Length: 28 Days
2009-2010 Grades: 9,10,11,12
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Combine the Euro-Quest Mediterranean and Western experiences for a complete summer of European continental journeying in Italy, Slovenia, Holland, Belgium, France and England! Get the full flavor of Europe on this four-week transcontinental program.

PART 1 / Euro-Quest Mediterranean

Travel along the breathtakingly beautiful Mediterranean coast of Italy to the source of Western Civilization. Euro-Quest Mediterranean is a two-week teen travel experience that visits world-famous sites like the Coliseum, the Sistine Chapel, the leaning Tower of Pisa, the canals of Venice, the Vatican, and Michelangelo’s David sculpture.

Along the way, we walk in the footsteps of history in ancient Rome, explore the picturesque Tuscan countryside, hike in the Italian Alps, relax on the Mediterranean coast, and raft in the backcountry of neighboring Slovenia. Of course, we also make time to enjoy the delicious local Italian cuisine.

As a BBYO Passport experience, Euro-Quest Mediterranean is also about connecting with the unique history of the Jewish People in Italy. We visit centuries-old synagogues, spend a special Shabbat with the Jewish communities of Venice and Rome, and learn about the original ghetto of Venice and what it stood for.

PART 2 / Euro-Quest Western

Join us and travel to the grand capitals of Western Europe – Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, and London. Euro-Quest Western Europe is a two-week teen travel experience that visits world-famous sites like Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum, Buckingham Palace, the Champs-Elysees, and the canals of Amsterdam.

Along the way, we also include off-the-beaten-path experiences – a bicycling tour of windmills in the Dutch countyside, a visit to the Champagne region of France, and solemn reflections at the D-Day landing site on the beaches of Normandy.

As a BBYO Passport experience, Euro-Quest Western is also about connecting with the colorful history of the Jewish People in Europe. We visit centuries-old synagogues, spend a special Shabbat with the Jewish communities of London and Brussels, and confront the devastating effects of the Holocaust at the Anne Frank House and at Fort Breendonk.

Euro-Quest Continenal is a well-balanced combination of must-see touring, eye-opening Jewish experiences, and a unique opportunity to forge friendships with teens from around the world in the heart of Europe.

Itinerary Snapshot

• WEEK #1 / Milan, the Alps & Venice
  Fly from Great Britain to Italy, where the journey resumes in stylish Milan before heading north to the Italian Alps and the Boremeo Palace in the middle of Lake Maggiore. We continue eastwards to Verona - home of Romeo & Juliet - and then on to Venice where we will travel the canals by gondola and spend a special Shabbat in the historic Jewish Ghetto district.
  
  
• WEEK #2 / Florence, Pisa & Rome
  Week two begins with a side trip to neighboring Slovenia where we raft down the Soca River through some of Europe's most beautiful terrain. We then head due south to the Tuscan countryside and onto Florence and Pisa where we will climb a certain leaning tower. We conclude our experience in Rome, a city that is both ancient and stunningly modern, with visits to the Coliseum, the Pantheon, the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, and much more.

• WEEK #3 / Holland & Belgium
  Land in Amsterdam and the journey begins in this magical city of criss-crossing canals, the masterpieces of Van Gogh and the home of Anne Frank. In Holland, we also make time to explore the Dutch countryside, and learn how to make traditional cheeses. From Holland we head south to Belgium where we visit the diamond district of Antwerp, stop for a a moving visit at Fort Breendonk, the transit point to Auschwitz. We close out our first week with a relaxing Shabbat in Brussels, the headquarters of NATO, the European Union, and delicious Belgian chocolate!
  
  
• WEEK #4 / France & England
  Travel from Belgium to France via the picturesque countryside of Champagne. In Paris, we explore a city of world treasures, world class shopping, and world famous food. Walk under the Arc De Triumph, stroll along the Champs Elysses, tour the Palace of Versailles, and explore the paintings of Leonardo Da Vinci at the Louvre Museum. On our way to England, we break for a solemn visit to the D-Day Normandy landing on Omaha Beach before spending the night at sea crossing the English Channel. Our experience caps off in London with visits to famous sites like Big Ben, the Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace, and a special Shabbat in London meeting with local Jewish teens.

Learn More

• Sample Itinerary
• Trip FAQs
• Program-Wide FAQs
• Trip Video
• Register Now

How the Connection Works

As a connected experience, participating in this program actually means combining two separate experiences. At the end of the first program there will be a "bonus day" of touring for those in the group who are also making the connection. This following day is a flight to the next destination country with plenty of time for rest and relaxation before starting afresh with a new group. Trip connections are always supervised, and they are planned to give teens a break between experiences.

Sample Itinerary

We have provided the following sample itinerary to give you an idea of what this travel experience is all about. Keep in mind that the actual itinerary may vary from the schedule below. That said, this sample itinerary is meant to give you a taste of the overall program. A formal itinerary, including a list of accommodations and phone numbers, will be sent to you 4-6 weeks prior to the start of the program.

DAY #1 / Monday / Departure!
• Depart for Europe in the early evening from Newark
• Spend the night in the sky en route to Europe

DAY #2 / Tuesday / Milan & Lake Maggiore
• Land at Milan’s Malpensa Airport
• City tour of Milan – Italy’s stylish fashion capital
• Travel to the Lake Maggiore in northern Italy
• Boat ride to Bela Island and the stunning Boremeo Palace
• Overnight: Hotel Le Terrazze – Lake Maggiore, Italy

DAY #3 / Wednesday / The Italian Alps & Verona
• Day hike through the green mountains of the Italian Alps
• Travel to Verona - Home of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet
• Swoon under the balcony at “Juliet’s House”
• Overnight: Hotel Negrar – Verona, Italy

DAY #4 / Thursday / Venice
• Travel to Venice at the tip of the Adriatic Sea
• Explore the Jewish Ghetto of Venice and visit the Jewish Museum
• Evening Movie – William Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice”
• Overnight: Hotel Amadeus – Venice, Italy

DAY #5 / Friday / Mediterranean Beach
• Visit to a traditional Venetian glass-making factory on Murano Island
• Relaxed afternoon on a northern Italian beach
• Shabbat services & dinner with the local Jewish community in Venice
• Overnight: Hotel Amadeus – Venice, Italy

DAY #6 / Saturday / Shabbat in Venice
• Shabbat morning program
• Ride traditional gondolas along the canals of Venice
• Guided tour of Basilica di San Marco and the Ducale Palace
• Evening: Shop in San Marco Piazza – The main hub of Venice
• Overnight: Hotel Amadeus – Venice, Italy

DAY #7 / Sunday / Rafting in Slovenia
• Leave Italy and cross into Slovenia
• Raft down the Soca – One of Europe’s most beautiful rivers
• Boat ride to the Bled Castle in the middle of the glacial Lake Bled
• Bonfire under the stars at Lake Bled
• Overnight: Hotel Bor – Preddvor, Slovenia

DAY #8 / Monday / Italian Countryside
• Cross back into Italy and head southwards to Florence
• Tour of the Ferrari factory in Modena |
• Break for lunch in the colorful city of Bologna
• Evening: Shopping on the Ponte Vecchio – Florence’s "Old Bridge"
• Overnight: Hotel Columbus – Florence, Italy

DAY #9 / Tuesday / Florence, Italy
• Walking tour of Florence – Home to Da Vinci, Michaelangelo & Dante
• Marvel at Michelangelo’s world-famous David sculpture
• Take in the art of the Renaissance masters in the Uffizi Gallery
• Visit to the Grand Synagogue of Florence
• Overnight: Hotel Columbus – Florence, Italy

DAY #10 / Wednesday / Pisa, Italy
• Tour of Pisa and climb up the leaning Tower of Pisa
• Nature walk in the Tuscan countryside
• Travel southwards towards Rome
• Evening: Group night out along Rome’s “Spanish Steps”
• Overnight: Hotel Tempio di Pallade – Rome, Italy

DAY #11 / Thursday / Ancient Rome
• Tour of the Colosseum and the Forum – The heart of ancient Rome
• Cool off sampling local gelato at Trevi Fountain
• Go underground and explore the catacombs of Vigna Randanini
• Evening tour of the Pantheon Temple
• Shabbat with the local Jewish community of Rome
• Overnight: Hotel Tempio di Pallade – Rome, Italy

DAY #12 / Friday / The Vatican
• Walking tour of Vatican City
• Visit to St. Paul Cathedral and the Sistine Chapel
• Explore Rome’s Jewish Quarter
• Overnight: Hotel Tempio di Pallade – Rome, Italy

DAY #13 / Saturday / Shabbat in Rome
• Shabbat programming at local Rome synagogue
• Lunch with the Jewish community of Rome
• Closing session & review
• Evening: Closing dinner party in Rome
• Overnight: Hotel Tempio di Pallade – Rome, Italy

DAY #14 / Sunday / Ancient Pompei
• Explore Pompeii – The ancient Roman city buried by Mount Vesuvius
• Tour of Naples – Eat authentic Neapolitan pizza
• Afternoon: Beach time on the western coast of Italy
• Overnight: Hotel Tempio di Pallade – Rome, Italy

DAY #15 / Monday / Travel to Amsterdam
• Board flight from Rome to Amsterdam
• Walking tour of Amsterdam and relaxed afternoon at hotel
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Ijmuiden – Amsterdam, Netherlands

DAY #16 / Tuesday / Dutch Countryside 
• Join other Euro-Quest participants arriving to Amsterdam 
• Tour of traditional Dutch windmills
• Learn about Dutch cheese-making techniques at Clara Maria Farm
• Bicycle tour of the Dutch countryside
• Bowling activity & icebreakers in Amsterdam
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Ijmuiden – Amsterdam, Netherlands

DAY #17 / Wednesday / Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Orientation city tour of Amsterdam
• Explore the Jewish Museum and the “Portuguese Synagogue”
• Lunch and shopping time in Leidseplein Square
• Anne Frank House – Visit to the site of her hiding and diary entries
• Van Gogh Museum – View the masterpieces in his native Amsterdam
• Group night out strolling through the Leidseplein Square
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Ijmuiden – Amsterdam, Netherlands

DAY #18 / Thursday / Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Begin travel from Netherlands to Belgium
• Walking tour of Antwerp old city center and Jewish quarter
• Diamantmuseum – Learn all about diamonds in Europe’s diamond center
• Fort Breendonk – Transit point to Auschwitz for Belgian Jews during the Holocaust
• Arrive to Brussels in the early evening
• Overnight: Crowne Plaza Hotel – Brussels, Belgium

DAY #19 / Friday / Brussels, Belgium
• Visit to Belgiums’ Museum of Cocoa & Chocolate
• Lunch and shopping at “Grand Place” – The central square of Brussels
• Walk by the famous “Manneken Pis” fountain sculpture
• Visit to the European Union and NATO headquarters in Brussels
• Shabbat services at the Great Synagogue of Brussels
• Overnight: Crowne Plaza Hotel – Brussels, Belgium

DAY #20 / Saturday / Brussels, Belgium
• Shabbat programming and lunch
• Walking tour of Brussels and relaxed afternoon at the hotel pool
• Evening: Group night out at Hard Rock Café
• Overnight: Crowne Plaza Hotel – Brussels, Belgium

DAY #21 / Sunday / Travel to France
• Begin travel from Netherlands to Belgium
• Drive through the Champagne region of France towards Paris
• Tour of Paris’ stunning Notre Dame Cathedral
• Climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower!
• Evening: Cruise down the River Seine for view of Paris at sunset
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Roissy – Paris, France

DAY #22 / Monday / Paris, France
• Shopping along the Champs Elysees
• Walk under the Arc de Triomphe in downtown Paris
• View Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa painting at the Louvre Museum
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Roissy – Paris, France

DAY #23 / Tuesday / Paris, France
• Walking tour of the Paris Jewish Quarter
• Visit to the “Vel' d'Hiv Round-Up” Memorial
• Meet with a survivor and learn about the Nazi occupation of Paris
• Explore the palace of Versailles – Home to French Royalty and Mary Antoinette
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Roissy – Paris, France

DAY #24 / Wednesday / Normandy, France
• Head north through the countryside towards the English Channel
• Recount the D-Day Landing at Omaha Beach in Normandy
• Spend a solemn moment at Normandy’s U.S. military cemetery
• Visit to Caen’s Peace Museum
• Enjoy a memorable sunset on the Normandy Beaches
• Board ferry for overnight ferry bound for England
• Overnight: At sea on the English Channel

DAY #25 / Thursday / London, England
• Arrive at Portsmouth, England
• Begin travel northwards to London
• Witness the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace
• Stroll through London's Hyde Park
• Visit to Westminster Abbey and Big Ben
• Evening out at Piccadilly Circus
• Overnight: Hilton London Olympia Hotel – London, England

DAY #26 / Friday / London, England
• Relive the air raids on London in Churchill’s Imperial War Room
• Tour of the Tower of London – View the royal crown jewels
• Experience a local Shakespeare theater production
• Shabbat services & dinner with the local Jewish community
• Overnight: Hilton London Olympia Hotel – London, England

DAY #27 / Saturday / Shabbat in London
• Shabbat program in London
• Relax along the Thames River
• Closing dinner & night out in London
• Overnight: Hilton London Olympia Hotel – London, England

DAY #28 / Sunday / Return to New York
• Depart from Heathrow Airport in the morning
• Arrive back to Newark International Airport in the early afternoon

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