Day 1 : Welcome to Budapest
Budapest sets the scene for a memorable journey around Eastern Europe. Join your Travel Director and fellow travellers at a local restaurant for dinner, a treat of mouth-watering Hungarian specialities.
Accommodation : Kempinski Corvinus Budapest
Day 2 : Delve into Budapest Relaxed Start
Visit the *Liszt Academy of Music for a guided tour, followed by an enchanting recital. Stroll through the alleys of the Old Town of Buda with a Local Expert to admire the façade of Matthias Church and take in the views from the Fisherman's Bastion. In the evening, perhaps choose an Optional Experience to see this fairy-tale city as you cruise along the Danube and enjoy a meal of Hungarian specialties. (*On some occasions, the Liszt Academy will be replaced by an organ recital at the Matthias Church.)
Accommodation : Kempinski Corvinus Budapest
Day 3 : The Mountains to Kraków
Take a gentle drive into Slovakia and through the breathtaking Low Tatra Mountains. Stop at scenic Donovaly. Continue north to see the picturesque Oravský Hrad Castle, where villagers still live in traditional wooden houses, before crossing into Poland and continuing to historic Kraków.
Accommodation : Mercure Kraków Stare Miasto
Day 4 : The Damsels and Dragons of Kraków Relaxed Start
Join a Local Expert to ascend Wawel Hill and visit the cathedral. Walk past the former residence of Pope John Paul II through the Old Town, to Europe's largest and most beautiful town square. See the medieval Sukiennice Cloth Hall and visit the 14th-century St. Mary's Basilica, the most important church in the city. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for the trumpeter in the tower. Why not join an optional experience and journey into a glistening subterranean world at the 600-year-old Wieliczka Salt Mines? In a maze of tunnels deep below the surface, witness unique salt sculptures, sunken lakes and even a glorious cathedral carved entirely out of rock salt by the miners. Alternatively, enjoy time at leisure.
Accommodation : Mercure Kraków Stare Miasto
Day 5 : Auschwitz and on to Warsaw
Join a Local Expert at Oswiecim, better known throughout the world by its German name, Auschwitz, infamous for its role during the Holocaust. Spend reflective moments amid the remains of the concentration camp and the memorials to those who died. Continue across the Polish plains to the country’s capital, Warsaw, for the night.
Accommodation : The Westin Warsaw
Day 6 : The Polish Capital of Warsaw Relaxed Start
Join a Local Expert in the morning to see the Old Town, Royal Castle and Palace of Culture. Visit the Chopin Memorial in the Lazienki Park. Pay your respects at the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes and then enjoy a free afternoon to explore at your own pace. Perhaps attend a Chopin recital or delve into Warsaw's inspirational past?
Accommodation : The Westin Warsaw
Day 7 : Wielkopolska to Berlin
Your route leads westward, across the rolling farmlands of the central plains, over the Oder River to enter Germany. Your destination is the vibrant capital of Berlin where you can try traditional Berliner cuisine.
Accommodation : DoubleTree by Hilton Berlin Ku'damm
Day 8 : The Spirit of Berlin Relaxed Start
Prepare to embrace the rejuvenated spirit of Berlin. Join a Local Expert for a drive through the leafy Tiergarten to the refurbished Reichstag building and see the Brandenburg Gate. On the eastern side, take the Unter den Linden past the State Opera House to Museum Island.
Accommodation : DoubleTree by Hilton Berlin Ku'damm
Day 9 : Dresden and Golden Prague
Journey south to Dresden. Almost totally destroyed by horrific air raids in 1945, Dresden has now risen again from the ashes in a blend of old and new. See the reconstructed Frauenkirche and walk past the colossal ‘Procession of the Princes' on the wall of the Royal Palace. Explore around the Catholic cathedral to view the tiered facades of the opera house and the Baroque Zwinger Palace. After free time for lunch, head for the Czech border, high in the Ore Mountains and continue to the capital city of Prague.
Accommodation : Hermitage Hotel Prague
Day 10 : Prague, City of a Hundred Spires
Explore Prague with your Local Expert. Walk the courtyards of the castle and visit the imposing St. Vitus Cathedral. The city is then yours to explore. Perhaps take a river cruise through the heart of the city or walk in the footsteps of kings along the Royal Route. Czechs are passionate about their beer, so be sure to try the local pilsners, paired with hearty Czech cuisine.
Accommodation : Hermitage Hotel Prague
Day 11 : Bohemian Ceský Krumlov Relaxed Start
Travel to the medieval town of Ceský Krumlov to walk the narrow cobbled streets and visit the centuries old castle. Visit a historic brewery to sample the beer and discover the secrets of this golden vintage. After the day trippers have left, soak up the unique atmosphere of this UNESCO World Heritage Site at a local restaurant. Enjoy a traditional Czech dinner of local specialities.
Accommodation : Hotel Old Inn, Ceský Krumlov.
Day 12 : Stately Vienna Relaxed Start
Cross the border into Austria and enjoy a delightful journey to Vienna. The afternoon is free for you to explore this stately capital and later why not enjoy a delightful Austrian meal with the option to dine at a country mansion?
Accommodation : Hilton Vienna Park, Hilton Vienna Plaza, Vienna
Day 13 : The Habsburgs of Vienna
Vienna owes much of its present-day charm to the long reign of the Habsburgs. Join your Local Expert for a private visit of Maria Theresa’s Schönbrunn Palace and its formal gardens. Then, take some great photos on a circuit of the famous Ring Road. This grand boulevard, built along the lines of the old city walls, showcases many of the capital’s architectural masterpieces, including the Opera House, magnificent Hofburg Imperial Residence, Austrian Parliament Building and Karlskirche. Explore Vienna with Insight Choice. Choose between a visit to a traditional Viennese café to enjoy local specialities of coffee and Sachertorte or alternatively, join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during an inclusive workshop and take to the floor in a Viennese Waltz dance workshop designed to support the visually impaired community. Enjoy a delicious meal of traditional Austrian fare with drinks at a local restaurant, before sitting down to an extraordinary concert of Viennese classical music.
Accommodation : Hilton Vienna Park, Hilton Vienna Plaza, Vienna
Day 14 : Depart Budapest
A transfer arrives at Budapest airport in the early afternoon. For those extending their stay, a stop is also made at the Kempinski Hotel Budapest.