Our 2018 Program

Join us as we welcome 2018 in friendly and beautiful Munich. Our fabulous New Year’s trip takes us to the capital of Bavaria with its famous museums, castles, markets, churches, fabulous food, restaurants, and of course the world’s best beer.

Our trip to this, charming, historic region in the foothills of the Alps has been planned to take advantage of the the sights and sounds of this great world city during the holiday season.
Come Play with Us on our famous walking tours of historic Munich as we marvel at the medieval Glockenspiel Clock in the Marienplatz, visit the Frauenkirche, stop at the Residenz, sample the best in local foods in the outdoor Viktualienmarkt, and of course the Oom-pah music, pretzels, and beer at the Hofbrau Haus.

No visit to the area would be complete without the opportunity to stop at Mad King Ludwig’s Castle – Neuschwanstein, Nymphenburg Palace, Oberammergau, Dachau, and more.

Over the New Year’s holiday we are headed for beautiful Bavaria. The experience is already  amazing so to make this trip complete we will be offering a package of Optional side trips:

Neuschwanstein, the castle of mad King Ludwig, and the incredibly beautiful village of Oberammergau. It is quickly apparent why Neuschwanstein is one of the most well known castles in the world. It rises through the mist like something out of a fairytale, and it will not shock you to hear that the man who conceived its design – Mad King Ludwig, was considered more than a bit eccentric. This fairytale castle is set high in the Bavarian Alps and was the model for Disney’s Cinderella Castle.

After touring the castle, we continue on to Oberammergau, home to the world famous Passion Play and which is reputed to be the most idyllic of the Bavarian Villages. This unspoiled location is noted for its beautiful painted houses, great shopping, pastries and Bavarian Village life. The cuckoo clocks, carved wooden Christmas ornaments and puzzles are absolutely amazing.

Our tour will take us from the Salzburger Dom (Cathedral), to the Mirabell Palace and Gardens, to the Old Town, to the Getreidegasse (the most fashionable shopping street in Europe), to the sights from “The Sound of Music” and the incredible open air market. There will be plenty of time for us to visit the fortress, (Salzburg Castle), Mozart’s Birthplace, and to sample the great wurstl in the market, rosti, amazing Austrian beer, and what are simply the finest pastries in the world.

We begin in fabulous Venice. This is a city that completely fills all of our senses. From our hotel just off St. Mark’s Square we will take walking tours of the Piazza San Marco and the Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, the Rialto, the lagoon islands and much more. A walk through Venice is an amazing experience – no cars allowed, narrow streets and alleys make you want to explore. If you have ever dreamed of taking a gondola ride, here is the opportunity.

We then move to Florence where we will stay in an amazing hotel located in the historic center of Florence. Our tour will cover the most cultured and beautiful city in Italy from one end to the other. We are easy walking distance from Il Duomo, the Accademia, the Uffizi, the Boboli Gardens, the Piazza della Signoria, the Ponte Vecchio, Santa Croce, the Cappella di Medici, the world famous Mercado, San Lorenzo and so much more. Walk through the Renaissance with us where it began and flourished while enjoying Tuscan cooking and wine which is simply the world’s best.

Then, on to Rome for an in depth exploration of this ancient and most historic city. Our walking tour will see the Coliseum, the Imperial Forum, Trajan’s Market and more. Feel free to toss a coin in Trevi Fountain, linger over lunch in the Piazza Navona, or just marvel at the Pantheon.   Spend a day to take in all of Vatican City including St. Peter’s Basilica, the Piazza San Pietro and all of this fabulous city. Scenery that will take your breath away, history that is incredible, art and culture everywhere, and simply the the best food and wine in the world.

The Best of Italy with the people who know Italy best.
Come Play with Us.

Come Play with Us to one of the most mysterious and beautiful places on earth as we head for Machu Picchu. The last stronghold of the Incas.

Upon arrival in Peru we will transfer to the Sacred Valley and begin our tour with a visit to the local market at Pisac and the ancient Incan city of Ollantaytambo with lunch at a local restaurant. Our tour of Inca sites in the Sacred Valley continues with visits to the town of Chincheros, the Maras Salt Mines and Moray Circular Agricultural site.

Our tour then goes on by train to Machu Picchu. Upon arrival we will take the bus up the mountain to Machu Picchu for our guided tour. We have included a second admission to the park the next morning so that we can explore it again at your leisure – or for the adventurous we can get up to the the top and watch the sun rise through the Sun Gate on the Inca Trail. We return to the hotel, collect our bags and head for the train for our journey to Cuzco, the Inca capital city.

Our tour in Cuzco will feature a tour of both Inca and modern sites including the Inca Sun Temple, San Blas Church, Cathedral, Cuzco farmer’s market and Sacsayhuamán. We have also included a Folklore Show and built in leisure time for individual exploration of this fascinating and beautiful city.

Our trip to Peru and Machu Picchu is wonderful all by itself, but we figure to spice it up to ultimate levels by offering an extension to Lake Titicaca. Lake Titicaca is the highest commercially navigable lake in the world. We will depart from Cuzco and fly into Juliaca and then onto Puno for a quick tour of this Andean city before arriving at our hotel on the lake.

Our schedule includes a boat trip to the floating islands (they are several meters thick).  These islands are unique in every way. They are made and remade from the totora reeds which grows along the shore. The plants are used to build homes, for food, and in the construction of boats.

Also included is our visit to Taquile island in the middle of the lake, this is home to some of the finest wool weavers in South America. We have arranged for lunch on the island, a demonstration of weaving and of course the opportunity to purchase some of the local products.

Then on to Lima for our city tour including a visit to Casa Aliaga, a home built by one of the conquistadors and remaining in his family through all the years.

Like boats? Want to vacation in style? Something beautiful and exotic? Stop looking now! We have a Blue Danube River Cruise for you. We will be cruising through the Heart of Europe as we travel through Hungary, Austria and Germany on a luxurious river boat touring central Europe at the best weather time of the year. River cruising at it’s best – not to mention the history, scenery, and great food and wine.

Our flight takes us from JFK into Budapest, where we will tour the city and board our luxury river cruise boat for a 7 night cruise through one of the most beautiful parts of Europe stopping and touring all the way. We have included shore excursions in amazing Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Durnstein with incredible Melk Abbey (with wine tasting), Salzburg, Regensburg, Weltenburg Abbey and of course the hidden gem of Bavaria – beautiful Passau.

Each of our outside cabins has a private bath/shower and French Balcony. All meals (and wine with dinner) aboard are included. This is river cruising at its very best – the scenery is very special, the culture of this historic area is incredibly interesting, and the people are wonderfully warm and friendly. Our Blue Danube River Adventure combines ancient, medieval, and modern history with great food, wine and beer.

This trip is simply amazing and so is the price – Come Play with Us.

Do you like nature? Love National Geographic? Are you looking for a once in a lifetime warm weather vacation?

Here is the chance to see life as Darwin saw and described it. We will be visiting all the highlights in the Galapagos, from the giant land tortoises to the incredible iguanas, to Blue Footed Boobies, Albatrosses, and so much more. We will also have the opportunity to swim and snorkel with sea lions, penguins, and other marine life up close and personal.

Many of you have been waiting for us to return to the Galapagos Islands. If traveling to this fantastic destination is on your “Bucket List” of must dos or if you really just love it and want to return, now is the time. We have gotten a wonderful 16 passenger chartered luxury yacht for 2018 at a fantastic price.

Come Play with Us as we see the unchanged flora and fauna that so captured Charles Darwin and led him to write the Origin of Species. Enjoy the Galapagos Islands warm weather, beauty, and abundant wildlife.