Madrid.  Please meet your tour leader in the lobby of the Madrid hotel on your tour voucher at 6.00pm.

Please contact Kumuka Worldwide for details of the meeting  point for this hotel.

Kumuka or your agent can assist you in booking pre tour accommodation at this hotel.  Alternatively visit our website and book online. www.kumuka.com

The pre-departure meeting is held to discuss the tour itinerary in more detail, meet your crew and fellow passengers. In addition the crew will check that all passengers have the necessary travel documents and insurance for the tour.

It is IMPORTANT that you attend this meeting. Please advise KUMUKA or your AGENT if you CANNOT attend this meeting. All passengers MUST bring:

1. Passport.

2. Travel Voucher.

3. Travel Insurance Policy.

Madrid.  Please meet your tour leader in the lobby of the Madrid hotel on your tour voucher at 6.00pm.

Your tour leader will brief you before you go out for your first group dinner. This will be a  great chance to meet you new traveling companions and to try some traditional Spanish food. You will be taken on a city tour and after dinner you will have free time to explore Madrid’s hectic and varied nightlife!.

Your room should be ready from 2pm. Rooms are on a twin share basis (with single supplements available at time of booking tour).  If you arrive before 2pm your luggage can be stored with hotel reception.

Madrid to Barcelona.  Our destination today is Barcelona. En-route we will drive through multicoloured sandstone canyons and have views across valleys and rivers. This is a day to sit back on the coach, relax, perhaps write a postcard or two and enjoy the marvellous scenery of this part of Iberia.

Upon arrival we will meet our local guide for an in-depth city tour, (included in the tour price). See the legacy that Barcelona’s famous architect, Gaudi, has left on the city; the famous Columbus monument, the busy pedestrian parts of Las Ramblas and the old town. After our tour we will drive to the hotel and check in.

 Dinner is included this evening.

Barcelona - Coach Free Day.  Today is another day to make the most of this wonderful city. Most of the group will probably head to the pristine beaches and try a swim in the refreshing waters of the Mediterranean Sea. If this isn't for you then perhaps take an optional walking tour to the sights associated with the great painter Picasso.

Feeling energetic?  Then hop on an optional tour to the mountain of Montserrat, which rises majestically to 4,051 feet (1,235 meters). The choice is yours but however you spend your day we guarantee that you will love Barcelona!  Your tour leader will be able to assist you in organising any extra excursions.

Dinner is not included this evening

Marseille - Coach Free Day.  What a city of contrasts and yours to explore today! Maybe spend some time on the beach topping up your tan or head for the "Panier", the old town and port. For the more energetic, climb to 162m above sea level to visit the church of the patron saint of sailors, Notre Dame de La Garde.

Stop for an amazing sea food lunch in this the seafood capital of Provence and try it's most famous dish, Bouillabaisse whilst absorbing the historical ambience that is Marseille. Maybe visit the Jardin des Vestiges, (Garden of Ruins), an interesting archaeological park in the very centre of the city overlooked by the huge "Centre Bourse" which has the ruins of the 1st-century docks and the 4th-century entrance to the fortified Greek town.

If amazing views are your thing visit the Notre Dame de la Garde a 19th century basilica. It offers an exceptional view of the city, the islands of the Frioul and the castle. Why not take the time to explore some of the pretty villages located nearby but whatever you decide there is something here for you!

Dinner this evening is not included.

Nice - Coach Free Day.  Enjoy your free day in Nice.  Perhaps go for a leisurely stroll along the Promenade des Anglais or visit the Matisse Museum. Or shop at the ultra chic Cours Saleya Flower Market and select that special gift.

Dinner is not included tonight but the choices available are endless with seafood a speciality of the region.

Florence.  Today we will start by driving up to the Piazzale Michelangelo where you will get an astonishing panoramic view over the scenic city of Florence. Your tour leader will then walk you down the hill into the centre of Florence where we will meet a local guide for a walking tour. This is included in your tour cost and is a good chance to learn some local history.

The local guide will take you to the Piazza della Signoria - which is an outdoor sculpture gallery, which includes a replica of Michelangelo's statue of David. They will then lead you down to the famous Ponte Vecchio Bridge and escort you up through the main streets to see the Duomo Cathedral.

The tour will end at Leonardo's Leather Works, a reputable leather workshop where you will receive a demonstration of how to pick quality leather from poor imitations - don't say that we didn't warn you! There are lots of leatherworks and jewellers shops, the latter especially on the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge). It is always important to ensure that what you buy is genuine, as this cannot always be guaranteed when shopping in the market. After the leather demonstration you have free time to go and see the original David at Galleria dell Academia and the Uffizi Gallery, or simply to meander around the streets and piazzas of Florence.

Note: If you wish to visit Michaelangelo's Statue of David at the Accademia: due to an increase in visitor numbers, we recommend that all passengers wishing to visit the statue pre-book tickets at least one month in advance.  Passengers also wishing to visit the Uffizi Gallery should pre book tickets to avoid long queues. Tickets to both can be booked online at: www.weekendafirenze.com. As a guideline, the morning's activities will finish at approx noon. Any tickets should therefore be booked after 1.00pm and no later than 4.30pm. To see both, book a ticket for the Uffizi for around 1.00pm and the Academia for around 3.00pm. The estimated time of departure from Florence back to the hotel is 6.30pm.

Kumuka cannot be liable for any necessary changes to the tour schedule that may in turn affect your museum reservations

Rome - Coach Free Day.  This morning you are free until the city tour to explore the fabulous sights of this Eternal City. You will need to use public transport to get into the city and your tour leader will provide you with information on using the metro system.

You can then make your way to the Colosseum where we will meet our local guide for a walking city tour, your tour leader will confirm the time to meet, (headsets cost 2 € each). This provides an ideal introduction to some of the oldest sights in Rome. Our local guide has extensive local knowledge and will share with you many fascinating insights to Rome's ancient history! This tour will end at approximately 12pm at Piazza Navona.

The afternoon is free to visit Piazza Navona, Vatican city and the Sistine Chapel where Michelangelo spent 4 years painting the magnificent frescos that have graced the walls and ceilings of the Pope’s private chapel since 1512. You may also like to visit St Peter’s Basilica, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps.

Subject to numbers we can offer an afternoon guided tour of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel for 20 € per person plus 15 € admission.

Kumuka wishes to inform their clients that men visiting the Vatican City and St Peter's Square must wear t-shirts and shirts with sleeves and long trousers, whilst women should have their shoulders covered and wear a skirt that falls below the knee. This dress code is strictly enforced. 

Dinner is not included tonight so you will have plenty of time to continue exploring and perhaps try some traditional Roman gnocchi!

Sorrento - Coach Free Day.  Famous for it's breathtaking beauty Sorrento is yours to discover today. It has a unique atmosphere all of it's own to savour. Perhaps arrange a boat trip to the nearby Isle of Capri or explore the small fishing harbour, or maybe spend the afternoon at the Correale di Terranova Museum or just wander the old streets soaking up the atmosphere. Try some Limoncello a liqueur made from the local large lemons grown nearby or sample some exquisite gelato that Italy is famed for.

Dinner is not included tonight so why not take the opportunity to find a shady spot to enjoy a meal whilst watching the spectacular sunsets over the bay?

Assisi to Venice.  Continuing north our destination today is Venice. We break our journey to have lunch in Bologna. Known nationally as Italy's culinary capital it is also an attractive city with it's well preserved centre. Besides famous pasta dishes, Bologna is also known for some of the best pâtés in Italy and many other culinary innovations, seek out the best for lunch or indulge in some intense shopping time the choice is yours prior to finishing the drive to Venice!

There is more to Venice than gondolas and water ways, the group of islands also has some of the most skilled glass blowers in the world. Dependent on traffic, we should arrive early evening in a suburb of Venice called Mestre, on the main land. As Venice is an island with tiny winding streets and canals between buildings, the main form of transport is gondolas and canal boats. It is therefore, still somewhat inaccessible to coaches!

We will stay in Mestre for two nights, and use the waterbus to get to Venice Island the following day.

Tonight, once the group has freshened up from the journey, we will meet and go to dinner.

Venice to Cinque Terre.  First stop today is Verona, city of romance and love described beautifully as the setting of one history's greatest love stories written by Shakespeare, 'Romeo and Juliet'. See Juliet's balcony and rub her nearby statue for good luck. With it's sophisticated shop's, colourful history and lively atmosphere Verona  remains one of Italy's little known secrets.

Continuing one to the Cinque Terre region we will spend 2 nights amongst  this spectacular rugged coastal scenery on the Italian Riviera. The Cinque Terre is a National Park and Unesco World Heritage site since 1997. Here you will be able to explore the five villages that form the Cinque Terre, suspended between sea and land on sheer cliffs.

Dinner is included tonight

Siena.  Leaving the hotel early today we travel through the beautiful Tuscan countryside south to San Gimignano for lunch and a spot of wine tasting! We then carry onto Siena where upon arrival we will walk around and explore some of this medieval city's highlights. Afterwards you will have some free time to explore this historic city prior to checking in at the hotel.

Dinner is not included tonight  but Siena is an enchanting place in the evening. The façades of its Medieval buildings are lit up by the thousand street lights. Before dinner, why not go for a romantic walk, to Fonte Branda for example, a charming fountain that dates back to 1080. Choose a small trattoria nearby and enjoy the true flavours of Siena cooking, or perhaps choose a restaurant near the Campo for dinner and then continue your evening in one of the several clubs in the area, some of which also offer excellent live music.

Siena to Rome: We depart Siena for our leisurely drive to Rome, where tour ends upon arrival.

No dinner is included this evening.

No Accommodation is included on Day 23

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers. Within Europe some hotels charge a wifi connection fee and we cannot guarantee a wifi connection at all hotels we use.

Twitter – A method of communication that is rapidly gaining in popularity on the Internet especially amongst travelers. Twitter allows you to send short messages and update your friends and family with where you are on tour and what you are doing. Create your free account at http://twitter.com. Visit Kumuka’s page on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kumuka

Facebook – Very popular website that allows you to upload stories, get in touch with fellow travellers before and after your Kumuka tour, upload photos and videos to share with other travellers, your family and friends. To create a free account, go to www.facebook.com and then become a fan of Kumuka’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kumuka-Worldwide/26617121087?ref=ts

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!

Please be aware that arrival times and the itinerary may change due to unforeseen delays or events such as festivals and public holidays. However, we shall endeavor to ensure all sites are visited and that your tour runs smoothly.As you will have read there are coach free days written into the itinerary. The reason for this is that EU law dictates that coach drivers are restricted to the number of hours they can drive in any one day and that they must have at least one day off in seven. Due to this and also for your convenience we try to get hotels that are close to public transport and centrally located. Public transport in Europe is of a good standard.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours. All clients MUST be insured to cover personal accident, medical expenses, cancellation, curtailment and repatriation. It is also very important that your insurance policy is relevant to the Kumuka style of travel. Kumuka offers a specially negotiated insurance policy specifically tailored to adventure travel. As well as providing substantial cover for medical emergency, cancellation and curtailment, personal luggage, money and valuables and legal expenses, this insurance will also provide cover for the adventure activities you may choose to undertake whilst on tour. Please call us on the Kumuka freephone number 0800 068 8855 (UK only), or on 1300 667 277 in Australia, for further information.

No client will be allowed on tours without suitable insurance. If you have already arranged insurance elsewhere, please be aware that many of the optional activities such as bungy jumping or water rafting may not be covered on your policy. If you plan on doing any of these activities please purchase additional insurance.

At the start of your tour you will be asked to present your original policy document and complete an insurance information form. We recommend that you have a photocopy of this document, which you keep separate from the original.

Please note: you will not be permitted to join a Kumuka Tour without travel insurance.

It is important that you obtain the appropriate visas before you embark on your Europe trip. Country entry regulations change daily, www.kumuka.com provides you with visa information. Please consult your relevant embassy for all details such as opening hours or costs. Visas cannot be obtained once you have started your tour, and during the peak summer months it can take longer than normal to get visas, please allow extra time to do this.

EACH CLIENT IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING ALL NECESSARY VISAS BEFORE JOINING A TOUR.

Please note:  If you require a Schengen visa, please ensure that you obtain a double entry visa for Germany.

Kumuka does not accept responsibility for changes in regulations or requirements for visas. The information provided is given in good faith.

Europe, like the rest of the world, is no stranger to theft. You must exercise extreme care with wallets, cameras and other valuables especially in towns or busy tourist areas. We advise that you make copies of your passport, credit cards, airline tickets and your insurance policy and that you keep a careful note of both used and unused traveller’s cheque numbers. At times when you are unable to store your valuables in safety deposit boxes in hotels we recommend that you carry some sort of money belt or hidden pouch for safekeeping of valuable items.

Please use your discretion and be sensitive to cultural differences in the countries that you visit, in particular visits to religious buildings and when taking photographs. Your Tour Leader will advise you of any specific customs to observe.

How much should I take?

• Because of limited luggage space on coaches and Eurostar, we must limit each passenger to ONE main suitcase or frameless backpack and one day bag. Your main bag must not weigh more than 20 kg’s.
• A frameless or internally framed backpack is the best way to carry your belongings since it is easy to lift on and off vehicles.
• A small daypack is practical for keeping general items (e.g. camera, books, wallets etc.) at hand when your main pack is out of reach. It is also handy for day trips and excursions. We also recommend that you keep your passport, credit cards Travellers Cheques etc. on you at all times, preferably in a money belt worn under your clothes.

TRAVEL TIP: You might be tempted to buy a few souvenirs here and there, so leave a little room for those extra purchases!

We suggest that you take into account the time of year you will be travelling, and pack accordingly to the season. Quick drying clothes are recommended, and at many hotels there are laundry facilities. Your tour leader will advise where this is possible.

Personal Effects:

Camera, Spare passport photos, Water bottle, Money belt, Sewing kit, Sunhat/ Sunglasses, Music CDs/Ipod, Books, Wet Ones, Soap to wash clothes, Writing materials, Swiss Army knife, Calculator, Personal toiletries, including tampons, contraceptives, Insect Repellent, Sunscreen.

For detailed information see www.timezoneconverter.com

Please remember, we are guests in the countries through which we travel and we may sometimes inadvertently cause offence by taking photographs without first asking permission.

It is absolutely forbidden by law to take photos at any borders, as they are all active military installations.

We have put a lot of thought and effort into locating the most appropriate type of accommodation for each tour. It will always be clean, comfortable and of a very high standard. All accommodation is in superior tourist class hotel. We guarantee accommodation in a twin room for every passenger on mainland European departures.

In Europe tipping is a way of life and very much expected. For many tipping is a means of supplementing their wage and is a normal part of payment for goods and services. Be sure to keep small denomination notes or coins on you to avoid embarrassment. Sales and service taxes are imposed in some restaurants and bars.