Paris, the Riviera and Italy

Day 1:

Overnight Flight to Paris

Day 2:

Welcome to France!

• Meet your Tour Director at the airport
  
• Explore Paris on foot with your Tour Director, walking the cobbled streets of the Latin Quarter, crossing onto Île de la Cité, and pausing by the flying buttresses of Notre-Dame Cathedral
• Visit the Louvre, home to the Mona Lisa and a world-spanning collection housed beneath a modern glass pyramid and royal palace walls
  

Day 3:

Explore Paris

• Guided by a local expert, follow the thread of revolution and elegance through Paris’s grand boulevards. From the Arc de Triomphe to the Eiffel Tower and Place de la Concorde, experience a city that lives and breathes its joie de vivre
• Free time or Optional Guided excursion to Versailles
• Opt to take a guided excursion to Versailles. Explore the Hall of Mirrors, State Apartments, and sprawling gardens once home to the Sun King
• Enjoy a Seine River cruise in Paris, gliding past bridges and landmarks as city lights shimmer on the water
  

Day 4:

Paris - French Riviera

• Travel by TGV train to Nice, tracing a sleek route toward the sun-drenched shores of the Riviera
  

Day 5:

Explore the French Riviera

• Explore Monaco and Èze with your Tour Director. See the Prince’s Palace overlooking the harbor, then visit a traditional parfumerie in Èze, where flowers and craft define the hillside village
• Explore Nice with your Tour Director, from the colorful markets and alleys of Vieux Nice to the sea breeze and curve of the Promenade des Anglais along the Mediterranean

Day 6:

French Riviera - Florence

• Travel via Pisa to Florence
  
• See the Leaning Tower of Pisa, a centuries-old bell tower whose famous tilt began during construction and still draws millions of curious eyes
  
• Visit the Baptistery of St. John and the Pisa Cathedral to admire the intricate marble façades and experience the remarkable acoustics inside the circular baptistery
  

Day 7:

Explore Florence

• Guided by a local expert, explore Florence where art, politics, and genius shaped the world. Cross the Ponte Vecchio, stand beneath Brunelleschi’s soaring dome, and see Santa Croce and the Baptistery’s Gates of Paradise
• Enjoy gelato!
  
• Explore Florence on your own, with time to shop, wander, or soak in the city’s Renaissance beauty
  

Day 8:

Florence - Rome

• Travel to Rome
  
• Guided by a local expert, explore Ancient Rome, exploring the epicenter of a vast empire where emperors ruled, gladiators fought, and temples anchored everyday life
• Visit the Colosseum, stepping into the arena where thousands once gathered to witness gladiator battles and Roman spectacle on a monumental scale
  
• Visit the Roman Forum, walking pathways once traveled by Julius Caesar and Cicero, surrounded by the remains of temples, basilicas, and the heart of public life in ancient Rome
  

Day 9:

Explore Rome

• Guided by a local expert, explore Vatican City, the world’s smallest country and a sanctuary of Renaissance genius.
• Visit the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s ceiling continues to awe.
  
• Step into St. Peter’s Basilica to see masterpieces like the Pietà and Bernini’s towering Baldachin.
  
• Explore Rome on foot with your Tour Director, walking from Piazza Navona to the Pantheon, tossing a coin into the Trevi Fountain, and climbing the Spanish Steps with views over the Eternal City
• Enjoy a special farewell dinner to celebrate your journey and share a final meal with your group
  

Day 10:

Depart for home