Educational Tours

Barcelona, Paris and Amsterdam

Designed by Michael O'Hearon | 11 Days | Friday March 8 - Monday March 18, 2019

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Educational Tours

Barcelona, Paris

and Amsterdam

Round-trip flights on major carriers; full-time Tour Director;weShare, EF’s personalized learning experience; hotelswith private bathrooms; breakfast and dinner daily

Sightseeing: Barcelona; Paris; Versailles; Amsterdam

Entrances: Parc Guell; Camp Nou Football Stadium; Notre DameCathedral; Musée d'Orsay; Louvre; Eiffel Tower *pending

confirmation; Seine River Cruise; Vimy Ridge Historic Site; InFlanders Fields Museum; Cloth Hall Belfry; Last Post Ceremony atMenin Gate; Bergen Op Zoom; Anne Frank House; Van GoghMuseum; Canal Cruise

Overnight stays:Barcelona, (2)Paris, (3)Vimy Region, (1)Ypres, (1)Amsterdam, (2)

Not Included on tourOptional excursions; Insurance coverage; Beverages and lunches;Transportation to free-time activities; Customary gratuities (for your TourDirector, bus driver and local guide); Porterage; Adult supplement (ifapplicable); Weekend supplement; Any applicable baggage-handing feeimposed by the airlines (see eftours.ca/baggage for details); Expensescaused by airline rescheduling, cancellations or delays caused by theairlines, bad weather or events beyond EF’s control; Passports, visa andreciprocity fees

Your itinerary

Day 1: Board your overnight flight to Barcelona!

Day 2: Barcelona

Arrive in Barcelona

Arrive in Barcelona, Spain's second-largest city. As the capital offiercely nationalistic Cataluña, Barcelona was the hotbed of resistanceunder the rule of General Franco and celebrates its unique identitythrough its language, its increasingly influential government, and onthe global stage, as host to the 1992 Olympic Games.

Walking Tour of Barcelona

Absorb the colorful and dynamic atmosphere of Barcelona duringyour walking tour down Las Ramblas; a mile-long tree-linedpedestrian boulevard which runs from the pulsating Plaza deCatalunya down to the towering monument of Christopher Columbuspointing out to sea. Flower stalls, mime artists, puppeteers, dinersand waiters all vie for your attention. You will also see thethrice-burned-down Gran Teatro de Liceu, the nostalgic Café del'Opera, and still have chance to savor the splendid La Boqueria foodmarket.

Overnight in Barcelona

Day 3: Barcelona

Guided Sightseeing of Barcelona

Your guided tour takes you past the controversial and still unfinishedLa Sagrada Familia (the Church of the Holy Family). This masterpieceof twisting spires and colorful mosaics was designed by Gaudí, whoestimated it would take 200 years to complete. You'll also stroll thenarrow lanes of the 14th-century Barrio Gótico, the oldest survivingpart of the city. Continue on to Gaudi's masterpiece, the fantasylandof Parc Guell, complete with a bright mosaic lizard fountain and thelongest bench in the world. Then enjoy a marvelous harbor view fromatop Montjuïc Hill, where much of the 1992 Olympics took place.

Camp Nou Football Stadium

Visit the Camp Nou Football Stadium, home of F.C. Barcelona. Yourself-guided tour will take you through the stadium and also to the F.C.Barcelona Museum. Sporting a range of works, from those of Dali andMiro to the Collecció Futbolart - Pablo Ornaque exhibit, the museumis the most popular in the whole city (even more so than the PicassoMuseum). Please note that entrance is pending the game schedule.

Magic Fountain Light Show

Experience the nightly phenomenon that is the Magic Fountain lightshow in Barcelona. Watch the whole plaza light up as the colors andwater all move to the rhythm of the music.

Overnight in Barcelona

Day 4: Paris

Take the TGV Train to Paris

Arrive in Paris

Welcome to Paris, cosmopolitan City of Light. Over the centuries,Paris has grown to become the undisputed center of France, and oneof the world's most important cities both culturally and politically.Equally famed for its high fashion, awe-inspiring museums andelegant cuisine, Paris has also been a center of theater, literature andphilosophy throughout the ages.

Walking Tour of Paris

Join our walking tour of the chic Opéra district and the haute coutureboutiques of Rue du Faubourg St. Honoré. Stroll through Place de laConcorde, the city's largest public square, built to honor Louis XV.The next Louis was not so lucky--he was beheaded here during theRevolution, along with Marie Antoinette. Continue through thegeometric gardens of the Tuileries as you make your way to PlaceVendôme, a vast square wrapped in 17th-century façades. Pass theRitz hotel at no. 15, a favorite haunt of Ernest Hemingway. (The exact

walking route may vary depending on your hotel location and other

activities.)

Overnight in Paris

Day 5: Paris

Guided sightseeing of Paris

Discover the city on the Seine during your bus tour. Learn aboutParis' origins as a Roman settlement as you pass through the Île de laCité, where you will also see Notre Dame Cathedral. Pass by theimposing Arc de Triomphe, and the Place de la Concorde, dedicatedto King Louis XV and the site where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinettewere executed during the French Revolution. Continue down theelegant Champs-Elysées to the École Militaire, where a promisingyoung Napoleon launched his rise to power. Then, head through theLatin Quarter where you will see the world-renowned SorbonneUniversity. Drive along the Seine for wonderful views of the MuséeD'Orsay, the Louvre, and the Pont de Neuf, or “new bridge,” which isironically Paris' oldest. Finally, make a photo stop at the iconic EiffelTower, built for the 1889 World's Fair. Learn why this impressive, yetcontroversial symbol of Paris was spared the wrecking ball in 1909.

Visit Notre Dame Cathedral

Built between 1163 and 1361 over the remains of an ancient Romantemple, it was here that Napoleon crowned himself emperor in 1804.Victor Hugo once described the sculptured façade of Notre Dame as“a vast symphony in stone.” However, had it not been for the creationof his famous hunchback, Quasimodo, the cathedral might neverhave returned to its former glory. Hugo's novel The Hunchback of

Notre Dame helped inspire a 23-year restoration of the cathedral thatbegan in 1841. Step inside to admire the stained-glass rose windowand seemingly weightless vaulted ceilings.

Visit the Musée d'Orsay

Part of this museum's draw is the building itself, not just the artworkthat adorns its walls. Built for the 1900 Universal Exposition, the Gared'Orsay functioned as a train station until 1939 and was convertedinto a museum in 1986. The high, arching ceiling and enormous wallclocks hint at the days when trains zipped in and out of the spaciousstructure. The museum is noted for its collection of Impressionistpaintings-a walk through the upper gallery will reveal works by Monet,Renoir, Degas, Sisley, Pissarro, and countless others.

Evening Walking tour of Montmartre and Sacré-Coeur

Visit the spectacular Sacré-Coeur, a Catholic basilica built atop theMontmartre hill. From here enjoy some of the most breathtaking viewsof the City of Light before heading to the cafés and shops that line thesmall and quaint streets. Relax at the Place du Tertre and watchtalented artists at work or choose to have your own portrait done.Montmartre was once home to many struggling artists, includingPicasso, Monet, and Renoir.

Overnight in Paris

Day 6: Paris

Guided excursion to Versailles

Take an expertly guided tour of Versailles. Nobody does decadencelike Louis XIV, and there's no better testament to this than Versailles.Under the direction of the Sun King, the château that began as amodest hunting lodge exploded into one of the largest palaces onearth. On your excursion to this lavish estate, explore the stateapartments of the king and queen and the magnificent Hall of Mirrors.Walk through the meticulously landscaped gardens and marvel atdozens of ornate fountains. Discover why Versailles was more thanjust a vacation home: Louis XIV hosted his royal court here to reign intheir power and prevent their political rise. (Because of the extreme

popularity of Versailles, guided visits of the interior cannot be

guaranteed during peak seasons. In this case, your group will hear a

presentation from your guide before entering the palace.)

Visit the Louvre Museum

The Palais du Louvre, built to defend the city in the 13th century, nowsafeguards one of the world's greatest art collections. Enter themuseum through world-renowned architect I.M. Pei's 1989 modernistglass pyramid. Inside, discover priceless antiquities from Egypt,Greece, Italy and Asia such as the statues of Venus de Milo and Nike

of Samothrace, better known as Winged Victory. You'll also see someof the Louvre's most prized paintings by Renaissance and Europeanmasters, including Leonardo da Vinci's painting of the mysteriousMona Lisa.

Ascend the Eiffel Tower *Pending availability due to limited group

reservations

Built in 1889 for the World's Fair, the tower is now one of the world'smost recognizable monuments and a symbol of Paris. Standing over300 meters high, with a viewing balcony on each of its three levels, avisit to this historical landmark is one of the must-do events in any visitto the city.

Seine River cruise

This evening, take a narrated river cruise along the Seine. As yourboat glides from one graceful bridge to the next, sit back and gaze atthe illuminated landmarks of Paris as they pan into view.

Overnight in Paris

Day 7: Vimy Region

Transfer to the Vimy Region

Visit to Vimy Ridge Historic Site

Walk along Vimy Ridge, where in 1917, Canadian troops cametogether to accomplish what larger British and French forces hadfailed to do, and what would become a defining moment in the firstWorld War. See where these brave soldiers charged over the ridge,marching under continuous, heavy fire and cleverly isolating theGerman troops in their dugouts. A towering, white marble monumentnow marks Hill 145, the place where the capture of Vimy Ridge endedin a bayonet charge against machine-gun nests. Learn more aboutthis stunning victory that Brigadier-General A.E. Ross called “the birthof a nation.”

Overnight in Vimy Region

Day 8: Ypres

Transfer to Ypres

Visit the In Flanders Fields Museum

This award-winning museum is located in the eastern end of thebeautiful and grand Cloth Hall in Ypres. Focusing on the horrors ofwar, this interactive museum invites participants to engageemotionally in the presentation of the past.

Stop in Ypres town square for lunch

Visit the Cloth Hall Belfry

Menin Gates "Last Post Ceremony"

Experience a unique and moving nightly ceremony to honour thedead of WWI. At exactly 8 pm up to six members of the regularbuglers from the local volunteer Fire Brigade step into the roadwayunder the memorial arch and play the Last Post, followed by a shortsilence and Reveille. The Last Post Ceremony has become part ofdaily life in Ieper (Ypres) and the local people are proud of this simplebut touching tribute to the courage and self-sacrifice of those who fellin defense of their town.

Overnight in Ypres

Day 9: Bergen Op Zoom | Amsterdam

Visit the Bergen Op Zoom Canadian War Cemetery

Continue to Amsterdam

Travel through irrigated Dutch landscapes as you make your way toAmsterdam, capital of the Netherlands. Known both as a center ofentertainment and as a city of classic design and architecture,Amsterdam is a city of astonishing contrast.

Walking tour of Amsterdam

Stroll along the canal-lined streets of Amsterdam on our EF walkingtour. Cross Dam Square, then pass by the Koninklijk Paleis (RoyalPalace) and the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), site of Dutchcoronations.

Overnight in Amsterdam

Day 10: Amsterdam

Guided Sightseeing of Amsterdam

A local guide introduces you to Amsterdam's most famous sights ona walk through the city. Pass the Westerkerk (West Church), wherethe remains of Rembrandt and his son are buried. The church alsoheld the wedding of Queen Beatrix in 1966. Continue to lively DamSquare, a dam around the Amstel River created in the 13th century toprevent the Zuiderzee Sea from flooding the city. Now this bustlingtourist area boasts the impressive Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace),once the home of the Dutch Royal Family; the National Monument;and the Nieuwekerk (New Church), where members of the DutchRoyal Family are officially inaugurated. See the Begijnhof, a lovely14th-century courtyard, built as a sanctuary for the Begijnhofites, aCatholic sisterhood. Walk across the lifting bridge to Waterlooplein.Marvel at the views of the Amstel River as you cross the Magere Brug(Skinny Bridge). Although “magere” means skinny in Dutch and thebridge was quite thin when built, rumor says the bridge was actuallynamed for the Magere sisters, living on opposite sides of the river,who built the bridge to make it easier to visit each other. Finally, youwill see Rembrandtplein, a square packed with terrace cafés,diamond shops, nightclubs and hotels.

Visit the Anne Frank House

Visit the Anne Frank House, where the young girl hid with her familyfrom 1942 to 1944-and where she penned the poignant diary that hasbeen translated into dozens of languages worldwide.

Visit the Van Gogh Museum

This museum, whose collection of over 200 Van Gogh paintings and600 drawings provides a comprehensive view of the artist's works, isone of the highlights of the city. Learn more about the artist's life, histime in England and then in a mining community in Belgium as youtour this impressive site.

Canal Cruise

Cruise the canals on board a glass-topped boat, the perfect way tobecome acquainted with the city. You will pass some of Amsterdam'smost enchanting bridges, including those depicted in some of vanGogh's paintings.

Overnight in Amsterdam

Day 11: Depart for home

Transfer to the airport for your return flight

Your tour director assists with your transfer to the airport, where youwill check in for your return flight home.

Itinerary is subject to change

For complete financial and registration details, please refer to theBooking Conditions at www.eftours.ca/bc.

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