Vacations By Rail Introduces New Train Vacations in Alaska

A train trip through Alaska’s Denali National Park © 2013 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Chicago-based specialty travel company Vacations By Rail has added five new Alaska train vacations to its product line: Alaska Rails and Trails, Alaska Wilderness Tour, Deluxe Alaska Sampler, Alaska By Daylight, and Glacier Cruise & Interior Alaska.

Vacations range from 6 to 10 days and include visits to the state’s popular cities and sights including Seward, Talkeetna, Kenai Fjords National Park, Spencer Glacier, Prince William Sound, Fairbanks, and Denali National Park. Best of all, each package includes travel aboard one or more of the Alaska Railroad’s iconic trains including the Glacier Discovery Train, Denali Star Train, and Coastal Classic Train, traveling scenic routes throughout the state.

Train vacations depart daily from May/June to August/September 2013 and start at $1,299 land-only, per person based on double occupancy.

Visit Vacations By Rail’s web site at www.vacationsbyrail.com for detailed itineraries, departure dates and pricing for new Alaska rail vacations as well as the company’s complete collection of train vacations to destinations around the globe. To book an Alaska train vacation, contact a rail specialist at 1-877-929-7245 or book online.

Vacations By Rail is a leading North American seller of rail travel and tours. Travelers can choose from a large selection of independent rail vacations, escorted rail tours, and luxury rail journeys around the world. Vacations By Rail also provides virtually every European rail pass and ticket to meet customers’ European travel needs. For more information on Vacations By Rail and the company’s products, visit www.vacationsbyrail.com or call 1-877-929-7245.

See also: Royal Caribbean’s ‘cruisetour’ brings passengers into heart of Alaska – Denali

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Context Introduces New Walking Tour Offering Access to Budapest’s Baroque Palaces Not Ordinarily Open to Public

Context, organizer of critically acclaimed walking tours, expands its program in Budapest with Barons of Budapest, a new history and architecture tour that offers travelers exclusive access to the city’s Palace District, including homes and palaces not ordinarily open to the public.

The story starts in 1867, the year Budapest was crowned the twin capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and saw an influx of politicians, aristocrats, and entrepreneurs eager to develop the city. In an attempt to compete with Vienna and Paris, the great noble families of Budapest set about constructing palaces of Baroque opulence and splendor. Led by art historians and cultural experts, Context’s walk equips travelers with an understanding of the singular set of social and economic circumstances that made this boom possible, and explores a wealth of architectural masterpieces.

The experience takes in Pest’s 8th district, including the area behind the Hungarian National Museum. The scholars and experts who will be leading the walk—including professors from local universities and historians attached to local research institutions—investigate how the area, known as Józsefváros, evolved from an outlying agricultural zone to the epicenter of Budapest’s economic, political, and cultural blossoming. Detailed stucco work, carved woodwork, and rich interior furnishings provide the lavish setting for an exploration of themes of politics, upper class daily life and leisure activities, taking visitors inside the homes of Hungary’s 19th century aristocrats.

“The Palace Quarter is one of the most dynamically developing parts of Budapest. This tour offers a rare opportunity to see the interior of the palaces,” explains Enikő Békés, art historian and creator of the walk. “Being able to go inside provides a unique backdrop for visitors to learn about Hungarian history, and situate it within contemporary urban development.”

Barons of Budapest lasts two and a half hours and is available Monday to Friday. Group walks cost Ft9,900 per person. Private tours cost Ft47,000 per party. As with all Context walking seminars, groups are led by a credentialed expert and limited to six (6) people maximum.

Founded by National Geographic writer Paul Bennett and designer Lani Bevacqua, Context Travel is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead walking seminars in twenty-three (23) world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Istanbul, Athens, Beijing, Shanghai, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Tokyo, and Kyoto. A certified B Corporation, Context Travel was named one of the fastest growing American companies in 2011 by Inc Magazine. Travel + Leisure has called Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs. To learn more about Context, visit the website at: www.contexttravel.com.

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DuVine Cycling Introduces 4-Day Guided Bike Tour Itineraries to Tuscany, Burgundy, Provence

DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co. has been designing and leading luxury bike tours around the world since 1996, and they’ll now be extending their expertise to include four-day European tours. They have released these shorter itineraries for guided bike tours in Tuscany, Burgundy, and Provence, making DuVine one of the only mainstream US bike tour operators currently offering four-day guided tours.

Most of DuVine’s European tours include six day, five night itineraries, but with their new product, DuVine hopes to provide another option for those who are strapped for time. “We realize that people going to Europe on business don’t always have an entire week to spend cycling,” says Andy Levine, President and Founder of DuVine. “The four-day tour is a unique offering, exclusive in the marketplace—it’s a product that doesn’t currently exist for cycling vacations,” says Levine.

The new tours are also designed for travelers looking to try out a new way to travel. For those travelers who are new to cycling and may be hesitant to spend an entire week on a bike, DuVine’s four-day tours offer a relaxed alternative. “We want all travelers to learn what we already know—that biking is the very best way to travel,” says Levine. “The four-day tours allow beginning cyclists to experience true DuVine style with no pressure or stress,” says Levine.

In Provence, travelers will cycle through fields of sunflowers and asparagus, climb winding roads to farmers markets in medieval villages, and stroll through charming rural towns and breathtaking ruins. “Our guests will taste some of the best olive oils, truffles, and wine in the world, as well as Provençal specialties prepared by some of the region’s most prominent chefs,” says Levine.

On their four-day Tuscany tour, guests are invited to explore the iconic Tuscan countryside as they ride through gentle green hills and cypress-lined byways, stopping along the way for intimate cooking classes, a wine tasting at one of Italy’s most highly-acclaimed wineries, gourmet dinners, and relaxing at some of the most stunning luxurious villas in Italy. “Our seasoned guides call on their extensive local knowledge to orchestrate engaging and authentic visits, inviting travelers to partake of the best of the best throughout the world,” says Andy. “Welcome to the ride of your life!”

Find out more about DuVine’s new four-day tours as well as their classic, family, private, and couture tours at www.duvine.com.

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Catholic Pilgrimage Company Offers Five Departures of New Portugal Tour in 2013

Jeronimos Monastery in Belem is visited on Regina Tours new tour, Catholic and Cultural Portugal © 2013 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Catholic pilgrimage provider Regina Tours/ 1-800-CATHOLIC announced five 2013 departure dates for its new tour, Catholic and Cultural Portugal. Regina Tours offers travelers a seven night exploration of Portugal, including stays in Fatima, Lisbon and Oporto.

Along the journey, travelers will visit the fishing center of Setúbal; the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Évora, notable for its Cathedral and Sacred Art Museum; and the historical city of Tomar, home of the 12th Century Castle and Convent of the Order of Christ. Throughout the week, tour-goers will visit Portugal’s most sacred sites and learn about the country’s spiritual life and Catholic history, while simultaneously discovering Portugal’s architectural, artistic, musical and culinary treasures.

During their two night stay in Fatima, pilgrimage-goers can join the Rosary Candlelight Procession in the evening and day trip to the hamlet of Aljustrel to see the homes of the three Fatima children. The tour continues with a visit to Valinhos, where the apparition of the Virgin Mary appeared in August of 1917, to the three Fatima children. A visit to the Parish Church, where the Fatima children were baptized is included.

The following day, travelers can enjoy visits to Coimbra, where Mass will be held at the Carmelite Convent where sister Lucia once lived, and the Monastery of St. Clare, the resting place of the patron saint of Portugal, Queen Santa Isabel. The tour continues to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Oporto, where travelers can taste the city’s famous port wines and see the extraordinary wood carvings in the St. Francis Church. Stops along the journey back to Lisbon include the canal city of Aveiro; the town of Batalha, home of a 14th Century monastery; the charming fishing village of Nazaré; the city of Alcobaça’s 12th century monastery; and the beautiful walled town of Óbidos. During the final day in Lisbon, tour-goers will visit the historical area of Belém, home of Jeronimos Monastery and the birthplace of delectable Portuguese pastries, pastel de natas. A visit to Sintra and Cascais, two romantic villages on the outskirts of Lisbon is the final visit before the tour group will enjoy a special farewell dinner in one of Lisbon’s famous fado restaurants, where they can enjoy some of the region’s renowned seafood dishes while listening to extraordinary vocalists sing fado, Portugal’s soulful musical tradition.

Catholic and Cultural Portugal is priced between $2698 to $3198 per person, depending on the season. Price includes round trip airfare from New York City area, five nights’ first class accommodations with breakfast and dinner daily. For more information on Catholic and Cultural Portugal, visit

www.reginatours.com/STW/STWProduct.aspx?Theme=REGINA&ProductCode=PT-CCP.

Founded in 1985, Regina Tours is dedicated to building Catholic community and fellowship through pilgrimage travel. For more information about Regina Tours, visit http://www.regina-tours.com/ or call 1-800-CATHOLIC.

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Context Travel Develops Walking Tour With Local Scholars to Explain Greek Crisis

Working with local economists, Context Travel announces the launch of a walking tour that explains the Greek economic crisis in plain language. Lasting three hours and visiting major sites in Athens relative to the crisis, including Syntagma Square (location of the major protests against austerity), the Central Bank of Greece, and the Old Stock Exchange, the Greek Crisis tour aims to demystify and explain the complexity of Greek debt, political instability, and economic crisis for the culturally curious traveler.

“This is one of the most exciting tours we’ve launched in the last several years,” says Context co-founder Paul Bennett. “I hear all the time from our clients who visit Athens that they want to meet a local financial person, an economist, who can explain the Greek situation. They want to engage with a teacher on the ground who can help them make sense of the headlines. This is the tour that does it.”

The Greek Crisis begins in Syntagma Square, epicenter of the most recent unrest. Here docents from the Context network who are economists, financial experts, and university professors, paint a portrait of the historical underpinnings of the Greek situation, from the first debt defaults of the late 19th century to the accession to the EU to the mismanagement of the 2004 Olympics to today’s sovereign debt problems. The focus of the tour is on explaining the headlines in plain language and creating a forum for visitors to ask question and explore the causes and effects of the crisis.

The Greek Crisis will be offered privately for EUR 305 per group or as a shared-group experience for EUR 70 per person.

Context Travel is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead “walking seminars” in twenty-two world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Istanbul, Athens, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Shanghai, Beijing, and Kyoto. Travel + Leisure has called Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs. To learn more about Context, visit: www.contexttravel.com

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Context Introduces ‘Modernista Menu’ Exploring Barcelona’s Avant Garde Culinary Trends

Context, organizer of expert-led tours in major cities worldwide, is introducing a new culinary experience in its Barcelona program. Modernista Menu explores Barcelona’s avant garde culinary trends, including molecular gastronomy. In the company of a local chef or food writer, participants will have a chance to tour the kitchen of a Michelin-starred restaurant before sitting down to a “curated” meal based on the theories of molecular cuisine.

Working with Victor Quintilla, protege of Ferran Adria and owner/chef of Lluerna, one of Barcelona’s most inventive restaurants, docents with Context have put together an annotated dinner at Lluerna that explores modernista ideas and emerging trends. One focus of the program will be to discover and understand the current interest in reviving Catalan traditions and how certain chefs—including Quintilla—are reinventing these tradition within an innovative, modern context.

Participants begin with a behind-the-scenes tour of the kitchen and learn about some of the specialized equipment that is used in molecular cuisine. Then, they’ll sit down to a dinner designed by Quintilla in consultation with Context that takes participants on a gastronomic journey through recent trends. Along the way they will get an insider’s view of how Barcelona and Catalunya generally have re-imagined cooking and influenced a generation of chefs worldwide.

“This is an insider’s look at cutting-edge Catalan cuisine,” explains Spain manager for Context, Sara McCarty. “Lluerna is a very unique place: untouched by tourism, but celebrated within the industry.”

Modernista Menu will be available for private bookings and also within Context’s small-group program, which limits shared group tours to 6 people max. Private tours will cost 425 Euros for the party + 80 per person for dinner; group tours will cost 180 euros per person.

Context Travel is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead “walking seminars” in twenty-one world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Istanbul, Athens, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Shanghai and Beijing. Travel + Leisure has called Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs. To learn more about Context, visit: www.contexttravel.com

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Victoria Cruises Partners with Ritz Tours on 10-Nite ‘Yangtze Essence’ China Tour Priced From $1999

Ritz Tours’ 10-night ‘Yangtze Essence’ China package includes a three-night luxury cruise along the Yangtze River from Chongqing to Yichang on Victoria Cruises.

Victoria Cruises (www.victoriacruises.com/) has partnered with Ritz Tours (www.ritztours.com/) to offer a 10-night Yangtze Essence program combining a luxurious three-night Yangtze River cruise in a private-balcony Executive Suite on the five-star Victoria Anna with tours of Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai. With land-only pricing from $1,999 per person, based on double occupancy, the China itinerary provides value with five-star hotel and cruise accommodations, superb dining and authentic cultural entertainment

Travelers can save an additional $100 per person by booking the Yangtze Essence program with Ritz Tours by Feb. 28, 2013.

The program begins with three nights in Beijing where guests will observe the tombs of the Ming Dynasty Emperors and other historical treasures such as the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and Summer Palace. A morning excursion to the Temple of Heaven is often enhanced by the countless local tai chi practitioners who assemble in the courtyards to practice and train (weather permitting).

In Xi’an, guests will visit the Ming Dynasty City Wall and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda as well as the Terracotta Warriors exhibit – the city’s star attraction – buried for more than 2,000 years until its accidental discovery in 1974. The Xi’an experience culminates with an Imperial Dumpling Dinner and Tang Dynasty Show.

Next, guests will depart for a three-night luxury cruise along the Yangtze River from Chongqing to Yichang, enjoying private-balcony Executive Suite accommodations with enhanced ship placement and other VIP services and amenities offered through Victoria Cruises’ Executive Program on the five-star Victoria Anna. Amenities include personalized “white glove” service, access to exclusive ship areas, complimentary Wi-Fi Internet access, a la carte dining privileges, complimentary laundry (up to four items per day), shoe shine service and reserved seating for evening entertainment.

Passengers will discover cultural and scenic gems along the Yangtze including an excursion to the “Ghost City” of Fengdu and passage through the mist-shrouded Three Gorges, as well as a small boat experience through one of the Yangtze’s tranquil tributaries (Daning River or Shennong Stream, based on weather conditions). Travelers will also enjoy an educational tour of the Three Gorges Dam site, the largest hydroelectric dam project in the world.

The Yangtze Essence program culminates with a visit to Shanghai, where guests will have an opportunity to stroll the elegant waterfront boulevard known as The Bund, shop for designer luxury items on Nanjing Road and visit the peaceful Yu Garden, a classical garden right in the center of the bustling city. The tour ends with an exciting Chinese Acrobatic performance.

Land-only departures for Ritz Tours’ Yangtze Essence itinerary start at $1,999 per person, based on double occupancy. The program features all intra-China land and air transportation, Executive Suite accommodations with private balcony and VIP amenities aboard the five-star Victoria Anna, five-star hotel accommodations in Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai, meals and excursions as specified in the itinerary, English-speaking guides and applicable taxes/fees. International airfare is not included but can be booked with Ritz Tours at competitive rates.

Consult your local travel agent for more information or to book, or contact Ritz Tours at 888-345-7489 or www.ritztours.com.

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Vacations By Rail Adds New Independent and Escorted Train Tours Across North America for 2013

Chicago-based specialty travel company Vacations By Rail kicks is adding 29 new rail tours across North America to its collection of train vacations for 2013. New tours range from 3 to 21 days and visit popular destinations and take in must-experience annual events.

The fiery reds, burnt oranges and golden yellows of New England’s fall foliage are the backdrop of the new 8-day Autumn in New England escorted tour, taking travelers through the region’s autumn scenery to quintessential New England sights and attractions like the Farnsworth Museum of Art, L.L. Bean, Franconia Notch State Park, Mystic Seaport, and the Kennedy Museum in Hyannis. Highlights include scenic rail excursions aboard the Maine Eastern Railroad, Conway Scenic Railroad, and Cape Cod Central Railroad.

Discover America’s musical heritage on the 7-day Sights & Sounds rail vacation featuring two nights each in Chicago, Memphis and New Orleans, the cities that played important roles in the jazz, blues and rock ‘n roll scenes and America’s cultural development.

Experience the flavor of the southwest on the 10-day Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta escorted train tour. Traveling roundtrip from Chicago, travel to Colorado aboard the legendary California Zephyr for visits to Colorado National Monument, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and an excursion aboard the iconic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway. Continuing into New Mexico, visit Taos; Santa Fe, the cultural and artistic capital of the southwest; and, Albuquerque for a visit to one of the nation’s best-loved events—the annual International Balloon Fiesta—before returning to Chicago aboard the Southwest Chief.

Visit Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons and Mt. Rushmore on the re-mastered America’s Parks and Monuments with Mt. Rushmore 11-day escorted tour. Highlights include one-way travel from Chicago aboard the California Zephyr; visits to Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Badlands National Parks as well as Little Bighorn Battlefield, Mt. Rushmore, and the Crazy Horse Memorial; and a scenic rail excursion aboard the Black Hills Central Railroad.

Other new programs feature locally-hosted and escorted US vacations along the west coast, tours to national parks, and exciting rail-cruise vacations.

New and noteworthy in Canada is the addition of the new Churchill Town and Tundra Experience, a 7-day adventure roundtrip from Winnipeg to Churchill. Combine days on the tundra in a Tundra Buggy viewing polar bears in their natural environment with classically Canadian activities in and around town.

Further west, connect the Canadian Rockies and Seattle with new Coastal Passage packages. Select from two: Western Explorer & Coastal Passage and Canadian Rockies & Coastal Passage. Both include travel aboard Rocky Mountaineer trains in GoldLeaf service from Seattle to Vancouver and from Vancouver into the Canadian Rockies.

All of Vacations By Rail’s new train tours include outstanding rail experiences, hotel accommodations, select meals and comprehensive sightseeing. Detailed itineraries for new tours as well as Vacations By Rail’s complete product line can be found at www.vacationsbyrail.com.

To book a Vacations By Rail train vacation, contact a rail specialist at 1-877-929-7245.

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Access Trips Exclusive New Culinary Tour in Sonoma Highlights Best of Wine Country Culture

From exclusive cooking classes with Sonoma’s top chefs to private vineyard tours and tastings, Access Trips new five-day culinary tour is a foodie fantasy in the heart of California’s Wine Country. The new tour offers access to some of Sonoma’s most renowned local restaurants, chefs and vintners, as guests learn to cook with organic, locally sourced ingredients that change seasonally and showcase the best of California cuisine.

Nestled in a lush valley with trellised vineyards climbing the surrounding hills, and bound by a central plaza and a historic Spanish mission, Sonoma is arguably one of the most beautiful towns in California. Offering a quaint, intimate alternative to the usual tourist trails in Napa, Sonoma is a mecca of cultural and culinary treasures awaiting discovery.

For an “ultimate” California experience, Access Trips has partnered with the Sonoma International Film Festival to offer a discounted three-day, three-night Film Festival VIP extension package for guests on Access Trips’ first Sonoma Culinary tour departing April 7, 2013. The tour’s July departure was also timed to dovetail on Destination Race’s Napa to Sonoma half marathon on July 21, 2013.

California Wine Country Culinary Tour
Five-days from $2,590 pp

From once-in-a-lifetime cooking classes with Sonoma’s finest chefs to wine, cheese and chocolate truffle tastings and a tour of one of California’s oldest family owned vineyards, Access Trips’ California Wine Country Culinary Tour is a gourmand’s dream. Indulge your palate during sumptuous meals at top Sonoma restaurants, Café La Haye and Harvest Moon Café, before enjoying exclusive cooking classes led by such big names as Harvest Moon Chef Nick Demarest. Surrounded by beautiful gardens, olive groves and rolling vineyards, visit Stone Edge Farm for a multi-course cooking class with acclaimed chef, John McReynolds, and learn tricks to add variety to recipes at home. Discover the local farmers market, take in the sites during a hike along the Glen Ellen Reservoir and relax poolside at the luxurious, boutique, Macarthur Place – one Sonoma’s finest Inns and Spas.
http://www.accesstrips.com/sports/culinary-tour/

Sonoma International Film Festival VIP Package
Three-days from $2,000 pp

Get in touch with your inner movie star during Access Trips’ three-day, three-night Sonoma International Film Festival extension. Enjoy VIP-access passes to all films, filmmakers, and discussion panels, and of course, exclusive parties with the best in California wine and cuisine! Savor your red carpet moment at the red carpet gala, where you’ll find out which celebrity will be honored by the association. The main festivities are in the Sonoma Plaza, just four blocks walking distance from Macarthur Place, your luxurious inn and spa. Book the Film Festival package along with the California Wine Country Culinary Tour and receive 10% off both the tour AND the extension, for a total savings of $459 per person. Space is limited to just 12 guests.

Access Trips is a leading adventure travel operator specializing in exotic learning vacations to 14 countries worldwide. This company offers a wide range of small-group outdoor sports and culinary-focused trips that are expertly designed to allow guests to experience a new culture, learn new skills or fine-tune existing ones, and revel in the splendor of their destination. Based in San Francisco, California and launched in 2001, Access Trips’ portfolio includes cooking, surfing, mountain biking, snowboarding, skiing, and multisport itineraries. Regardless of the focus of the activity, Access Trips caters to a variety of skill levels, serving the novice as well as the expert in a relaxed, non-intimidating setting with the help of world-class instructors and multilingual guides.

For more information about Access Trips and the adventure tours available, visit www.accesstrips.com.

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TourCrafters Offers Winter Week in Paris for $1139

Paris is marvelous to visit in winter: You won’t wait in line at the Louvre or Musée d’Orsay, you won’t suffer un-air-conditioned buses and restaurants, and prices are a lot lower.

To take advantage of the lower prices, TourCrafters is offering a land-only Classic Paris in Winter package until March 17 that starts at $1,139 and includes private airport transfers, six nights’ accommodation in a charming 3-star hotel, six breakfasts, one lunch, a sightseeing cruise on the Seine, a 5-day Paris Visite Pass, a 2-day Museum Pass, and a 1-day Hop On Hop Off sightseeing tour.

The Hop On Hop Off bus tour introduces the city’s major sights: the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre Dame, Musée d’Orsay, Opera Garnier, Champs Elysées and Arc de Triomphe; and the Paris Visite Pass provides free public transportation so you can explore the rest of the city on your own. The Museum Pass gives free access to 60-some museums and monuments (including the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay).

One day there’s a cruise on the River Seine in a glass-covered boat, which provides the best views of the city (photographers, get ready!), followed by a typical French 3-course lunch in a riverside café-restaurant.

The $1,139 package includes a room in the charmingly-decorated boutique Hotel Relais Monceau in the fashionable 8^th arrondisement or the trendy modern Standard Design Hotel near the Place de la Bastille. But upgrades are available: The stylish 4-star Concorde Opera Hotel, near the Opera Garnier and the big department stores, costs $1,456, and the luxurious 5-star Hotel du Louvre, steps from the Louvre and Palais Royal, costs $1,668.

All prices are per person, double occupancy and are subject to availability. TourCrafters offers the best transatlantic air fares available at time of booking. For more information, visit http://www.tourcrafters.it/tour.lasso?ID=140.

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