15-Nights Mediterranean Journey - Start Paris, Classic Group from $5,705

Insight Vacations

OFFER ID 1517363

Mediterranean Journey - Start Paris, Classic Group
Marvel at Gaudi’s masterpieces in Barcelona, spot locals sipping pastis in Nice and admire Florence the home of Michelangelo's David, as you circle the azure waters of the Mediterranean. Embrace a day of Pisa sightseeing with a stop at the famous leaning tower, where Italian astronomer Galileo was said to have pioneered his theories of gravity. In France, work up an appetite in the medieval streets before a sumptuous farm-to-table dinner in Avignon with a menu that showcases traditional French, home-style cuisine. In Spain, dine with the locals in Basque tradition with an evening of San Sebastian pintxos tastings, snack-sized tapas, while sipping on a refreshing glass of local Txakoli wine. In Rome, the dish du jour is, of course, handmade pasta and seasonal flavors.


Dining Summary

  • 4 Dinner with Wine (DW)
  • 16 Breakfast (B)
Choice Highlights
  • Choose between two carefully selected activities
  • Paris: Join an avid local foodie on a walk through a local food market - Bastille Marché. Visit a variety of stalls and sample local treats and delicacies along the way.
  • Paris: We walk up and down the "quartier" and we see the school, the food stores, the housing situation, the heritage landmarks, the sports facilities and the theaters, in this car-free, pedestrianized, neighborhood. Landmarks will include passages couverts, perhaps also Patrick Blanc's spectacular jardin vertical 'oasis d'Aboukir', the Napoleonic "Egyptian" district etc.
Additional Included Highlights
  • Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
  • Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
  • We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
  • From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
  • Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
  • If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
Authentic Dining
  • Paris: Join your Travel Director and fellow guests at a local restaurant in the heart of the city for a delightful dinner served with wine.
  • Paris: Join an avid local foodie on a walk through a local food market - Bastille Marché. Visit a variety of stalls and sample local treats and delicacies along the way.
  • San Sebastián: Enjoy an evening of pintxos, dining with locals in this Basque tradition. Your delicious dinner includes a wide variety of finger food delicacies, each with their own regional flavor, flair and presentation.
  • Avignon: At a local farm learn about olive oil and enjoy a tasting of the freshest produce before indulging in a farm-to-table dinner of traditional French home-style cuisine.
  • Rome: Toast your Mediterranean journey with delicious Italian cuisine and wine.
Insight Choice
  • Paris: We walk up and down the "quartier" and we see the school, the food stores, the housing situation, the heritage landmarks, the sports facilities and the theaters, in this car-free, pedestrianized, neighborhood. Landmarks will include passages couverts, perhaps also Patrick Blanc's spectacular jardin vertical 'oasis d'Aboukir', the Napoleonic "Egyptian" district etc.
Insight Experiences
  • Vatican: Visit the Vatican Museums, witness the genius of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and see St. Peter's Basilica.
  • Rome: Enjoy exclusive access to the Basilica of Saint Praxedes during an after-hours visit. This 9th-century basilica’s simple facade guards the world's best-preserved Byzantine mosaics. The history of the church springs to life as you admire the interior’s treasured collection, including Bernini's first sculpture and the renowned mosaics, illuminated for your visit. This once-in-a-lifetime experience is a rare and unforgettable insight into Rome and its religious history.
Top Rated Highlights
  • Chateau Chenonceau: Visit the majestic Chateau de Chenonceau, known as the 'Ladies' Chateau' it perfectly embodies the elegance of 16th century design in the Loire Valley.
  • Bordeaux: Your Local Expert will show you the quayside facades, Grand Theater, Triangle d'Or and magnificent Esplanade des Quinconces.
  • San Sebastián: Led by your Local Expert, enjoy a guided walking tour of the Old Quarter including Plaza de la Constitucion.
  • Madrid: See the highlights of the city with your Local Expert. Visit the Old Town, traveling along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana, past the fountain in the Plaza de Cibeles, the Cervantes Monument and Royal Palace, before crossing the Puerta del Sol.
  • Barcelona: With your Local Expert, drive along the elegant Passeig de Grcia to witness some of the finest Modernist architecture as you journey through the Eixample district to see Gaudi's extraordinary masterpiece, the mesmerizing Sagrada Família.
  • Avignon: View the Pont d'Avignon and walk the medieval narrow streets of the Old Town to the Palais des Papes.
  • Nice: Enjoy exploring the beautiful coastal town of Nice on the French Riviera.
  • Monaco City: Enjoy a drive along part of the Grand Prix circuit and wander the old town with your Travel Director to see the Royal Palace and the yacht-filled harbor.
  • Monaco City:


15 nights from $5,705 per person

Itinerary

Insight Vacations: Mediterranean Journey - Start Paris, Classic Group

Day 1 - Welcome to Paris
Welcome to Paris, enjoy time at leisure to settle into your hotel. During your time here you will see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Place de la Concorde, the Champs Elysées and Arc de Triomphe. Later, join your Travel Director at a local brasserie in the heart of Paris for a fabulous dinner.
Accommodations: Marriott Rive Gauche, Paris
Meals: Dinner with Wine

Day 2 - Paris, the City of Light
Your exploration of Paris today begins with an Insight Choice. Choose to explore community life in the picturesque Montorgueil district. Alternatively, join a Local Expert, an avid foodie, as you head into areas where Parisians go about their daily lives to explore small shops and sample local treats and delicacies. With the afternoon free, there are countless opportunities to enjoy the lively atmosphere of this glittering city.
Accommodations: Marriott Rive Gauche, Paris
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 - Onto Bordeaux
Head southwards towards Chateaux Country. Take a scenic drive along the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region is known as the Jardins de France for the beautifully maintained gardens created on vast estates as outdoor living areas. Visit the majestic Chenonceau Castle, an elegant French chateau spanning the River Cher. Continue on to the bustling in-land port of Bordeaux with its unique 18th century character.
Accommodations: Novotel Gare St Jean, Bordeaux
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 - Bordeaux and San Sebastián
Join a Local Expert for a guided tour of France's best 18th century architecture. The facades of the quaysides, the Grand Théatre, Triangle d'Or and magnificent Esplanade des Quinconces all contributed to Bordeaux earning inclusion on UNESCO's World Heritage list. Next, continue to picturesque San Sebastián where you will have the chance to dine with the locals in the evening. In small groups, wander through the Old Town for a progressive dinner, as you enjoy the gastronomic Basque tradition of pintxos. Similar to tapas, enjoy a variety of snack-sized treats to make your meal and be sure to try some of the local Txakoli wine.
Accommodations: Barceló Costa Vasca, San Sebastián
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 5 - On to Madrid Relaxed Start
Continue through the mountains and gorges of the north and emerge from the tunnel in the Sierra de Guadarrama onto the plateau of New Castile and Spain's elegant capital of Madrid. In the evening, why not see the city lit up it all its glory, with a drive along the grand avenues and past the spectacular fountains?
Accommodations: Riu Plaza España, Madrid
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 - Madrid
Join your Local Expert for a sightseeing tour of the Old Town as well as, along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana and past the fountain in the Plaza de Cibeles. Enjoy sightseeing with your Local Expert, as they guide you through the most historic neighborhoods in the Spanish capital. Your drive continues through the Old Quarter to discover the origins of the city. Visit the Reina Sofía Museum with an art historian to see Picasso's Guernica.
Accommodations: Riu Plaza España, Madrid
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 - Madrid and beautiful Barcelona
Cross the Castilian plain, past Zaragoza, and continue to the vibrant port of Barcelona. In the evening, why not try delicious local Catalan cuisine and as night descends, view the city from the heights of Montjuic, with lights sparkling below from the mountains to sea.
Accommodations: Hilton, Barcelona
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 - Barcelona, City of Gaudi
Join your Local Expert to explore the heart of the Gothic Quarter. See the cathedral and walk through the Roman gate to tour the narrow lanes and old squares. Travel by the Ramblas and along the Passeig de Grcia. Continue through the Eixample district to see Gaudi’s extraordinary masterpiece, the mesmerizing Sagrada Família.
Accommodations: Hilton, Barcelona
Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 - Avignon, the City of Popes
Journey to Avignon to see the famous Pont d'Avignon, once spanning the Rhône and immortalized in songs. Walk within the medieval narrow streets of the Old Town to stand in the shadow of the old Palais des Papes, resembling a fortress. Learn about olive oil and enjoy a tasting of the freshest produce. After, indulge in a Farm-to-Table dinner, a delicious insight into traditional French home-style cuisine.
Accommodations: Novotel Center, Avignon
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 10 - On the shores of Nice
Journey along the French Riviera to the elegant town of Nice, where the rest of the day is at your leisure to stroll along the fabled Promenade des Anglais or relax on the beach.
Accommodations: Apollinaire, Nice
Meals: Breakfast

Day 11 - Monaco and Pisa
Travel to Monaco where you are driven along part of the Grand Prix circuit, before walking with your Travel Director through the old town. See the Royal Palace where the Grimaldi family live, the yacht-filled harbor and visit the cathedral, housing the tombs of the late Prince Rainier and Princess Grace. Cross into Italy and follow the arc of the Italian Riviera before arriving in Pisa. In the Square of Miracles, stop to see the incredible Leaning Tower of Pisa with a Local Expert, from which Galileo is said to have conducted experiments on velocity and gravity. Also see the splendid 11th century cathedral and baptistery, decorated with mosaics and designs in solid marble.
Accommodations: NH Firenze, Florence
Meals: Breakfast

Day 12 - Pisa and Florence
Cross into Italy and follow the arc of the Italian Riviera before arriving in Pisa. In the Square of Miracles, stop to see the incredible Leaning Tower of Pisa with a Local Expert, from which Galileo is said to have conducted experiments on velocity and gravity. Also see the splendid 11th-century cathedral and baptistery, decorated with mosaics and designs in solid marble. Continue through Tuscany to the captivating city of Florence.
Meals: Breakfast

Day 13 - Florence Sightseeing Relaxed Start
Walk with your Local Expert to the marble-clad cathedral and baptistery, where Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise have been recreated in all their glory. The next stop is Piazza della Signoria, still the political heart of Florence and an open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces. Spend time gazing at statues such as Neptune and David along the front of the Palazzo Vecchio. The area around Santa Croce Basilica is famous for the quality of its luxury goods of gold and leather and there's free time to shop or continue exploring.
Accommodations: NH Firenze, Florence
Meals: Breakfast

Day 14 - The Eternal City of Rome
2025 marks a Jubilee Year, a momentous Roman Catholic event celebrated every 25 years, turning Rome into a center of celebration. As festivities unfold, itineraries may be adjusted to ensure you make the most of your time as you visit the Eternal City. Relax and enjoy the grand landscapes of the Chianti hills and Umbria, before passing the Apennine Mountains to arrive at the Eternal City, filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches. In the evening, what better way to toast the culmination of your Mediterranean journey, than with delicious Italian cuisine and wine.
Accommodations: Radisson Blu GHR, Rome
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 15 - Exploring Papal Rome
A Local Expert introduces the grandeur of the city, starting with the Vatican State, the richest community on the world. Visit the Vatican Museums, full of priceless treasures collected by the Popes. Once inside the Sistine Chapel, admire Michelangelo's famous ceiling. Next door, visit St. Peter’s Basilica to admire Michelangelo's emotive 'Pieta' and see Bernini's intricately carved Papal Altar. The afternoon is yours to shop in the trendy boutiques or relax at a sidewalk cafe before an exclusive after-hours visit to the Basilica of Saint Praxedes.
Accommodations: Radisson Blu GHR, Rome
Meals: Breakfast

Day 16 - Rome at Leisure Relaxed Start
The day is yours to enjoy Rome at your own pace. Perhaps take an optional experience to the ill-fated town of Pompeii, frozen in time when it was engulfed by an eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Alternatively, spend some time in the boutiques of the Via del Corso, the Via Nazionale or the elegant designer stores near the Spanish Steps? As night falls, why not sip on prosecco at a sidewalk cafe in Piazza Navona - the Living Room of Rome - and enjoy life's pageantry pass by?
Accommodations: Radisson Blu GHR, Rome
Meals: Breakfast

Day 17 - Arrivederci Roma
Bid farewell to the glories of Italy.
Meals: Breakfast

Featured Destinations
San Sebastian (Spain)
Rome
Florence
Nice
Avignon
Barcelona
Madrid
Bordeaux
Paris

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges
05/17/2025 - 06/01/2025
from $6,085 per person
06/28/2025 - 07/13/2025
from $6,155 per person *
07/12/2025 - 07/27/2025
from $5,915 per person
07/26/2025 - 08/10/2025
from $5,705 per person
09/06/2025 - 09/21/2025
from $6,105 per person
09/27/2025 - 10/12/2025
from $6,100 per person


* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
Prices Start At
from $5,705 per person
Length
15 Nights
Air City
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Vacation Rating
Deluxe
Fine dining, on-site bars or lounges and room service with extended hours are characteristic of deluxe establishments. Guest services usually include valet parking, concierge services, baggage assistance and laundry services. Other on-site facilities often include shops and boutiques, full service spas, full fitness facilities with pools and tennis courts. Business amenities may include available up-to-date technology and support staffs available for services. Attention to detail is apparent in the guestrooms which typically have stylish furnishings, quality bedding and bath products and often provide an evening turn down service.
Remarks
Trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discounts. Trip prices and discounts are subject to change. Airfare is additional. Tour prices, dates and itineraries are correct at the time of the website going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. Other restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID
1517363

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