Get Social: Central & Southern Europe Highlights 2023

You wanted iconic, so where better to start than in the OG of classic capitals? Meet the crew in London, stock up on supplies and settle in as we make tracks for the City of Lights. The home of Coco Chanel, lil’ Mona and the world’s yummiest macarons – Paris has earnt its rep as the European capital for all things culture, fashion and cream-filled, carb-loaded deliciousness. Tick off all the showstoppers on a driving tour before tonight’s group dinner. Bon appétit!

We’ve given you 24 hrs to make every second count à Paris. Create a solid dent in your bucket list with a visit to the Louvre (book your tickets in advance!) and the Musée d'Orsay. Flash some plastic along the Champs Elysées. Discover the hidden gems down Paris’s backstreets. Walking not your thing? Give those calves a workout on an optional bike tour. Or soak up the Parisian vibes from the water while cruising the Seine. Tonight, dress to impress for an optional cabaret show. Think: sparking lights, death-defining acrobatics, the can-can and more feathers than are necessary.

Don’t drink your vino out of a cask? You’re gonna love the next stop. Bordeaux: where half the city is UNESCO World Heritage-listed and vineyards reign supreme. Get your bearings around this 1200-year-old city with our expert Trip Leader before enjoying some free time to explore. Dinner tonight is up to you. Just make sure you leave room for desert – you’re going to want to try a canelé (can-eh-lay). Trust us.

Peer out the window as we roll through the vineyard-covered French Basque country into Spain. Smell that sweet coastal air: welcome to San Sebastián! This arvo = possibilities. Join the crowds of beachgoers at La Concha. Jump on a ride at one the oldest theme parks in the world. Or take a cold beer up Urgull Hill for incredible views over the bay. Later, choose your pants wisely – if you’re embarking on a pintxos-bar-crawl tonight, you’re gonna need a LOT of room.

Onwards to the capital of Catalonia. Bienvenidos to the city of art nouveau, sexy accents and (most importantly) tapas. Get a feel for Barça on a driving tour – ticking of the likes of Olympic Park, Plaza Espanya, the National Museum and Montjuïc Hill. Then: round up the crew and track down some paella (it’s rice, it’s nice, don’t think twice). Later, there’s an optional show on the cards at the oldest flamenco tablaos in Barcelona. Embracing the new and exotic? Tick.

Time to do your own spontaneous-this-is-what-I-came-for thing, amigos. But if you need some suggestions, we’ve got your back. Park Güell and Sagrada Familia are straight-up must-sees. BUT don’t think you can just stroll up in there – you’re gonna need to book tix online first. Then: explore the crazy that is Las Ramblas, head to the ice bar along the beach, or get lost amongst the maze of winding alleys in the Gothic Quarter. Lose yourself, find yourself, then grab a beer. Tonight’s your last chance to see what Ed Sheeran was on about and hit the d-floor with your trip mates – we’re out of here in the morning.

Start practising your bonjours and s’il vous plaîts as we follow the Mediterranean coast to the glamorous French Riviera. After getting the run about Nice’s Old Town with our Trip Leader, the rest of the afternoon is up to you! Indulge in a bit of celeb spotting. Head to the beach for a dip. Or seek out some seriously good seafood. Tonight, hit up a local bar for happy hour with the gang. This is livin’.

Today, you do you! Laze on the beach (sunloungers advised). Or go wild in the designer boutiques in the town centre. Try all the decorative pastries your jeans can handle – then work them off with a walk up Castle Hill for alll the views. The choice is yours. Later: we’ll turn it up a notch with a boujee visit to Monaco. See how the 1% live (hint: it involves Ferraris and bathing in caviar), stroll by world-class casinos and let your jaw drop at the superyachts parked up along the waterfront.

Squeeze in one last swim. Down your (French) coffee. And wave au revoir to the coast – we’ll be trading ritz and glitz for snowy peaks as we head to the mountains. Glue your face to the window as we weave our way into one of the largest nature conservations in Switzerland. Tonight we're bunking down in the jaw-dropping Swiss Alps. Sit back in the fresh alpine air, sip on a cold beverage and peel open that new pack of playing cards. Poker, anyone?

If the Swiss Alps had a Tinder bio it would read: fun-filled outdoor enthusiast – looking for a fellow adrenaline junkie to share adventures with. Swiping right? Hell yes. Hiking. Biking. Skydiving. Helicopter-ing. This place has it all. Or keep two feet on the ground with a valley walk. You can even hop aboard the Jungfraubahn railway for a visit to the Jungfrau Mountain summit. Trust us, whatever you choose – your SD card is going to be full of amazing AF pics by the day’s end.

No lies – we have a bit of a drive today. Who’s got the AUX cord? We'll park up in the Floating City later this afternoon. Home to over 400 bridges and birthplace of Vivaldi, it’s time to see what all the fuss is about on a walking tour with our Trip Leader – ticking off the likes of St Mark's Square, Doge’s Palace and Accademia Bridge. Then, the rest is up to you. Our suggestion? Stop and embrace the moment. Enjoy a spritz or scoop (or two) of the good stuff overlooking one of Venice’s fuchsia-pink sunsets. This is it.

You know it as the Floating City, but this place is actually sinking (slowly). So get cracking! Do the obvious and take an optional gondola ride down the Grand Canal. You’re in Venice after all. Need some suggestions on how to make the most of your free time? Insider tip: head off the tourist trail with a trip to Giudecca Island. Seek out the epic Libreria Acqua Alta bookshop. Or get lost hunting down the perfect gelato. Centuries-old architecture. Inventive cuisine. And a bucket-load of culture. You’re not going to be bored.

We’re hitting the frog and toad after breakfast. First stop: Pisa. Think of a creative pose for THAT photo (please). Then, make your food baby sing as we roll into the capital of Tuscan cuisine. You’ve got free time to stroll along the Arno River and watch the sunset before hunting down some classic Italian grub. Later: did someone say karaoke? If you’re feeling it, join the gang in a battle of the classics at the bar later. Or hunt down a gelateria for a scoop (or two) of the good stuff – we mentioned it was invented here, right?

This morning we’re time travelling with a local guide – soaking up heaps of history, artistic charm and all the dazzling architecture only Florence can deliver. Uffizi Gallery? Tick. Ponte Vecchio? Uh-huh. Piazza della Signoria? Yep. And the showstopping Duomo? Of course. Then, bella Roma awaits – strap in for one EPIC walking tour. Pass by the Pantheon, (don’t) sit on the Spanish Steps, check out the mighty Colosseum and throw your spare cents in the Trevi Fountain. Legend has it if you throw one coin in the Fountain you’ll return to Rome. Throw in two, and you’ll find love here. Single ladies, assemble!

Vespas. Espresso. Two-cheek kisses. Aggressive hand gestures. And pizza the way it's supposed to taste. Here’s a free day we prepared earlier. Count your blessings on an optional tour of Vatican City, then get lost amongst two-and-a-half millennia worth of history. Head up Capitoline Hill for awesome views. Grab a bite at Lost Food Factory (arguably one of the best sandwich spots in town). Or as the locals do and indulge in a little dolce far niente (delicious idleness) at a local cafe or piazza. Tonight, get the gang together for one last group dinner – we’re gonna give this adventure-of-a-lifetime the send-off it deserves!

This is where we leave you #Topdeckers. But who said the adventure has to end? Swap those Insta handles and get planning – we hear Greece is lovely this time of year!