Barcelona to Venice (19 destinations)

Welcome to Barcelona, Spain! Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm, followed by a vermouth aperitivo. If you arrive early, explore the city's galleries, cafes, and historic corners. Perhaps take the funicular to the top of Montjuic or Tibidabo for panoramic views of the harbour. After the welcome meeting, head out for some tapas with your fellow travellers.

Start your day with a leader-led orientation walk of Barcelona, sampling a local treat along the way. Visit Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia Basilica and Park Guell. In the afternoon, head to the train station for your journey to Girona. Upon arrival, your leader will guide you on a walk through this jewel of Catalonia, known for its medieval architecture.

Start your day with a walk along the medieval walls of Girona, offering a bird's-eye view of the city. Spend your afternoon exploring the city at your own pace. Visit the Arabic Baths, stop at the Rocambolesc Gelateria for some of Spain's finest gelato, or join a Game of Thrones walking tour.

Leave Girona after breakfast and explore Nimes, a town in southeastern France. Visit the famous Amphitheatre of Nimes, one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres in Europe. In the evening, take the train to Avignon, a walled city that was once home to French popes for more than a century.

Wake up in Avignon and join your leader for an orientation walk through the local markets. Spend the rest of the day exploring the city at your own pace. Visit the grand Palais des Papes, cross the iconic bridge of Pont St-Benezet, or hire a bike to explore the picturesque valley. Don't forget to try the city's amazing bakeries and local bistros.

Travel by train to Beaune, a charming town in the heart of France's Burgundy wine region. After a leader-led walk, spend the afternoon exploring the town's rich history of food and wine production. Visit the Caves Patriarche, the largest cellars in the Bourgogne wine region, and the incredible Hospices de Beaune, a former hospital now a museum.

Leave Beaune and travel by train to the city of light and love - Paris! Rich in museums, art galleries, monuments, fashion, and delicious food, Paris offers a wealth of major sights and things to do. After checking into your hotel, join your leader for an orientation walk through the famous city streets. Explore the Champs-Elysees, the Latin Quarter, or bohemian Montmartre.

Enjoy a free day to explore Paris. Visit the world-famous Louvre, climb the Eiffel Tower for some impressive aerial views of Paris, or enjoy a simple picnic lunch of baguette and cheese at The Tuileries, Plantes, or Jardin du Luxembourg. In the evening, meet the new members of your group at 6 pm and perhaps head out for an optional dinner at one of the gorgeous local restaurants.

Leave Paris behind and jump on a train to Brussels. After a walk around the city with your leader, enjoy some traditional Belgian fries. Spend the rest of the day exploring at your own pace. Visit the Manneken Pis, The Musical Instrument Museum, or the iconic Atomium. If you feel like a night out, Ilot Sacre is a great place to find good food and fun bars.

Enjoy some free time in Brussels before heading to the train station in the early afternoon to travel to Bruges. Arriving mid-afternoon, your leader will take you around the city before you explore at your own speed. Wander along the picturesque river this evening, watching the city illuminate around you in the setting sun.

Today you have a free day to explore Bruges. This town looks like it's been plucked straight from a fairytale. Take a stroll through the UNESCO Protected Old Town, starting in the iconic Burg square. Don't forget to check out the Basilica of the Holy Blood. Once you've worked up an appetite, hunt down the best bowl of moules-frites, a Flemish classic.

Bid Bruges a fond farewell as you hop on the train and head to Antwerp. Visit the Het Steen Castle, a medieval fortress in the Old City centre. Then, jump back on the train and cross another border into the capital of the Netherlands - Amsterdam! If you're an art-lover, Amsterdam is home to plenty of museums. Visit the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum.

This morning, your leader will show you around Amsterdam before your free day to explore. You could visit Anne Frank's House, the former hiding place of the famous child diarist during WWII, or perhaps visit the De Waag, a 15th-century building on Nieuwmarkt Square. For a snack, pannekoeken will go down a treat.

Rise bright and early this morning before jumping on the train to Berlin. Today is a long travel day, so grab a window seat if you can. Berlin has plenty of impressive sites and is known for a great bar scene. Get some of the best recommendations and must-see spots from your leader while you make your way towards the city.

After yesterday's late arrival, today is free for you to get your bearings in Berlin. You may like to take a Spree River cruise, visit the multiple museums and galleries at Kulturforum Potsdamer Platz or stop by the impressive Berliner Dom Cathedral. Tonight, you'll have another meeting with the new members of your group at 6 pm. After, why not join your newfound travel pals for dinner?

This morning, say goodbye to Berlin and hop on an early train to Dresden. After checking in to your accommodation, another quick train trip will take you to Rathen, where you can enjoy a hike to the sandstone pinnacles of Bastei. The unique rock formation offers some of Germany's best views and is home to the remnants of the medieval Neurathen Castle.

Leave Dresden and travel to Prague. You'll travel through the Labe Valley, with fairytale-like landscapes to the right and left. When you arrive, check-in at your hotel and then see the highlights of this beautiful city on a leader-led orientation walk. Prague's architecture can be traced from the Middle Ages through to the avant-garde of the Gehry-designed Dancing Building. Your walk will finish with a visit to a Czech brewery, where you can sample a pilsner in its homeland.

Another day in Prague and so many possibilities! Perhaps learn how the Bohemian artists, writers, dissidents and the Bohemian mentality shaped the nation. Don't forget to sample some traditional and modern Czech snacks along the way. If you feel like a day trip out of the city, ask your leader to help you organise a trip to Kutna Hora.

Leave Prague and travel to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Set along the Danube, Bratislava blends past and present with its charming Old Town and lively boutiques and cafes. You have a free day to explore it all today. You could climb to the top of the tower at Michael's Gate or UFO Tower for a bird's eye view of Bratislava, or visit the Bratislava City Museum to learn about the country's communist past.

Transfer from Bratislava to Budapest and enjoy a free day in the self-proclaimed Pearl of the Danube. Perhaps explore the historical Buda Castle and palace complex. Forget about the bustling city and lose yourself in the history of the winding streets of the Castle District, which dates back to the 13th century. In the afternoon, you could take a slow cruise along the Danube for some pretty epic views of the riverside Parliament Building, the Castle District and the bridges linking Buda to Pest.

Today, you'll have another meeting with the new members of your group at 6 pm. Before then, the day is yours. Why not stroll around the grand architecture and boulevards to get your bearings? Maybe explore one of the local markets and pick up a langos, a deep-fried Hungarian pastry with an assortment of different toppings. After the meeting tonight, perhaps get a group of friends together for a Hungarian feast of goulash or stroll to the Jewish quarter and check out some ruin bars.

Hop on a train this morning to the cosmopolitan city of Vienna. After dropping your bags at your accommodation, you're in for a real treat! Stop for kaffe and kuchen (coffee and cake) with your group at Vollpension, a local cafe that empowers older members of the community by providing them with employment and purpose, while bridging the gap between the staff and the younger patrons who visit the cafe.

You're free to choose your own adventure today, and Vienna has a lot to offer! Art lovers will be delighted by the vast array of museums, including the Albertina, the Leopold, Kunsthalle Wien and the Museum of Modern Art. Those interested in 19th- and 20th-century Austrian art should visit the Belvedere Palace. Check out the colourful Hundertwasserhaus or admire the dome of the Secession building. Perhaps visit Hofburg Palace or admire the gothic St Stephen's Cathedral and the neo-classical Graben.

Travel to the stunning Austrian resort town of Salzburg today. Sitting at the edge of the Julian Alps, this place is full of picturesque sights that are sure to take your breath away. When you arrive, follow your leader to the shore of glistening Lake Bled, from which many of the town's attractions can be seen. After soaking in the sights with your group, you'll have a free afternoon to choose your own route.

Spend the day exploring Salzburg at your own pace. Maybe head to Mirabell Palace and Gardens for a picnic or discover Mozart's birthplace. Head to the medieval walls of Fortress Hohensalzburg and marvel at the architecture or find a great viewpoint and snap some epic photos of the city in the shadow of the mountains, with the fortress looming above on the hill.

Hop on a train and travel to the stunning Slovenian resort town of Bled today. Sitting at the edge of the Julian Alps, this place is full of picturesque sights that are sure to take your breath away. When you arrive, follow your leader to the shore of glistening Lake Bled, from which many of the town's attractions can be seen. After soaking in the sights with your group, you'll have a free afternoon to choose your own route.

There's no better place to get active than in Bled! Today you have a free day to enjoy all the fun activities Bled has to offer. Maybe take a full-day adventure around Triglav Massive. There are many outdoor activities available here to get the blood pumping, such as rafting, caving, canoeing, and swimming. Why not hire a bike and head four kilometres out of town to Vintgar Gorge, where you can walk through a beautiful natural canyon.

Travel by train through stunning scenery to one of the world's most unique cities today - postcard-perfect Venice. Your rail journey might even be in a one-carriage train, and you'll pass along the emerald Soca River, before boarding a local bus. A city of canals, Venice is built over a hundred small islands connected by 400 bridges. When you arrive, head out for an orientation walk with your tour leader - the best way to see Venice is by foot.

With no activities planned for today, you're free to leave your accommodation at any time after checkout. That doesn't mean your adventure has to end! Italy's city of canals is an extraordinary place to see on foot, and if you'd like to spend an extra day or two exploring, just speak to your booking agent.