4-Day Western Europe Tour: Paris to Amsterdam
4-Day Western Europe Tour: Paris to Amsterdam. See the best of France and Germany on this amazing 4-Day Western Europe Tour: Paris to Amsterdam!
4-Day Western Europe Tour: Paris to Amsterdam
Highlights
- Spend a lovely day in Reims
- Take a walking tour in Luxembourg
- Visit Trier
- Enjoy a riverside lunch in Koblenz
- Overnight in Frankfurt
- Alte Oper
- Visit Bonn, former capital of West Germany
- Visit the cathedral in Cologne
- See the best of Amsterdam
- Visit a wooden shoe worksop in Zaanse Schans
Itinerary
Day 1: Paris – Reims – Luxembourg
From Paris, we’ll travel through the picturesque countryside of Champagne, a region known around the world for its sparkling white wine. Visit the provincial capital of Reims and its many ancient sites, including the cathedral, which dates back to the 11th century and was used to crown French monarchs.
The next stop on your journey is Luxembourg, the last remaining Grand Duchy in the world, and a place steeped in history and tradition. You’ll be taken on a walking tour of elegant Luxembourg City, including landmarks like the Place de Constitution and Pont Adolphe, before being given free time to explore on your own.
Day 2: Luxembourg – Trier – Koblenz – Frankfurt
We’re crossing yet another European border today, this one into Germany from Luxembourg. The journey begins in Trier, Germany’s oldest city and the spot where Karl Marx was born. The house where the famous thinker was born is now a museum known as Karl Marx Haus, and you can have a look at it from the outside.
The next stop on your walking tour is the city centre of Trier, where you can explore the magnificent church and see the Holy Robe, which is revered as Christ’s own tunic. Since Constantine spent ten years as an administrator in Trier, the city has earned the nickname “The Second Rome,” and many structures from the Roman Empire’s heyday can still be seen there. The best-preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps, Porta Nigra, is the centrepiece of the trip.
The following day, after an eventful morning in Trier, you’ll continue on to Koblenz, where the Rhine and Mosel rivers meet. Here, you may enjoy a leisurely lunch by the water, and then continue the experience with a cruise along the Rhine for breathtaking views of the city. When you reach dry land again, the wine town of Rüdesheim will be your next stop. The next stop is Frankfurt am Main, where you may enjoy the sights and sounds of Römerberg, a lovely square dominated by a striking mediaeval town hall.
Day 3: Frankfurt – Bonn – Cologne – Amsterdam
From Frankfurt, you can take your time driving north-west to Bonn, the capital of West Germany before the country was reunited. Although the federal government is headquartered in Berlin at present, the historic city of Bonn is definitely worth visiting. On an orientation walk, you’ll learn about the city’s history and culture as you pass landmarks like the Rococo-style town hall and the Ludwig Van Beethoven Haus, a museum dedicated to the life of the famous composer.
Cologne’s magnificent Gothic Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is your next stop. The rest of the day is free, so feel free to go on a shopping spree, see more of the city, or just kick back with a cold German beer.
The day concludes with a drive to the Netherlands after lunch.
Day 4: Amsterdam – Zaanse Schans – Amsterdam
We’ll start our day with a hotel breakfast before making our way to Dam Square to see the Royal Palace and the National Monument. You can take a glass-topped boat for an hour-long tour of the historic canals if you like. Then, we’ll head to the Coster Diamond Factory to learn how these stones are cut and polished using methods that date back to the 1600s.
Zaanse Schans, the Dutch windmill capital, will be our first trip this afternoon. We’ll stop by the Cheese Farm and the Wooden Shoe Workshop & Museum to learn about the production processes behind clogs and cheese, respectively.
