London, Paris & Amsterdam Discovery

Ride on a London open-top sightseeing bus where youll get a birds eye view of this majestic City! Your hop-on hop-off ticket allows you the freedom to leave and re-join the bus as often as you like over a 24-hour period - departures are every 5-15 minutes all day until late evening. The best thing about this tour is you have total flexibility to plan your day the way YOU choose, as well as taking in all the main sights from the top deck of a London bus, including St Pauls Cathedral, the spine-chilling Tower of London, Big Ben, the Gothic Houses of Parliament, the Queens residence Buckingham Palace, the exclusive Belgravia district, Hyde Park, the lively Speakers Corner, Marble Arch, Harrods and its sumptuous Food Halls, the Royal Albert Hall, Baker Street home of Sherlock Holmes, Madame Tussauds and plenty more besides! Choose from 3 main routes covering all the main sights of London - you can either listen to the informative and entertaining recorded commentary provided through your own headsets to keep, or listen to London live, with a live Guide pointing out the main sights to you, telling you all the history, titbits and quirky stories about London. Enjoy your day!

Tube Stop: Hampstead. Sprawling Hampstead Heath, with its rolling woodlands and meadows, feels like a million miles away- well approximately four- from the city of London. It covers 320 hectares, most of it woods, hills and meadows, and is home to about 100 bird species. It’s a wonderful place for a nice walk, and you can follow in the footsteps of luminaries such as the poets Coleridge, Keats and Pop as well as painters Hogarth and Constable who all lived around here. Constable studied the clouds and skies above Hampstead Heath, painting more than 100 ‘skyscapes’ that he would later match subjects in his most famous paintings.

If walking is too pedestrian for you, sections of the heath area are laid out for football and cricket. Walk up Parliament Hill or the hill in North Wood, an on a clear day you’ll be able to see all the way to Canary Wharf and the Docklands. Those of an artistic bent should make a beeline to Kenwood House but stop to admire the sculptures by Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth on the way. If you work up a thirst, there’s no better place to quench it than at the atmospheric- and possibly haunted- Spaniard’s Inn which has fascinating history and a terrific beer garden.

Consider any number of shared or private tours such as a guided tour of the TATE modern museum, a city highlights tour, a hop on hop off city tour taking you to all of the main sights within the city and allowing you to get on and off as often as you like. For activities further afield, consider a day trip to Oxford and Blenheim palace or Windsor, Stonehenge and Bath. Please speak to your Sales Advisor if you would like more information on optional tours and activities that you could add to your itinerary.

There are some great restaurants in the West End of London.Here are a few suggestions: J Sheekey, an incredibly smart seafood restaurant, Mildred's, London's best veggie restaurant, Sketch, the trendiest place in London, specializing in some of the best french food you'll ever taste, or for those looking for something simple and cheerful, enjoy a nice meal out at Zipangu. Or try the amazingly stylish Corrigan’s Mayfair http://www.corrigansmayfair.co.uk

Spend the day outside of London a shared guided tour taking in the magnificent Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath. Built high above the River Thames, Windsor Castle has been home to the Royal Family for 900 years and is still an Official Residence of the Queen. We visit the magnificent State Apartments*, still used for State occasions and Royal receptions. Take some time to explore the castle grounds and the fourteenth-century St. George's Chapel, one of the most beautiful examples of medieval church architecture in England and a burial place of kings and queens, including Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour.

Clouded in mystery, the ancient stone circle of Stonehenge is an amazing feat of engineering and the most important prehistoric site in England, but beyond its archaeological significance and possible astronomical role, Stonehenge is also a place of spiritual importance. Early legends link it with Merlin and King Arthur, but over the last hundred years the midsummer sunrise has attracted pagan groups and followers of the Ancient Order of Druids.

We also visit the beautiful Georgian City of Bath and take you on a panoramic tour of some of the finest architectural sights in Europe, including Bath Abbey, the Royal Crescent, the Circus, Assembly Rooms and the famous Pulteney Bridge. Explore the Roman Baths, built around thermal springs, which have been supplying water for over 2,000 years. In Roman times a great Temple was built next to the sacred spring - the waters were believed to have healing properties and attracted visitors from across the Roman Empire.

Consider having dinner this evening in the George Inn. Dating from the 17th century, this public house is London's last remaining galleried inn. It stands on the south side of the River Thames near London Bridge, which for centuries was the only bridge across the river. In olden days it was one of many such inns in the area, perhaps the most famous being the Tabard, where Chaucer began his 'Canterbury Tales' in 1388. It is tucked away in a cobbled courtyard just off Borough High Street. The exterior boasts a wealth of pretty lattice windows and oak beams. As for teh interior, the ground floor is divided into several connecting bars while the Parliament Bar was the former waiting room for coachmen and passengers and has a rare Parliament clock. The Middle Bar was the Coffee Room, a haunt of Charles Dickens.

Meet your driver for a private train station transfer in London.

Enjoy the Eurostar train from London to Paris. The train ride takes approximatelly 2.5 hours.

Take a private train station transfer with a private vehicle and English speaking driver.

A welcome package with your vouchers, and itinerary, city map(s) and train tickets (where relevant) and any other touristic information that we deem you may find useful will be waiting for you upon your arrival at your first hotel on your trip. 

Enjoy dinner at leisure. Here are a few suggestions; In the Latin Quarter (5th): Le Petit Pontoise bistro, 9 Rue Pontoise (Metro: Maubert Mutualite) Tel: 0143292520.This restaurant is nestled in a discreet and quite street, 10 minutes walk from Notre Dame Cathedral. Reservation for the dinner is recommended. By the Arc de Triomph and Parc Monceau (17th): Chez Les Anges, Paris, 54 Boulevard de La Tour-Maubourg (Metro: La Tour-Maubourg). Tel: 01 47 05 89 86. Cool jazz on the sound system, a sunny veranda, and a cool, modern bar. This is pure market cuisine, the daily changing menu punctuated by fabulous wild fish, wild mushrooms, and seasonal game. Closed Sat. & Sun. In the Trocadero area (16th): Astrance, Paris. 4 Rue Beethoven (Metro: Passy). Tel: 01 40 50 84 40. For fashionable foodies, a meal at this small, split-level dining room with silver-painted walls on a quiet residential street near the Trocadero is guaranteed Nirvana. Book a month in advance. Closed Sat. Sun. & Mon.

Just a few yards from the Opéra Garnier, l'Olympia, cinemas and department stores, the Grand Café Capucines stands in a magical spot. This institution of Parisian life never closes its doors and draws patrons in with its luxurious and romantic décor (signed by Garcia) and its magnificent Art Deco glass ceiling. Whether it is midday or midnight, allow yourself to be enticed by the wide selection of seafood or one of the chef’s specialities: the house terrine of duck foie gras, lightly spiced golden langoustines or veal kidneys flambéed in Port... not forgetting the fine patisseries which can be enjoyed after your meal or at tea time. Meal not included, and paid locally.

Discover Versailles Palace, the symbol of France's grandeur during the reign of the Sun King, Louis XIV.  Leave Paris by the western districts of the city and follow the Normandy motorway as far as Versailles in a luxury air conditioned coach. Your guide will take you straight in without standing in line and lead you through the most beautiful rooms including the Royal Apartments, the Hall of Mirrors and the Queen’s private Apartment. Then enjoy some free time to explore the palace gardens. This tour has a central pick up and drop off point in the centre of Paris and hotel pick up and/or drop off is not provided. Includes: entrance to Versailles Palace, authorisation fees for guided visits, a multilingual guide with individual earphones. Please note that shared tours can have up to approx. 50 people (depending on the number of people that have signed up for the tour on the particular day, and are carried out in a number of languages). Note: from April 2nd to October 29th, the entrance fees to the gardens are NOT INCLUDED: - On "MUSICAL FOUNTAIN DISPLAY" days ( Saturdays and Sundays, Tuesdays from May 21st to June 25th + May 8th + May 9th + August 15th)- On "MUSICAL GARDENS" days (Tuesdays from April 2nd to May 14th and from July 2nd to October 29th), on bank holidays.

Just a short distance from the Church of St Germain-des-Prés, this jewel of the Art Nouveau style combines tradition with modernity. The ambiance is serene and intimate and the chef’s cuisine can be enjoyed in peace and tranquillity. Particular highlights among the house specialities include shoulder of lamb with rose de Lautrec garlic, finely sliced veal liver meunière and wild sea bass cooked in a clay crust. Le Petit Zinc is the left-bank restaurant par excellence, and one of the few in the area which has a terrace from which patrons can enjoy fine weather! Meal not included, and paid locally.

Steeped in history and packed full of world famous landmarks, seeing the city by open air double-decker bus is by far the best ways to see the capital. With this ticket, enjoy great views from the open top deck hop on and off bus, and see Paris in your own time, at your own pace. The ticket offers you the flexibility of L' Open Tour, valid on 4 different routes. The Paris Grand Tour takes you to the all the main sights, while the other 3 routes concentrate on particular areas (Montparnasse/St Germain tour, Montmartre/Grands Boulevards tour and Bastille/Bercy tour). (Includes transportation by coach, commentary by headphones on L' Open Tour buses). Please note that shared tours can have up to approx. 50 people (depending on the number of people that have signed up for the tour on the particular day, and are carried out in a number of languages).

Enjoy the many wonders of Paris. Consider taking a stroll down one of the many quays by the river Seine, or wandering around any of the fascinating neighbourhoods such as Montematre, the Marais or the Left bank. Of course there are a plethora of museums and galleries to choose from if you are so inclined. Consider getting a 2 Day Paris Pass that includes a Paris Transport Travel card for 2 days (zone 1-3) to see all of the sites that are of personal interest to you. The Paris Pass is a smartcard offering free access to 65 attractions in Paris such as the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, Orsay museum, Musee Rodin, commented cruise with Bateaux Parisiens and Pompidou museum. With this pass, you have access to 22 museums, 24 historical monuments, 15 art galleries, 3 tourist attractions, 1 cruise and special offers in shops and restaurants. Please contact your Sales Advisor if you would like more details.

Paris takes on a different hue at night and, with many of the magnificent buildings aglow which make it is possibly the best time to admire the beauty of the city. There are plenty of options to choose from for evening entertainment including an early evening wine tasting in a beautiful, airy Parisian loft of a French sommelier located close to the lively Marais district, a dinner cruise, a cabaret show, dinner in the Eiffel tower followed by a night-time cruise, or an evening tour of the city with many of the historical buildings aglow.

Relax and enjoy the approximately 3.5hr train ride from the Paris Gare du Nord station to Amsterdam.

A welcome package with your vouchers, a city map, train tickets (if relevant) and any other touristic information that we deem you may find useful will be presented to you by your driver upon arrival. Alternative arrangements will be made if you do not have a private transfer at the start of your itinerary.

Meet your private driver for a half day tour of Amsterdam. Enjoy the old and new parts of this beautiful city with its many historical buildings and interesting sights. You will get to see for example the Royal Palace, the National Monument, the Skinny Bridge, the Albert Cuyp Market and the beautiful houses along the canals. You will also see a windmill on the Amstel River and a visit will be made to a diamond factory, where you get to view the traditional way of polishing.

Begin with a visit to the Aalsmeer´s world famous flower auction (closed Sundays and replaced by a visit of a traditional wooden shoe maker). Continue to Rotterdam, the second largest city of the Netherlands, characterized by its contemporary and fascinating architecture. The next stop is at the picturesque town of Delft. During your visit to the Delft Blue Pottery Factory, you'll learn about the historical developments of these ceramic techniques. From Delft you drive to The Hague for a city tour. Pass by the highlights of their governmental city like the House of Parliament and the Peace Palace. During this excursion you can visit Madurodam. This miniature city offers you the highlights of the Netherlands on a scale 1:25.

 Meet your driver for a private airport transfer.