You are in a comfortable, climate controlled coach bus meandering down the hills of Tuscany. Surrounded by vineyards and while comfortably in your seat, you bask in the calm atmosphere. A half an hour later you stop outside a small village marketplace. Your tour guide gives you some handy tips on where to go, you grab a snack, maybe some wine and take a little bit of the country's glow in for yourself. Then it's back to the comfortable coach bus, and on to another stop.
This pattern repeats itself for a few more stops, and next thing you know, you are in Rome. Your bus stops outside the Coliseum and your tour guide informs you that you will be seeing this one as a group. However, instead of just wandering around, and maybe getting a tour that runs periodically, your guide has set up a special tour just for your group. You spend the afternoon enjoying ancient buildings, and retiring back to the bus just before dusk. Then it is on to a stunning hotel with a room that you could never afford without the group rate that was arranged in advance, and perhaps a visit to a gourmet restaurant or whatever other eating establishment meets your approval. Imagine this stress free bliss for your entire vacation. Imagine having all of Europe just outside the door of your bus, and an experienced guide who knows all of the destinations just waiting to reveal the secrets of the cities you will visit.
On an escorted tour through Europe you can expect to see cities such as Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Paris, Marseille, Madrid, Rome and countless others. You may spend a day or two at each destination, and time will be given for you to enjoy the thrills as either a group or on your own. During that day you will have access to your tour guide. He or she will be able to tell you more than just the basics. It's pretty well understood that if you are going to London, then you will want to see Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace. But your guide can reveal for you all of the lesser known attractions that the city offers. The location truly does get unlocked by your travel operator, and you are given access to so many things that you otherwise would either not know about, or not be able to afford.
Speaking of that aspect, affordability is the best part about the escorted tour of Europe. Traveling in a group is one benefit that makes an escorted tour of Europe affordable. While in Europe, your tour will visit many different locations. Your operator is able to negotiate group rates for almost anyplace you may eat, sleep or visit.
Another feature to expect on a European tour is the number of transportation options. The ample supply of railroad tracks and water routes allows tour guides to be more creative in their methods of transportation. River cruises and train trips are common. Indeed, they can be some of the most popular escorted tours offered. Imagine floating through Europe's major rivers, and in the process enjoying all of the cities that you pass by along the way. River cruises can truly be vacation bliss. When visiting Italy, your tour guide will provide you with a ride on a gondola. The gondola is an important aspect of Italian culture which was widely used in the 18th century. A gondola ride is very relaxing and allows you to experience the rivers of Venice, Italy.
All in all there is one thing you can expect to see of more than anything else on an escorted tour of Europe. That sight is the continent itself. You will not spend your days wasting away over maps. You won't be constantly staring at the road in front as you try and navigate through areas that you don't know. Instead, you will be free to experience Europe to its fullest under the watch and care of an experienced, well informed guide. On an escorted tour of Europe you will actually get to relax and enjoy your destinations. That, in and of itself, makes the prospect of an escorted European tour an attractive one.
European Tour Qualifying School
There are many tour operators offering delightful European tours. Most of these tours cater to every budget, need and want and includes vacations in Europe accompanied by river cruises that are customized to suit time constraints and family budgets. Some popular destinations include Italy and Sicily, France, Central Europe, Spain and Portugal, Belgium and Holland, Scandinavia, Britain and Ireland, Switzerland, Greece and Austria, and many more destinations that may also include various luxury vacation packages.
Numerous Plans Offering Multi-city Programs, Fly And Drive Tours And More
There are also various plans offered including multi-city programs, fly and drive tours, escorted tours and river cruises. Multi-city programs offer delightful visits to some of the finest tourist destinations in Europe, and staying a few days and nights in London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Nice, Madrid, Brussels, and Vienna enables the tourist to savor the sights and attractions that each city offers.
Before embarking on a European tour, you should get all the necessary information to be informed of different climatic conditions, language barriers, passport and visa regulations, health precautions, travel insurance, code of conduct as well as luggage restrictions so that you are well prepared for the good and bad that any European tour will serve up.
But first things first. The first step is your departure from the US to a destination in Europe. This sets the stage for your European tour, so be sure to choose the airlien that is best for you in terns of fare, personal preferences and seat availability. Winter offers some cut-throat fares while summertime sees fares shooting up.
The top cities in Europe offer awesome sights to see and have many exciting things to do and places such as the Coliseum, Eiffel Tower, Tower Bridge, Musee du Louver, Acropolis, Duomo, Musee d'Orsay, Fontana di Trevi, Tower of London and much more will keep the itinerary full and busy.
Among the popular sights in Paris you can get a panoramic view from the Eiffel Tower, visit the best in art museums by checking out the Louver, find the hunchback of Notre Dame eye-catching, as well as find time to take in the outstanding Arc de Triomphe in the heart of Paris and view the oldest bridge in Paris that straddles the Seine river. Other interesting sights in Paris include the Musee d'Orsay, Invalides, Versailles and the Champs Elysees.
Another popular tourist destination that must be included in a European tour is Rome where you can have more fun than anywhere else on the planet. The Roman Forum used to be the main marketplace and business center in times gone by and is well worth a visit. To wish for something your heart deeply desires, you can toss three coins into the Trevi Fountain and pray for a return to the Eternal City. The Vatican too beckons many visitors to Rome, and on the last Sunday of the month, you can gain entrance there for free. another place worth visiting is the Pantheon in the Piazza della Rotonda. You won't want to miss the opportunity to crawl through the Piazza Navona and Piazza del Fiori, which just happen to be the two most famous piazzas in all of Rome.
Germany too is a must on any European tour itinerary as there is plenty of history, art and culture to keep visitors enchanted. There are numerous attractions in Germany such as the Neuschwanstein Castle that overlooks the Hohenschwangau valley and this castle was the inspiration for Walt Disney when designing the Sleeping Beauty Castle for Disney Land. Berlin is certainly every tourist's choice thanks to the many splendors found there, such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Remnants of the infamous Berlin Wall or the history contained in the Charlottenburg Palace, which is the oldest Prussian palace still standing.
For those who want to explore the bitter and the sweet, a trip to Dachau allows you to take in the dark side of German history. No doubt about it. You will never run out of things to see and do in Germany not the rest of Europe for that matter. No matter what you are looking for, there is a European tour for everyone, from kids to adults, from luxury travelers to backpackers and from first time to seasoned travelers"" from children to grown ups to backpackers and serious travelers. We can promise you this: the beauty, charm, culture, cuisine, history, and diversity you will experience on a European tour will make you want to take repeat trips year after year, it will keep you coming back for more! Such is the attraction of European cities for tourists from all around the world.
Both Nick Kakolowski & Darlene Berkel are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Nick Kakolowski has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Improvement, Vacation and Home Improvement. About Author:Nick Kakolowski is a freelance writer who writes about tips for travelling as well as other topics pertaining to the travel industry such as
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