Embark on your overnight flight to London.
Meals: In-flight
Enjoy a free afternoon to relax and unwind. In the evening, we’ll have our welcome orientation followed by a fun London pub crawl.
Meals: Inflight
- Inclusions:
- Transfer from airport to hotel included with purchased AESU group airfare
- Welcome orientation
- Pub crawl
- Look up free time suggestions for:
Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and Westminster Abbey: These familiar names become familiar places on our morning tour of London. During an afternoon at leisure, browse the many food, craft and clothing stalls at popular Camden Market, walk in the footsteps of Harry Potter at Leadenhall Market aka Diagon Alley or take a ride on the London Eye for a birds-eye view of the city and the opportunity to take great photographs. After dusk, consider taking in some Shakespeare at the Globe Theater by the Thames River or attending a West End show.
Meals: Breakfast
- Inclusions:
- 1-day group Tube Pass
- Tour of London guided by a local historian
- Personal audio headset
- See Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge and more
Travel through the “Chunnel” below the English Channel to Paris. Our local art historian shows us the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and Place de la Concorde, where the guillotine once stood. Tonight, dine on French specialties at our bistro dinner. Afterward, we take a romantic cruise down the river Seine.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- English Channel Eurostar train
- Tour of Paris guided by a local historian
- See the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Place de la Concorde, Arc de Triomphe and more
- See Paris-by-night illuminations
- French bistro dinner
- Seine River cruise
- Look up free time suggestions for:
France has been a world center of the perfume industry since France’s famed Sun King, Louis XIV's court at Versailles was known as "la cour parfumée." Join us this morning for a visit to the Fragonard Perfume Museum, located in a 19th-century mansion from the era of Napoleon III, and learn about the art of perfume manufacturing from ancient times. We then travel to the Palace of Versailles, Louis XIV’s residence. Our museum pass gives us access to the Hall of Mirrors and the King’s Grand Chambers. Marvel at the sheer size of the palace, one of the most beautiful castles in the world with an astonishing 700 rooms. The afternoon is free to explore the ‘City of Lights’ and our tour director is happy to offer free-time suggestions. Consider an optional can-can cabaret show at the world-famous Moulin Rouge this evening.
Meals: Breakfast
- Inclusions:
- 2-day Paris Visité Pass with unlimited access to public transportation system
- 2-day Paris Museum Pass
- Visit to the Palace of Versailles
- Visit and tour of the Fragonard perfumery & museum
Enjoy a free day in Paris. Your included 2-day museum pass allows access to over 70 museums and monuments in and around Paris including the world famous Louvre, housing the Mona Lisa, Musée d’Orsay and Musée National Picasso, and your Paris Visit? Pass will provide unlimited public transportation throughout the city.
Meals: Breakfast
- Inclusions:
- 2-day Paris Visité Pass with unlimited access to public transportation system
- 2-day Paris Museum Pass
Motor to Belgium and stop in Brussels to see the Grand Place, a perfect medieval square, and the statue of naughty Mennekin-Pis. Continue to Amsterdam and enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure. Take advantage of your included 2-day Amsterdam Travel Card with unlimited access to local transportation.
Meals: Breakfast
- Inclusions:
- See Brussels' Grand Place, Mannekin-Pis and more
- 2-day Amsterdam Travel Card
- Look up free time suggestions for:
Today, we’ll go biking through 13th-century Dutch fishing villages along the Ijssel Lake beaches, watch wooden shoes being carved and sample Edam cheese at a cheese farm. Free time this afternoon in Amsterdam will allow time to tour the Van Gogh or Rijksmuseum, or visit Anne Frank’s house. This evening we invite you to a scrumptious Dutch-Indonesian rice table dinner, a specialty in Holland as Indonesia was once a Dutch colony. Afterwards we admire the Netherland’s capital gliding through some of the 165 romantic canals aboard a glass-topped canal boat.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- Bike riding in the Dutch countryside
- Visit to wooden shoe maker and Edam cheese farm
- Dutch-Indonesian rice table dinner
- Amsterdam canal cruise
Cross the German border into Cologne, famous for the world’s largest gothic cathedral. Embark on a cruise along the fabled Rhine River, passing steeply sloped vineyards, ancient castles, and the legendary Lorelei Rock. Continue to Heidelberg, the “City of the Student Prince” and climb to the ruins of the Castle of the Palatine Elector for a bird’s-eye view of the city and the Neckar River.
Meals: Breakfast
- Inclusions:
- See the Cologne Cathedral
- Rhine River cruise
- See Heidelberg Castle
- Look up free time suggestions for:
Cross the German border into Cologne, famous for the world’s largest gothic cathedral. Embark on a cruise along the fabled Rhine River, passing steeply sloped vineyards, ancient castles, and the legendary Lorelei Rock. Continue to Heidelberg, the “City of the Student Prince” and climb to the ruins of the Castle of the Palatine Elector for a bird’s-eye view of the city and the Neckar River.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
- Inclusions:
- Drive along Germany’s Romantic Road
- See Medieval Rothenburg
- Gasthaus lunch
- See the Oktoberfest city of Munich
This morning we visit Dachau Memorial site, established in 1965, twenty years after it was liberated by American forces. During afternoon free time, consider visiting the BMW museum, seeing the Glockenspiel Chimes at the Marienplatz, visiting the 1972 Olympic Village or shopping for Bavarian beer steins and lederhosen on Maximilianstrasse. Tonight, we’ll dine on authentic Bavarian fare.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- Visit Dachau Memorial Site
- See Munich's Glockenspiel chimes, Marienplatz and more
- Traditional Bavarian dinner
This morning, we continue to Berchtesgaden. Dressed in miner’s clothing, enjoy a ride down slides through the salt mine. Our next stop is the Austrian city of Salzburg, Mozart’s birthplace and site where the classic movie, “The Sound of Music” was filmed. Explore the narrow streets lined with colorful wrought iron signs and shops before we continue our journey to Europe’s largest alpine sports region. Be our pampered guest for two nights of fitness and fun while nestled in the snow-capped Austrian mountains at our Alpine Center.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- Visit the Berchtesgaden salt mines
- See Europe's largest Alpine sports region
- See Mozart's city of Salzburg
- Hearty Austrian dinner
- Look up free time suggestions for:
All day today is at our leisure; go for a hike in the Alps or join the fun and excitement of whitewater rafting. A hearty Austrian dinner awaits after all of today’s activity.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- Hiking in the Austrian Alps
- Alpine dinner
The picturesque landscape of the Austrian Lake District makes way for sunny Italy’s Venice—“The Sinking City in the Sea.” Our private boat takes us to Murano Island, Venice’s glassmaking center since the 13th-century, where we visit a workshop and watch famous Venetian glass being made. Back in Venice, we walk along the narrow maze of back streets and bridges that take us to St. Mark’s Square with the Campanile, Doge’s Palace and flocks of friendly pigeons. Consider a romantic gondola ride this evening gliding through the intricate maze of canals beneath arched bridges and passing by 12th and 18th-century marble palaces.
Meals: Breakfast
- Inclusions:
- See Venice's Doge Palace, St. Mark's Square and more
- Private boat to Murano Island
- Glass blowing workshop and demonstration
- Look up free time suggestions for:
Through the fertile Po Valley we approach Florence, Golden City of the Renaissance and birthplace of Michelangelo. Our Florence art tour includes the Gates of Paradise, the marble Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, and Giotto’s bell tower. Afterwards enjoy free time for shopping and museums. Tonight, enjoy our dinner of traditional Florentine fare.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- See the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, Giotto's Bell Tower and more
- Tour of Florence guided by a local historian
- Personal audio headset
- Traditional Florentine dinner
A free day to explore the Uffizi Gallery and see the collections of Giotto, Botticelli, Raphael and da Vinci. The Galleria dell’Accademia houses several sculptures by Michelangelo including his famous David. Opt to join us for time under the Tuscan sun starting with a picturesque drive through the vineyards of one of the best known wine growing areas, Chianti. Our excursion includes a tour of the winery and a tasting of a selection of local wines..
Meals: Breakfast
Travel past Chianti vineyards along the Highway of the Sun to the Eternal City of Rome. After check in we have time to relax or explore baroque Rome. See the Pantheon, sample the famous "gelato" ice cream at Piazza Navona and stop to toss three coins in the Trevi Fountain to ensure your return to Rome.
Meals: Breakfast
- Inclusions:
- See Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and more
- 72-hour Roma Pass with unlimited access to local transportation, special access and discounts
This morning, we explore Capitoline Hill with the most spectacular view of Caesar’s Roman Forum, the center of political and social activity, with ancient ruins dating from the 8th century BC. We also see Nero’s Circus Maximus where chariot races were held. A trip across the Tiber River takes us to Vatican City - the world’s smallest state, where we’ll visit St. Peter’s Basilica, housing Michelangelo’s magnificent “Pieta.” During afternoon free time you may want to use your Roma Pass to visit the Colosseum, where gladiators fought to the death. Our dinner tonight is a mouth-watering ‘Viva Italia’ pasta party complete with Italian specialties.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- Tour of Rome and Vatican City guided by a local historian
- Personal audio headset
- See Caesar’s Forum, Circus Maximus, Pantheon and more
- Visit St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City
- 72-hour Roma Pass with unlimited access to local transportation, special access and discounts
- Entrance to Colosseum and Forum included with 72-hour Roma Pass
- Viva Italia pasta party
- Look up freetime suggestions for:
For some of us the celebratory tour of Europe ends in Rome this morning. Bid farewell to friends and “arrivederci” to Italy before jetting back home with memories to last a lifetime. For the rest of us - sunny olive groves line the way south to Pompeii. Under the shadow of Vesuvius, the volcano that buried this ancient city in 79 A.D., explore the excavated wonders including homes, markets and temples that remain intact, and streets that still bear the marks of chariot wheels from 2,000 years ago. Afterwards, we cross the Italian “boot” and board our overnight ship to Greece.
Meals: Breakfast
- Inclusions:
- Transfer from hotel to airport included with purchased AESU group airfare
- Tour of the Pompeii excavations guided by a local historian
- Personal audio headset
- Scenic overnight ship from Italy to Greece
After cruising through aquamarine waters, our ship docks at Patras. Motor along the Corinthian Sea across the Peloponnese to Galatas and the island of Poros. Relax and unwind with three days of living like a Greek god or goddess. Enjoy a welcome drink at the pool bar before exploring this idyllic island.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- Relaxing pool and beach time
- Enjoy iconic Greek sunsets
- Traditional Greek dinner
- Look up free time suggestions for:
Today is free to enjoy at your leisure. Go for a swim, bask in the golden sun, or take part in optional watersports such as waterskiing, wakeboarding, parasailing, banana-boating or tubing. Dancing like Zorba at a local tavern is always a must-do evening activity.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- Explore the white-washed village center of Poros
- Traditional Greek dinner
- Beach and pool
Poros old town center has great shopping or the more adventurous can venture to the 6th-century BC ruins of Poseidon’s Temple on the island’s highest peak. Bicycles will be provided today, which offer an opportunity to further explore the island. Tonight, we invite everyone to our fun toga party.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- Bike rental on the Isle of Poros
- Beach and pool
- Greek BBQ dinner
- Greek toga party
In the morning we board our ferry to Athens. See the 2,400-year-old Parthenon, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Constitution Square. A free afternoon may find us wandering the paths of Plato, Socrates and Sophocles or trying our bargaining skills at the markets of Monastiraki. This evening follow the sounds of traditional bouzouki music and join our farewell taverna dinner in the Plaka District – Athens’ oldest neighborhood at the foot of the Acropolis.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- Tour of Athens guided by a local historian
- Acropolis admission
- Greek tavern farewell dinner
- Greek music and dancing
Reluctantly we say farewell to Europe and new-found friends. Jet back home with thoughts of planning your next alumni adventure!
Meals: Breakfast, In-flight
- Inclusions:
- Transfer from hotel to airport included with purchased AESU group airfare