Ultimate Rome To London Tour

Your journey begins on your overnight flight.

Benvenuto in Italia, and welcome to Rome! If you purchased airline tickets from YMT Vacations, a friendly YMT representative will welcome you at the airport and transport you to the hotel. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure until the included dinner at the hotel begins. This is your chance to get to know your fellow travelers over food and a glass of wine and to learn about the exciting days ahead. (D)

Note: Touring the Vatican Museums requires walking up several staircases and 2-3 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, first opened in 1888 and 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. See the 13th century Duomo featuring Brunelleschi’s dome and Giotto’s Campanile. Marvel at Ghiberti’s golden “Gates of Paradise” doors at the Baptistery of St. John, and cross the Arno River via the world-famous Ponte Vecchio bridge. (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—perhaps 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)

Welcome to Switzerland! Cross the border into the “Playground of Europe,” stopping for lunch in Lugano before continuing to scenic Lucerne. This small city situated on the banks of Lake Lucerne is one of Europe’s prettiest. Clean and compact, Lucerne is known for its panoramic mountain views and breathtaking architecture. Its colorful, exceptionally preserved Old Town is a must-see that you will have the chance to explore on foot during today’s afternoon walking tour. (B)

Spend the day at your leisure in Lucerne. There is so much to do in the heart of Switzerland for foodies, history buffs, outdoor enthusiasts, and every other kind of traveler. If you love the good life, then Lucerne will have something for you. Several exciting optional tours are available for an additional fee. (B)

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. (B)

Note: Guests are responsible for transporting their own luggage in the train station and on the train. For security purposes, porterage of luggage is not available.

Start your day with a panoramic tour of Paris, the world-famous City of Light! Our coach will drive you past the Marais, the Latin Quarter, and St. Germain, as well the Opéra Garnier and Place Vendôme. The Louvre, the Champs Elysées, and the Arc de Triomphe are all on the tour, plus Invalides, the Trocadéro, and of course the famous Eiffel Tower. (B, D)

Enjoy the day exploring Paris on your own with an included Paris Pass. (B)

Your last full day in Paris starts with a visit to the Château de Fontainebleau, one of France’s largest royal châteaux. The medieval palace served as a residence for many of France’s most influential monarchs from Louis VII to Napoleon III, and it is now a national museum and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Next, transfer to Barbizon, a charming village nestled on the edge of Fontainebleau forest. Here you’ll take a an orientation tour with your tour director and have leisure time to explore this village between two castles.

The day continues to the Château de Vaux- le-Vicomte. Built between 1658 and 1661, this baroque French château was an influential work of architecture in mid-17th-century Europe. The collaboration between the architect Louis Le Vau, the landscape architect André le Nôtre, and the painter-decorator Charles Le Brun marked the beginning of the “Louis XIV style” combining architecture, interior design, and landscape design. (B)

Savor a delicious breakfast before stepping out into London for a city tour of one of history’s most influential capitals. See Big Ben and Piccadilly Square, and take illuminating tours of the world-famous coronation site of Westminster Abbey, as well as the Tower of London. The Tower is now known for housing the crown jewels, but on this tour, you’ll also learn about the imposing fortess’s gruesome history as an execution site. It was Henry VIII’s preferred final stop for several of his doomed wives.

Stop for photos at Buckingham Palace, and then cross the street for a private high tea at the historic Palace Hotel overlooking the Royal Mews. The refined afternoon nibbles will include delicate sandwiches, pastries, and cakes, as well as coffee and perfectly prepared cups of fine English tea. (B, High Tea)

Take a panoramic and walking tour of Oxford, a city known around the world as the home of Britain’s oldest and most prestigious university.