Essential Europe Grad Trip
from $$0

England - France - Belgium - Holland - Germany - Austria - Italy - Vatican City - Greece

19 days - 8 countries plus a 5-day optional extension to Greece

Check Availability or call 800-638-7640

What's Included?

19-day Essential Europe basic land package includes:

  • 17 nights at superior tourist class hotels or better, 2-share rooms with private bath/shower
  • Daily continental breakfasts
  • 7 three-course specialty dinners
  • 1 lunch
  • Ferry crossing from Dover to Calais
  • Guided tours in London, Paris, Florence and Rome led by a local historian
  • Seine River cruise
  • Rhine River cruise
  • Amsterdam canal cruise
  • 2-day Paris museum pass
  • Fragonard perfume museum
  • Tour of Versailles Palace
  • Dachau Memorial Site
  • Roma pass (full access to public transport system, reduced admission to museums, music events, theater, etc.)
  • Admission to:
    • Heidelberg Castle
    • Berchtesgaden salt mines
    • Colosseum & Forum as part of Roma pass

Optional 5-day Southern Italy & Greece extension:

  • 5 nights at superior tourist class hotels or better, 2-share rooms with private bath/shower
    • including overnight ship from Italy to Greece (4-share cabin)
  • Daily continental breakfasts
  • 4 three-course specialty dinners
  • Bike ride on the Isle of Poros
  • Toga party
  • Guided tours in Pompeii & Athens led by a local historian
  • Admission to:
    • Pompeii excavations
    • Acropolis

Plus:

  • Private tour director for the entire duration of the land tour
  • All scheduled sightseeing
  • Intra-European transportation by air-conditioned motor coach
  • All service charges and local taxes
  • Luggage tag and travel booklets

Featured Sights & Events:

  • London welcome orientation & pub crawl
  • See Big Ben, Buckingham Palace & Piccadilly Circus
  • English Channel Ferry Crossing
  • French bistro dinner
  • Seine River cruise
  • Paris Museum Pass to Louvre, Musée National Picasso, Versailles and more
  • See Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and more
  • Visit Notre Dame Cathedral
  • Tour of Versailles Palace
  • See Brussels' Grand’ Place
  • Bike in the Dutch countryside
  • Wooden shoe maker and Edam cheese farm visit
  • Dutch-Indonesian Rice Table dinner and Amsterdam canal cruise
  • Rhine River cruise and Cologne Cathedral
  • See Heidelberg Castle
  • Medievel Rothenburg & gasthaus lunch
  • See Munich Glockenspiel Chimes and Marienplatz
  • Authentic Bavarian dinner
  • Berchtesgaden salt mines
  • Mozart’s Salzburg
  • Austrian Alpine Center stay- outdoor activities and hearty dinners
  • See Venice's Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sighs & St. Mark’s Square
  • Murano glass-blowing workshop
  • Florence art tour, Gates of Paradise, the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio and more
  • Roma Pass with admission to the Forum, Colosseum , Nero’s Circus Maximus and more
  • Visit St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City
  • Viva Italia pasta party
  • Pompeii archeological excavations
  • Overnight ship to Greece
  • Greek Island Center stay & toga party
  • Athens farewell taverna dinner

Click on links below to view fun videos.

ENGLAND: London

Welcome orientation and pub dinner. Pub crawl. Guided tour of London's Pomp & Pageantry. Big Ben. Buckingham Palace...


  • Play London Video

  • FRANCE: Paris

    French bistro dinner. Paris by night. Seine river cruise. Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame. Arc de Triomphe. Versailles Palace. Moulin Rouge....


  • Play Paris Video

  • BELGIUM: Brussels

    Brussels Grand Place. Belgian chocolates. Mannekin-Pis. European Union headquarters...


  • Play Brussels Video

  • HOLLAND: Amsterdam, Dutch Countryside

    Canal boat ride. Cheese and wooden shoes. Biking through fishing villages. Van Gogh. Dutch-Indonesian rice table dinner...


  • Play Holland Video

  • GERMANY: Cologne, Heidelberg, Rothenburg, Munich

    Castles & cathedrals. Rhine river cruise. Romantic road to medieval Rothenburg. Oktoberfest city. Hofbrauhaus. Bratwurst & sauerkraut...


  • Play Cologne & Heidelberg Video

  • Play Munich Video


  • AUSTRIA: Salzburg, Lake District

    Salzburg Mozart sights. Alpine Center. Horseback riding. Whitewater rafting. Hiking. Gourmet dinner....


  • Play Austria Video

  • ITALY & VATICAN CITY: Venice, Florence, Pompeii, Rome, Vatican City

    Venetian glass-blowing workshop. Bridges and canals. Colosseum. Roman Forum. St. Peter's Basilica. Michelangelo. Mt. Vesuvius Volcano. Pasta party...


  • Play Venice Video

  • Play Florence Video

  • Play Rome & Vatican City Video

  • Play Pompeii Video

  • GREECE: Isle of Poros, Athens

    Fun in the sun. Souvlaki. Acropolis. Plaka District. Parthenon. Zeus and Socrates. Toga party. Saying good-bye...


  • Play Poros Island Video

  • Play Athens Video

  • Free Airport Transfers & Discount Airfare

    When you book your airfare through AESU, you get these great benefits:

    • Free airport transfers overseas on tour start and return dates
    • Hassle free—we take care of all the details
    • Free quotes & competitive rates
    • Fly with fellow travelers
    • Flexible payment schedule
    • AESU can help with special flight requests too
    Find out more

    Optional Activities & Excursions Offered on Your Trip.

    Have it your way and personalize your trip by adding fun, optional activities. These activities are not included in your land package price to allow free time for those who want to explore on their own. Rates have been specially negotiated with the suppliers and will include transportation to and from the event, where applicable. All options are based on a minimum number of travelers participating. Rates listed are approximate rates in US$ and are subject to change. Contact your tour director upon arrival overseas to book and pay for your options. Payment to tour director in cash in local currency.

    All
    Optional excursion to Cannes & Monte Carlo
    $165

    Since 1889 the cabaret show at the Moulin Rouge has been recognized world-wide because of its famous French can-can, immortalized by artist Toulouse-Lautrec.
    The above cost includes transfers by taxi, metro and/or motor coach, entrance to the “Féerie” show at 11:00pm, and a glass of champagne.
    NOTE: A surcharge of EURO10 per person will be applied for visits on Friday and Saturday evenings.

    Tuscan Feast
    $85

    Get ready for a dinner of pure Italian delights at Il Latini, located in the heart of Renaissance Florence. Once the stables of L.B. Alberti’s masterpiece palace, the Latini family’s restaurant and winery offers the original flavors of Tuscany. Frommer’s writes: Under hundreds of hanging prosciutto ham hocks, the waiters try their hardest to keep a menu away from you and serve instead a filling, traditional set meal with bottomless wine. This usually kicks off with ribollita and pappa al pomodoro or penne strascicate (in a ragù mixed with cream). If everyone agrees on the arrosto misto, you can get a table-filling platter heaped high with assorted roast meats. Finish off with a round of cantucci con vin santo for everyone.
    Cost includes round-trip transfers if hotel is not in walking distance. Tuscan Feast includes wine and water.

    All

    What to do during your free time? For more details or current local events talk to your tour director or your local city guide. They are always the best source for free-time activities and offer great tips on restaurants or local hang-outs.

    All

    Meals

    Traveling on this trip will introduce you to some native cuisine, including local specialties.

    more information

    Hotels

    We stay in superior tourist class hotels, all with private bath/shower in 2-share rooms. Our hotels have been specially selected for their European atmosphere, friendly hospitality, and cleanliness. Our hotels are centrally located or within a short walk of public transportation to take you to the landmark of your choice in the city you are visiting. (Why stay in remote cabins, hostels, or share your room with up to 6 people, when you can stay in a centrally located hotel?)

    You'll be given a complete hotel address list with your final documents. Properties are subject to change and any substitutions would be the equivalent of those listed. *Single supplement only applies if single accommodations are requested. Independent hotel reservations, special tours and FIT tours always apply a single supplement. Please check your itinerary.

    All
    Click on a date below to get a quote or book online
    Start In [FirstHotelCityName]End In [LastHotelCityName]Land Only
    This package is currently unavailable. Please check back later or call AESU for more information.

    Or call 800-638-7640 to speak with a travel expert

    If you purchase your own airfare, book your overnight flight from the USA one day earlier than the tour start date listed above.

    * Price per person based on a twin share room. If you're traveling alone, AESU will arrange for you to share a twin at NO EXTRA COST. If you prefer a single room, a single supplement of $985/$325 will apply. Single accommodations are not available on the overnight ship from Italy to Greece.

    AIRFARE

    Gateway Cities

    Fly into London, return from Rome for 19-day program or return from Athens for 24-day program.

    Airfare is not included in land price. If you choose to book air with AESU, after receipt of your land booking, AESU will email you a quote with your tour confirmation invoice. You will have 72 hours to accept or decline airfare. (Or call AESU at 800-638-7640 for a quote prior to booking).

    Book Airfare with AESU - FREE Airport Transfers

    Purchase your airfare from AESU and receive free arrival/departure transfers between the airport to your hotels. We also try to book you on the same flights as others traveling on your tour. Land only participants BOOKING OWN FLIGHT OVERSEAS, DO NOT receive airport arrival/departure transfers. If you book land only with us, book your flights from the USA one day earlier than the tour start date. If you are not booking flights through AESU, we recommend not booking airfare until your tour is guaranteed (This will be noted on website with “guaranteed” next to tour start date).

    Learn More >>>

    How to Book

    Click on a date above to get a quote or book online. You can make your $500 deposit ONLINE to confirm your space on the land tour. Full payment isn't due until 90 days before departure, and you or friends and family can make partial payments after you've booked (See NOTE below if within 90 days). Or you can scan/email or fax a booking form.

    If you just want a quote and don’t want to secure a spot on the land program, select date above and click “Get a Quote” button on next page.

    NOTE: Reservations to be paid in full 90 days prior to departure. Reservations received after this date are subject to availability and any airfare quote can only be held for 72 hours. Payment in full, for late bookings, will be due upon receipt of invoice from AESU. A late booking fee of $100 per person will apply.

    All prices reflect a cash discount (For full payment by credit card, there is a 4% processing fee.)

    To download a copy of the Terms and Conditions Click here.

    PAYMENT PLAN: pay a little at a time and make your trip more affordable.

    After paying a deposit of $500 online to reserve your spot, you can pay your balance in as many installments as you like, with a minimum of $100 for each transaction with no fee. Please indicate booking number on your check payment. If you prefer to pay installments by credit card, please call us at 800-638-7640 for details. (All prices reflect a cash discount. There is a 4% processing fee for any payments made by credit card after initial deposit.) The total tour cost (land, and air if applicable) must be paid in full at least 90 days before departure.

    INSURANCE: We highly recommend travel insurance. (Check if trip insurance is offered directly by your Alumni Assoc.) If not, you can get a quote and purchase online through Trip Assure. See the insurance link on AESU's website under Travel Tools or copy this link into your browser: https://www.tripassure.com/main/?welcome=AESU3922MD

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    Contact Us

    Virginia Tech
    Alumni Association

    Holtzman Alumni Center (0102)
    Blacksburg, VA 24061
    Tel.: (540) 231-6285
    Fax: (540) 231-2931
    Visit the VT Alumni Travel web site: alumni.vt.edu/travel


    AESU Alumni World Travel

    3922 Hickory Avenue
    Baltimore, MD 21211
    Phone: 410-366-5494
    Toll-Free: 800-638-7640
    Fax: 410-366-6999
    Email: alumni@aesu.com