Grad Trip Map

11 days - 4 countries - plus optional 5-day extension to Southern Italy and Greece from $3,480

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Reward yourself for all your hard work with this ultimate escape. The Classic Europe grad trip offers 16 days of exploration, adventure, and insight into many of Europe’s most popular and stunning countries. This tour provides something for everyone, from mingling with locals on a London pub crawl, and seeking adventure parasailing in the Greek isles to photographing the majesty of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and venturing through the Roman Forum and the 2000-year-old Parthenon in Athens. The beauty of this journey is the balance of fun excursions, time at leisure and fascinating looks into history, architecture and breath-taking European landscapes. Unleash your inner adventurer and make memories and new friends to last a lifetime.

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Day 1 - Flight to London

  • Travelers have signed up for group app (BAND) to communicate with AESU Tour Director and travelers
  • Overnight flight to London
  • AESU can assist travelers with airfare
  • Embark on your overnight flight to London.

Day 2 - Land tour start day: London

  • AESU Tour Director meets group at London airport (travelers with AESU flights only)
  • Airport transfer included with purchased AESU group airfare
  • Welcome orientation Pub crawl
  • Meals included today: In-flight
  • Enjoy a free afternoon to relax and unwind. In the evening, we’ll have our welcome orientation followed by a fun London pub crawl.

Day 3 - London

  • 1-day group tube pass
  • Tour of London, guided by a local historian
  • Personal audio headset
  • See Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge and more
  • Meals included today: Breakfast

Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and Westminster Abbey: These familiar names become familiar places on our morning tour of London. During an afternoon at leisure, browse the many food, craft and clothing stalls at popular Camden Market, walk in the footsteps of Harry Potter at Leadenhall Market aka Diagon Alley or take a ride on the London Eye for a birds-eye view of the city and the opportunity to take great photographs. After dusk, consider taking in some Shakespeare at the Globe Theater by the Thames River or attending a West End show.

Day 4 - London - Paris

  • English Channel Eurostar train
  • Tour of Paris guided by a local historian
  • Paris illumination drive
  • Seine River cruise
  • French Bistro dinner
  • Meals included today: Breakfast, Dinner

Travel through the “Chunnel” below the English Channel to Paris. Our local art historian shows us the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and Place de la Concorde, where the guillotine once stood. Tonight, dine on French specialties at our bistro dinner. Afterward, we take a romantic cruise down the river Seine.

Day 5 - Paris

  • Paris travel card with unlimited access to public transportation system
  • Paris Museum Pass
  • Optional visit to French perfumery and museum (free of charge)
  • Optional visit to Moulin Rouge, French can-can show (additional cost)
  • Meals included today: Breakfast

Enjoy a free day in Paris today. You can opt to join your tour director for a visit to a French perfumery and museum this morning. Afterwards consider visiting the Palace of Versailles, Louis XIV’s residence. The included museum pass gives you access to the Hall of Mirrors and the King’s Grand Chambers. Marvel at the sheer size of the palace, one of the most beautiful castles in the world with an astonishing 700 rooms. Later check out another one of the 70 museums and monuments included in your pass in and around Paris, such as the world famous Louvre, housing the Mona Lisa, Musée d’Orsay and Musée National Picasso. Your Paris travel card will provide unlimited public transportation throughout the city. This evening you may consider seeing a can-can cabaret show at the world-famous Moulin Rouge.

Day 6 - Paris - French Riviera

  • High-speed train to Nice
  • Visit Nice: Promenade d’Anglais, Place Macena and more
  • Meals included today: Breakfast, French brasserie dinner

This morning, the TGV high-speed train takes us from Paris to Nice, queen resort of the Côte d’Azur. Enjoy your free afternoon on picturesque beaches along the Mediterranean coastline, stroll promenades lined with chic boutiques, or unwind at a sidewalk café. The thriving local art scene and buzzing nightlife is yours to discover after tonight’s brasserie dinner.

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Day 7 - French Riviera

  • French Riviera beaches
  • Optional excursion to Cannes & Monte Carlo (extra cost)
  • Meals included today: Breakfast

Enjoy a free day on the dazzling French Riviera. Relax on the beach, paddle in the azure sea, or sip on a smooth cocktail beneath swaying palms. Consider exploring Nice to visit the magnificent Palais Lascaris, the Cathédrale de Sainte Réparate and harbors filled with opulent yachts. Or, you may opt to join our excursion to Monaco, where Prince Rainier married Hollywood actress Grace Kelly, and glitzy Cannes, known for its famous International Film Festival.

Day 8 - French Riviera - Pisa - Tuscan Countryside

  • Private motor coach from the French Riviera to Tuscany
  • Scenic Cộte D’Azur
  • Pisa with its Leaning Tower
  • Tuscan countryside
  • Wine and olive oil tasting
  • Meals included today: Breakfast, Tuscan Feast dinner

Our journey takes us along the scenic Côte d’Azur’s sun-splashed beaches. We cross the border into Italy and arrive in Pisa with its stunning Piazza dei Miracoli. Take time to admire the Baptistery, the Cathedral, and take selfies in front of the famous Leaning Tower. Now, immerse yourself in the magic of Tuscany. Travel along rolling hills of olive groves and vineyards crowned by castles and ancient abbeys. Renaissance culture is around every corner with hilltop towns unchanged from the Middle Ages. This region is also known for its fabulous farm-to-table agritourism. Enjoy our Chianti wine and olive oil tasting and then savor regional dishes featuring produce and wines direct from the local farms at our Tuscan feast.

Day 9 - Tuscan Countryside - Rome - Vatican City

  • Tour of Rome and Vatican City guided by a local historian
  • Personal audio headset
  • St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City
  • Roma pass entrance to Colosseum and Forum
  • Special access and discounts with Roma pass
  • Caesar’s Forum, Circus Maximus, Pantheon and more
  • Unlimited access to local transportation with Roma pass
  • Meals included today: Breakfast

This morning we continue our travels south to the capital of Italy. Get ready to soak up Rome’s dolce vita lifestyle as we explore the city’s picturesque streets and piazzas with our local historian. Ancient icons such as the Colosseum or Caesar’s Roman Forum remind us of the city’s golden age as the capital of the world. Vatican City with St. Peter’s Basilica towering over the square, and colossal cathedrals throughout the city, tells stories of its history as seat of the Catholic Church. Use your included Roma pass to visit the Colosseum (reservations required) and take advantage of the included unlimited use of public transportation.

Day 10 - Rome & Vatican City

  • Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and more
  • Special access and discounts with Roma pass
  • Unlimited access to local transportation with Roma pass
  • Meals included today: Breakfast, Pizza Party dinner

A free day in Rome may find you exploring Piazza Navona, climbing the famous Spanish Steps and tossing a coin into the Trevi Fountain to ensure your return to Rome. Try numerous flavors of the fabulous gelato ice cream or find yourself window-dreaming on Via dei Condotti, one of Rome’s fashionable shopping streets. This evening, we cross the Tiber River to Trastevere, one of Rome’s oldest neighborhoods, for our fun Italian Pizza Party. Toppings range from a simple drizzle of olive oil, rosemary and salt, to mushrooms, prosciutto ham and artichokes. Buon appetito!

Day 11 - Travel Home OR continue to Southern Italy & Greece

  • Tour of the Pompeii excavations guided by a local historian
  • Personal audio headset
  • Scenic overnight ship from Italy to Greece
  • Transfer from hotel to airport included with purchased AESU group airfare
  • Meals included today: Breakfast

For some of us the celebratory tour of Europe ends in Rome this morning. Bid farewell to friends and “arrivederci” to Italy before jetting back home with memories to last a lifetime. For the rest of us - sunny olive groves line the way south to Pompeii. Under the shadow of Vesuvius, the volcano that buried this ancient city in 79 A.D., explore the excavated wonders including homes, markets and temples that remain intact, and streets that still bear the marks of chariot wheels from 2,000 years ago. Afterwards, we cross the Italian “boot” and board our overnight ship to Greece.

Day 12 - Isle of Poros

  • Relaxing pool and beach time
  • Iconic Greek sunsets
  • Meals included today: Breakfast, Traditional Greek dinner

After cruising through aquamarine waters, our ship docks at Patras. Motor along the Corinthian Sea across the Peloponnese to Galatas and the island of Poros. Relax and unwind with three days of living like a Greek god or goddess. Enjoy a welcome drink at the pool bar before exploring this idyllic island.

Day 13 - Isle of Poros

  • Exploration of the white-washed village center of Poros
  • Beach and pool
  • Meals included today: Breakfast, Traditional Greek dinner Optional watersports (extra cost)

Today is free to enjoy at your leisure. Go for a swim, bask in the golden sun, or take part in optional watersports such as waterskiing, wakeboarding, parasailing, banana-boating or tubing. Dancing like Zorba at a local tavern is always a must-do evening activity.

Day 14 - Isle of Poros

  • Bike rental on the Isle of Poros
  • Relaxing pool and beach time
  • Iconic Greek sunsets
  • Meals included today: Breakfast, Greek BBQ dinner

Poros old town center has great shopping or the more adventurous can venture to the 6th-century B.C. ruins of Poseidon’s Temple on the island’s highest peak. Bicycles will be provided today, which offer an opportunity to further explore the island. Tonight, we invite everyone to our fun toga party.

Day 15 - Isle of Poros - Athens

  • Tour of Athens guided by a local historian
  • Acropolis admission
  • Greek music and dancing
  • Meals included today: Breakfast, Greek tavern farewell dinner

In the morning we board our ferry to Athens. See the 2,400-year-old Parthenon, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Constitution Square. A free afternoon may find us wandering the paths of Plato, Socrates and Sophocles or trying our bargaining skills at the markets of Monastiraki. This evening follow the sounds of traditional bouzouki music and join our farewell taverna dinner in the Plaka District – Athens’ oldest neighborhood at the foot of the Acropolis.

Day 16 - Travel Home

  • Transfer from hotel to airport included with purchased AESU group airfare
  • Meals included today: Breakfast

Reluctantly we say farewell to Europe and new-found friends. Jet back home with thoughts of planning your next alumni adventure!

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