FROM PARIS TO VENICE BY CAR or RAIL
with FriendsTravel.com
21 night European Luxury Travel Tour
Day 1: PARIS
Upon arrival at Charles de Gaulle Airport four guests will be met and privately transferred into the city (45 mins – 1 hr) to stay three nights in two rooms at the Clarion St. James & Albany, a stylish first class hotel in a fabulous location on the Rue de Rivoli. If you prefer to stay in an apartment (two rooms with a connecting door) at Hotel Belloy St. Germain. Hotel Belloy is small tourist class hotel (3*) located in the heart of the university district in the central Left Bank; about a 10 minute walk to Notre Dame Cathedral and St. Germain des Pres.
Days 2 & 3: PARIS
Two days to explore and enjoy Paris on your own. Please note that the Louvre and most museums in and outside Paris are closed on Mondays. The Musee d’Orsay is closed on Tuesday. Da Vinci Code tours of the Louvre (and Paris) operate on Saturday only. To add a full day tour to Giverny and Versailles (including special fountain show at Versailles – Sunday only) please add $140.00 per person. Tour includes lunch at the Moulin de Fourges.
Day 4: TOURS / MONTLOUIS-SUR-LOIRE
Take a cab to the Gare Montparnasse where you will board a TGV train to Tours. First class tickets and mandatory reserved seats included for the 1 ¼ hour journey. When you arrive pick up a mid size manual rental car (Renault Laguna or similar) inclusive of tax, CDW, theft insurance and one-way fee. Please note that this is the largest vehicle that can be taken one-way out of France. An International Drivers license is required to drive in or through Austria. It can be obtained at any AAA office for a fee of about $25.00 and two passport size photos. Then drive the short distance to Montlouis and Chateau de la Bourdaisiere an authentic 16th century castle now owned by the two princes of Broglie. The chateau was the site of the TV show Joe Millionaire. Here you you’ll stay three nights in the Boucicaut apartment. A two bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment with views of the castle terraces and the entrance to the chateau.
Days 5 & 6: LOIRE SIGHTSEEING
Two days to explore the fabulous chateaux of the Loire Valley; the nearby by troglodyte caves and the Tourraine vineyards. Many sightseeing suggestions will be included on confirmed itinerary.
Day 7: ST. JEAN D’ARDIERES
Set off south today towards Switzerland, stopping for the night in the heart of the Beaujolais region (about 4 ½ hours drive from Montlouis) to stay two nights at Chateau de Pizay, a unique 12th century chateau surrounded by a 130-acre vineyard and a 75-acre oak forest. http://www.chateau-pizay.com
Day 8: ST. JEAN D’ARDIERES
A day to enjoy the towns and vineyards of Beaujolais. Sightseeing suggestions will be included on confirmed itinerary.
Day 9: ZERMATT
Continue into Switzerland, circling Lake Geneva to Zermatt. Driving time is about 4 ½ hours. You’ll need to leave your car in the town of Tasch (fee for parking) and take a short train ride to the car free town of Zermatt (train tickets are inexpensive and will need to be purchased locally). In beautiful Zermatt, located at the foot of the mighty Matterhorn, stay two nights at Romantik Hotel Julen, a charming and traditional first class chalet-style hotel.
Day 10: ZERMATT
A day to hike or take a train excursion to the Matterhorn. Suggestions will be included on confirmed itinerary.
Day 11: ST. MORITZ / BEVER
Take a train (on your own) back to Tasch, to pick up your rental car. Then continue into Graubunden and the Engadine region of Switzerland to St. Moritz (about a 5 hour drive). You’ll stay two nights in quaint little Bever (located about 5-miles outside St. Moritz) at Chesa Salis, a beautiful and atmospheric hotel in an equally lovely little town. http://www.chesa-salis.ch
Day 12: ENGADINE SIGHTSEEING
Time to enjoy St. Moritz and the lake. Sightseeing suggestions will be included on final itinerary.
Day 13: IMST / INNSBRUCK
Journey into Austria towards Innsbruck. You’ll stay three nights in Imst, located in the Tyrol about 40 miles from Innsbruck, at Hotel Post. Romantikhotel Post – formerly called ” Sprengenstein Castle” is an old feudal mansion dating back to the 16th century. Now a comfortable hotel with modern furnishings, cozy rooms, Biedermeier salons, a romantic veranda enhanced with flowers and a castle garden with a large indoor swimming pool.
Day 14: TYROL SIGHTSEEING
Imst has plenty to offer; mountain climbing and hiking school, rafting and plenty of walking trails. You can also visit Innsbruck or venture north into Bavaria to see “Mad Ludwig’s” fairytale castle – Newschwanstein and the castle where he was born Hohenschwangau. Or, spend a day exploring the shore towns on Lake Constance ( Bodensee).
Day 15: BOLZANO
Drive south into Italy where Sud Tyrol hospitality awaits you at Schloss Korb, a ancient castle hotel set amid vineyards in the hills above Bolzano.
Day 16: BOLZANO
Walk up to the castle ruins above Schloss Korb & visit Bolzano. Or venture east into the soaring heights of the Dolomites.
Day 17: ISEO
Continue further into Italy along the shore of Lake Garda and then continue west to tiny Lake Iseo (between Brescia & Bergamo and about 2 ½ hours from Bolzano) for two nights at Relais due Roccoli, an old villa set in a luxuriant park overlooking the lake. If you prefer to stay just one night at Schloss Korb and two nights at Relais due Roccoli please deduct $
Day 18: VERONA / VENICE
Drive to Venice today. We suggest stopping enroute to visit Verona, the city of “Romeo and Juliet”. At Venice you’ll need to drop off your rental car at Pizzale Roma. Then take a vaporetto (water bus) or water taxi into the floating city to stay three nights in a quad room at Hotel San Moise. Located near Piazza San Marco, the San Moise is decorated with antiques and features beamed ceilings, Murano glass chandeliers and a very Venetian atmosphere. We will request a canal view room if possible.
Day 19 & 20: VENICE
Time on your own to explore Venice. To include a scheduled (group) walking tour and gondola ride please add $ To include a private walking tour and gondola ride (2 hrs) please add $ To include a half day (3 hrs) scheduled (group) tour to the lagoon islands add $
Day 21: DEPART
A private water transfer will take you to the airport to board your return flight and where services end.
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