Discovering Europe – 16 days, 15 nights

Pack your suitcase and let’s go! Start this trip through Europe in Group – Discovering Europe – our adventure through Europe where you will meet people from all over the world and live unforgettable experiences.

We will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your accommodation. Check-in is from 2 pm onwards. But you can leave your luggage and go out to see the Spanish capital.

In the afternoon, we will take you to know Madrid de los Austrias, a large area of the capital of Spain corresponding to the medieval layout of the city where we can find the famous Plaza Mayor, the Puerta del Sol, the Plaza de Oriente along with the Royal Palace, the Sabatini Gardens or the Almudena Cathedral, undoubtedly a set formed by the main attractions of the city.

Do you need reasons to visit Madrid?

Did you know that…

• Madrid is home to the oldest restaurant in the world! Casa Botín, founded in 1725, is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records.
• The Royal Palace has truly astonishing dimensions. With an extension of 135,000 square meters, it is the largest royal palace in Western Europe and, therefore, one of the largest in the world.
• In the Puerta del Sol is the km O, the point from which you start to measure the distances to all corners of Spain.
• The statue called Fallen Angel is located in El Retiro Park at 666 meters above sea level which is the number of the devil. It was built by Ricardo Bellver and shows eight monster heads on the pedestal base supporting the Fallen Angel.
• Madrid also has a Walk of Fame located on Martín de los Heros street. The street, famous for its movie theaters, imitates Hollywood’s “Walk of Fame” and includes the most important stars of Spanish cinema.
• The Egyptian government gave a temple to Madrid to thank Spain for its help in saving the temples of Nubia. From the Temple of Debod you can see a beautiful sunset.

For today on this Europe Group Tour you can choose between having a few more hours to discover Madrid and its charms or take a trip to Toledo.

*Optional Activities:

• Madrid Pack: Excursion to Toledo + Guided walk in Retiro

Did you know that…

• In the Retiro Park there is a statue of Satan himself, one of the few representations of the devil in the world and the only one in Spain. It is the Monument of the Fallen Angel and is exactly 666 meters above sea level.

Today on this group tour of Europe we will leave Madrid in the morning, passing through the ancient kingdom of Aragon and its Roman capital “Caesar Augusta”, today called Zaragoza. We will continue on our way to the city of Barcelona, passing through the desert area of Monegros. We will arrive in Barcelona in the afternoon/evening for a first ride.

We are in Barcelona!

Today, on this Europe group tour in Europe you will enjoy the day walking around this beautiful city. Its streets, its nooks and crannies, its squares, its magnificent historic center and architecture have made it the world’s tourist capital that we know today.

The Sagrada Familia, Passeig de Gracia, Casa Batlló, the mythical Ramblas and the Gothic Quarter with its impressive cathedral are just a small part of what the city has to offer. (Entrance fees to museums and monuments not included)

From Unitrips we are at your disposal to give you some tips to get to know the must-see places in Barcelona! In the afternoon/evening, we will continue this backpacking tour and go to the port to board a ferry. We will spend the night on an elegant boat with all the necessary facilities to make the tour very enjoyable.

IMPORTANT: The date 17/01/25 has a modification in the itinerary as it does not include ferry. The route from Barcelona to Rome will be by bus via Nice.

Did you know that…

• The well-known Sagrada Familia by Gaudí still does not have a specific completion date. The project is so large and complex that it is not yet known when it will be completed.
• In Barcelona there is a Statue of Liberty, specifically one of the three original ones. You can see it at the Arús Library, near the Arc de Triomphe. The remaining two are in New York and Paris.
• The avenue that collects the main works of Gaudí are in Passeig de Gracia, and are of the twentieth century. Let yourself be fascinated by the famous Pedrera and Battló houses.
• They say that if you drink the water from the Canaletas Fountain you will return to Barcelona.
• There is a labyrinth called Labyrinth of Horta which has been the location of films such as “El Perfume”.

Breakfast on the ferry is not included.

After 20 hours of adventure in the Mediterranean we will arrive in Civitavecchia to board the bus that will take us to Rome. We are already in Italy!

Did you know that…

• That the coins thrown into the Trevi Fountain are given to Caritas.
• The Conditum Paradoxumwhich is prepared with wine, honey, and spices, is one of the most famous drinks in Ancient Rome. Today it is replaced by Aperol Spritz.

Optional Activity:

• Rome Pack: Entrance to the Colosseum, Vatican Museums* and Sistine Chapel + One way transportation + Guided city tour.

  It is important to note that entrance tickets to the monuments and museums do not include a guide and that we cannot guarantee that the entire group will enter at the same time. In addition, the entrance ticket to the Vatican Museums may offer access to different areas of the complex, such as the interiors, gardens or other areas, depending on availability at the time.

   
   

Breakfast and check out. We will leave Rome in the afternoon for Tuscany. Tuscany is a region in central Italy. Its capital, Florence, is home to some of the most recognizable Renaissance art and architecture, including Michelangelo’s “David” statue.

We will arrive in the evening to rest.

Did you know that…

• The Vatican State is a sovereign country with only 0.44 km2. It is the smallest country in the world, which It is bordered by a country, Italy, which completely surrounds it. Not only that, but the Vatican is home to St. Peter’s Basilica, which is the largest church in the world.
• The only bank in the world that allows users at ATMs to select Latin as their language is the Vatican Bank.

This day we leave Tuscany for Venice. We will offer you the option to take an excursion to Pisa and see the famous Tower and its leaning. Those who do not wish to take this excursion can stay in Florence to enjoy more of this beautiful city.

In Florence you can walk along the mythical Ponte Vecchio that crosses the Arno river, next to the Uffizi Gallery and the mythical cathedral of Florence and the dome of Brunelleschi. If you like museums you can visit the Uffizi Gallery, the museum of the Accademia. (Entrance fees to museums not included). Discover the mysteries and legends of Florence in our article.

The people who went to Pisa will return to Florence to join the group, walk around a bit more and then get on the bus to Venice.

Optional Activity:

• Excursion to Pisa

Did you know that…

• In the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore there is a clock that goes upside down.
• Carlo Collodi wrote the children’s story “Pinocchio” in Florence.

We continue to fall in love with this city that could well be a museum of extraordinary dimensions. Venice is one of the most photographed places in the world, and we can not be less, take out your camera because bridges, Vaporettos and Gondolas are waiting for you. continue to enjoy this group tour of Europe!

Enjoy the Byzantine-influenced art that characterizes the Basilica of San Marco, admire the Grand Canal from the Rialto Bridge, but if you really want to enjoy this city, get lost in its narrow streets and be surprised at every turn of the corner.

Do you want to unveil the hidden enigmas of Venice? We encourage you to dive into our article The Hidden Mysteries of Venice

Optional Activity:

• Venice Pack: Access ticket, 2 train tickets, guided tour of the city, visit to the Murano Glass Master, gondola ride through the canals of Venice.

Did you know that…

• The last bridge built in Venice was designed by a Spanish architect: Calatrava.
• Every now and then in Venice a phenomenon called “Acqua Alta” occurs. This causes a steep rise in the water level in the Venice lagoon, which normally lasts 3 to 4 hours. Depending on the intensity with which it occurs, it can flood, with half a meter of water, most of the historic center.
• No cars, not even bicycles, circulate in Venice because it is forbidden, and you are even fined. The only way to get around the city is on foot or by water.
• Although walking around Venice, one gets the impression that there are many canals, there are only two, the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal. The rest of the small canals that flow between the narrow streets are called rivers.
• the gondolas are black because there is a restriction so that the rich Venetians stopped competing to show who had the most decorated and expensive gondola.

Breakfast and departure to Milan. We will cross all of northern Italy, the Padana plain, to go to another iconic Italian city, Milan. Apart from being the fashion city of Italy, it is one of the largest industrial and commercial enclaves in the world. We will visit the Duomo, its neo-gothic style cathedral (Entrance NOT included).

Important: Depending on the season, we will spend the night in Milan or Torino.

Did you know that…

• The symbol of the city is the biscionea dragon holding a young boy in its jaws. It recalls one of the great Milanese families.
• In Piazza Vetra witches and heretics were burned because it was part of the Inquisition.

Get ready for an incredible day ahead of you today. After breakfast we will drive to the Alps, the most impressive mountain range in Europe. We will offer you optional activities according to the season.

Optional Activity:

Alps Pack: This package may vary according to the season, since in winter we can offer you other activities that include snow. Depending on the season, one of the three options will be offered and we will let you know in advance:
– Ascent of Mont Blanc on the Italian side
– Ascent of Mont Blanc on the French side
– Snow activities: Cable car and tobogganing

Important: All people who purchased the Alps Pack will do the same activity. You should also know that the route may vary depending on weather conditions. Those who do not purchase it will stay in a nearby town until the end of the activity.

Later we will join the rest of the group and drive to Geneva, one of the most famous cities in the world for being the headquarters of important international organizations such as the UN, the WTO or CERN. Here you can admire the Lac Leman that flows into the Rhone River. Overnight in Geneva or surroundings.

Geneva is a beautiful Swiss city where you will feel like in a fairy tale because it is located next to a lake and is surrounded by the Alps. Today we will continue this Europe Group Tour. But you can’t leave Switzerland without tasting Swiss chocolate! Find out more about the delights of Italian and Swiss chocolate in our article.

We get back on our Unitrips bus, after having a good breakfast in Geneva, we will head back to “The City of Love”.

Did you know that…

• Two rivers meet in Geneva, the Rhône and the Arve. The two are different in origin and color but join in Geneva before racing in France.
• Geneva is home to the longest wooden bench in the world. In a small sunny square called La Promenade de la Treille you can rest on the bench that was built in 1767 with 180 wooden planks and enjoy a spectacular view.

Optional Activity:

Paris by Night

Today in this European Group Tour we will wake up in the “City of Light” and after having a croissant for breakfast, we will start our route through Paris.

We offer you as an optional activity to complete your visit and enjoy to the fullest our Paris Pack: Guided tour in Montmartre + Boat trip on the Seine + Paris By Night.

Did you know that…

• The Eiffel Tower is 18 cm higher in summer due to iron expansion.
• Do you know why Paris is the so-called City of Light? Because there were many robberies in it, then its mayor had candles put in the windows until gas lamps were placed, being the first city illuminated in this way.
• There is a so-called “Paris Syndrome” that affects Japanese who arrive in the city and are disappointed when they do not achieve the prospects they expected. There is even a 24-hour hotline for those affected.

We leave Bordeaux to go to the city where the European Group Tour started: Madrid. We will leave Bordeaux and after crossing the French Basque countries we will cross the border to Spain and stop in San Sebastian, one of the best coastal cities in Spain, not only for its 3 beautiful beaches, but for its mix of nouveau architecture and its Basque gastronomy. Dare to try the typical pintxos!

In the evening we will arrive in Madrid where we will check in.

Did you know that…

• In 1924, fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga opened his first atelier in San Sebastián?
• The Donostia Coastal Promenade is the only road where you can still see the sea except when you go through the Miramar tunnel.

It’s a pity to have to end this wonderful European Group Tour, we are coming to the end of this tour! We hope you had a great time on your European Group Tour. See you on another adventure.

Do you want to keep traveling? You can add extensions and get to know more cities. We have 4 options to offer you:

1) Paris, Brussels, Bruges and Amsterdam

2) Paris and London

3) Prague, Vienna and Budapest

4) Get to know another continent: Add 5 days in Morocco