Europe 2012 Itinerary for Blog

LFMSS Europe Tour 2012

1 “ The Grand Tour”

WEATHER


Thursday, March 8, 2012 deparT VancouVer

11:30 AM Coach to YVR 3:35 PM LH 493 to Frankfurt



Friday, March 9, 2012 aMsTerdaM, BruGes

10:45 AM Arrival in Frankfurt12:10 PM LH 992 to Amsterdam1:50 PM Arrival in Amsterdam2:50 PM Pickup by coach at airport4:00 PM Anne Frank House - First Group4:30 PM Anne Frank House - Second Group5:00 PM Transfer to Bruges (240 km)8:00 PM Arrival at Europa Youth Hostel

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AmsTERdAm

BRugEsIf there’s anyplace I’d like to spend my first night in Europe, this has got to be it. Bruges is a beautifully preserved medieval city that “died” and was reborn as a key destination for European romantics in the late 19th century.

Welcome to Europe! Amsterdam, the largest city in the densely populated Netherlands (aka Holland) is our arrival point. The poignant Anne Frank House is a piece of modern history that serves as a reminder of a not-so-distant past when Europe was plunged into brutality and tyranny. It is a very personal glimpse into the small space in which Anne Frank spent the last few years of her short life.

Europa HostelBaron Ruzettelaan 1438310 Brugge/Assabroek - BelgiumTel. +32-50-352679Fax. [email protected]



saTurday, March 10, 2012 BruGes

9:00 AM Walk into Bruges10:00 AM Bell Tower11:00 AM Church of the Holy Blood12:00 PM Lunch1:30 PM Canal Ride3:00 PM Church of Our Lady3:30 PM Shopping / small group time6:00 PM Dinner in small groups7:30 PM Walk to Hostel Europa

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Europa HostelBaron Ruzettelaan 1438310 Brugge/Assabroek - BelgiumTel. +32-50-352679Fax. [email protected]

BRugEsBruges has remained unchanged in many ways since it’s medieval glory days. “Discovered” by a new class of Europeans in the 19th century - tourists - this former headquarters of the Hanseatic League has more bicycles than cars, and good thing, as Belgium is known for its great fries, chocolate, waffles (and beer).



8:00 AM Travel to Vimy (119km)10:00 AM Tour Vimy Ridge11:00 AM Travel to Paris (197km)12:00 PM Lunch on the bus1:30 PM Notre Dame Cathedral Tower2:00 PM Notre Dame Cathedral Tower5:30 PM Place de la Concorde6:30 PM Dinner at Rivoli7:30 PM Transfer to Hotel

sunday, March 11, 2012 ViMy and paris

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Vimy RidgEIn Northern France, the Battle of Vimy Ridge created the first true sense of Canadian unity. Forces from each of the provinces joined together and did what other Allied forces during the First World War had failed to do, storming the ridge and conquering a long-held German stronghold.

PARisWelcome to Paris! Today we ascend the towers of Notre Dame for our first bird’s eye view of the city. There are many churches with this name in France, but this is THE Notre Dame Cathedral, built over many generations in the High Middle Ages. We will also visit the Place de la Concorde, where thousands of people lost their heads in the aftermath of the French Revolution. It is now guaranteed to be guillotine free.

Etap HotelAllée des GuionnesZA La Cerisaie93240 STAINSFRANCETel : (+33)892683269Fax : (+33)148217474



Monday, March 12, 2012 paris

WEATHER 7:00 AM Transfer to Sacre Couer9:00 AM Transfer to Le Louvre11:15 AM Guided tour of the Louvre12:45 PM Lunch at Le Louvre1:45 PM Shopping/Touring in groups5:45 PM Bus pickup at Rivoli6:00 PM Arc de Triomphe / Tomb of Unknown Soldier6:30 PM Dinner at Monte Carlo7:30 PM Transfer to Hotel

PARisWith so much to do and see in Paris, today could be nothing but busy. With Rens as our own personal chauffeur, we can fit in twice as much as a Metro tourist, and so we will! Starting with the surprisingly new Sacre Couer, we will get a view out over Paris from it’s only hill, Montmartre. Then it’s off the THE art museum of the western world - Le Louvre, for an expert guided tour of a few of its tens of thousands of works of art. After lunch it’s time to cut you loose in your groups for a few hours, followed by Napoleon’s Arc De Triomphe. What a day.

Etap HotelAllée des GuionnesZA La Cerisaie93240 STAINSFRANCETel : (+33)892683269Fax : (+33)148217474



Tuesday, March 13, 2012 paris

8:30 AM Transfer to Sainte Chapelle9:30 AM Tour of Sainte Chapelle (group 1 - 14)9:45 AM Tour of Sainte Chapelle (group 2 - 33)11:00 AM Tour of Latin Quarter and Lunch1:00 PM Transfer to Versailles2:35 PM Palace of Versailles (group 1)2:40 PM Palace of Versailles (group 2)6:00 PM Dinner at Rivoli7:30 PM Up the Eiffel Tower9:00 PM Transfer to Hotel

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Etap HotelAllée des GuionnesZA La Cerisaie93240 STAINSFRANCETel : (+33)892683269Fax : (+33)148217474PARis

We begin our morning with a difficult-to-get group entrance to the Sainte Chapelle church - built to house the crown of thorns. Continuing our tour of the Left Bank we will tour the Latin Quarter, full of medieval history and donair stands. In the afternoon, we will tour the Chateau de Versailles - the grandest palace in Europe. After dinner, it’s up the Eiffel Tower, former tallest structure in the world, to the top level for our last look at the city of lights.



VERdunThe name Verdun was synonymous with death, destruction, devastation to a previous generation. The longest continuous battle in the history of modern warfare saw the end of many young men’s lives and an entire region that once included 9 happy rural villages.

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 Verdun/Bacharach

7:00 AM Travel to Verdun (271 km)10:30 AM Early lunch stop11:00 AM Tour of Verdun1:00 PM Travel to Bacharach (275 km)6:00 PM Tour Bacharach7:00 PM Transfer to Hostel Burg Stahlek7:30 PM Dinner in Hostel

BAcHARAcHBacharach, former capital of the Holy Roman Empire is one of many quaint little towns along the Rhine River complete with their own castle on the hill. In this town, though, the castle isn’t a ruin and we get to sleep in it!

Burg Stahlek55422 Bacharach, Germanyphone: +49 6743 1266fax: +49 6743 2684



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Thursday, March 15, 2012 WurzBurG/roThenBurG

8:00 AM Travel to Wurzburg (193 km)10:00 AM Wurzburg Residenz Tour12:30 PM Transfer to Rothenburg (67 km)1:00 PM Lunch on bus2:00 PM Cathedral of Rothenburg3:00 PM Kriminal Museum4:30 PM Scanvenger Hunt Rothenburg6:00 PM Transfer to Hotel7:00 PM Dinner in Hotel

Akzent HotelSchrannenplatz 691541 Rothenburg ob der TauberPhone: 0 98 61 - 95 50-0Fax: 0 98 61 - 95 [email protected]

WuRzBuRgThough the French Armies of Louis XIV tried to completely demolish this castle, some of it is left standing for us to visit today.

RoTHEnBuRg oB dER TAuBERThere are actually quite a few “Rothenburgs” in Germany - but only one that is “on the Tauber” (river). Here you will compete in a scavenger hunt for the greatest German delicacy of all schneeballe. Mmmm.... Actually, I’ll reward the winning team with extra Gelato scoops in Italy. Scavenger hunt on the next page. Those who attempt to bribe me for answers can expect harsh punishment at the Kriminal Museum.



8:30 AM Travel to Nuremburg (106 km)10:00 AM Nazi Documentation Centre11:30 AM Travel to Prague (297 km)12:00 PM Lunch on Bus3:30 PM Arrival in Prague - Wenceslas Square4:00 PM Museum of Communism5:00 PM Museum of Communism7:30 PM Dinner RESTAURACE U ČESKÝCH PÁNŮ

Friday, March 16, 2012 nureMBurG and praGue WEATHER

Hotel YasminPolitickych veznu 913/12110 00 PRAGUE 1Czech RepublicTel.: +420 234 100 100Fax: +420 234 100 101

nüRnBERgIf you’ve ever seen old film footage of huge Nazi rallies with Hitler speaking to throngs of supporters - this is where they took place. Hitler’s vision of a gigantic Nazi Congress Hall here was never completed - the unfinished building now houses the Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelände - the Nazi Documentation Centre.

PRAguEIt was in this city that the Soviet/communist hold on Eastern Europe started to lose it’s grip, as we will discover in the Museum of Communism.



saTurday, March 17, 2012 praGue

9:00 AM Walking Tour of Prague old town/Jewish 12:00 PM Lunch in groups1:30 PM Walk to Prague Castle2:30 PM Tour of Prague Castle4:30 PM Shopping/Dinner in groups

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PRAguEThe jewel of the east. Prague has been a city of great importance since it’s heyday as one of the centres of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is where East (Slavic) meets West (German), and one of the few cities in Europe to escape major bomb damage in World War II.

Hotel YasminPolitickych veznu 913/12110 00 PRAGUE 1Czech RepublicTel.: +420 234 100 100Fax: +420 234 100 101



8:00 AM Transfer to Vienna (341 km)11:00 AM Supermarket - buy lunch supplies2:30 PM Tour of Schönbrunn Palace / Zoo5:30 PM Transfer to Wombats City Hostel The Base7:30 PM Dinner at restaurant near hostel

sunday, March 18, 2012 Vienna

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ViEnnAAs the capital city of a tiny landlocked country, Vienna seems bigger and more self-important than it should be. That is because it was once the capital of an empire that stretched across Europe, and the homeplace of a family (the Hapsburgs) who were a true dynasty, ruling for over 600 years.

Wombats CITY HOSTEL Vienna “THE BASE” Grangasse 6,A-1150 Vienna, AustriaPhone: +43 1 897 23 36fax: +43 1 897 25 77 [email protected]



9:30 AM Visit to Natural History Museum11:30 AM Walk to Old Town - Visit Church12:30 PM Lunch in groups1:30 PM Tour of Opera House2:30 PM More Vienna4:30 PM Transfer to Hotel for Opera goers5:00 PM Dinner for Opera goers6:30 PM Drop off of opera goers, pick up of non opera7:30 PM Dinner for non opera goers

Monday, March 19, 2012 Vienna

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Wombats CITY HOSTEL Vienna “THE BASE” Grangasse 6,A-1150 Vienna, AustriaPhone: +43 1 897 23 36fax: +43 1 897 25 77 [email protected]

ViEnnAThe city of music, Vienna was home to many great composers, from Beethoven to Mozart, and continues to host some of the most spectacular opera and concerts in Europe.



8:00 AM Transfer to Bled (404 km)12:00 PM Lunch Packets on bus1:00 PM Pletnas to Otok in Bled3:00 PM Bled Grad5:00 PM Hotel7:00 PM Dinner at Hotel

Tuesday, March 20, 2012 Bled

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BlEdThis little village boasts Slovenia’s only Otok, or island, a cliff hanging castle, and a lovely path all the way around the lake. Tito, former communist dictator of Yugoslavia, of which Slovenia was the northernmost province, had a little lakeside chalet here.

Garni Hotel JadranC. svobode 124260 Bled, SloveniaTel.: +386 4 579 1365 / +386 4 579 10 00Fax: +386 4 574 1661 / +386 4 574 18 41E-mail: [email protected]



Wednesday, March 21, 2012 skocjan/Venice

WEATHER 8:00 AM Travel to Skocjan Caves (125 km)10:00 AM Tour of Skocjan Caves12:00 PM Lunch at picnic area12:30 PM Travel to Aquileia (70 km)1:30 PM Tour of ruins of Aquileia3:30 PM Travel to Venice (165 km)4:00 PM Stop at shopping centre/autogrill6:30 PM Arrive in Piazzale Roma, walk to hostel8:00 PM Arrive at Foresteria Valdese

skocjAn cAVEsSlovenians are very proud of their caves. This Unesco World Heritage site was a big highlight on last year’s trip. Watch out for the “human fish”.

Foresteria Valdese di Venezia Castello 5170 Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa, Venice 30123, Italytel. 041-5286797 fax 041-2416238



8:30 AM Walk to the Doge’s Palace9:00 AM Tour of the Doge’s Palace11:00 AM Tour of Saint Marc’s Basilica11:45 AM Walking tour - hidden Venice1:00 PM Split into groups Lunch/Gondolas/Shopping/Dinner7:00 PM Meet at the Rialto for gelato7:30 PM Walk to Foresteria Valdese

Thursday, March 22, 2012 Venice day oFF For rens!

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Foresteria Valdese di Venezia Castello 5170 Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa, Venice 30123, Italytel. 041-5286797 fax 041-2416238

VEnicEI love Venice. It’s a cliché, but it’s true - Venice is another world. It’s the only place I tell tour groups to “get lost”. With all the “Per Marco” and “Per Rialto” signs, you’ll always eventually find your way back somewhere, unless you take a wrong turn and end up in a canal. Enjoy a romantic gondola ride (not too romantic) with your group, some gelato, and some Venetian cuisine.



8:30 AM Walk to Piazzale Roma9:30 AM Travel to Pisa (330 km)12:00 PM Road stop for lunch3:00 PM Tour of Campo dei Miracoli5:30 PM Travel to Levanto (104 km)7:00 PM Arrive at hostel7:30 PM Dinner at Moresco

Friday, March 23, 2012 pisa/leVanTo

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iTAly!Buon giorno! This is the ultimate Italy day. Wake up in Venice, walk one last time through its narrow winding alleys to Piazzale Roma. Then it’s off to Pisa to stumble up its famous Leaning Tower in the Piazza dei Miracoli. Enjoy being accosted by large groups of salesmen with umbrellas (if it’s raining), sunglasses (if it’s sunny), or large hand drums (like the one my wife bought in 2009). Then admire Ren’s skilled driving as we make our way down the tiny winding road

Ospitalia del MareVia S. Nicolò19015 Levanto (SP)tel. (+39) 0187 802562Fax: 39-187-803696

winding roads to our home for the next two nights, a small village on the Mediterranean Sea, Levanto. End the day with the m o u t hw a t e r i n g Italian cuisine at Ristorante Moresco. Finally get to bed in Ospitalia Del Mare, a former Roman Catholic Convent. That was one day?



8:30 AM Hike Cinque Terre7:30 PM Dinner at Moresco

saTurday, March 24, 2012 cinque Terre

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cinquE TERRERain or shine, the paths linking these five (cinque) lands (terre) along the Mediterranean coast offer a different perspective on hiking. Italian biology students often visit this region to study the unique plant life. And for us, passing through olive groves and lemon orchards, we know we’re not in BC anymore. The Cinque Terre is in Liguria, the birthplace of pesto. Mmmm... pesto. The five towns that make up the stopping points along the route are all ancient Roman fishing villages, and many of the

residents can trace their ancestry in the region back centuries. Devastating floods in October 2011 brought life in Vernazza and Monterosso to a standstill - they will still be digging out when we visit.

Ospitalia del MareVia S. Nicolò19015 Levanto (SP)tel. (+39) 0187 802562Fax: 39-187-803696

Clocks forward 1 hour tonight!



8:00 AM Travel to Florence (178 km)11:00 AM Visit Accademia12:00 PM Walking Tour of Florence1:00 PM Lunch/Mercato/Cathedral8:00 PM Dinner at La Bussola

sunday, March 25, 2012 Florence

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FloREncEThe centre of the Renaissance, Florence is the city where Europe finally started to pull itself out of the Middle Ages. This is where the modern world was born. We will visit masterpieces of art and maybe do some bartering at the Mercato Nuevo today, as well as climb to the top of Brunelleschi’s famous dome, pictured below.

Hotel Panorama Firenze Via Cavour, 60 50129 FirenzeT: 39 055 2382043F: 39 055 264404



8:30 AM Travel to Siena (78 km)10:00 AM Catherine’s Head12:00 PM Lunch in Siena1:30 PM City Tower2:30 Siena Cathedral7:30 PM Dinner at La Bussola

Monday, March 26, 2012 siena

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Hotel Panorama Firenze Via Cavour, 60 50129 FirenzeT: 39 055 2382043F: 39 055 264404E

siEnARival city to Florence in the heyday of Italian city states, Siena failed to thrive the way its wealthier neighbours did during the Renaissance - which is our gain, as it remains a perfect example of Gothic (a.k.a. medieval) Italy. We plan to see the sights around Il Campo, Siena’s great central piazza, and perhaps get a glimpse at a very special relic of Catherine of Siena. We won’t get to see the famous district vs. district horse race, the Palio, so here’s a picture.



Your Bedroom, Your HouseLangley, BC, Canada

9:20 AM Fly to Frankfurt (LH 309)11:30 AM Arrive Frankfurt1:30PM Fly to Vancouver (LH 492)2:35 PM Arrive YVR4:45 PM Bus Arrives at LFMSS

Tuesday, March 27, 2012 Go hoMe!

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jouRnAl: TuEsdAy, mARcH 27, 2012

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Europe 2012 Itinerary for Blog