Mediterranean Journey - Start Paris, Small Group
Marvel at Gaudi’s masterpieces in Barcelona, spot locals sipping pastis in Nice and admire Florence the home of Michelangelo's David, as you circle the azure waters of the Mediterranean. Embrace a day of Pisa sightseeing with a stop at the famous leaning tower, where Italian astronomer Galileo was said to have pioneered his theories of gravity. In France, work up an appetite in the medieval streets before a sumptuous farm-to-table dinner in Avignon with a menu that showcases traditional French, home-style cuisine. In Spain, dine with the locals in Basque tradition with an evening of San Sebastian pintxos tastings, snack-sized tapas, while sipping on a refreshing glass of local Txakoli wine. In Rome, the dish du jour is, of course, handmade pasta and seasonal flavours.


Dining Summary

• 4 Dinner with Wine (DW)
• 15 Breakfast (B)

Choice Highlights

• Choose between two carefully selected activities
• Paris: Join an avid local foodie on a walk through a local food market - Bastille Marché. Visit a variety of stalls and sample local treats and delicacies along the way.
• Paris: We walk up and down the "quartier" and we see the school, the food stores, the housing situation, the heritage landmarks, the sports facilities and the theatres, in this car-free, pedestrianized, neighbourhood. Landmarks will include passages couverts, perhaps also Patrick Blanc's spectacular jardin vertical 'oasis d'Aboukir', the Napoleonic "Egyptian" district etc.
• Choose between two carefully selected activities
• Madrid:
• Madrid: Join the pillars of the local community on a neighbourhood walking tour and learn the history of the women's movement in Spain firsthand. This experience advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities. Alternatively, visit the Reina Sofia Museum with an art historian to see Picasso's Guernica.

Authentic Dining

• Paris: Join your Travel Director and fellow guests at a local restaurant in the heart of Paris for a delightful Welcome Dinner, served with wine.
• Paris: Join an avid local foodie on a walk through a local food market - Bastille Marché. Visit a variety of stalls and sample local treats and delicacies along the way.
• San Sebastián: Enjoy an evening of pintxos, dining with locals in this Basque tradition. Your delicious dinner includes a wide variety of finger food delicacies, each with their own regional flavour, flair and presentation.
• Avignon: At a local farm learn about olive oil and enjoy a tasting of the freshest produce before indulging in a farm-to-table dinner of traditional French home-style cuisine.
• Rome: Toast your Mediterranean journey with delicious Italian cuisine and wine.

Insight Experiences

• Madrid:
• Vatican: Gain priority access into the Vatican Museums and admire the famous Bramante Staircase. Witness the genius of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and view the splendid dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

Make Travel Matter

• Madrid: Join the pillars of the local community on a neighbourhood walking tour and learn the history of the women's movement in Spain firsthand. This experience advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities. Alternatively, visit the Reina Sofia Museum with an art historian to see Picasso's Guernica.

Top Rated Highlights

• Paris: We walk up and down the "quartier" and we see the school, the food stores, the housing situation, the heritage landmarks, the sports facilities and the theatres, in this car-free, pedestrianized, neighbourhood. Landmarks will include passages couverts, perhaps also Patrick Blanc's spectacular jardin vertical 'oasis d'Aboukir', the Napoleonic "Egyptian" district etc.
• Chateau Chenonceau: Visit the majestic Chteau de Chenonceau, known as the 'Ladies' Chteau' it perfectly embodies the elegance of 16th century design in the Loire Valley.
• Bordeaux: Your Local Expert will show you the quayside facades, Grand Theatre, Triangle d'Or and magnificent Esplanade des Quinconces.
• San Sebastián: Led by your Local Expert, enjoy a guided walking tour of the Old Quarter including Plaza de la Constitucion.
• Madrid: See the highlights of the city with your Local Expert. Visit the Old Town, travelling along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana, past the fountain in the Plaza de Cibeles, the Cervantes Monument and Royal Palace, before crossing the Puerta del Sol.
• Barcelona: With your Local Expert, drive down Las Ramblas and the elegant Passeig de Grcia to witness some of the finest Modernist architecture. Journey through the Eixample district to see Gaudi's extraordinary masterpiece, the mesmerising Sagrada Família.
• Avignon: View the Pont d'Avignon and walk the medieval narrow streets of the Old Town to the Palais des Papes.
• Nice: Enjoy exploring the beautiful coastal town of Nice on the French Riviera.
• Monaco City: Enjoy a drive along part of the Grand Prix circuit and wander the old town with your Travel Director to see the Royal Palace and the yacht-filled harbour.
• Monaco City: Explore inside Monaco Cathedral.
• Pisa: Your Local Expert will show you the baptistery bristling with marble spines, the colonnaded bell tower lurching behind the 11th century cathedral and of course, the famous Leaning Tower in the Square of Miracles.
• Florence: Join a Local Expert to view the multi-coloured marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, adorned by Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise. Visit the political heart of the city, Signoria Square. See the area around Santa Croce Basilica, famous for the quality of its luxury goods.
• Rome: During your orientation with you Travel Director see the medieval buildings, including Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches, scattered throu...