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Post by Owen on Nov 27, 2015 20:06:37 GMT
European Grandeur ~ 20th September to 16th October 2011 ~ Sharon M
This travel tale was written by Sharon M and relates to a Insight Vacations Tour. It was originally posted on the Insight Vacations forum.
Summary: I thought I would write a Tour Review for the European Grandeur as there are no recent reviews. I tried to keep it brief but it is a 27 day tour so the review is quite long.
We thoroughly enjoyed the tour. It was quite fast paced and busy but we expected that so it was not a problem. We had a fantastic Tour Director, Nathalie Verbeeten. She has been tour directing for 20 years, speaks 5 languages and she was very organised. Nothing was too much trouble for her.
We had an excellent driver, Cosimo. He is Italian and takes very good care of the coach and us. He was always there at the door to help everyone on and off the coach. How he managed to get the coach through the crazy traffic and narrow streets, I don’t know but I’m glad he was driving and not us and we felt very safe in his hands. Cosimo also kept the coach spotlessly clean. He had to have compulsory breaks during the long driving days. I think it’s every 2 ½ hours and at night he had to have 9 hours break.
We had a great bunch of people on the tour. We had 1 Canadian lady, a Kiwi couple, another Kiwi couple who live in Australia and the rest were Aussies. We had 38 in total, 4 ladies travelling on their own, 2 pairs of ladies who were travelling together and the rest were couples.
Every day we had to move 2 seats in the coach. That way everyone had a turn up the front and at the back. It worked well and we didn’t have any problems with it.
Optionals: We took all of the Optionals that were offered. All of them were good and we didn’t regret doing any of them. Total cost for the 2 of us was 2636 Euros. We paid some in cash and some by credit card.
Day 1 Tuesday 20th September 2011 London-Paris Weather: Overcast 20°
Our 25th anniversary. We had a very early start, up at 4am. Met with our Tour Director, Nathalie. We had breakfast in a brown paper bag in the foyer of the hotel, the Thistle Marble Arch. Not the best breakfast but we survived. We got on the coach at 5.45am for the 2 hour trip to Dover. We arrived there and after showing our passports and grabbing some morning tea, we hopped on the ferry for the crossing to Calais.
Nathalie had told us to buy a sandwich to bring with us for lunch as we would be stopping at the Canadian war memorial at Vimy Ridge. We got off the boat and met our driver, Cosimo. We made our way to Vimy Ridge which was very beautiful. We wandered around there and had our lunch, then back onto the coach for the trip to Paris.
We checked into our hotel, the Concorde Opera. The room is nice, clean and comfortable. We have a king bed which is 2 singles pushed together.
We met with our group for a welcome drink and then Nathalie whisked us off to the oldest restaurant in Paris for dinner. It was so lovely and the food was delicious. Then we were off again to catch the 9pm boat for our cruise down the Siene. Nathalie especially wanted us to get the 9pm boat because on the hour the Eiffel Tower lights up with thousands of sparkly lights. So beautiful. At 10pm we were right in front of the tower when it lit up.
Day 2 Wednesday 21st September Paris Weather: Overcast then fine 20°
We had an 8am start today. We had a local guide from Paris take us to the Palace of Versailles. It is huge and so beautiful. The whole place is very opulent and has absolutely spectacular gardens.
After a couple of hours at the palace we drove back into Paris (about ½ an hour drive) and drove around looking at all the landmarks. Then we went to the Eiffel tower where we had a pre-booked time to go up. We bought some lunch in a little bakery and sat in the park opposite the tower to eat. The gypsies are everywhere around the tower. Luckily we were warned about them and were very careful not to get caught out. You have to be really careful everywhere with your bags and wallets Anyway, we went up the Eiffel tower and it was fantastic.
After the Eiffel tower we had a free afternoon so we caught up with some friends who also arrived in Paris yesterday. We sat in the bar at our hotel and had a nice bottle of chardonnay. Tonight we went to a cabaret show. The Nouvelle Eve. We didn’t do the Moulin Rouge. We would have liked to but Nathalie said she feels the Nouvelle Eve is a better show and more “Parisienne” than the Moulin Rouge. We really enjoyed it. |
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Post by Owen on Nov 27, 2015 20:07:24 GMT
Day 3 Thursday 22nd September Paris to Bordeaux Weather: Fine 23°
We had a long driving day today. We covered over 500kms. We left Paris at 8am and headed towards Bordeaux. After a morning tea stop along the highway we drove through some beautiful French countryside and pretty villages to the Chateau de Chenonceau, a very beautiful palace in the Loire Valley. We spent a couple of hours there looking through the palace and wandering in the gardens, then left to continue our journey to Bordeaux. After another “comfort stop” we arrived in Bordeaux at 6.15pm and checked into our hotel. We had a very nice hotel, The Pullman. A modern room with 2 single beds. We all had dinner together at 7.30 so not much time to get ready by the time we received our bags. Dinner was a set menu. Scallop terrine, roast chicken and vegetables and pear tart. It was quite a nice dinner. It was nice to relax a bit. The last few days have been very full on.
Day 4 Friday 23rd September Bordeaux to Lourdes Weather: Fine, sunny 24°
Another nice day today. We had breakfast at 7am and left the hotel at 8am.
We drove into the centre of Bordeaux and picked up our local tour guide, Bruno. We drove all around Bordeaux for about an hour with Bruno commentating and telling us all the history of the area. It is a very beautiful city with pretty squares and architecture and a lovely wide river running through it. After the coach tour Bruno took us on a walking tour. We all have individual headsets so we can walk around and still hear all the information. We ended up at a little wine bar where we tasted some local red and white wines and cheese and cold meats. It was only 10am so a bit early for wine tasting I think. It was very nice though. After our walking tour we had about an hour to wander through the town and have a look around.
We left Bordeaux about 12.15 and headed to Lourdes, about 4 hours drive away. We stopped for lunch in a very pretty little town called Aire-Sur-lÁdour. We bought a toasted pannini and sat by the river to eat it and soak up the atmosphere. We arrived in Lourdes at 4.45pm. We are surprised how big the town is. It has over 200 hotels. Our hotel is the Hotel de la Grotte. It is right next to the castle. Our room is quite nice and comfortable with a queen size bed, and it has the best shower we have had so far. We have a lovely view of the town and if we open the window we can hear the church bells. We had dinner with the group at the hotel. We had the option to buy a candle and join the procession to the grotto. We opted not to do it because it goes until about 10.30pm then you have to walk about ½ an hour back up a hill to the hotel. Drew’s hip was a bit sore and I was really tired so we watched from our window. It was quite beautiful and those who went really enjoyed it.
Day 5 Saturday 24th September 2011 Lourdes – Madrid Weather : Raining in morning, sunny and warm afternoon 24°
Today was basically just a driving day. We left Lourdes at 7.30am stopped for morning tea at a service centre about 9.45, lunch at 12.30, afternoon tea at 2.45 and arrived at the hotel NH Nacional around 4.30. It’s amazing how the countryside changes so fast. You cross over the Pyrenees mountains where is it very green and lush from all the rain they get and when you come into Spain it becomes very dry and brown. The hotel, the NH Nacional, is quite nice. Nothing flash but clean and comfy. We have 2 singles beds, pushed together. The first thing we did was get our washing done. It is amazing how important your washing becomes on tour.
The last few days have been full on. The pace of the tour will slow down now. We will be having mostly 2 night stays.
Before dinner we went out on the coach to a square, the Plaza Mayor. We had some time to wander around there. It was very nice but you have to hold on to your bag because the pickpockets are pretty bad in the area there. Then Cosimo drove us to a little restaurant where we had dinner in our own dining room. The room looked like it was in the hull of a ship with wood panelled walls and ceiling. We had a delicious dinner, tried some Sangria and were entertained by 3 Spanish singers. After dinner we walked back to the hotel, stopping to take some photos of the beautiful buildings and fountains by night. Looking forward to a good sleep. We can sleep in tomorrow. Breakfast at 8, out the door at 9.
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Post by Owen on Nov 27, 2015 20:07:46 GMT
Day 6 Sunday 25th September 2011
Madrid.
Weather: Sunny 35°
Another lovely day today. We have been really blessed with the weather so far. We had a bit of a sleep in, had breakfast at 8 and on the coach ready to leave at 9. We had a local guide for the day, Maria-Lourdes. She knows everything there is to know about Madrid and Toledo. Nathalie comes along to keep us on time. We started off on a drive around Madrid and a stop to take photos of statues and fountains. Then we were booked in to do a tour of the Royal Palace. We were the first group booked in so we had to wait until the gates opened at 10am. While we were waiting the runners who were competing in the Madrid Marathon went past so we cheered them on along their way. There were about 10000 runners. Then we went into the palace. It was amazing! All of the rooms were so beautiful. After the palace we dropped 4 people back to the hotel as they were not coming to Toledo with us. So the rest of us went to Toledo. It is a fascinating place. All built between 700 – 1400’s. It’s just amazing to walk around and think that it was built so long ago. We had lunch in a little café.
Then Maria-Lourdes took us on a tour through the cathedral. It was so beautiful. They started building it in the 1200’s and finished it in 1493.
We finished our tour with an ice cream and a walk across the bridge which was built in the 1400’s. We had a lovely day although there was quite a lot of walking and it was pretty hot. It is hard going walking on the cobbled streets. You have to watch where you put your feet. Some of the walking was uphill although they do have escalators for some of it which I thought looked a bit strange but was very grateful not to have to walk up all of the steep hills.
After arriving back at the hotel we had the rest of the night free so we decided that whoever wanted to go out to dinner would meet at 7.30. We went back to the room and re-organised our bags a bit and had a rest then off we went again. Some people had been for a walk and checked out where the restaurants were so we wandered around and decided that where else would you go when in Spain but an Italian restaurant? We had a lovely dinner and a few laughs.
Day 7 Monday 26th September 2011
Madrid – Barcelona
Weather: Sunny 30°
Another long driving day today. 600kms. We are almost to the front of the coach. Tomorrow we get the front seat. We left Madrid at 8am, stopped for morning tea and lunch and arrived at our hotel, the Melia, about 4.30pm. It’s a really nice hotel. We have a spa bath (which we probably won’t have time to use!) and the room is great, plenty of room, 2 single beds pushed together again and heaps of power points, which is great when everything needs charging! We also have free wifi which we haven’t had for the last couple of days.
We had a fantastic night tonight. We went to a Spanish restaurant for a buffet meal which was really delicious. So much food!! After dinner we moved into a small theatre and watched a flamenco show. We had front row seats. Very close, in fact we got showered when the guys spun around. The show was brilliant, we have never seen anything like it. I wish we could have filmed it. We were allowed to take a few pictures right at the end but we couldn’t get photos of the main part of the show.
Day 8 Tuesday 27th September 2011
Barcelona
Weather Sunny 35°
A great day again. Started off with the best breakfast so far on the trip. It is a great hotel. Really good lifts (which is important when 38 people want to go upstairs at the same time.) We had a local guide again today, Tony. He met us at the hotel and took us on a driving and walking tour of Barcelona. We went to the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) basilica which is still under construction. It is huge and beautiful in some parts, ugly in others. 2 different architects designed it and their styles are completely different. We saw the Gothic Quarter which is the original part of the city, and the waterfront area which is newer. We had some time to wander around, do some shopping and have a coffee then it was time to head out on our optional tour to Montserrat.
Unfortunately Tony’s voice had been getting weaker all morning and finally it disappeared completely and all he could manage was a whisper. Not good when you are a tour guide. Luckily Tony’s wife is also a tour guide and she was able to come and take over from him. She was nice but it was a shame as we were enjoying Tony’s sense of humour.
We drove up a very winding and narrow mountain road to Montserrat. It was our turn in the front seat of the coach today. Not the best day to have a bird’s eye view of the road. A bit scary at times but we were safe in Cosimo’s hands. Montserrat is very beautiful. There is a monastery, a sanctuary and a beautiful church where you can go and see the black Madonna. We had a couple of hours to have a look around and get some lunch. The views are spectacular everywhere you look. Very special. After a not-quite-as-scary ride back down the other side of the mountain we headed back to Barcelona for a couple of hours free time. Before dinner we drove up the mountain near Barcelona and had a look at the view from there. We also stopped at the Olympic stadium and went in for a look around.
Then we went to a lovely restaurant, another one that looked like a ship! Entrée was a buffet of everything you could imagine – seafood, salads, hot food, paella. Then for the main meal they brought out meats and fish on skewers, churassco style. Another fun night with our new family!
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Post by Owen on Nov 27, 2015 20:08:05 GMT
Day 9 Wednesday 28th September 2011
Barcelona – Monaco
Weather Sunny 32
We did 700kms today. It’s not really that bad because we have a break every 2 ½ hours and we manage to have a nap or two as we go.
We left Barcelona at 8am and arrived in Monaco at 5.45pm. I am running out of words to describe these beautiful places we are seeing. Monaco is just gorgeous. It’s only tiny, 2 ½ square kms. We are staying at the Fairmont Monte Carlo which is right in the middle of Monaco and right next to the Casino. Out room is very pretty and looks out into a central courtyard and up to the Casino. The views from the 7th floor where we will be having breakfast are just unbelievable. You are looking out over the Mediterranean Sea.
Nathalie took us for a walk and showed us around to help us get our bearings then we headed off to have a look around and get some dinner. All of us get along well so whoever wants to go out as a group just all go together and if you want to go on your own, that’s fine too. We are all getting to know each other quite well. We had a nice dinner at a restaurant up on the hill near the casino. Then we went in and made our donation to the economy of Monaco. There are 2 sections to the casino. One is for anyone to go in and is mainly poker machines. The other section is the beautiful old building which is very posh. The men need to wear a jacket and tie and the ladies need to dress up. Since none of us had good clothes we only went into the first section. We did wander in and have a look at the foyer of the old Casino and drooled over all the beautiful cars parked out the front.
We have a free morning till 12.30 tomorrow so we are looking forward to a sleep in.
Day 10 Thursday 29th September 2011
Monaco
Weather Sunny 30°
We had a sleep in this morning till 8am. Lovely! Went up to the 7th floor for breakfast – wow- what a view! We sat outside on the balcony overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and Monaco. It was just so beautiful. After taking our time over breakfast we went for a walk along the boardwalk to the beach.
It was a tiny little patch of sand but still very pretty. We walked back to the hotel via the shops, looking in the windows at all the beautiful things. The cars here are unbelievable.
We had to meet the group at 12.30 for our tour to St Paul de Vence. We drove through Nice which is also very pretty and up the mountain to the little town of St Paul De Vence. It’s exactly what you would expect a little French town to look like. No cars-only walking allowed in the town. Little narrow laneways, men playing boules in the square. So lovely. We walked up to a vantage point and took some photos of the views all around. Then we wandered around and found a little café where we sat and had crepes and salad for lunch. Then we did some shopping. I bought a beautiful tablecloth and some earrings and we chose a small painting to bring home too.
After our visit to the town we drove up the 3 Corniche Road. We visited a French Perfumery and did a tour. Some people shopped. I didn’t really like the perfume but I bought some lovely soaps.
After that we drove up the Grand Corniche and stopped to take photos of St Jean Cap Ferrat. The most expensive real estate in Europe.
Then we went right up the top of the mountain to a very nice little restaurant for a lovely dinner. Then we headed back down to the hotel. When we got back we went up to the pool bar on the 7th floor for a night cap.
Day 11 Friday 30th September 2011
Monaco – Florence
Weather Sunny 28°
A driving day today. Not as long as the last couple though. Not sure how many kms but we left at 8am, stopped in at Pisa for lunch and arrived in Florence at 3.30pm.
We drove through 155 tunnels today. We drove up the coast beside the Mediterranean which was a lovely drive. We were sitting on the right side of the coach for the trip and got some great photos. After driving for an hour or so we were in Italy. We had a bit of an Italian language lesson from Nathalie on the coach. Then we arrived in Pisa. You can’t drive into the town so Cosimo dropped us off and there was a little train waiting to pick us up and drive us into the town. It was really nice there. The leaning tower is actually the bell tower of the church there. There are 3 beautiful buildings – the church, the baptistery and the bell tower (which is the leaning one). There are also lots of little souvenir stands and hawkers trying to sell stuff. After taking photos of each other holding the tower up we found a little café and sat down for lunch. We had a bread roll with ham, cheese and tomato and I had my first Italian coffee. It was very nice. After a look through the shops it was back on the train, onto the coach for the 1 ½ hour drive to Florence. When we arrived we met our local guide, Louise who took us on a walking tour through Florence. It’s nice and has a very impressive church. It’s huge! We had some free time so we went to get a gelato. I think they saw us coming as we paid 16 euro for 2 gelatos.
While we were doing our walking tour Cosimo dropped our bags at the hotel, the NH Firenze, and picked up our keys. Nathalie gave them to us on the coach so we just went straight up to our room and our bags were there waiting for us. This hotel is the opposite to the Fairmont Monte Carlo . Pretty basic but it’s only for 2 nights then we are off again. We said goodbye to Cosimo for a few days. He has some days off to go and see his wife and 3 kids. We will meet him in Sorrento. We will have a new driver tomorrow, Giovanni.
Dinner was in the hotel tonight. Nothing too exciting, just roast pork and veggies.
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Post by Owen on Nov 27, 2015 20:08:17 GMT
Day 12 Saturday 1st October 2011
Florence.
Weather Sunny 30°
A little sleep in this morning and then onto the coach at 8.30. Breakfast was pretty standard hotel food. We went into Florence again and had a look around. We went to a leather shop where they gave us a demonstration of how they stamp the leather and a spiel on what they sell there, which is everything you could imagine. I bought myself a beautiful new leather jacket. We also picked up a few gifts for family and friends. Then we went for a walk and did some more shopping. The bags are getting pretty full! We sat down and had a lovely cup of coffee and a pastry. Then it was time to meet the group for our trip to San Gimignano, up in the Tuscan Hills. First we stopped at a vantage point to get photos of the whole of Florence. Such a beautiful city from above! We drove for about an hour then got off the coach and walked into the town and up, up, uphill. The town is just lovely and the view from the top of the tower was so spectacular. We wandered all around the town and the little shops. Nathalie bought us all a gelato from a shop which has won an award for the best gelato in the world. It was REALLY good! Then it was back to the hotel, an hour to get ready, then back up to the Tuscan Hills again for dinner. We had a lovely night. Singers entertained us and the food was delicious. Entrée was a buffet of salads, everything you could imagine, then they served us some pasta Bolognese and ravioli with truffle sauce. Then they bought out huge steaks with potatoes and salad, and Italian cakes for dessert. They served a lovely sparkling pink wine which flowed all night.
Day 13 Sunday 2nd October 2011
Florence – Siena – Rome
Weather Sunny 32°
A bit of sightseeing and a bit of travelling today.
We left Florence at 8am and headed for the town of Siena. It was lovely! Very hilly. Lots of walking up and down but just so beautiful with a big open square where they have horse races twice a year. We also took a walk up to their beautiful church. Some people are over the whole church thing but I like looking at them and just imagining all the work that went into building them all those centuries ago. Most of them are up on top of huge hills or mountains. It’s just amazing. We had about 2 hours to explore Siena, then we headed off to Rome.
We arrived in Rome about 3.30 at our hotel, The Cicerone. It is ok, a bit old but our room is fine. We haven’t seen much of Rome yet but we are amazed at the traffic and how they park their cars. They park any way they can. Sideways, nose-to-nose, on footpaths, between gates. I even saw 3 trucks with their bumpers touching. I have no idea how they get out of their spot when they want to leave!
After settling into the hotel we headed out for a drive around Rome and to have dinner. WOW!! What a night!! There is something amazing around every corner in Rome. We got out and walked up to the Roman Forum. It is just incredible! Then we got back on the coach to go to dinner. At the start of the tour Nathalie said she had some surprises in store for us, but we never expected this one! The coach pulled up in front of the Colosseum and Nathalie said “OK this is where you are having dinner””and took us into a restaurant directly across the road. They had tables set up for us on the footpath, so there we were eating Italian food right in front of the Colosseum!! We even managed to get a table just for the 2 of us. A magical night we will never forget!!!
Day 14 Monday 3rd October 2011
Rome
Weather : Sunny 30°
This morning we had a 7.30am start as we had a booking at the Vatican at 8am. There were about 7 or 8 tour coaches all there at the same time so it was pretty crowded. We had a local guide, Sylvana, who was excellent. We went through the Vatican museum, then she gave us a great explanation of Michaelangelo’s paintings in the Sistine Chapel before we went in. Wow!! It was just amazing. We sat there for quite a while taking it all in. Then we went to St Peter’s Basilica. It is huge and beautiful too! After lunch we went to the Colosseum. We had our group photo taken out the front then we went in. We just walked straight to the front of the line and we were in! It is so incredible to stand there and see all the history right in front of you. Sylvana was excellent at describing what everything would have been like back then, she really brought it to life. We had a couple of hours break back at the hotel then went back out sightseeing again.
We went to the Trevi fountain, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. We threw a coin in the fountain so hopefully we will return to Rome one day. After our walking tour we had dinner in a restaurant on the plaza. Very tasty Fettucine Bolognese for me and Drew had spaghetti and meatballs. A lovely way to finish off a fantastic day of history and sightseeing.
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Post by Owen on Nov 27, 2015 20:08:35 GMT
Day 15 Tuesday 4th October 2011
Rome – Naples – Capri – Sorrento
Weather Sunny 30°
A long day today.
We left Rome at 8am heading for Naples to catch a boat to Capri. There was an accident on the highway which delayed us by about an hour so we got to Naples about 12.30. We met our guide Simona and got on the boat for the 45 minute ride to Capri. It is very beautiful coastline and the weather was perfect.
When we got to Capri we got into minibuses for a very scenic ride up to Anacapri where we sat down for lunch. Lunch was nice, salad, then a choice of several dishes. We had Spaghetti Bolognese. After lunch we had a choice to either go up to the top of the mountain on the chairlift, visit an old house or go shopping.
We chose the shopping option. We bought a couple of things then met again to get on the minibuses for the ride back down to Capri. We had some free time to wander around there but the shops were very expensive. We sat and enjoyed the spectacular views for a while. Then we all got on the funicular and rode down to the ferry terminal. A 20 minute ride on the boat and we were in Sorrento.
We had 2 more minibuses waiting to take us back to the hotel as the streets are so narrow the coach wouldn’t fit through. There must be another route because when we got to the hotel Giovanni was waiting for us and our bags were in our rooms.
The hotel, Hotel La Pace, is really nice, a shame we only have one night here. We said goodbye to Giovanni and gave him a tip. Cosimo will be back in the driver’s seat tomorrow. We had dinner in the hotel restaurant, ravioli, roast chicken and veggies and salad and fresh fruit for dessert.
Day 16 Wednesday 5th October 2011
Sorrento – Pompeii – Assisi
Weather Sunny 28°
Another lovely day! We left the hotel in Sorrento after a cold shower – the hot water system broke down. We drove for about ½ an hour to Pompeii. It was just incredible there. We only saw a small part of it in the hour and a half tour we had with our guide, Nicola. He has been a guide there for 32 years. It is just amazing walking through there looking at what is left of all the houses, shops etc. You could easily spend all day there but when you are on a tour you can’t spend too much time in one place. We have Cosimo back in the driver’s seat today. We missed Cosimo while he was away. After Pompeii we headed off on the road to Assisi. We had to back track towards Rome again then turned off the highway and travelled through the beautiful countryside of Umbria. It is so pretty! I am feeling very tired today so I struggled to keep my eyes open to look at the beautiful views. We had lunch at a rest stop along the way. They call them Autogrills. They are just chaos! There were 5 coaches there at the same time with everyone on a time limit so there were queues everywhere. They have a section where if you want a bread roll or coffee you have to line up and order it then get a ticket and line up again to pay and collect it. We went to the self serve area where you grab a tray and order (or point to) some pasta. Today we had lasagna and salad. We arrived in Assisi about 4.30 and got off the coach with all our hand luggage. The coaches can’t drive in the town because the streets are so narrow so we walked up the hill to our hotel. As I write this we are waiting for our luggage, looking out the window over the valley and listening to church bells ringing. Beautiful!!!
We went down (or I should say up - we are 2 floors down from reception) a bit early for dinner and had drinks on the terrace overlooking Assisi. The sun had just gone down and the sky was glowing beautiful colours. Just spectacular!
We went inside for a lovely dinner of pasta (again!), beef with spinach and potatoes and cheesecake. It was a delicious meal all made with local produce.
Day 17 Thursday 6th October
Assisi – Venice
Weather Sunny 30°
I woke up with an upset tummy this morning so I didn’t eat much breakfast. I took some tablets and felt fine after a couple of hours.
We did a short walking tour of St Francis Basilica in Assisi this morning. A lovely church and there were lots of Franciscan monks around.
We left Assisi about 10.30 and drove towards Venice. We arrived about 3.30 and got off the coach and onto the ferry. The coach came on the ferry too. After about 30 minutes we arrived on Lido Island where our hotel, Hotel le Boulevard, is located. We went past the main areas of Venice on the ferry. We are surprised how huge the Venetian lagoon is. We were so excited to finally be here! We hopped in the coach for 5 minutes to drive to the hotel. Nathalie warned us that the rooms are tiny but we got lucky and scored a corner room which is quite big. The bathroom has bright red tiles – my favourite colour!
While we waited for our luggage we decided to go for a walk. The area we are staying in is like a beachside suburb. It had lovely shops, bars, restaurants and gelato shops. When we got back our bags were in our room so we got ready and headed down for dinner. We all walked a block down the road to a little restaurant where we had dinner, then went to get water taxis over to Venice. We had a lovely ride up some of the canals looking at all the beautiful buildings and bridges. Then Nathalie took us to St Marks Square where we had tables reserved for us to sit under the stars and watch an orchestra play for about an hour. It was one of those magical nights we will never forget.
Back on the boat (a bigger one this time) and 15 minutes later we were back in our hotel room – doing our washing!! That’s life on a tour!
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Post by Owen on Nov 27, 2015 20:08:48 GMT
Day 18 Friday 7th October 2011
Venice
Weather Cold Raining 18°
Well we finally had our first day of bad weather – not bad after 2 ½ weeks. After a very basic breakfast in the hotel we hopped on our boat for a trip over to Venice. The water was pretty choppy but it’s only a 15 minute trip so it was fine.
We met our guide, Maria, who took us on a walking tour of Venice. It was pouring with rain and pretty miserable. The tide was pretty high today. When it gets really high St Marks Square gets flooded they call it the Aqua Alta and they have to put down platforms for people to walk on. Thankfully it wasn’t too bad today so we were able to walk around without getting our feet too wet. After our walking tour we met Nathalie who took us to a glass blowing demonstration. This went for all of 5 minutes then they spent the next half an hour showing us all the expensive items we could purchase. We used their loos and got out pretty quickly to go and have a look around at the other shops. We went with our friends, Judi and Jack to find somewhere to have lunch and went into a little restaurant on the square. We had 4 coffees, 2 club sandwiches and 2 chicken, lettuce and mayo sandwiches. Cost 100 euros!
After lunch we went and had a shop around. The rain had eased off by then so it was much more pleasant. We did a bit of shopping then went to meet everyone for our gondola rides. There were 6 people per gondola. It was pretty awkward getting on as the water was still pretty rough. We went on the second gondola and were only on there for 5 minutes – just about to turn onto the grand canal when our gondolier decided it was too dangerous to go any further and just turned around and dropped us off. We went back and found Nathalie to let her know. She went and complained as everyone else went for their ride with no problems. They said we could get back on with a different gondolier but we were not too fussed about climbing back on and off again so we didn’t worry about it. A bit disappointing but at least we got 5 minutes and a few photos. We did a bit more retail therapy and had a coffee then it was time for our trip to Burano Island. It was about 45 minutes on the boat and as we got closer the sun came out and we could see snow on top of the alps. It was beautiful. Burano is just gorgeous. All the houses are painted in different bright colours. We had a bit of a walk around then went to a restaurant for a late lunch/early dinner. It was very nice. Seafood pasta and risotto, then fish, calamari, prawns, baby octopus, followed by vanilla slice. After lunch we had time to wander around which was great as it was very quiet there. No crowds. We did some more shopping. The ladies there make beautiful lace. Not my thing but it was lovely to look at. Then we headed back to Lido Island to the hotel. We got back about 6.30 and wandered out to look for an ATM. We stopped in the bar for a coffee and a chat with a few people then went back to finish packing. We had to put our bags out for collection tonight so Cosimo can leave at 6.30am with the coach to go across to the mainland, We will catch up with him later so we don’t have to leave so early. Then we head off to Austria.
Day 19 Saturday 8th October
Venice to Vienna
Weather Fine, cold 3 – 12°
A day of contrasts today. We had an early start. After leaving our bags out last night we left at 7.45am to catch our boat to the mainland to meet the coach. Then we were on the road to Vienna. We got to the Italy – Austria border after about 2 hours. It’s amazing how quickly the scenery changes. One minute you are on a flat plain, the next minute you are looking at snow capped mountains. Even the rest stops are completely different. In Italy they are noisy, chaotic and not the cleanest, with people pushing and shoving. The food is pizza, pasta or bread rolls. In Austria we walked into a beautiful clean restaurant with fresh fruit, salads, freshly squeezed juice, wine, beer, the most beautiful cakes and pastries you have ever seen and a view to die for, looking out over a lake. (clean toilets too, with toilet seats!)
After lunch we climbed higher into the mountains where fresh snow had fallen yesterday, maybe even this morning. It was so gorgeous, it looked like a Christmas card with all the snow on the pine trees .The weather has been warm here up until yesterday so once again our timing has been perfect.
After an afternoon tea stop in another beautiful rest stop we arrived in Vienna around 5pm. We are staying at the Hilton which is lovely. It has an iron, and tea and coffee in the room. Very luxurious! We had ½ an hour to get ready then we were off to dinner. We went to a funny little restaurant filled to the brim with all sorts of memorabilia
The food was lovely. I had ribs, Drew had pork knuckle. It was a fun night but we had to leave early as Cosimo had done most of his driving hours so he had to get off the road. Unfortunately it took us ages to get back to the hotel as they had all the roads closed in the city centre.
Day 20 Sunday 9th October 2011
Vienna
Weather: Raining, cold 7°
We had an early start this morning. 7.4am on the coach to meet our local guide Ilsa. She was a great guide – very funny. She took us to the Schonbrunn Palace which was the summer palace of the Habsberg family who ruled Austria for almost 700 years. The palace has 1441 rooms. As usual with Insight we were the very first people to arrive there this morning which was great as it was very busy when we came out. We walked through some of the beautifully decorated rooms and then went and had a look at the gardens. They were very pretty but it was raining and cold so we didn’t spend long there. We got back on the coach and did a driving tour around Vienna.
It is a lovely city. Very clean with lots of parks and gardens and the Danube river running through it. We were supposed to go on a tour of the Opera House but being a Sunday it was closed. All of the shops were closed too. Instead of the Opera House we did a tour of the Habsburg family crypt. It was very interesting. There are 150 people buried there. (well not really buried, their coffins are placed in sarcophagus’ and all decorated). We saw the coffins of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband. She ruled Austria for 40 years and had 16 children. After our tour we had time for a coffee and cake. I had apple strudel, Drew had fruit flan. They were both delicious. The food here is great. Then it was time for our horse drawn carriage ride. We shared a carriage with Jack and Judi and even though it was raining we had a cover so we still had a lovely ride through the streets of Vienna.
We went back to the hotel about 2pm and had some free time till 5.15. Then we got ready to go out for dinner. We had been given a choice of 2 restaurants. It was a nice dinner. A plate of cold meat with olives, feta cheese and tapenade with bread for our entrée, then sausage, chicken and pork with veggies for our main, crème brulee and tea or coffee for dessert. After dinner Nathalie and Cosimo picked us up and took us to a Viennese concert. Front row seats again! The orchestra played music by Strauss and Mozart and they had dancers and singers. We had a lovely time.
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Post by Owen on Nov 27, 2015 20:09:01 GMT
Day 21 Monday 10th October 2011
Vienna – Salzburg – Munich
Weather: Cold, raining 10°
We had another early start this morning, 7.15 we were on the coach and on our way. We left early to get on the road before the traffic for our 4 hour drive to Salzburg. The weather was overcast when we left Vienna but gradually got worse as we got closer to Salzburg. Nathalie rang our guide Gabby who said the Eagles Nest was closed. No point going up there when you wouldn’t be able to see a thing anyway. We drove through a snowstorm which was very pretty on the trees. By the time we got to Salzburg it was pouring rain and 5 degrees. We still wanted to see the town and since coaches can’t drive through we put on our coats and grabbed our umbrellas and off we went in the rain. Some people opted not to do the tour so they found a coffee shop and waited for us. It was pretty unpleasant walking around in the wind and rain but Salzburg is a very pretty place and we still managed to get a few photos. After about 45 minutes we finished our tour and took shelter in a pub where we had a nice hot lunch and a coffee. We did a very quick power shop (getting good at those) and back on the coach to Munich. The trip took about 2 hours, then we checked in at the Westin. A very nice hotel. Nathalie managed to find an alternative for us to make up for Eagles Nest so we all had about half an hour to get some dry clothes on and off we went to a beer hall. We all had a drink there and then went to a restaurant for a lovely dinner accompanied by some music, a bit of a singalong and quite a few laughs.
Day 22 Tuesday 11th October 2011
Munich – Lucerne
Weather: Fine 24°
Well we had a day of contrasts today. We set out this morning and went to visit the Dachau Concentration Camp memorial. It was very sad and moving. We spent a couple of hours looking around and watched a movie about the place. We all came out very quiet and subdued.
Then it was on the road to Switzerland. We left Germany, drove through Austria where we stopped at one of their beautiful rest stops for lunch. Then we went to Liechtenstein. We had a 40 minute stop to have a quick look around then hit the road again for Lucerne. We are actually staying in a little town called Weggis. The scenery on the drive was absolutely amazing! Truly spectacular. It looked just like a postcard. The snow capped alps, green fields, cows wearing cowbells, beautiful lakes, lovely houses with flowers in the window boxes. Then we arrived at our hotel, The Post Hotel in Weggis. WOW!! Our rooms overlook the lake directly across the road. It is so gorgeous. We can see the alps too. The hotel is very modern. I hope we get time to enjoy it. The weather is beautiful today. A bit cloudy but it fined up and warmed up. Fingers crossed it stays like this for tomorrow. We have a big day planned.
We went out for dinner tonight, We didn’t have dinner included so a few of us went for a walk around the town and ended up at a restaurant next door to our hotel. It was such a lovely night we sat outside and looked at the full moon on the water. We had a lovely dinner and a few drinks. I had a chicken and vegetable pie. Drew has been dying to try a bratwurst sausage so he ordered the sausages and got 2 frankfurts! Oh well, maybe tomorrow.
Day 23 Wednesday 12th October 2011
Lucerne
Weather: Overcast then Fine 20°
Well, another fantastic day today. This tour has been truly amazing! We left the hotel at 8am and headed straight to Mt Pilatus. Cosimo didn’t drive us today as he had a mandatory day off so we had a local driver and coach. We really noticed the difference in the leg room on a normal coach compared to our Insight coach. Our Insight coach has so much more space, it’s great! We arrived at Mt Pilatus about 8.30 and went straight onto the cable car for the ride up the mountain. They are 4 person cable cars. We shared with Jack and Judi. Judi and Drew are both not keen on heights but they both coped really well and had a look around and took pictures on the way up. It took about 30 minutes for that part of the trip and it was so beautiful. We could hear the cowbells on the cows as we went up the mountain and the view was fantastic looking back over Lucerne. We went up into the clouds and came out above them. When we got off we had a few minutes for photos then got onto a bigger cable car to go right to the top of the mountain. This was a scarier ride as we had to stand up and the carriage held about 30 people. It was a bit bumpy here and there but luckily it only took a few minutes. Again the view was incredible. We could see the tops of the alps peeking out through the clouds below us. When we got off the cable car we had an hour to wander around and do a further climb on foot if we wanted to. Drew and I did a short climb which was really worth the effort. We were a bit breathless for a few minutes when we got up there because of the altitude but once we recovered from that we just stood there and took it all in. You really do feel like you are on top of the world. Mt Pilatus is 7000ft high. There was a little bit of snow around which was nice but it was not as cold up there as we expected. After we had a look around we bought a coffee and strudel and did a bit of shopping. Then it was time to leave. We went down the other side of the mountain on a cog wheel train. The steepest cog wheel train in the world. 48 degrees incline. Such a fantastic experience!
We got back on the coach for a short drive to meet up with Hans, a local farmer who, along with 2 other farmers was waiting to take us on a horse drawn carriage ride through their town. It was so beautiful riding through the Swiss countryside looking at all the beautiful farmhouses with their flowerboxes in the windows and their beautiful gardens. We stopped at the church on the village and looked at all the hand carved wooden headstones in the graveyard. We went into the church and sat for a few minutes enjoying the peace and quiet. Then Hans took us to his farm where his wife was waiting to give us some lunch. We had home made bread and cheese and some beautiful pastries which were still warm, freshly squeezed apple juice from their orchard, home made schnapps and some delicious cake for dessert. Then we got back on the carriages and onto the coach to go and do some shopping in Lucerne. After our shopping time we met the group and hopped onto a boat for a cruise around the lake. It was a bit cold but we rugged up and sat outside admiring the beauty all around us.
When we got off the cruise we walked through Lucerne to the Sad Lion Monument. It is a huge lion carved out of sandstone as a tribute to the Swiss Guards who were killed during the French Revolution. The emotion on the lions face is so beautiful. Very moving.
Then it was time to go back to the hotel for dinner. We had a set menu which was very nice. Clear soup with pancake strips (served in a glass!), chicken and broccoli with risotto and berry strudel with ice cream.
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Post by Owen on Nov 27, 2015 20:09:13 GMT
Day 24 Thursday 13th October 2011
Lucerne – Black Forest – Mainz
Weather Overcast 17°
We did a fair bit of time on the coach today. Cosimo spent his day off yesterday cleaning the coach inside and out so it was sparkling this morning. (it is always clean anyway, he cleans it every time we get off for a comfort stop, it always smells nice when we get back on and he goes through and sweeps the floor) We left Lucerne (Weggis) at 8am bound for Mainz, Germany. We made a stop at the beautiful Rhine Falls. They are very spectacular. From there we headed to the Black Forest. We went to a cuckoo clock presentation and had some lunch there. From there we made our way to Mainz stopping for a comfort stop along the highway. Every country has a different system for the toilets but I think Germany wins the prize. You have to pay 70 cents at a machine to get through the turnstiles to the toilets, then you get a 50 cent voucher to spend in the shop. When you flush the toilet an arm comes out the back of the toilet and the seat spins around to get cleaned. I wish I had taken a video! There was a lot of traffic today, much to Cosimo’s annoyance. We finally got to the Hilton Mainz at 5.45pm. We all met for drinks at 7 where Nathalie presented a gift to everyone who has travelled with Insight on a previous tour. We had a very nice buffet dinner and had a much needed early night.
Day 25 Friday 14th October 2011
Mainz to Amsterdam
Weather: Fine 20°
We started the day today with a Rhine River cruise. It was very nice but so cold outside. We didn’t last long on the deck before we went inside and had a coffee and watched the world (and lots of castles) go by. We had the boat to ourselves which was great.
We got off the boat after an hour and went to the little village of Boppard – a very pretty little place. We had a look around the shops and bought a couple of souvenirs. I bought a lovely bauble for our Christmas tree. Then it was off to Amsterdam.
It took us about 4 hours to get to Amsterdam. We had a pretty good run traffic wise so we went straight to the “sailors quarter” or the Red Light District. Nathalie took us for a walk around the area for an hour or so. It was certainly an eye-opener. We saw all the girls in the windows looking for customers and walked past some coffee shops with some interesting smells coming out of them.
We then checked into our hotel, The Movenpick. It is a very nice hotel. We have a room overlooking the river.
Dinner was a set menu in the hotel restaurant. We had a lovely dinner of rocket, prosciutto, cheese and mushroom salad followed by steak and vegetables and lemonchello cheesecake for dessert. We have free internet in this hotel and everyone is getting pretty homesick so we all took an early night to go and catch up with family and friends.
Day 26 Saturday 15th October 2011
Amsterdam
Weather: Sunny 17°
Another nice day today. We had a bit of a sleep in and left the hotel at 8.45am to visit the Glasson Diamond Factory. They showed us how diamonds are cut and polished then they showed us all the beautiful jewellery we could buy if we wished. We didn’t buy anything but others did. It was very tempting as they had some lovely things. I did get a Swarovski crystal pen which is really very nice.
After the diamond factory we drove for about 45 minutes to a fishing village called Volendam. We stopped at a windmill on the way for a photo. Volendam is a very nice, typical Dutch fishing village. All the houses are very neat and tidy with very clean windows and pretty curtains. We had some time to wander around the village and get some lunch. Drew and I shared some Dutch pancakes called poffijers. We sat near the water and ate them. When we got back to the coach we had another group photo taken because our other one doesn’t have Cosimo in it. Then Nathalie offered us some Dutch treats. We had gingerbread and some kind of sweet biscuit which was very tasty. She also gave us some salty licorice which we found way too salty. I couldn’t eat it! We had some free time in the afternoon. We dropped some people off on our way back to the hotel. Some went to Anne Frank’s house, some went shopping. We were tired so we just took some time out to sort out our luggage and have a rest.
We all met at 5.15 and went on a one hour cruise around the canals of Amsterdam. It is an interesting city. They live quite a different lifestyle. There are thousands of bicycles everywhere. They even have a 3 storey parking garage for bikes. Some people live in houseboats all along the canals.
After the cruise we all went to a restaurant to have our farewell dinner. It is going to be sad to say goodbye to our new friends. We really enjoy their company.
Day 27 Sunday 16th October 2011
Amsterdam – London
Weather Fine 20°
Well today was a day of mixed emotions. Sadness because our dream trip is at an end and excitement because we are heading on the road home to see all our loved ones.
We had an early start. Bags out at 6.15 and on the road at 7.15.We said goodbye to some people who were leaving from Amsterdam to head home or out on more adventures then we hit the road. We stopped in Belgium for morning tea and arrived in Calais around 12pm for our trip across the channel. We cleared customs then said goodbye to Cosimo. He is driving the empty coach back to Naples. Then it was on to the ferry for the 1 ½ hour trip across the channel to Dover. We had a very smooth crossing which went very fast while we sat and chatted to our new friends.
Then it was off the ferry and onto a different coach for the 2 hour drive to London. The coach was not an Insight coach. It had nice comfy padded seats but hardly any legroom. The driver really made us appreciate Cosimo’s excellent driving skills.
We arrived at the Thistle Marble Arch, where we had started out 27 days ago, and said goodbye to Nathalie and the others who are heading off elsewhere. We checked into our room. The smallest room we have had for the whole trip! So tiny we couldn’t even have both our suitcases opened at the same time. I put the coffee table in the wardrobe which gave us a bit more room!
We decided that anyone who wanted to go to the Three Tunns Pub for dinner would meet at 5pm. So off we all went to the pub for a great meal and lots of memories and laughs. We have absolutely had the best time of our lives on this trip. We spent so long looking forward to it and it is sad that it’s over but we have such wonderful memories that will always be in our hearts.
We have met some lovely people and seen the most incredible sights that we never thought we would be lucky enough to see. We celebrated our 25th anniversary in Paris. We had great weather for nearly all of the trip. A couple of rainy mornings and a few hot days but all in all we were really blessed with the weather.
We were lucky that no one on our trip got ill. We had a few people with coughs and sniffles but it didn’t travel through the group. Nathalie had some spray that Cosimo used every day in the coach to help stop germs spreading. Drew and I were fortunate that neither of us had any illness at all. Drew had some pain in his hip and knee which he managed by resting when he could. I felt a bit off one morning but took some tablets and I was fine within an hour or so.
We are so glad that we did this trip and I’m sure that we will re-live it again and again with our photos and videos.
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