Day 1:
Arrive in Rome, Italy. Benvenuti a Roma! Welcome! Time to rest or start exploring the “Eternal City.” At 5 pm, get acquainted with your Tour Director and the other families, then enjoy an Italian WELCOME PARTY & DINNER at your hotel. (D)

Day 2:
Discover Rome’s History. Your Local Guide will take you on a journey through Rome’s dramatic history. Start with a trip to the smallest country in the world, Vatican City, the papal enclave inside Rome. Visit the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL, famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings. Continue to monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE with its 83-foot-high obelisk and visit the impressive BASILICA that covers an area of almost 4 acres. Cross the Tiber River to the imposing COLOSSEUM, which could seat 50,000 spectators. Learn about life as a gladiator and get a FAMILY PICTURE WITH A GLADIATOR (if available). The remainder of the day is at leisure for an optional excursion. (B)

Day 3:
The Leaning Tower of Pisa & Montecatini. Say arrivederci to Rome and make your way to Tuscany. Stop in Pisa to take pictures of the amazing Leaning Tower, 180 feet high and no less than 12 feet out of the perpendicular. In the afternoon, time to relax by the pool and explore the Tuscan spa town of Montecatini, where your hotel is located. This evening, enjoy a special HIGHLIGHT DINNER at a local agriturismo to taste the specialties of this famous region. (B,D)

Day 4:
Michelangelo’s David in Florence and a Venetian Pizza Party. This morning, explore Renaissance Florence with your Local Guide, including a visit to the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS to see Michelangelo’s celebrated David. Admire the magnificent cathedral, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze “Gate of Paradise,” and visit sculpture-filled SIGNORIA SQUARE. Later, drive across the Apennine Hills to magical Venice, and enter the city in style by PRIVATE BOAT. This evening, an included PIZZA PARTY will top off your day. (B,D)

Day 5:
Create a Carnival Mask & Discover Venice. Walk through the narrow streets to an original Venetian workshop and enjoy the unique experience of decorating your own VENETIAN CARNIVAL MASK. When your mask is finished, use the included vaporetto ticket to return to the hotel or to find a cozy trattoria for lunch. In the afternoon, meet your Local Guide and visit ST. MARK’S SQUARE, DOGES’ PALACE and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Try an optional dinner on Burano Island this evening. (B)

Day 6:
Journey to Stresa on Lake Maggiore. Travel to the heart of the Italian Lake District, the beautiful resort town of Stresa on Lake Maggiore. Afternoon at leisure to explore, relax at the hotel pool, or join an optional excursion to the baroque palace and peacock gardens of enchanting Isola Bella. (B,D)

Day 7:
Cogwheel Mountain Train to Zermatt, Switzerland. Drive over the impressive Simplon Pass to the Swiss canton of Valais. In the village of Täsch, board the COGWHEEL MOUNTAIN TRAIN to climb the last few miles up to Zermatt. Time to explore the car-free mountain town on your own or join an optional excursion to famous Gornergrat mountain at 10,269 feet above sea level. In the late afternoon, continue on to your Lake Geneva area hotel. (B,D)

Day 8:
TGV Train to Paris, France. Notre Dame Cathedral & Top of the Eiffel Tower. Drive to Lausanne, where you board the high-speed TGV TRAIN (first-class) to the “City of Light.” Upon arrival, meet your Local Guide and explore the city where Remy, from the movie Ratatouille, discovered French cuisine. Admire some of the most famous sights: the Opéra, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, and visit NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL, the setting for Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Also ride the elevators to the TOP OF THE EIFFEL TOWER and, later, try one of France’s specialties—a freshly made CREPE. (B)

Day 9:
Explore Paris. All day at leisure for exploration on your own. An optional excursion is available to further immerse your family in Parisian history and culture. This evening, enjoy a French SEND-OFF CELEBRATION DINNER at a local restaurant to celebrate the success of your European vacation. (B,D)

Day 10:
Ride the Eurostar to London, England. Board the high-speed EUROSTAR TRAIN to London, arriving in the afternoon. Tonight, maybe a theater performance at London’s West End? (B)

Day 11:
See Big Ben & Ride the London Eye. Sightseeing with a Local Guide on a traditional London double-decker bus includes all the famous landmarks: the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the River Thames, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall’s mounted horseguards and the Prime Minister’s Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace. A special highlight is a “flight” on the LONDON EYE, the world’s tallest observation wheel with stunning views of the city. (B)

Day 12:
London. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)