Welcome to the first day of the best trip of your life - we're calling it early! After a few pleasantries in London we'll get the show on the road with Paris in our sights. 

A few hours in and your jaws are on the floor already. These chalk cliffs that edge the English coastline are known as the White Cliffs of Dover, the first of many natural beauties we'll see on our trip.

After we ferry across the English Channel for France we'll arrive in Calais, where we will take in the history of World War I battlefields as we drive past the Valley of the Somme.

We'll kick off our trip as we arrive in the glittering city of love, Paris and bond with our Contiki fam with a delicious included dinner. The French are proud of their culinary culture for a reason.

Just before you get too comfortable in that beret and striped shirt combo, we're dragging you away in search of vineyards and châteaus. 

With its medieval stature and grand surrounding ponds, Château Fontainebleau will take your breath away. We'll amble around the gardens then recommence our scenic journey to Beaujolais.

Rolling into the Beaujolais region of France amidst vineyards, we'll arrive at Contiki’s very own 16th century château. That's right, we're trading hotels for a castle tonight! You'll stay in newly-renovated rooms. What's more? Not much, just an on-site nightclub, artwork in every room, a games room, a powder room for makeup and hair, a beautiful sprawling garden AND a pool! Tonight we'll start off with an included dinner and wine tasting here at the château, because, when in France...

Bye-bye Beajoulais! And hello Barcelona. The Pyrénées mountains will keep our eyes satisfied today as we roll across the border for Spain's most lively city. Each day as sweet as the last.

Well would you look at that for timing, we've pulled into Barcelona just on sangria o'clock. Fate, you've done it again! A scrumptious Spanish feast and a night exploring this culturally rich city should have us in the fiesta mood soon enough.

As smitten as we are by Barcelona, we have more of Europe to conquer. Much, much more...

After a dreamy drive across the border into France through landscapes of lavender, sunflowers and wild herbs, we'll arrive at our lunch break town of Arles. Here we will get a peek at an ancient Roman Arena and at a typical provincial French town.

You're not a real celebrity until you've frolicked on the French Riviera, and who are we to keep you off the A-List? Sapphire waters & endless glamour as we roll through this glitzy coastline.

Missing an opportunity to see this part of the world up close and personal would be criminal. Speaking of things you shouldn't miss, this region is famous for lavender honey, aioli & rosé wine; all 3 in one meal should be your mission. 

Please tell us you didn't throw away all of your pennies today? Because you're going to want a few spare coins tonight so you can play fancy. We're visiting Monaco tonight, and youll have the chance to visit the Monte Carlo Casino & the Royal Palace!

After a night on the blackjack table it's back to the coast and to bed, the next part of the adventure starts tomorrow. 

Today we say our farewells to the French Riviera and take our first jaunt into Italy, taking in the sights of Liguria, Lombardia, & the Veneto regions along the way. Pizza, pasta, & charming locals are just around the corner.

But first we'll make a  a brief stop-off at a French perfumery, where you’ll learn how your favourite scents are made – and even have a go at crafting your own signature fragrance! 

The floating city of gondolas, canals and pretty bridges - what a splendid way to commence our Italian love affair. Rest up tonight, you'll want to be alert for tomorrow's magical agenda.

Wake-up sleeping beauties! Venice is yours for the entirety of this glorious Italian day. We'll be jumping aboard our own private boat and hitting the canals en route to the historical heart of the city. You can learn to be a Gondelieri (Gondola driver...) or you can just get lost on your own and see where the magical maze takes you. A hop between Venice's coolest restaurants, and a gondola ride are up for grabs.

Venice we love you, but we need to see a bit more of this boot to satisfy our hungry wanderlust ways.

As if we were going to leg it from Venice to Florence without a sneaky side trip to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Depriving you of the chance to perfect the holding-up-the-tower shot would be down right criminal.

For those of you not familiar with the whole Florence deal, we have two words for you: it's heaven. Potter along the River Arno, be totally Tuscan with a drop of Chianti wine, and take in the beauty of the city and its protruding Duomo.

Farewell Florence - today we have the epicenter of Italy on our horizons. Pizza, piazzas...we're coming in hot.

After our drift through the rustic Tuscan hillsides of cypress trees and glowing fields, we'll be back city side in the Italian capital of Rome. The Trevi Fountain, Pantheon & Piazza Navona are just some of the icons we'll be casting our eyes upon before the sun sets.

When in Rome... This is the day to learn a thing or two about the Colosseum & do a bit of your own exploring. Espressos and people watching should be high priority, as well as stuffing yourself to the brim with pasta, gelato and caprese salad all washed down with a glass of red at a local trattoria.  

As completely satisfied as we already are with our Italian odyssey, we have one more stop before we're a walking talking guidebook on this beautiful boot. Goodbye Rome, hello Pompeii.

Once a totally vibing hang-out of the Romans, Pompeii is now an archaeological site showing remains of what was destroyed in the year...wait for it...79AD. When you choose the optional guided tour saying "stepping back in time" is about to take on a whole new meaning!

Although we don't arrive in Athens tonight, it's in our sight! Drift off to sleep to the sway of our boat knowing tomorrow you'll wake in a brand new country.

Ahoy there, we'll be sailing the Adriatic this morning headed for land...

We'll roll off the boat in Igoumenitsa and then it's straight back on the road.

The awe of Greece's mainland will begin shortly after our arrival as we catch a glimpse of Corinth Canal. This man-made passageway squeezes boats through its path, sandwiched by two steep cliffs and sitting over gloriously blue ocean.

A collage of ancient wonders and modern magnificence, the allure of Athens is hard to dismiss. Choose to sample more traditional Greek food with an optional dinner and then make the most of the final night with your new friends in this ancient city.

With no time to waste, we'll start our island hopping adventures today with our first destination: Mykonos.

Let's do this! Two nights on the island of Mykonos, how did we get so lucky? Even the boat ride across the Aegean will have you awe struck and in love.

Get ready for a day full of viewing coastal windmills, stuffing your face with olives, feta, and tzatziki. We'll stroll down storybook streets dotted with those gorgeous blue domes and we'll pick up some evil eye ornaments along the way to keep the bad vibes away. And this is all before you've even taken a dip in the ocean! Doesn't get much better than this... The day is yours to soak up the sunshine and play in the sea. Tonight, you'll have the option to join an exploration of Mykonos by night on a locally guided walking tour of the town's cobbled streets.

Paros, it's been magical – but today we're taking to the seas again, this time in search of Greece's most insta-famous island: Santorini.

Santorini, we have arrived! Tonight you'll have an included transfer to Fira to explore Santorini's capital and roam the cobbled streets.