International Tours
Best of Europe
Best of Europe is an 11-day, 10-night grand tour across four countries — France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy — travelling by luxury coach from the boulevards of Paris through the Swiss Alps and on to the great cities of Italy. You see the Eiffel Tower and Versailles, ride the cable car up Mt. Titlis, shop for Swarovski crystal in Austria, glide the canals of Venice and finish among the ancient wonders of Rome — with Indian dinners arranged every evening.
Tour overview
This is the classic first grand tour of Europe for Indian travellers, purpose-built to string together the continent's must-see icons in a single, well-paced journey. From Paris you travel south and east across the Alps and into Italy, covering France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy, so a two-week holiday delivers Paris, the Swiss lakes and mountains, a taste of Tyrolean Austria and the trio of Venice, Florence and Rome. Comfortable coach legs join the cities, with the scenery of the Alps and the Italian countryside part of the pleasure.
Era Tours operates this journey with a modern 35-seater luxury air-conditioned coach and an English-speaking guide, hand-picked hotels, and an Era representative to smooth arrivals and logistics. A particular comfort for Indian guests is that dinner each evening is Indian cuisine at a local restaurant, so familiar food is never far away. The day-by-day plan below is the standard flow; all distances and driving times are approximate and some optional sights are at your own expense.
Paris in full
Two days for the capital of France — the Palace of Versailles, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and a cruise on the Seine, with free time for shopping.
The Swiss Alps and Mt. Titlis
Cable cars carry you up to the snows of Mt. Titlis for the revolving Rotair ride and the Cliff Walk, plus Lucerne's Lion Monument and Chapel Bridge.
Swarovski crystal in Tyrol
At Wattens near Innsbruck you visit the Swarovski Crystal Worlds, the dazzling home of the world's most famous cut crystal.
The great cities of Italy
Venice by vaporetto and gondola, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Florence's Michelangelo viewpoints, and Rome's Vatican, Colosseum and Trevi Fountain.
Day-by-day itinerary
11 daysYou fly from Delhi to Paris, arriving in the evening. Our Era representative meets you to help with hotel check-in, explain the schedule and answer any questions. An Indian dinner at a local restaurant precedes a restful first night. Overnight in Paris.
After breakfast you visit the sumptuous Palace of Versailles, the royal château of the French kings with its famous Hall of Mirrors and gardens, and the Louvre Museum, home to the Mona Lisa and countless masterpieces. There is an option to see the Grand Palais at your own expense if time permits. Indian dinner and overnight in Paris.
- Palace of Versailles
- — The opulent royal palace and gardens outside Paris.
- Louvre Museum
- — The world's most-visited museum, home to the Mona Lisa.
A day devoted to the icons of Paris. You take in the Eiffel Tower and enjoy a cruise on the River Seine past the city's landmarks, with free time at leisure for shopping. Indian dinner and overnight in Paris.
- Eiffel Tower
- — Paris's 330m wrought-iron symbol, built for the 1889 World's Fair.
- Seine River cruise
- — A relaxing glide past Notre-Dame, the Louvre and the bridges of Paris.
You leave France for Switzerland, travelling to Geneva on Lake Geneva (about 7.5–8 hours by road, or 3.5 hours by train). If time permits you see the lake, the soaring Jet d'Eau fountain, the UN Building from outside and the Broken Chair sculpture. Indian dinner and overnight in Geneva.
- Jet d'Eau
- — Geneva's landmark fountain, jetting water 140m above the lake.
You continue to Lucerne (about 6–7 hours by road, or 3 hours by train), the postcard city on its alpine lake. Here you visit the moving Lion Monument, carved into a rock face, and stroll the wooden Chapel Bridge over the River Reuss. Indian dinner and overnight in Lucerne.
- Lion Monument
- — A rock-carved lion commemorating the Swiss Guards of 1792.
- Chapel Bridge
- — Lucerne's covered medieval wooden bridge.
A day in the high Alps. From Engelberg, at the base of Central Switzerland's highest mountain, you ride the cable cars up to Mt. Titlis (about 50 minutes from Lucerne), enjoying the snow, the rides and the Cliff Walk suspension bridge. You return to Lucerne in the evening. Indian dinner and overnight in Lucerne.
- Mt. Titlis
- — A glacier peak reached by cable car, with a snow park and Cliff Walk.
You cross into Austria, travelling to the Tyrolean city of Innsbruck (about 8 hours by road, or 4.5 hours by train). On the way you visit the Swarovski Crystal Worlds at Wattens, a wonderland of crystal art where you can also shop for the world-famous cut crystal. Indian dinner and overnight in Innsbruck.
- Swarovski Crystal Worlds
- — The dazzling crystal museum and shop at Wattens near Innsbruck.
You descend from the Alps into Italy, reaching the lagoon city of Venice (about 6–6.5 hours by road, or 5.5 hours by train). You explore this city built on water by vaporetto water-bus and enjoy a gondola ride through its canals. Indian dinner and overnight in Venice.
- Venice
- — The romantic lagoon city of canals, explored by vaporetto and gondola.
You travel to Pisa (about 5.5 hours by road) to see the famous Leaning Tower, then continue to Florence (about 2 hours further), the cradle of the Renaissance. In Florence you make a photo stop at Piazzale Michelangelo, with its panoramic view over the city, and the replica statue of David. Indian dinner and overnight in Florence.
- Leaning Tower of Pisa
- — The famously tilting 12th-century bell tower.
- Piazzale Michelangelo
- — A hilltop terrace with sweeping views over Florence.
You drive to Rome (about 4–4.5 hours by road, or 1.5 hours by train), the Eternal City. You visit St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museum in Vatican City, and drive past landmarks such as the Circus Maximus, Castel Sant'Angelo and Piazza Venezia. Indian dinner and overnight in Rome.
- St. Peter's Basilica
- — The great church at the heart of Vatican City.
- Vatican Museum
- — World-famous galleries leading to the Sistine Chapel.
On your final day you explore ancient Rome — the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, and the baroque Trevi Fountain, where tradition says a tossed coin ensures your return. After a farewell Indian dinner you transfer to the airport for your midnight flight back to Delhi. Tour ends.
- Colosseum
- — Rome's vast ancient amphitheatre, symbol of the empire.
- Trevi Fountain
- — The grand baroque fountain famed for its coin-tossing tradition.
This itinerary is a suggested flow and is fully customisable — hotels, pace and sightseeing are tailored to you. Ask us to adjust it →
Places on this tour
What's included
- Accommodation on twin-sharing basis in selected hotels across the route
- Daily breakfast at the hotel and Indian dinner each evening at a local restaurant
- Travel by 35-seater luxury air-conditioned coach with an English-speaking guide
- Airport transfers and the assistance of an Era representative
- Sightseeing and entries as listed in the itinerary
- Seine cruise, Mt. Titlis cable car and Venice vaporetto and gondola ride as specified
Not included
- International and internal airfare
- Schengen visa fees and travel insurance
- Optional sights such as the Grand Palais, and anything marked at own expense
- Lunches and drinks unless specified
- Tips, gratuities, porterage and personal expenses
- Anything not mentioned under inclusions
Ideal for: First-time visitors to Europe, families and groups wanting the icons in one trip.
FAQ
Best of Europe — your questions answered
This 11-day tour covers four countries — France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. You travel from Paris through Geneva, Lucerne and Mt. Titlis, on to Innsbruck in Austria, then Venice, Pisa, Florence and Rome in Italy.
Yes, an Indian dinner is arranged every evening at a local restaurant, in addition to daily breakfast at your hotel. This is a real comfort for Indian travellers who want familiar food after a long day of sightseeing across Europe.
You spend three nights in Paris at the start of the tour. That allows two full days to see Versailles, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and a Seine river cruise, with free time for shopping before you head on to Switzerland.
The best time is late spring to early autumn, roughly May to September, when days are long and warm across France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. This makes for comfortable sightseeing and the best conditions for the alpine excursion to Mt. Titlis.
You travel mainly by a 35-seater luxury air-conditioned coach with an English-speaking guide, which links all the cities and makes the scenic alpine and Italian drives part of the experience. The distances and times between cities are approximate and some legs can be done by train.
