Modern European Cultures

This itinerary is the starting point for your tour, but it’s not set in stone. If there are days you would like to change, or specific places you’d like to go, we can work with you to create a personalized program that fits the needs of you and your students.

Day 1: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA.

Day 2: London

Arrive in one of the most exciting cities in Europe, meet your ACIS Tour Manager and begin to explore. Your central hotel location allows you to walk to many of London's unique neighborhoods, museums and monuments with ease.

Day 3: London

Start today with a guided visit inside the mammoth St. Paul's Cathedral. Sir Christopher Wren's architectural masterpiece is an enduring symbol of London, the seat of the Church of England and famed for its dome and Whispering Gallery. If you have time, your ticket includes access to climb to the top of the dome. Then cross the Thames, where your guide brings London's vibrant and artsy South Bank district alive on a guided walking tour past the Tate Modern and Shakespeare's replicated Globe Theatre. After time for lunch, this afternoon's activity will have you soaring with your timed reservation to the London Eye. On your 30 minute “flight” to a height of 443 feet, you'll be amazed at how the London landscape unfolds below you and the engineering marvel of the Eye itself. The rest of the afternoon is yours to perhaps explore more of the sights along the South Bank.

Day 4: Paris

Enjoy scenes of the English countryside whizzing by your train window as you journey towards the English Channel on the Eurostar. You'll travel through the Chunnel and on to Paris, known as the “City of Light” for its role as a center of education and culture during the Enlightenment. This afternoon an orientation walking tour with your tour manager will begin to introduce you to this graceful city's cobblestoned streets, charming cafés and vibrant neighborhoods.

Day 5: Paris

Paris is considered by many to be the fashion capital of the world and you'll learn first-hand why. Enjoy a guided walking tour of Le Marais, a historic yet trendy Parisian neighborhood, exploring the best of this hip and stylish area and savoring sweet treats with tastes of chocolate and macarons along the way. Then, breeze by the crowds with your timed entrance to the Louvre and discover the many famous masterpieces that call it home. Insightful commentary from your local guide highlights the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, Venus de Milo and more as you wander through the galleries. From its beginnings as a royal fortress to its current status as the world's most visited art museum, the Louvre has long been at the center of Parisian culture and home to a collection of 35,000 works of art from around the world.

Day 6: Paris

Enjoy a full-day excursion to Louis XIV's palace at Versailles. Your visit includes the Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, and Marie Antoinette's Hameau and Petit Trianon. These “small” cottages are delightful for their scale and grounds. After wandering about the exquisite and intensely manicured gardens on two feet, hop on two wheels and experience Versailles by bike, exploring the palace's surroundings beyond the gardens. Drive back to Paris and explore more this evening at your own pace, perhaps with a stroll through the Jardin du Luxembourg or past the dazzling shops, cafés and bustling sidewalks of the Champs-Élysées.

Day 7: Barcelona

Depart Paris on your flight to buzzing Barcelona this morning and begin discovering everything this cosmopolitan city has to offer. Your visit starts with a panoramic sightseeing tour. Your local guide will point out the major highlights of Barcelona, from the Gothic Quarter to the unique Gaudí designs along the Passeig de Gràcia, and will make a stop outside his masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia. Antoni Gaudí, one of Catalonia's most famous sons, was a Modernist architect whose distinctive style is revered to this day. Later, stroll through his whimsical Parc Güell for a sweeping view over the city, and also enjoy a visit inside one of the city's unique Gaudí-designed houses, either Casa Batlló or La Pedrera.

Day 8: Barcelona

This morning obtain a unique perspective on the city via a bike tour that takes you through the narrow streets of the Barceloneta neighborhood, near the Mediterranean Sea, and to the Olympic Port, a lively marina. The rest of the day is yours to further explore, perhaps by shopping with the locals at La Boqueria market or seeking out some of the modern developments that resulted from the 1992 Summer Olympic Games.

Day 9: Departure

Depart for the USA.