Majestic Cities of Central & Eastern Europe featuring Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest & Krakow

What's Included

• Accommodation

  Stay in comfort at the Arcotel John F. Hotel in Berlin, the Majestic Plaza Hotel, and the Hotel Erzherzog Rainer in Prague, and the Up Hotel in Vienna. Experience the charm of the Mercure Krakow Old Town in Budapest, ensuring a delightful and restful journey.

• Transport

  Travel seamlessly through Central and Eastern Europe with a combination of train journeys and comfortable coach transfers, allowing you to explore the vibrant cities of Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, and Krakow with ease and convenience.

• Guided Tours

  Enjoy guided tours in Berlin, Dresden, Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Krakow, including visits to significant historical and cultural sites.

• Meals

  Join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner in Berlin and enjoy classic Czech cuisine in a local restaurant in Prague. Experience a community-hosted dinner in Dunaalmas and a farewell dinner in Krakow.

• Cultural Experiences

  Participate in a Viennese Waltz lesson, visit a candy workshop in Vienna, and learn about traditional Hungarian goulash soup and strudel making in Dunaalmas.

What's Not Included

• Optional Activities

  Optional activities such as the Budapest by Night tour, including a dinner and Danube cruise, are not included and require additional payment.
  
  

• Meals Not Specified

  Meals not specified in the itinerary, such as lunches and some dinners, are not included.
  
  

• Personal Expenses

  Personal expenses such as souvenirs, additional snacks, and drinks outside of included meals are not covered.
  
  

• Travel Insurance

  Travel insurance is not included and is recommended to be purchased separately.
  
  

• Gratuities

  Gratuities for guides, drivers, and hotel staff are not included.
  
  

Experiences

• Learn from a Berliner their experiences living in East Germany prior the fall of the Wall.
• Be whisked by train from Prague to “The City of Music” – Vienna, Austria.
• Take a poignant journey through history at the camps of Auschwitz.
• Discover the two sides of Hungary’s capital, Buda and Pest, alongside a local expert.

Options

Budapest: Budapest by Night

Local culinary specialties await as you start a fantastic evening out in Budapest at one of the most popular local restaurants. Sit down to a dinner of creative Hungarian cuisine in a traditional Hungarian setting. After dinner, embark on a romantic evening cruise on the Danube. Discover the beauty of Budapest’s beautiful landmarks illuminated by the evening sky, sipping on a glass of wine as you glide down the river's beautiful waters. A selection of beverages is included on board. Duration approximately 3.5 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 6 passenger(s) is required to operate this option.

Culinaries

• Join local residents for a community hosted dinner in Dunaalmas.
• Learn the secrets of Viennese confectionery during a candy-making demonstration.
• Dine at the famous Marchfelderhof, an iconic restaurant with rich Viennese tradition.
• Experience a Viennese coffee house during an Impact Moment.
• Enjoy classic Czech cuisine in a local restaurant in Prague.

Must See

• Visit Schonbrunn Palace, a summer retreat of the Habsburg dynasty.
• Come to know the lively nature of Krakow’s well-preserved Old Town.
• Explore the best of both, East and West Berlin.

Choice Highlights

Berlin

Berlin is the capital and the largest city in Germany. Berlin is located in northeastern Germany on the banks of the River Spree. Berlin dates back to the 13th century. Throughout history Berlin has played a major role in several wars including World War II and the Cold War. After the Cold War ended, the Berlin wall, which divided East and West Berlin, fell. Part of the wall is still intact and visible today, and serves as a reminder of an important part of Berlin’s history. Today, modern Berlin is known for its many cultural attractions, architecture and its high quality of living.

This city is located on the Elbe River in Saxony, not far from the Czech border, and has a population of about one million. It is known as the “Jewel Box” for the baroque and rococo architecture in the city center, created by the Kings of Saxony who were based here. In the 20th century it was most famous as one of the cities that were firebombed by the Allies in 1945 near the end of WWII. In 3 days over 90% of the city center was destroyed by incendiary bombs and the firestorm which followed, and Kurt Vonnegut’s book “Slaughterhouse Five” was based on this raid. Dresden was in East Germany until the reunification in 1989, and the city center has been well restored.

Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic and of the state of Bohemia, with a population of about 2 million in the metro area. Because it received very little damage in WWII, it is has many beautifully preserved sights from several eras and its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was capital of the Holy Roman Empire and a center of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and it was the site of the Velvet Revolution in 1989 when citizens peacefully took Czechoslovakia back from the Communists. It is known for music (composers Dvorak, Smetana and Mozart lived here), literature (Franz Kafka) and for having almost as many kinds of Pilsner beer as it has bars and restaurants.

Prague Castle is a complex of intrigue based in 9th century stone – an ancient symbol of the Czech State and one of the world’s most significant cultural landmarks. The largest castle complex in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the castle serves as the official home of the President of the Czech Republic, and the residence of princes and kings since the 10th century. This age-old, ageless landmark hides a different kind of stone, or stones – Prague Castle is home to the Bohemian Crown Jewels. The crown, the scepter, and the coronation cloak of St. Wenceslas is protected behind a chamber door, an iron safe, and seven locks – the keys to which only seven people possess.

This is the capital city of Austria, located on the Danube, with a population of over 2 million in the metro area. It is known as the “City of Music” because of the numerous famous composers who have lived and worked here, such as Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and Brahms, and also as the “City of Dreams” as it was home to Sigmund Freud. Some of its primary sights are Schonbrunn Palace, Hofburg Palace, Opera House, Belvedere and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Vienna is also known for its coffee houses and restaurants.

This Vienna palace was a summer residence of the Holy Roman Emperors beginning in the 17th century, and is the most-visited site in Austria. Emperor Maximillian II bought the property for a hunting preserve, and it was remodeled by Empress Maria Theresa in the mid 18th century. On the grounds are an orangerie, a palm house, a French garden designed by a student of the designer of the gardens at Versailles in France, an English garden and a large park. Concerts are often held here with music of Mozart and others.

This city on the Danube is actually two cities: Buda and Pest, divided by the river. In its history, it has been Celtic, Roman, invaded by Mongols and Turks, second capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and now the capital Hungary, with about 1.8 million people. Its varied architecture from so many cultures helped make Budapest a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it is known for its coffee houses, traditional Hungarian restaurants and working Turkish baths from the 16th century.

The original church was built in the early 11th century in the Buda section of Budapest near the Buda Castle. It was reconstructed in the 14th century in Gothic style and was named for King Matthias of Hungary. When the Ottoman Turks occupied Buda in the 16th century it became the main mosque of the city, and at that time many of the frescos inside were destroyed. Most were restored in the 19th century. It was used as a camp by Soviet and German soldiers during the Soviet occupation of Budapest in late WWII.

Choose to visit the House of Terror Museum and Memorial and gain an important perspective of 20th-century Hungarian history -OR- indulge in the famous Thermal Baths of Budapest, one of the largest spa baths in Europe.



House of Terror Museum

Activity Level: 2

This museum tour is guided by a museum guide. Travelers need to be able to participate in a minimum of 45 minutes of walking and standing. Choice can be made 24 hours in advance.



Szechenyi Thermal Baths

Activity Level: 2

During the usage of the swimming pools, proper swimming wardrobe must be worn. If you want to cover more of your body, please wear something in the pools that qualifies as swim wear for waters. Travelers are advised to bring their own slippers. Swim caps are mandatory in the swimming pool, but not in the other thermal pools. Swimmers must shower before entering the water. All bandages must be removed and discarded prior to swimming. No person with skin, eye, ear or nasal infections are allowed in the pool. No person with communicable diseases are allowed in the pool. For safety reasons, walk at all times when on the pool deck.

A city that has grown from a Stone Age settlement to Poland’s second most important city, Kraków is one of the oldest cities in Poland, dating back to the 7th century. The historic city has traditionally been one of the leading centers of Polish academic, cultural and artistic life and is one of Poland’s most important economic hubs. The 15th and 16th centuries were known as Poland’s Golden Age, when many works of Polish renaissance art and architecture were created. In 1978, UNESCO placed Krakow Old Town on the first-ever list of World Heritage Sites. In Kraków visitors will see notable renaissance buildings, synagogues, as well as modern buildings featuring new architectural styles.

This town was called Oswiecim by the Poles, and in 1940 the Nazi occupiers of Poland established a camp here to house Polish political prisoners, part of a network of concentration camps which began to appear in the 1930s. It was part of a large network of camps by the end of the war. In 1941, the Nazis began a second camp, Birkenau, nearby to house the ever-increasing number of prisoners. Also in 1941, Auschwitz-Birkenau became the largest of the Nazi death camps, when mass exterminations began using Zylon B gas. The exact death toll will never be known, but it is estimated to be between 1.5 and 2 million dead, with as many 900,000 Jews in that number. The SS destroyed most records, and the estimates have been put together from many other sources, such as train records. Joseph Mengele conducted numerous medical experiments here, especially on twins and dwarfs. The camp was liberated in January of 1947 by the Red Army.

Mode of Transport

Travel seamlessly through Central and Eastern Europe with a combination of train journeys and comfortable coach transfers, allowing you to explore the vibrant cities of Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, and Krakow with ease and convenience.