Discover the magical land of the Alsace - where you will find vestiges of German and French customsblended intricately together. Marvel at the fairytale, picturesque villages and take in the expansive views of vineyards for as far as the eye can see in this rolling terrain. After your short city stay in Paris, you will be sure to welcome the relaxed pace of life in this rural area. Spend a night in Strasbourg where you can appreciate the eye catching architecture and meander along the water ways, before starting your hiking trip. Your daily walking routes are clearly laid out for you on a detailed and highlighted map as well as with detailed route notes and you will be transfered from the start and finish points each day as needed to ensure you get to walk in the prettiest areas of Alsace. Stay in charming towns and villages throughout and enjoy the wonderful, friendly locals as you sample many regional dishes and of course - local wine!

Paris is confident that it's the world's most beautiful, fashionable and artistic capital. After visiting the city you will no doubt find it hard to disagree. Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with over 30 million foreign visitors per year. Three of the most famous Parisian landmarks are the twelfth century cathedral Notre Dame de Paris on the Île de la Cité, the nineteenth century Eiffel Tower, and the Napoleonic Arc de Triomphe. The city's most prized museum is the Louvre, though there are dozens of other important ones.

Enjoy a private airport transfer in Paris in a private vehicle with a professional driver.

There are so many things to do and see in Paris it is hard to know where to start! Within the city you can choose from any number of private guided tours - of neighbourhoods or places of interest such as the Louvre or with a focus on architecture. Consider a few hours with a personal shopper, or a guided tour in a vintage car through one of the neighbourhoods. If you are interested in doing something further afield consider a day trip to Chatres, Giverny (known because of Monet's paintings), Versailles, Normandy or Burgundy. A fun way to spend an afternoon is by hot air balloon - this is possible to do in the Parisian countryside. Please ask your Sale Advisor if you are interested in any of these optional tours and activities.

Paris takes on a different hue at night and, with many of the magnificent buildings aglow which make it is possibly the best time to admire the beauty of the city. There are plenty of options to choose from for evening entertainment including an early evening wine tasting in a beautiful, airy Parisian loft of a French sommelier located close to the lively Marais district, a dinner cruise, a cabaret show, dinner in the Eiffel tower followed by a night-time cruise, or an evening tour of the city with many of the historical buildings aglow.

Hotel Astor Saint-Honore (4*), is located in the Rive Droite of Paris on Rue D’Astorg, an extraordinarily tranquil street, nestled in the grandeur of Paris. Situated between the Place de la Madeleine and the rue Fauborg St Honore, a street that features luxurious shopping, the hotel is within walking distance from the Champs Elysees and numerous art galleries. Hotel Astor Saint-Honore offers 130 rooms and suites, distributed over 7 floors, each are individaully conceived in every detail of the furnishings and color palette. The hotel also features a restaurant, a bar with lounge and a fitness room.

Overnight at Astor Saint Honore (4*).

The picturesque town of Colmar is situated along the Alsatian Wine Route and considers itself to be the "Capital of Alsatian Wine". It is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. Colmar is the home town of the painter and engraver Martin Schongauer and the sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi, who designed the Statue of Liberty. The city is renowned for its well preserved old town, its numerous architectural landmarks and its museums, among which the Unterlinden Museum.

Transfer using a local taxi (available and economical).

Enjoy the direct train ride from Paris to Strasbourg. The ride is approximately 2.5 hours in length.

Avail of a private transfer between Strasbourg and Colmar.

Enjoy a 2 hour private guided walking tour of the town of Colmar.

Located in the heart of the pretty town of Colmar, between the Dominican Church and the Unterlinden Museum, the Maison des Tetes(4*) Hotel is one of the most beautiful and most representative houses of Colmar. A part of this magnificent 17th century house is built in the ancient ditch of the surrounding walls. Since 1898, la Maison des Têtes has been a restaurant and a meeting-place. Nearly 100 years later, Carmen and Marc Rohfritsch now offer you a wonderful break in a hotel full of the local atmosphere. The 18 rooms will enchant you and ensure your stay will be memorable. There are pedestrian zones and touristic sites nearby.The on-site restaurant serves tasty, regional cuisine.

Overnight at La Maison des Tetes (4*).

Avail of a short transfer out of Colmar to the charming vineyard village of Eguisheim - one of the most authentic villages of the region.

Before starting your walk, be sure to take some time to explore the quaint village of Eguisheim. Enjoy a beautiful vineyard walk from Eguisheim to Turkheim, with great views onto the Vosges mountains in behind you, and the villages tucked into the curves above the plains below. Take some time in Turkheim: this wonderful old town is encircled in ramparts and adorned by many renaissance structures.

At the end of your hike today you will transfered the short distance to Colmar.

Dinner is on your own tonight, but you will be armed with some great restaurant recommendations which you can choose from.

Overnight at La Maison des Tetes (4*).

Alsace is a party..." Wrote Emile Baas. And it is when you visit Ribeauvillé that you understand the full meaning of this sentence. Here the ancient walls, the streets, the old houses and their wood beams are always decorated just waiting for the first note of music. Ribeauvillé has a long History. It is first mentionned under "Ratbaldovillare" in an official document circa 768 AD. It meant "Villa of Ratbold", in old german "Ratbold" signified "the boldest man of the counsel". It was the Counts of Ribeaupierre who were the last lords of the town before the french revolution. Masters of great and little things, the Lords of Ribeaupierre were also the protectors of the travelling musicians and actors who filled the town every 8th of septembre, birthday of the virgin Mary. This tradition is still alive nowadays, visitors from around the world gather in Rieauvillé to see traveling musicians put up a tribute show for their ancient sponsors.

This morning you will take a short transfer after breakfast from Colmar to Kaysersberg, the home of Dr Schweitzer, and a beautiful 13th century castle.

Today you have a stunning walk with some climbing past more castles and a popular auberge at the summit, where you can have lunch. From there you will have a long and beautiful descent into Ribeauville, and to your charming hotel, just outside of the village.

Perching on high ground, in the outskirts of the town of Ribeauville and with endless views of the Alsace vineyards, Le Clos Saint Vincent hotel (4*) is inextricably linked with the world of wine. The menu displayed in the restaurant bears testimony to this with its range of great wines. The comfortable rooms are decorated with 19th century furniture and fully equipped with TV, bathroom and minibar. It features excellent facilities, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Relax in the heated indoor swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, fitness centre and massage centre on site. Spa treatments are available on request. There is also a reading room, garden and traditional terrace.

Overnight at Le Clos Saint Vincent (4*).

Transfer this morning up to Haut Koenigsberg, the most famous castle of Alsace. The neo-gothic castle is nestled at a strategic location on a high hill overlooking the Alsatian plain; as a result it was used by successive powers from the Middle Ages until the Thirty Years' War when it was abandoned. In 1900 it was restored under the direction of Emperor Wilhelm II. You can visit the castle before starting your walk.

This is a great walk, with spectacular views, which ends in the “Minstrel’s Village, Ribeauvillé, and to your hotel for a second nights stay.

Overnight at Le Clos Saint Vincent (4*).

Obernai is a town and commune in Alsace, France. It lies in the Bas-Rhin département, south-west of Strasbourg, on the eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains, with a population of 11,000. Obernai is an important center of wine and beer production as well as a touristic destination. The industrial activity features the following companies: Hager, Kronenbourg, Triumph, Sobovia, Supra and Stoeffler. The historical wine of the city is called the Vin du Pistolet in reference to a local legend.

This morning you will take a short transfer from Ribeauville to just outside of Scherwiller, at the foot of the Castles of Ortenberg and Ramstein.

Walk from Schwiller this morning, following the peak of the hill, and continue, along hillside paths, until you descend back towards the vineyards and Barr, just outside of Obernai. Barr, a wine-growing village located near Strasbourg, is nestled up in the vineyard covered hills.

A short transfer from Barr takes you into Obernai with its beautiful half-timbered houses and the home of Sainte Odile - patron saint of Alscae.

The Hotel "à la Cour d'Alsace" is located in the meticulously restored Medieval old town of Obernai in Alsace. This former manor house and wine cellar of the distinguished Baron De Gail family gave rise to a hotel whose refined courtly character conveys an atmosphere of intimacy to its guests. Original wooden-beamed ceilings, painstakingly refurbished half-timbering, and the artistic witnesses of centuries past create a link between the guest and the culture and history of Alsace, its cuisine and hospitality. Each room features a spacious bathroom, safe, minibar, and cable TV with programming in various languages, in addition to direct national and international phone access. The cuisine of "Le Jardin des Remparts" Restaurant offers haute cuisine in the exquisitely furnished restaurant, an attractive example of tradition-conscious contemporary interior design. The tavern is in the lovely restored former vaulted-ceiling wine cellar of the Gail manor house, and hearty Alsatian specialit

Overnight at La Cour d`Alsace (4*).

Your short transfer this morning leaves you in Hohwald to start the walk back to Barr.

at 570metres, Hohwald is a small ski station in the Winter time, and is illed with mountain charm in the Spring and Smmer. Start your hike today from here as you make your way towards Obernai. This is a relatively long, beautiful hike which starts high up in the hills over Obernai, and passes the ruins of the Abbey of Truttenhausen, before heading down, protected in a fold of the mountain and with spectacular views of the vineyard region and villages below you.

Overnight at La Cour d`Alsace (4*).

Strasbourg is a world heritage UNESCO site, located close to the border with Germany, and provides the perfect base to explore the surrounding Alsace wine region. The city exudes charm, and has a rich and fascinating story to tell. Having been in German hands for some eight centuries, there is still a strong influence on everyday culture, ever-present in the local Alsace dialect, medieval architecture, hearty cuisine and colourful place names. The heart of the old city lies within the arms of the River Ill, forming a small island. It’s magnificent Gothic cathedral, around which the city has grown, dominates the centre and should be the first stop for visitors to the city. The medieval past is most strongly felt along the winding cobbled streets of the "Petite France" area, where tanners and weavers once resided.

Avail of a private transfer with professional driver and air conditioned vehicle from Obernoi to Strasbourg. The journey should take approximately 30 minutes.

Consider having a Professional English speaking Guide join you for a three hour guided walking tour of historical Strasbourg. Please speak to your Sales Advisor if this is of interest to you.

Part of the Grandes Etapes de France group, the wonderful Chateau de l'Ile hotel is situated 6 km from Strasbourg, ideally located in a 4 hectare park within a tree-lined bend in the Ill River. With its half-timbered style and flowery balconies, it reflects traditional Alsatian architecture and is ideally suited to discover the region. The hotel has a traditional brasserie and gastronomic restaurant as well as the Ile Spa. The 62 rooms are decorated with elegance in the spirit of the 18th and 19th centuries and offer pleasant views over the Ill River or the typical village of Ostwald.

Overnight at Chateau de l`Ile (4*).

Avail of a train station transfer in a private vehicle with a French speaking driver.

Enjoy the direct train ride from Strasbourg to Paris. The ride is approximately 2.5 - 3 hours in length.

Kensington Tours donates a portion of proceeds to our charitable initiative www.kensingtoncares.com which supports education-based initiatives in disadvantaged communities.

Depart from International Airport. End of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart (Int`l Airport) (standard).