Enjoy the urban chic of London, sprinkled with the magic of royalty, art and gardens. See a West End theatre play, ride on the London Eye, tour the Tower of London, the British Museum, and take the Thames River cruise. Then venture to the picture perfect Cotswolds, discover the hidden Oxford, look for Jane Austen's heritage in Bath and visit the prehistoric Stonehenge. THIS TOUR IS FULL - ACCEPTING STANDBY RESERVATIONS
IRELAND
Dublin and the Emerald Glens July 17 - 26, 2013 Steeped in the mist of history and woven into a rich tapestry of arts and literature, Ireland offers magnificent landscapes of vibrant mossy hills and dramatic coast strewn with castles, prehistoric monuments and manor houses, as well as a fascinating Celtic heritage. Follow in the footsteps of Irish writers in Dublin, see the wind-swept Cliffs of Moher, the rock-encrusted Burren, the translucent Killarney lakes, the spectacular Ring of Kerry seascapes, then join in a singalong in a local pub. ONE ROOM LEFT
ICELAND
Geysers and Glaciers July 28 - August 3, 2013 Enjoy hip Reykjavík with its vibrant music scene, the beautiful Blue Lagoon, boiling mud pools, spurting geysers, glaciers and waterfalls in this Northern adventure playground and geological marvel. Iceland's breathtaking landscape is an inspiration to artists and photographers and it spells its magic with pure, unpolluted and truly magical landscapes. THIS TOUR IS FULL - ACCEPTING STANDBY RESERVATIONS
August 5 - 14, 2013 Experience the spa culture of Budapest, the champagne night-time cruise on the Danube and the mighty Buda Castle. Then travel to Vienna, immersed in the Old World elegance, Viennese pastries and coffee, Mozart and waltz music and the mighty Danube weaving through it all. End the tour with the dreamy cityscape of Prague's winding lanes, stone bridges and delicate spires, set in the legendary Bohemia. Enjoy the best in classical music, Art Nouveau architecture, and the Black Light Theatre.
THIS TOUR IS FULL - ACCEPTING STANDBY RESERVATIONS
August 25 - September 3, 2013 Fall in love with Paris, the City of Light, as you visit the Notre Dame, Louvre and Versailles. Take a cruise on the Seine and a culinary gourmet walk through the Left Bank. Enjoy a Moulin Rouge show and dinner atop the Eiffel Tower. Then travel to a luxury villa in Provence and visit Avignon, Arles, Aix-en-Provence, Pont du Gard, Provencal villages and vineyards. Take a wine appreciation class and a private cooking lesson. THIS TOUR IS FULL - ACCEPTING STANDBY RESERVATIONS
ITALY
Venice and the Italian Lakes September 7-15, 2013
See La Scala and the Last Supper in the uber-chic Milan. Relax at the romantic Lake Como, with Bellagio, opulent villas, tropical gardens and the majestic Alps. Visit Juliet's hose in Verona and fall in love with the magical Venice: the mysterious canals filled with gondolas, Piazza San Marco, Doges' Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, sumptuous palazzos along the Grand Canal, La Fenice and the glorious Venetian art. Marvel at stories of forbidden love as you ride the gondola, listen to Vivaldi or watch Murano artisans produce glass masterpieces.
THIS TOUR IS FULL - ACCEPTING STANDBY RESERVATIONS
Classic Tuscany September 16 - 24, 2013 Spend an idyllic vacation in Tuscany, as you discover the glorious towns of Siena, Florence, Cortona and San Gimignano. Enjoy the sun, the verdant hills covered in vineyards, the wines and the amazing food. Stay in a lovingly restored luxury Tuscan villa in the Chianti hills, attend a private Tuscan cooking class and spend your days marveling at countless art treasures, perfect vistas and the unique magic of Tuscany.
Enjoy the city of the Caesars and la dolce vita, long sunny days, endless art galleries, fountain-splashed piazzas, flower markets and gelato. Tour the ancient monuments of the Roman Empire, explore cobbled medieval streets and Renaissance domes set the stage for great wine bars, fabulous dining, sidewalk cafes and uncomparable shopping. Take insightful tours of the Vatican, Galleria and Villa Borghese and Emperor Hadrian's villa in Tivoli.
Dramatically beautiful, wild, daring and romantic, the Amalfi Coast defines an Italian luxury escape. Marvel at the dramatic Amalfi coastline with aquamarine waters, steep cliffs and lemon groves below the Vesuvius, tour Pompeii and Naples and the romantic island of Capri. Take a cooking class in the unique setting of Ravello, walk through the fragrant gardens of Positano, suspended over the sparkling sea, tour the Greek temples in Paestum, and take a private boat tour of secluded beaches, coves and grottoes of the Sorrento Peninsula.
TWO ROOMS LEFT
The Secrets of Sicily October 9 - 18, 2013 In many ways, Sicily is the ultimate Italy. Rich in art, archaeological treasures, history, creative cuisine and the breathtaking Mediterranean scenery, the island has been the crossroads between Europe and Africa for centuries. Sicily is warm, golden, and sprinkled with blindingly white Greek temples. This is where Archimedes taught, St. Paul preached and where the omnipresent Mount Etnamade history. ONE SPACE LEFT
ARGENTINA
Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls November 8 - 14, 2013 The sophistication and the fiery passion of Buenos Aires. Serenity and the magnificent nature at Iguazu Falls. Antarctic nature and glaciers in Ushuaia. Find Argentina's soul in the glamorous tango, excellent wines, nouvelle cuisine, Pampas horseriding and Gauchos. Enjoy tango lessons, cooking classes and designer shopping.
Experience the true Old World charm and heart-warming Christmas traditions, as you explore the Advent markets held in towns and villages throughtout Germany. Visit the modern Berlin, baroque Dresden, and medieval Munich, as you enjoy the romance of train travel, history, food, music and fairytale snowy landscapes.
Enjoy the cosmopolitan Cape Town, with rugged beaches, Table Mountain, African penguins, Cape of Good Hope, and wine touring. Then spend time at a luxury private game reserve in the Sabi Sand area of the Kruger National Park on a world-class safari and track the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino). This tour is guaranteed to become a highlight of your life.OptionalVictoria FallsTour (February 2 - 5, 2014).
BRAZIL
The Amazon Expedition Cruise January 27 - February 1, 2014 This unforgettable journey into the Amazon wilderness is a private expedition on the Earth's mightiest river and into pristine areas penetrated by only a privileged few. Sail aboard a luxury expedition ship which docks along the river shore, where experienced naturalists take you into the orchid-festooned rainforest, full of exotic fruit, rare birds and animals, including the pink Amazon dolphin, three-toes sloth, caiman and squirrel monkeys.
NEW ZEALAND
North Island and South Island February 17 - 28, 2014 Discover the world's most stunningly diverse landscapes in the Paradise of the Pacific: from subtropical beaches and lush vineyards to geysers, mossy forests and dramatic fjords. Experience the native Maori culture, take a cruise across Milford Sound, ride the TranzAlpine train through Mount Cook National Park with waterfalls, geysers, surreal green and the Lord of the Rings scenery.
VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA
Ha Long Bay to Mekong Delta
March 8 - 19, 2014 Sail among the thousands of limestone islands of Ha Long Bay and across the Perfume River, stroll by peaceful pagodas and Buddhist monasteries, watch colorful floating markets of the Mekong River Delta and enjoy a private cooking class. Discover the many aspects of the French colonial Hanoi and the vibrant city of Saigon. Optional Angkor Wat Tour (March 19 - 22, 2014), Cambodia.
Experience the exotic beauty of Morocco, as you ride camels from a lush oasis to a Berber camp in the Sahara Desert, take a Moroccan cooking arts class, stay at luxury riads and ancient kasbahs. Tour Majorelle Gardens, hike the High Atlas Mountains, indulge in Moroccan spa treatments, stroll the oceanside promenade of Casablanca, through medieval souks and medinas of Fez and the palm groves of Marrakech.
SPAIN
Andalucia, Madrid and Barcelona April 2014 Explore the enchanted and culturally diverse Spain as you tour the architecturally stunning Barcelona, the artistic and royal Madrid and the perfectly medieval Toledo. Then relax on the achingly beautiful Mediterranean beaches of Costa del Sol, give in to the drama of flamenco, the Andalucian white towns, the Moorish architecture of the Alhambra Palace in Granada and Seville's Alcazar.
UNITED STATES
The Ultimate New York City April 2014 Experience the ultimate New York City: tour the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Rockefeller Center, take a private architectural walking tour, watch a Broadway musical and enjoy a classy jazz dining cruise around the night-time Manhattan. Take a carriage through the Central Park and enjoy an elegant luncheon on the lake. Visit the 9/11 Memorial, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and explore the culinary delights of this cosmopolitan city.
JAPAN
Eternal Land of the Rising Sun April 2014 Historically a land of sublime art, rich traditions, and unsurpassed natural beauty, Japan is also known for its dizzying modernity. Experience fascinating aspects of Japanese culture, from a traditional tea ceremony to staying in a ryokan, as you travel through this land of captivating contrasts on a journey through electrifying Tokyo to ancient Kyoto. Meditate in a Zen temple, ride the bullet train and delight in the natural beauty of Japan's gardens, the majesty of Mt. Fuji and a relaxing cruise on scenic Ashi Lake.
May 2014 Fall in love with Paris, the City of Light, as you visit the Notre Dame, Louvre and Versailles. Take a cruise on the Seine and a culinary gourmet walk through the Left Bank. Enjoy a Moulin Rouge show and dinner atop the Eiffel Tower. Then travel to a luxury villa in Provence and visit Avignon, Arles, Aix-en-Provence, Pont du Gard, Provencal villages and vineyards. Take a wine appreciation class and a private cooking lesson.
Encounter history where it was made while enjoying the paradise surroundings of the Aegean Sea. Tour the Acropolis, the Agora and the ancient temples of Athens. Then, sail on a private yacht and walk on the volcano of the mythical Atlantis, as you enjoy the black sand, the azure seas and the spectacular sunsets of Santorini. From your base at a luxury resort, discover the Minoan civilizations, the beaches, foods and wines of Crete. This tour can be extended by one day for an optional tour of Crete's Most Beautiful Beaches (May 2014).
CROATIA
Dubrovnik and the Dalmatian Coast June 2014 Discover the Pearls of the Adriatic: the white marble Dubrovnik, facing the sea and surrounded by formidable walls, Split with Emperor's Diocletian Palace and the medieval Trogir. Make silk with local women, visit the lavender covered island of Hvar, stroll among the blue-green terraced Plitvice lakes and waterfalls and sail among the lemon-scented Adriatic islands with tiny, red-roofed villages spilling to the sea.
Experience the Old World elegance with Viennese pastries and coffee, waltz music and the mighty Danube weaving through it all. Then tour Salzburg's opulent palaces and foreboding castles, set against the majestic background of the Alps, the crystal lakes and lush meadows. Attend a Mozart concert and Lipizzaner stallions show, hike in the Alps, cruise the Blue Danube and taste new wines in Vienna Woods.
POLAND
Krakow and the Tatra Mountains June 2014 Delight in the unique blend of "fairytale come alive" scenery,warm and passionate locals and the ever-present sense of history. Visit Renaissance palaces and medieval castles, attend Chopin's piano recital and Klezmer music concert, enjoy world-class art, the underground salt mine and the communism utopia tour, the spectacular Tatra Mountains, colorful Highlander culture and excellent cuisine.
THE NETHERLANDS
Amsterdam and the Flower Power June 2014 Fall under the spell of the glorious Dutch springtime, with colorful carpets of tulips and imaginative flower displays, beautiful cathedrals in fairytale medieval cities, windmills set in green, lush countryside, and the romantic canals lined with traditional houses. View magnificent art collections of Amsterdam, cutting-edge architecture of Rotterdam and Delft pottery, taste local cheeses and chocolate and discover the uncommon beauty and the history of the Netherlands.
TURKEY
From Beaches to Antiquity October 2014 Follow the dramatic story of this complex region, woven into history and myth: from exotic, sensory-overloading Istanbul, the ancient sites of Ephesus and Pergamum, to the magical Aegean Coast beaches and geologically stunning Capadoccia. Cruise on the Bosphorus past antiquity monuments, pine forests, olive groves and lavender fields, tour Istanbul's Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Grand Bazaar.
October 2014 Enjoy the magical landscapes of glorious beaches rimmed with golden cliffs, Moorish fortresses and Knights Templar castles, fairytale walled towns, baroque palaces and fantastical Manueline architecture. Attend a fado music performance, paint ceramic tiles following the Moorish patterns, visit Fatima and Sintra, and indulge in amazing Portuguese seafood and wines.
UNITED STATES
Arts and Politics of Washington DC October 2014 Visit the Nation's Capital and see the Smithsonian museums, the National Gallery of Art, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, tour the colonial Old Town Alexandria, take a cruise on the Potomac River, enjoy a show at the Kennedy Center, visit the Newseum, the Library of Congress and the US Capitol, then indulge in designer shopping and fine international dining.
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