Best of European Tours

As I have begun to study our summer tour in more detail, I can barely contain my excitement. I have Googled some of the less-familiar destinations and I am increasingly amazed by the breadth and depth of the places we will go.

Rick Steves and his tour company, Europe Through The Back Door promise:

Great Guides, Small Groups, No Grumps
For nearly 30 years, Rick Steves and his guides have combined the spontaneity of independent travel with the efficiency of touring — delivering maximum thrills per mile, minute and dollar.

Besides the expected highlights in Amsterdam, Paris, Venice, Florence, Rome (and more), here are some of the lesser known stops:

Cinque Terre (Quiet Italian Riviera)
Lauterbrunnen Valley (Swiss Alps)
Beaune (France's Burgundy region)
Neuschwanstein (Bavaria)
Reutte (Austria's Tirol region)
Dachau (German Concentration Camp)
Bacharach on the Rhine
Rothenburg (Bavaria)

Take time to give any of his tours serious consideration for whatever destination you hope to visit in the future.

venice, cinque terre & lauterbrunnen pics are from ricksteves.com