Tour Type:EuroHotel (18-39 years) Tour Duration:14 Days (13 Nights) From:London toLondon Tour Code:HTWW Operator:Topdeck
from AU $0 pp
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Tour Description
This great coach tour stops in 8 countries over 14 days for a taste of European culture - see Europe in its winter coat from the comfort of Topdeck's top quality hotels.
Exclusive to Topdeck
Vaporetto ride on the Grand Canal, Venice
A bicycle tour of Amsterdam
Farewell dinner in Amsterdam
Tour Highlights
Visit 8 countries - France, Switzerland, Italy, Vatican City, Austria, Germany, Netherlands & Belgium
14 day trip around Europe staying in Hotels
Tour Visits
PARIS: City tour: Place de la Concorde, Champs ElysEes, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, Louvre, Monmartre, Sacre Coeur
Swiss Alps
FLORENCE: Walking tour with local Italian Guide: Uffizi Gallery, Duomo Cathedral, Ponte Vechio, Santa Croce Basilica
ROME: Walking tour: Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Church of Capuchin Monks & Colosseum
VATICAN CITY: & St Peter's Basilica
VENICE: Vaporetto ride on the Grand Canal, walking tour: St Mark's Square & Basilica, Bridge of Sighs, Doges Palace, the Campanile, Rialto Bridge, lace making display
SALZBURG: Walking tour
HEIDELBERG
AMSTERDAM: Bicycle & walking tour seeing Dam Square & the Royal Palace
What's Included
13 breakfasts (B), 8 dinners (D)
13 nights hotel accommodation on a twin share basis
English Channel Ferry crossings
Modern air-conditioned coach
Sightseeing tours of all major cities
Local guide in Florence
Escorted services of a fully trained Trip Leader and Driver
London to Paris, France (option to join in Paris)
We cross the English Channel and head for magical Paris, where this evening we find a local restaurant for dinner before taking in all the splendour on a City Lights tour. The Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde and of course the Eiffel Tower await us!
Day 2
Paris
A free day to explore France's grand capital! Wander through the Louvre, stroll the Champs Élysées or visit the Notre Dame. An optional 'Fat Tire' bike ride is a fantastic way to see some of the sights. In the evening we enjoy a delicious included dinner, followed by an optional visit to a cabaret show or a cruise on the River Seine. (B/D)
Day 3
Paris to Swiss Alps
We make for spectacular Switzerland, a country so scenic it makes picture postcards spring to life. Take in the majestic Swiss Alps and the pristine waters of Lake Lucerne as we make our way to our accommodation, before enjoying an included group dinner. (B/D)
Day 4
Swiss Alps
Enjoy a day in Lucerne, a traditional Swiss town full of great architecture, fantastic shopping and tasty cuisine. A walking tour takes in the ancient Chapel Bridge and the poignantly beautiful Lion Monument. (B/D)
Day 5
Swiss Alps to Florence, Italy
Onwards to Italy! We make our way to the grand city of Florence, birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and a city so full of artistic treasures that it is known as an 'outdoor museum'. (B/D)
Day 6
Florence to Rome
This morning we enjoy a tour of Florence with a local guide. Ponte Vecchio, Santa Croce and spectacular Duomo are all to be seen before we depart for the 'Eternal City', Rome! Our walking tour visits the Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and more - a fantastic way to get acquainted with this historic city. (B)
Day 7
Rome
This morning we visit Vatican City, home of the Catholic faith. An optional guided tour takes in the Vatican Museums and the incredible Sistine Chapel. The rest of the day is free to visit some of Rome's monuments, shop 'til we drop, or simply relax in a local restaurant with a wood-fired pizza and a glass of red wine! (B)
Day 8
Rome to Venice
Today we travel north again stopping in fair Verona, home to the tragic lovers Romeo and Juliet. After checking out Juliet's balcony, it's off to enchanting Venice in time for dinner. (B/D)
Day 9
Venice
This morning we head in to Venice to explore the alleyways and canals of this unique city. We make our way to St Mark's Square with its grand Basilica before enjoying a demonstration at a local Venetian lace school. An optional gondola ride gives us a chance to enjoy the traditional, and most romantic, Venetian mode of transport! (B)
Day 10
Venice to Salzburg, Austria
We head north to Austria and charming Salzburg. Famous for being the home of Mozart and setting for the Sound of Music, our walking tour will take in some great architecture and give us a feel for this classy city. (B/D)
Day 11
Salzburg to Heidelberg
Willkommen in Deutschland! Welcome to Germany! We head to Heidelberg, a picturesque university city where the castle proudly sits over the Old Town. With so many students in town, finding somewhere for a delicious German beer is never too difficult! (B/D)
Day 12
Heidelberg to Amsterdam,
To cosmopolitan Amsterdam, famous for its bikes, canals and liberal lifestyle! Tonight we can check out the heart of the city, Dam Square, and take a walk around the Red Light District! (B)
Day 13
Amsterdam
Our included, Topdeck exclusive bicycle tour is a great way to see Amsterdam as the locals do. Tonight we have our farewell dinner followed by an optional cruise around the canals for another view of this vibrant city. (B/D)
Day 14
Amsterdam to London
We stop in the beautiful Belgian town of Brugge, a great opportunity to sample some chocolates, before heading back to London where our trip finishes this evening. (B)
Itinerary & prices based on 2012 departures. Click on the icon to the left if you would like to view the 2012 brochure online.
14 Day Winter Wonder Reviews
Tour reviews from past clients of Global Journeys.
1 Reviews,
Average Rating 4.0
of 5.
I had a great time on the Topdeck Winter Wonder tour. Our tour director and coach driver were both really friendly and had a great sense of humour. It really set a great tone for the trip. The hotels were better than I expected. While they are advertised as 2 and 3 star with disclaimers about European standards being different to Australian standards, I found them to be on par with 3 star rooms in Australia. With the exception of the hotel in Florence (limited hot water), I was happy and comfortable in each of the hotels. The lodge on Mt. Rigi was awesome! The hotels weren't always close to the city centre but they were close to transport and there were often drop offs and pick ups made by the driver. The structure of the tour was good. We had two nights nights in each of the main cities and were given free time to explore. I really enjoyed having free time to explore on your own (or with newly made friends!). The one nights stops (Heidelberg and Salzburg) were a little more difficult to explore given the time restrictions but if you have an idea of the places you would like to see before you arrive you'll be fine. There were a range of optionals on offer and each of these were worth the money paid. I particularly enjoyed the t-shirt which we designed on the bus - a great momento of the trip with everyone's name :) I had a great time on the tour. I appreciated the structure where we had a tour of each city and then given time to explore at our own pace. The people on my tour were mostly couples and while they enjoyed a drink at the bar they weren't out to party hard every night. The bus trips were great with games and activities for the longer drives. It was a great way to see all the major sights. If you want to explore the main cities of Europe with a mixture of guided tours, activities and time to explore on your own then this tour is definitely worth considering.
[More+]
Value For Money Accommodaton Tour Guide Tour Pace Global Journeys Experience
Elise Furlong (Australia) Tour Date 21/12/2011
Tour Prices
Tour prices are per person. Please request a quote for tour availability.
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The information below relates to this itinerary only.
Tour Operator: Topdeck
At Topdeck our passion is providing unforgettable travel experiences for 18 to 30 somethings. Extended trips, festivals, ski and sailing in Europe, breathtaking holidays in Egypt, Morocco, Jordan and Israel, safaris in Africa and now amazing adventures in Australia and New Zealand. Yourr choice of great trips with like-minded travellers is huge! Travel with Topdeck and Share the Experience.
Tour Type: EuroHotel
Stay in 2* & 3* hotels with bags of local character. Topdeck offer unique, charming places that capture the heart and soul of every country you travel through. Topdeck use properties that have easy access to public transport to get you to the places you want to see. All Topdeck EuroHotel trips give you the privacy of twin-share accommodation!
Topdeck issues e-docs which will be sent to you eight weeks prior to departure and when you have paid in full, which includes your detailed day-to-day itinerary. These also include any vouchers you need for pre and post trip accommodation. In addition to this, you MUST read the detailed pre-departure information relevant to your trip. This can be viewed at any time below. The pre-departure document contains a number of important points that you should be aware of. Please take the time to download and read it.
Our travellers come from all over the world and are aged between 18 and 30 something. Like you, they will be up for a great travel experience and meeting like-minded travellers. Roughly half of our passengers travel on their own.
Group sizes vary. As a guideline, an average trip will have about 35 passengers on board. However, the coaches are often full - especially in high season. Minimum numbers would not normally be below 20 passengers. On our Explorer series, the average is 16.
We try to spend as little time on the coach as possible so that you have more time to enjoy the places you visit. Please remember though that Europe is a large place and it takes time to get around! On driving days between cities you will be on the coach during the day, stopping off to visit places of interest where possible. Strict driving rules apply in Europe that limits the maximum number of hours your Driver can drive each day. They also limit the maximum number of days that can be driven before a day off must be taken. We have worked hard to make sure this does not affect your trip, but in some cities it means we will use public transport. The cost for this is included in your trip price and your Trip Leader will show you how to get around.
On our EuroHotel Trips you will be staying at a range of 2* & 3* hotels, on a twin share basis with a 5% reduction for triple share. We have tried to select hotels that display the local character of the countries we visit and have avoided multi-national chain hotels. We have also tried to select hotels as centrally located as possible. Please bear in mind also, that European hotel rooms may be smaller than you may be used to for similar standard hotels other countries.
This depends on the type of trip you choose. Sleeping bags are a necessity on ALL EuroCamping trips. Sleeping bags are required on EuroClub trips if your trip does Flotilla Sailing in Greece, bedding will be provided in all other EuroClub accommodations. A common problem is people bringing too many things! Please refer to our suggested clothing list in the pre-departure information which you can download from our website. Oh, and don't forget your camera, passport, visas and a positive attitude! If you suffer from any medical condition please bring extra supplies of medication as it could be difficult to find in Europe.
Your spending money, visas, personal travel insurance, medical fees, cost of optional activities & excursions, entrance fees to the various museums and sites visited and (unless specified in the 'What's Included' section), flights, departure taxes, port taxes for flotilla sailing. Also any meals that are not specified on your itinerary.
Each person is allowed 1 item of standard size luggage (backpacks only on a EuroCamping trip) plus a day pack (and sleeping bag if on EuroCamping trip or EuroClub trip that does Flotilla Sailing in Greece). The maximum weight of your main bag must not exceed 44lbs/20kgs. Size for all bags must not exceed 70cm x 45cm x 25cm. Due to strict weight regulations for coaches in Europe, passengers whose luggage exceeds 44lbs/20kgs will be asked to off load the excess on the departure morning.
Obtaining correct visas is your own responsibility. Not having correct visas could mean you missing out on part or all of your trip. Please refer to the Visa section on our website - which should be used as a guide only. Then, double check with the individual Embassies before you depart, remembering that visa requirements can change at short notice. For most of the countries where visas are required, it is NOT possible to obtain the visa whilst on the trip and some visas take 3-4 weeks to obtain. For trips going to Russia, Topdeck will provide invitation letters that you MUST have, to obtain your visa.
Yes. Comprehensive Travel insurance is compulsory on all Topdeck trips. Global Journeys works with SureSave - a travel insurance that covers more than 300,000 travellers each year and is 100% Australian owned. As an agent for Suresave, Global Journeys are able to offer you a 20% premium discount for all policies booked online! Read more >
Naturally everybody's spending varies. There are many souvenirs to be bought and a great social scene should you wish to join in! Many of your meals (including lunches on EuroClub & EuroCamping trips) are included, so this really just leaves the occasional meal and your personal spending to budget for. Throughout the trip, your Trip Leader will also inform you of optional activities which you can participate in, such as a gondola ride in Venice or an excursion up the Jungfrau Mountain in Switzerland. For a more detailed list and price guideline please refer to your personal itinerary. Most people budget on approximately €70 per day including optional activities and some souvenirs.
We recommend that you change approximately €100 in cash before departure and approximately €30 into Swiss Francs (if your trip goes through Switzerland). This will cover you for spending money until you have the chance to change more or find an ATM.
If you have special dietary requirements e.g. vegetarian or vegan, we will make every endeavour to cater for your specific needs as long as you tell us or your agent when you book. Unfortunately in some places in Europe it is not possible to obtain certain special foods, and we cannot guarantee the variety of foods available when eating out. Our "On Road / Site Chefs" will put every effort into catering for your specific needs. There are some diets we are unable to cater for such as religious diets, so if you are unsure please email Global Journeys to check.
As well as having regular access to internet cafés throughout Europe, if someone needs to contact you in the case of an emergency, the Topdeck Head Office in London will be able to get in touch with your Trip Leader.
We have a dedicated section on our website providing more detailed information on Topdeck including FAQ's on what you need to know before, during and after your travel; as well as information on their 'Touring Styles', and a comprehensive search facility to enable you to easily find more of their tours. Read more> (NB: This link will take you away from this tour itinerary page).
Pre Departure Information
You must read the detailed pre-departure information below. The pre-departure document(s) contain a number of important points that you should be aware of. Please take the time to download and read it.
Yep, all the boring small print! We still recommend you read it all though, as no one likes surprises. Click here to read them now - they will open in a new window, or print them off to read over later with a cup of coffee!