Wanderlust

After an intense few days enjoying the city of Madrid, we will have some free time this morning before we begin our journey to Paris and our 1 month trip of Europe, spending the night on a bus.

Did you know…

• In Madrid you will find the oldest restaurant in the world! Casa Botín, founded in 1725, is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records.
• The Royal Palace is very big. With an area of 135,000 square meters, it becomes the largest royal palace in Western Europe and therefore one of the largest in the world.
• Km O can be found in Puerta del Sol, the central point to all four corners of Spain.
• In the Retiro Park is a statue of Satan himself, one of the few depictions of the devil in the world and the only one in Spain. It is the Monument of the Fallen Angel and is exactly 666 meters above sea level.

Whether you are in love or not, Paris is the city of love.

It’s going to be an intense day on the most complete trip of Europe in summer in the “Ville Lumiere”, so put your comfortable shoes on because it’s time to walk. We will start at the Notre Dame, the great Lady of Paris, and going through pont Neuf, we will admire Paris’ river, The Seine and we will pass by the museum that contains the most famous painting of all times, Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.

Of course, our tour will take us to the most famous tower, the Eiffel Tower – the most representative icon of the French capital, which has become the worlds best-selling keychain.

Did you know…

• The Eiffel Tower is 18 cm higher in summer, given the expansion of iron from the heat.
• Why is Paris called the City of Light? Its because many burglaries used to take place, so the mayor ordered putting candles in all windows, until gas lamps were installed on the streets.
• A problem called “Paris Syndrome“ affects many Japanese who arrive to the city with very high expectations which are not fulfilled during their visit so they suffer great disappointment. There is even a phone line available 24 hours a day for victims of the syndrome.

*Optional Activity:

• Paris by Night

Have a croissant as we head towards to our bus, this time heading for Belgium.

We will start the day visiting the precious city of Bruges, which is the most visited city of Belgium, in front of the capital, Brussels, where we will arrive later on.

Brussels, despite being a modern city and not that big, is the capital of Belgium and all of Europe. This decision was made due to its central position and the fact it was one of the few countries that belonged to the union of countries that formed the nucleus of todays European Union.

Many international organisations, such as the EEC and the European Parliament, are headquartered here. That’s why it’s easy to see more diplomats on the street and planes flying over the city.

Tonight on the most complete trip of Europe in summer, prepare yourself to enjoy one of the prettiest squares of Europe… which looks even prettier after a couple of Belgian beers.

Good morning!

Today on our trip we will head to our next destination: and we´ll arrive in Amsterdam! We will leave the suitcases and after a quick rest we will go straight to the centre, to get to know one of the most liberal cities in the world, and its famous Red Light District.

We will give you the option of having a boat tour through the canals to get a feel for city from its most characteristic side (and saving you a few kilometers walking!), and if you wish you can visit the famous Anne Frank Museum, an alternative museum showing the experience of a young Dutch girl throughout the Second World War, whose diary has been read by millions of people.

*Optional Activities:

• Boat tour through the canals
• Entry into Anne Frank´s Museum

Today on the most complete trip of Europe in summer we will offer you two options, and you have to choose! You can dedicate the whole day to enjoy Amsterdam and its unique architecture, with houses so tall and thin that they defy the laws of gravity, or you can join any of our optional activities.

The first of these will be an excursion in the morning to Zaanse Schans, known as the “Windmill Town”, described as an open air museum where they will teach us the process of making the famous Dutch clogs and their typical cheese. In the afternoon we offer you entry to the Heineken Experience – a fun guided visit to the factory of one of the most famous beers in the world, where later you will have the opportunity to try a couple of their beers.

Other recommendations for the day are to have a walk to the Van Gogh Museum, the Rjyksmuseum, the Flemish museum of Rembrandt, or if your prefer diamonds, there is also a museum dedicated to the “forever stone”.

*Optional Activities:

• Heineken Experience
• Visit the Dutch Mills, Zaanse Schans

Did you know…

• The facades of the multitude of houses that populate Amsterdam lean forward. It is said that their architects created them thinking that, due to their narrowness, the only way to get furniture into the house could be from the windows. For this reason they have a hook on their roof and are slightly tilted forward from top to bottom, to prevent the furniture from colliding with the facade when the furniture is climbed. It seems strange, but 300 years ago there was no IKEA with furniture that you put together at home.

Today we say goodbye to the most liberal city in the world, to reach our next destination on the most complete trip of Europe in summer – Berlin!

Berlin, after being almost completely destroyed throughout World War II, has had to reinvent itself and achieved it mostly from 1989, following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the unification of the west and east side of the city. Since then, because of the low cost of life, it has attracted urban artists from all over Europe, and that is why today it is possible to admire the best graffiti on the continent.

Recharge your batteries, take a walk through the streets of the German capital or have some cold beers in one of the countless breweries the city offers.

*Optional Activity:

• Walking Tour of Berlin with local professional guide

Did you know…

• The Berlin wall, which divided the city between 13th August of 1961 and 9th November 1989, was 45 km long. This wall separated the western part of Berlin from the communist part. Known as “wall of shame” it was 3,6 metres high.
• One tenth of the Berliners are foreigners, including Turks, Italians, Polish and Russians. Moreover, Berlin has the biggest Turkish community after the Turkey itself, formed by more than 150.000 people. The Kreuzberg district, the most multicultural and is otherwise known as “little Istanbul”.

From here we will continue our Europe trip in summer, in the direction of Prague, where you be charmed by the elegant streets and old town of the city, and by its dazzling castle.

We hope you didn’t get too tired today, as Prague is known for its parties and beers!

Do you know its legends?

The legends of Prague

Enjoy strolling through the Old Town today the most complete trip of Europe in summer… We will take you through Wenceslas Square, universally known for being the setting of the “Prague Spring”, we will discover the most famous astronomical clock in the world, and cross the Vltava River by the Bridge of St. Charles. A bridge famous for the 30 Baroque sculptures, we will arrive at the foot of the largest castle in the world, where a world reference in literature was living: Kafka.

Do you still have energy? Well, you have to discover the New Town, also of medieval origin, and the old Jewish Quarter.

Did you know…

• Prague Castle is rated as the largest ancient castle on Earth. And this is where the Bohemian monarchy and the Presidents of the Czech Republic lived. Its infrastructure can be admired by the public, the Golden Alley, the Black Tower and the White Tower.
• The Czech Republic is the country where the most beer is drunk each year per capita. Beer is part of their daily culture there are so many different brands available, that it would be impossible to test them all, even drinking 10 a day throughout the trip. Impressive!

We still have half of our the most complete trip of Europe in summer left! Can you believe it?

We get back on our bus, but we won´t stop here, since another country awaits us, Austria, and its dazzling capital, Vienna.

You will have the opportunity to choose what you feel like doing. Going on a bus tour with a local guide and visiting all of the most important places of the city, or if you prefer, discovering the city by yourself. On the bus you will be able to visit the main points of Vienna, from the Prater and the old Ferris wheel, to the Danube, and then passing along the Ringstrasse, admiring its precious 19th Century monuments. You will get to know about the Russian Military, and the Beldevere Palace (the museum where you can find the famous painting The Kiss by Klimt)… and also feel like Empress Sissi in the Schönbrunn Gardens.

*Optional Activity:

• Vienna bus tour with local professional guide.

Did you know…

• Vienna was the cultural capital of the 19th Century. The Hapsburgs financed every kind of artist, and thats why Vienna is one of the places that has to be on your bucket list.
• Austria was lucky to leave the Russian Hegemony in 1955 to become a neutral country. Therefore nowadays Austria is a much richer and more developed country than its neighbours.
• Look at the traffic lights in the city and you will notice something very curious.

More Information:

Interesting facts about Sissi empeatriz of Austria

Austria, a country of distinguished individuals

Today on our most complete trip of Europe in summer we will wake up in Budapest, one of the liveliest cities in Europe.

The city of Budapest was born by the unification of the two cities, Buda and Pest, through the construction of the Chain Bridge. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, Hungary and its capital have developed impressively, and every year there are more and more tourists, above all, young people, who are attracted by the festivals and the nightlife of the Ruin Bars. Did you go to one last night? If you didnt, you still have times, but run, tomorrow we are changing countries!

Good morning! Are you prepared for another day of adventure on our the most complete trip of Europe in summer?

We still have some time to discover Slovenia before crossing the border. Here the nature is very benevolent and if you join our optional activity today, you will understand why. Amongst these mountains there are some incredible caves that are miles and miles long, and, thanks the the Karst phenomena, stalagmites and stalactites have formed, creating all natural sculptures. Do you dare to discover the most tourisitic caves in Europe, the Postojna Caves?

*Optional Activity:

• Postojna Caves: visit to caves in an old mine train

After eating, we will set off for Italy to see one of the most visited cities in the world: Venice.

Venice had the honour of being one of the most powerful, rich and populated cities over many centuries, dominating the Mediterranean and the eastern trade route of the, and its arte reflects the Byzantine and Asian influence that Marco Polo showed us.

Buongiorno! We will wake up in Venice!

We will dedicate the day of this Europe trip in summer to discovering one of the most photographed places in the world, so take the camera out because bridges, Vaporettos and Gondolas waiting are waiting fto be snapped.

We will enjoy the Byzantine-influenced art that characterizes the St. Marks Basilica, you can admire the large canal from the Rialto Bridge, but if you really want to enjoy this city get lost in its alleys and you will be amazed by the turn of each corner. Also we give you the opportunity to see two islands that will really surprise you: Murano. famous for the artisanal production of glass known all over the world, and Burano, a small fishing island that you surely will have seen for its famous colourful houses.

*Optional Activity:

• Venice Pack: Visit to Murano and Burano: Visit of these two islands of the Venetian lagoon and trip on a night boat through the Gran Canal.

Did you know…

• The last bridge built in Venice was designed by a Spanish architect: Calatrava.
• Sometimes in Venice there occurs a phenomenon called “Acqua Alta”. This causes a steep rise in water level in the Venice lagoon, usually lasts about 3 – 4 hours. Depending on the intensity with which it occurs, most of the old town can flood, with half a meter of water.
• Venice doesn’t drive cars, not even bicycles because it’s forbidden, you’ll even get fined. The only way to get around the city is on foot or by water.
• Although strolling through Venice, it gives us the impression that there are many canals, there are only two, the Canal Grande and the Giudecca Canal. The rest of the small canals that flow between the narrow streets are called rivers.

Today on the most complete trip of Europe in summer, another Italian gem awaits our arrival: Florence.

Welcome to the birthplace of The Reinaissance. Walking through the streets of Florence is like visiting an immense open air art gallery. It was home to numerous artists like Leonardo and Dante, and it is said that the Florentine Dialect is the origen of the Italian language. We will walk through the city and see the Duomo and its great jewel, the emblematic Dome of Brunelleschi, the Palazzo Vecchio, which is now home to the offices of the government, and without a doubt, the most well known image of the city, the Ponte Vecchio, that will a perfect postcard picture.

Today on our 1 month trip of Europe we give you two options: you can enjoy Florence at your own pace, visit many works of art in the Uffizi Museum, or if you dont feel like going to a museum you can walk to the hills of Florence where you will be able to admire the mythical Brunelleschi Dome that dominates the whole city. Or, if you prefer you can join our excursion to the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa and the 5 most picturesque towns of the Spezia coast, Cinque Terre.

If you decide to come with us, come with fully charged batteries! Bring your swimsuit, towel and sun cream, as after so much art we will relax and refresh in a unique place in the world: 5 Terre. 5 little villages with houses of all colors, which are among green mountains and bluest sea you have ever seen!! A place where pollution has hardly made a dent. There are hardly any cars and the way to go from one village to another is by walking or on a spectacular little train that passes by the sea. In the afternoon we will continue our route to see the famous Tower of Pisa, one of the most photographed places in the world, and we will discover who can take the most unique and original photo with it.

*Optional Activity:

• Full day excursion to Pisa and CinqueTerre

Did you know…

• • These are five small towns on the Italian coast over ten kilometers of rocky coast enclosed by two cliffs, Punta di Mesco and Punta di Montenero.
  • They were declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1997.
  • It consists of Monterosso Al Mare, Vernazza, Manarola, Riomaggiore and Corniglia.
  • It is a natural park with a blue sea that will not leave you indifferent.
  • The most remarkable thing about Pisa is its sloping tower. Millions of tourists flock to her and the typical “holding it” photo every year.
  • The Tower of Pisa, is considered, next to the cathedral of which it is part, one of the jewels of Romanesque art, and the government has requested help on several occasions to prevent it from collapsing.

The capital of Italy and ancient “caput mundi” awaits us with its thousands of years of history. There are plenty of reasons to visit Rome, captivate yourself with the city and wish to return to it, like the food and its lively atmosphere are some of them.

In the beautiful capital we offer you a pack of optional activities that you don´t want to miss out on. Our Rome Pack today includes entrance into the Flavius Amphitheatre, better known as The Colosseum, and to the Roman Forums – the heart of the ancient city of Rome. We will leave the rest until tomorrow – The Vatican and the Sistine Chapel! Are you joining?

*Optional Activity:

• Rome Pack: Chapel Sistine + Musei Vaticani + Colosseum + Walk through Rome + Transfers

Did you know…

• In Rome’s St. Peter’s Cathedral, you can find stars on the marble pavement, right in the middle of a corridor that runs through the central nave. What they represent are the length of various Catholic temples in the world.
• It is located the Bocca Della Veritá (Mouth of Truth), in St. Maria in Cosmedin, the most famous mouth on the planet. According to legend, if you put your hand in its mouth and you are lying, you will be bitten.

Today on the most complete trip of Europe in summerwe say goodbye to the eternal city and go straight to the smallest country in the world: The Vatican. It is a sovereign state within the city of Rome, so then we will return and head to Naples!

The old town, the Roman ruins, the Greek walls, the folklore that is breathed through the streets, are a small part of everything you can see in this Italian city. Its streets are full of life and art.

You have all afternoon to check it out!

Enjoy this summer day on our Wanderlust trip in Naples or go and see two other Italian pearls – the Amalfi Coast and Capri.

The Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful tours in Italy. Behind each corner awaits a panoramic view of the deep blue sea, bays which lift up the small houses, picturesque alleys that form the cities by which the Amalfi Coast is composed of…

*Optional Activity:

• Excursion to the Amalfi Coast and Capri

After a complete day on the ferry, we will arrive in Barcleona late at night and head straight to the hotel.

Little by little Wanderlust is coming to an end!