Your heart-pounding adventure kicks off today. Meet up with your Contiki posse & share notes on London town before hitting the road to Amsterdam. Shortly before we find our ferry for Europe, we'll be taking in the English coastline beauty of the White Cliffs of Dover. They owe their gorgeousness to their composition of chalk - you're learning and we haven't even left the UK! Off the ferry, we arrive in the port town of Calais - French soil! We travel north via Belgium before reaching... Amsterdam!

Tonight, after an included dinner, the fun-famed Amsterdam is yours to explore in all its glory.

Amsterdam, it's been lovely, but it's time to say 'tot ziens!' because this afternoon we're setting off for our next country, Germany.

After the scenic journey of fairytale castles, vineyards and valleys, you'll be charmed before we even arrive in Germany's famous Rhine Valley. This back-in-time town is our host for the optional wine-tasting experience this evening.

Too much grape juice last night? Not to worry, the prospect of this Bavarian hidden gem should lift your spirits as we travel south & swap wine culture for beer.

Quintessential German experiences don't get much better than visiting this charming medieval town. We'll stroll the cobblestoned streets, checking out vibrant market squares and picturesque half-timbered houses along the way.

Today our eyes will be treated to a famous Gothic clock, a charming old town & traditional Bavarian culture. You'll have the option to explore the side streets by foot and afterwards why not choose to explore one of the city's many beer halls, where you can try a stein of beer or even a pork knuckle!

Goodbye Munich, hello mountains. Today we're crossing the Bavarian Alps and hitting the road for Italy.

And just like that, we're in a new country and a whole new vibe. Ah, Venice! Fresh pasta, lilting accents & romantic architecture - we've arrived in one of Italy's most famous cities. Your jaw will hit the floor over hidden lanes, story book bridges & a private canal boat ride. What next? There are a bunch of optional experiences lined up to help you experience this city - gondola rides, venetian dinners, all the good stuff.

Farewell floating city, but Italy, we're not done with you yet, our next destination the Eternal City of Rome is just around the corner.

But first, we have an epic, included MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience to enjoy. Casale Polegri is set within the gorgeous town of Baschi, where we'll meet the Polegri family. These guys have run their vineyard and olive orchard for generations, and after giving us the grand tour, will serve us lunch under the Veranda. As we overlook the Umbrian landscape, enjoying some of the most authentic Italian food we've ever tasted (topped off with the Polegri's very own wine, naturally), we might reflect that we've never had it so good. It's the kind of local travel experience you don't encounter every day (you're welcome).

Rome wasn't built in a day - so get up and get going early to make the most of this ancient city. Hit the streets for your own discoveries. Or choose to take a guided tour of the Colosseum. Throw coins in fountains and sip espresso in a pretty street watching Italian life float by. And even join the optional food tour we've got planned in the city!

We may be hitting the road again, but we're not done with Italy just yet. We have one more city to lust over…

The dome of Duomo Cathedral sits above the city, making certain we know we have arrived in Florence. Take a moment to take in the unique beauty of this beautiful city, where culture and la dolce vita is evident in every direction you look. We'll become history buffs on a guided walking tour, before we learn the art of leather. Tonight you can choose to begin your Tuscan love affair at an optional dinner - think olives, cured meats, crostini & wine. 

It's been sweet, but our time in Lucerne is up this morning. We're Paris-bound! Out with the altitude, in with the inner-city Parisian bliss. We'll jump back onto our coach to cross the border out of Switzerland and (back) into France.

Lamp-lit bridges, a sparkling Eiffel Tower, & evening coffee haunts, tonight we fall in love with everything Paris. Our Trip Manager fills us in on the city's secrets, then to celebrate our first night in the city, we'll head up the Montparnasse Tower.