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Essence of Europe

17 days in Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France & England

Optional 2 day extension

Carousel and half-timbered houses in a European town square on the Essence of Europe tour.
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OVERVIEW

Trace European history and culture across six countries, discovering how each has its own unique identity

Across 17 days and six countries, students understand Europe as a connected story rather than a collection of separate places. They see how history moves through empires and royal bloodlines, trade routes and port cities, mountain passes and cobblestone streets. As students compare bustling cities like London and Paris to quieter villages like Dijon and Lucerne, they discover that each destination offers a new perspective on how people have built communities, expressed ideas, and preserved tradition throughout the centuries. The result is a broad, meaningful introduction to Europe’s cultural legacy, and to the forces that continue to shape it today.

Essence of Europe route map

What you’ll do

Explore a sample itinerary

Day 1: Fly to Germany

Due to national and/or religious holidays, some sites may be closed and your itinerary may be modified on the following dates in 2028: March 19, April 14-17, April 25, May 1, June 2, June 29. These dates fluctuate each year—please contact us for more information.

Board your international flight to Munich

Day 2: Munich

Meet your Tour Director at the destination airport

Take a walking tour of Munich. With your Tour Director, you will see:

  • Munich Cathedral

  • New Town Hall

  • Hofbräuhaus

Day 3: Munich • Dachau

Take a guided tour of Munich. With your expert local guide you will see:

  • Olympic Stadium

  • Residenz

  • Marienplatz

  • BMW World

  • Nymphenburg Palace

Visit the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site

Travel to Munich

Day 4: Munich • Innsbruck • Venice

Travel to Innsbruck

Travel to Venice

Day 5: Venice

Take a guided tour of Venice. With your expert local guide you will see:

  • St. Mark's Square

  • Grand Canal

Travel by water taxi to the island of Murano

See a glass-blowing demonstration

Travel by water taxi to the island of Burano

Explore Burano on your own

Take a ferry to Venice

Enjoy a gondola ride

Day 6: Venice • Rome

Travel to Rome

Day 7: Rome

  • Visit the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums

Enjoy time to explore St. Peter's Basilica on your own

Add this in-depth experience
Rome cooking class

Rome cooking class

Discover why food plays such an integral role in Italy's culture as you dive into this hands-on cooking class. With a local Italian chef as your guide, participate in making several classic Italian recipes. Upon completion, sit down at the table and enjoy the tasty fruits of your labor.

Day 8: Rome

Take a guided tour of Rome. With your expert local guide you will:

  • Visit the Colosseum

  • Visit the Roman Forum

Take a guided tour of Castel Gandolfo, the Pope's summer residence on the shores of Lake Albano. Learn about its rich history as you explore:

  • The Papal Palace

  • The Barberini Gardens

Take a self-guided walking tour of Rome. You will see:

  • Trevi Fountain

  • Pantheon

  • Piazza Navona

  • Spanish Steps

Day 9: Rome • Florence

Travel to Florence

Take a guided tour of Florence. With your expert local guide you will see:

  • Piazza della Signoria

  • Ponte Vecchio

  • Basilica of Santa Croce

  • Gates of Paradise

Day 10: Florence • Lucerne region

Travel to the Lucerne region

Day 11: Lucerne region

Take a walking tour of Lucerne. With your Tour Director you will see:

  • Lion Monument

  • Kapellbrücke

  • Lake Lucerne

Ride to the top of a Swiss mountain, then take a cruise on Lake Lucerne

Day 12: Lucerne region • Burgundy region

Travel to Dijon

Take a walking tour of Dijon with your Tour Director

Travel to the Burgundy region

Day 13: Burgundy region • Paris

Travel to Paris

Take a walking tour of Paris. With your Tour Director you will see:

  • Île de la Cité

  • Conciergerie

  • Sainte-Chapelle

  • Notre-Dame Cathedral

Take a photo with your group in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral

Day 14: Paris

Take a guided tour of Paris. With your expert local guide you will see:

  • Place de la Concorde

  • Champs-Élysées

  • Arc de Triomphe

  • Les Invalides

  • Eiffel Tower

Add this in-depth experience
Versailles

Versailles

Enjoy an excursion to the grand palace of Versailles, where Louis XIV held court in the most lavish style imaginable. On a tour, stroll through the elegantly landscaped gardens, the historic Hall of Mirrors, and the ornately decorated State Apartments. Note: Versailles is closed on Mondays.

Day 15: Paris • London

Take the Eurostar to London

Take a walking tour of London with your Tour Director

Day 16: London

Take a guided tour of London. With your expert local guide you will see:

  • Big Ben and Houses of Parliament

  • Piccadilly Circus

  • St. Paul's Cathedral

  • Westminster Abbey

  • Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (if scheduled)

Add this in-depth experience
Windsor

Windsor

This is your invitation to the Royal Family's retreat, Windsor Castle! Join a local guide on your half-day excursion to Windsor, built by William the Conqueror in 1070. Priceless objects are found in the State Apartments, from paintings by Rubens to Henry VIII's sword and suit of armor. You will also see Queen Mary's Dolls' House and St. George's Chapel, the final resting place of many monarchs.

Day 17: Depart for home

Board your flight home from London

What makes this tour special?

Glide through Venice’s winding canals on a gondola ride, where grand palazzos and ancient bridges line every turn

Glide through Venice’s winding canals on a gondola ride, where grand palazzos and ancient bridges line every turn

Journey high into the Alps for panoramic views of Lake Lucerne and the storybook villages below

Journey high into the Alps for panoramic views of Lake Lucerne and the storybook villages below

Ride the Eurostar from Paris to London and experience one of the world’s most iconic rail journeys beneath the English Channel

Ride the Eurostar from Paris to London and experience one of the world’s most iconic rail journeys beneath the English Channel

All of our tours are powered by our proven EF Method

Learn more

Your experience includes

Airfare & transportation
Hotels
Regional-style meals
Guided sightseeing
Entrances
Full-time Tour Director
Expert Local Guides
Personalized Learning Support
Continuous Support
Worldwide Presence

Travelers save when you lead this tour before October 1, 2027

See 2027 pricing

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Payment plan options

Pay over time interest-free or pay all at once

Fundraising

Every traveler receives a no-fee donation page

Global Citizen Scholarship

Every year EF awards $100,000 to student travelers

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Frequently asked questions

Let’s unpack that

We’ll connect you with your personal Tour Consultant—someone who works with other teachers in your area and specializes in planning EF tours. They’ll walk you through this itinerary (along with other tours in our portfolio that match your curriculum or catch your eye), explain student pricing, and show you just how easy it is to partner with EF.

Once you decide to lead a tour, your Tour Consultant will help you get school administrators on board, students excited, and families ready to enroll. You’ll host an informational meeting to kick off the enrollment period, and we’ll provide everything you need—from a digital presentation to printed handouts, parent resources, and more.

You’ll have a dedicated Tour Director who will guide your group from the moment you land in your first destination until your final goodbye. They:

  • Take all the same transportation and stay in the same hotels as your group

  • Speak the local language (but lead the tour in English!)

  • Support you 24/7 as your right hand

  • Offer deep cultural context to help students feel connected to their destination

  • Handle all the logistics, so you don’t have to

  • Are the secret ingredient that makes your tour truly shine

Yes! You earn a free spot on tour as soon as six paying travelers enroll. For every additional six paying travelers, you earn another free spot for an adult chaperone of your choosing. For example, if 30 students sign up, that’s four free chaperone spots in addition to yours.

All travelers on international EF tours must have a valid passport. When it comes to documentation, every traveler and destination is different, so once your group starts enrolling, we’ll help direct you and your families to relevant resources.
 
Passports should have at least three blank pages and be valid for at least six months after your return date.

EF has set the standard for travel-based learning for over 60 years. Not only do our educational tours amplify the lessons you’re already exploring in your classroom, but they also help build more empathy, open-mindedness, confidence, and cross-cultural understanding.
 
Our educational philosophy, the EF Method, is built into every itinerary, so your students are immersed in a continuous journey of engaging, hands-on learning in real-world situations from the moment they step off the plane.

Yes! Plan to explore each destination primarily on foot, so be sure to pack your comfiest sneakers. You’ll have time to rest on the bus while traveling between cities and activities. If any travelers need accommodations, just let your EF Travel Team know in advance.

Every hotel your group stays in is required to meet EF’s rigorous standards for quality, safety, and cleanliness. (We have an entire team dedicated to ensuring that!) However, it’s important to remember that international hotels designed for student travel may feel a little different from what students are familiar with. For example, some hotels may not have an elevator. Rooms will have multiple single beds or shared double beds, and every room will have a private bathroom.

You’ll receive more detailed meal information closer to your tour, but here’s an overview of what to expect:

  • Daily breakfast is served continental-style at your hotel.

  • Most tours include daily group dinners, which take place at local restaurants (or your hotel) and feature a mix of familiar favorites and local dishes from a set menu.

  • Lunches are usually not included, but this varies by itinerary. If lunch isn’t included, this is the perfect opportunity for students to explore local markets and discover their new favorite food.

Travelers will share allergy or dietary information with EF after signing up, and we’ll help make the necessary accommodations.

We’re here to help! Start a live one-on-one chat with a team member.

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