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DAY 1
Overnight flight
DAY 2
Arrival in Amsterdam
Welcome to Amsterdam! After clearing customs, you’ll meet your Full-time EFCB Tour Guide and the rest of your group. Did you know that Amsterdam is home to the narrowest house in the world (one meter wide)?
Walking tour of Amsterdam
Walking tour of Amsterdam
Your tour guide will help you get your bearings on an informal tour of the city. The capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam is a beautiful city, criss-crossed by 160 canals. Enjoy the scenery as you walk across some of the city’s 1,200 bridges.
Welcome drink
Get to know the other travelers in your group over some welcome drinks. Afterwards, head out on the town, or go back to the hotel to catch up on some sleep.
DAY 3
Sightseeing tour of Amsterdam (EFCB Tour Guide)
Sightseeing tour of Amsterdam (EFCB Tour Guide)
Your tour guide will lead an in-depth sightseeing tour of Amsterdam. Learn a little about the city’s history as you walk through lively Dam Square. Take in scenic views of the Amstel River before finishing up in Rembrandtplein, a bustling square packed with outdoor cafes, shops, clubs and hotels.
Anne Frank House
Anne Frank House
Walk through the rooms where young Anne lived in hiding and penned her famous diary. Anne and her family lived here for nearly two years between 1942 and 1944.
Free time in Amsterdam (nighttime)
Top 5 nightlife suggestions:
1. Leidseplein – This main street and those around it are plastered with lively pubs and bars.
2. Boom Chicago – Have some laughs at this English-language comedy venue known for its live shows and video productions.
3. Escape – Get dancing at this late-night club that attracts a young crowd. Don't show up before 11 o'clock.
4. Club Mazzo – Come here for live music; it's a great place to catch up-and-coming bands before they make it big.
5. Melkweg – This unique venue combines a club, gallery, cinema, cafe and concert hall all in one.
For more ideas and details, see our Amsterdam city guide.
DAY 4
Free day in Amsterdam
Top 5 free-time suggestions:
1. Van Gogh Museum – Get lost in this goldmine of works by the troubled painter, including many of his most famous.
2. Bike riding – Do as the Dutch do and explore the streets on a bicycle; you can find rental shops all over town.
3. Madame Tussaud's Scenerama – Marvel at wax dummies of celebrities from throughout history, with a slight emphasis on the Dutch.
4. Jordaan – This trendy university area has narrow winding streets lined with bars, shops and cafés.
5. Shopping along Nieuwendijk – Pick up souvenirs or the latest Dutch fashions on this main shopping drag.
For more ideas and details, see our Amsterdam city guide.
DAY 5
Transfer via Brussels
Transfer via Brussels
En route to Paris, stop in Belgium’s capital for a brief visit and to have some lunch (try the waffles). Then it’s on to France.
Arrival in Paris
Pull into Paris, France’s extraordinary capital. Did you know that 30 million people visit Paris each year?
Free time in Paris (nighttime)
Top 5 nightlife suggestions:
1. Moulin Rouge – Take in a classic burlesque show in this legendary Parisian cabaret.
2. Buddha Bar – This ultra-hip lounge is most famous in the States for its DJ's popular compilation CDs.
3. Seine river cruise – Float gently along the water as the City of Light glimmers on all sides.
4. Caveau de la Huchette – This friendly cafe offers excellent jazz music and, happily, is free to enter.
5. St. Michel – Young people and tourists like this area for bar hopping and picking up late-night kebabs.
For more ideas and details, see our Paris city guide.
DAY 6
Sightseeing tour of Paris (local guide)
Sightseeing tour of Paris (local guide)
A professional local guide will lead you on a panoramic bus tour and teach you a thing or two about the city. Witness Parisian life in action as you drive down the always fashionable Champs-Elysées. See the imposing Arc de Triomphe and the Conciergerie, where prisoners of the Revolution passed their final days.
Eiffel Tower photostop
Eiffel Tower photostop
Your guided tour includes a stop at the Eiffel Tower, where you'll have a chance to take those must-have shots of the famous steel structure. The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889 for the World's Fair and was supposed to be disassembled after the event. It was only after authorities realized its usefulness for radio communication that it was spared the wrecking ball.
Optional trip to Versailles (extra cost)
Optional trip to Versailles ($70 pre-booked)
Opt to spend the afternoon at the opulent palace of Louis XIV. This is where French royalty reveled in its extravagant lifestyle while the masses starved, leading to the Revolution. Stroll through the well-manicured gardens along the river and check yourself out in the Hall of Mirrors.
DAY 7
Louvre Museum
Louvre Museum
The world's most famous museum is a sprawling complex that was once a royal palace. One could wander for days among its masterpieces. Today, you'll hit all the highlights, including the Venus de Milo and Leonardo Da Vinci’s incomparably mysterious Mona Lisa.
Walking tour of Paris
Walking tour of Paris
Your tour guide takes you on an informal stroll around town. Walk through the Latin Quarter, an area packed with college students from the Sorbonne, Paris’s most famous university. Make your way along the Seine, and check out les bouquinistes, the little stalls that sell old books, maps, art prints and postcards. It’s the perfect place to pick up some authentic souvenirs.
Notre Dame Cathedral
Notre Dame Cathedral
Go inside the famous medieval cathedral, built between 1163 and 1361. Admire the stained-glass windows and seemingly weightless vaulted ceilings. The amazing cathedral was the inspiration for Victor Hugo's famous book The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Evening Seine cruise and Eiffel Tower
Evening Seine cruise and Eiffel Tower
Float down the river while the City of Light glimmers all around you. Then ascend to the top of the most famous tower in the world, and take in the dazzling views of the illuminated city below.
DAY 8
Free time in Paris (daytime)
Top 5 free time suggestions:
1. Musée d’Orsay – This amazing museum built into an old train station is a runaway favorite of many art lovers. Enjoy masterpieces by Monet, Van Gogh, and many more.
2. Champs-Elysées – The famous boulevard has witnessed several major historical moments, but it's best-known for its high fashion shopping and unbeatable people-watching.
3. Arc de Triomphe – Built to commemorate Napoleon's Grande Armée, this famous arch has amazing views from the top.
4. Père Lachaise Cemetery – Pay your respects to many famous figures, including Marcel Proust and the legendary Doors front man Jim Morrison.
5. Montmartre – Climb the stairs or take the funicular railway up to this charming artists' haven. Take in amazing panoramic views and go inside the uniquely beautiful Sacré Coeur church.
For more ideas and details, see our Paris city guide.
Night train to Florence
Night train to Florence
Board your overnight train to Italy. Watch the moonlit countryside roll by before the train rocks you to sleep in your couchette.
DAY 9
Arrival in Florence
Pull in this morning to Florence, the capital of the Tuscany region. Did you know that the Italian language originated in Florence?
Sightseeing tour of Florence (local guide)
Sightseeing tour of Florence (local guide)
Cover Florence on foot with a local guide. Get a feel for this famous Renaissance city at spots like the Piazza della Signoria and the Ponte Vecchio (a medieval bridge that is one of the most photographed sights in Florence). Continue past the Chiesa di Santa Croce, final resting place of Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo.
Florence Duomo
Florence Duomo
The Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral is better known as the Duomo, after its famous dome that dominates the Florentine skyline. The dome, designed by sculptor and architect Brunelleschi, was a real technological and architectural marvel at the time of its construction.
Free time in Florence (afternoon)
Top 5 nightlife suggestions:
1. Santa Croce area – Hit some of the popular pubs in this central area, especially on Via dei Benci.
2. Moyo – This trendy bar attracts a mixed crowd of students and artsy Florentines; lounge out in the back or sit at the outdoor tables.
3. Meccano – Head here to get moving on the two dance floors, or hang out in the big outdoor garden when the weather's nice.
4. All'Antico Vinaio – This has been one of Florence's most popular wine bars for the last hundred years.
5. Tenax – For a concert, check out the leading venue for new and established bands as well as big-name international acts; enormous but easy-going, it becomes a club after hours.
For more ideas and details, see our Florence city guide.
DAY 10
Transfer via Assisi
Transfer via Assisi
Travel by bus through the Italian countryside to hilltop Assisi. Visit the impressive St. Francis Basilica. Inside, you can trace St. Francis’s life through the amazing wall frescos.
Arrival in Rome
Welcome to Rome, the Eternal City. Did you know that Rome had barbers as far back as 300 B.C.?
Free time in Rome (nighttime)
Top 5 nightlife suggestions:
1. Campo de’ Fiori – Many young people gather in the early evening inside and outside the bars in this area, making it a good starting point.
2. San Lorenzo area – Popular with students, this area is known for its reggae scene and numerous clubs.
3. Big Mama – Blues lovers head to this music club in Trastavere.
4. Testaccio – There is plenty of action on this circular street lined with bars and nightclubs.
5. Opera – For a true cultural experience, go see an opera in the country where opera was born.
For more ideas and details, see our Rome city guide.
DAY 11
Sightseeing tour of Rome (local guide)
Sightseeing tour of Rome (local guide)
Go way back into history with a local guide. Step through the grassy Forum Romanum, where all kinds of business, commerce and administration of justice took place back in ancient times.
Roman Colosseum
Roman Colosseum
Your tour includes a visit to the massive Colosseum, built back in 70 A.D. The huge amphitheater held up to 50,000 spectators, who would gather to watch anything from bloody gladiator contests to mock sea battles to dramatic representations of classical mythology.
Optional pizza-making and dinner (extra cost)
Optional pizza-making and dinner ($45 pre-booked)
Opt for a festive night in an Italian kitchen. Prepare the dough, lay on the toppings, fire it in the oven, and eat it—all under the expert guidance of a real pizzaiolo.
DAY 12
Visit to Vatican City
Visit to Vatican City
Visit this country within a city, home to the Pope. Walk through the incomparable St. Peter's Basilica, built on the site where the saint was martyred. Also visit the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s stunning ceiling frescos have amazed visitors for centuries.
Free time in Rome (daytime)
Top 5 free time suggestions:
1. Shopping on Via del Corso – Stroll down the longest pedestrian street in the city for prime shopping and to scope out the latest fashion trends.
2. Capitoline Museum – Situated up on a hill overlooking the Forum, this museum houses some amazing ancient sculptures.
3. Villa Borghese Park – Run, bike, or just plain relax in this huge park, the city's largest green space.
4. Trastavere – Spend time wandering the old streets of this newly-popular bohemian area across the Tiber River.
5. The beach – The Mediterranean is just 25 minutes away by metro, good for all the usual seaside activities.
For more ideas and details, see our Rome city guide.
DAY 13
Sightseeing tour of Capri (local guide)
Sightseeing tour of Capri (local guide)
En route to Sorrento, stop in Capri, a very popular resort area. Board a cruise to catch the most spectacular views of Capri’s coast. You’ll see the Arco Naturale, a majestic stone arch on the eastern cliffs, and the famous Faraglioni, three huge limestone colossi that loom out of the sea. (If the weather doesn't cooperate, you'll visit the town of Anacapri instead.)
Arrival in Sorrento
Arrival in Sorrento
Spend the night in the coastal hotspot of Sorrento. Italy's favorite resort town, Sorrento gives you some unmatched vistas of the Bay of Naples.
DAY 14
Sightseeing tour of Pompeii (local guide)
Sightseeing tour of Pompeii (local guide)
Take an amazing trip into the preserved past. Doomed by the ash and pumice of Mt. Vesuvius looming above it, Pompeii is a remarkably intact ancient Roman town. Walk the streets and see the remains of villas, ancient temples and bath houses.
Night ferry from Brindisi
Night ferry from Brindisi
Continue on to coastal Brindisi, where you'll board your overnight ferry bound for Greece.
DAY 15
Arrival in Greece
Pull into port at Patras, and transfer to Delphi, Greece's most beloved site. Delphi is perched on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. Look up for breathtaking views of the craggy cliffs of Parnassus. Below, a stunningly beautiful plain of olive trees stretches as far as your eyes can see, toward the Gulf of Corinth.
DAY 16
Sightseeing tour of Delphi (local guide)
Sightseeing tour of Delphi (local guide)
A local guide will introduce you to Delphi, site of Apollo's famed Oracle. Back in the day, Greece's military leaders would leave gifts for the Oracle in hopes of good fortune in battle. Visit the Temple of Apollo, the spot where legend says the god communicated with mortals. Also visit the Delphi Museum. A huge bronze charioteer is among this collection’s ancient treasures, which date back to 550 B.C.
Transfer to Athens
Transfer to Athens
Continue to Athens, named after Athena, goddess of wisdom and war. Did you know that Athena was born by springing out from her father’s head?
DAY 17
Sightseeing tour of Athens (local guide)
Sightseeing tour of Athens (local guide)
Discover ancient Athens with a local guide. It's hard not to feel the past as you walk in the sandalsteps of the ancient philosophers, merchants and artisans. See the Temple of Athena Nike, which once housed a gold statue of the goddess, and pass the stadium where the first modern Olympics were held in 1896. Also climb the famed Acropolis and view the legendary Parthenon.
Walking tour of Athens
Walking tour of Athens
Your tour guide will show you some of the other can't-miss spots of Athens, including the bustling Plaka district. Check out Hadrian’s Arch and the Temple of Olympian Zeus—construction on the temple began in 515 B.C.
Farewell dinner
Share some last laughs (and maybe shed a few tears) at an included farewell dinner with the group.
DAY 18
Flight home
Don't want to go home?
Plan beforehand, and you can change your return ticket and explore more of Athens on your own, or visit another city and fly home from there. To request special travel, fill out this form.