Paris to Rome tours of Italy and France

country:	France, Italy
departures:	2010: 19 Apr, 10 May, 24 May, 21 Jun
price:	From £1820 (15 days) excluding flights, plus local payment €400. We can arrange flights from the UK
vouchers:	Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday

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Europe holidays

Overland holidays

the amazing things you'll be doing

Paris, Dijon, Burgundy vineyards, Avignon, Arles, Nice, Villefranche, Monaco, Cinque Terre, Florence, Pisa, Rome

This is the perfect trip for those who want to travel through two of the most popular countries in Europe and is destined to become a classic! You'll experience historic cities, ancient monuments and buildings, Tuscan scenery, the splendour of the Cinque Terre and coastal France. Imagine sampling some of the best wines that France has to offer and the fabulous cuisine of Italy. Imagine travelling from Paris, arguably the most beautiful city in the world, to the historically and culturally vibrant capital of Italy. You'll experience it all on this unforgettable journey through the heart of Europe.

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1-2:	Paris. A walk through central Paris introduces us to the wide boulevards, cultural treasures and chic fashion that make this city so special. Climb the iconic Eiffel Tower for amazing views. A free afternoon offers plenty of time to explore the Musee du Louvre, visit the Notre Dame or people-watch while sipping cafe au lait.
Day 3-4:	Burgundy. Graced with Romanesque architecture and some of the best wine in the country, Dijon is the capital of France's richest region. There is plenty of time to explore this gracious city. We also enjoy a lunch of regional specialties in Beune and visit some of Burgundy's world-famous wineries.
Day 5:	Avignon. Travel by train to the picturesque town of Avignon, the residence of the Sovereign Pontiffs for more than a century. Its history will be revealed on a visit to the Palais des Papes, the biggest Gothic palace in the world.
Day 6-8:	Arles/The Riviera. After a walk around Arles, rich in Roman monuments and artistic history, we head to the heart of the French Riviera, Nice. There is time to relax and explore the beaches, nightlife and glamour of the Cote d'Azur, while a day trip to Monaco provides us with the perfect opportunity to live it up with the highrollers. Or escape the glamour at the quirky Jardin Exotique, home to thousands of cacti.
Day 9-10:	Cinque Terre. A coastal train journey takes us to the Cinque Terre, Italy's famous 'five lands'. With mountains above and sea below, the coastal path that connects the villages of the Cinque Terre is spectacular. Our time here offers the chance to enjoy dips in the ocean or dine on fresh seafood by the waterfront.
Day 11-13:	Florence/Pisa. An afternoon walk acquaints us with the museums, statues and buildings that give Florence its reputation as an outdoor museum. We take in the best of the city including the Ponte Vecchio, the 13th century Duomo and the quintessential Italian sunset over the city's famous red roofs. There is ample free time to admire Michelangelo's David, visit the treasured Medici Chapels or lose yourself in the long galleries of the Uffizi.
Day 14-15:	Rome. A final train ride takes us to Rome. The Eternal City is both hectic and timeless, and home to some of the most amazing sights in Europe. We visit the Colosseum before a final dinner brings our journey to an end.

travellers' tales

Hiking in the Cinque Terre and cycling in Lucca were the highlights. Local trains and buses and staying in small often family run hotels certainly minimized our impact. (more)

small group adventure holiday

This is a 'small group adventure' - on our group trips you'll be with a maximum of 11 like minded travellers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting people from other parts of the world as well as seeing new places! (more)

highly commended

This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.

Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.

how this holiday makes a difference

We are committed to a style of travel that is environmentally, culturally and socially responsible. With your participation we aim to travel in a way that conserves the areas we visit and bring positive benefits to local communities. Basically we ask all our travellers to respect local rules and values. This means different things in different countries so be as informed as possible about the country you visit before you arrive - try to learn some of the local language and read about the religion and culture. This will improve your travelling experience. With a little effort on your part you will find yourself coming away with a greater sense of understanding of other cultures and feeling pleased to have left a positive mark on the country you visited.

With three whole weeks to explore the magic and cultures of Europe, you will have countless opportunities to interact with the friendly local people, to absorb the mellow yet passionate culture, discover the rich history, and to gain great insight into the local way of life.

Our travel style involves:

Grass roots travel using local public transport where possible - minimises demand for special tourist vehicles and fuel.
We choose small-scale locally owned accommodation and home stays where available and local restaurants and markets for dining, retaining revenue in local communities.
Our leaders facilitate communication of our values to travellers and local communities, educating them in sustainable tourism practices.
We employ local guides to aid travellers' understanding of local culture and etiquette.
Small groups allow travellers to experience cultures at first hand, offering greater opportunity for cross- cultural understanding.

Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people.

We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel.

'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left).

We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays.

We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism.

This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards.