Day 2 - The trail of the Da Vinci Code in Paris - The Da Vinci Code begins with the murder of Jacques Sauniére, the curator of the Louvre Museum, and so we shall also begin our tour at this world famous museum - minus the murder of course!  We will meet our local Paris expert in the "pyramid" courtyard of the Louvre to talk about the history of the Louvre itself and the now infamous triangle of glass added in the 1980's.  Our guide will give us a tour through the labyrinth of galleries showing the museums famous works and the paintings evoked in Dan Brown's tale.  We will also include many of the works that highlight goddess imagery and the sacred feminine.  After a break with a French sidewalk café lunch, we will continue to Paris' character filled left bank where our guide will take us on a fascinating walk which will reveal some of the mysteries, historical background and principle arguments of the search for the Holy Grail.  Our path will take us to the cathedral of St. Sulpice, the gnomon(the rose line), and other sites with stories of the Merovingians and the Blood Line of Christ. We will end in the early afternoon so you will have plenty of time to explore other parts of Paris or rest from your Da Vinci day.  Dinner tonight will be on your own. Your European Discovery guide will make some suggestions for the group. (B,L) Sleep in Paris

Day 3 -  Paris Discovery Day - The entire day is dedicated to you spending it exactly how you want to in this amazing city. With your Museum Pass and transportation tickets (included with the tour), you can skip the fee and the line in most of Paris' sites. You could start the morning by going to the former Gare d'Orsay - an impressive space that now houses the Musee d'Orsay with its collection of masterpiece paintings and sculpture - Renoir, Degas, Manet, Cezanne are all here. After the  Musee d'Orsay, you could catch the Métro to the Arc de Triomphe, walk up the stairs for a city view, and take a casual stroll and lunch on the Champs Elysées.  During the day but especially at night, the Eiffel Tower with its 360° views of Paris is also a must see.  These are just some of the city choices.  If you feel more like visiting a majestic Châteaux, there are several that are day trips from Paris - Vaux-le-Vicomte, Fontainebleau and Chantilly to name a few.  If you are a fan of picturesque cemeteries with famous inhabitants (i.e. Jim Morrison), then Cimetière du Père Lachaise is for you. Monet's famous Gardens in Giverny are also easily done in a day.  Your European Discovery guide will lead through some of the city choices for those that wish to join. The evening will be a wine and cheese gathering for those who want to share their Parisian discoveries. Dinner is own your own tonight. (B) Sleep in Paris

Day 4 - Grandeur of Versailles and Chateau Villette - First thing in the morning we will hop on the train to the Grand Palace and grounds of Château de Versailles - stopping at a local fresh market to pick up picnic fixings.  We will tour the famous gardens and learn the history of this magnificent palace and its builders and occupants. It was built by the Sun King Louis the XIV and last inhabited by Louis XVI (we know how that ended). The fountains (Louis diverted the Seine river for them) will be running on the day we visit so get out your camera as they are spectacular!  We will picnic on the grounds next to the fountains and toast to Louis and his fine home. After our lunch we will independently tour the Château and the State Apartments with an optional audio guide. The Hall of Mirrors is as stunning today as it was when it was built over 300 years ago. After the Versailles Château tour there will be an optional 2-hour tour to Chateau Villette near Versailles.  This home, built in 1696, is the fictional home of Sir Leigh Teabing, the British Royal historian in the novel. During the tour we will see its splendor, hear about its incredible history and of course, the see the secret hayloft and the hiding place of the keystone.  The upcoming movie was also filmed in this location.  If you choose not to go to Chateau Villette, you are free to stay at Versailles and wander around the grounds or to head back to Paris. We will have a classic 3-course French dinner together in the lively Latin Quarter to give our final toast and say our
"au revoir's" to Paris. (B,D) Sleep in Paris

Day 5 - Paris to London - Have a relaxing morning in Paris and then, like in the novel, we take our own private jet to London - well... not really a jet but the ultra-fast Eurostar chunnel train.  We will pack our picnic lunch and arrive in style in less than three hours to the center of London at Waterloo station.  We will check into our Earls Court hotel, get settled and get together for our introduction to London and how to get around.  In the evening we will head out for a stroll along the south bank of the Thames and then on to the London Eye for our introductory highlights of London from above. On the London Eye we will be able to get a birds eye view over London while the European Discovery guide will introduce you to the landmarks and history of this great city. Dinner together is an Indian multi-course feast. (B,L,D) Sleep in London

Day 6 - The Da Vinci trail continues in London - We will meet our London Blue Badge guide on Fleet Street, one of the oldest, streets in London to begin our tour.  We will head to the Temple Church - considered one of the most beautiful and historic churches in London.  It was built in 12th century by the Knights Templar to protect Pilgrims on their way to and from Jerusalem.  It is here that Robert and Sophie are looking to solve the clue "IN LONDON LIES A KNIGHT A POPE INTERRED" and so you will visit the life-size stone effigies of nine knights.  After the Temple Church we will make our way to the Temple tube stop with a glance at Kings College(library where they searched for keywords) and head for a hearty pub lunch. After lunch we will tour the famous 1000 year old Westminster Abbey, where over three thousand people are entombed or enshrined.  A magnificent cathedral to feel the history of England with great Kings, Queens, scientists and scholars, including the tomb of Sir Isaac Newton, which holds one of the final Da Vinci clues and the Chapter House , where the truth about Teabing is revealed. After Westminster, we will make our way through beautiful St. James Park, where in the book the "teacher" kills Remy, followed by a great view the Queens residence; Buckingham Palace.  As our last stop we will catch the tube to Tower Hill outside the Tower of London with some stories as the past royal palace and place of many royal executions and then finish with a relaxing and entertaining cruise on the Thames.  Dinner is on your own tonight and it also would be a great night to enjoy the famous London Theater. (B,L) Sleep in London

Day 7 - London Discovery Day - The entire day is dedicated to the things that you want to do and your discovery of London. You could wake up late and wander through the old city or do some shopping at the famous Harrods down the street from our hotel. There are also incredible choices of museums in London - the British Museum with its priceless collections from the ancient world, the British Library with one the original Magna Carta, the Tate Modern housing Picasso and Monet, the National Gallery with its remarkable collection of European painters and many more.  If you feel more like seeing some sites outside of London, there are many wonderful day trips that you could do.  Bath, with its stately homes and 4th Century Roman baths and the nearby ancient monument of Stonehenge are easily done in a day.  The thatched cottages of the Cotswold's and the collegiate spires of Oxford could be another choice.  If gardens and palaces are more to your liking, you could stay in London and visit the Royal Gardens of Kew and Henry VIII's palace at Hampton Court.  Whatever you choose, European Discovery will make sure you can do it with ease.  The European Discovery guide will also be leading to some of these local sites for those that want to join.  In the evening, there will be wine and cheese to share your days discoveries.  Dinner is on your own tonight and it is also another good night for the theater. (B) Sleep in London

Day 8 - London to Edinburgh and Rosslyn Chapel - We will pack a picnic lunch and take the morning train to Edinburgh - a beautiful ride through the English and Scottish countryside.  Upon our arrival we be picked up at the train station and head straight to Rosslyn Chapel; 7 miles south of Edinburgh.  We will explore this amazing 15th Century Chapel and it's head-to-toe carvings and symbols. The Chapel was built for the St. Clair family in 1446 who hired freemasons from all over Europe to create a masterpiece in stone. While there is no proof of links to the Templar knights, the current St. Clair family descendent contends that the chapel is indeed modeled from the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem and the crypts under the chapel at one time were indeed the hiding place of the grail. It is a mysterious and beautiful place and also used as a filming location of the Da Vinci Code movie.  After our tour we will head back to Edinburgh.  Dinner is on your own tonight and there is lots of Scottish hospitality available in all corners of this historic city. (B,L) Sleep in Edinburgh

Day 9 - Tour and Explore Edinburgh - Edinburgh is the historic and cultural capital of Scotland.  On this day you have your choice of having an entire day free to roam Scotland as you please or join our morning walking tour of the historic Royal Mile and the magnificent Edinburgh Castle.  The Royal Mile is a promenade that is packed with historical buildings and secret hiding places and our local Scottish tour guide will show us the best along with giving us an introduction to Scottish history and way of life.  We will see Holyrood Palace, the High Kirk of St. Giles, the Scottish Parliament, Camera Obscura and more. We will finish off our tour with a guided introduction and self-guided audio tour of Edinburgh Castle - dominating the skyline for over 800 years - containing the Crown Jewels of Scotland, great halls, the royal palace, and many canons (both ancient and working!).  The afternoon is free for you to explore and soak in Scottish hospitality. If you are so inclined, perhaps you could taste a "wee dram" at the Scotch Whisky Heritage Center or a local pub.  We will get back together to have a fabulous 3-course modern Scottish dinner down by the seaside to say our farewells. (B,D) Sleep in Edinburgh

Day 10 - The tour is over after a hearty Scottish breakfast.  You can either stay on in Scotland if you have more to see or head to the airport to fly back to the US.  If you need help getting to the airport, your European Discovery guide will make sure you get there with ease.  You can now make all of your friends jealous who see the Da Vinci Code movie that you HAVE BEEN THERE!! (B)