacked bell-ringer at Notre Dame who falls in love with a beautiful gypsy, the medieval cathedral had fallen on hard times. During the Revolution in 1789, it had been seized, looted of its treasures and converted into an atheistic “Temple of Reason.” Even worse, after the monarchy was restored in 1815, Notre Dame was used as riverside warehouse – its once-splendid glass windows now dimmed and its facades decaying pathetically above the Île de la Cité. But Parisian’s indifference to their landmark ended suddenly in 1831, when Victor Hugo published his romantic novel the “Hunchback of Notre Dame,” (called “Notre-Dame de Paris” in French). The book was an international bestseller and lured armies of tourists to Paris in search of its Gothic cathedral setting. Hugo used this groundswell of public interest to lobby the French government for renovations of his beloved Notre Dame. From 1845 to 1864, repairs were indeed carried out – the clogged medieval streets nearby were cleared, revealing the marvelous edifice we see today.

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DAY 6At Leisure in Paris

Immerse yourself in this fascinating city. You may wish to join our optional excursions to the imposing Louvre Museum to admire the Mona Lisa, or to the immense Palace and Gardens of Versailles, the most famous palace in Europe, built by the Sun King, Louis XIV. Tonight, a special farewell dinner with wine has been prepared at a local restaurant, the best way to say, “Au Revoir, Paris.” (Breakfast, Dinner)

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Louvre

Today, a thick pane of bullet-proof security glass keeps artlovers a safe distance from the most famous painting in the world, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, Wife of Francesco Giacondo,” known in French as “La Joconde” and English as the “Mona Lisa.” But back in 1911, it was simply hung on the walls of the Musée du Louvre like any other canvas. That was until a former museum employee named Vincenzo Perrugia strolled into the gallery before opening hours on August 21, noticed the room was empty, took down the Mona Lisa and walked out of the Louvre with it under a painting smock. When the loss was finally noticed, the police were mystified. For two years, the whereabouts of the masterpiece was unknown, while French detectives made various wild guesses. (It had been stolen by the Germans. By anarchists. By evil geniuses. By lunatics.) They actually arrested the country’s top art critic, Guillame Apollinaire, then let him free. Then, out of the blue in 1913, an Italian art dealer in Florence was contacted by a man calling himself “Leonardo” who claimed to have the Mona Lisa and wanted to see it hang in the Uffizi, Italy’s top art museum. Although he found it hard to believe that the thief could be so reckless, the dealer tipped off the police and agreed to meet the strange Leonardo in a Milan hotel room. There, the nondescript fellow opened his suitcase, emptied out his socks and underwear, opened up a false bottom in the case to reveal the Mona Lisa – and was immediately arrested.

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DAY 7Paris

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)

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Transportation

High-speed Eurostar train; Montmartre train ride

LONDON St. Ermin’s (SF)
PARIS Le Méridien Etoile (SF)

Full buffet breakfast; 1 lunch; 2 dinners : a special welcome dinner with wine at a local restaurant in London and a special farewell dinner with wine at a local restaurant in Paris

Four Ways Globus Eliminates the Hassles

VIP Access
Skip the lines and get special treatment at the must-see attractions.

Perfect Hotels
We’ve done the work to find just the right hotels in just the right locations.

Tour Directors
Take your heads out of the guidebook and let expert guides make every destination fascinating.

Transportation
Leave the navigating to us – and just sit back and enjoy the ride.

View Offer

Receive a $200 per couple air credit on all 2013 Globus air-inclusive Europe vacations.*

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be seen or visited on the London & Paris:

Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret's Church
Paris Banks of the Seine

VACATION OVERVIEW
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DATES & PRICES
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OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS