Embark on your overnight flight to London.
Meals: In-flight
Enjoy a free afternoon to relax and unwind. In the evening, we’ll have our welcome orientation followed by a fun London pub crawl.
Meals: In-flight
- Inclusions:
- Transfer from airport to hotel included with purchased AESU group airfare
- Welcome orientation
- Pub crawl
- Look up free time suggestions for:
Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and Westminster Abbey: These familiar names become familiar places on our morning tour of London. During an afternoon at leisure, browse the many food, craft and clothing stalls at popular Camden Market, walk in the footsteps of Harry Potter at Leadenhall Market aka Diagon Alley or take a ride on the London Eye for a birds-eye view of the city and the opportunity to take great photographs. After dusk, consider taking in some Shakespeare at the Globe Theater by the Thames River or attending a West End show.
Meals: Breakfast
- Inclusions:
- 1-day group Tube Pass
- Tour of London guided by a local historian
- Personal audio headset
- See Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge and more
Travel through the “Chunnel” below the English Channel to Paris. Our local art historian shows us the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and Place de la Concorde, where the guillotine once stood. Tonight, dine on French specialties at our bistro dinner. Afterward, we take a romantic cruise down the river Seine.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- English Channel Eurostar train
- Tour of Paris guided by a local historian
- See the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Place de la Concorde, Arc de Triomphe and more
- See Paris-by-night illuminations
- French bistro dinner
- Seine River cruise
- Look up free time suggestions for:
France has been a world center of the perfume industry since France’s famed Sun King, Louis XIV's court at Versailles was known as "la cour parfumée." Join us this morning for a visit to the Fragonard Perfume Museum, located in a 19th-century mansion from the era of Napoleon III, and learn about the art of perfume manufacturing from ancient times. We then travel to the Palace of Versailles, Louis XIV’s residence. Our museum pass gives us access to the Hall of Mirrors and the King’s Grand Chambers. Marvel at the sheer size of the palace, one of the most beautiful castles in the world with an astonishing 700 rooms. The afternoon is free to explore the ‘City of Lights’ and our tour director is happy to offer free-time suggestions. Consider an optional can-can cabaret show at the world-famous Moulin Rouge this evening.
Meals: Breakfast
- Inclusions:
- 2-day Paris Visité Pass with unlimited access to public transportation system
- 2-day Paris Museum Pass
- Visit to the Palace of Versailles
- Visit and tour of the Fragonard perfumery & museum
Enjoy a free day in Paris. Your included 2-day museum pass allows access to over 70 museums and monuments in and around Paris including the world famous Louvre, housing the Mona Lisa, Musée d’Orsay and Musée National Picasso, and your Paris Visit? Pass will provide unlimited public transportation throughout the city.
Meals: Breakfast
- Inclusions:
- 2-day Paris Visité Pass with unlimited access to public transportation system
- 2-day Paris Museum Pass
This morning, the TGV high-speed train takes us from Paris to Nice, queen resort of the Côte d’Azur. Enjoy your free afternoon on picturesque beaches along the Mediterranean coastline, stroll promenades lined with chic boutiques, or unwind at a sidewalk café. The thriving local art scene and buzzing nightlife is yours to discover after tonight’s brasserie dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- High-speed train to Nice
- See Promenade d’Anglais, Place Macena and more
- French brasserie dinner
Enjoy a free day on the dazzling French Riviera. Relax on the beach, paddle in the azure sea, or sip on a smooth cocktail beneath swaying palms. Consider exploring Nice to visit the magnificent Palais Lascaris, the Cathédrale de Sainte Réparate and harbors filled with opulent yachts. Or, you may opt to join our excursion to Monaco, where Prince Rainier married Hollywood actress Grace Kelly, and glitzy Cannes, known for its famous International Film Festival.
Meals: Breakfast
- Inclusions:
- See the French Riviera beaches & promenades
- Optional activity:
- Excursion to Monte Carlo & Cannes (not offered during Grand Prix)
Our journey takes us along the scenic Côte d’Azur’s sun-splashed beaches. We cross the border into Italy at Ventimiglia and continue along the coast to Genoa, where we switch to the high speed ‘Le Frecce’ train whisking us to Rome this afternoon. Check in to our hotel and enjoy the remainder of the afternoon at leisure exploring Rome. Our dinner tonight is a mouth-watering ‘Viva Italia’ pasta party complete with Italian specialties. Afterwards, perhaps walk to Piazza Navona, one of the city’s most beautiful baroque squares and try the local gelato.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- Train from Nice to Rome
- See the scenic Cote D’Azur
- Viva Italia pasta party
- See Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and more
- 72-hour Roma Pass wtih unlimited access to local transportation, special access and discounts
- Look up free time suggestions for:
This morning, we explore Capitoline Hill with the most spectacular view of Caesar’s Roman Forum, center of political and social activity, with ancient ruins dating from the 8th century BC. We also see Nero’s Circus Maximus where chariot races were held. A trip across the Tiber River takes us to Vatican City - the world’s smallest state, where we’ll visit St. Peter’s Basilica, housing Michelangelo’s magnificent “Pieta.” During afternoon free time you may want to use your Roma Pass to visit the Colosseum, where gladiators fought to the death.
Meals: Breakfast
- Inclusions:
- Tour of Rome and Vatican City guided by a local historian
- Personal audio headset
- See Caesar’s Forum, Circus Maximus, Pantheon and more
- Visit St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City
- 72-hour Roma Pass wtih unlimited access to local transportation, special access and discounts
- Entrance to Colosseum and Forum included in 72-hour Roma Pass
- Look up freetime suggestions for:
Today, the entire day is free for exploring the Eternal City. Consider shopping on Via Condotti, or use your Roma Pass for free or discounted admission at Villa Borghese or the MAXXI museum. Check your Roma Pass booklet for participating museums. You may also consider joining our optional excursion to the Old Minardi Farmhouse for a Frascati wine tasting. Have fun tonight at our tasty ‘Viva Italia’ pizza party in Trastevere, the perfect spot to get a glimpse of the old world while still enjoying the lifestyle of today’s Romans.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- Viva Italia Pizza Party in Trastevere
- 72-hour Roma Pass wtih unlimited access to local transportation, special access and discounts
- Optional activity:
- Frascati wine tsting tour at Old Minardi Farmhouse
For some of us the celebratory tour of Europe ends in Rome this morning. Bid farewell to friends and “arrivederci” to Italy before jetting back home with memories to last a lifetime. For the rest of us - sunny olive groves line the way south to Pompeii. Under the shadow of Vesuvius, the volcano that buried this ancient city in 79 A.D., explore the excavated wonders including homes, markets and temples that remain intact, and streets that still bear the marks of chariot wheels from 2,000 years ago. Afterwards, we cross the Italian “boot” and board our overnight ship to Greece.
Meals: Breakfast
- Inclusions:
- Transfer from hotel to airport included with purchased AESU group airfare
- Tour of the Pompeii excavations guided by a local historian
- Personal audio headset
- Scenic overnight ship from Italy to Greece
After cruising through aquamarine waters, our ship docks at Patras. Motor along the Corinthian Sea across the Peloponnese to Galatas and the island of Poros. Relax and unwind with three days of living like a Greek god or goddess. Enjoy a welcome drink at the pool bar before exploring this idyllic island.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- Relaxing pool and beach time
- Enjoy iconic Greek sunsets
- Traditional Greek dinner
- Look up free time suggestions for:
Today is free to enjoy at your leisure. Go for a swim, bask in the golden sun, or take part in optional watersports such as waterskiing, wakeboarding, parasailing, banana-boating or tubing. Dancing like Zorba at a local tavern is always a must-do evening activity.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- Explore the white-washed village center of Poros
- Traditional Greek dinner
- Beach and pool
Poros old town center has great shopping or the more adventurous can venture to the 6th-century BC ruins of Poseidon’s Temple on the island’s highest peak. Bicycles will be provided today, which offer an opportunity to further explore the island. Tonight, we invite everyone to our fun toga party.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- Bike rental on the Isle of Poros
- Beach and pool
- Greek BBQ dinner
- Greek toga party
In the morning we board our ferry to Athens. See the 2,400-year-old Parthenon, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Constitution Square. A free afternoon may find us wandering the paths of Plato, Socrates and Sophocles or trying our bargaining skills at the markets of Monastiraki. This evening follow the sounds of traditional bouzouki music and join our farewell taverna dinner in the Plaka District – Athens’ oldest neighborhood at the foot of the Acropolis.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Inclusions:
- Tour of Athens guided by a local historian
- Acropolis admission
- Greek tavern farewell dinner
- Greek music and dancing
Reluctantly we say farewell to Europe and new-found friends. Jet back home with thoughts of planning your next alumni adventure!
Meals: Breakfast, In-flight
- Inclusions:
- Transfer from hotel to airport included with purchased AESU group airfare