Why Europe: The Grand Tour Offers the Ultimate European Experience
There are countless reasons why travellers choose to explore Europe. Diverse cultures. Interesting and extensive history. Memorable architecture. The world’s best art. Delectable food and wine. Personal ties to heritage.
Whatever your driving force to the continent is, Europe offers a great advantage to culturally curious travellers who want to get to know new places. The fact that countries are physically close and culturally connected makes it easy to knock multiple destinations off your bucket list on one trip.
Here’s a look into what travellers can expect on this journey across Europe:
The Netherlands
Amsterdam’s narrow canals, stone bridges, and bike-brimmed lanes set the scene for the beginning of this tour. During this leg of the trip, travellers stay at the centrally located Martim Hotel, which acts as a convenient hub for using the city’s public transportation to reach all the must-sees.
And for a city nicknamed Venice of the North, exploring the canals is an absolute must-see. The tour features a canal cruise on a private boat. After exploring by water, a local guide offers an insider’s perspective on a walking tour around the city. Then travellers will explore their way with free time.
Belgium
En route to Brussels, travellers visit the town of Lier.
“It's a hidden gem of Belgium,” Vasja says. “It is a small town off the beaten path, and it offers a perfect combination of historical buildings, green ramparts, and medieval buildings. We wanted to give our travellers a very authentic and very local experience without being overwhelmed with crowds. Lier is a perfect destination for travellers to explore.”
And once travellers reach Brussels, they get to explore the city how they choose: either a comprehensive locally-guided tour of the city’s most famous sites or a more niche tour along the Comic Strip Route, discovering street murals and other representations of comic strip heroes throughout the city.
The next day, travellers get to take in Belgium’s capital city how they choose with a full day free for exploration.
Luxembourg & France
A grand duchy is a country whose official head of state is a monarch bearing the title of grand duke or grand duchess. And Luxembourg is the last grand duchy in the world.
Travellers dive into both the Old City of Luxembourg and the French provincial capital of Strasbourg, where centuries of Roman, French, German, and Alsatian influences blend to lend this city its unique character.
Whether you want to take time to explore or follow the Alsace Wine Route on an optional tour, there is time and flexibility to make this leg of the trip uniquely yours.
Austria
Vienna waits for you!
As this European tour winds down, Vasja says that there’s plenty of flexibility and downtime for travellers.
A Choice on Tour allows travellers to explore the Belvedere Museum alongside a local guide, or stroll through the unique collections of the Kunsthistoriches Museum.
An evening of free time allows travellers to rest, explore on their own, or sign up for a unique optional tour that brings you into Schönbrunn Palace after hours to explore and attend a concert featuring the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Strauss.
No matter how you spend your time in Vienna, Vasja emphasizes how critical it is to experience Viennese coffee house culture before the trip ends: “If you have been to Vienna and you haven't visited a coffee house and had a cup of coffee and a cake, you didn't do everything that you are supposed to do.”
Booking Your Grand European Tour
Ready to uncover the treasures of Europe’s best destinations on a grand tour from Amsterdam to Vienna? Contact me today!