THE
NETHERLANDS,GERMANY,
AUSTRIA, SWITZERLAND, ITALY and FRANCE
Specially-priced
Air Rates
Available:YES
From
its exciting cities to its spectacular scenery, Europe has it all, and
on this affordable European tour, you'll see the main highlights. Start
in Amsterdam with a scenic canal cruise and end in Paris with a guided
tour and time on your own. In between, you’ll discover Germany,
Austria, Italy, and Switzerland.
In Amsterdam, Rome, Florence, and Paris, local experts will bring the
cities alive, and among other famous sights, you’ll see the Eiffel
Tower in Paris; Piazza Signoria in Florence, renowned for its ornate
and famous statues; and St. Peter’s Square in Rome, the heart of the
Vatican. Other interesting experiences include a boat ride to Venice’s
St. Mark’s Square; a visit to Assisi’s Basilica, burial site of St.
Francis and home to frescoes by Giotto and a visit to Neuschwanstein
Castle, King Ludwig II’s fairy-tale castle nestled in the beautiful
Bavarian Alps.
It is not just the cities you’ll see on this European tour; you’ll also
see some of Europe's beautiful scenery. A fascinating drive along the
Rhine River features quaint towns, castles from the Middle Ages, and
villages lining the countryside. Marvel at the gorgeous Swiss Alps.
Enjoy the beautiful Tuscany countryside, with its rolling hills, and
journey through France’s famous vineyards. Overnight in romantic Lake
Como, regarded as one of Europe's most picturesque lakes; spend time in
Lucerne, nestled between the Alps and the fjord-like lake; and stop in
Interlaken, nestled between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz and surrounded by
three mighty mountains.
Europe’s highlights—including historic monuments, must-see attractions,
and scenery—are all available on this splendid, value-minded Europe
tour! TOUR HIGHLIGHTS: AMSTERDAM
Canal cruise, guided
sightseeing RHINELAND
Scenic drive NEUSCHWANSTEIN
Visit King Ludwig’s castle VENICE Canal
boat ride, glassblowing workshop ASSISI Visit
St. Francis Basilica ROME Guided
sightseeing FLORENCE Guided
walking tour MONTECATINI
Visit PISA See the
Leaning Tower LAKE COMO LUGANO, LUCERNE
& BEAUNE Visit PARIS Guided
sightseeing
The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites
can be seen or visited on this vacation:
17th Century Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam
Assisi (the Basilica of San Francesco)
Historic Centre of Florence
Historic Centre of Rome - various
properties Vatican City
Paris Banks of the Seine
Piazza del Duomo Pisa
Venice and Its Lagoon
Inside visits and
special features: Shown in UPPERCASE in
the tour description including admission charges where applicable.
OPTIONALS:
Choice of optional excursions at reasonable prices to customize your
own experience. Please find a detailed list in your travel documents
HEADSETS
throughout the tour
AIRPORT
TRANSFERS Airport
transfers
may be included when you make your flight arrangements.
AMSTERDAM Hotel Ibis Styles Amsterdam Airport
(ST)
KARLSRUHEIbis Styles Karlsruhe Ettlingen
(ST)
INNSBRUCKAlphotel (ST)
VENICE Poppi (ST)
ROME Ibis Styles Roma Aurelia
(F)
MONTECATINI Settentrionale
Esplanade (F)
LAKE COMO Lario Mezzegra (ST)
LUCERNEIbis Kriens (TC)
LAUSANNEIbis Lausanne Crissier (F)
PARIS Hotel Ibis Styles Paris
Porte D'Orleans
(ST)
HOTELS -
(SF) Superior First-Class (F) First-Class (MF) Moderate First-Class (ST)
Superior Tourist Class
(T) Tourist Class
DINING
HIGHLIGHTS
Buffet
breakfasts daily; 4 dinners
TRANSPORTATION Touring by private, first-class,
air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi; canal transfer boat in
Venice, Pisa mini-train ride
GUIDES
Local Guides for city sightseeing in Amsterdam, Rome, Florence, Paris;
professional Tour Director while touring
AIRPORT TRANSFERS Airport transfers
may be included when you make your flight arrangements.
Day 1 Arrive in Amsterdam, Holland Check into your hotel, and start
exploring this exciting city with your CosmosGo app. Tonight, meet your
Tour Director and travel companions.
Dinner
Day2Amsterdam AreaEnjoy sightseeing in Amsterdam with a
Local Guide pointing out the city highlights, as you discover the city
from water level on an included canal cruise. Then, watch the cutting
and polishing of precious stones at a diamond center. Time in the
afternoon to explore on your own or join an optional excursion.
Breakfast
Day 3 Amsterdam–Rhineland, GermanyTraveling through Germany, choose an
included scenic drive along the shores of the Rhine or, even more
thrilling, the optional Rhine cruise with vistas of the Lorelei rock,
hilltop castles, half-timbered wine villages, and terraced vineyards.
Today’s Distance: 336 mi/ 540 km Breakfast
Day4Rhineland–Innsbruck Area, AustriaDrive through Baden-Wüttenberg to
the foot of the Alps to see King Ludwig’s magnificent Neuschwanstein
castle, Germany’s fairytale castle. Carry on into the verdant Austrian
Tyrol, where you will spend one night.
Today’s Distance: 249 mi/ 400 km Breakfast Dinner
Day 5 Innsbruck Area–Venice Area, ItalyCross the border into Italy to the
unique floating city of Venice. This afternoon’s orientation includes a
boat ride to St. Mark’s Square, followed by a visit to a traditional
glassblowing workshop. Don’t miss out on the romantic optional gondola
trip, gliding along the picturesque canals with a local troubadour to
serenade you.
Today’s Distance: 242 mi/ 390 km Breakfast Dinner
Day6Venice Area–Assisi–RomeAn interesting drive southward, cutting
across the Po Delta, then through the gentle Umbrian hills to medieval
Assisi, where St. Francis was born in 1182. Visit the world-famous St.
Francis Basilicas with its beautiful frescoes by Giotto, then head for
Rome.
Today’s Distance: 345 mi/ 555 kmBreakfast
Day 7 RomeThe “Eternal City” is steeped in
history, vibrantly alive and exciting, and absolutely unique! Start the
included introduction to Rome’s landmarks from St. Peter’s Square with
a Local Guide. Enjoy a drive along the iconic landmarks of the city:
the Tiber River, the Caius Cestius Pyramid, the Aurelian Walls, and the
Caracalla Baths. Complete the experience with a walk back in time from
the Circus Maximus to the Arch of Constantine and to the fascinating
Colosseum, symbol of the Roman Empire.
Breakfast
Day8Rome–Pisa–MontecatiniThis morning, you’ll have the
opportunity to visit Vatican City and to join our optional excursion
visiting the Vatican Museum and with the spectacular Sistine Chapel.
Say goodbye to Rome and drive on the Highway of the Sun to Pisa. Hop on
a mini train to the Square of Miracles and admire the curious Leaning
Tower, a world-renowned photographic subject. Overnight in the spa town
of Montecatini, recently added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage
Sites.
Today’s Distance: 249 mi/ 400 km Breakfast Dinner
Day 9 Montecatini–Florence–Lake ComoArrive in Florence. This Renaissance gem
and city of the Medicis will keep you enthralled for a whole day. Don’t
miss out on the included walking tour with a Local Guide that features
most of the city highlights. You will see Piazza Santa Croce; beautiful
Piazza Signoria; Palazzo Vecchio and Loggia dei Lanzi. To top it all,
see Piazza del Duomo and its cathedral with the Giotto Campanile
(belltower), and the magnificently carved East Door of the Baptistry,
known as the “Gate of Paradise.” Journey northward through the Tuscan
hills and across the Apennines to the shores of romantic Lake Como.
Today’s Distance: 252 mi/ 405 km Breakfast
Day10Lake Como–Lugano, Switzerland–Lucerne
AreaLeave beautiful Lake Como and cross the
border into Switzerland for a stop in the Italian-speaking town of
Lugano. Continue north and, once through Gotthard Tunnel, see more
magnificent alpine scenery as you descend to the shores of Lake Lucerne.
Today’s Distance: 137 mi/ 220 kmBreakfast
Day 11 Lucerne Area–Interlaken–LausanneSpend some time in beautiful Lucerne.
Stroll through the old town and see the distinctive covered wooden
bridge (Kapellbrücke) crossing the river Reuss. Later, stop in
idyllic Interlaken in the Bernese Oberland and then follow the
shoreline of deep blue Lake Thun, continuing for a few more miles to
Lausanne, overlooking Lake Geneva.
Today’s Distance: 168 mi/ 270 kmBreakfast
Day12Lausanne–Beaune, France–ParisEnjoy vistas of the celebrated Burgundy
vineyards on the way to Beaune. Visit the medieval town, known all over
the world for its wine production. Take the autoroute to Paris.
Today’s Distance: 385 mi/ 620 kmBreakfast
Day 13 ParisGet to know the city of romance with a
local expert and see many of the Parisian sites, such as the Eiffel
Tower and Champs Elysées. An optional excursion is available to
the palace and gardens of Versailles.
Breakfast
Day14ParisYour vacation ends with breakfast this
morning.
Breakfast
Europe's
Highlights
14 Day Tour
From $2454USD
(Less
applicable COSMOS
PROMO(S) and Gardner Travel
Discounts)
CLICK HERE to Request ourLOW
UNPUBLISHED RATEand
availability for this tour below:
You
may REQUEST information
for this tour via our email response here and we will return a complete
and detailed quote
OR
CALL
US
at
1-877-510-4653
and we will be happy to personally assist you at every turn.
Exceptional
Vacations
Celebrating
over 90 Years of Touring!
YOUR
TOUR DIRECTOR
DAVID ROMANOV
Escorting
tours for more than 5 years
I grew up in former Czechoslovakia as a Hungarian, during the communist
era in a multicultural enviroment. During those times to see the the
rest of the world was just a childhood dream, now it is a reality.
Before I settled down in Hungary, I lived in Vienna, Berlin and Sydney
- just to mention few. Through those years, I gain lots of experience
and learnt a lot about the world, and myself. I hope I will have the
chance to share my passion about Europe and show you the best of it.
Prices
are
per person based on double occupancy and are land only. We also offer
competitive group-based airfares from your home city airport that fit
with this particular touring program.
Toll
Free Call
1-877-510-4653 USAandCanada
We
provide an additional agency
point-of-sale discountfor
all Globus,
Cosmos
and Avalon
Waterways
tour programs. Offer subject
to availability and change without notice.
TALK
TO AN EXPERIENCED
As
a
full-service travel provider, we can help you in finding your
perfect tour at the best price available, today. We've been
representing the GLOBUS Family of
Brands for
over 40 years as a Premier Agency
Partner - a designation only awarded to the top tier agencies
that are authorized to represent the full Globus Family of Brands. We
can take you all the way from your own hometown to
some of the most beautiful touring experiences in Europe and then back
again - all with the expertise of a seasoned COSMOS professional
representative.
When it is important to get it right, you can trust the services of our
own professional COSMOS Certified travel specialists.
REQUESTING
AVAILABILITY
We will check your requested tour
program and accommodations for the date range that you may specify in
the questionnaire above and reply back to you as soon as
possible. Of course
the more information that you can provide us, the closer we will be in
matching your needs and preferences. We will not knowingly sell or pass
along your information that you provide to any third party for any
reason (see Liabilities
and Privacy Policy). And we use SSL Technology to safeguard your
information on our tour request forms that we have posted throughout
our website. We
are available to answer your inquiries in person Monday - Friday
(except holidays) from 8:30am until 5:30pm CST (1-877-510-4653 |
817-788-5210). We are available from time to time on the weekends via
email to answer your questions. Our typical response time for your
email request ranges from 3 hours to as many as 72 depending upon the
availability of onsite resources and those of the tour companies and
resorts/lodging establishments, as well as any variations you may
request from our listed programs. We will respond to your
requests as quickly as possible and as soon as we have all components
of your package confirmable. All tour program rates are based upon
double occupancy unless otherwise specified.
Thank
you for
your interest in this quality Cosmos Tour by The GLOBUS Family
of Brands!
Randy
C.
Gardner President Gardner Travel
Service,
Inc.
and The Globus Family of
Brands
More
than three decades ago Cosmos
pioneered the idea of quality value
travel
to Europe. Since then we've developed and refined the concept of
vacation
packages. Over a million people have come back to us for a second or
third
vacation...or more!
Our clients'
repeat business is the best testimony to the incredible value and
experience
we offer.
If you've never
taken a package vacation, consider this: Traveling with Cosmos is less
expensive, more comfortable, and far easier than going it alone. Our
volume
contracting for hotels and services provides you with travel at
wholesale
prices. A Cosmos package is carefully planned to make the best possible
use of your time.
Our team of
experts has refined our itineraries to combine the must-see sights with
significant time on your own, offering more choice and flexibility. You
can travel relaxed and hassle-free, knowing that we've taken care of
all
the details. Once you've
discovered the special advantages of traveling with Cosmos, you'll
never
want to travel any other way again. Cosmos is "A Smart Way To Go."
Guidance At
the heart of every great Cosmos tour are the friendly, knowledgeable
folks who show you around and help you maximize your free time. We go
to incredible lengths to find the most professional Tour Directors and
Local Guides. They deliver commentary in English, but are multilingual
so they can navigate Europe with ease and give you the richest
experience possible.
Headsets
For all guided visits and included sightseeing in Europe, Cosmos will
provide personal audio headsets. See tour itinerary for details.
The Right Balance
No one enjoys a vacation where every second is spent on a schedule. We
build free time into every Cosmos vacation, so you can eat, shop, and
explore the way you want. Your Tour Director and Local Guides can offer
suggestions for things to see and do-or you can join one of our many
intriguing optional excursions.
Sightseeing
Our packages include guided sightseeing and scenic highlights that
reveal the best of Europe, North America, and South America. Enjoy
inside visits of the must-see sites with knowledgeable Local Guides who
will bring each destination to life. Inside visits and special features
are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description. See individual
itinerary pages to learn what is included in your vacation.
Personalize Your
Vacation with MyCosmos
Cosmos lets you enhance your tour with optional excursions that are
meaningful to you. Whether you enjoy art, music, food, wine, history,
or whatever, we give you the freedom to truly personalize your trip.
Best of all, you can make your selections-and even pre-pay-in advance
online at Cosmos.com/MyCosmos.
Cosmos
Takes
Care of Your
HotelsWhere
you stay makes all the difference After a day's
traveling you want to relax at a comfortable, clean, and attractive
hotel.
We have chosen hotels with the best rooms, service, and food for the
money.
Of course, they vary as different countries have different standards.
However,
we ensure that everywhere you get the best available in cleanliness and
comfort.
Cosmos hotels
are always located in good neighborhoods, some more centrally and
others
in residential areas. Especially in large cities we sometimes prefer
good
hotels in residential areas on the outskirts to less desirable or
overpriced
downtown hotels.
Rooms at all
our hotels include private facilities: private bath or shower and a
toilet.
Triple rooms
are usually no larger than twin rooms and the third bed is often a
roll-away
bed put into a twin-bedded room just for the night.
Cosmos
specifies
your hotels Our hotels
are mainly superior tourist-class (ST) and tourist-class (T)
establishments,
but we also feature some first-class (F) hotels. Cosmos hotel ratings
follow
standards set by the independent Official Hotel Guide (OHG) or by
national
tourist boards. The specific rating for each contract hotel is
determined
by our quality controllers.
We reserve
the right to substitute hotels listed on the tour pages with hotels of
equivalent standard. With your Cosmos travel documents you'll receive a
list of hotel addresses, telephone numbers, and fax numbers for your
tour.
Stretch
Your
Vacation Dollars Value-packed
vacations at bargain prices. With Cosmos,
a company that specializes in package travel arrangements, you'll visit
the world without spending a fortune. Because all our buying power is
devoted
to package travel, our clout with suppliers is powerfully concentrated
-- and we pass the savings on to you with affordable vacation packages
for every budget.
Singles
save
with "guaranteed share" rates More than one-third
of all people traveling with Cosmos are traveling independently. We
therefore
accept reservations on a "guaranteed share" basis. We charge singles
the
basic price and match up singles of the same gender in twin-bedded
rooms.
For mutual comfort we adopt a no-smoking rule in shared rooms.
"Guaranteed
shares" are not available for extra nights before or after your tour,
on
tours with overnight trains, or on train or cruise extensions. If we cannot
find a roommate for a traveler who has booked on a "guaranteed share"
basis,
we'll absorb the single room supplement, and that traveler will be
accommodated
in a single room at no extra charge. Of course we
do offer single rooms when available to those who prefer to travel solo
and pay the single supplement.
Triple
room
reduction Cosmos grants
a reduction to three people who travel together and share the same
accommodation.
Triple room reductions, when available, are listed in the Dates and
Prices
box on the tour page.
A word of caution:
Triple rooms usually are no larger than twin rooms, and the third bed,
if there is one, is often a rollaway bed put in a twin-bedded room for
the night.
Discount
for
young tour members Cosmos grants
a 10 percent discount on the land tour price to travelers who are under
18 years old on the tour departure date, provided they are accompanied
by an adult. We do not accept children under eight on our tours because
we have found that they are too young to enjoy these vacations.
Cosmos Vacations
Offer Flexibility Joining late and
leaving early*
Many Cosmos land arrangements start and end in London. If you have
already spent time in the British capital, you may want to skip one or
more of the included London nights or even join at the first overnight
hotel on the Continent. Call your Travel Agent for any reductions that
apply to your vacation for joining late or leaving early. Vacations
with these reductions are sold on a land-only basis.
A
professional team takes care of you in London
For any help or information you might require during your London stay,
please contact the Cosmos hospitality desk at your hotel. Our
knowledgeable staff will serve you with a smile; give you guidance on
what to do and where to go; and arrange excursions, evening
entertainment, and theater outings for you.
Extra
nights*
If you'd like more hotel nights than we've provided at the start or end
of your tour, we can make reservations for you at the rates quoted
below, provided you request them at the time you book your vacation.
Rates are per person, per night, and include room with private bath,
breakfast, service charges, and taxes.
Extra nights are only available immediately prior to or after your
tour. Extra pre-tour nights in London are not available if you join
your tour later than Day 2.
Every effort is made to reserve extra nights at the hotel where your
tour stays. If space at the tour hotel is not available, alternative
accommodation will be reserved at a hotel of equivalent standard. When
this is the case, the transfer to and from the tour hotel is at our
expense.
As hotel space is limited, we cannot reserve more than two extra nights
before and/or after a tour, unless they are needed to bridge the gap
between two Cosmos vacations. During particularly busy periods, hotel
space in certain cities can become so tight that we may be unable to
sell extra nights.
Trust
& Travel Insurance
For
generations, Globus has worked
hard to provide the best on-trip experiences, world-class customer
service, and the best consumer protection plans available in the travel
industry.
DETAILS
OF THIS INSURANCE PROGRAM WILL BE INCLUDED IN ALL OF OUR QUOTES.
and The Globus
Family of
Brands
More than 90
years ago, Antonio Mantegazza bought a rowboat to transport commercial
goods across Lake Lugano in Switzerland. Who could know that rowboat
would launch the world's leading escorted travel company? Today Globus
is a global, family-owned company reaching every corner of the world.
Globus is now the first choice among individuals looking for vacations
with both domestic and international travel in a variety of styles to
six continents and hundreds of itineraries to choose from (see Globus History video right).
Antonio's
frequent trips across the scenic lake led him to
consider opportunities in a different market - tourism. His
entrepreneurial instinct pushed him to gradually acquire some
motorcoaches to transport tourists around the Lake Lugano area. In
1928, Antonio opened a company specializing in motorcoach touring
called Globus Viaggi. The company began with a fleet of 12 coaches
which operated local excursions for European tourists in Switzerland.
By
1950, Globus Viaggi had grown to a fleet of 33 coaches
and featured overnight excursions to Rome, Venice, the Dolomites and
the French Riviera. Gradually, these became regularly scheduled tours
and grew longer to cover more ground. Later that decade, under the
leadership of Werner Albek, Antonio's business partner, Globus
pioneered the concept of Grand European Touring by offering first-class
European tours to North Americans. By 1961, the company launched its
Cosmos arm, which featured affordable, value-priced European touring
for the cost-conscious British traveler.
The
coach tours were so successful that Cosmos soon
introduced another form of travel for the British market: air holiday
packages to the sunny destinations of southern Europe. By 1968, Cosmos
air holidays became so popular the company formed its own airline,
Monarch Airlines. Monarch Airlines started out modestly with two used
Britannia aircraft and eventually blossomed into one of the most
successful European charter companies with a large fleet of modern jets
and its own engineering division.
Under
the flagship of Sergio Mantegazza, current president
and son of Antonio, Globus began expanding its markets beyond Great
Britain and North America. Since 1974, travel packages have been sold
in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and most recently in Southeast Asia.
Starting in the 70s, the company also aggressively expanded its
offerings, introducing travelers to more countries than any other tour
operator with packages to Africa, South and North America, Europe, the
South Pacific and Asia.
Today,
the Globus family of brands is marketed and operated
by a network of more than 32 independent tourism and aviation
businesses, serviced by a group of more than 5,000 professionals
worldwide. Combined, Globus, Cosmos, and Monograms carry over 500,000
passengers a year, making the organization the leading operator of
guided vacations worldwide. Globus attributes its success to the ideals
of founder Antonio Mantegazza. For three generations, his vision, hard
work, love for travel, and commitment have guided the company. These
values are the cornerstone on which Globus was built and will continue
to grow.
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From
its exciting cities to its spectacular scenery, Europe has it all, and
on this affordable European tour, you'll see the main highlights. Start
in Amsterdam with a scenic canal cruise and end in Paris with a guided
tour and time on your own. In between, you’ll discover Germany,
Austria, Italy, and Switzerland.
