Experience the best of classical Europe by train. Featuring Paris, Venice, Swiss Alps, Rome, Florence, Amsterdam, Milan, Luxembourg, Brussels and the Rhine River. Feel the romance and excitement of exploring Europe by train, as we also visit Brussels, Interlaken, Rheinhessen, Mainz, St Goar, Boppard and Spiez. Our classic rail journey will connect you to the true soul of 7 countries. Experience the instantly recognisable and our special hidden gems. Explore the phenomenal wealth of attractions at the centre of western culture. History is all around you as we discover the everchanging landscapes, cultures, stories, art, architecture and cuisines. Enter a fairy-tale of castles, palaces and chateaux. Discover the real Europe with HolidayMax’s immersive luxury touring. Themes include: Europe, Europe Touring, Lazio, Veneto, Lombardy, North Holland, Departs from Rome, European Train, Luxury Coach, Returns from Amsterdam. + Show more

Package Includes

International Flights: Australia to Rome & Amsterdam to Australia (Premium Airline)
Journey by Train
Tour host and guide
4 Nights Rome hotel (quality 4 Star)
3 Nights Amsterdam Hotel
2 Nights Venice Hotel
2 Nights Interlaken Hotel
2 Nights Paris Hotel
1 Night Florence Hotel
1 Night Milan Hotel
1 Night Mainz Hotel
1 Night Luxembourg City
1 Night Brussels Hotel
13 breakfasts, 3 lunches & 5 dinners
Meet and Greet Personalised Transfers

Highlights

Paris (France) Venice (Italy) Swiss Alps Rome (Italy) Florence (Italy) Amsterdam (Netherlands) Milan (Italy) Interlaken (Switzerland) Rhine River Brussels (Belgium) Rheinhessen (Germany) Luxembourg Mainz (Germany) St Goar (Germany) Boppard (Germany) Spiez (Switzerland)

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Descriptions

Amazing Experiences:

• Explore Europe by train

• Experience Paris, Venice, Swiss Alps, Rome, Florence, Amsterdam,

Milan, Luxembourg, Brussels and Rhine River

• Discover Rome your way with 2 free flexi-days and flexi-tours

• Discover Amsterdam your way with 2 free flexi-days and flexi-tours

• Enjoy free flexi-days to explore Venice, the Swiss Alps and

Paris your way

• Free time in Florence, Milan, Mainz and Brussels

• Guided tours of Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Mainz, Paris and

Brussels with expert local guides

• Welcome dinner at a special Italian restaurant in Rome

• Visit St Goar, Boppard and Luxembourg City

• Rhine River cruise, see remarkable castles

• Amsterdam canal cruise

• Breath-taking scenic train journey through the Swiss Alps

• Swiss mountain train (optional) to the top of Europe with

snow year- round

• Incredible scenic train journey along the Rhine River

• A typical Tuscan lunch in the heart of Florence

• Rhine Valley wine tasting

• Florence leather demonstration

• Wine tasting in Boppard (Germany)

• Farewell dinner in a beautiful historic restaurant in central Amsterdam

• Plus more immersive excursions and experiences...

DAY 1 Depart Australia for Italy

Today we depart for Rome, Italy. Fly on a premium award-winning airline like Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways, Emirates, Qantas or British Airways (subject to availability). Enjoy the attentive cabin service, regular meals and onboard entertainment system.

DAY 2 Arrive in Rome

You will be personally met at Rome International Airport by your HolidayMax representative and transferred to your central Rome hotel. You can relax and use the rest of the day to explore your hotel and its facilities, perhaps take a stroll around this ancient city.

Meet and Greet Personalised Arrival Transfer, Overnight Rome Hotel

DAY 3 Tour Rome

Your first two full days in Rome are flexi-tours, so you can tour at your own pace, visiting places of most interest to you. Relax into Rome time with a choice of included touring options to suit your mood.

Feel the energy and excitement of the eternal city of Rome. Italy’s hot-blooded capital is one of the world’s most romantic and charismatic cities. Immerse yourself in its vibrant fashionable street life, ancient monuments and awe-inspiring art. Ancient icons such as the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Pantheon recall the city’s golden age as the capital of the world, while monumental basilicas and picturesque piazzas compete with baroque facades and neighbourhood trattoria speak to the cities unrivalled complexity. Embrace the thoroughly intoxicating contemporary chic Roman lifestyle.

Your flexi-tour includes a circular driving tour, stay on for the whole tour enjoying our guide’s entertaining commentary or get-off at any one of 8 incredible stops and re-join our next circular tour bus at your leisure. It also includes our special digital walking tours and a sparkling night tour.

Discover the Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Colosseum, Vatican City, Roman Forum, Piazza Navona and and Trevi Fountain (coins at the ready). Explore Rome’s 3,000 year old cityscape, adorned with historic art and abuzz with modern culture. The city is awash with priceless treasures. Ancient statues adorn world-class museums; Byzantine mosaics and Renaissance frescoes dazzle in art-rich churches; baroque facades flank medieval piazzas; impressive fountains add a baroque flourish to the city's captivating streets. Discover the simple pleasures of Roman life.

The circular hop-on hop-off tour, our special digital walking tours and the night tour are included – so tour as much as you like or simply take it easy.

Coach Tour, Overnight Rome Hotel

DAY 4 Explore Rome

Make the most of your second flexi-tour today to discover more of Rome.

You’ll be spoilt for choice with compelling attractions like the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Vatican City, The Pantheon, Arch of Constantine, Roman Forum, Centro Storico, Santa Maria Maggiore, Piazza Navona, Villa Borghese Gallery and Gardens, the Catacombs and Via Appia Antica. Maybe experience some of the best shopping in Europe, browsing stylish Roman boutiques or relax with an espresso.

A visit to Rome is as much about lapping up the dolce vita lifestyle as gorging on art and culture. Idling around picturesque streets, whiling away hours at streetside cafes and people-watching on pretty piazzas are all central to the Roman experience. One of Rome’s great joys is losing yourself in the narrow cobblestone streets that make up Centro Storico.

In the evening, fashionable people descend on the city’s bars and cafes for a sociable aperitivo (drink with snacks) and trattorias hum with activity. Eating out is one of Rome's great pleasures and the combination of romantic alfresco settings and superlative food is a guarantee of good times. For a truly Roman meal, head to a boisterous pizzeria or neighbourhood trattoria. To finish off, what can beat a gelato followed by a shot of world-beating coffee?

The circular hop-on hop-off tour, our special digital walking tours and the night tour are included. Our panoramic Night Tour shows off another dimension to the Eternal City, sparkling in the evening with its vibrant street life. Our special digital walking tours can include tours like: ‘Rome of the Emperors', 'Secret Rome', 'Squares & Fountains' and 'La Dolce Vita'.

Coach Tour, Overnight Rome Hotel

DAY 5 Explore Rome & Welcome Dinner

Today meetup with your tour leader and get to know the rest of your fellow travellers on our fully escorted Train Journey from Rome to Amsterdam. Discuss the special activities that lie in store over the next two weeks.

We then set-off to enjoy an enthralling walking tour with our special local Roman guide. Connect with Rome in a unique, personal and unexpected way as we explore the city from a local perspective. See legendary sights like the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and the majestic Colosseum. Following our special walking tour, enjoy some free time. Choose how you’d like to experience this incredible world city. Perhaps discover more of its vibrant street life, ancient monuments and awe-inspiring art yourself. Alternatively, you could join our optional tour to the Colosseum.

This evening, we enjoy our special welcome dinner, featuring delicious Italian cuisine.

Meet and Greet Personalised Transfer, Dinner, Overnight Rome hotel

DAY 6 Rome to Florence

This morning we board a modern high-speed train to commence our extraordinary rail journey through Europe, enjoying a panoramic perspective through the large carriage windows. Our destination today is breathtaking Tuscany; enjoy the high-speed train experience as we are propelled through tunnels, amidst beautiful countryside and over rolling vineyards admiring quaint hilltop towns in the distance.

Renowned for its stunning landscapes, world-class art, fine food and wine – Tuscany is Italy's most beautiful region, guaranteed to delight. Florence is the cradle of the Renaissance culture; it’s romantic, enchanting and completely irresistible. The breathtaking terracotta-tiled dome of the Duomo cathedral rises up above narrow cobbled streetscapes, dotted with 15th and 16th century palazzi, medieval candle-lit chapels, marble basilicas and fresco-clad churches.

We embark on our guided walking tour with a local expert to learn about the legacy of the Medicis and see the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria, featuring Michelangelo’s ‘David’. See the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and Ponte Vecchio. Artistic and architectural masterpieces lay in wait at every turn; from Botticcelli’s The Birth of Venus to Michelangelo’s ‘David’ in the Piazza della Signoria.

We delight in a classic Tuscan Lunch together in the heart of glorious Florence and then visit the workshop of a local leather craftsman to learn about refined Italian leather-crafting. See why Italy has been celebrated for quality leather production for centuries.

This evening Florence is yours; perhaps shop to your hearts delight, dine in a traditional Tuscan Restaurant, and stroll the streets admiring the ambience and beauty of this rousing city that eternally inspires.

Breakfast, Lunch, Leather Demonstration, Overnight Florence hotel

DAY 7 Florence to Venice

This morning you have free time to discover more of enchanting Florence or choose to take an optional tour to journey through spectacular Tuscan countryside made famous by numerous great painters, to Pisa. This compelling small city is best known for an architectural venture gone very wrong. The leaning tower is one of the most memorable sights in Europe and one of the seven medieval wonders of the world.

This afternoon, we board a train to enchanting Venice, a city built on more than 100 small islands that are lined with splendid Renaissance and Gothic palaces. It has no roads, just canals like the famous Grand Canal. The central square, Piazza San Marco, contains St. Mark’s Basilica, which is tiled with Byzantine mosaics, and the Campanile bell tower offering views of the city’s famous red roofs.

We experience a walking tour along the canals and ancient narrow laneways through the heart of Venice to find out why this is such a famous city. See the instantly recognisable Rialto Bridge, St Mark's Square, the Bridge of Sighs and the Doge's Palace. A fairy-tale city of dreamlike canals, winding cobbled footpaths and fuschia-pink sunsets, Venice makes a habit of exceeding even the grandest of expectations. The Illustrious Grand Canal reflects atop its water’s centuries of Venetian architecture enroute to Piazza San Marco, where St. Mark’s Basilica and the Campanile bell tower offer breathtaking views over this renowned city.

From here, enjoy free time to explore Venice. Perhaps sip an espresso, take a cruise along the canals on a gondola or relax and watch the world go by in one of the many piazzas.

Today you’ll have some time to explore both Florence and Venice or enjoy the optional tours like Pisa Half Day Trip ($88) or Venice Water Taxi ($37). Make your choice while on the tour.

Breakfast, Overnight Venice hotel

DAY 8 Explore Venice

Choose how you’d like to experience Venice with a selection of activities on offer. Venice is a truly magical city, a fairy-tail patchwork of beautiful canals and laneways that are thoroughly joyful to explore.

Today enjoy a free day to experience Venetian life at your own pace, visiting places of most interest to you. The main city is small and compact, so you can easily wander from end to end. Explore the canals, sit and relax in the vibrant small squares, browse the chic shops and high-end boutiques, go cafe-hopping, indulge in a gastronomic extravagance or spend time immersing yourself into the fascinating Venetian history, art and culture. With over 400 bridges and endless laneways, one of the best things to do is to just wander… and get lost in Venice.

Perhaps spend the day discovering somewhere in detail, like Gallerie dell’Accademia, Tintoretto's Heaven on Earth, Basilica di San Marco, Palazzo Ducale, Opera at Teatro La Fenice, La Biennale di Venezia, Punta della Dogana or Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta. Maybe explore one of the other Venetian islands, like Murano, Lido, San Giorgio Maggiore or Torcello, each with their own character but distinctly Venice. Try to find Venice’s best Tiramisu (the decadent Italian cake dessert). It was invented in Venice in the 1960s and its secret recipe has been preserved by local restaurants and bakeries, with over 25 different kinds.

Discover the Venetian pleasures of la bea vita (the beautiful life): the wake-up call of the gondoliers' ‘Ooooeeeee!’, a morning spritz in a sunny campo (square), lunch in a vibrant bacaro (bar) and the fuschia-pink sunsets that have inspired centuries of artists. Your HolidayMax tour host is full of ideas and local knowledge so that you can get the most out of your time here.

Today is a free flexi-day so you have the choice of activity to suit your mood. You can explore Venice and its extraordinary attractions yourself at your own pace or choose an optional activity like the Venice Gondola Ride ($37) or Venice Lagoon Tour ($59). Make your choice while on the tour.

Breakfast, Overnight Venice hotel

DAY 9 Venice to Milan

Today, we head to the global fashion capital and home of Italian design, Milan. A fast-paced metropolis where world class shopping, Michelin star cuisine and a treasure trove of art and culture come together in an inimitable confluence. Our local guide from Milan takes us on a magical tour of this sophisticated city. Explore Milan’s amazing treasures and vibrant personality, admiring the flair of the fashionable locals for whom style is an art form. Visit the mesmerizing Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery, stand in awe at the impressive form of the epic Duomo di Milano cathedral as it exudes Gothic splendour upon the city’s otherwise futuristic skyline.

This afternoon, the choice is yours to continue exploring the glamorous city of Milan your own way or perhaps join your tour leader on an optional trip to the spectacular Lake Como, an unbelievably resplendent setting that includes lush greenery and lakeside historic villages framed by the backdrop of the Italian and Swiss Alps. Lake Como holds all the accolades for the most notably majestic scenery in the Italian Lake District. Delight in finding ornate centuries-old villas, elaborate gardens brimming with fragrant flowers, tiny churches and endless scenic vistas.

Today you’ll have some time to explore Milan or enjoy the optional tour Como half-day trip ($118). Make your choice while on the tour.

Breakfast, Lunch, Overnight Milan hotel

DAY 10 Milan to Swiss Alps (Switzerland)

You could not imagine a more spectacular train journey than this, as we make our way across the border into the dramatic splendour of Switzerland. From alpine altitudes to avant-garde galleries, quadrilingual Switzerland balances sky-scraping natural wonder with sophisticated urban edge in authentic European style. Cityscapes unite medieval charm with new-wave grit, riverside bars and upmarket boutiques; while in the countryside, soaring mountains and dazzling alpine lakes will make the heart race, quieted soon after by the serene rural beauty of pastured valleys and folkloric villages.

Our first stop today is Spiez, which is nothing short of magical. Perched astride a horseshoe-shaped bay between the Cerulean blue waters of Lake Thun and cascading hillsides, the village offers a carefree waterfront counterpoint to the snowy Alps with its medieval castle rising above the surrounding emerald vineyards as it gazes out across the glistening fjord-like waters.

We change trains here and continue our journey towards Interlaken - admiring the sublime scenery that surrounds us as our train passes traditional timber houses and cows grazing in the peaceful fields - to our stay in a picture-postcard mountain village right in the heart of the Jungfrau region. This World Heritage site contains Europe's largest glacier and is understandably one of the most popular regions of the Alps. Inhale the crisp clear mountain air as you immerse yourself in its incredible beauty.

We are staying two nights near the traditional Swiss resort village of Interlaken. Gracing a narrow stretch of fertile valley between the emerald blue waters of two glacial fed lakes, this glorious location infuses you with exhilarating mountain panoramas from every street in town - snow-capped peaks towering overhead, dense alpine forest carpeting the surrounding slopes, original timber houses and pretty lakeside churches.

Tonight we enjoy our delectable Swiss dinner.

Breakfast, Dinner, Overnight Swiss Mountain Village Hotel

DAY 11 Explore Swiss Alps

Choose how you’d like to experience the majesty of the Swiss Alps with a selection of activities on offer. Highly recommended is the incredible mountain train journey to Jungfraujoch, the highest train station in Europe - it’s simply breath-taking all the way up. If the journey to the top wasn’t enough, at 3.5km above sea level, the destination is considered ‘the top of Europe’, with majestic vistas of ice, snow and rock that are truly breathtaking. See the utterly enormous glacier and enjoy the year-round snowy conditions. You’ll treasure this experience forever.

The soaring alpine heart of Switzerland - home to some of the highest peaks in Europe and the striking scenery of the Swiss Alps demands to be admired. Crisp, snow covered mountain tops glisten above turquoise-coloured glacial lakes and undulating alpine pastures as the sound of cow bells reverberate through the valleys. Snow dusted mountain villages are steeped in folkloric custom, Alpenhorn and yodelling, but a few of the colourful local traditions. Your HolidayMax tour host is full of ideas and local knowledge so that you can get the most out of your time here.

Today is a free flexi-day so you have the choice of activity to suit your interest. You can explore Wilderswil and its fascinating attractions yourself at your own pace or choose an optional activity like the (highly recommended) Train to Jungfraujoch ($285) or a Swiss Dinner ($45). Maybe even something more adventurous for the young at heart - like White-Water River Rafting ($175), Sky-diving ($560) or Paragliding ($250). Make your choice while on the tour.

Breakfast, Overnight Swiss Mountain Village hotel

DAY 12 Swiss Alps to Mainz (Germany)

We continue our extraordinary train journey through incredible European countryside into Germany. From the great cities of Berlin, Munich and Hamburg to the epic scenery of the Alps and the fairytale villages of the Black Forest, Germany’s countryside is speckled with Baroque palaces, mountaintop castles, centuries-old biergarten and half-timbered medieval towns. This is a country where historic monuments and wartime relics sit beside underground clubs and ultra-modern galleries, complemented by hearty German fare and famous frothy beer.

Today, we are on our way to the Rhine Valley, famous for its medieval castles perched high above the river and steep fields of wine-producing grapes. The Rhine Valley’s soaring clifftop fortresses and near vertical terraced vineyards have inspired fables, fairy tales, paintings and poetry for centuries.

We complete our remarkable day of travel in the home of the world’s first printed bible and the heart of the German winemaking region of Rheinhessen - the thoroughly agreeable and lively university city of Mainz where we are escorted on a guided tour. The cobbled historic town is bejewelled with beautiful half-timbered houses and medieval market squares, while the deep red octagonal tower tops of the Romanesque Mainz Cathedral soar overhead. But it’s the simple pleasures that set Mainz apart; a peaceful wander along the Rhine or a local wine tasting in a half-timbered Altstadt tavern. Enjoy free time here to stroll along the cobbled streets and visit the enticingly vibrant markets around the main cathedral before making your way back to the hotel for a delicious dinner with your group.

Breakfast, Dinner, Overnight Mainz hotel

DAY 13 Mainz to St Goar to Boppard to Luxembourg City (Luxembourg)

Today, our scenic train journey meanders through the spectacular Rhine Valley wine-producing region to our first stop of the day – irresistible St Goar. A quintessentially German township, St Goar radiates Rhineland charm. Named after a 6th century Celtic missionary, this is one of the best places in Germany to buy an authentic beer stein, clogs or hand carved cuckoo clocks. Quaint churches and pretty half-timbered facades line the streets of this quiet yet friendly town.

Relax on board a splendid Rhine riverboat as you meander your way amidst some of Germany’s most evocative landscapes; cruise past the most concentrated stretch of medieval castles in all of Europe, expansive vineyards, lofty cliffs and quaint half-timbered villages with their idyllic gothic church steeples materialising around every riverbend. Learn the curious story of the castles, most built by a mafia of local robber barons, knights and princes and listen to the legend of Lorelei - who lured shipmen to their fate within the depths of the Rhine with her beautiful siren voice.

The lyrical landscapes that have inspired poets, painters, authors and kings across the centuries continues as we disembark our cruise in Boppard. Charming Boppard is a sun spoiled resort town nestled on a horseshoe bend of the Rhine River. Transforming over the centuries from a Celtic settlement into a Roman fortress and later a Frankish royal court, its historic town is dotted with handsome half-timbered buildings, lively squares and cosy wine taverns, where you can cheerfully fill your glass with Riesling from some of the Rhine’s renowned vineyards. We delight in a wine tasting here including the celebrated Eiswein and relish a traditional Rhine Valley lunch.

We continue our exceptional day of travels on our way to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ranking among the world's top nations for both wealth and wine consumption. The fairy-tale capital, Luxembourg City, is perched on a dramatic clifftop and home to the Grand Ducal Palace. See the remarkable medieval castles on Luxembourg’s rolling forested hills complimented by strings of quaint villages.

Breakfast, Lunch, Rhine River Cruise, Wine Tasting in Boppard, Overnight Luxembourg City hotel

DAY 14 Luxembourg City to Paris (France)

Today we board our high-speed train to journey through the country of romance – France - where mesmerizing fields of endless lavender, glamourous Mediterranean beaches and rolling vineyard clad hillsides intermingle with world renowned cityscapes and snow dusted alpine villages. Here, a unique style of luxury encompasses cathedral crowned cities and quaint cobblestone villages alike, as champagne flutes clink in ancient cellars, monuments line the boulevards and iconic artwork seduces enamoured travellers the country over.

We travel through the French countryside to the most-visited city in the world - Paris - the ‘City of Lights and Love’. We arrive at Gare de l'Est station and instantly delve in to discover the delights of French Cuisine for our lunch. Then it is time for our special Paris walking tour. Experience a tour of the splendid French capital to see some of the city’s most treasured landmarks, like the Eiffel Tower, the River Seine, Notre Dame and more. Monuments and statues that have filled your dreams will come to life as your tour leader guides you past the aromatic street vendors and charming cafes of this world city. Our guided tour ends in the celebrated Latin Quarter close to Notre Dame where you have free time to enjoy the ‘City of Lights’ on your own.

Perhaps discover the pleasures of an atmospheric restaurant of your choice for dinner tonight in the famous Latin Quarter. Popular with Parisians, the Latin Quarter is an eclectic, bohemian and historic neighbourhood - so you’ll feel like a local walking the bustling narrow streets.

This evening you’ll have some time to explore Paris or enjoy the optional tour An Evening in Montmartre ($66). Make your choice while on the tour.

Breakfast, Lunch, Overnight Paris hotel

DAY 15 Explore Paris

Choose how you’d like to experience this romantic city with a selection of activities on offer. The wonderful thing about Paris is that it there is always so much to experience here. Its monument-lined boulevards, museums, classical bistros and boutiques are complimented by a new wave of hip urban culture. The River Seine flows through the heart of the city, its banks are peppered with book sellers and market stalls.

Famous architecture is scattered through the city, so exploring yourself on foot is a great way of taking in every ounce of history. A River Seine cruise will guide you right past many city highlights complete with fascinating commentary - such as Grand Palais, the Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral (under repair) and National Assembly - to the famous Eiffel Tower for a birds eye view of Paris. Your HolidayMax tour host is full of ideas and local knowledge so that you can get the most out of your time here.

Today is a free flexi-day so you have the choice of activity to suit your mood. You can explore Paris and its magical attractions yourself at your own pace or choose an optional activity like the Parisian Cabaret with drinks ($110) or Paris Shopping & Art ($118). Make your choice while on the tour.

Breakfast, Overnight Paris hotel

DAY 16 Paris to Brussels (Belgium)

We cross another border today into the culturally and visually exhilarating country of Belgium - with a multicultural heart that beats to the rhythm of art nouveau elegance, crazy carnivals and decadent cuisine. Fairytale cobblestone cityscapes showcase medieval towns, urban canals are punctuated with step-gabled houses and Renaissance architecture, monks brew Trappest beer in hillside abbeys, as caves, castles, battlefields and beaches feature throughout the radiant pockets of rural countryside.

We arrive into Brussels in the afternoon; an unpredictable city full of curiously agreeable contradictions. Bilingual Brussels is raw, radiant and multicultural to its roots. From the elaborate splendour of Grand Place to the hip Congolese Matonge quarter, this capricious cityscape showcases everything from regal 19th century mansions to whimsical Art Deco and Art Nouveau facades. We join our local guided tour to explore this de facto capital of the European Union. Find tranquillity in the green oasis that is the Park of Brussels, stroll around the exquisite Grand Place where we are surrounded by the stunning architecture of the Broodhuis History Museum and the elegant Brussels Town Hall. Be introduced to the main attractions, including the Mont des Arts Garden, Grand Place - Grote Markt, the iconic Manneken Pis, the European Parliament building and much more.

From here, the afternoon is yours to explore. Perhaps make your way over to the Atomium for a stunning 360° panorama of the city, stay in the historic town centre and visit one of the many captivating museums or enjoy some exceptional shopping. Contemporary art galleries abound and you may find the city’s famed beer pairs all too well with its delicious double fried frites.

Today you’ll have some time to explore Brussels or enjoy the optional tour Bruges Half Day Trip ($147). Make your choice while on the tour.

Breakfast, Overnight Brussels hotel

DAY 17 Brussels to Amsterdam (Netherlands)

We have some free time this morning to enjoy even more of the intriguing Belgian Capital - fill your bag with the infamous Belgian chocolate or settle into a local bar to delight in a lunch of waffles, fries and a Belgian Dubbel beer.

We then leave Belgium behind on the final leg of our train journey into the Netherlands. From the picture perfect canals and bicycle busy red brick laneways of Amsterdam to vast green landscapes adorned with centuries-old windmills and vibrant springtime tulips, the Netherlands seamlessly intertwines old fashioned simplicity with cutting edge innovation. World renowned art galleries pay tribute to Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh while Dutch Renaissance palaces and romantic gabled houses speckle the lush countryside.

We disembark the train at our final destination – Amsterdam - the intoxicating bohemian capital of Holland. You’ll know you’ve arrived in Amsterdam, with its rainbow of ornate, pastel coloured canal houses that cascade down to meet the arched bridges and elaborate waterways of one of the world's most aesthetic and offbeat metropolises. A city entirely reclaimed from the sea, Amsterdam is intimately connected with water, its 165 World Heritage listed canals adorned with atmospheric bruin cafés, world class art galleries and as many bikes as there are people.

After a little free time to refresh at our central Amsterdam hotel, we experience a scenic cruise through the remarkable canals. You’ll discover that the story of Amsterdam is intimately connected with water and its 165 canals, which are now world heritage listed. Amsterdam was reclaimed from the sea making the canals and harbour cruise the best way to experience many of the city’s highlights.

Tonight we enjoy our farewell dinner in a beautiful historic restaurant dating back to 1885 - designed by famous architect Pierre Cuypers who also designed the Rijksmuseum.

Breakfast, Dinner, Amsterdam Canal Cruise, Overnight Amsterdam hotel

DAY 18 Tour Amsterdam

It is time to say farewell to your fellow train travellers and friendly tour hosts as your grand rail tour through 7 enchanting European countries draws to an end and your discovery of Amsterdam begins.

Your first two full days in Amsterdam are flexi-tours, so you can tour at your own pace, visiting places of most interest to you. Relax into Amsterdam time with a choice of included touring options to suit your mood, before we embark on our fully escorted Leisurely Europe adventure.

The Dutch capital is probably Europe’s most exciting and eclectic city. Be immersed in Amsterdam's treasure-packed museums, vintage-filled shops and hyper-creative design, dining and social scenes. Each neighbourhood offers something different, each a little pocket of humanity; and Amsterdam's picture perfect canal-dominated core is laced with atmospheric narrow lanes filled with excitement.

Your flexi-tour covers all the city's main sights & attractions both on land and cruising the historic canals. You have a circular driving tour, stay on for the whole tour enjoying our guide’s entertaining commentary or get-off at any one of incredible stops and re-join our next circular tour bus at your leisure. You also have unlimited use of a circular cruise through the extensive canal network with amazing informative commentary, get-off at any of the canal stops. You have a total of 18 amazing stops across Amsterdam. Explore must-see attractions like the Vincent van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House (17th-Century canal house, where Anne Frank hid from the Nazis for 2 years), The Nine Streets (quaint and quirky streets, big on personality, full of cosy cafés and boutiques), the infamous Red Light District, Rijksmuseum (phenomenal collection of Dutch masters), Albert Cuyp Market (long street market), Foodhallen (super trendy palazzo street food), Heineken Brewery Experience, the Museum District, NEMO Science Museum, Amsterdam Icebar, Gassan Diamonds, Jewish Historical Quarter, Shopping District, Royal Theatre Carré, Westermarkt (cultural and creative hub), Body Worlds Exhibition, Madame Tussauds, Hard Rock Café, Westerdok, Holland Casino, Vondelpark and Museumplein. Alternatively, find your own piece of captivating Amsterdam.

Both the circular bus tour and circular canal cruise are included – so tour as much as you like or simply take it easy.

Breakfast, Coach Tour & Cruise, Overnight Amsterdam hotel

DAY 19 Tour Amsterdam

Make the most of your second flexi-tour today. You’ll never know what you’ll find around the corner in this fascinating city, built around magnificent canals and atmospheric narrow lanes that seamlessly intertwines old fashioned simplicity with cutting edge innovation. And with more push-bikes than people.

Maybe explore the stunning canal district on our included circular canal cruise. Amsterdam was reclaimed from the sea making this cruise the best way to experience many of the city’s highlights. You’ll discover that the story of Amsterdam is intimately connected with water and its 165 canals, that are now world heritage listed. Experience the canal district’s incredible dining scene with an endless list of restaurants and cafes, with hundreds of museums.

Perhaps visit the enchanting old town or trend-setting new parts. Maybe enjoy an immersive slow visit to the splendid museums in the cultural beating heart of Amsterdam, like the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum and The Royal Concertgebouw. Perhaps visit Europe’s best flea-market at IJ-hallen (full of bargains, quirky curiosities and sprawling industrial warehouses). Maybe take your time wandering one of Amsterdam’s most charming neighbourhoods like Jordaan with its narrow streets and quaint buildings dotted with independent art galleries, antique shops, courtyard gardens and atmospheric bars and restaurants. Maybe try a snack from a herring cart serving up a Dutch fish specialty.

You could discover the renowned bohemian side of the city, maybe witness one of the 250 more socially liberal “coffee shops” or the infamous Red Light District. Perhaps discover the more quirky “only in Amsterdam” attractions like the Museum of Fluorescent Art or the Torture Museum. Maybe explore the splendid Hortus Botanicus botanical garden with its treasure trove of rare flora. The wide array of options are endless.

Both the circular bus tour and circular canal cruise are included – so tour as much as you like or simply take it easy.

Coach Tour & Cruise, Overnight Amsterdam Hotel

DAY 20 Say Goodbye to Amsterdam

You will be personally met at your hotel by your HolidayMax representative and transferred to Amsterdam Airport for your flight home.

Meet and greet personalized departure airport transfer

DAY 21 Arrive home

Enjoy the attentive service on your premium airline flight home.

Escorted Tour Details

Overview What to Expect Freedom and Flexibility Modern Coaches

Tour Leader Your Mobility & Fitness

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Escorted Coach Touring

Cherish the unforgettable moments of your HolidayMax escorted tour featuring unparalleled sightseeing and enriching cultural experiences. We are passionate about showing you the heart of the destination, enabling you to be truly touched by new experiences.

Your knowledgeable Tour Leader and host will ensure you get the best personal experience on your journey. Tours feature all the must-see sights along with our little-known exclusive hidden gems and special touches in each destination, with plenty of free-time for you to take it all in for yourself. Enjoy the freedom to tailor your holiday in your free-time, including whole free-days that give you a choice of activities to suit your mood on the day.

Stay in quality handpicked hotels. Savour deliciously authentic local dining in outstanding restaurants with a mouth-watering array of culinary experiences. Travel in large modern coaches with expansive windows for an incredible elevated view, in your comfortable seat with generous legroom.

Experience HolidayMax’s renowned immersive touring or river cruising. Join us on an unforgettable journey of discovery. We’ve taken care of the details; you just need to relax and embrace your sense of adventure.

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Europe by Train Rome to Amsterdam

21 Day Train + Touring Package

Limited Availability at these prices. Deal ends soon. Questions? Call 1300 887 469 or Click to Ask Us

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* Starting holiday costs, per person, for 2 people sharing, on selected travel dates (off-peak). Travel on other dates attracts a surcharge. As prices vary based on travel dates, be flexible with dates to get the best deals! Itinerary and vehicle types subject to change without notice. Subject to limited availability at these prices, after which higher prices apply, book now. Some governments and service operators have Covid vaccination requirements. Your included flights advised via email with 24 hours to select alternative flights, routing or airline (alternatives may be at a higher price). Included flights may not be the most direct routing. Arrive earlier/stay longer for specified airports only. Stop-overs are not possible. Subject to Booking Conditions, see Important Information before booking. © DISCOVER AUSTRALIA Booking Code: mp491