European Discovery
From CAD $2,515
Guarantee
Group Tour
Easy
Rating
(10 reviews)
Experience Overview
Ready for the beginning of your sweet love affair with Europe? This European Discovery tour uncovers Europe’s finest in 12 days, complete with Bavarian beer & a visit to a French perfumery. We'll discover Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Munich, Venice & Florence, flirting with many more destinations along the way, from a traditional German beer hall to lunch at Casale Polegri (on us). You’ll get a taste for all the best bits of the continent and travel through 6 countries in one trip. By the time you get back to London you'll be completely smitten.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 3 Dinner (D)
- 11 Breakfast (B)
- 1 Lunch (L)
FAQs
- London: Travelling to (and through) the UK & Northern Ireland? You’ll need Essential Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)From January 8, 2025, UK law means that if you’re entering/transiting through border control in the United Kingdom (UK) and Northern Ireland you’ll need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before you travel. Confused? Don’t be – just read on here.
- London: What currency do I need? For this trip, you’ll need just three currencies - the British Pound, Swiss Franc and Euro.
- London: How do I know when to book tickets for non-included attractions in Amsterdam? If you're travelling before March 2025, this trip spends 1 night in Amsterdam. You will have free time in the morning of day 2 until 12pm, during which time you can book activities. After this time, we will head off to the Rhine Valley.From March 2025, this trip will spend 2 nights in Amsterdam and you will have free time in the afternoon of day 2 from 12pm - 3pm, during which time you can book activities. Of course, you can book other times during this day, but it might mean you miss out on other included activities or a coach transfer to the accommodation!
- London: Who will I room with if I book additional nights before my trip? You'll stay in a Twin share room (meaning you'll be paired with a fellow traveller of the same gender, and will have two separate beds). If you're booking your trip with a friend/travel companion - just let us know, so we can join your bookings and ensure you share a room. Need a lil' more privacy? You're welcome to opt for a single supplement if you like.
Included Experience
- Amsterdam: Best way to break the ice? By breaking bread of course. You and your new besties can bond over dinner before heading out to explore.
- Sankt Goar: Take in the breath-taking scenery of the River Rhine.
- Lorelei: It’s the stuff of legends. Literally. A singing mermaid named Lorelei is said to sit on the rock, enchanting fishermen before luring them to their demise. Eek!
- Dinkelsbühl: Seatbelts on! Today we're driving along 'Romantische Straße' AKA Germany's most scenic route, winding through picturesque medieval towns, fairy-tale castles, and breathtaking landscapes.
- Munich: We'll make a stop at a traditional Bavarian ‘Bier Halle’. Grab your Contiki crew and a beer. Prost!
- Venice: Speed across the lagoon to the aqueous island of Venice.
- Venice: Life’s all about the waterways here; there’s not an Uber in sight! Get some classic pics of the famous gondola boats.
- Rome: Stroll around the Italian capital, ticking off some sights on your bucket list!
- Baschi: We'll head to the rocky (but so picturesque) village of Baschi to visit Casale Polegri. Stroll around the vineyards and olive orchards on a short tour of the azienda agricola. We'll learn about the farming techniques used by the Polegri Family to harvest their fresh plants and fruit. We'll end the afternoon with a crunchy bruschetta topped with homemade extra virgin olive oil, focaccia bread with homegrown rosemary and vegetables. And of course, some risotto or pasta. All of this with a glass of their homemade wine and dessert. Happy tummy, happy life!
- Florence: See the Duomo, Basilica Santa Croce, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistery & Piazza della Signoria on a locally guided walking tour of Florence.
- Lucerne: Check out the Wooden Chapel Bridge and the giant sandstone Lion Monument.
- Paris: Take a dreamy jaunt around the city of romance. Fall in love with landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Champs-Élysées and Notre-Dame Cathedral.
- Paris: Climb to the 56th floor of the Montparnasse Tower for an unbeatable vista of the ‘City of Light’.
- Paris: Your chance to learn the art of fragrance at a Parisian perfume house. You know it makes scents! (soz).
Trip Details
Product Code: 34765
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+, Luxury
Tour Operator:
Contiki (CA)
Supplier Code: 19.2286A
Starts: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Finishes: London, United Kingdom
Duration: 12 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $2,515 ($210 /day)
Itinerary
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.
Accommodation: Ibis Schiphol Amsterdam Airport (or similar)
Meals: Dinner
Amsterdam is as cute as it comes & sure to win your heart with its cobbled main streets, canalside views, obscure museums & a café culture like no other. Today, you're free to use your time to get local, bar hop, museum crawl, or sign up to check out the STRAAT museum (located in a former NDSM shipyard), or just explore! If you're hungry to taste your way through the local culture, this place is famous for Dutch pancakes, frites, cheese, stroopwafels and coffee – or you can take the opportunity to visit the small Dutch fishing village of Volendam for an optional dinner. Tonight, you have the option to sign up for an iconic cruise through Amsterdam, complete with an onboard bar.
Accommodation: Ibis Budget Amsterdam City South (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
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.
Accommodation: Hotel Montag Sankt Goar (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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!
Accommodation: Wyndham Garden Munich Messe (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
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.
Accommodation: Venice Palace (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
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). The afternoon will really take it up a notch as we uncover Italian icons in the country's capital of Rome as you get a glimpse of it's glory by night. Gelato, pizza and ancient monuments - perfetto!
Accommodation: Pineta Palace Hotel Roma (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
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!
Accommodation: Pineta Palace Hotel Roma (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
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.
Accommodation: Hotel Auto Park (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Say a fond farewell to Italy, and hello to the land of creamy chocolate, cheese and not to mention watches. Hello Switzerland! Swans float under wooden bridges, snowcapped mountains stand regally behind us & chocolate tastes like heaven on earth. You're in the Swiss Alps & you cannot wipe the smile off your face. Eeek!!!
Accommodation: Ibis Budget Luzern City (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
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.
Accommodation: Ibis Paris Porte D'Orleans Hotel (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
It's time to stroll the dreamy streets of Paris, moan over haute couture you can't afford, admire the Notre Dame Cathedral whilst juggling coffee and crêpes, & get artsy at the many museums of the Louvre. Just don't wear yourself out, you will probably want to get involved with an optional ticket to an iconic cabaret show and dinner. With your last night looming, make it one to remember in the city of lights.
Accommodation: Ibis Paris Porte D'Orleans Hotel (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Soak up your last dose of Paris this morning over a coffee and croissant and marvel at how much you've seen. And, how close you've grown to your new Contiki pals. Sob! Hop back on the coach for a complimentary transfer to CDG airport this morning, or stay onboard for the ride back to London. Plenty of time to start planning the next reunion...This concludes our 12-day Europe itinerary. What a journey! Say a fond farewell to the group as you wrap up the trip on arrival in London.
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Contiki (CA)
Contiki is a New Zealand-based tour company that caters to 18 to 35-year-olds, offering over 350 different tours in over 75 countries in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.[1] It is a subsidiary of The Travel Corporation. Its tours historically had a reputation for partying;[2][3] however, it also operates wellness trips culturally immersive experiences that focus less on alcohol, which are more popular with Generation Z.[4] The company owns lodging facilities in Europe, including the Chateau De Cruix, a 16th century castle in the Beaujolais wine region, and the Gasthof Schoneck in the Austrian Tyrol. The name "Contiki" comes from the portmanteau 'Con' from the word 'Continent' and 'Tiki'; from the Māori referring to the first man, often symbolised as a pendant known as hei-tiki. It can also be attributed to the New Zealand slang 'Tiki-tour' describing taking a longer route to a destination in order to explore.[5]
In Business Since 1931
Reviews
Anonymous - Traveled, January 2024
The trip was amazing so well managed, the travel guide was so helpful and gave us so much information, the extra activities were a lot of fun also, no complaints about anything it was perfect. Contiki is amazing when it comes to booking and their contact, they are available 24/7 and all of their customer service workers are so helpful have a great attitude and are always willing to do the most to help, they pick up the phone instantly and always helped me with everything i needed.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/31/2024
Jayson - Traveled, December 2024
The trip was a good sampler of the different european countries! Now i know which cities i want to come back and spend a lot more time in. I’m also excited to do an eastern european countries contiki next time.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/30/2024
Emily - Traveled, March 2024
The trip was fantastic. We got to experience so much in a short space of time which was a great way to get a taste of Europe and figure out what places I might like to revisit in the future. The included and extra activities were fun, diverse and generally things that I would not have come across if I had organised my own trip. The group was awesome and I really enjoyed that I could travel alone but within the safety of the group. I also loved getting to know everyone and having people to share memories with. Our tour manager and driver were awesome. They collaborated and complimented each other so well. They made a huge effort to make our trip extra special and after chatting with others who had been on Contikis previously, i’m convinced that we were very lucky to have and as our on road team as they were pretty special. In short, I loved my experience on Contiki and will encourage others to go. I loved Europe and am so thankful to have been able to go.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/29/2024
Michael - Traveled, April 2024
One of the most memorable experiences of my life. Great travel experience!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/28/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, April 2024
10/10 would recommend traveling with Contiki! I made the best friends and saw the most amazing places. I never had to stress about planning thanks to the amazing staff. Our tour guide was the best. She made sure that we had the best time and worked so hard behind the scenes. Our driver made us feel so safe on the road and we couldn’t have gone anywhere without him.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/25/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, March 2024
Had two goats and that made my contiki the best experience possible. The driving and greetings every morning were absolutely phenomenal and the guide yapped so much I gained knowledge of each and every single city:). Which I am super grateful for, I can now offer history lessons to anyone. Nah but seriously an absolute legend who made travelling Europe the ultimate dream. Radiated good vibes every second of the day which allowed me to feel completely safe in countries I’ve never been to. Not a second went by where I felt like my needs, welfare and happiness were not met. They both truly made this experience enjoyable and stress free so big thanks to them. Having had them as my on road team I know I’ll be back on more contiki’s in the future. Forever wishing them the best as well as in his next race.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/24/2024
Nicole - Traveled, June 2024
The European Discovery with was unbelievable and unforgettable ? This was my second group tour with contiki and I can honestly say this is an amazing way to socially travel with the convenience of the trip being fully planned. I did not have much leave days available, so I was looking for an easy way to see some of my bucket list European countries in a short amount of time. The contiki did not disappoint, all you need to do is show up on time, the team was well prepared and went over and above to make sure everything ran smoothly. and ent beyond expectations time and time again. From the accommodation to the coach, and to the next location, we had countless history lessons from our Tour Manager which was always entertaining and insightful. One of my favorite parts of the day was being on the beautiful coach and travelling to different location, taking in the beautiful scenery; from sun to snow, waterfalls to lakes. The accommodations were good, we had a good breakfast everyday and the included meals and activities were great. Contiki also offered value added free time add ons which made the trip more special. My highlight moments were the Top of Innsbruck and seeing the Eiffel tower sparke from different points in the city. Well done done to the Contiki team for making this memorable for us.I booked through a travel agent, I had no issues with the booking.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/13/2024
Isabella - Traveled, July 2024
I absolutely loved my first contiki! was such a well-organised trip manager that made the entire travelling process stress free. I also LOVED Tomasz, such a beautiful soul. The trip was very fast paced but I loved that I got to see so many incredible places. With seeing snow for the first time in Austria and ticking the milestone of seeing the Eiffel Tower. I booked through a travel agent which made the process alot easier.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/14/2024
Cooper - Traveled, September 2024
Seen so many sights in a short time. Met a lot of new friends that I will keep in touch with and visit.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/15/2024
Hayley - Traveled, October 2024
Really great trip with bento as my trip manager and as our driver. It was a very quick trip but was lots of fun. Got to see and do so many amazing things. Were both so amazing and really made this trip so much better.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/19/2024
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