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The tour begins with a pick-up from your hotel. After a quick stop to pick up picnic supplies for lunch (price not included; pre-order options available) from a local organic deli and market, you’ll head north across the Golden Gate Bridge. You will be immediately rewarded with sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay: Alcatraz Island, the city skyline, and the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean are just a few of the picturesque vistas from this remarkable bridge. Next, we’ll wind our way through the coastal mountains of the Marin Headlands and past Mt. Tamalpais (the highest point in the North Bay region), leaving the rush of the city behind and setting the pace for a relaxing day out in the country. Once in Sonoma County, dairy farms and vineyards provide an inspiring introduction to the rolling hills and beautiful valleys that have supplied the world with fantastic wines for over 60 years. Your professional guide will give you details about the region, wine, and the day's itinerary so that you can truly appreciate your experience. The first stop will be the Benziger Family Winery & Biodynamic Vineyard, where you will enjoy a close-up look at the vineyards, fermentation facility, and crush pad on a comfortable tram tour. You’ll also have a chance to walk through their barrel caves! The tour is approximately 45 minutes long, and includes a special tasting of Benziger's biodynamic and other award-winning wines. After your tasting, enjoy your picnic lunch (included: see menu for pre-order options) in a quiet spot at one of the local wineries, surrounded by views of the beautiful countryside and vineyards. In the afternoon, you will head over to famed Napa County for more wine tasting in Oakville, Yountville, or in the town of Napa. The landscape of rolling hills laced with rows of wine grapes is impressive and will provide a romantic backdrop for memorable photographs. On the return trip, you’ll make one more photo stop above the Golden Gate Bridge - a must-do if you've never witnessed the awe-inspiring view of San Francisco from the Marin Headlands! At the end of the tour you will return to your San Francisco accommodations (around 6pm). **note: To best suit the needs of our partner wineries and our guests, it is sometimes necessary to slightly alter the itinerary of the tour. In the wintertime there is less daylight and some tasting rooms may have shorter open-hours. Your group may also make a detour to Muir Woods National Monument. If this is not an original item in your itinerary, please be aware that your entrance fee will be covered and you are welcome to enjoy the cafe and have a delicious warm breakfast or a cup of coffee in lieu of exploring the woods. Highlights: Golden Gate Bridge Marin Headlands 45 min Benziger Winery Tram Tour Napa AND Sonoma Counties Lunch INCLUDED! Excellent wine varietals for all tastes and preferences Inclusions: Hotel pick-up and drop-off Narrated guided tour Benziger Winery Tram Tour ($20 retail value) Organic, local picnic lunch (choice of turkey, ham, roast beef, or vegetarian sandwich) Wine tasting at 4-5 unique wineries (some tasting fees may apply; proper ID required for tasting) Lunch Options: Turkey with whole wheat bread, mayo, mustard, tomato, lettuce, pickle, onion comes with: pasta salad, piece of fruit, & cookie or brownie Roast Beef with whole wheat bread, mayo, mustard, tomato, lettuce, pickle, onion comes with: potato salad, piece of fruit, & cookie or brownie Ham with whole wheat bread, mayo, mustard, tomato, lettuce, pickle, onio n comes with: potato salad, piece of fruit, & cookie or brownie Vegetarian with whole wheat bread, mayo, mustard, tomato, lettuce, pickle, onion, olives, sprouts, pepperoncini, cucumber comes with: coleslaw, piece of fruit, & cookie or brownie
Set off for a full day excursion to Normandy from Paris with an official guide. Set off from your Paris accommodation at 06:30 for our central Paris agency. Relax during the journey by luxury air-conditioned coach before arriving at the Caen Memorial Museum at around 10:15. The Caen Memorial Museum retraces the various stages of the conflict that took place during the Second World War. Your guided tour will give you the chance to see everyday objects from life during occupation, maps, and models of military vehicles, as well as film screenings that recreate the emotions of D-Day and the Battle for Normandy. The visit continues with an included lunch at the restaurant in the Caen Memorial Museum. Menu* Starter Buffet: Légumes crus de saison et leur vinaigrette(tomates, concombres, carottes) Salades composées Charcuterie *** Table served hot dish Fondant de poulet farci aux cèpes Galette de pommes de terre / Julienne de légumes *** Chesse and Dessert Buffet: Fromages normands (Pont l’Evêque et Camembert) Tarte normande Salade de fruits Tarte au chocolat Teurgoule ** Pain de campagne (farmhouse bread) *** Drinks: Bordeaux wine (1 bottle for 4) Eau de source Coffee * Example of menu, subject to modification without any notice In the afternoon, your tour will continue to several of the iconic landmarks that played a part in the landings. Your first stop will be at the Pointe du Hoc, overlooking the hundred-foot-high cliffs. Stormed by the American Rangers on D-Day, it was one of the key German fortified sites along the Normandy coast and was equipped, at that time, with a number of heavy artillery posts. You will then visit the famous American Cemetery at Saint Laurent, located just above Omaha Beach. This 170-acre site is home to 9,387 perfectly aligned white marble headstones, a memorial, chapel, and the Garden of the Missing. It pays tribute to all the American soldiers who died during the Second World War. A small trail leads down the hill to Omaha Beach, giving you the opportunity to walk across the sand. You will have one hour to spend here. Following this visit, you will stop at Arromanches, a historic town known for its artificial port, which was built as part of the Normandy landings. The harbour saw the unloading of almost 10,000 tons of equipment. You can still make out the floating reinforced concrete "Phoenix" constructions in the water. Finally, you will make a short photo-stop near Juno Beach and its cemetery, one of the key D-Day landing beaches for Canadian troops. Return to your Paris accommodation is scheduled for around 21:30.
Trip style: Local Life & Culture, History & Heritage Language Tour: English Full Itinerary Get the local lowdown on a city that's seen its fair share of drama in recent years on this historical Detroit tour that takes you through the city's crazy past. Begin your Detroit tour at a cafe on Broadway, where you'll meet your local guide and head out onto the streets. From the minute you leave the meeting point you'll start seeing some famous Detroit landmarks, such as the 95-year old Detroit Athletic Club, the renovated Opera House, the vacant Wurlitzer Building, and the fine new downtown YMCA. Your local guide will be telling you all you need to know about these spots, and what they mean to the city of Detroit. Continuing on your tour in Detroit, see the site where one of the biggest department stores in the US once stood. When it closed in the 1980s, it left a hole in the city that hasn't been filled. There are not many stores in the old retail district, but apartments and lofts have brought some new life to the area. Next on this Detroit city tour, the Compuware Building from 2002 is worth a visit, for its 15-story atrium and colourful fountain. Outside that building you'll see a panorama that includes landmarks like the 47-story Penobscot Building from 1928, the Guardian Building from 1929, and the Renaissance Centre from 1977, which is home to the tallest hotel in the entire Western Hemisphere (72 floors!) as well as the headquarters of General Motors. Then you'll see Campus Martius Park in the heart of downtown, which opened in 2004 and features an ice-skating rink in winter and activities year-round. It recently won an award as the nation's most transformative urban park, and is a fine example of how Detroit is making a serious comeback. A visit to the Guardian Building gives you a picture of the greatness of Detroit in the late 1920s. The lobby and banking room of this art-deco skyscraper are truly incredible. We'll take a stop here, and then we take a ride on the elevated People Mover, which has been moving people around downtown Detroit since 1987. From the Michigan Avenue Station, see the $800 Million MGM Grand Casino and hotel that were completed in 2008, and the new Rosa Parks Transit Centre (named for "the mother of the Civil Rights Movement") with its dramatic canopies. If the weather is nice, we'll walk to a nearby hotel that's a great example of Detroit's rise, fall and renewal. When it opened in 1924 it was the tallest hotel in the world and one of the fanciest, but it closed in the 1980s and stood vacant for more than 25 years on a prominent street corner. Detroiters were thrilled when it reopened after a $200 million renovation as the wonderful, a proud moment in Detroit's history! A block down from here is one of the world's tallest vacant buildings at 36-storeys high. Your leader will tell you stories of its past and how it awaits a new life. Next, we visit the area near Grand Circus Park, which is full of examples of Detroit's rocky history. Here we'll find even more vacant buildings as well as legendary parks and music venues that have hosted the like of Bruce Springsteen and Detroit's own Eminem. This gives us many more opportunities for your guide to let you in on all the local secrets behind them. It's one thing simply seeing these buildings, but to get to know the history behind them makes the experience even more special, especially when it comes from the mouth of a local! Our last stop will be at a local brewpub, where you can sip on a local beer or soft drink and continue to chat about Detroit with your local guide. The first drink's on us!
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London Eye At 450ft high, the London Eye is the world's highest observation wheel. 32 Capsules, each carrying 25 guests, take you on a 30 minute journey through the most spectacular views of, over and around London spanning 25 miles in all directions. Combine your experience with the London Eye River Cruise Experience, a 40-minute sightseeing circular cruise on the River Thames, passing the Houses of Parliament, Tower of London and St Paul's Cathedral. London Eye 4D Experience The London Eye 4D Experience is a groundbreaking 3D film with in theatre effects, such as wind, bubbles and mist, to make the 4D. The film itself is a touching story of a little girl in London with her father. Her view of famous London landmarks is obscured by people and traffic, but a seagull draws her attention to the London Eye and her father takes her for an experience; finally she has an amazing view of the city. Colourful parties inside the capsule, time lapse of the London Eye day and night and a spectacular firework display all add up to an emotional and entertaining experience; the perfect prelude to an experience on he London Eye itself. Please remember that the boarding procedure for the London Eye takes 30 minutes so you will need to arrive at least 30 minutes before your reserved time. Please take this into consideration when choosing your time. We have timed allocations for every day of the year. You book online direct from our allocations and your booking is therefore immediately confirmed subject only to the authorisation of your credit card charge. If no suitable time is available, you will be given the option of a request booking which will be fulfilled as soon as we are able to get additional space - for which we check with London Eye Administration on a daily basis. The confirmed time of your request booking will be printed on your voucher together with details of how to get to the London Eye. You will need to exchange your voucher and join the boarding procedure at least 30 minutes before your confirmed time. The London Dunegon With a full cast of 20 brilliant actors in 18 new shows, rich sets, special effects and 2 exciting new rides, we’ll take you on a unique 90 minute thrill-filled journey through 1000 years of London’s murky past. Come with us and meet London’s most infamous villains, rogues and rascals. Head-off on the all new Boat Ride to Traitor’s Gate and encounter Henry VIII. Remember, remember the 5th November in a new show with Guy Fawkes – it’s sure to be explosive. Have a short, back and sides courtesy of Sweeney Todd and ‘meat’ Mrs Lovett. She’s got fingers in a few pies. Fancy an evening stroll? Jack the Ripper would love to take you out in Old Whitechapel. Please Note: The Dungeons is not suitable for young children or those of a nervous disposition. Please note that ride restrictions apply for Extremis. That you can not use any offer, promotion or voucher with our ticket. Tower Bridge Exhibition Tower Bridge Unveils New GLASS FLOOR Across High-Level Walkways Walkways & Exhibition Visitors enter Tower Bridge Exhibition via the North Tower. They are then transported by lift to the top of the Tower (47 metres above the Thames) where they have a unique opportunity to see the Bridge’s steel skeleton from within. A short film explains the history and provenance of the Bridge and then there is the chance to admire the spectacular views – from both covered Walkways. On the east Walkway there are fantastic views of the Docklands and from the west Walkway you can see the new GLA building, the Tower of London, St Paul’s, the city, the Pool of London and Big Ben and the London Eye in the distance. Interactive computerised kiosks and graphic panels explain the significance of the views to visitors, as well as providing more information on the history and building of the Bridge. The interactive material and graphic panels are written in seven languages and an audio loop for the hard of hearing is also in place for the video show. There is another film to view in the South Tower before descending for the short walk to the historical Engine Rooms, included in your ticket price. Victorian Engine Rooms These provide a fascinating insight into late 19th century engineering. Installed for the completion of Tower Bridge in 1894, these huge, and beautifully maintained, coal-driven engines were used to power the thousands of bascule Bridge lifts performed until 1976. Although lifts are now operated by electricity, the original steam engines are still in place. The Engine Rooms give visitors a chance to experiment with models demonstrating the technology behind the Bridge. There are also some amazing photographs of Tower Bridge throughout its lifetime – including a revealing picture of the heavy steel structure of the Bridge as the stone cladding was installed over it.
EXEMPTIONS The following groups are eligible for free access to the Grands Appartements tour, on presentation of the relevant ID : - under 18s ; - long-term EU residents of any nationality, aged 18 to 25 ; - registered disabled persons or war veterans (plus personal assistant) ; - those receiving minimum pension payments, single parent benefit, unemployment allowance or similar welfare payments ; - Pass Education holders ; - university and art school students ; - public museum conservation and research staff, Ministry of Culture and INHA (Institut national d’histoire de l’art) staff ; - journalists with a valid press pass ; - conference speakers and tour guides ; - ICOM and ICOMOS members ; - bus drivers accompanying groups ; - school tour guides/assistants (limited to one per seven students) - members of the Société des amis et mécènes du château de Fontainebleau (SAMCF).