Northern Lights and Lapland with Magnificent Europe

Welcome to Helsinki. We'll meet you on arrival and transfer you to your hotel.

This evening, come together for a welcome reception. Stay: Helsinki, Hotel Kamp

This morning after breakfast, board your included flight to Rovaniemi and travel out to your accommodation, where you will stay in a glass igloo for two nights.

This evening, be shown how to take the best pictures on your own camera, which will come in handy should you see the Northern Lights.

Later, snuggle in and feel as if you're sleeping in the open air, while being warm and cosy inside. If you're lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the ethereal Northern Lights from your igloo. Stay Two Nights: Rovaniemi, Arctic Snow Hotel & Glass Igloos (B/D)

• Visit a reindeer farm and set out on a sleigh ride before feeding the reindeer.

• Perhaps embark on an active snowshoe excursion. A local expert guide will lead you along an incredible series of snow-covered forest trails. Alternatively, set out for an ice fishing excursion at a near by lake.

• Enjoy a sleigh ride pulled by a team of husky dogs.

Transfer to Rovaniemi airport for your included return flight to Helsinki.

On arrival, take a guided tour of the Iitalla & Arabia Design Centre, where you'll learn about the history of Finnish ceramic art and glass design. Stay Two Nights: Helsinki, Hotel Kamp (B)

Enjoy a guided exploration of Helsinki's best sites today, starting with a visit to Temppeliaukio, the famous ‘Rock Church'. In Sibelius Park, view the Sibelius Monument before moving on to the Olympic Stadium and the impressive Oodi Library. Stroll along the city's main street, Mannerheimintie, and see its many exquisite buildings, including the Opera House, Alvar Aalto and the National Museum.

Tonight, savour a farewell dinner. (B/D)

Take an included flight to Amsterdam, then board your ship for your Magnificent Europe river cruise. Stay 14 Nights: Concerto River Ship (B/D)

• Perhaps cruise the canals on a glass-top boat or visit Zaanse Schans – known for its windmills and specialty produce.

• On a visit to Namedy Castle, wander about the rooms and grounds, then enjoy a cocktail party.

• You might like to take a gondola ride or visit Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. Alternatively, visit a historic wine cellar for a tasting of Rhine Valley wines.

Step ashore in Miltenberg and set out on a guided exploration before time at leisure. (B/L/D)

• Seize the day and walk to the 18th-century Wurzburg Residence. Alternatively, travel to Rothenburg or join a hike to Marienberg Fortress.

Sail to Bamberg, where you'll join a guided exploration with a local expert. (B/L/D)

• Perhaps journey through Nuremberg's history with its Gothic churches and World War II sites. r join a tour focused on Nuremberg's medieval history.

In Regensburg, explore its atmospheric World Heritage-listed city centre. With a history dating back to the Roman times, this incredible city was the first capital of Bavaria. (B/L/D)

• Be welcomed by a Jagdhornblaser – a hunting horn blower – into a rustic, traditional restaurant on the Gaisberg mountain overlooking Salzburg. Enjoy a welcome drink as you soak in the scenery before savouring a delicious lunch, followed by a ‘Sound of Music' show.

Visit the statuary-adorned Melk Abbey. Cruise through the Wachau Valley to Dürnstein, where you'll roam its cobblestoned lanes at your leisure. (B/L/D)

• After dinner, head to the princely family of Liechtenstein's City Palace in the heart of Vienna, where we have arranged an exclusive cocktail party and private recital, just for you. A full orchestra will perform classical masterpieces by Mozart and Strauss. You will also be enchanted by an operatic recital and a performance by some members of the Mozart Boys' Choir.

• Perhaps visit the historic 1,441-room Schoonbrunn Palace and its magnificent gardens. Or tick another country off your list and journey to Slovakia's Bratislava.

Enjoy a morning city tour of Budapest taking in its historic monuments, including Fisherman's Bastion and Heroes' Square. The afternoon is at leisure to further explore. (B/L/D)

Sadly, the time has come to say goodbye and be transferred to the airport. (B)