Description

Come with us on this adventure through Europe and get the real backpacking experience as we navigate our way from Italy through Switzerland to Paris! Our approach is rooted in the classic backpacker strategy  get a railpass, explore cities with a wide variety of daily choices, and leave ourselves open to the spontaneous possibilities that every day brings. Our Backpack Europe trip is all about a hands-on approach to travel where we go beyond the casual tourist experience, take public transportation, and learn how life really is in each place we visit.

DAY 1: NEWARK (FOR THOSE WHO OPT TO TAKE THE GROUP FLIGHT)
As the group flight takes off, the trip officially begins!

DAYS 2  6: ITALY (FLORENCE, THE CINQUE TERRE)
The trip starts in stunning Florence, birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and home to Michelangelo's David, the world-famous Duomo, and the Uffizi Museum, which houses the best collection of Italian Renaissance art in the world. Here, well learn about the lives and art of such artists as Donatello and Leonardo da Vinci, as well as writers like Dante and Machiavelli, and well come to understand the importance of the Medici family, who not only revolutionized modern banking, but also nearly singlehandedly funded the Renaissance in Italy. Art and culture are not all that are in store for us in Florence, however. Youll also have a workshop at a family-owned chocolate shop and learn the art of making chocolate by hand, as the owners have been doing for generations. Then well spend some time shopping before enjoying the best pizzeria in the city and finishing with TFTs famous Gelato Tour.

We leave Tuscany for the Cinque Terre, where we stay right in one of the five idyllic fishing villages perched on dramatic cliffs that plunge into the crystal-blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Unlike the some teen tours that say they go to Cinque Terre but in fact do not stay there, our contacts in the region give us amazing insider access. Of course, well hike the trail that connects the towns, enjoying spectacular views of the sea and the vineyards that line the cliffs, and also sampling local specialties along the way like pesto and focaccia. Well dine on fresh seafood and relax on the beach in our seaside paradise.

DAYS 6  9: SWISS ALPS
Backpackers in the know head for the green valleys and dramatic alpine mountains of Switzerland. Well jump the train in the Cinque Terre for our next destination, the breathtaking Swiss Alps. The backpacker mecca of Interlaken, nestled in a valley in the mountains, is our base to explore this elegant country and culture. Outdoor sports and activities abound for those who wish to breathe in the fresh mountain air, and well spend plenty of time getting to know traditional Swiss culture and history in the nearby towns.

DAYS 9  13: FRANCE (PARIS)
Paris is our next and final stop on this European odyssey. Our hotel is located just steps away from the official center of Paris, the Notre Dame cathedral, in one of the richest neighborhoods in the city. Visit the grandest art museum in the world, the Louvre, and shop till you drop in the boutiques and department stores. Shopping not your thing? No problem, you can so something else of interest to you. Our time in Paris is spent absorbing its intoxicating atmosphere, picnicking on the banks of the Seine, and enjoying the splendid offerings of French cuisine.

Stroll the Champs Élysées, climb the Arc de Triomphe and ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Meet native Parisians and hang out on the Pont des Arts for some fun with young people from all over the world.

Highlights

- Go on an authentic euro-backpacking trip and learn how to get around Europe with a railpass.
- Stare in awe at Michelangelo's David in Florence and wander the magnificent halls of the Uffizi.
- Taste heaven on our inimitable Gelato Tour and visit a homemade chocolate shop in Florence where your taste buds will thank you forever.
- Stay in the heart of the Cinque Terre and hike between five tiny fishing villages.
- Go hiking and biking in the breathtaking Swiss Alps.
- Explore Paris - Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and Parisian cafe culture.

Travel Types

• BackPacking Abroad
• Hiking
• Student Tours
• Tours

Type of Programs

• Adventure Travel
• Cultural Exploration
• Student Tours

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

USD 3,185 plus airfare

This Program is open to

American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European and Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Other

Typically The Application Process Time is

1 week

Travel For Teens's Mission Statement

Travel for Teens believes that teen travel should be both fun and enriching. Our programs feature choice in what you do, see, and experience, a dynamic that sets us apart from superficial tours that herd large groups from one site to another. We visit the best of the mainstream attractions while offering the opportunity to explore the culture from a less touristy perspective. We interact with our host cultures, taking cooking and dance lessons, performing valuable service work to help local communities, and conversing with the people who have spent their lives living in the places we journey to. We have crafted our unique programs to engender love for travel, hunger for learning, curiosity about differences, appreciation of similarities across cultures, and an understanding of what it means to be a global citizen.

Year Founded

2003