Highlights of Italy, Switzerland & France

Your journey begins on your overnight flight.

Discover the highlights of Rome on a sightseeing tour of the Eternal City. Today’s sights include outside views of the Roman Forum, the center of daily Ancient Roman life; the exterior of the world-famous Colosseum; the statues, fountains, and cobblestone expanse of the Piazza Navona; the lavish Trevi Fountain; and the Spanish Steps where Audrey Hepburn’s Princess Ann enjoyed the perfect chocolate gelato in Roman Holiday.

During free time this afternoon and evening, you will have the time to explore the Vatican City and Vatican museums if you choose. (B)

Note: Touring the Vatican Museums requires walking up several staircases and two to three hours of walking.

Depart Rome this morning and travel north into the picturesque Umbrian countryside. During a leisurely lunch stop, you’ll have the chance to ride the funicular up to the ancient town of Orvieto, where you can explore the rich history of this charming town and admire a variety of Etruscan, Medieval, and Renaissance art. The Orvieto funicular, a cliff cable railway that first opened in 1888, uses water and gravity to transport its cars up and down the hillside.

The Tuscan city of Florence is considered the cradle of the Renaissance, renowned for its culture, art, architecture, and historical monuments. When you arrive, you will have the chance to uncover the city’s secrets on a walking tour of many of Florence’s highlights. See the 13th century Duomo with the Brunelleschi dome and Giotto’s Campanile; Ghiberti’s golden “Gates of Paradise” doors at the Baptistery of St. John; and the Ponte Vecchio. (B)

There is so much more to discover on your full day of leisure in Florence. What new treasures await you? Along with Renaissance art and architecture, the city is famed for its excellent shopping and unbeatable cuisine. Expect to find perfect pastas, beautiful baked goods, wonderful wine, and the legendary Bistecca alla Fiorentina for some of the finest steak in the world.

You can also spend the day enjoying one of our incredible optional tours. (B)

After a lunch stop in Parma, take a tour of Milan, one of the world’s leading cities for high fashion. Your panoramic sightseeing tour highlights will include Piazza del Duomo, the main central square surrounded by several important buildings including the striking Gothic cathedral and the Royal Palace of Milan. You’ll also have a chance to see Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, an impressively ornate indoor shopping arcade built in 1865, and La Scala Opera House. (B, D)

Take the scenic route to Paris. Travel by high-speed train at up to 200 miles per hour from Switzerland to France, enjoying scenery as you go. Note: For security purposes, porterage of luggage is not available. Guests are responsible for transporting their own luggage in the train station and on the train. (B)