Europe Tour Packages from UAE: Multi-Country Trips

Most first trips to Europe from the UAE start with Paris and Switzerland. Second trips add Italy, or go somewhere new: the Greek islands, the Alps of Austria and Bavaria, or London. Routes we plan:

• 

  Paris and Switzerland, 7 to 8 days

  Three nights in Paris for the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, a Seine cruise and Disneyland, then three or four in central Switzerland for Lucerne, Interlaken and Mt Titlis. The classic first trip to Europe.

• 

  Paris, Switzerland and Italy, 10 to 12 days

  Adds Venice, Florence, Pisa and Rome after the Alps. On a coach tour, it often includes a night in Innsbruck and a stop in Liechtenstein. Fly home from Rome.

• 

  Italy and Greece, 10 days

  Rome and Florence, then a short flight to Athens and a ferry to Santorini or Mykonos.

• 

  Austria, Germany and Switzerland, 8 to 10 days

  Munich, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Zurich or Lucerne, linked by scenic trains and lakes. Includes outlet shopping at Metzingen on our Germany trips. Good in summer and at the Christmas markets.

• 

  London add-on, 3 to 4 nights

  London before or after Paris, by train under the Channel. The UK is not in Schengen, so you need a separate UK visa from UAE unless your passport is exempt.

Not ready for a multi-country trip? Turkey is closer, needs no Schengen visa for many passports, and mixes Europe and Asia in one city. See our Turkey tour packages from UAE.

1. 01

   Day 1: Arrive in Paris

   Fly from Abu Dhabi or Dubai to Paris and transfer to your hotel. Evening walk along the Seine or up to the Trocadéro for the Eiffel Tower lit up.

2. 02

   Day 2: Paris city tour, Eiffel Tower and Seine cruise

   A guided tour past the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Élysées, Notre-Dame and the Louvre, then the Eiffel Tower to the second level and an evening Seine cruise.

3. 03

   Day 3: Disneyland or the Louvre

   A day at Disneyland Paris for families, or the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay and Montmartre for adults. Shopping on Boulevard Haussmann.

4. 04

   Day 4: Train to Switzerland

   High-speed train from Paris to Basel or Zurich, about three and a half to four hours, then a regional train to Lucerne or Interlaken. Evening by the lake.

5. 05

   Day 5: Mt Titlis and Lucerne

   Cable cars up Mt Titlis, including the rotating gondola and the glacier, then an afternoon in Lucerne: the Chapel Bridge, the old town and the Lion Monument.

6. 06

   Day 6: Interlaken and the Jungfrau region

   A day in Interlaken with a stop at Lauterbrunnen's waterfalls, or the train to Jungfraujoch at extra cost. Lindt Home of Chocolate near Zurich is an option on the way back.

7. 07

   Day 8: Florence and Pisa

   Morning in Florence for the cathedral dome, the Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria; afternoon at the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

8. 08

   Day 9: Train to Rome

   High-speed train to Rome, about an hour and a half. Afternoon at the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, evening at the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona.

9. 09

   Day 10: Vatican and fly home

   Morning at St Peter's Square and the Vatican, then transfer to Rome airport for your flight to the UAE.

Want Venice? Swap Florence for a night in Venice on day 7, with a gondola or vaporetto ride, and take the train from Venice to Rome on day 9, about four hours. Four countries in ten days is possible but leaves little free time; for a longer route, see the 14-day version in the price table.

Our escorted coach version of this route runs over 12 days: Paris, Disneyland, the Rhine Falls with a short boat ride, three nights in Switzerland, then Vaduz in Liechtenstein, Innsbruck and the Swarovski Crystal Worlds, Padova, Venice, Pisa, Florence and Rome. It suits travellers who prefer not to handle luggage on trains.

Many families mix the two: an independent stay in Paris and Switzerland, where trains are easy, and a guided day in Rome or the Vatican, where a guide saves time in queues. A private driver for one or two days, in Switzerland for example, is another option for families with young children or older parents.

Buy travel insurance for your trip before your visa appointment: Schengen embassies ask for a policy with at least EUR 30,000 of medical cover that is valid in all Schengen countries for every day of the trip. Medical care in Europe is expensive for visitors, and insurance also covers delays, lost luggage and cancellations if you choose that cover.

Keep your passport in a zipped inside pocket in busy places such as the Paris metro, the Eiffel Tower area and Rome's stations, where pickpockets target tourists. Leave a copy of every document on your phone and with a family member at home.