London & Paris: A Tale of Two Cities Family Vacation (HCF) - 2013

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7 days from London to Paris

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London & Paris: A Tale of Two Cities Family Vacation

The London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel

Vacation Overview

Spend a wonderful week in London and Paris with your family! Start in London and discover this magnificent city with a Local Guide on a memorable and fun day. See the major sites like Big Ben beside the River Thames, Westminster Abbey, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace, and the Changing of the Guard, if held. Meet the Beefeaters at the Tower of London, then take a short journey on the Thames River to the London Eye, the world’s tallest observation wheel, for a “flight” over the city. There is also plenty of time for independent sightseeing—why not take in one of London’s West End theater shows, visit Madame Tussauds, or join an optional excursion to Windsor Castle or the Tower of London? Next, an exciting ride on the high-speed Eurostar train to Paris. Upon arrival, ride the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Sghtseeing with a Local Guide features all major sites: the Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, Opéra, and a visit to Notre Dame Cathedral. Again, there is plenty of time for other activities, and optional excursions are available to the Louvre Museum, the Palace of Versailles, and more. On the last evening, enjoy a farewell dinner in a local restaurant to celebrate the perfect vacation!

LONDON
Welcome party & dinner; guided sightseeing on a traditional double-decker bus; see the Changing of the Guard (if held), visit the Tower of London and meet the Beefeaters; Thames River cruise; ride the London Eye

LONDON–PARIS
By high-speed Eurostar train

PARIS
Ascend the Eiffel Tower to the top floor; guided sightseeing; visit Notre Dame Cathedral; taste a crêpe; picnic lunch in Luxembourg Gardens; Seine River cruise; send-off celebration dinner at a local restaurant

Headsets in Paris

DAY 1Cheers, London!

Welcome to jolly old England! Enjoy free time today to rest before your adventure begins, or you may choose to set out on your own to discover London. At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and fellow traveling companions for a WELCOME PARTY & DINNER at your hotel. (Dinner)

Marvel at the architecture on Londons infamous Big Ben

London’s Tower Bridge over the River Thames

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DAY 2Ride a DOUBLE-DECKER BUS & Fly over the City on the London Eye

Hop aboard a traditional LONDON DOUBLE-DECKER BUS for a memorable morning of sightseeing that includes all the famous landmarks: Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the Prime Minister’s home and office at Number 10 Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, and also the colorful Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace (if held). A pizza lunch is next on the menu, then you will meet the Beefeaters, the guardians of the 900-year-old TOWER OF LONDON. After that, board a river boat, which brings you to the LONDON EYE, for a ride on Europe’s tallest Ferris wheel. This afternoon, you will have tome to explore London further on your own. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Ride the iconic double decker bus in London

Changing of the Guard

"Changing the Guard dates to Henry VII (reigned 1485-1509) and was designed to show military discipline as well as ceremony. The tall bearskin hats were introduced in the 18th century to make the soldiers look taller and thus more frightening, and they were adopted for ceremonial use in 1832. The ceremony we know today started in the late 1800s and involves real soldiers who fulfill all military duties, guarding the Queen being just part of their service."

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."

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 3Explore London

The whole day is free for independent sightseeing. Consider visiting Windsor Castle, the Queen’s favorite residence and the largest inhabited castle in the world; walk through the opulently decorated State Apartments and see St. George’s Hall, often used for banquets with as many as 160 people. Or you might want to spend some time at Madame Tussauds celebrity wax figure exhibition and mingle with some of Hollywood’s finest stars, sporting heroes, music megastars, and world leaders. And how about dinner followed by a relaxed nighttime illumination cruise on the River Thames this evening? (Breakfast)

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DAY 4Travel the “Chunnel” & See Paris From Atop the Eiffel Tower

All aboard the high-speed EUROSTAR TRAIN today! You’ll zoom up to 150 miles per hour, traveling through the undersea Channel Tunnel (Chunnel) and arriving in just over two hours in fabulous Paris, the “City of Light.” Later, take the elevator to the TOP OF THE EIFFEL TOWER, the tallest structure in Paris, for an unforgettable experience overlooking the city. (Breakfast)

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DAY 5Visit a Cathedral & try a Crêpe

This morning, your Local Guide shows you what makes Paris so captivating. Admire the most famous sights: the Opéra, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, and visit NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL, setting for The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. Try counting the many gargoyles, or marvel at its beautiful stained-glass Rose Window. Later, sample one of France’s specialties—a freshly made CRÊPE. (Breakfast)

The Arc de Triomphe standing in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle

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 6Lunch like a Parisian & Seine River Cruise

Today, enjoy lunch like a Parisian! Munch on a baguette at a PICNIC LUNCH in beautiful Luxembourg Gardens (weather permitting). Relax in the shade, watch the chess and Jeux de Boules (lawn bowling) players, or explore this popular park with its puppet shows, pony rides, carousel, playground, statues, and lush green lawns. This evening, CRUISE ON THE RIVER SEINE, then enjoy a SEND-OFF CELEBRATION DINNER at a local restaurant to celebrate the success of your unforgettable vacation. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

River Seine

Fans of Victor Hugo’s famous novel, “Les Misérables,” should detour to the Seine, between the two bridges of Le Pont Notre Dame and the Pont-au-Change. It was to these famously turbulent waters that Hugo sent the obsessive Inspector Javerts, nemesis of Jean Valjean, when he suffered a crisis of conscience over his life-long duty to the law. “There was a splash,” Hugo wrote, “and that was all.”

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DAY 7Paris

Au revoir. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)

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Transportation

Double-decker bus; Thames River boat; high-speed Eurostar train; motorcoach; Seine River boat

LONDON Park Plaza Westminster Bridge (SF)
PARIS Pullman Paris Bercy (SF)

Full buffet breakfast; 1 lunch & 1 picnic lunch; 2 three-course dinners, including a welcome party & dinner in London and a send-off celebration dinner 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.*

*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 May 21, 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.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be seen or visited on the London & Paris: A Tale of Two Cities Family Vacation:

Paris Banks of the Seine

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