Discovery Escapes · Europe
Luxury Europe Tours
Five-star hotels, private specialist guides, exclusive access before the crowds. Luxury European travel from €2,999 per person.
5★
Hotels Throughout
Private
Guides & Transport
Exclusive
Dawn & After-Hours Access
€100
Deposit to Confirm
What Luxury Means
What Sets a Luxury Europe Tour Apart
Luxury European travel is not about the price of the hotel. It is about the quality of the experience at every level — the specialist who guides you through the Vatican at 7am before a single other visitor has entered, the Tuscan winery that opens its cellars for a private dinner after the public tours have ended, the Amalfi boat that takes you to a sea cave accessible only at low tide with nobody else there.
Discovery Escapes designs luxury tours around these experiences first — then builds in the 5-star hotels, private vehicles, and exclusive access to match. Every guide is a leading expert in their subject. Every hotel is chosen for position and quality of service, not just star rating. And every itinerary has the space in it that transforms famous sites from impressive to genuinely moving.
Plan My Luxury TourExclusive Luxury Experiences
Exclusive Experiences — Only on Luxury Tours
Luxury Tour Hotels
Five-Star Hotels on Luxury Tours
Rome — Hotel de Russie
The Valentino's family hotel on the Via del Babuino — a 5-star property with the finest location in Rome, 5 minutes from the Piazza del Popolo and 10 from the Vatican. Garden terrace, Stravinskij Bar.
Paris — Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg
The finest 5-star boutique in central Paris — 5 minutes from the Élysée Palace, a 15-minute walk from the Louvre. Belle Époque architecture and a rooftop bar above the 7th arrondissement.
Athens — Hotel Grande Bretagne
On Syntagma Square facing the Greek Parliament. The finest hotel in Athens, 10 minutes from the Acropolis, with a rooftop restaurant and bar at the finest viewpoint in the city.
Santorini — Katikies Oia
Cliff-side cave suites directly above the caldera in Oia. The most spectacular hotel position in the Cyclades — private terrace, plunge pool, and the legendary Oia sunset from your room.
Luxury Tours
Our Luxury Europe Tours
10 Days · Luxury Italy & Greece
Luxury Rome, Amalfi & Santorini
Hotel de Russie Rome, cliff-side Positano hotel, Grande Bretagne Athens, Katikies Oia. Private dawn Vatican, private Acropolis, private Amalfi boat, caldera cave suite.
€3,999 per person
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10 Days · Luxury France & Italy
Luxury Paris, Nice & Rome
Sofitel Le Faubourg Paris, Hotel Negresco Nice, Belmond Villa San Michele Florence, Hotel de Russie Rome. Private Louvre morning, private Versailles, private Uffizi.
€3,799 per person
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12 Days · Luxury Spain
Luxury Spain & Morocco
The Majestic Hotel Barcelona, Ritz Madrid, Alhambra Palace Granada. Private Alhambra evening, private flamenco in Seville, add 3 nights Marrakech at Royal Mansour.
€4,299 per person
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7 Days · Luxury Greece
Luxury Athens & Santorini
Hotel Grande Bretagne Athens, Katikies Oia, Bill & Coo Mykonos. Private dawn Acropolis, private caldera sailing cruise, Delos private morning visit.
€3,499 per person
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14 Days · Luxury Grand Tour
Luxury European Grand Tour
The Savoy London, Georges V Paris, Belmond Villa San Michele Florence, Hotel de Russie Rome, Grande Bretagne Athens, Katikies Oia. The finest luxury European tour available.
€5,999 per person
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Custom
Bespoke Luxury Europe
Tell us your vision — any combination of countries, any duration, any level of hotel. Discovery Escapes designs luxury tailor-made European tours for any itinerary.
From €2,999 per person
View TourSample Luxury Itinerary
Luxury Italy & Greece — 10 Days
Sample luxury itinerary. Fully customisable — hotels, route, and exclusive experiences adjusted to your preferences.
01
Rome
🏨 Hotel de Russie — Via del Babuino
Private airport transfer in luxury vehicle. Evening: the Stravinskij Bar at the Hotel de Russie, then dinner at La Pergola (the only 3-Michelin-star restaurant in Rome, pre-bookable by Discovery Escapes).
02
Vatican Before Opening
🏨 Hotel de Russie
7am private Vatican: the Sistine Chapel in complete silence, the Raphael Rooms with morning light, a private art historian for 2 hours. Public opens at 9am — you are finished before the crowds arrive. Afternoon free: Trastevere or the Prati neighbourhood.
03
Private Colosseum & Roman Forum
🏨 Hotel de Russie
Private archaeologist guide: the Colosseum hypogeum (underground network), the arena floor, the Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Private lunch reservation at Il Pagliaccio (2 Michelin stars, Trastevere).
04
Private Car South
🏨 Palazzo Murat Positano or similar — cliff-side
Private luxury car to Positano (3 hours via the coast road). Check-in to your cliff-side hotel above the harbour. Dinner at La Tagliata on the mountain above Positano — the finest view on the Amalfi Coast.
05
Amalfi, Ravello & Capri
🏨 Palazzo Murat Positano
Private boat at 9am: Positano sea caves, lunch at anchor in the Bay of Salerno, Capri Blue Grotto at low tide (weather-dependent), Faraglioni rocks. Return via Positano at sunset.
06
Private Archaeologist — Pompeii
🏨 Palazzo Murat Positano
Private morning at Pompeii with specialist archaeologist. Private transfer to Naples Airport or Frecciarossa to Florence (3hrs for Florence extension).
07
Private Acropolis at Dawn
🏨 Hotel Grande Bretagne — Syntagma Square
Flight Athens. Evening: the Grande Bretagne rooftop restaurant above the illuminated Acropolis — the finest dinner view in Athens.
08
Private Acropolis & Agora
🏨 Hotel Grande Bretagne
Early morning private Acropolis (before 8am opening in summer, by specialist arrangement). The Parthenon, Erechtheion, and the Ancient Agora with a licensed archaeologist. Afternoon: the Acropolis Museum.
09
Ferry or Private Flight
🏨 Katikies — Oia caldera suite
Morning ferry (5hrs, scenic) or private flight (45min) to Santorini. Check-in to caldera cave suite at Katikies Oia — private terrace above the sea. Private caldera sailing cruise at sunset (€200pp).
10
Akrotiri & Private Morning
🏨 –
Private morning: Akrotiri guided tour (Bronze Age city under volcanic ash). Private transfer to airport. Optional extension: 2 nights Mykonos, or direct onward flight.
Luxury Traveler Reviews
What Luxury Tour Travelers Say
★★★★★
"The private dawn Vatican is the single most extraordinary cultural experience we have ever had. The Sistine Chapel in absolute silence at 7am. Our art historian speaking at normal volume in a room where, three hours later, 300 people would be whispering. Indescribable."
10-Day Luxury Tour
★★★★★
"The Katikies cave suite in Santorini was everything we hoped for and more. Waking up with the caldera 300 metres below our private terrace, the morning light on the volcanic cliffs. We've stayed in 5-star hotels all over the world and nothing compares."
7-Day Luxury Athens & Santorini
★★★★★
"We asked Discovery Escapes to design a 14-day luxury grand tour for our 25th anniversary — London, Paris, Florence, Rome, Santorini. Every hotel was perfect, every guide was exceptional, and the private Tuscany winery dinner was the most memorable evening of the trip."
14-Day Luxury Grand Tour
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What 5-star hotels does Discovery Escapes use on luxury tours?
Key luxury hotels used: Hotel de Russie (Rome), Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg or Hotel d'Angleterre (Paris), Hotel Grande Bretagne (Athens), Katikies or Grace Santorini (Santorini), Bill & Coo (Mykonos), Hotel Arts Barcelona, Ritz Madrid, and the Belmond Villa San Michele (Florence). Hotels are confirmed at the time of booking and alternatives are discussed if availability is limited.
What is the private dawn Vatican experience?
Private early morning Vatican access (7am, before the 9am public opening) is available to Discovery Escapes luxury tour clients. Access is limited to a maximum of 20 people per morning and must be arranged months in advance. This is the only way to experience the Sistine Chapel in silence. Pricing is available on request and varies by season.
Can I add a private Michelin-star restaurant reservation?
Yes — Discovery Escapes has relationships with the leading Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe and can arrange reservations as part of the luxury tour package. Key restaurants: La Pergola Rome (3★), Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester London (3★), Le Cinq Paris (3★), Disfrutar Barcelona (2★). Dinner costs are additional to tour pricing.
How far in advance should I book a luxury Europe tour?
Luxury tours should ideally be booked 3–6 months ahead. The private dawn Vatican books out 3–4 months ahead in peak season. The caldera cave suite at Katikies in Santorini and the Grande Bretagne Athens both book out very early for June–September. €100 deposit per person secures your dates.
Plan Your Luxury European Tour
Five-star hotels, private specialist guides, exclusive before-hours access. Tell us your vision — we design the finest luxury European itinerary for your dates.