Take an unforgettable journey into the heartland of Europe with Travelmarvel.
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FRANCE – the hilltop village of St Paul de Vence has inspired the world's most famous painters Southern France & Classical Europe River Cru 25 days | Eight countries – France | Monaco | Belgium | Netherlands | Germany | Austria | Slovakia | YOUR HOLIDAY PRICE INCLUDES Spend three nights in Nice and Paris Enjoy two nights in Avignon 14 nights on the MS Johann Strauss The services of a Travelmarvel Tour Director & Cruise Director on your tour 55 fine meals – 24 breakfasts (B), 14 lunches (L) and 17 dinners (D) Soft drink, beer and local wine during every dinner on your river cruise Explore 27 different towns, villages and cities with an expert local guide Transfers, port charges & tipping included in your price INSIDER EXPERIENCES Visit a perfume maker in Grasse Enjoy a French wine tasting Have lunch at the Eiffel Tower in Paris Enjoy a premium 15-day river cruise Visit a local brewery in Cologne See pretzel making in Wertheim Sample Vienna's finest Schnapps Enjoy Budapest's cuisine and music OTHER HOLIDAY HIGHLIGHTS See the sights of Monaco Explore charming Provençal towns Visit the Palace of the Popes in Avignon Discover Paris' famous attractions Day 1. Nice. Arrive in Nice, considered to be the capital of the French Riviera. Côte d'Azur's cosmopolitan beauty attracts sunseekers with its glorious stretches of beaches and alluring azure sea. Enjoy a Welcome Reception at your hotel and then spend the next three nights soaking up the chic atmosphere. Stay (Three Nights): Nice, Hotel Massena. Day 2. Nice. Begin the day with a drive past Nice's harbour, where multi-million dollar yachts moor. Travel along the famous Promenade des Anglais, lined by fairy-lit palm trees and prestigious hotels, as it stretches along the gentle curved Bay of Angels. Admire the Rococo facade of the legendary Negresco Hotel and the domes of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral that lend an exotic feel to the cityscape. Enjoy a guided walking tour of the Old Town, where colourful buildings, Baroque churches and monumental squares exude a distinctive Piedmontese character. The afternoon is free to explore 'Nice la Belle'. Day 3. Monaco, Nice. Renowned for its glamorous casino, breathtaking harbour and home to the Grimaldi royal family for nearly 700 years, Monaco dazzles visitors to its pocket-sized principality. Trace the coast from Nice and arrive at Monaco Rock, which lifts abruptly from the sea and is home to Monaco's Old Town. Explore the narrow streets with a local guide, passing the world-famous Oceanographic Museum, the cathedral where Princess Grace's tomb lies, and the salmon-pink Royal Palace. Witness the changing of the Royal Guards and see the stunning city of Monte Carlo before returning to Nice. B – www.travelmarvel.com.au – Day 4. Aix-en-Provence, St Paul de Vence, Grasse. Bid adieu to Nice and travel to Aix-en-Provence. On the way, explore a village that has inspired painters, writers and poets throughout the ages. Built on a rocky outcrop, St Paul de Vence is a maze of charming streets, flower-filled gardens, tiny shady squares and ancient fountains. Continue to Grasse, the birthplace of the world's perfume industry. Like a Local – learn all about the mysteries of perfume production and surround yourself in famous French fragrances. Arrive in Aix-en-Provence, where on a guided tour, you'll follow the footsteps of Cézanne past 17th-century mansions, elegant hotels and a series of fountains stretching under the tree canopy of the majestic Cours Mirabeau. Tonight, enjoy dinner in this quintessential Provençal village. Stay (One Night): Aix-en-Provence, Hotel Aquabella. BD BD Day 5. Arles, St Rémy, Avignon. Travel across the astonishing landscapes that Impressionist and Fauvist painters were hypnotically drawn to. Pass the fields of lavender, olive trees and cypresses that were captured by some of the great painters of the 19th century. Arrive in Arles for a guided tour that leads you to the impressive Roman monuments that date back to the 1st century BC. Continue to St Rémy and wander the streets that provided the colourful muse for a vast number of Van Gogh's paintings more than a century ago. Then head through the Provence countryside to Avignon, which lies on the left bank of the Rhône and remains surrounded by ancient medieval ramparts. Stay (Two Nights): Grand Hotel Avignon. BD