Mega European

This morning: free time en Français. From the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay to the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysées, you'll be sure to make a solid dent in your bucket list. Later on, it’s up to you: stretch those legs on an optional bike tour of Paris or simply roam the streets on your own. End your day with an optional Seine River cruise or a #throwback cabaret show.

Today we roll on to Bordeaux, where half the city is UNESCO World Heritage-listed and vineyards reign supreme. Ready to raise a glass or two?

Wake up, roll out of bed, and before you know it we’ll be eating alllllll of the pintxos and tapas in San Sebastián. Yum.

Say hey to Barcelona! Bienvenidos to the city of art nouveau, alluring accents and (most importantly) tapas. We’ll tick off the likes of the Sagrada Família, the Columbus Monument and Las Ramblas on an included driving tour before we set you free into the city. Shall we dance? An optional flamenco show awaits...

What do you want to do today? Well, you could hit the side streets and alleyways of Las Ramblas, visit the Gracia neighborhood, go Gaudí at Parc Güell or give in to your inner football fanatic and kneel to the sporting gods at the Nou Camp. Barcelona’s got plenty to keep you occupied!

Today we’ll set off along the coast to rub shoulders with the rich and famous at the world's most lavish waterfront property: the French Riviera. But that’s not all! En route, we’ll make a sweet-smelling stop at a perfumery. Ooh la la!

This morning, you do you! Laze on the beach, or go wild in the designer boutiques in Nice's Old Town. Later: roll with the jet set on a guided tour and see how the 1% live (hint: it involves Ferraris and bathing in caviar). Feeling lucky? Hit the tables at the Monte Carlo Casino and make it rain (or not).

Home to the ‘Top of Europe’, 72 waterfalls and one of the largest nature conservations in Switzerland, Lauterbrunnen is where we'll be spending the night. Upon arrival, we’ll get stuck into an included dinner before heading to the bar for a nightcap. Cheers!

Scenic hikes and jaw-dropping views are high on today's agenda. Go low key with a mountain walk or hop on board the Jungfraubahn railway for an optional visit to the Jungfrau Mountain summit. Expect plenty of fairytale villages en route! Another feast awaits your return, regardless of how you make your way back down.

Onwards to fair Verona, the place where Romeo and Juliet found love. Why not snap a selfie at Juliet’s balcony and join throngs of lovers leaving notes on the wall? If that’s not your thing, you could always avoid the crowds and head for the ancient arena instead. Then: say ciao to Venice. Yep, you’re really here!

You know it as The Floating City, but this place is actually sinking (slowly). Today we’ll check out a who's who of Venice's usual suspects on a guided walking tour (ticking off the likes of St Mark's Square and Accademia Bridge) before rounding things off with a vaporetto ride along the Grand Canal. Need suggestions for this afternoon? Insider tip: spend some time seeking out the epic Libreria Acqua Alta bookshop (or just go on a mission to find the perfect gelato).

Stop for THAT photo at Pisa, then make your food baby sing as we roll into the land of hearty Tuscan cuisine and birthplace of gelato: Florence. Whip around Santa Maria del Fiore before tucking into amore on a plate. The evening is yours to stroll along the the Arno River and watch the sunset.

Time to give that bucket list a workout – we’re off to Rome! Did someone say walking tour? We’ll pass by the Pantheon, throw our two cents in the Trevi Fountain, sit on the Spanish Steps and check out the mighty Colosseum before the day is done. Tonight, you're in Disneyland for foodies. Have fun!

Create the ultimate Roman Holiday in one day with a whirlwind of Vespas, espresso, two-cheek kisses and pizza the way it's supposed to taste. Count your blessings on an optional tour of Vatican City, then play ‘I-spy’ with two-and-a-half millennia worth of history. Want more? You could always shop till you drop on Via Condotti, head to Capitoline Hill for awesome views of the Roman Forum and Colosseum or just kick back in Piazza Navona for some dolce far niente (delicious idleness).

Play connect the dots with the stars or let the swell rock you to sleep as we ferry our way from bella Italia to Greece. Restaurants, bars, and cosy cabin rooms will keep you comfortable.

After a short drive along the Greek coastline, it’s all aboard our ships for three days of sun, sand and sailing on the Ionian Sea. By night, flaunt those European tan lines as we drop anchor and hop between authentic Greek tavernas for a hat-trick of feasting, table dancing and ouzo. You know the saying ‘too much of a good thing’? Neither do we.

A free day to sail, swim, eat, sleep, repeat. Kick back and spend the day your way.

More turquoise water, more swimming, more diving off boats, more epic Instagram shots... You could probably get used to this!

It doesn’t get feta than this! We’ll help you get your bearings in Athens as we tick off the likes of the Greek Parliament, Syntagma Square and the Acropolis on a driving tour.

All aboard the ferry to Mykonos (aka 'that island with the cute windmills’). Epic beaches, sinfully good local restaurants and a bustling nightlife... What's not to love?

You’ve got a free day in para-para-paradise. Loving it? We hope so! Soak up those rays and dive into 50 shades of blue.

Another day to spend exactly how you please amidst Mykonos’ dreamy backdrop of chalky villages, sky blue churches and laze-worthy beaches. Ahhhhh.

Wave goodbye to Mykonos and try to contain your excitement as we arrive in Santorini – the home of the world's most amazing sunset.

Get ready for more rom-com-worthy landscapes and views to write home about. After dark, why not hit the taverns and mingle with the locals?

Whip out your camera and snap one last shot of Santorini’s postcard-worthy scenery – today it’s back on the ferry to Athens for a final dose of ancient architecture and tragic myths.

Today is all about YOU! Engage explorer mode during the day, then spend your evening searching for Greek grub and live entertainment.

Leave your fear of heights in Athens, ‘cos today we’re off to see the monasteries of Meteora – perched high atop the nail-biting cliffs of Thessaly. Later, round off the day with good friends and good food.

What happens when you paint a former communist capital in vivid colours? According to Tirana's artist-turned-mayor-turned-TED speaker Edi Rama, people start paying taxes and crime rates plummet. True story. We’ll kick things off with a driving tour and a group dinner before we let you loose into the night.

Press your nose to the window and soak up all the stunning views that race past the coach window as we make our way to the most famous walled city in Europe (stopping at Budva on the way). Later, we’ll take a wander around Dubrovnik's tiny cobblestoned streets and explore a few hidden cafés and shops before grabbing dinner and checking out the nightlife.

Yay! A free day in Dubrovnik! Spend some time checking out the residential homes further up in the Old Town for some awesome views, then enjoy a cold beer on the wall as the sun sets over the Adriatic.

Today, we’ve got some optional extras that’ll knock your socks off. Choose from sea kayaking around the ancient city walls, or head out to explore ‘King’s Landing’ on a Game of Thrones tour. Awesome!

Roll out of Dubrovnik and into Sarajevo, a city that’s still shaking off its tragic past. We’ll show you the sights on a guided tour before rounding off the day with some delicious local food.

Gritty but charming Belgrade is up next. While we’re here, we’ll take some time to honour the victims of the 1995 genocide at the haunting Srebrenica Genocide Memorial, a sobering reminder of the greatest atrocity on European soil since the Second World War.

Today’s driving tour will teach you everything you need to know about twin cities Buda and Pest. Along the way we’ll check out Hero's Square, Parliament House, the National Palace, Fisherman's Bastion and the swanky Andrássy Avenue. Then: time to indulge in some delicious local fare. Expect plenty of paprika!

A free day to take on a city with enough Baroque, Neoclassical and Art Nouveau architecture to keep you entertained for hours. Tonight, hang with the hipsters and drink local fruit brandy at one of the original ruin bars. Wanna go one step further? An optional dinner cruise on the Danube has your name on it.

Prepare your retinas – there’s gonna be some amazing scenery playing outside the coach windows today as we make our way to Bratislava for a walking tour. Then: Vienna. Don’t forget to wave hello to the president as we go past the Hofburg Palace! Vienna is famous for three things: musicians, grand coffee houses and, of course, apple strudel. Classical music fan? Good news. Later you can opt in to hear the works of Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and Strauss played by the the Viennese Chamber Orchestra.

Legend has it a dragon had to be defeated in order for Kraków to be built. Bit tougher than the usual council approvals, no? Get acquainted with Poland's beating heart (and the largest medieval town square in Europe) on today’s walking tour, then go your own way. Buff up on history at Wawel Castle, feed the ducks from the banks of the Wisla or slay a few glasses of mead – what you do is up to you! Then: did someone say optional pub crawl?

Need some suggestions for your free day in Kraków? Well, you could discover the city’s inner hipster in the Jewish district or go shopping for amber in the UNESCO-listed Cloth Hall. If all else fails, there’s always the likes of pierogi and potato pancakes to keep you busy.

First: a visit to former concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau for a lesson in the resilience of humanity. Then: on to Prague. Get Insta-happy and seek out the John Lennon wall, soak up some history at the National or Communist Museum or get a taste of the quirky local culture at a marionette puppet opera (you gotta see it to believe it).

Another free day for the win! Snap a selfie at Prague's own Eiffel Tower, visit a miniatures museum, eat roast pork from one of the street vendors lining Old Town Square and wash it all down with a beer. As in, a really good beer. Prague, we love you.

Get acquainted with 800 year-old Dresden – a city virtually destroyed in WWII and then rebuilt – and check out the Frauenkirche before we make tracks to Berlin. Prep yourself for currywurst, absinthe and more hipsters per capita than anywhere else. We'll drive you around to see (what's left of) the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag building.

Today, why not step out on an optional Third Reich walking tour for a local insight into what the city was like under Nazi rule? Kreuzberg is a hit for lunch – or you could always have a picnic at the historic Tempelhof airport-turned-public park.

Today we’re off to Copenhagen to find out why this city keeps popping up among the top five most liveable cities in the world. Get your bearings on a guided driving tour – and discover why Copenhagen is home to half of Denmark’s population.

Today you have the chance to explore the city in true local fashion: on a bike. Romantic streak? Check out The Little Mermaid, a tribute to the fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen's pre-Disney masterpiece. Spoiler alert: the original version has the lovestruck mermaid become foam on the sea after she fails to win the prince's affections. Even back then, it seems, #thestrugglewasreal.

With more bridges than Venice and Amsterdam combined, no skyscrapers (read: views for days) and the first zoo with no enclosures, Hamburg is one of the hippest cities in Europe. It’s also got 3 km of funfair shenanigans and Europe’s biggest Japanese garden. What are you waiting for? Get exploring!

Amsterdam is next! After learning how cheese and clogs are made, we’ll get our bearings on a walking tour. We’re talking the Dam Square, the Royal Palace and the National Monument – so get your cameras at the ready! For the perfect end to the perfect day, give in to temptation and grab a cone of hot chips with mayo. Mmm.

Join 881,000 bikes and get your cycle on with an optional bike tour of Amsterdam's iconic canals, bridges and parks. And for the culture fiends? Delve deeper with a visit to the Anne Frank House (make sure to book in advance!) or the Van Gogh or Rijksmuseum. Whatever you get up to, make sure you’re back in time to toast the final night of our European adventure on a dinner cruise along the canal.

Phew! That. Was. MEGA! Love and leave Amsterdam this morning as we head back to London, where this trip of a lifetime will come to a close.