Europe for corporate offsites and incentive trips from India

France

Paris

Paris gives Indian corporate groups the landmarks they expect, and it handles scale. Large conference hotels stand beside the Palais des Congrès, the metro reaches every sight, and a working day can end at the Eiffel Tower or on the Seine.

What sets it apart from the other cities in this hub is depth: palaces, museums and private pavilions that can be hired for a single evening. ICE India ran the Edelweiss Financial Services incentive here, 75 employees on a seven-day trip through Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris by coach.

Groups usually base near the Opéra or the Eiffel Tower and use coaches for Versailles and evening transfers. The Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile forms part of the Palais des Congrès, which suits conferences that need a very large hall.

Places to visit

The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle, Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre, Versailles, a Moulin Rouge show, walks through the Latin Quarter and the Marais, and the Champs-Élysées.

Team activities

A scavenger hunt through Montmartre with local artists, a Seine dinner cruise and a Louvre highlights tour, all part of the Edelweiss programme, plus a Versailles garden day.

Gala dinner venues

Pavillon Cambon Capucines, Pavillon Dauphine, the Palais Garnier, the Musée des Arts Forains and the Salon Opéra at the InterContinental Paris Le Grand. Pavillon Cambon Capucines seats about 500 at dinner.

Indian restaurants for groups

Saravanaa Bhavan, Pooja and Krishna Bhavan, all vegetarian, near Gare du Nord and Passage Brady.

Local food to try

Croissants, crêpes, French cheeses and pastries. Vegetarian groups do well at the Indian restaurants of Passage Brady, a short walk from Gare du Nord.

What to bring home and where to shop

Macarons from Ladurée or Pierre Hermé, chocolate, perfume and silk scarves. Shop at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, Printemps, the Champs-Élysées and the Saint-Ouen flea market.

Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland suits Indian corporate groups that want mountains, lakes and orderly logistics in one trip. Distances are short and trains and coaches keep to the timetable, so a group can see Lucerne, a glacier peak and a lake town within a few days without long transfers.

It stands apart from its neighbours for scenery that arrives by cable car and cogwheel train rather than long walks. Vegetarian and Jain food is easy to arrange, because several Indian restaurants, including one at Jungfraujoch, are used to large Indian tour groups.

Most groups pair two bases: Lucerne for the lake and Titlis, and Interlaken for Jungfraujoch, arriving and departing through Zurich or Geneva. Resort venues such as the Bürgenstock combine a plenary room for 600 with lake views, while Zurich and Geneva hotels suit conferences that need easy city access.

Places to visit

Lucerne's Chapel Bridge and a lake cruise, Mount Titlis above Engelberg with its Cliff Walk, the Jungfraujoch railway from Interlaken and Grindelwald, a scenic stretch of the Glacier Express, Geneva's lakefront and Jet d'Eau, and Zurich's old town. Interlaken is the base for Grindelwald and the Jungfrau region.

Team activities

A team hunt through Lucerne's old town, cheese-making at an alpine dairy, a fondue evening in a mountain chalet and a steamer dinner on Lake Lucerne.

Gala dinner venues

The Bürgenstock resort above Lake Lucerne, the Gallery at The Dolder Grand in Zurich, the Lucerne Hall at KKL Luzern, which seats 200 to 600 at dinner, and the historic halls of the Kursaal in Interlaken.

Indian restaurants for groups

Restaurant Bollywood at Jungfraujoch, which offers vegetarian and Jain dishes, India Village and Taj Mahal in Interlaken, and Taj Palace in Lucerne.

Local food to try

Cheese fondue, raclette and rösti are all vegetarian, and Swiss chocolate rounds off most dinners.

What to bring home and where to shop

Swiss chocolate, watches, cheese and Swiss Army knives. Browse Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse, Lucerne's old town and the Höheweg in Interlaken.

Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Split and Plitvice Lakes

Croatia

Croatia gives a group a Central European capital and a Mediterranean coast in one trip. Zagreb has the large hotels and ballrooms. Dubrovnik and Split have walled old towns on the sea, and Plitvice Lakes are about two hours from Zagreb by road.

What sets it apart from Italy and Greece is scale. The old towns are small and walkable, hotels sit on the water, and a group of 100 can take over a fortress, a palace courtyard or a harbour terrace for an evening. Coastal summers are busy, so May, June, September and October suit large groups best. Zagreb works all year and becomes an Advent market city in December.

Zagreb

Walk the Upper Town and the Art Nouveau Lower Town, then eat at Dolac market. Team activities include Segway tours, craft beer tours, culinary walks and treasure hunts across the squares.

Dubrovnik

Walk the city walls, the Stradun and Pile Gate, with the cable car above town for the view. The old town is a Game of Thrones location, which gives a ready theme for a team day.

Split and Plitvice Lakes

Split's Diocletian's Palace is a UNESCO site with a lively Riva promenade beside it. Plitvice Lakes National Park has 16 terraced lakes and boardwalk trails, and fills a full-day team outing from Zagreb.

Gala dinner venues

Fort Lovrijenac and Revelin Fortress in Dubrovnik, Klis Fortress above Split, and the ballrooms at Hotel Dubrovnik Palace and Le Méridien Lav.

Indian restaurants for groups

Royal India, Taste of India and Namaste India in Zagreb, Incredible India in Dubrovnik and Rooh in Split, all with vegetarian dishes.

Food, souvenirs and shopping

Try black risotto, Dalmatian peka, Pag cheese and Zagreb štrukli. Bring home lavender from Hvar, olive oil, Croatian wine, Pag lace and a Croatian cravat. Shop at Dolac market and on Ilica in Zagreb, the Stradun in Dubrovnik and the Green Market beside Diocletian's Palace in Split.

Prague, Czech Republic

Prague and the Czech Republic

Prague came through the Second World War with its medieval centre largely intact, and most of it can be covered on foot. The castle, Charles Bridge and Old Town Square sit close together, which keeps group movement simple. Hotels and congress halls are large enough for big delegations, and the city is busy in every season.

Against Budapest and Vienna, Prague has the most compact old core and the strongest beer tradition. Many groups link the three cities: Prague to Vienna is about 330 km and Vienna to Budapest about 240 km, each a half-day by coach. May to September brings temperatures in the 20s °C, with long, pleasant evenings.

Castle, bridge and square

Start at Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral, then walk the Royal Route in reverse, downhill, across Charles Bridge to Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock. Finish on Petřín Hill, by funicular, for the lookout tower and mirror maze.

Pilsen and beer

The Pilsner Urquell Brewery is about 90 km and an hour from Prague. Its tour lasts about 100 minutes and ends with a tasting, and groups of more than 20 can book a group tour. Back in Prague, the Letná Park beer garden looks over the city.

Gala dinner venues

Municipal House and its Smetana Hall, Žofín Palace, the Spanish Hall at Prague Castle, and the Congress Hall at Hilton Prague. Lobkowicz Palace suits a board dinner of up to about 250.

Team activities

Walking and Segway tours, a treasure hunt through the lanes of the Old Town and Malá Strana, and a river cruise on the Vltava suit team groups. A second day can be left free for shopping or a beer-hall dinner.

Indian restaurants for groups

Indian Jewel, Lal Qila, Indian Amaze and Five Rivers Indian Kitchen and Bar.

Local food, souvenirs and shopping

Try svíčková with dumplings, goulash, fried cheese and fresh Pilsner, with Becherovka to finish. Bring home Bohemian crystal, certified garnet jewellery, wooden toys and marionettes. Shop on Wenceslas Square, Pařížská Street and at the Palladium mall, and at Havelská Market for crafts.

Sofia, Rila and the mountains

Bulgaria

Sofia is a compact capital where Orthodox churches stand beside Communist-era architecture, with Vitosha mountain above the city. The National Palace of Culture alone has more than a dozen halls seating 100 to 3,700, so a conference of almost any size can be placed in the centre, with hotels a short drive away.

What sets Bulgaria apart from Prague and Budapest is the mountains and monasteries within two hours of the capital. Rila Monastery, a UNESCO site, is about 120 km away, and river rafting at Kresna Gorge is a similar distance. July and August have the longest days, and May to September is comfortable for outdoor programmes.

Sofia on foot

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, St Sofia Church, the Palace of Justice, Banya Bashi Mosque and the National Archaeological Museum are all within a short walk. A guided walking tour covers the centre in two hours.

Rila Monastery and Plovdiv

Rila Monastery is a two-hour drive from Sofia. Plovdiv, with its Roman theatre and old town, is about 130 km by motorway. In early June the Rose Valley near Kazanlak holds a rose festival.

Team activity

Rafting on the Struma river at Kresna Gorge runs from March to October. Runs of 8 to 13 km take about three hours, boats carry six to eight people with an instructor, and operators take groups of up to 50.

Gala dinner venues

The National Palace of Culture (its City Stage takes up to 900), the Royal Ballroom at Sofia Hotel Balkan, and the Sofia Grand Hall at Hotel Marinela Sofia for up to 700.

Indian restaurants for groups

Saffron, Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant, Gurkha, and Satsanga for vegetarian and vegan Indian food.

Food, souvenirs and shopping

Try banitsa, shopska salad, kebapche and tarator, with rakia to finish. Bring home certified rose oil, Rhodope honey, lyutenitsa, Melnik wine and Troyan ceramics. Shop on Vitosha Boulevard, at the Women's Market, the Central Market Hall and the stalls in front of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral for icons and antiques.