I went on our “17-day Grand European Tour” which is a great tour, especially for those taking their first trip to Europe, as it includes all the top destinations of Europe in one visit. I was joined by a great group of people from all over the U.S., and I really had a good time getting to know them better as we saw the sights together. I hope you enjoy reading my review about some of my favorite parts of the tour.

In Paris we saw the Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Opera House, the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral, and of course the most famous of Parisian sights, the Eiffel Tower. I also had the opportunity to visit the amazing Louvre Museum on an optional excursion the tour director offered.

As we left Paris on our way to Switzerland we stopped in the medieval village of Beaune before continuing our drive through the Burgundy region of France and into the Alpine village of Engelberg. The next day we drove to nearby Lucerne for a day excursion where we saw the city wall with its watchtowers and the city’s famous landmark, Chapel Bridge, a long, wooden covered bridge.

With an “extended spring” in Europe this year, we had the pleasure of late snow in the Alps which added to our view during our stay in Engelberg. Our hotel was in a prime location, so I took an evening stroll and was able to enjoy the crisp air and the sound of cow bells from the nearby hills. I thought the size and atmosphere of Engelberg was a perfect contrast to the busier city of Lucerne and was glad to see and experience this other side of Switzerland.

From Switzerland, our expectations and excitement grew as we crossed the Alps and passed through the Italian Lake District. At the Riviera we were met with sunny skies, beautiful blue water and palm trees – what a change of landscape from the mountains and Alpine villages of Switzerland! We had a fun day exploring the Principality of Monaco, and I really enjoyed my time in this beautiful and ritzy place.

As we drove through Italy on our way to Florence, we stopped in the town of Pisa. As you walk up to the city walls and step through the gate the first thing to catch your eye is the tower jutting out at an odd angle compared to the rest. It is amazing to see how much it really does lean and that it hasn’t fallen down after all this time!

In Florence we watched a leather works demonstration and learned how they applied gold leaf and worked the leather for which they are famous. That night was our Dine-Around dinner and our tour director gave us three restaurants to choose from. I chose to go to a wonderful Tuscan restaurant just outside the city; the food was delicious and it was probably my most memorable meal from the entire trip.

We drove through the beautiful Chianti region on our way to the eternal city of Rome. In Rome, we saw the Roman Forum, Circus Maximus and St. Peter’s Basilica with its famous dome. I also went on an optional excursion to visit the intriguing Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museum.

One of the great benefits of traveling on an escorted tour with GET is the insider access to top sites in each city. I was able to experience this first hand while in Rome. Even though my colleagues had warned me about how busy some sights were, I shouldn’t have been surprised, but as we approached the entrance to the Colosseum I was shocked to see a waiting line 5 people thick wrapped halfway around the building – and this was prior to peak tourist season!

Since the Colosseum is one of the included highlights on this tour, we had pre-booked reservations and walked right past the entire line and straight through to view inside the Colosseum. We explored the hallways with our local guide who provided commentary on the history along the way. When we exited, it seemed that the line had barely moved. It was great to avoid the hassle of waiting in line, giving us more time for other things we wanted to see.

I enjoyed a really great trip. It was nice being on the coach and having someone else drive around so that I could see the sights along the way. When we arrived at the hotels our tour director handed us our key, and we were able to go straight up to our rooms avoiding the hassles of checking in while our bags were brought up for us.

Our excellent tour director, Peter, offered a lot of great information about the sights we were seeing, how they influenced history, and really got us excited about the sights yet to come. I enjoyed the meals throughout the tour as well; the breakfasts offered a lot of filling choices and the dinners were quite delicious.

While I had the opportunity to see so many of Europe’s most famous sights, the things that remained with me after I arrived home were the smaller, more intimate experiences that we enjoyed together.

My most memorable experience was our visit to Lucerne. Mark Twain once described the Swiss Lion Monument as “the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world.” When I first laid eyes on the monument, I saw the most majestic and at the same time the most mournful lion I had ever seen. I found it very moving and know that the memory will stay with me forever.

Overall, this was a wonderful experience. It reiterated for me how well our travelers are cared for, as well as the many diverse sights and experiences that are included in our itineraries, creating a great value for GET travelers. I would highly recommend our Grand European Tour to anyone considering a trip to Europe, as you really do experience the best of Europe on this tour.

To view photos of my tour, click here.

For more information about our 17-day Grand European Tour, including the day-by-day itinerary, accommodations, and dates & prices, click here.

To learn more or make a reservation call one of our friendly Travel Specialists today! 1-866-873-0356 Mention Code: EM10

At GET we strive to provide our clients with accurate and current information about our tours. In order to do this we invest significantly in our staff, sending them out on tours so that they can share their stories and experiences with you, our clients, upon their return. Recently we sent one of our Travel Specialists, Amanda Lowe, on our “Grand European Tour.” We hope you enjoyed her report.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 6th, 2010 at 6:47 pm and is filed under Staff Tour Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment or question, using the form below: