With Ballet at the Royal Opera House, Royal Albert Hall, National Theatre, Evensong at Westminster Abbey and Seasonal Concerts in London. Tours of Churchill War Rooms, Tower of London, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre;
In Paris: Opera Garnier, Bastille, Louvre, Saint-Chapelle, Notre-Dame, Seine Dinner Cruise, Dining atop the Eiffel Tower.
London is one of our favourite cities, with so much history and majesty in every direction. It is particularly welcoming at Christmas, like stepping back into the season that Dickens himself experienced. We will attend at least one performance at the Royal Ballet & Opera plus either a West End or Royal Shakespeare Company play (TBA) and a seasonal concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Our hotel is the Firmdale Covent Garden, a true gem, just a short walk from ROH. Touring will include Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Churchill War Rooms and Westminster Abbey and more.
Paris is magical at any time of year, but adding some holiday colour to the City of Light is sure to make for an unforgettable stay. For me, staying on the Left Bank is a must for experiencing the essence and romance of the city, and our 5-star hotel, the d'Aubusson, is the perfect base. We have developed an essential, yet relaxed and engaging itinerary of expert-guided private tours to complement a varied slate of performances at the city’s best venues. A dinner cruise on the Seine, lunch atop the Eiffel Tower, a performance at the famous Palais Garnier--what could be better?!
Only 16 spaces available. Click here to register.
ITINERARY
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23
Upon arrival at Heathrow or Gatwick, you are met and transferred to the Firmdale Covent Garden Hotel.
19.00 We meet this evening for a Welcome Cocktail Reception in the hotel’s Library (floor above the main floor).
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24
10.00 Following breakfast (included each day), we meet and depart by coach for a guided highlights tour of London (3 hrs.).
15.30 After lunch at leisure, gather and transfer to the Royal Albert Hall where we take in Carols at Christmas (16.30 curtain).
19.30 Enjoy Christmas Eve Dinner at Balthazar.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25
The morning is at leisure to celebrate in your own fashion or you can join our optional walking tour (TBA).
14.00 We depart for Evensong at Westminster Abbey.
16.00 After the service, we return to the hotel.
19.00 Meet in the hotel’s Brasserie Max for a festive Christmas Day Dinner.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26
10.00 This morning we tour either Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre or The Tower.
14.00 Afternoon Tea at The Savoy.
18.45 This evening we transfer to the National Theatre for a performance of End, starring Clive Owen (Closer) as Alfie and Saskia Reeves (Slow Horses) as Julie in this touching and funny play on a life well lived. Following the critically acclaimed Beginning and Middle, End is the final play in David Eldridge’s trilogy exploring love and relationships. Lyric Hammersmith Theatre Artistic Director Rachel O’Riordan (Romeo and Julie) directs.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27
10.15 Meet in the lobby and make our way to the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms for a private tour (11.00).
12.30 Return to the hotel.
17.00 We gather and walk to the Royal Opera House where we enjoy a pre-curtain dinner at the Opera House’s Crush Room, dating back to 1858.
18.45 We take our seats for a performance of the timeless holiday favourite, The Nutcracker. Coffee and dessert will be served during the interval.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28
This morning, we take the Eurostar (First Class) through The Chunnel to Gare du Nord in Paris, and then transfer to our Left Bank hotel, the 5-Star Villa-des-Prés, situated in the stylish and enchanting central Left Bank district of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, just a few steps from the Delacroix Museum and the iconic Boulevard Saint-Germain.
19.15 Tonight we dine at the legendary Le Procope.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 29
10.00 Following breakfast, we meet and depart for a highlights tour of The City of Light with my friend Virginie Rampal, the daughter-in-law of the late world-renowned flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal.
13.30 Lunch is included afterward at .
18.30 Transfer to the Opéra Bastille for a performance that is sure to be a feast for the senses: Roland Petit's ballet Notre-Dame de Paris.
For his first choreography at the Paris Opera in 1965, Roland Petit masterfully constructed a colourful fresco, as theatrical as it is intense, from Victor Hugo’s lavish novel Notre-Dame de Paris. Between the four main characters, the beautiful Esmeralda in love with Captain Phoebus, Frollo tormented by his desire, and the hunchback Quasimodo, the tragic tale unfolds against the backdrop of the Middle Ages populated by a fickle crowd, ever shifting from elation to cruelty.
Combining neoclassical language and the spirit of music-hall, Roland Petit surrounded himself with the leading creative artists of his time: Maurice Jarre for the music, René Allio for the sets and Yves Saint Laurent for the costumes, which he wanted to be “as colourful as the stained glass windows of a cathedral”. 19.30 curtain; 2 hours, including 1 interval.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30
09.30 Today we enjoy a private tour of the world’s greatest museum – The Louvre. We will focus on the history of the building, the highlights of the collection and some hidden gems along the way.
17.00 We enjoy an early dinner at the storied Café de la Paix.
19.00 We then cross the street and enter one of the most beautiful music venues ever built when we take in another ballet, this time at the glorious Palais Garnier.
The programme, entitled Contrasts, opens with two pieces by Trisha Brown. O złożony / O composite, created in 2004 for the Paris Opera Ballet, was an opportunity for the Company to experiment with “post-modern dance.” With this season’s addition to the repertoire of If you couldn’t see me, a solo danced back to the audience, the Opera is reinforcing its link with the emblematic New York avant‑garde choreographer, who died in 2017.
In Anima Animus, British choreographer David Dawson not only explores the masculine and the feminine, but also plays on the contrasts between technical virtuosity and lyrical poetry whilst employing classical vocabulary.
Finally, Imre and Marne van Opstal, brother and sister from the Netherlands, present their first work for the Paris Opera: Drift Wood. The symbol of driftwood, representing resilience, adaptability and abandonment, also reminds us of the beauty of nature and the passage of time.
2 hours 20 minutes, with 2 intervals.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31
10.00 Depart for a guided tour of Sainte-Chapelle and the Notre Dame.
19.00 Tonight we transfer to Port Debilly and board the Don Juan II for an unforgettable Michelin-starred dinner cruise on the Seine under the direction of Chef Frédéric Anton (of Restaurant Le Jules Verne).
THURSDAY, JANUARY 1
Enjoy the final morning at leisure.
14.00 Depart for our Farewell Lunch on the first level of the Eiffel Tower at Madame Brasserie.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 2
Departure transfers included. Details will be discussed on-site.
TOUR INCLUDES
Top Category seats for at least 2 operas, 4 concerts and 1 play
10 nights in Deluxe accommodation (5 at the Firmdale Covent Garden Hotel in London, 5 at Villa-des-Prés)
Full breakfast daily plus 10 additional meals
Private tours as listed
Airport-hotel transfers
On-site Tour Direction
Comprehensive Tour Guidebook
FLIGHTS
Flights are not included in tour pricing. Return flights should be booked to arrive in London (Heathrow or Gatwick) no later than 3pm on December 23, with departure from Paris any time on January 2.
TRANSFERS
We provide airport/rail station—hotel transfers for arrivals and departures within within 3 days of the start/end of our tour from the cities listed above. We also provide transfers for group meals and performances that are beyond a 10 minute walk.
MOBILITY
There is minimal walking with some stairs during the guided tours. As for all of our tours, we are happy to accommodate you regardless of your mobility level. Please make clear your mobility concerns at the time of registration. We provide transfers for group meals and performances that are beyond a 10 minute walk.
INSURANCE
We strongly recommend that all tour members purchase cancellation insurance upon registration. We can assist you with this, though you are welcome to purchase a policy at your own discretion. For more information about our travel insurance, click here.
Your Tour Director
Richard Koegl
For over three decades, Richard has journeyed to over 140 countries on all seven continents. His world is a daily immersion in cultural and educational realms which he passionately shares with fellow travelers and friends. An expert organizer and always engaging host, Richard has worked with Aria Tours since 2010.