If you are commencing your tour in London, please join your Kumuka representative and fellow travellers at the meeting point below at 8.00 am.

ST PANCRAS INTERNATIONAL STATION

Pancras Road

London NW1 2QP

Tel. +44 207843 4250

The meeting point on day one of the tour is at 8.00 AM, outside the 'Rituals' shop  located within St Pancras Station opposite the Eurostar departure area where our Kumuka representative will be waiting, please ensure you are on time so as not to delay our Eurostar transfer.

The underground station Kings Cross St Pancras leads directly into St Pancras International and is better connected than any other London station with 6 of the major tube lines running through it – Victoria, Hammersmith and City, Piccadilly, Circle Metropolitan line and Northern.

If you are joining the tour in Paris then please meet your tour leader at the Paris hotel at 15.00pm.  Please note: For departures from November 2012 onwards the meeting time will be 11.30am in the hotel lobby.

Please see your tour voucher for meeting point details or contact Kumuka Worldwide for further details of the meeting point for this tour.

London To Paris. We will check in for the 2.5 hour high-speed train journey to Paris Gare du Nord. Enjoy the many comforts the Eurostar has to offer as we travel south from London, through and via the Kent countryside into the thirty-one mile Channel tunnel and into France (don’t forget to move your clocks ahead one hour!). The journey under the English Channel only lasts 20 minutes. The Eurostar offers a buffet car and on certain departures a snack cart. Both of these accept British and Euro currencies. On arrival at Paris Gare du Nord we will be met by coach and transferred to our hotel.

Those who are joining the tour in Paris, please meet in the lobby at 15:00 pm.  Please note: For departures from November 2012 onwards the meeting time will be 11.30am in the hotel lobby.  Please ensure you have your insurance information with you. 

The afternoon will either be free time or there will be an orientation coach tour of Paris.  If the orientation tour doesn’t take place on day 1 it will take place on day 2.  In the evening there will be a dinner in a local restaurant. This is followed by an hour long cruise along the Seine (included in your tour price)

Paris to Interlaken. We depart the hotel early in the morning and drive through the French countryside, stopping at services to refuel both the coach and ourselves, eventually arriving at the Swiss border mid afternoon. Customs here may take some time as we are crossing into Swiss territory, out of the European Union; therefore, there is a chance you will have your passport checked. We advise, that you should keep your passport on you at all times.

After about a twenty-minute drive to the first services in Switzerland, you will be able to change money to Swiss francs. We will then drive through the breathtaking mountain scenery to the beautiful town of Interlaken. On arrival you will have time to visit the various Swiss souvenir and fine watch shops. Whether you want a watch for life, or just something fun and colourful, there is sure to be a timepiece for you. You might want to pre order some famous Swiss army knives and leave them to have your and your loved ones names engraved on them. Regardless, you can get your tax back on your purchases if you spend over a specified amount. We recommend taking the time to explore this quaint little town, with it’s rushing rivers and hand hewn, wooden houses, before having a traditional Swiss dinner with the group.

Interlaken to Florence/Prato.  Depending on whether we are travelling during high or low season will determine our destination tonight. Your tour leader will confirm this when your tour commences. Some tours will be staying in the town of Prato, which is approximately 20km from Florence. Other tours will be staying on the outskirts of Florence.

Dinner will either be included this evening or tomorrow evening depending on hotel location.

Florence to Rome. Today we head off to enjoy Tuscany. We start the day with a visit to San Gimignano, a small walled medieval hilltop town, known locally as the ‘town of the beautiful towers’. You have a chance to step back in time and wander through the old medieval town. We will then visit a winery where we enjoy a traditional Tuscan lunch, including samples of the local Chianti wine and olive oil, grown on the hills surrounding us. Following our lunch we depart for Rome, where we will spend the next three nights.

After you have checked into the hotel, we will have a group meal with some new additions to the group, after which the evening is yours.

Rome - Coach Free Day.  Today there will be an optional day trip to Pompeii on a hired coach (this is not an included activity). Otherwise, today is another free day to continue your exploration of fascinating Rome.

Come and experience Roman Pompeii, one of the only sites of it's type in the world. Whereas most ancient ruined cities were abandoned, Pompeii was frozen in time at the height of it's decadence and power. This was due to nearby Mount Vesuvius erupting and burying the city and it's inhabitants under volcanic ash. You will see a palatial villa, a fast food, counter, shops, chariot grooves in the road and the plaster casts of people as they took their last dying breath. Because it is a coach free day we charter an Italian coach and driver who takes us just south of Naples. Once there you will have a 2 hour guided tour with a local guide, as well as time for lunch and limoncello tasting. Subject to numbers transport, admission and guide approx  cost is €70 per person.

Dinner is not included tonight, so why not tantalise your taste buds with local delicacies.

Venice. Today we will be departing the hotel at a modest time to make our way into the historical center of Venice by boat. This is an exhilarating journey back in time. We disembark near St. Mark’s Square where we will see the amazing St Mark’s Basilica. Venice is full of quaint shops, restaurants and thousands of pigeons! It is also famous for its glass blowing; your tour leader will organise a demonstration of this traditional Venetian craft for you. You can also take an optional ride on one of Venice’s famous gondolas with one of the Romeos of the waterways! (€25 per person). You will have the afternoon free to spend time in the Doge’s Palace, cross the famed Bridge of Sighs, visit the beach on the Lido, catch a water bus along the Grand Canal, visit one of Venice’s 200 churches, wander around the Rialto bridge and markets or take a break in one of the many tiny street side bars and cafes.

Dinner is not included this evening but Venice is filled with lots of cafes and restaurants in charming locations. By evening, St Mark’s Square comes alive with orchestras and people waltzing on the pavements.

Vienna - Coach Free Day. Today is free to explore Vienna. Keep some small change handy to pay for the cheap buses or trains.  Vienna is renowned as the city of music, and your tour leader can organise tickets to a Mozart and Strauss concert if you wish. You can visit the Hofburg Imperial Palace, Schonbrunn Summer Palace and  St. Stephens Cathedral among many other sites.  Dinner is not included this evening.

Prague - Coach Free Day.  If we arrived late yesterday, your tour leader will take you into the centre of Prague by public transport and take you on an orientation walking tour. The tour includes Wenceslas Square, the Estates Theatre (Mozart’s Theatre), the Old Town (including the unique Astronomical Clock) and the famous Charles Bridge. Otherwise, if we completed the tour upon yesterdays arrival, you have today completely free to explore Prague.

Check out some of the many Bohemian Crystal shops, or stroll across the Charles Bridge and up Mala Strana (‘the little street’) to Hradcany castle. With its huge student population and live music scene, Prague’s a perfect place to enjoy a few cheap beers.

Dinner is not included this evening. If you have been “saving” yourself for a big night, Prague is the place to do it! There is definitely an abundance of bars and clubs here. Or you might want to check out the famous puppet shows or one of the many live music venues that Prague has to offer.

Berlin - Coach Free Day.  Today is yours to explore, why not visit some of Berlin’s famous museums including Check Point Charlie, Story of Berlin or the Topography of Terror. There’s Museum Island with everything from the original bust of Nefertiti (regarded as the most beautiful woman in the world), to amazing treasures and artwork from ancient times. For a great view of Berlin we recommend heading to Alexanderplatz and taking the lift to the top of the Fernsehturm (TV) tower.

In the evening, why not make your way to Hackersher market and check out the interesting array of cafes, bars and restaurants where you can meet locals and other travellers.

 Dinner is not included this evening.

Berlin to Amsterdam. We will depart early for a long driving day to Amsterdam. Upon arriving in Amsterdam, we will check into the hotel before heading into the city for a brief orientation tour.

Dinner is not included this evening, therefore your tour leader will point you in the direction of an assortment of restaurants to accommodate every palate. Once your appetite is satisfied, you will be offered the chance to take in some of Amsterdam’s more unusual forms of entertainment, or discover the canal area and explore the nocturnal city sights.

Amsterdam to Paris/London. We depart the hotel for the last drive of the tour. We drive through Belgium, before crossing back into France. Once we arrive in Paris we will drive directly to Gare du Nord. Dinner is not included this evening as the tour ends upon arrival at Gare du Nord at approximately 4.30pm. If you are making your own travel arrangements from this point onward, please be advised that we cannot guarantee early arrivals and leave plenty of time in your travel schedule accordingly.

If you are returning to London, your tour leader will make sure that you have your Eurostar ticket and show you where to check in. 

(Kumuka accept no responsibility for delays or timetable alterations).

At St Pancras there are good underground connections, good local train links and it is also easy to get a taxi.

If you have post tour accommodation at the Holiday Inn Hotel you could either walk or catch a taxi and this can be shared with fellow travellers.

NO accommodation is included on Day 21

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers. Within Europe some hotels charge a wifi connection fee and we cannot guarantee a wifi connection at all hotels we use.

Twitter – A method of communication that is rapidly gaining in popularity on the Internet especially amongst travelers. Twitter allows you to send short messages and update your friends and family with where you are on tour and what you are doing. Create your free account at http://twitter.com. Visit Kumuka’s page on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kumuka

Facebook – Very popular website that allows you to upload stories, get in touch with fellow travellers before and after your Kumuka tour, upload photos and videos to share with other travellers, your family and friends. To create a free account, go to www.facebook.com and then become a fan of Kumuka’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kumuka-Worldwide/26617121087?ref=ts

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!

Please be aware that arrival times and the itinerary may change due to unforeseen delays or events such as festivals and public holidays. However, we shall endeavour to ensure all sites are visited and that your tour runs smoothly.As you will have read there are coach free days written into the itinerary. The reason for this is that EU law dictates that coach drivers are restricted to the number of hours they can drive in any one day and that they must have at least one day off in seven. Due to this and also for your convenience we try to get hotels that are close to public transport and centrally located. Public transport in Europe is of a good standard.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours. All clients MUST be insured to cover personal accident, medical expenses, cancellation, curtailment, repatriation, etc. Also, be aware that many activities such as trekking, bungy jumping or white water rafting may not be covered on your insurance policy. If you plan on doing any of these activities please purchase additional insurance. We recommend that you have a photocopy of this document, which you keep separate from the original. If you have not already arranged your own travel insurance then Kumuka can do this for you. Please visit http://www.kumuka.com/Travel-Insurance.aspx for more details or contact your nearest Kumuka office.

Please Note: You will not be permitted to join a Kumuka Tour without travel insurance.

It is important that you obtain the appropriate visas before you embark on your Europe trip. Country entry regulations change daily, www.kumuka.com provides you with visa information. Please consult your relevant embassy for all details such as opening hours or costs. Visas cannot be obtained once you have started your tour, and during the peak summer months it can take longer than normal to get visas, please allow extra time to do this.

EACH CLIENT IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING ALL NECESSARY VISAS BEFORE JOINING A TOUR.

Please note:  If you require a Schengen visa, please ensure that if you are travelling on an Oktoberfest tour you obtain a double entry visa for Germany.

Kumuka does not accept responsibility for changes in regulations or requirements for visas. The information provided is given in good faith.

For detailed climate information see www.kumuka.com.

Travel Tip: Always bring a lightweight, waterproof jacket and/or an umbrella even during the height of summer - this should prepare you for anything!

You might like to read up on the destinations that you are about to visit as these cities all have interesting sites and histories. We recommend a variety of guidebooks such as Lonely Planet, The Rough Guide and Insight Guides. All these publications have good general information as well as more specific country information that will help orientate you in the countries you visit.

Please use your discretion and be sensitive to cultural differences in the countries that you visit, in particular visits to religious buildings and when taking photographs. Your Tour Leader will advise you of any specific customs to observe.

How much should I take?

• Because of limited luggage space on coaches and Eurostar, we must limit each passenger to ONE main suitcase or frameless backpack the size should be no more than 75cm x 45cm x 25cm and one day bag.
• Your main bag must not weigh more than 20 kg’s.
• A frameless or internally framed backpack is the best way to carry your belongings since it is easy to lift on and off vehicles.
• A small daypack is practical for keeping general items (e.g. camera, books, wallets etc.) at hand when your main pack is out of reach. It is also handy for day trips and excursions. We also recommend that you keep your passport, credit cards Travellers Cheques etc. on you at all times, preferably in a money belt worn under your clothes.

TRAVEL TIP: You might be tempted to buy a few souvenirs here and there, so leave a little room for those extra purchases!

Please remember, we are guests in the countries through which we travel and we may sometimes inadvertently cause offence by taking photographs without first asking permission.

It is absolutely forbidden by law to take photos at any borders, as they are all active military installations.

We have put a lot of thought and effort into locating the most appropriate type of accommodation for each tour. It will always be clean, comfortable and of a very high standard.

All accommodation is in superior tourist class hotel. We guarantee accommodation in a twin room for every passenger on mainland European departures. Please note: On all our European Coach tours Triple rooms are not available.

In Europe tipping is a way of life and very much expected. For many tipping is a means of supplementing their wage and is a normal part of payment for goods and services. Be sure to keep small denomination notes or coins on you to avoid embarrassment. Sales and service taxes are imposed in some restaurants and bars.

Kumuka endeavours to advertise a compliment of optional activities available locally during tours with selected ground handlers to make your tour more enjoyable. These ground handlers and activity partners are selected for their standards in quality, professional ability and reputation. Whereas, Kumuka has developed a travel insurance policy to cover all activities offered during your journey, Kumuka can not be held responsible for injuries or claims arising from adventurous activities by third parties.

Below is a list of extra excursions, museums and monuments available at your expense on your European tour. Please note that these are intended as a guide only, prices and availability cannot be guaranteed and some activities are subject to conditions. Prices are in Euros. Your tour leader will assist you in planning and organising any optional excursions.  The list below is by no means comprehensive. There will be many other optional activities available. We strongly advise if you are entitled to a student card that you obtain one prior to departure - many museums and galleries in Europe offer substantial student discounts.

PARIS - Eiffel Tower €10 - Museums and Art Galleries-from €7 - The Louvre €7.50 - Arc de Triomphe €3.50 - Picasso Museum €7 - Hotel d’Invalides €6 - The Palace of Versailles & Gardens €7.50 - INTERLAKEN - Cable Car to Schilthorn €55 - Funicular to Skiing/Hiking Resort €8 - ½ day pass to Jungfraujoch & Ice Palace €90 - Summer Skiing/Snowboarding €25 - Bungy Jumping from €100 - Train to Interlaken €10- - FLORENCE - Cathedrals, Museums, & Galleries €4-7 - Uffizi Gallery €8 - Accademia Gallery €6.50 - Cathedral Dome €6.50 - Bell Tower €6 - Palazzo Vecchio & Campanile €6 - Pitti Palace & Gardens €6.50 – ROME - Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel €10 - Colosseum €8 - Roman Forums €6 - Catacombs €6– VENICE - Gondola Rides-from €40 - Guggenheim Museum €7 - Doges Palace €9 - Campanile €6 - VIENNA - Schoenbrunn Palace €10.50 - Hofburg Palace & Silver Collection €7.50 - Dali Museum €6.50 - Giant Ferris wheel €7.50 - St Stephens Cathedral €5.00 - Museum of Fine Arts €9.00 - Kunsthaus Wein/Hundertwasserhaus € 8.00 – PRAGUE - Castle District €7 - Jewish Museum €10 (Payable in Czech Korunas) – BERLIN - Museums and Galleries from € 5.00 - Reichstag free - Checkpoint Charlie €8.00 - AMSTERDAM - Anne Franks House €7.50 - Museum entry fees Museum entry fees-from €7