Europe 2010
Road to Rome
May 29-June 12, 2010
A
Very Very Cool Trip
36+ Showed up for
this one...these were all self-starters!
This was the one from London, England to Rome, Italy...with a few places
in between!!!
A guided tour to
London, Paris,
Lucerne, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Venice, Florence and Rome (15
days) May 29 - June 11
We just returned from the trip to Europe (May 29 to June 19) and enjoyed it very much. It was filled with experiences and encounters that we would not have been able to negotiate if not on a tour. That is definitely the way to go at least the first time. We did go to London (Thistle Marble Arch) and saw many of the sights like Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abby, the Houses of Parliament, Windsor Castle and Trafalgar Square. We left London for Dover and waved goodbye to the white cliffs on board our ferry to Calais. We stopped to visit the imposing Canadian War Memorial at Vimi Ridge, surrounded by land still scarred from the Great War. We continued to the French capital of Paris, arriving late afternoon.
We arrived in Paris (just two blocks from the Eifel Tower) (Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel) and went sightseeing that evening around town on PARIS ILLUMINATIONS & DINNER where we first enjoyed a delicious dinner of Parisian cuisine with wine. Then went on a illuminations tour revealing the magic and sparkling grandeur of this ‘city of light’ – a vision to last a lifetime! The next day we went sightseeing to gothic Notre Dame cathedral, with its tale of Quasimodo, hunchback of Notre Dame. Then we drove past the immense facades of the Louvre to the Place de la Concorde, its centre occupied by a giant Egyptian obelisk described to the world in Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons". We continued along the elegant Champs Élysées to Napoleon's Arc de Triomphe, only completed after his death. We climbed the Eiffel Tower for muted views over Paris due to the morning fog making it even more dreamy . We spent the afternoon at leisure, shopping in the department stores and visiting the superb collections on a wonderful GUIDED VISIT TO LE GRAND LOUVRE with an expert guide, where entered the largest museum in the world via the controversial glass pyramid for a tour of the Louvre’s most famous exhibits. We admired the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo as well as the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Our visit through this former Royal Palace was enhanced by the use of personal headsets.. After the Louvre, we took a leisurely walk back to the hotel along the Seine River along the Champs Élysées to just soak in some flavor and even stopping at one of the sidewalk cafes for a welcomed refreshment. Although it was quite a hike we didn't worry about directions since we were staying only a couple of blocks from the Eiffel Tower and you can see the tower from most places in Paris.
We left Paris across France's great agricultural lands and on through the Burgundy wine region. After passing the Jura Mountains, cross into Switzerland at Basel before ending the day in lovely Lucerne (Hotel Astoria). We walked along the Chapel Bridge and the stirring Lion Monument, dedicated to the Swiss guards who died defending the King of France. We experienced a LAKE LUCERNE CRUISE where the true beauty of Lake Lucerne was revealed as we cruised the tranquil waters and enjoyed the stunning scenery of snow-capped mountains, green pastures and dense forests. We enjoyed a CARRIAGE & COUNTRYSIDE ride where we had the chance to meet the Swiss, as local farmers took us on a delightful countryside tour in horse drawn carriages . We had a SWISS EVENING night where we enjoyed a tasty Swiss meal (one of the courses will be the famous Swiss cheese fondue) in a typical restaurant. While we enjoyed dinner, we were able to join in the fun of a lively folklore show which includes yodeling, flag throwing, Alpine horn blowing and many other customary Swiss entertainment. Drinks were included of course. We enjoyed the stunning scenery as we trotted around their rural community, en route to a local farm where local drinks and snacks were served. We also enjoyed an exhilarating ride by cog-wheel train and cable-car to the summit of Mount Pilatus. The vistas were stunning panoramas of snow-capped peaks, including the Eiger and Jungfrau, before descending over mountain crags and pine forests back to terra firma back down on the train. We wandered the streets to shop for fine watches and delicious chocolate in Lucerne.
We went to EAGLE'S NEST & THE BAVARIAN ALPS where we drove deep into the National Park past farmhouses and picturesque villages to the ruins of Obersalzburg. From there, we transferred to a special motorcoach adapted to the steep mountain climb to Hitler's notorious "Eagles Nest". There were fantastic views through the arches up to the 'Hohen Goll' and across the snowcapped peaks to the entrance of the perched "Eagles Nest" summit. Some went that evening to the MOULIN ROUGE dinner and cabaret at the world famous Moulin Rouge – the original Parisian cabaret – immortalized by the recent award winning film! We had actually seen that in New York and decided to relax and even take some time to do some laundry.
We made a day trip east past Liechtenstein to Austria and continue through the Arlberg Tunnel to Innsbruck (Hilton). We saw the Golden Roof and the Imperial Palace and the 14th century houses of the old town before enjoying diner at your hotel. Innsbruck means village on the river and it is on the Inns River which winds through the town and countryside. We visited Innsbruck's Wilten Basilica - its interior richly decorated with cherubs and angels. We followed the Inn Valley to Salzburg for a guided tour of Mozart's home city. From the formal gardens of the Mirabell Palace, we photographed the city skyline crowned by its castle. We crossed the river to the Getreidegasse and Mozart's birthplace and stroll through the old town's narrow lanes to the cathedral and Residenz fountain. We then returned to Innsbruck that afternoon, after which we joined a lively folklore party.
We left Innsbruck to a morning drive through the mountains brought us to the unique and romantic city of Venice, 'Queen of the Adriatic'. We took a MAGICAL VENICE tour that evening on board our own private boats for a cruise down the famous “Grand Canal”, past illuminated palazzi and twinkling chandeliers, to the romantic St Mark’s Square. We had reservations in a famous café where we sat under the stars listening to the orchestras play some of Italy’s best loved music. It was all so much fun with an impromptu gift of a rose to all the lovely ladies. We had a private launch that ferried us past canals lined with ornate palaces to St Marks Square, which were dominated by its magnificent Basilica and overlooked by the great Clock Tower where bronze Moors beat out the hours on a huge bell. Nearby was the Campanile and Doges' Palace which is connected to the prisons by the Bridge of Sighs. The next day we walked the VENICE OF THE DOGES (a historical walk), with a local guide, through some of the lesser known quarters of Venice where we discovered some of the secrets of other quarters of the Venetian labyrinth. Our tour was be enhanced by the use of individual headsets which made our group experience more personal. We experienced a demonstration of Venetian glass-blowing just before enjoying a highlight ride by traditional gondola along the picturesque canals. We bid farewell to Venice and follow the highway past the university city of Bologna, into the wild Apennines and on to the peaceful landscapes of Tuscany. En route, we had an informative tutorial about the famous Chianti wines that make this region so famous. We took an EXCURSION TO PISA & THE ARNO VALLEY where we drove through the scenic Arno Valley, past the land of Leonardo near Empoli to ancient Pisa, where we enjoy a guided tour of the Cathedral and see the famous Leaning Tower which stand in the Field of the Miracles.
Our destination (Grand Hotel Bellavista Palace & Golf) is the fashionable spa town of Montecatini where you shop or enjoy a stroll through town before dinner. I just enjoyed the pool since it was such a hot afternoon. We drove to the Tuscan capital, Florence, and join a local guide for a sightseeing tour which includes entrance into the Academy Gallery to see Michelangelo's original 'Statue of David' and the half-completed 'Slaves'. We saw the magnificent Cathedral, the 'Gates of Paradise', and the living gallery of Signoria Square, political stage of the Florentines. Then we spent some time shopping for leather, gold and other treasured memories in this city. We went to SAN GIMIGNANO on a delightful excursion to Tuscany’s most famous hill-top towns. San Gimignano is considered the medieval Manhattan of Italy due to its towers which dominate the skyline. There was time to enjoy the atmosphere of this perfectly unchanged ancient jewel which has remained intact since the 14th century, and today is a UNESCO World Heritage town. It has so much history along its streets of cobblestone and claim to fame with its wonderful wines. We all had DINNER IN THE TUSCAN HILLS, one not to miss - a fabulous Tuscan gastronomic experience awaited us. We drive to a specially chosen restaurant for an evening to remember with beautiful food, music and wine. Viva Italia!
We took the 'autostrada' south to Rome, arriving at your hotel (Milton) mid-afternoon. After freshening up, we started the evening with a 'passeggiata' (traditional evening stroll). Our evening introduction tour of Rome took us to the fabulous TREVI FOUNTAINS to make a wish! This visit is followed by dinner at one of Rome’s fine restaurants. Drinks and music were included to make the evening special. Rome came alive at night; where we enjoyed cosmopolitan squares like the Piazza Navona with its beautiful fountains, and the Via Veneto - scene of La Dolce Vita. After dinner we took a leisurely walk to enjoy Rome at night with some wonderful photo ops of the Coliseum lights and wonderful shots of various ruins around the city all lit up. The next day a local guide introduced us to the grandeur of the city today with CLASSICAL ROME. The classical tour spanned Rome’s fascinating history from ancient Rome to the early Christians and the glory of the Papal Residence. First we enjoyed a guided tour (after enduring Rome heat and a line that wrapped around the Vatican Piazza) of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel , immortalized by Michelangelo’s painted ceiling. This was everything I expected and even more dramatic as it unfolded in person. Then we visit the Catacombs where the Ancient Christians were buried in underground cemeteries. We began with a visit to the mother church of the Catholic faith, St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City. We saw Michelangelo's early masterpiece, the Pieta, as well as the splendid dome, completed after his death. We crossed the Tiber to hear tales of the glory of ancient Rome! We visited the mighty Coliseum and overlook the Forum, once the bustling centre of commerce, law and religion. Later, we did some last-minute shopping and sightseeing with a beer at a street side cafe. As night fell, we joined our Tour Director Richard for a celebration highlight dinner of local cuisine, wine and entertainment. We gathered that evening reliving the whirlwind love affairs we had as we glided through Europe and what we were headed, following the trip. It was a very close group with most of us dedicated to revisiting the others as we continued to travel the world if ever in the others area. We all departed and I missed connecting that evening with my special friend Luke. Hopefully I will get a chance to see him again before he forgets me and that goes with all of my other friends on the "Road to Rome" trip.
That was the end of our first trip and first group where the next day we went to the airport and picked up our rental car...the "Panda." But the Panda is another story...see the Tuscan Villa with our winemaker or Vintner, of Thumbprint Wine Cellars, home in Sonoma valley at Healdsburg, CA.