Meet your expert guide at a central Paris metro stop. Then, board the train for the smooth ride out to Versailles, roughly 30 minutes each way. On arrival, a short walk brings you to the palace gates. (The Express option meets directly at the Palace of Versailles and does not include transport from Paris.)

Head inside with timed-entry tickets and follow your guide through the opulent state apartments, where the drama and power of the Bourbon court come to life. You take in the soaring Royal Chapel and the elegant Princess' Apartments along the way. The tour builds to the Hall of Mirrors, the palace's showstopping gallery lined with mirrors and chandeliers, before you explore the King's State Apartments and the political symbolism woven into every room.

Your guide leads you to the garden entrance for an introduction to the sweeping geometric parterres, fountains, and groves, where the guided experience ends. From here you are free to wander at your own pace and walk out to the Trianon Estate before returning to Paris with your pre-arranged train ticket. (The Express option runs about 2 hours and does not include return transport.)