River Cruise - Burgundy & Provence

Sail past quaint hilltop cities and lively towns, lush vineyards, fields of flowers, and sun-drenched vistas made famous by the likes of Van Gogh and Cezanne. Add in full-bodied wines, gourmet dishes, art and history for the journey of a lifetime.

Rates from R 22 650.00 per person

that is R 2835.00 per day - including meals, transport, sightseeing and 5* Cruise Treatment!

Day 1 - Transfer to Arles (embark)
Day 2 - Arles, Avignon
Day 3 - Avignon
Day 4 - Viviers, Tournon
Day 5 - Tournon, Tain l’Hermitage, Lyon
Day 6 - Lyon
Day 7 - Châlon-sur-Saône (Beaune)
Day 8 - Chalon-sur-Saône (disembark), transfer to Lyon airport

Cruise Ships operating this itinerary: River Royale

Sightseeing Highlights

Arles:Visit this friendly Mediterranean town, see the Roman Amphitheater and museum Espace Van Gogh.

Avignon:A walking tour including the Clocktower Square, Pope’s Palace Square with a visit into the Papal Palace.

Viviers:Visit Old Town, viewing medieval streets of this charming town.
Tournon/Tain L’Hermitage:See the twin cities nestled among the famous vineyards. Visit Tournons famous castle

Lyon:Founded by Julius Caesar about 2000 years ago, see the Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière church and view the Beaujolais mountains.

Complimentary Transfers:

Important Note:Complimentary transfers will vary on certain tours especially if a Land portion is included on the tour. Please contact Trafalgar or your Travel Agent at time of booking to confirm the Complimentary transfer status on your selected tour.
Arrival Transfers:Flights must arrive between 0700 and 1400 on the day the cruise departs, or on the day any included land program begins in order to receive airport to ship transfers. These transfers are group transfers and passengers may experience a waiting period of up to 2 hours or more between transfers.
Passengers will need to make their way to the meet and greet area where they will be met by a representative holding a TRAFALGAR UNIWORLD sign. Passengers arriving outside the official dates of arrival shown in the brochure will need to make their own arrangements or purchase a private transfer.
Departure Transfers:Flights must depart between 0700 and 1700 on the day that the cruise or the included land package ends in order to receive the ship to airport transfer. Passengers departing later than this must make their own arrangements or purchase private transfers.

New for 2009! Epicurean Adventurer Program:

Private wine tastings, culinary demonstrations, and a special wine and food pairing dinner make your trip extra special.
Route to Beaune or Arles with shopping at an open-air food market.
Tournon/Tain l’Hermitage wine tasting and onboard chocolate sampling.
Chocolate crêpe-making demonstration and tasting.
Wine and food pairing dinner.

First Class Travel Highlights:

7-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the breathtaking River Royale
6 shore excursions with all-English speaking guides
An experienced Cruise Manager and an attentive all English-speaking crew
All transfers on arrival and departure days
Complimentary use of bicycles
State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio headset system on all shore excursions

Dining Highlights:

Captain’s Welcome & Farewell Dinners
All meals on board ship: breakfast, lunch and dinner
Complimentary fine wine during dinner, bottled water in your stateroom, and 24-hour specialty coffee
Classical European cuisine with a twist of contemporary elegance

Find Your Perfect Holiday With Trafalgar's Unique Touring Styles

Choose from:

City BreaksPerfect for independent travellers who want to feel the pulse of the world's greatest cities, while enjoying the advantage of Trafalgar's low group rates.

Free & EasyPerfectly balanced touring to suit your lifestyle with a mix of organised sightseeing and plenty of time to explore on your own.

Discovery ToursThese exciting tours include luxury coach travel, perfectly-located hotels with many two-night stays, expert Tour Directors and delicious cuisine.

Regional ToursFully escorted itineraries that allow you to discover one or two countries in-depth. Also includes two-night stopovers in most cities.

Regional PlusRegional tours specially designed for budding chefs and those fascinated by culinary arts.

Train ToursItineraries utilising famous trains such as the TGV in France, Glacier Express in Switzerland & Rocky Mountaineer in Canada.

River CruisesExperience magical destinations from the comfort of one of our luxurious ships. Enjoy on-shore excursions, gourmet cuisine and onboard entertainment.

Eastern Mediterranean ToursJourney to ancient lands and civilisations for the most incredible and awe-inspiring sights and experiences on earth.

Family Experience ToursItineraries designed especially for families. Guaranteed to be stress-free and fun for kids, parents and grandparents alike!

London Paris & Rome

England, Paris, and Italy's popular and beloved capitals await you! See Big Ben, ascend the Eiffel Tower, visit a French perfumery, and explore St. Peter's Basilica. There's lots of free time to do as you please in each thrilling destination.

Rates start from R 15 875.00 pp.

This means you are paying R 1600.00 per day.

Days 1 to 3 - London (3 nights)

Start your visit to London with an introductory morning sightseeing tour. See Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. Then time at leisure to explore London’s parks and museums, and maybe enjoy a West End showHotel: The Grosvenor

Days 4 to 6 - Paris (3 nights)

We take the Channel ferry from Dover to Calais and drive across the First World War Battlefields, pausing to stop and view the recently restored Vimy Ridge Memorial, which commemorates the many thousands of Canadian soldiers who were killled, before continuing on to Paris. The next day we enjoy a sightseeing tour which includes the ascent of the Eiffel Tower to the second level, a drive up the Champs Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe, views of Notre Dame Cathedral plus a visit to the Fragonard Perfumery and Museum. Then the time is yours to maybe shop or visit the splendid Palace of Versailles or the Louvre. Why not dine out in Bohemian Montmartre or enjoy some Parisian cabaretHotel: Kyriad Bercy Villagel

Day 7 - Overnight train from Paris to Rome

All aboard our train in Paris for an overnight journey through the French vineyards en route to Italy. Then we head across the Apennine Mountains to Rome.

Days 8 to 9 - Rome (2 nights)

Enjoy two full days in this exciting city. Our sightseeing tour on the first morning with a local guide includes views of the Forum, Colosseum and the Circus Maximus, renowned for Ben Hur style chariot races, plus an interior visit to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Then Rome is yours to explore to maybe admire Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel or shop along the elegant Via Condotti. In the evenings, perhaps discover Italy's mouth-watering cuisine in one of Rome's many restaurants.Hotel: Pinewood Hotel

Day 10 - Depart Rome

‘Arrivederci Roma’ to our new-found friends as our visit to these three fascinating cities comes to an end.

Traveling around on an Escorted Tour

Trafalgar always ensures that you will travel in the manner that maximises your enjoyment of the countries you will visit. On the road, there is no better way to travel than relaxing in comfort and safety onboard your modern coach. We use the finest custom designed fleet with fuel efficient latest models from Mercedes, Volvo and Setra, purpose built for safety and a smooth, quiet ride.

Coaches:

Some of the other great features of travelling by coach with Trafalgar include:
• Environmentally Friendly - Coach travel is proven to emit less carbon gases on a ‘per passenger’ basis than car travel.
• No Smoking Zone - For your comfort, smoking is not allowed onboard our coaches, however, there are plenty of rest stops for you to stretch your legs.
• Safety - You’ll be chauffeur driven, door to door by a professional driver who will make your journey a relaxing pleasure.
• Comfort - A Trafalgar coach carries an average of just 40 guests for a more pleasurable and relaxing journey.
• 'Sounds Great' - We use a state-of-the-art sound system for mood music with fascinating commentaries by your tour director.

Trains:

At Trafalgar, we develop our tours by researching the optimum way to experience a destination. We also therefore utilize the French TGV train, Glacier Express in Switzerland and Rocky Mountaineer train in Canada, to name just a few.
Click here to view itineraries featuring trains

Ships:

Trafalgar also operates a unique river cruise program in Europe, as well as cruises in the Mediterranean, Nile cruises and river cruises in China.
Click here to view itineraries featuring cruises

The Accommodation Aspect

Trafalgar knows that where you stay each night is important to the enjoyment of your holiday.

As part of your hassle-free holiday, when you arrive at your hotel, they will ensure that you are already checked in, your luggage is taken directly to your room and all hotel porterage, tips and gratuities are included. So all you have to do is Dream. Pack. And leave... the rest to us.

They only select hotels that are:

• Conveniently located within reach of the main sights
• Monitored by our Quality Control team, who ensure that our rigorous standards are maintained
• Reputable brands, such as Hilton and Novotel, as well as high quality privately owned hotels
• Great value through our negotiating power

Trafalgar's Great Savings!

Take advantage of Trafalgar's Great Savings and Discounts - Available all year round.

• Book early and save up to 10%
• Join the club and save 5%
• Travel with Family and Friends and save money
• Young Traveller (5-17) Save 10%
• Save 5% and get twice the fun!
• Three Isn't a crowd!
• Share a room and Save
• Save on our family experience

For more information on the different Discounts available follow the link to the Trafalgar website.

Escorted Tours

Have you ever thought of touring a country?

Did this give you slight nightmares at the possibility of facing an unknown country, a language that might be Latin for all you know and people that seem occupied and unhelpful?

Solution!

Escorted Tours is the answer to your prayers...

Over the next couple of days I will look at different options for escorted tours. I will prove that although they may seem expensive they aren't. The other thing I will look at is the myth that escorted tours are like boot-camp with no time for yourself.

Herewith a little bit of background information on Trafalgar Tours:

"Operating since 1947, Trafalgar Tours is today the world's favourite
escorted tour operator to Europe and Britain, USA, Canada, South America, Australia and New Zealand, as well as China. We have been host to
over 2 million travellers worldwide to hundreds of cities, towns, attractions
and resorts. With a firm commitment to quality, reliability and value, we ensure that all our guests travel with complete peace of mind. Our product range features over 200 distinctive itineraries, all designed to bring a destination alive and make your holiday unforgettable.Trafalgar looks after
every detail so our guests can enjoy a hassle-free holiday. We believe we have found the perfect balance between organised sightseeing and free time for exploring and relaxing - leaving you to Dream. Pack. And leave... the rest to us."