TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: City Tour of Lisbon. Evening transfer. In the morning we will have a sightseeing tour with a local guide. We will visit the traditional neighborhoods including the Belem district, which is the birthplace of the great Portuguese navigators who sailed the oceans in the Fifteenth Century. We will have a look around the Monu- ment of the Discoveries, Belem Tower, and the beauti- ful Jeronimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy the free afternoon when you are free to explore the city at your own leisure. In the late afternoon, we will have a transfer to the Restauradores Square, a public square with plenty of restaurants and cafes. We suggest you ride the Elevador Da Gloria funicular that takes you to the viewpoint of San Pedro with beautiful views over Lisbon and the Bairro Alto. Return to the hotel.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Fatima Shrine. Lunch included. Today we will travel to the north of Portugal and visit FA- TIMA, an important sanctuary (a pilgrimage site). We will con- tinue on through the green lands of the centre, passing into Spain and then, over grasslands, we will cross the North of Extremadura. Lunch included en route at a regional cuisine restaurant. We will travel on to MADRID where we will be ar- riving towards the end of the day. Then we include transfer to Plaza Mayor where you can enjoy at some typical taverns.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Madrid city tour. Stroll through the Retiro Park. Visit to the Las Ventas bullring. Evening transfer. The morning starts with a comprehensive tour through the center of Madrid including the Paseo del Prado, Cibe- les, Neptuno, the Gate of Alcalá, Plaza de Colón and Plaza Mayor. We then will visit Retiro Park, an oasis in the city center, where we will see the lake and the Glass Palace. A visit to Las Ventas Bullring (admission included) is next. This is one of the most famous bullrings in the world where we will learn about the tradition of the “corridas” at the Bullfighting Museum. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at your own leisure. At sunset we will provide a transfer to Plaza de Oriente, opposite the Royal Palace, an ele- gant and bustling area with many restaurants serving dif- ferent cuisines, such as local Spanish food, international and Chinese. Enjoy a pleasant dinner of your choice. At the end of the evening we will return to the hotel.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Monastery of Poblet, rack train to Montserrat. In the morning we leave for Aragón over the lands of Castile. In ZARAGOZA we stop briefly to see the Pilar Basilica. We continue to the Monastery of Poblet, sur- rounded by its walls in a beautiful site that is one of the best-preserved medieval monasteries in the world (entrance included). We then proceed to the Monastery of Montserrat where you will go up the mountain on a rack train to see its fantastic scenery. Following this we will continue to BARCELONA, arriving in the late- afternoon. Note: In some cases, depending on the timetable of the rack railway, the ascent to Montserrat can be done in our coach. Note: During the winter, from November to March, due to the shorter days, we will not visit the Monastery of Poblet in order to reach Montserrat during the daylight

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: City tour of Barcelona. Girona. In the morning we enjoy a city tour, its Ramblas, the works of Gaudí, and memories of the Olympic Games. Free time. At the end of the afternoon we will go to the north of Catalonia. A stroll in GIRONA and its very beautiful historical center. Its colorful houses stand out, as well as the old Jewish quarter and Cathedral.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT: Provenzal region in France. We leave for France, crossing Provence. We stop in AR- LES, a small world heritage city where we will remember Van Gogh, and can see its Roman theatre and small Ro- manesque churches. Time for a stroll and lunch. We carry on and include admission to CARRIERES DE LUMIERE, an impressive show of art, image and sound underground, in former quarries. CHAMBERY, arrival and accommoda- tion in the charming capital of Savoie, a medieval city with a beautiful old town and a great castle.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Switzerland with Lakes and Mountains. Chocolate factory. Dinner included. We travel to Switzerland. GENEVA, arrival. With our guide, we will go to the Palace of Nations (the headquarters of the United Nations in Europe) to the pretty English Garden with its clock made of flowers and we can admire the “Jet d´Eau”, the tallest fountain in Europe. We go on to the picturesque walled village of GRUYERE, known worldwide for its cheese. Free time to stroll and have lunch. Nearby are several of the main chocolate factories in Switzerland (NESTLE amongst them), and we visit the Cailler choco- late factory, with a tasting included!. After this we go on to CHILLON CASTLE, built in the wa- ters of the lake. Entrance included to this fantastic me- diaeval castle. We will continue travelling through smaller roads amidst bucolic mountain landscapes and very pic- turesque wooden villages.- Arrival in LEYSIN, a beautiful little holiday village with spectacular views of the Rhône plain and Mont Blanc, known for its winter sports resort or its hiking possibilities. Dinner included.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Swiss Alpine scenery with gla- ciers and mountains. Glacier 3000 and its cable car. Lucerne. Today´s stage has beautiful high mountain scenery. Don´t forget your winter clothes, we climb to one of the most spectacular spots in Switzerland where you can see ice and snow all year round. We include the cable car ride up to GLACIER 3000 where you can walk on the suspended bridge in the gap between two mountain peaks, enter the Ice Cathedral or ¨play¨ in the Fun Park. Stop in INTER- LAKEN and time for lunch. Among very picturesque lakes we continue to LUCERNE, one of the most beautiful
cities in Switzerland. Continue to ZURICH, where there
is time for a stroll downtown before going to the hotel.
Note: Occasionally, for major weather reasons such as rain or
strong winds, the cable car to Glacier 3000 may not operate.

TODAY´S HIGHLIGHTS: Spectacular alpine land- scapes, quaint villages and lakes. We will leave Zurich early in the morning and cut across the Alps in order to reach the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. Alongside the route we will get to see beau- tiful lakes and snow-capped mountains. LUGANO. Arriv- al in the cosmopolitan capital of the Italian Switzerland built next to its beautiful lake. Time to have a stroll and grab lunch. Next, we will reach the enchanting little town of MORCOTE famous for its flowery stone houses. We will then travel to Italy. Arrival in MILAN where the guide will take us to the impressive Duomo Square. Here you will find a variety of local and international restaurants to have dinner at. Transfer to the hotel.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Coast of Liguria, Leaning Tower of Pisa. Today we continue our journey towards PISA. On a little tourist train, we will travel to the Piazza Dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), where there will be time to admire one of the most alluring and beautiful art complexes in Italy, including the well-known Leaning Tower of Pisa. Then, we continue to ROME, arriving at the end of the day.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: City tour of Rome. Roman Coliseum (admission price included). Evening transfer to the Trastevere area. In the morning, we have a scenic tour, which will be a great introduction to “The Eternal city”. We will visit the tiny state of the Vatican, the epicenter of Christianity in the world. You will be able to visit St. Peter’s Basilica. We have included admission to the Roman Coliseum, the symbol of Rome. This impressive construction dates back 2,000 years and will transport us in time so that we can learn about ancient society in the Roman Empire. At the end of the evening we arrange a transfer to Trastevere area for a stroll in the narrow cobbled streets of the district with hidden treasures, such as some modest medieval churches, small shops with the most peculiar of objects or scenes of daily life. Many trattorias (informal Italian eating establishments) and osterias (inns) imbued with the Italian spirit will be ready to serve you local dishes. Other restaurants serving Indian, Chinese and international food can be found in this area. Return to hotel.

After breakfast, end of our services.