Today, begin your scenic journey from Switzerland to Italy.

You'll meet your tour group at the Lucerne Railway Station and from here we'll travel south through the Alps to the stunning city of Milan, one of the largest cities in Italy and Europe.

Here we'll get acquainted with the city with a guided city tour. Along the way we'll visit the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the oldest shopping malls in the world. From here we'll see La Scala, an immaculate opera house, and the historic and grand Sforza Castle. Lastly, we'll see the icon of Milan, the Milan Cathedral, with its rich Gothic architecture.

We'll end the day in Venice.

Following breakfast at the hotel, we'll explore the romantic and captivating of Venice, filled with lovey canals, ancient cathedrals, and incomparable architecture.

During the tour we'll get to visit the famous San Marco Square and the monumental and impressive Basilica di San Marco. This Byzantine structure is nearly a thousand years old and was built to honor the remains of the city's patron, Saint Mark. We'll also get to see another iconic Venice attraction, the Bridge of Sighs, which rests between the Doge's Palace and the old prison. Then we'll depart Venice briefly to visit the nearby island town of Murano and discover the amazing Venetian glassblowers who still practice their unique craft today.

You'll also have the option to take a romantic gondola ride on the Grand Canal, the perfect ending to a day in Venice (admission not included).

We'll end the day at our hotel in Rome or a nearby city.

Your day in Rome starts with a visit to the smallest country in the world, The Vatican City, which lies at the heart of the Italian capital. Here you'll marvel at St Peter's Basilica, home to Pope Francis and arguably the most significant site in Christianity. The exquisitely beautiful Basilica has been present here for almost 1,700 years and contains a bewildering collection of paintings, frescoes and design crafted by some of humanity's most famous artists, which you can explore. Alternatively, you can choose to add on the optional Sistine Chapel tour to view Michelangelo's famous painted ceiling.

Next you will visit famous sights of Rome; the Colosseum, built in AD 72. History comes to life as you imagine yourself witnessing gladiatorial combat inside the spectacular Amphitheatre. After the Colosseum, get up close to the nearby Arch of Constantine, which dates back to the fourth century AD. To complete our visit to Rome we will visit the magnificent Reunification Memorial Hall, the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument, which was built to honour King Victor Emmanuel II who unified Italy. In the afternoon we'll depart for Florence, known as the cradle of culture.

 

On this day you will be introduced to the sights and sounds of Florence, the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. We'll head up to the Piazzale Michelangelo for a panoramic view of Florence, then to a local workshop to see how Florence's fine leather goods are made.

Afterwards, we'll set out on foot to the Ponte Vecchio over the Arno River, the Duomo, Giotto's Bell Tower and the Uffizi, which houses one of the finest art collections in the world. At Pisa, our last stop of the day, you will be free to wander; be sure to have your camera ready when you enter the Square of Miracles and the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa Cathedral and Baptistery come into full view.

We finish our evening by continuing on to Genoa or a city nearby for an overnight stay.

A breathtaking drive along one of the most sublime stretches of Mediterranean coastline awaits as we say goodbye to Italy and hello to Monaco.

Our walking tour will take us first to the Prince's Palace of Monaco, then on to the Courthouse, the Oceanographic Museum and Saint Nicholas Cathedral, the resting place of Grace Kelly. We'll then travel to the Fragonard Perfume Factory to learn about the perfume-making process. At the end of the guided tour you will be able to purchase one of the fragrances for yourself. Next we'll visit Nice for a sampling of the scrumptious local cuisine.

We'll stop over in Cannes to see the Palais des Festivals et des Congres, host of the city's annual international film festival, and then make our way to Avignon Nord to check in to our hotel.

Take a well-earned rest today as you sit back and enjoy the rustic charm of the French countryside on our journey north to Paris, the Green Line terminus.