Specially prepared for Nancy
August 14th – US/UK
Today you will depart for your overnight flight from San Francisco to London Heathrow; nonstop service on United Airlines
August 15th – Arrival in London
You will arrive early in the morning in London. Transfer will be on your own to your hotel. For the next 3 nights you will be staying at the Russel Hotel, ideally located in Bloomsbury, the center of London. right on the River Thames. It’s the perfect base to discover this fascinating city.
August 16th – London
Today is your first full day in London and I highly recommend to discover this city by ‘Hop-on, Hop-off’ bus which drives in a loop to all the major attractions. It’s a great way to design your own day and learn from a narrator while traveling from place to place. One of the main advantages versus a guided tour is that you can stay as long or short as you like at each attraction or areas of interest. Buses run every 15 – 20 minutes. I would also recommend to get the ‘London Pass’ which will give you access to many of London’s attractions at a reduced price.
August 17th – London
On your second day you can either visit places you weren’t able to see yesterday or why not take a day trip to Windsor Castle. Take a guided tour through part of the castle and enjoy walking around the quaint streets of Windsor. In the evening there are many options like going out and enjoy the action in Leicester Square or have a nice meal on this last night in London.
August 18th – London/Paris
After breakfast you’ll catch a cab to the St. Pancras train station where you will board the Eurostar for your 2 hour and 15 minutes journey to Paris. On your way you’ll cross the channel underground and enjoy the comfort of this high speed train. Upon arrival at Gare du Nord International I recommend to take taxi or the Metroline 4 to the Hotel Royal Saint Germain where you will be staying for the next 3 nights.
August 19th – Paris
Paris is easy to discover on your own by using the Metro or you can make use of the ‘Hop-on, Hop-off bus’ here as well. I would also recommend to get the ‘Paris Pass’ which will give you access to many of the attractions. I highly recommend walking up the Eiffel Tower and enjoy the breathtaking views over the city. Visit Notre Dame and take a cruise on the river Seine.
August 20th – Paris
Enjoy a second full day in the ‘City of Love’. There is still so much more to see and do. If you feel like going out into the country why not visit the amazing Palace of Versailles, which can be easily reached by train. In Versailles you’ll be able to walk take a tour through the palace and enjoy the beautiful gardens.
August 21st – Paris/Florence
After your breakfast you can either take the Metro or a taxi to the Airport Paris Charles de Gaulle. You’ll be flying on Air Berlin via Vienna to the beautiful city of Florence in Italy where you’ll be spending 3 nights at the Hotel Berchielli.
August 22nd – Florence
Florence is a wonderful city to discover. Take a tour of the Florence Accademia and Uffizi Gallery and take in the atmosphere walking through its quaint streets. Have a nice Cappuccino in one of the many cozy street Cafe’s or if you feel adventurous, take a Vespa (Italian made motor bike) tour into the Tuscan Hills.
August 23rd – Florence
On this second full day in Florence I would highly recommend to visit a some of the smaller villages around Florence. One of my personal favorite’s is San Gimignano, also called the city of towers and the center in the movie called “Tea with Mussolini”. There are tours available or you can visit on your own by using the train. While in Tuscany we can also arrange a cooking class or wine tasting tour for you.
August 24th – Florence/Rome
This morning after breakfast you will be taking the ‘Italo’ high speed train to Rome which will get you there in less than 2 hours. Upon arrival in Rome you will transfer on your own by taxi to the River Palace Hotel. With its position in the centre of the city, a few steps from Piazza del Popolo, near to Piazza di Spagna and Trinità dei Monti, the River Palace is an oasis of quiet and the ideal base to visit the places of greater interest of the city. The Vatican with St. Pietro and the Sistine Chapel are only two metro stop.
August 25th – Rome
Discover this city filled with history and culture. Visit the the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and the Coliseum. Make sure to spend time walking through the streets and take in the Roman atmosphere. Don’t forget to make a wish at the Trevi Fountain.
August 26th – Rome
Today is your 2nd day to discover this fascinating city. If you are up to something a little more exciting, why not go on a Roman countryside bike tour of the ancient Appian Way and the catacombs. You’ll cycle on a 2,300-year-old cobblestone Roman road past an ancient sepulchre and an imperial palace. You’ll follow ancient Roman aqueducts. And you’ll ride through Caffarella Park, a preserved strip of land in the Roman countryside that impressed 19th-century travelers like Byron, Goethe and Stendhal.
August 27th – Rome/Positano
After breakfast you will be taking a taxi to the Termini Station to board your train to Naples. After a train ride that will take just over an hour, you’ll arrive at the Naples Train Station where we have arranged a private transfer to the beautiful village of Positano on the Amalfi Coast for you. This will be a perfect ending to an amazing journey through 3 European countries and will give you some time to relax and reflect while enjoying breathtaking views over the Mediterranean from your hotel, the Hotel Pasitea where you’ll be staying in an ocean view room.
August 28th – Positano
Since this is your last day on this journey, you can use this day at your own leisure. Why not take one of the hikes in the area or take at taxi to Sorrento and enjoy the drive along the Amalfi Coast. The hotel can also arrange a guided photo walk. Visit the most beautiful corners of the Amalfi Coast, in the company of an expert photographer and take some of the most memorable photographs of your journey.
August 29th – Positano/USA
After breakfast we have arranged a private driver to take you to Naples Airport. It’s time to say good-bye to this beautiful country and hopefully you’ll come back again. You will board your morning flight on Lufthansa to Frankfurt where you will connect to your nonstop flight to San Francisco on Lufthansa as well. Arrival in San Francisco will be at 7:00pm.
Cost for the above itinerary is $ 3,825.00 per person ($ 7,650.00 total) based on double occupancy.
All services were available at the time of this quote but please note that this itinerary is subject to availability and pricing could change. Especially airfares fluctuate almost daily but we’ll do our best to confirm everything at this quote.
INCLUDED:
– International flights from San Francisco to London Heathrow on United Airlines (Star Alliance) & Naples – via Frankfurt to San Francisco on Lufthansa (Star Alliance)
– Hotels with value added tax, service and breakfast
– Intra European flights on Air Berlin from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Florence Peretola Airport
– Eurostar Economy Class tickets: London – Paris
– First Class Trenitalia tickets: Florence – Rome & Rome – Naples
– Private transfers as noted: Naples train station – Positano hotel/Positano hotel – Naples Airport
– Service and ticketing fees
– Independent touring booklet, we have put together for our clients that show the traditional sights as well as little unknown sites, shopping info, restaurant suggestions and much more.
NOT INCLUDED:
– Meals, except for all breakfasts
– Taxi transfers
– Tips
– Personal expenses like gifts, souvenirs etc
– Excursions, London Pass, Paris Pass etc.
Once you have decided on some of the excursions you would like to have arranged in advance, I’d be more than happy to prepare those for you. I recommend that the majority of sightseeing can be decided while you are there as most attractions are easily booked at your destination. Thes are often priced lower and will also give you the freedom to design each day as you like.
Notes:
Many European cities are starting a tourist city tax that must be paid locally at each hotel for 2013. At this point we are not able to prepay this service for you.
Some countries may also be adjusting their VAT tax for 2013 and if this happens we will advise and have to adjust pricing for the new additional taxes.
As this is a custom designed itinerary we can make any changes you might like to have made so that this journey will be everything you are hoping for it to be and give you the most memorable experience possible.
Thank you very much for allowing us to create this initial itinerary for you. – Ales
