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Special Group Tours Toll Free: 1 866 725 5250 |
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On the Trail of…The Da Vinci Code An Adventure in Paris and London extentions available to include Rome and Edinburgh Explore the Capitols of Europe! Join us on a thrilling adventure in some of Europe’s most magnificent Capitol Cities whilst exploring the themes & sites associated with Dan Brown’s novel The Da Vinci Code. We have it all here for you to enjoy… |
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Our journey will take us on the path traveled by Robert Langdon & Sophie Neveu, from the Grand Gallery in the Louvre, past Chateau Villette, across the Channel to the rolling hills of Kent, to London - where we will explore Westminster Abbey & Temple Church. Along the way, we will get an in depth look at the best of what these vibrant and exciting Capitol Cities have to offer, famous icons as well as some hidden gems those on big buses miss. Meet the people, sample the local cuisine and fine wines, go behind the tourist facade. This is a holiday filled with a variety of historical landmarks, scenic beauty and literary exploration. We will unravel some mysteries of the Knights of Templar, discuss the mythology of the Holy Grail and view some of the most awe-inspiring artwork in the world. If you have the time, you can extend your stay with an optional start out in Rome and you can also choose to extend to another capitol city, Edinburgh, and the fabulous wonders of Rosslyn Chapel.
Available at any date for private groups of 2 – 15 people. Price available upon application. Rates are based upon vehicle and guide hire per day; groups of 7 - 15 would have a per person rate same/similar to one of our scheduled tours of the same length. Please note, this is a suggested itinerary. It may be revised to suit your individual group needs. Literary enthusiasts might also enjoy our SCHEDULED literary themed tours: In Search of Harry Potter, 7-day Literary England, and, for guests with limited vacation time, our 4-day Literary England mini-tour of Hampshire, Kent & Sussex.
TENTATIVE ITINERARY Day One, Saturday Arrive Paris; we will meet you at the airport and transfer to your tour hotel where you will have a chance to relax & freshen up before heading out into the City of Light. |
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Early afternoon panoramic orientation tour including…Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, your first glimpse of the Louvre, Champs Elysees, Madeleine, Opera House, Jardin de Tulleries, Place de la Concorde, Gare St Lazare (the station used as a decoy in the book) and more. Late afternoon/evening free to explore a bit of the city at your leisure…Notre Dame…Museum D’Orsay…Sacre Couer (the starting point for the Rose Line…) Pere Lachaise…some shopping…or sample life as a Parisian - sit and relax in a sidewalk café with a croissant & an espresso, watching the world go by…you are spoilt for choice in this grand city. NIGHTSTOP: Paris Day Two, Sunday This morning, a guided tour of Louvre focusing on Da Vinci & Mary Magdalene. In the company of our very own symbologist, we will avoid the mass of tourists to have a very personal investigation into the treasures of the Louvre and delve into the provocative ideas of the Da Vinci Code. Discover for yourself the secrets of the Mona Lisa, what’s ‘hidden beneath’ Madonna of the Rocks, see if there is such a thing as “the sacred feminine” in art and look for clues in works by other artists who perhaps thought of Mary Magdalene as the bride of Christ. |
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From here we will venture across the river to the Left Bank & explore a bit of Paris’ literary heritage…a former home of Henry Miller, the place where Oscar Wilde died & sites associated with the ‘Lost Generation’ writers. A chance to sit and savour the settings of some literary greats…Hemingway, F Scott Fitzgerald, Anais Nin and even Jim Morrison fell under the spell of the cafes in St Germain. Maybe Dan Brown sought inspiration here too? Our walking tour finale, of course, is a guided tour of St Sulpice Church. We will trace the colourful history of this classic 18th Century church from its true roots through its associations with Victor Hugo and the Marquis de Sade, walk in the fictional footsteps of Silas the monk along the brass marker of the Rose Line and view 3 murals by the artist Delecroix. Evening free to enjoy the Paris nightlife – maybe start off with a drink at the Ritz? Perhaps continue our literary theme sampling one of the wonderful clubs on Blvd Montparnasse or maybe just relax with a cruise or a lovely stroll along the Siene to see the sites lit up for night. So many choices… NIGHTSTOP: Paris Day Three, Monday Today, an excursion into the countryside: Chateau Villette and the Palace of Versailles. Chateau Villette, the fictional home of Sir Leigh Teabing in the book, is indeed a fantastic and historically significant chateau in France. This 185-acre estate dating from 1696 captures the magnificence and elegance of that time period. The Palace of Versailles, Louis XIV’s greatest example of regal indulgence, was the seat of French Royal Court for 100 years until its demise in the French Revolution. We will visit the Sun King’s royal apartments, the Hall of Mirrors (where the treaty of Versailles was signed to end WW1) and the overwhelming opulence of the park and gardens. NIGHTSTOP: Paris |
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Day Four, Tuesday This morning, we will be whisked, not across the channel in a private plane like Robert, Sophie & Teabing but under through the Eurotunnel… alternatively, we will enjoy a traditional ferry. Welcome to England! Kent, the gateway to England, countryside full of hop and lavender fields, the rolling hills dotted with traditional Oast Houses, is home to some famous icons but also some of England’s best kept secrets. Here is the Knights of Templar Church overlooking the scenic white cliffs of Dover. In the footsteps of the Knights, (the remains of) this small, round church will be our first stop upon arrival. We will also wander through the quaint, picturesque village of Temple Ewell and explore more connections with the Knights of Templar. It was here, in the parish church of St Peter and St Paul, that the Master of the Temple in England presided between 1185 and 1308. All roads lead to Canterbury! ...following the old Roman Road, we will make our own pilgrimage to this city, a place of religious significance for many, including the Templars. We will spend some time visiting the infamous cathedral of St Thomas a Becket, wander the old timber-framed narrow streets, discover St Augustine’s Abbey and investigate the mysteries of Ley Lines in nearby Harbledown as we continue our journey on the Pilgrims Way - some of which hasn’t changed since Medieval times as described in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. If we’ve time, a look at lesser-known Rochester (home to a wonderful Norman castle and located in the heart of ‘Charles Dickens country’ - for a flavor of this region’s rich literary heritage) before settling into a charming village for the evening. We will dine tonight in an English country pub. NIGHTSTOP: Kent |
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Day Five, Wednesday A short drive this morning will bring us to London. We will begin with a Panoramic orientation tour of this world city including its most famous icons - Big Ben & Houses of Parliament, London Eye, Buckingham Palace, St James Park – eyes peeled for any albino monks! - Trafalgar Square, Tower & Tower Bridge, St Pauls Cathedral. The finale of our orientation tour, a guided tour of Westminster Abbey - see Poet’s Corner, Sir Issac Newton’s tomb and the Chapter House where our fictional Teabing’s horrible plan was revealed and much more. Westminster Abbey is unparalleled in historical significance to British Culture. As legend has it, the place was founded by the spectre of St Peter himself in the 7th Century; it is the place where monarchs are crowned and buried since 1066 and is the final resting place of honour for political and artistic heroes. Evening free for you to explore at your leisure; perhaps you may want to book an optional evening tour (Sinister London or Historic Pubs) or go to a show at one of London’s fantastic theatres (visit: www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk) NIGHTSTOP: London |
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Day Six, Thursday Morning walking tour of Fleet Street, Inns of Court and Temple Church – we will begin at St Paul’s Cathedral, then explore sites associated with Dr Johnson, Charles Dickens and the architectural marvels of Christopher Wren. We will have a spectacular view of the Millenium Bridge & Tate Modern from this side of the river and perhaps have a haunted tale or two before we step back in time, into the gaslit alleyways of the Inns of Court towards Temple Church. |
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Temple Church was built by the Knights of Templar and is one of 5 round churches left in Britain – the only one remaining in London. Inside, we will see the effigies of the Knights…the same as described in the Da Vinci Code where Teabing tries to throw Robert and Sophie off of the trail of ‘the truth’...and also the penitential cell which housed prisoners in the 12th and 13th centuries. Next, a guided visit the National Gallery focusing on themes explored in the book…The Virgin of the Rocks plus many other treasures by Botticelli…Rembrandt…Van Gogh…Monet and more call this fantastic gallery home. Can you spot the differences between the two versions of Da Vinci’s Rocks paintings? The rest of the day is free for you to explore at your leisure. Perhaps you may enjoy an afternoon cruise of the Thames from Embankment pier to Greenwich. View the current Prime Meridian at the Royal Observatory (last admission 16.30.) Stand in two time zones at once, enjoy the views over-looking the city of London and maybe visit the markets or the Cutty Sark Museum. How would you like to take a stroll under the Thames? We will tell you how! NIGHTSTOP: London Day Seven, Friday Alas, our journey has come to an end...transfers to Heathrow airport for your flight home are included.
Why not extend your stay and complete your Da Vinci Code exploration? Begin in the fabulous capitol City of Rome and/or stay on after your adventure in Paris and London to visit one of Europe’s oft overlooked gems, the city of Edinburgh, and try to unravel the secrets of Rosslyn Chapel...
OPTIONAL ‘PREQUAL’ ROME Day 1 (Wednesday) Welcome to Rome! An optional arrival transfer from the airport to your hotel is available. We will spend three days in the Italian Capitol City and explore the sites of the Da Vinci Code and all of the famed sites that Rome has to offer. You may choose to have the day free to recover from your international journey or choose to head out into the city on a walking tour. Our tour will include the piazzas and fountains of Rome including the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. This afternoon we focus on ancient Rome and continue our walk along the ancient pavement, which crosses the ruins of the Roman Forum, the Curia and the Reggia. Admire the Temple of Vesta, the Arch of Titus and the Arch of Constantine. The tour continues towards the Circus Maximus, the Aventine Hill and the Pyramid of Caius Cestius, ending with a visit of the Basilica of St. Paul's outside the Walls. |
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OPTIONAL ‘PREQUAL’ ROME Day 2 (Thursday) Today we tour the Vatican Museums and the Vatican Galleries; admire the Round Hall, the Hall of the Greek Cross, and the Tomb of St. Helen and St. Constance. Stop to see the Sistine Chapel frescoes by Michelangelo. Continue to the Galleries of the Chandeliers, Tapestries and Geographical Maps and the Vatican Library Hall. Wonder what goes on behind those closed doors! You will also have a chance to see inside St Paul’s Basilica and the wonders of Michelangelo’s Pieta and enjoy the crowds of St Peter’s Square. OPTIONAL ‘PREQUAL’ ROME Day 3 (Friday) A free day to explore Rome at your leisure or perhaps you may choose to join an optional day tour to Naples and Pompeii. On your day tour, depart Rome and drive along the "Sun Route" motorway, crossing the regions of Lazio and Campania. Pass the famous Abbey of Montecassino. Once in Naples, enjoy a short panoramic tour of the city before continuing towards Pompeii. After a lunch break in a typical restaurant, view the excavations of this world-famous Roman town, destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. Tomorrow morning, Saturday, we will depart Rome (optional airport transfer available) and fly to Paris where we will begin our Da Vinci Code adventure in full as described above in the main itinerary. ***************************************************** |
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NOTE: This is an unofficial tour and is not authorized by Dan Brown or his publishers.
This itinerary is correct at time of printing. Please note that attractions are subject to changing opening/closing times and certain attractions may not be available on some dates. Alternate attractions will be substituted should this occur.
This tour is and Special Group Tours Exclusive itinerary written originally for The History Channel and operated by Back-Roads Touring Co Ltd |
