Paris & the Heart of Normandy

Disembark your ship and transfer to your hotel. After check-in, enjoy a guided walking tour of Paris and take in the sights of this iconic city. The rest of the day is yours to spend at your leisure. A Viking Host is available to help you plan your time in Paris so you can make the most of your visit.

Enjoy a hearty breakfast and a day at your leisure to explore Paris. Perhaps visit one of the city’s museums such as the Musée D’Orsay or experience the world-famous Louvre, home of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace and I. M. Pei’s iconic glass pyramid. Alternatively, you might take a stroll around Place de la Concorde and view its 3,300-year-old Egyptian obelisk, or enjoy a relaxing amble along the Seine River. (B)

You have a full day to further explore the city. Perhaps you will choose to stroll through Montmartre, shop along the Champs-Élysées, ride up to the top of the Eiffel Tower or sample some of the famous French cuisine. You might also like to view the collection of Impressionist and Postimpressionist masterpieces at the Musée d’Orsay or admire the works of famous sculptor Auguste Rodin at his namesake museum. Alternatively, relax outdoors in the bucolic parklands of Luxembourg Gardens. (B)

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and proceed to the airport for your return flight. (B)

Disembark your ship and transfer to your hotel. After check-in, enjoy a guided walking tour of Paris and take in the sights of this iconic city. The rest of the day is yours to spend at your leisure. A Viking Host is available to help you plan your time in Paris so you can make the most of your visit.

Enjoy a hearty breakfast and a day at your leisure to explore Paris. Perhaps visit one of the city’s museums such as the Musée D’Orsay or experience the world-famous Louvre, home of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace and I. M. Pei’s iconic glass pyramid. Alternatively, you might take a stroll around Place de la Concorde and view its 3,300-year-old Egyptian obelisk, or enjoy a relaxing amble along the Seine River. (B)

You have a full day to further explore the city. Perhaps you will choose to stroll through Montmartre, shop along the Champs-Élysées, ride up to the top of the Eiffel Tower or sample some of the famous French cuisine. You might also like to view the collection of Impressionist and Postimpressionist masterpieces at the Musée d’Orsay or admire the works of famous sculptor Auguste Rodin at his namesake museum. Alternatively, relax outdoors in the bucolic parklands of Luxembourg Gardens. (B)

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and proceed to the airport for your return flight. (B)

This morning, disembark your ship and transfer to the train station, where you will board a high-speed train to Brussels. After lunch on your own, take a guided walk through the old town of Brussels. View the iconic Manneken Pis statue and the ornate Grand Place, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sample Belgian chocolates and waffles. After, check in to your hotel. This evening, have dinner on your own at one of the city's elegant restaurants and perhaps experience the nightlife.

After breakfast, travel to Antwerp. Upon arrival, take a guided walk through the lively old town. Visit the Cathedral of Our Lady to see its UNESCO-listed belfry, which stands at an impressive 403 feet. Admire its collection of art, including paintings by Peter Paul Reubens. Following, have free time for lunch on your own before heading back to Brussels. (B)

After breakfast, travel to medieval Bruges, a UNESCO Site. Upon arrival, take a guided walk featuring the romantic Lake of Love, stately Béguinage “Ten Wijngaerde,” St John’s Hospital, Gruuthuse and market square with its iconic belfry. After a visit to the Gothic-style Church of Our Lady to admire Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child, enjoy lunch followed by a panoramic canal cruise. Or you may choose to explore on your own. This afternoon, return to Brussels for an evening at leisure. (B, L)

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and your Viking Representative will escort you to the airport for your flight home. (B)

After your final breakfast, proceed to the high-speed Eurostar train, which will speed you to London. Upon arrival, embark on your journey to Oxford. Check in to your hotel and relax for the remainder of the day or begin exploring on your own. Your Viking Tour Director is available to help you plan your time in Oxford so you can make the most of your visit.

This afternoon, journey through the rolling Hampshire countryside to Highclere Castle, the “real Downton Abbey.” Built in the Victorian Gothic style by Sir Charles Barry, who also built the Houses of Parliament, this is the country seat of the distinguished Earls of Carnarvon. You will be welcomed with a cup of tea before touring the castle’s public rooms. After lunch, drive through the enchanting Cotswolds, stopping in Bampton, the filming location of the fictional Downton Village. (B, L)

Enjoy a walking tour of the colleges of the oldest university in the English-speaking world—Oxford University. One of the world’s most prestigious establishments, it has educated Nobel Prize winners, monarchs and world leaders, authors, and actors. Afterward, visit Blenheim Palace, the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, for a tour of its grand State Rooms. Upon your return to Oxford, you may enjoy lunch at your leisure. (B)

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and drive to the airport for your return flight. (B)