EUROPE: DISCOVER SOUTHERN EUROPE

10:15: You arrive at Nice Airport and complete immigration procedures. A coach meets you at the airport and takes you to sightseeing:

• Principality of Monaco (30 km from Nice ~ 30’) – nestled within France by the sea, Monaco is an independent state covering 1.95 km², the second smallest in the world. From east to west the country measures only 3.4 km, and at its narrowest point from north to south it is less than 200 m wide. Monaco is a kingdom of gambling passion that has captivated countless travellers.
• Monaco Palace Square.
• Photo stop outside the Royal Palace – also known as the Prince's Palace of Monaco, the official residence of the Prince of Monaco.

Noon: Lunch at a restaurant. After lunch, guests continue sightseeing in Monaco:

• Visit the Monaco Grand Prix circuit.
• Guests may try their luck at one of the world-class casinos in Monaco and take a tour of Monte Carlo, famous for its casinos and luxurious yachts, where you can glimpse the lavish lifestyle of celebrities.

Guests return to Nice, and on the way they visit:

• Eze Village: French destinations are famous not only for the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, lavender fields and glamorous fashion capitals, but also for their medieval villages, ancient and quiet, which always capture the attention of travellers from around the world. Eze is a medieval village close to Italy and Monaco, and it is special because it sits on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The hidden corners behind its stone walls give Eze its distinctive character, mysterious yet wonderfully romantic. Over time Eze has kept its appearance: although much has been modernised, its stone houses have been preserved and restored, skilfully integrated into daily life, and they remain notable for their refined, distinguished elegance.

Evening: Dinner at a restaurant. Guests are free to explore Nice at night.
Overnight at a 4* hotel in Nice, France.

Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Guests visit Nice – the fifth most populous city in France after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse. Nice is blessed with a mild climate and long, soft beaches with a distinctive blue found nowhere else. Besides its natural charms, Nice hosts many festivals throughout the year, including music festivals, fireworks festivals and carnivals...

• Promenade des Anglais (the English Promenade): about 6 km long, running along the Mediterranean coast. On one side are the beaches for swimming, and on the other are the city's most luxurious hotels, restaurants and cafés, reminiscent of Venice.
• Masséna Square; the courthouse square and the church.
• Nice Old Town – the Vieille Ville, somewhat like Hoi An Ancient Town in Vietnam, but with its own distinctive charm. Here guests can wander for hours through the narrow, winding streets, with plenty of eateries and shops selling souvenirs.

10:00: Guests set off for the city of Cannes (33 km from Nice – 30’) – world-famous as the home of the Cannes Film Festival and Cannes Lions. It is a luxurious, glittering city, and tourism is its main source of income. Cannes is known for the most beautiful hotels in France.

• La Croisette Boulevard – a 12 km coastal boulevard, one of the most beautiful roads in the world. Visitors admire the views on both sides of the boulevard. It is one of the most famous sightseeing spots for travellers, especially for lovers of golden sunshine, blue sea and fine white sand. Along the shore stand lush palm trees, stylish and elegant hotels, cafés, boutiques and restaurants with sophisticated design, and historic buildings including the Palais des Festivals, where the Cannes Film Festival is held.

• Le Suquet Old Town – peaceful and quiet, with narrow lanes and traditional restaurants set in buildings dating back to the 10th century.
• Photo stop outside the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès – the venue of the annual International Film Festival. Formerly the city's casino, with a rather heavy architectural style that looks unremarkable from outside, it was converted into the Congress Palace when a new casino was built to the south of the city. It is used not only for film, but also for many festivals and conferences.

12:30: Lunch at a restaurant. Guests set off for the city of Marseille (182 km from Cannes ~ 2 hours 30 minutes by coach). When France is mentioned, most people think of the Eiffel Tower in romantic Paris. But beyond Paris's fame, France is also known through the port city of Marseille, the first port city on the Mediterranean in France and the capital of the Bouches-du-Rhône department. In 2013 the city was chosen as the "European Capital of Culture" for its long history and rich culture and identity. As the largest port city in France, the ancient Le Vieux Port (also called the Old Port) is where thousands of boats, domestic and foreign, moor, and it is a key economic hub of the city. When Marseille was founded more than 2,600 years ago, the Vieux Port was also born. Throughout the Ancient Roman and Renaissance periods, the old port was expanded along the north coast, and today it is mainly a place for residents to relax.

• Palais Longchamp water palace – named a water palace because, before the 19th century, the Marseille region, although surrounded by the sea, was severely short of fresh water. So in 1838 the authorities decided to dig a canal to bring water from the Durance River to supply fresh water for the people. For this reason the Palais Longchamp was built to honour water – the source of all life. The palace was built in a classical style in a semicircular shape, and at its centre is a fountain decorated with sculptures: three women at the highest point, and below them lions in fighting poses, extremely distinctive and impressive. Just as its name and purpose suggest, the palace honours water, and many spots around it release water, leaving visitors with an unforgettable impression.

• Vieux Port – Marseille is a stunning port city. This harbour is regarded as the heart of Marseille and a source of pride for every resident. The atmosphere here is always lively, bustling and busy, with markets selling all kinds of goods. One very attractive feature is an area with many stalls selling souvenirs and distinctive handicrafts, where you can buy special keepsakes.

18:30: Dinner at a restaurant.
Overnight at a 4* hotel in Marseille, France

07:00: Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, guests set off for Avignon (100 km from Marseille ~1 hour by coach) – the city of the Popes.

• Photo stop at the Palais des Papes – recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

• Visit the famous Pont du Gard – a bridge built of stone blocks across the Gardon River, with three tiers, 275 m long and up to 49 m high. It is the tallest aqueduct among Roman-era structures of its kind.

Guests set off for the city of Arles (39 km from Avignon) for sightseeing and photos at the Ancient Roman Theatre of Arles; the Saint-Trophime Church; and the Espace Van Gogh.
12:00: Lunch at a restaurant.

Guests set off for Montpellier (95 km from Avignon ~1 hour by coach), one of the most liveable cities in Europe, with 300 sunny days a year:

• Sightseeing and photos at the cathedral, the triumphal arch, the central Place de la Comédie square, and the Promenade du Peyrou park.

18:00: Dinner at a restaurant.
Overnight at a 4* hotel in Montpellier, France.

Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Guests set off for the city of Barcelona (345 km ~3 hours 30 minutes by coach) – not only famous for FC Barcelona, but also known as one of the ten most beautiful cities in the world.
12:00: Lunch at a restaurant. After lunch, guests continue on to Barcelona for sightseeing:

• Casa Batlló building – when visiting Barcelona in Spain, you must see Casa Batlló, a unique and strange building and a masterpiece of the great architect Gaudí. Casa Batlló is designed in Gaudí's style, with no straight lines or edges; everything is soft and wavy with curves, from the front door and door handles to the seats, and these curves are shaped to match the curves of the human body. The small details throughout create a satisfying, pleasant feeling for every visitor (photo stop outside).

• Sagrada Família Basilica – one of the most prominent symbols of the Catalonia region and a masterpiece of Antoni Gaudí, the greatest architect of Spain (photo stop outside).

• Park Güell – one of the places where the city's most famous architecture converges, and a typical symbol of Barcelona. It is a bright, cheerful garden and a slightly eccentric architectural work designed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudí.

• Stroll along the famous La Rambla – this avenue starts at Plaça de Catalunya and ends at the Columbus Monument, near the Port Vell harbour of Barcelona. La Rambla is known as the "street that never wants to end", because it is so pleasant to stroll along and enjoy the life of Barcelona's residents.
• Visit the Columbus Monument – honouring the greatest explorer of humankind: Cristoforo Colombo, one of the world's most famous maritime explorers, credited with discovering the Americas.

18:30: Dinner at a restaurant
Overnight at a 4* hotel in Barcelona.

Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Guests set off for the city of Valencia (349 km from Barcelona ~3 hours 30 minutes by coach) – a beautiful, lively and colourful city on the Mediterranean coast, and the third-largest city in Spain.
Afternoon: Lunch at a restaurant. Guests tour the city of Valencia – not as enormous and grand as Madrid or Barcelona, but still an excellent choice for a European trip. Valencia has taken a distinctive path to leave its mark on visitors, blending the long-standing cultural values of a commercial port that was once among the busiest in the Mediterranean with ultra-modern architectural works.

• Sightseeing and photos outside the City of Arts and Sciences complex: the most striking building there is the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum, a science museum that will make any visitor gasp in amazement both inside and out. It looks like the skeleton of a whale. Besides the museum, the "City of Arts and Sciences" also includes L'Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe with many marine species gathered from oceans around the world, and the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, an opera and dance venue.

• La Lonja: A building that is a symbol of the city and recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Overnight at a 4* hotel in Valencia.

07:00: Breakfast at the hotel.
Guests set off for the city of Madrid (356 km from Valencia ~3 hours 30 minutes by coach) – one of the most cheerful and dynamic capitals in Europe. Upon setting foot in this city, you feel as if you have just stepped through the gate to paradise, because Madrid is a "royal" city with a diverse and long-standing cultural history, a bustling pace of life and some of the most distinctive ancient architecture in the world.
12:00: Lunch at a restaurant. After lunch, guests return to Madrid and tour the city:

• Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (enter inside) – one of the most famous football stadiums in Europe and the home ground of one of the biggest clubs in the world. Real Madrid comes from Spain.

• Royal Palace (exterior) – with its majestic, stately appearance and strong historical character, it is one of the attractions that draws the most tourists to Madrid, the capital of Spain.
• Plaza Mayor – the main and most beautiful square in Madrid, a rectangular square surrounded by historic buildings. It was once a bustling market in the 16th century until King Philip II ordered a square to be built. The square was designed by Juan de Herrera in the 1560s. After it was completed under King Philip III, it was inaugurated in 1620. After several fires, the square was finally completed in 1853 by Juan de Villanova.

• Puerta del Sol Square – also called the "Gate of Heaven", the lively heart of Madrid, decorated with an image of the rising sun. It is the city's main public cultural square.
• Check-in at Kilometre Zero of Spain (if time allows).

18:30: Dinner at a restaurant.
Overnight at a 4* hotel in Madrid, Spain.

07:00: Breakfast at the hotel.
08:30: The coach takes the group to visit the former capital Toledo – a charming ancient city located in southern Spain, about 70 km from the capital Madrid, nestled by the Tagus River. With more than 2,000 years of history, Toledo is an ancient jewel in the heart of Spain. It was recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1986, and brings together many cultures and unique ancient architectural works. It was once the capital of Spain during the periods 567–711 and 1085–1561. It is the ideal choice for travellers who love the ancient charm of the past. Guests visit:

• Santo Tomé Church – the most beautiful church in Toledo, built in the 14th century in the Renaissance architectural style.

• Sinagoga del Tránsito – a synagogue built in 1355, with Hebrew inscriptions carved into its walls. (Closed on Mondays).
• Alcázar fortress: A stone fortress located at the highest point of the city.

12:00: Lunch at a restaurant. Guests set off for the city of Salamanca (235 km from Madrid ~3 hours by coach) – located in the west of the Spanish region of Castile and León, and the provincial capital of Salamanca Province. Salamanca is a city more than 2,000 years old and has been ruled by many different empires. It sits on the banks of the Tormes River, nestled among the hills along the river. Recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1998, the Spanish city of Salamanca rightly deserves to be considered the most beautiful city in Spain, with its classical charm and distinctive hallmarks.
Overnight at a 4* hotel in Salamanca, Spain.

07:00: Breakfast at the hotel. Guests visit Salamanca:

• Plaza Mayor (Casco Histórico) – the meeting place where people gather to relax and enjoy coffee…

The group then sets off for the city of Porto (354 km from Salamanca – 3 hours 30 minutes by coach), known as the most beautiful city in Portugal, where it will bring you excitement and thrills. This second-largest city in Portugal combines the lively pace of urban life with the charm of a small town. Upon arrival, the group has lunch.

Afternoon: The group tours the city centre:

• Dom Luís I Bridge: the skyline icon of Porto, spanning the river between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. When it was built in 1886, it was the longest metal arch bridge in the world.

• Admire the beauty of São Bento Railway Station: a stunning, famous artistic work in Portugal that will leave visitors amazed by the azulejo tile system with marble-patterned designs covering everything from floor to ceiling, a huge painting depicting the history of Portugal's rulers. It is said that completing the azulejo tile decoration of São Bento railway station required 20,000 tiles.

18:30: Dinner at a restaurant.
Overnight at a 4* hotel in Porto, Portugal.

07:30: Guests have breakfast and check out of the hotel.
The bus and tour guide take the group to Fátima, one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites of Catholicism. For devout Catholics, the holy land of Fátima and its mysterious stories are a place to visit at least once in a lifetime.
On arrival in Fátima, guests visit the Fátima Sanctuary with:

• Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary: This is where the three shepherd children – Francisco, Jacinta and Sister Lúcia – are buried. The 14 altars beside it symbolise the mysteries of Our Lady of the Rosary. The mystery is expressed in the dome of the sanctuary, seen through the stone statue of the Holy Trinity crowning the Virgin.

• Chapel of the Apparition is the centre of the Fátima Sanctuary. The chapel was built on the spot where Our Lady of Fátima appeared to the children. It is said that, during her last appearance, Our Lady of Fátima asked for a chapel to be built on that spot..

12:30: Guests have lunch at a local restaurant, then set off for the capital Lisbon – the capital of Portugal, located right on the Atlantic coast, surrounded by sea on all sides. Perhaps for this reason, Lisbon is also known as the "City of Water". Lisbon is one of the most beautiful and charming capitals in Europe, with a blend of ancient and modern that gives the city its special appeal and attracts large numbers of visitors.

07:30: Breakfast at the hotel. Guests check out and set off for sightseeing:

• Photo stop at Belém Tower – recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It was the starting point for every long voyage of the Portuguese sailors.

• Jerónimos Monastery – a building constructed by King Manuel in the 16th century, the second World Heritage Site of Lisbon.

• Lisbon Cathedral (Sé) – the oldest church in Lisbon, combining medieval architectural styles from Gothic and Romanesque to Neoclassical.
• Free time for shopping in Lisbon (if time allows).

The coach takes you to the airport for lunch (the company will arrange a lunch box or meal as appropriate). Then you check in for the TK1760 flight (16:25 – 23:10) to Istanbul. The group connects onto the TK164 flight (02:00 – 15:20) to Hanoi.

15:20: The plane lands at Noi Bai Airport. The coach and tour guide take you back to the original meeting point.