Castles & Kings: London to Paris 2025


Tour Code
YL2025
Url
https://www.tauck.com/tours/london-paris-family-vacation-tour/?tcd=yl2025
Description
History, art and royalty come to life on our landmark family trip to London and Paris. Seek clues on a London spy walk… see sights aboard a private double-decker bus… enjoy a speedboat adventure on the Thames… catch a hit play in the West End. Across the Channel, stroll through a fairy tale French palace… discover a hilltop treasure trove… and explore Paris’ skyline landmark attractions. See the most coveted attractions in unforgettable ways on our London and Paris family vacation. Peer into Royal life at Windsor Castle… take no prisoners at the Tower of London… pedal through Royal Parks… catch a bird’s-eye view on a private London Eye capsule… and hide away in the British Secret Service’s former quarters. Then cross under the English Channel to Paris, where you’ll step into 17th-century opulence at Palace of Versailles… see street artists at work in Montmartre.
Months
4,6,7,8
Price
$6,990.00
Tauck Values
Visit Château de Versailles, a 2,300 room palace built by Louis XIV, hearing what life was like in rooms such as the Hall of Mirrors; walk in the formal gardens
All gratuities to Tauck Director, local guides, and drivers
An interactive London “Spy Walk”
A guided tour through the British Museum
Private double-decker bus tour of London and a private capsule, sightseeing high above the city on the London Eye
A speedboat adventure on the River Thames
A bicycle ride adventure through the London Royal Parks
Tickets to a hit show in London’s West End theatre district
Day by Day
Day 1 – Arrive London / Double-Decker Fun
Tour begins: 3:00 PM, London Marriott Hotel County Hall. Welcome to “merrie olde” England for the start of Tauck Bridges’ fun and enriching London and Paris family vacation! A transfer is included from London’s Heathrow Airport to London Marriott Hotel County Hall. Climb aboard one of London’s signature double-decker buses for a private guided tour of this grand capital city; this evening, get to know your fellow family travelers at our welcome reception and dinner.
Day 2 – Towering London / Thames Speedboat
Meet the Beefeaters who watch over the Tower of London and the famous ravens that live within its walls; see the Bloody Tower and the British Empire’s priceless Crown Jewels. You’ll explore more than history today as you embark on a thrilling speedboat adventure* along the River Thames… then ride 450 feet above the city in a glass pod – a private one, thanks to Tauck Bridges – on the celebrated London Eye, the world’s highest observation wheel. The remainder of the day is free to explore London as you please.
Day 3 – From Windsor Castle to the West End
The home of English kings and queens for over 900 years, stately Windsor Castle is still a residence of the British Royal Family; tour the castle today, providing the Royal Family isn’t in residence. As your exciting Tauck Bridges family vacation continues this afternoon to London, join us on a bicycle ride* through the British capital’s Royal Parks. After dinner on your own this evening, your family enjoys a special treat… a performance of a hit show in London’s West End Theatre District.
Day 4 – Museum Exploring and Spy Walking
Although two million years’ worth of history and culture might be a little tough to see in one day, you’ll get a taste of what the fascinating British Museum has to offer on a guided tour of this amazing place – housing the world’s most comprehensive collection of art and artifacts, from maps to mummies and more, in nearly two-and-a-half miles’ worth of galleries. Later, it’s spy versus spy on an afternoon “Spy Walk,” where you’ll become a secret agent and try to save the world… will you rescue the damsel in distress… and what about the white cat? Return to your London hotel for your family’s final evening in London, free to spend as you please.
Day 5 – Eurostar to Paris / Île de la Cité
Hop aboard the high-speed Eurostar train from London to Paris which takes you under the English Channel through an underwater tunnel for 20 minutes of your two-hour ride from England to France. Sightseeing with a local guide starts as soon as you arrive in Paris. You’ll explore Île de la Cité, an island in the Seine River reached by bridges. The island is the oldest part of Paris, settled in the 3rd century BC, and then by the ancient Romans. Today the island is home to the beautiful chapel Sainte Chapelle, the flower market, the Palais du Justice, and the Conciergerie palace, where prisoners were held in dungeons before being carted off to the guillotine during the French Revolution. Queen Marie-Antoinette was one of them – and you’ll see where she lived tomorrow when you visit the Palace of Versailles. Stroll out for dinner at a Parisian brasserie not far from your hotel which is close to Place de la Madeleine, Place Vendôme, Place de la Concorde, and the Champs-Élysées.
Day 6 – Versailles and the Eiffel Tower
Today takes you about an hour outside the city for a guided visit to Château de Versailles, built by King Louis XIV and the largest palace in Europe, revealing a realm of grandeur and riches beyond imagination; it would cost more than $2 billion to build this sprawling palace complex today! Explore the opulent palace with a local guide and view the exquisite gardens, among the most extraordinary and famous in the world. Following lunch at a Versailles café, return to Paris for a visit to the Eiffel Tower, an afternoon sightseeing tour, and a free evening to enjoy more of Paris as you wish.
Day 7 – Montmartre & a magical farewell
A “petite train” takes your family to hilltop Montmartre, an artsy neighborhood of winding streets, corner cafés, bakeries, and shops under the benevolent shadow of the beautiful white-domed Sacré-Coeur Basilica, with inspiring views of the city below. Montmartre has long been a magnet for artists, including Auguste Renoir and Pablo Picasso who painted many of their works here. Following some free time this afternoon, join us this evening for our private, exclusive farewell dinner at a local restaurant where an interactive magic show teaches the kids some amazing tricks.
Day 8 – Journey home
Tour ends: Paris. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from Fauchon L’Hotel Paris to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport or Orly Airport. You should allow a minimum of 3 hours for your flight check-in.