As you probably know, around 4-6 weeks before you travel, Globus will send you information about possible optional tours. Your tour guide will pick some of the optional tours and make them available (not all optional tours are available).In Paris we saw the Louvre on our own while others pick an optional tour of Versailles. In Amsterdam, there is a tour of the Riksmuseum. The Rhine cruse was fun and a different pace lasting around (2) hours and went by small river towns and castles. You could get drinks and light meals on board. We never went to the Lion King in England, but it was available. Transportation that we took was normally public. In Amsterdam, we took a Tram, in London we used a all day Bus pass, in Paris we used the subway. We also do plenty of walking. Most of the time our hotel was not very close to where we wanted to go. However, in Lucern our hotel was in walking distance to the shopping areas. I don't know if you would say that there was any bargains in Europe, but you will have the opportunity to buy swiss army knives, Dutch diamons, Austrian crystal, Venician glass, Swiss/German clocks. Optional tours that we took were: Volendam and Dutch Dinner (very good) including windmills, Venetian night our (dinner and night sight seeing (good), Gondola serenade (very good),Mount Pilatus in Lucern very good (web sight
www.pilatus.com)Swiss Folklore Party (good), Country dinner (Bavaria (so so), Paris dinner and Illumination Drive (very good), La Nouvelle Eve (Paris cabaret- good), Buckingham Palace (good), Taste of London cruise (dinner and cruise) (very good). . Food that we bought was probably twice what it would cost in the states. Bring clthes that you can wear in layers. We went in early September. It was warm in Amsterdam, parts of Germany, Paris and Venice. At higher altitudes (mountains) and England were cool. Hope this helps and have fun.