Paris and London
Highlights of England and France
8 Day Tour to London – Portsmouth – Paris - Palace of Versailles 
 
Visit two of the world's greatest cities - London and Paris.
There is plenty of  zest and variety on this tour, assuring lots of educational excitement. Enjoy!

Day 1 We arrange flight from your gateway to London, England.

Day 2 London. Arrival to London and we are greeted by our friendly guide and transfer to Hotel.

Day 3 Visit the famous landmarks of the city on the Thames. Visit the National Gallery, and very nearby, Trafalgar Square. See the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, Royal Albert Hall, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the incomparable British Museum and more. Late afternoon is free to browse and shop. How about a late-day walk through St. James Park.

Day 4 London. Our motor coach today delivers us SouthWest to Portsmouth and the Naval Museum, where we find Lord Admiral Nelson's flagship HMS, Victory. The very ancient Mary Rose is found here and you will be totally amazed at the efforts taken to preserve this historic ship.

Day 5 Paris. Today we quietly step inside Notre Dame Cathredal. The foundation was laid in 1163 but not completed for 200 years! The three portals of the Cathedral are classic examples of gothic religious art, each a "book" for the illiterate of the middle ages. We step into the Pantheon and the Cluny Museum. Among the fabulous artifacts in the Cluny is a series of tapestries that depict the five human senses as well as a sixth mysterious sense! We visit the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, and the Arc de Triomphe. The evening is a good time to stroll Montmartre, birthplace of Impressionist art and home to many famous painters. Manet, Monet, Degas, Renoir, Van Gogh, Gauguin and Cezanne all lived and worked here.

Day 6 Our journey brings us to the fantastic Louvre. See Mona Lisa smile, the Venus de Milo, the Egyptian Room and Apollo's Gallery. Gaze at Napoleon's loot from his campaigns, including Hammurabi's Code from ancient Babylon. We shall also visit the Tuileries Garden which opens up to the Place de la Concorde. Nearby is the Royal Palace. The Conciergerie on the Isle de La Cite is fascinating. It stands on the foundations of the city’s first royal dwelling and has held prisoners from the French Revolution, including Queen Marie Antoinette. See the staircase that winds up to nowhere and learn how Aristocrats with deep pockets could forestall the executioner, until their fortunes were diminished

Day 7 Paris. Today we venture onto the Palace of Versailles. Admire its' hundreds of fountains and beautiful gardens. This is one of Europe’s architectural masterpieces. Thousands of workers and servants labored here. It took Louis XIV and his army of 5,000 workers, 50 years to design and build and they really outdid themselves. You will never forget the opulence and grandeur. Particular favorites are the Hall of Mirrors and the fabulous collection of large paintings depicting Napoleon’s astonishing string of victories through Europe.

Day 8 Paris-Home. Enjoy the flight home. Ponder the stories you will tell, en Francais.