Rome to London Wanderer

Buon Giorno! Meet and greet your new friends and Trip Manager, full of anticipation for the adventures ahead. After a quick gelato, we leave Rome behind and head north to Venice, city of gondolas and good times. We'll stop off along the way for free time and lunch in Padua, a city with history and hipster all rolled into one. Padua university was one of the first in the world and was home to Galileo, but it's still going strong, giving the city a vibey student feel.

It's also worth checking out Giotto's famous frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel, a kind of amazing medieval comic depicting the life of Christ. Who can fail to fall in love with the watery wonderland that is Venice? With no roads, Venice is built on over 100 small islands, with 400 bridges crossing 150 canals including the main Grand Canal, lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces. Tonight you could make time for a scenic evening stroll to watch the lights sparkle on the water, with time for plenty more exploring tomorrow. (B)

Buongiorno! Venice is ours for a full and glorious Italian day. We'll start exploring The Floating City by jumping aboard our own private motoscafo boat and cruising the canals en route to the historical heart of the city. Here we'll take selfies at the Bridge of Sighs, see the Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Square.

Next, you have the option to discover hidden Venice with a guided walking tour or a traditional gondola ride, or take a guided cruise out to the UNESCO heritage site of Burano. At this picture-perfect fisherman's island decorated with gorgeous technicolour houses, you'll visit a local family restaurant and indulge in the best seafood feast you've ever experienced. (B) Stay: A conveniently located hostel

Farewell gentle canals and hello wild Alpine waters. As we arrive in the Austrian Tyrol, an optional white-water rafting adventure should get the adrenaline pumping nicely. Once you catch your breath, we'll be resting up in a Contiki Special Stay, a local Austrian Gasthof (guest house) that's waiting for us with open arms.

This is the perfect retreat for relaxing and swapping stories, while feasting on authentic Austrian food and local beer prepared fresh on site. Rest easy, but make sure you leave space for our Habibi & Hawara dinner tonight, followed by a classic night out (both totally optional, should you prefer to spend your evening relaxing in style.) (B/D) Stay: Contiki Haus Schoneck (or similar)

Polish off your stay in Austria, with the excitement of our impending visit to Germany. From the Alpine heights we journey to the medieval town of Dachau near the German border, where we'll take a sobering but eye-opening visit to Dachau Concentration Camp memorial. Once the original working 'camp', this memorial houses the stories of a generation never to be forgotten.

A city renowned for its annual beer festival is a city we need to know about. And luckily, Munich doesn't just turn it on during Oktoberfest, with Bavarian culture – and beer - flowing all summer long. Grab a snap of the famous Glockenspiel clock, explore peaceful gardens or join a bike tour to explore the side streets. Later we'll raise a stein to the best of times with a visit to a beer hall. (B) Stay: NH Munich Ost Conference (or similar)

We'll say farewell to Munich and continue our journey in Munich. The capital of the Czech Republic is fast becoming one of the hottest spots on the European map, and today you find out why... We start with a walking tour of the ancient streets, covering the famous Charles Bridge, astronomical clock and St Vitus Cathedral. (B) Stay: A&O Prague Rhea (or similar)

Pack your bags and say your sincere thanks to the Czech Republic for being such a lovely host. As promised, we're heading back to Germany for a bout in Berlin.  A drive from Prague to Berlin would not be complete without stopping in Dresden. Destroyed by World War II, the rebuilt town is now a symbol of resilience, soaked in the rebirthed beauty of an Opera house, the domed Frauenkirche, & the Royal Residence.

On the world map of party vibes, Berlin has a gold star. We've got two nights to explore every inch of this iconic city and we'll kick it off with a tour to learn about its troubled but fascinating past. Once we've gotten acquainted with the key sites, we'll enjoy an included dinner together, ready for more exploring tomorrow. (B/D) Stay: Ibis Berlin Messe (or similar)