12 days · 4 countries
Grand Continental Rebel
From AED 62,825per person, twin share
Rome to London via Italy, Switzerland, France and the UK: three panoramic trains on UNESCO World Heritage routes in the Swiss Alps, a Lake Como cruise and Europe’s highest restaurant.
- Duration
- 12 Days / 11 Nights
- Route
- Rome → London
- 4 countries on this tour
- Italy
- Switzerland
- France
- United Kingdom
- Activity level
- Moderate (3 of 5)
- Moderate: hotels change often across four countries and several train journeys, but each day has guided sightseeing at an unhurried pace, with free time built in
- Accommodation
- 11 nights in 4-star superior and 5-star hotels across Italy, Switzerland, France and England
- Meals
- 11 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners
- Group
- Small group, up to 24
- Guide
- Tour leader throughout, plus local guides in Florence, Versailles and London
- Transport
- First-Class Panoramic Trains, Private Coaches, Regional Trains
- Best time to go
- Runs in April: mild spring in Rome, Lake Como, Paris and London, with snow still likely on the high Alpine peaks at Zermatt, Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn
Tour overview
Twelve days from Rome to London, through Italy’s Renaissance cities and some of Switzerland’s best-known routes. The Bernina Express crosses the Brusio Circular Viaduct, and the Glacier Express and GoldenPass Express carry you first-class through the Alps. Across three panoramic trains and many scenic routes, your tour leader looks after the hotels, attractions and most meals. There is Renaissance Florence, Lake Como, lunch at Europe’s highest mountain restaurant and dinner as Paris glides past your window. A departure takes no more than 24 people, so your tour leader knows your name long before you leave Rome. It ends in London, with a farewell dinner.
Highlights
- Welcome dinner in Rome
- Florence with a local guide
- A golden-hour boat ride on Lake Como
- Dinner beside Lake Como
- The Bernina Express over the Brusio Circular Viaduct
- The Glacier Express, first class through the Alps
- Car-free Zermatt and a first view of the Matterhorn
- Lunch at the highest restaurant in Europe
Show all 22 highlightsShow fewer highlights
- The Glacier Palace, carved in ice 15 metres beneath the glacier
- Lake Geneva views over lunch, on the way to Montreux
- Through the Simmental Valley on the GoldenPass Express
- Up to the top of the Schilthorn
- Birg Station’s Thrill Walk
- Lunch on the Schilthorn, with its James Bond history
- The Eiger’s north face fills the window on the Eiger Express
- Europe’s highest railway station, Jungfraujoch, at 3,454 metres
- Lunch with the Aletsch Glacier below
- Dinner as Paris passes by
- A guided visit to the Palace and Gardens of Versailles
- A guided look around London
- A ride on the London Eye
- Farewell dinner in London
See the journey come to life
Route and hotels
Where the tour goes and where you sleep, night by night.
Rome
1 night · Day 1
NH Roma Palazzo Cinquecento
Florence
Day 2 · on the way
Milan
Day 2 · on the way
Lake Como
1 night · Day 2
Palace Hotel Como
Tirano
Day 3 · on the way
St. Moritz
1 night · Day 3
Hotel Steffani
Zermatt
2 nights · Days 4–5
Alpen Resort & Spa
Glacier Paradise
Day 5 · on the way
Show all 18 stopsShow fewer stops
Zermatt
Day 6 · on the way
Montreux
Day 6 · on the way
Interlaken
3 nights · Days 6–8
Hotel Metropol
Schilthorn
Day 7 · on the way
Jungfraujoch "The Top of Europe"
Day 8 · on the way
Interlaken
Day 9 · on the way
Paris
2 nights · Days 9–10
Hôtel Riesner
Versailles
Day 10 · on the way
Paris
Day 11 · on the way
London
1 night · Day 11
Kimpton Fitzroy
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Start of Journey in Rome
Dinner includedRome meets you as it always does, however many times you have been here before. At the hotel, your tour leader and the rest of the group are waiting, and this afternoon you head out together for a walk through the city as the tour gets under way. Tonight brings the first dinner together as a group: shared tables, first introductions, and a first look at the people who make up the group for the eleven days ahead.
Included
- Afternoon walk through Rome with your tour leader
- Welcome dinner with the group
- Overnight
- Rome
- Hotel
- NH Roma Palazzo Cinquecento
Day 2
Rome – Florence – Milan – Lake Como via High-Speed Italian trains
Breakfast and dinner includedA first-class seat on Italy’s fast rail network carries you to Florence, capital of Tuscany, and from there a local guide leads a walk on foot across the city, passing the spot where Michelangelo worked, the goldsmiths on the Ponte Vecchio, and round to the Duomo, before leaving you free to carry on exploring on your own. In the afternoon the route continues via Milan to Como, where a boat cruise crosses the lake while the light begins to fade. At over 400 metres deep, it ranks among Europe’s deepest lakes. Tonight’s dinner takes place by the water, with the lights reflecting on its surface and a group that is starting to know each other’s names.
Included
- Guided walking tour of Florence, past the Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo
- Boat ride on Lake Como at golden hour
- Dinner by Lake Como
- Travel
- Rome → Florence → Milan → Lake Como by high-speed train
- Overnight
- Lake Como
- Hotel
- Palace Hotel Como
Day 3
Lake Como – Tirano – St. Moritz via Bernina Express
Breakfast included
Como gradually falls behind as the private coach heads to Tirano, with the lake staying in sight for much of the drive. There is time to look around Tirano first: see the Palazzo Salis, or find lunch somewhere in the Old Town. From there, the route crosses into Switzerland on the Bernina Express, a UNESCO-listed line and the highest rail crossing of this kind anywhere in Europe, passing the Morteratsch Glacier and the Ospizio Bernina pass, higher than 2,000 metres. The train then descends through the Brusio Circular Viaduct, the spiral of track recognisable from any number of documentaries.
Included
- Free time in Tirano’s old town before the train
- Bernina Express over the Ospizio Bernina pass and the Brusio Circular Viaduct
- Travel
- Lake Como → Tirano by coach, then St. Moritz by the Bernina Express
- Overnight
- St. Moritz
- Hotel
- Hotel Steffani
Day 4
St. Moritz – Zermatt via Glacier Express
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Today is the Glacier Express, known by reputation as the slowest express train on earth: first class, panoramic windows, and nowhere to be in a rush. From there, the route passes the Landwasser Viaduct, the Ruinaulta canyon and the Oberalp Pass, just over 2,000 metres, with lunch served at your seat: a multi-course, seasonal menu while the scenery goes by. You reach Zermatt in the evening, catching your first sight of the Matterhorn at the head of the valley. Car-free, the town offers little beyond church bells, footsteps and the occasional electric carriage. Before dinner, your tour leader leads the group through an orientation walk, and dinner itself is your first taste of Swiss cooking this trip.
Included
- First-class Glacier Express across the Oberalp Pass
- Arrival in car-free Zermatt, with your first view of the Matterhorn
- Orientation walk with your tour leader before dinner
- Travel
- St. Moritz → Zermatt by the Glacier Express
- Overnight
- Zermatt
- Hotel
- Alpen Resort & Spa
Day 5
Zermatt – Glacier Paradise via Matterhorn Express
Breakfast and lunch included
This morning the Matterhorn Express climbs towards Glacier Paradise, then the Matterhorn Glacier Ride continues the climb to the highest mountain station in Europe, at 3,883 metres. A 360-degree platform at the top puts the Alps in view on every side, snow-capped peaks reaching out in all directions. Below ground, the Glacier Palace holds tunnels and ice sculptures, carved into the ice 15 metres beneath the glacier’s surface. The highest mountain restaurant and cinema in Europe are both up here too, so lunch is taken with the Alps still visible outside. There is time to explore before you head back down to Zermatt in the afternoon, and what is left of the evening is free.
Included
- Matterhorn Express and cable car to Glacier Paradise, Europe’s highest mountain station
- Lunch at Europe’s highest restaurant
- Visit the Glacier Palace, ice tunnels carved 15 metres into the glacier
- Overnight
- Zermatt
- Hotel
- Alpen Resort & Spa
Day 6
Zermatt – Montreux – Interlaken via GoldenPass Express
Breakfast and lunch includedThe scenery shifts today, from the Alps to the French-speaking side of Switzerland. The Rhône Valley opens out as the drive nears Montreux: vineyards and villages fall away to reveal Lake Geneva, where lunch is served with a view across the water, the Alps remaining in sight behind it. In the afternoon, the GoldenPass Express carries you past wooden chalets and over green pastures in the Simmental Valley. Interlaken is reached around golden hour, where the Jungfrau sits on the horizon between its two lakes, and the rest of the evening is left for you to spend as you choose.
Included
- Lunch overlooking Lake Geneva, en route to Montreux
- GoldenPass Express through the Simmental Valley to Interlaken
- Travel
- Zermatt → Montreux → Interlaken by coach and the GoldenPass Express
- Overnight
- Interlaken
- Hotel
- Hotel Metropol
Day 7
Interlaken – Schilthorn – Piz Gloria via the World's Steepest Cable Car
Breakfast and lunch included
The morning starts quietly in Interlaken before things get going. The World’s Steepest Cable Car, which really is its official title, rises the whole way up to Schilthorn through Mürren, with a stop at Birg Station, where the Thrill Walk runs across glass-bottomed platforms and through a tunnel along the rock face, open to anyone keen to try it. At the summit, the Walk of Fame holds memorabilia and props tied to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, which was shot right here in 1969. At the top, lunch is served with the views doing most of the talking, and you can descend at your own pace once you have had enough of the altitude.
Included
- Cable car to Schilthorn, the world’s steepest cableway, via Mürren
- The Thrill Walk at Birg Station, for anyone who wants it
- Lunch at the summit, with Bond-film history at Piz Gloria
- Overnight
- Interlaken
- Hotel
- Hotel Metropol
Day 8
Interlaken – Jungfraujoch "The Top of Europe" via Eiger Express
Breakfast and lunch included
The Eiger Express cable car carries you up to Jungfraujoch today, a railway station that sits 3,454 metres up, the highest in Europe. Its sheer rock, the Eiger’s north face, fills most of the window on the way, near enough to sense the real scale of the mountain. At the top, the Ice Palace cuts a series of tunnels directly into the glacier, alongside lunch and panoramic terraces that look out on the Aletsch Glacier, spread out beneath. By evening, you are back in Interlaken, with a chance to stroll the promenade, pick somewhere for dinner, or simply sit and let the day settle.
Included
- Eiger Express cable car, past the Eiger’s north face
- Jungfraujoch, Europe’s highest railway station, with its Ice Palace tunnels
- Lunch with views over the Aletsch Glacier
- Overnight
- Interlaken
- Hotel
- Hotel Metropol
Day 9
Interlaken – Paris via High-Speed ICE & TGV trains
Breakfast and dinner includedThis morning’s travel takes you from Switzerland to Paris, with French vineyards and open countryside gradually taking over from the Alps as the kilometres pass. Once there, the afternoon is open for you to spend however you choose, whether that means a walk along the river, a museum, or no plan at all. Aboard the Bustronome tonight, dinner is served on a double-decker bus with a glass roof, touring the city while you make your way through a four-course meal. The Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower go by outside between courses, so you eat and sightsee together, without needing to pick one over the other.
Included
- Free afternoon in Paris
- Dinner aboard the Bustronome, a glass-roofed bus tour past the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe
- Travel
- Interlaken → Paris by high-speed train
- Overnight
- Paris
- Hotel
- Hôtel Riesner
Day 10
Paris – Versailles – Paris
Breakfast includedVersailles is today’s destination. A guided tour starts inside the palace, before moving out to the gardens. Long avenues, fountains and sculptures have been laid out unchanged here for centuries, and it is worth slowing down instead of hurrying through the rooms, because the grounds matter as much as the building itself. You are back in Paris by afternoon. What remains of the day is left open: a walk along the Seine, a table somewhere, or simply wandering. Whatever shape a free evening in Paris takes, it will be the right choice.
Included
- Guided tour of the Palace and Gardens of Versailles
- Free evening in Paris
- Overnight
- Paris
- Hotel
- Hôtel Riesner
Day 11
Paris – London
Breakfast and dinner includedEurostar runs from Gare du Nord to St Pancras this morning, into London. A guided tour fills the afternoon, covering corners of London that would be simple to overlook on your own. From there, a ride on the London Eye gives sweeping views across the rooftops and the water below. This evening brings a last dinner for the group, three courses, and by now most people at the table have a story or two worth telling again. It plays out less like a farewell meal and more like one last opportunity to exchange contact details before everyone heads home in the morning.
Included
- Guided tour of London
- London Eye ride
- Farewell dinner with the group
- Travel
- Paris → London by Eurostar
- Overnight
- London
- Hotel
- Kimpton Fitzroy
Day 12
Journey ends in London
Breakfast includedOne last breakfast, then it is time to say goodbye, for now. Looking back over the days: that first glimpse of the Matterhorn above the valley, dinner on the Bustronome while the Eiffel Tower passed the window, and whoever you got on with best, now a little different from the one who met the group on the first day, in Rome. Twelve days turns out to be a strange stretch of time, long enough that strangers turn into a group and brief enough that it rarely feels finished. The hardest part to leave behind is rarely the scenery. It is the people.
Dates & prices
Prices per person, sharing a double or twin room. A single room costs the supplement shown.
Mon 12 Apr – Fri 23 Apr 2027
Available
AED 62,825
Single room +AED 13,245
What’s included
Included
- 11 nights in superior 4-star and 5-star hotels
- 11 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners
- First-class trains and private coaches
- Guided from start to finish
Not included
- Flights to the start of the tour and home from the end: we can book them from Dubai
- Travel insurance: take out a policy that suits your trip
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Good to know
Practical details to read before you travel.
Passport & visas
Italy, Switzerland and France are all in the Schengen area, so one Schengen visa covers that part of the tour. The route then continues to England, which is outside Schengen and needs its own entry permission.
UAE passport holders don’t need a visa for the Schengen countries for stays of up to 90 days in any 180, and will need the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), applied for online before you travel. Most other nationalities living in the UAE need a Schengen visa, applied for in the country where you spend the most nights, plus a UK Standard Visitor visa, applied for in Dubai: allow 15 to 20 working days after your appointment.
Your passport must be valid for at least three months after you leave the Schengen area, and have been issued within the last ten years. Our visa team handles both applications: ask us when you book.
Flights and timings
Flights to Rome before Day 1 and home from London after Day 12 aren’t included.
Day 1 starts at the hotel in Rome at 3pm, where you meet your tour leader and your fellow travellers. The tour ends in London on Day 12 after breakfast, with no further activities planned. All the transport between destinations, including the Bernina Express, the Glacier Express, the GoldenPass Express and the Eurostar to London, is included.
Our team can book your flights from Dubai to match.
Meals and dietary needs
Breakfast is included every morning except Day 1, 11 in total, plus 5 lunches and 5 dinners spread through the tour: the welcome dinner in Rome, dinner by Lake Como, dinner in Zermatt after the Glacier Express, lunches at altitude in the Swiss Alps, dinner aboard the Bustronome in Paris and the farewell dinner in London.
Tell us about any dietary needs, halal included, when you book, and we pass them on before the tour.
Money
Italy and France use the euro, Switzerland uses the Swiss franc, and England uses pound sterling. A card with no foreign transaction fees is the easiest way to cover all three.
This tour has no optional paid activities: everything in the itinerary, including every meal and experience listed, is already included in your price.
Weather and packing
The tour runs in April, with mild spring weather in Rome, Lake Como, Paris and London, and real winter conditions still on the high peaks: Zermatt, the Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn are above 2,000 metres and often under snow even in spring.
Pack in layers: a warm jacket, hat and gloves for the summits, lighter layers for the cities, and comfortable shoes for the walking tours in Florence, Versailles and London. A rain jacket is worth having throughout.
On the high peaks
Four stops reach significant altitude: St. Moritz and the Bernina pass above 2,000 metres, the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at 3,883 metres, Schilthorn at 2,970 metres and the Jungfraujoch at 3,454 metres. Each is a same-day visit by train or cable car, so you’re back down to a lower altitude by evening.
It’s noticeably colder and sunnier at the top than in the valley, whatever the season, so bring a warm layer, sunglasses and sunscreen even if the forecast lower down looks mild.
Plan your trip
Our Dubai team arranges what goes around the tour, so it is booked in one place.
Visas
One Schengen visa covers the Schengen countries on this route. Our visa team in Dubai applies for UAE residents once the tour is booked.
Flights
Flights are not included. We can book them with the tour: Dubai to Rome, and home from London. Tick “Flights” when you book and we quote them with your confirmation.
Pay in instalments
Split the cost with Tabby or Tamara, or over 3 to 12 months on a UAE bank credit card for bookings from AED 1,000.
Book this tour
Book in a minute. Your seats are held as soon as you book; you name the other travellers and pay once we have confirmed them.
Questions before you book? Our support team is on WhatsApp +971 4 589 0001.
Questions about this tour
What will my days look like?
The pace is unhurried. Most days begin with breakfast, then time out with a local expert or your tour leader. There is more time in each place to explore properly and eat well without watching the clock, and the journeys between places are part of the trip too.
Who will I be travelling with?
Travellers from all over the world, of different ages and backgrounds, who share a wish to see more. Groups are no larger than 24, which keeps the trip personal, and most people know each other well within a day or two.
What are the hotels like?
Superior 4-star and 5-star hotels throughout, each one vetted in person and chosen to be part of the trip rather than just a place to sleep.
How does first-class rail work?
Your tour leader takes care of the arrangements: you board and settle in. The tour travels first class where it is available, and the class of travel varies by route and service.
What is included in the price?
Your accommodation, transport between destinations, the tour leader, breakfast most mornings, some lunches and dinners, and every experience in the itinerary. There are no optional extras to buy on this tour: every activity in the itinerary is already included.
What support do I have while I’m on tour?
Your tour leader travels with you from start to finish. They know the places most visitors miss, can suggest a restaurant before you ask, and deal with whatever crops up on the way. Transport and hotels are all arranged for you.
There is also an emergency number staffed 24 hours a day, and our team in Dubai is there to help.
How do I book Grand Continental Rebel?
Press Book now, choose a date, your travellers and rooms, and give your name, email and mobile. We hold your seats and email your booking reference straight away; you then add each traveller as their passport shows on your booking page. Our Dubai team confirms the seats with the tour operator, then emails you a secure payment link. Nothing is charged when you book.
When do I pay?
Once the tour operator confirms your seats. We email you a secure payment link for the total in AED, and your booking is complete when it is paid. To pay in instalments, say so in your booking notes.
Is the price per person?
Yes. Prices are per person sharing a double or twin room. Travelling alone? A single room costs the supplement shown next to each date.
Are flights included?
Only when the tour lists them under what is included. We can book flights from the UAE to the start city and home from the end city with your tour.
Do I need a visa?
That depends on your passport and the countries on the route. Our visa team arranges Schengen and other visas for UAE residents, and can apply for yours once the tour is booked.
Payment plans
Take the trip now. Pay for it in pieces.
Every booking qualifies, from holidays and tours to visas. Spread it over 3 to 12 months at 0% on a credit card plan, or with Tabby or Tamara; some banks add a one-time processing fee.
- Credit card plans from AED 1,000
- Tabby and Tamara, no minimum
- Terms from 3 to 12 months
Find your bank’s plan
Credit cards, from AED 1,000
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