Day 2 - Highlights of London - In the morning we will meet our London Blue Badge guide for our personal historic guided tour of London and its famous sites and secret alleyways. We will start with government dignitaries and over a thousand years of British royalty - Old Westminster, Houses of Parliament, and the inside of Westminster Abbey. After the Abbey a historic walk along to St. James Park, Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square.  Lunch will be at one of Britain's classic old Pubs (except with great food!)  Our afternoon will be highlighted by an insider's tour of Christopher Wren's architectural masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, and finish with our guide on Tower Hill looking on the 1,000 year-old Palace/Fortress/Torture center and home to the most impressive collections of crown jewels in the world - the Tower of London.  We will conclude in the late afternoon with a historic and humorous cruise down the Thames and dinner is on your own.  This would be a perfect evening to go to the London Theater. If you like theater at all, it is a "must do" in London.  You can get help with bookings and recommendations from European Discovery. (B,L) Sleep in London

Day 3 - 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 markets or Harrods. There are also incredible choices of museums in London - the British Museum with its priceless collection from the ancient world, the British Library with 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.  If you would prefer more of a London escorted tour, the European Discovery guide will also be informally 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 4 - London to Paris - A relaxing morning in London then optional trip to the market for some picnic shopping.  From London's Waterloo station, we will "zip" (actually 2hr50min) over to Paris on the Eurostar train while enjoying our picnic feast.  After arrival in Paris' Gare du Nord, we will settle into our classy hotel in the Marais District (on the right bank across from Notre Dame) and go for a late afternoon walk through this district- one of the most beautifully-preserved quarters of the city - with a local Parisian guide.  For dinner, we will continue our "French education" at a small family run bistro specializing in the local cuisine.  With dinner we will have a special treat of wine tasting and pairing with our meal. The owner of the restaurant will also explain a bit about French wines and regions while we taste to give us some knowledge about French wines and make them easier to understand . (B,L,D) Sleep in Paris

Day 5 - Highlights of Paris - We will meet our local Paris guide for an exciting Paris guided tour of highlights of this historic and romantic city. We will start where Paris started, with the Île de la Cité, centered in the Seine with the cathedral of Notre Dame tour and the gothic marvel of Sainte-Chapelle. After lunch in a little sidewalk cafe (with people-watching included for free) we will take the metro to le grand Louvre. For eight centuries the Louvre was the palace of the kings and queens of France. Now it is the home of one of the richest collections of art and antiquities in the world. Our guide will lovingly take us through this amazing place with a highlights tour giving us more insight to its treasures and the history of France. After the Louvre, we will stroll through the peaceful Tuileries gardens to the Place de la Concorde.  Our last stop will be to catch the Metro to the Arc de Triomphe. Our guide will leave us at the Arc de Triomphe and you will be free to continue to wander through Paris from this central location or hop the Metro to your next destination.  Dinner tonight is on your own with delightful suggestions in the tour handbook. (B,L) Sleep in Paris

Day 6 - Paris Discovery Day - Again, the entire day is dedicated to you doing exactly what 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 and its 360° views 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.  Your European Discovery guide will lead through some of the city choices for those that wish to join.  In the evening we will have 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 7 - Grandeur of Versailles - 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.  Once there 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(if not raining) 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 Château tour you are free to wander around the grounds some more or to head back to Paris. We will have a classic three course French dinner together to give our final toast and say our good-bye's to two of Europe's most wonderful cities - London and Paris. (B,L,D) Sleep in Paris

Day 8 - The tour is over after breakfast. You can head to the airport or if you have made other plans, stay on in Europe on your own. If you need help or an escort to the Paris airport, we will help you with your transfer.  Whew, what an awesome week! (B)