Whether you are on the hunt for historic architecture in Rome a romantic gondola ride in Venice or explore Slovenia's still relatively undiscovered jewel - Lake Bled - this short tour offers you all this and more. It takes you to the heart of Italy's gems, visits both rural and urban Croatia which is home to some of the most magnificent coastal scenery in Europe. We end with a Viennese whirl in Austria's capital.

Come and learn more about Rome's Pantheon on our included walking tour, visit St Mark's Square and the Bridge of Sighs in Venice. Use your free time to visit museums, galleries and cafes.

Venice. Today we will be departing the hotel at a modest time to make our way into the historical center of Venice by boat. This is an exhilarating journey back in time. We disembark near St. Mark’s Square where we will see the amazing St Mark’s Basilica. Venice is full of quaint shops, restaurants and thousands of pigeons! It is also famous for its glass blowing; your tour leader will organize a demonstration of this traditional Venetian craft for you. You can also take an optional ride on one of Venice’s famous gondolas with one of the Casanova's of the waterways! (25 €per person).

You will have the afternoon free to spend time in the Doge’s Palace, cross the famed Bridge of Sighs, visit the beach on the Lido, catch a water bus along the Grand Canal, visit one of Venice’s 200 churches, wander around the Rialto bridge and markets or take a break in one of the many tiny street side bars and cafes.

Dinner is not included this evening but Venice is filled with lots of cafes and restaurants in charming locations. By evening, St Mark’s Square comes alive with orchestras and people waltzing on the pavements.

Istria peninsula to Split.  A long driving day but worth it for the spectacular scenery which we will experience.  Keep your cameras ready as the road winds its way along the Dalmatian Coast to Split, the largest city on the Adriatic coast.  Arriving late afternoon, your tour leader will give a brief coach orientation tour pointing out the Diocletian's Palace, now a World Heritage Site, the Cathedral of St Anastasia, the refurbished harbourside and the maze of shopping streets.

After time to freshen up, there will a group dinner. 

Split to Ljubljana.   Today we will drive 420km, leaving Croatia behind us and arriving in the tiny country of Slovenia with its big Slavic heritage.  There will be a brief orientation tour of the capital city, Ljubljana, en route to our hotel.  This is a city of cobble streets, fashionable boutiques and stylish restaurants which line the banks of the emerald-green River Ljubljana.  Arriving mid afternoon there will be some free time for you to explore the old town or view the cityscape from Castle Tower.

Tonight we will enjoy a group meal.

Vienna - Coach Free Day.   Today you have free to explore this regal city.  The public transport system is smooth and effective and your tour leader will advise you how to find your way around. 

Vienna is renowned as the city of music, and if you wish your tour leader can organise tickets to a Mozart or Strauss concert. You may like to visit the Hofburg Imperial Palace, Schonbrunn Summer Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, or one of Vienna's numerous museums.  Perhaps you might fancy venturing off to the Prater fun park and enjoying some of the rides including the giant Ferris Wheel.

Dinner is not included this evening

NO accommodation is included on Day 10.

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers.

Twitter – A method of communication that is rapidly gaining in popularity on the Internet especially amongst travelers. Twitter allows you to send short messages and update your friends and family with where you are on tour and what you are doing. Create your free account at http://twitter.com. Visit Kumuka’s page on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kumuka

Facebook – Very popular website that allows you to upload stories, get in touch with fellow travellers before and after your Kumuka tour, upload photos and videos to share with other travellers, your family and friends. To create a free account, go to www.facebook.com and then become a fan of Kumuka’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kumuka-Worldwide/26617121087?ref=ts

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!

Please be aware that arrival times and the itinerary may change due to unforeseen delays or events such as festivals and public holidays. However, we shall endeavour to ensure all sites are visited and that your tour runs smoothly.As you will have read there are coach free days written into the itinerary. The reason for this is that EU law dictates that coach drivers are restricted to the number of hours they can drive in any one day and that they must have at least one day off in seven. Due to this and also for your convenience we try to get hotels that are close to public transport and centrally located. Public transport in Europe is of a good standard.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours. All clients MUST be insured to cover personal accident, medical expenses, cancellation, curtailment and repatriation. It is also very important that your insurance policy is relevant to the Kumuka style of travel. Kumuka offers a specially negotiated insurance policy specifically tailored to adventure travel. As well as providing substantial cover for medical emergency, cancellation and curtailment, personal luggage, money and valuables and legal expenses, this insurance will also provide cover for the adventure activities you may choose to undertake whilst on tour. Please call us on the Kumuka freephone number 0800 068 8855 (UK only), or on 1300 667 277 in Australia, for further information.

No client will be allowed on tours without suitable insurance. If you have already arranged insurance elsewhere, please be aware that many of the optional activities such as bungy jumping or water rafting may not be covered on your policy. If you plan on doing any of these activities please purchase additional insurance.

At the start of your tour you will be asked to present your original policy document and complete an insurance information form. We recommend that you have a photocopy of this document, which you keep separate from the original.

Please note: you will not be permitted to join a Kumuka Tour without travel insurance.

It is important that you obtain the appropriate visas before you embark on your Europe trip. Country entry regulations change daily, www.kumuka.com provides you with visa information. Please consult your relevant embassy for all details such as opening hours or costs. Visas cannot be obtained once you have started your tour, and during the peak summer months it can take longer than normal to get visas, please allow extra time to do this.

EACH CLIENT IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING ALL NECESSARY VISAS BEFORE JOINING A TOUR.

Please note:  If you require a Schengen visa, please ensure that you obtain a double entry visa for Germany.

Kumuka does not accept responsibility for changes in regulations or requirements for visas. The information provided is given in good faith.

For detailed climate information see www.kumuka.com.

Travel Tip: Always bring a lightweight, waterproof jacket and/or an umbrella even during the height of summer - this should prepare you for anything!

We recommend an average of €40-50 per day. This of course depends on your own spending habits, the number of optional excursions you wish to take and the amount of additional snacks, souvenirs and drinks you wish to buy along the way. Be aware that some countries are more expensive than others and that if you are travelling through several your expenses will vary enormously. Similarly there will be some days when you spend nothing at all and others when you exceed your budget.

• We advise that you carry a mixture of cash, credit/debit cards and travellers cheques with you on your trip and that these are in Euros.
• We suggest that you record your travellers cheque numbers and keep these records separate from your cheques.
• American Express and Thomas Cook Travellers Cheques (with the exception of Spain and Portugal) are most widely accepted. 
• Credit cards are accepted virtually everywhere in Europe. They can also be used to obtain money from ATMs. You should make sure you know your PIN number.
• ATM cards can be used widely in Europe. Again, you will need your PIN. Your bank will provide you with more details.
• Euro cheques are now valid for all EU countries except the UK, Switzerland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. The Euro has come into effect as a cash currency from 2002.

How much should I take?

• Because of limited luggage space on coaches and Eurostar, we must limit each passenger to ONE main suitcase or frameless backpack and one day bag.
• Your main bag must not weigh more than 20 kg’s.
• A frameless or internally framed backpack is the best way to carry your belongings since it is easy to lift on and off vehicles.
• A small daypack is practical for keeping general items (e.g. camera, books, wallets etc.) at hand when your main pack is out of reach. It is also handy for day trips and excursions. We also recommend that you keep your passport, credit cards Travellers Cheques etc. on you at all times, preferably in a money belt worn under your clothes.

TRAVEL TIP: You might be tempted to buy a few souvenirs here and there, so leave a little room for those extra purchases!

Vegetarians or those with special dietary needs can also be catered for however in some countries the type of food may be limited. Please let the Reservations team know your special requirements as soon as possible so we can do all possible to assist your needs.

We provide hearty meals, which are paid for through your Tour Fund. This will be indicated on your travel voucher, which must be presented to your tour leader at the pre-departure meeting on first day of the tour.

The variety of food will differ, as you will be visiting a number of different countries. We try to ensure that you get the most experience from your Kumuka Europe trip and one of the ways to do this is by trying local cuisine.

Under no circumstances are any illegal drugs allowed on any part of the trip. Anyone discovered in possession of any such drugs, will be asked to leave the tour immediately without question or refund.

English will be widely spoken in the major tourist attractions of the main cities. Take the time before your trip to read up on the country you will be visiting and perhaps learn a few words of the language. Your effort will always be welcomed and will make your trip all the more enjoyable.

You might like to read up on the destinations that you are about to visit as these cities all have interesting sites and histories. We recommend a variety of guidebooks such as Lonely Planet, The Rough Guide and Insight Guides. All these publications have good general information as well as more specific country information that will help orientate you in the countries you visit.