Eastern Europe

Day 1 ORIGIN – WARSAW

Upon your arrival to Warsaw your assistant will meet your group and help guide you to your hotel. The remainder of the day will be at your leisure to relax and explore Warsaw on your own.

Day 2 WARSAW

After breakfast you will enjoy a half day tour of Warsaw, capital of Poland, which includes a tour to historic center which was largely destroyed during the bombings of World War II and rebuilt in the postwar years. You will admire the Palace of Science and Culture, the city symbol of the communist era and the Lazienki park with monument of Chopin, the famous Polish composer. The tour continues along the Royal Road, flanked by palaces and churches such as the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and the Church of the Holy Cross, the Royal Palace and the Market Square. Your afternoon and evening will be at your leisure to relax and explore Warsaw on your own.

Day 3 WARSAW – CZESTOCHOWA – AUSCHWITZ – KRAKOW

After the breakfast you will depart from Warsaw to Czestochowa, which is considered the spiritual capital of Poland. You will visit the monastery of Jasna Gora, which preserves the image of Our Lady of Czestochowa, a painting of the ” Black Madonna ” made by St. Luke on a wooden table used by the Holy Family, according to legend. Then you will continue to the former Auschwitz concentration camp, which is a sad testament to the horrors of World War II. The evening will be free for your leisure in Krakow.

Day 4 KRAKOW

The highlight of this day will be a half day tour of Krakow. You will enjoy the city, starting with a visit to the Castle and the Cathedral of Wawel Hill. Then in the Square Rynek Glowny you will admire the churches of the Virgin Mary and St. Wojciech, Town Hall Tower and the old fabric market. Near the square Rynek Glowny, you will see the old Jewish Quarter and Krakow University, where studied Copernicus and John Paul II. The afternoon and evening will be free for your leisure. Optional Activity: In the afternoon you can visit Wadowice, the birthplace of Pope John Paul II, and continue to the Wieliczka salt mines, known as the “Salt Cathedral” registered on the UNESCO World Heritage list. You will visit the salt rooms and chambers, the chapel where masses are celebrated, underground lakes and exhibition of mining.

Day 5 KRAKOW – OLOMOUC – PRAGUE

After the breakfast you will depart to Olomouc, a medieval town located in the Czech Republic. In the past it was a seat of bishop of Moravia and one of the most important Czech cities. The historic center is also included in the list of World Heritage of UNESCO, thanks to having the second largest historical center in the country after Prague. In the Old Town Square, you will admire the baroque Column of the Holy Trinity and numerous historical monuments, palaces, churches, columns and fountains. Your afternoon will beat your leisure to relax and explore Olomouc before you continue to Prague. You will have accommodation in Prague.

Day 6 PRAGUE

After breakfast you will enjoy a half day tour of Prague which includes a visit to the Old Town and the New Town of medieval origin, as well as the Prague Jewish Quarter. The city tour starts in the Republic Square where it is possible to see the Powder Gate, which used to function as the main gate to The Old Town. Next door stands the beautiful and stylized Municipal House of Art Nouveau. Later you will admire the Wenceslas Square, known as the place of the “Prague Spring, you will pass by the Estates Theatre, where the world premiere of Mozart opera Don Giovanni took place on 29 October 1787. The tour will continue through the Jewish Quarter, passing around the former Jesuit College, Klementinum. Wrapping up the tour is a stroll along the Charles Bridge paced to admire the 30 famous baroque sculptural groups. Finally, the tour ends at the Old Town Square with its magnificent astronomical clock. The afternoon and evening will be free for your leisure. In the afternoon you can enjoy the optional tour to Prague Castle, situated on the left bank of the Vltava River, the largest castle in the world. You will discover its courtyards and interiors, such as; St. Vitus Cathedral, rich with art treasures; royal and imperial Gothic palaces; the ancient palace of the kings of Bohemia boasting the magnificent Vladislav Hall, which was the largest civilian hall of Europe at the time; the Basilica of St. George from the year 920; and the Golden Lane, where in the past stayed the castle guards, medieval artisans, goldsmiths and alchemists, even the great writer Franz Kafka enjoyed a stay. Our Prague castle tour will finish at the Church of Our Lady of Victory, which houses the miraculous image of the Infant Jesus of Prague. Optional Activity: At night you can enjoy the optional program – the show of the famous Black Theatre. The black theater emerged in Prague during the period of communism, when the Czechs did not have the right to express their opinions and ideas. The protest of the artists consists in the creation of a new dramatic form, where fantasy wins reality, called the black theater.

Day 7 PRAGUE – KARLOVY VARY

This day will be completely free for you, relax, shop or explore Prague on your own. Or join us in the following optional tours: Optional tour to Karlsbad spa founded by Charles IV in 1358, with numerous buildings of Belle epoque and spas with thermal treatments. In the city there are 12 hot springs with healing properties, which temperature reaches up to 72 degrees Celsius. In the past it was an important cultural center and place of rest, this resort has been visited by famous personalities such as Don Pedro II, the Russian Tsar Peter the Great, Maria Theresa of Austria, Goethe, Beethoven, Paganini, Chopin, Wagner or Marx among others. Optional: possibility of visiting the glass factory of Moser brand. Your afternoon will be at your leisure to relax and explore Karlovy Vary before you return to Prague. Optional activity: Enjoy your night with us at the fascinating show “Medieval Night”. Held in one of the oldest palaces located in the heart of Prague, this show guarantees a unique experience. Dinner is served, in past tradition, by waiters dressed in period costumes, the sound of the songs and rhythms of medieval dances. Excellent food and unforgettable atmosphere. Optional Activity: Enjoy your evening at U Fleků, in the oldest and best-known brewery in Prague, founded in 1499. The interior retains the original decoration of the old time. You can taste the delicious traditional dishes with a glass of “Flekovské” dark beer brewed in house as you listen to the sounds of a typical Czech band.

Day 8 PRAGUE – CESKY KRUMLOV – VIENNA

After the breakfast you will depart to Český Krumlov city, which was the former residence of noble families of Rozemberk, Eggenberk and Schwarzenberg. Český Krumlov is a picturesque medieval town located on a valley of the Vltava River, which historic center is included on the UNESCO list. During your sightseeing tour you will admire the castle of Český Krumlov and its gardens and theatre, the old town with its unique historical center in Renaissance style and its unforgettable atmosphere. Do not forget to taste the original Budweiser beer or Eggenberg dark beer produced in this city. You can also visit the Cultural Center of Egon Schiele, the famous expressionist painter. After the lunch we will continue to Vienna, the former capital of Holy Roman – German Empire.

Day 9 VIENNA

After the breakfast you will discover Vienna highlights during you sightseeing tour. Passing through the famous Ringstrasse, you will admire the magnificent monuments built in the second half of the nineteenth century, as the State Opera, the Burgtheater, Biology and History Museum, among others. You will explore the Hofburg, the former residence of the royal court, and St. Stephen’s Square with the Gothic cathedral of the same name, which is the most important church in Vienna. The afternoon and evening will be free for your leisure. Optional Activity: At night you can enjoy the concert of the classical music. The program consists of the most famous waltz and operetta melodies by Johann Strauss and Franz Lehár and arias from operas of Mozart.

Day 10 VIENNA

Today will be completely free for you, relax, shop or explore Vienna on your own. Or join us in the following optional tours. This architectural monument, surrounded by beautiful gardens, served from the eighteenth century until 1918, as the summer residence of the Habsburgsdynasty. We will visit the rooms of the palace, where the famous Empress Sissi, her husband, Emperor Franz Joseph and his sons, studied and played during the summer months. Optional Activity: In the evening you can enjoy dinner at the Heuriger in Grinzing, while tasting the local wine. Vienna is also known for its vineyards. The Heuriger appeared first as a private wine cellar, where they served wine free of the imperial taxes. Today, it is a restaurant with a wide range of wines and a varied menu, complete with live traditional music.

Day 11 VIENNA – BUDAPEST

After the breakfast you will depart from Vienna to Budapest. The highlight of this day will be a half day tour of Budapest .You will enjoy the city divided by the Danube river into two parts: “Buda”, where the old part of the city is situated and filled with the residences of high society and embassies; and “Pest” the commercial and administrative center. During the tour you will admire the Heroes Square with the Millennium Memorial, Szechenyi Park and the Andrássy Avenue. Later you will discover the Buda Castle, with the Cathedral of St. Matthew and the Fishermen’s Bastion, from where you can admire the panoramic city views. The tour finishes on Vaci Street, the most popular shopping street of Budapest. The evening will be free for your leisure. Optional Activity: Illuminations of Budapest. This tour includes a champagne cruise on the Danube River and a visit to Mount of St. Gerard, with its fortress and panoramic view of illuminated Budapest.

Day 12 BUDAPEST

This day will be completely free for you, relax, shop or explore Budapest on your own. Or join us in the following optional tours: Optional Activity: You can enjoy the optional tour of the interiors of the famous Hungarian Parliament located on the banks of the Danube river. With almost 700 rooms is one of the largest governmental buildings in the world. Continuing the tour, you will admire St. Stephen’s Cathedral, dedicated to the first king of Hungary.

Day 13 BUDAPEST – ORIGIN

After breakfast you will be transferred to the BUDAPEST airport for your return flight. End of our services.

WARSAW 

4 */2 nights / Hotel Radisson Blu Sobieski or similar

KRAKOW

4 */3 nights / Hotel Crown Piast, Novotel Centrum or similar

PRAGUE

4 */2 nights / NH Prague, International or similar

VIENNA

4 */2 nights / Park Hotel Schönbrunn, Moods or similar

BUDAPEST

4*/2 nights / BW Hungaria, Novotel City or similar