| 14 Days ~ Austria
~ Hungary ~ Slovakia ~ Poland ~ Germany ~ Czech Republic
Tour
Pace
This tour is perfectly paced with two night
stays in each of the six cities visited, allowing ample time for sightseeing
& leisure. All the driving days are of a reasonable length with frequent
stops.
DAY 1 – VIENNA AT
LEISURE
Welcome to Vienna! Complimentary
transfers depart from Vienna Airport to the tour hotel. Spend the
afternoon relaxing or exploring. Why not take a stroll through the leafy
Stadtpark to see the gilded statue of Strauss? In the evening, join your
fellow travellers for a Welcome Drink. Hotel: Crowne Plaza/Hilton/Sofitel.
DAY 2 – VIENNA –
BUDAPEST
Follow the Danube Valley
to vibrant Budapest. On arrival, view the spectacular bridges across the
Danube from Gellert Hill. Visit Matthias Church, admire the views of the
ornate Parliament from the Fisherman’s Bastion and visit Heroes’ Square
in Pest. Enjoy a highlight evening of Hungarian music and cuisine. Hotel:
Sofitel/Danubius Grand Margitsziget.
(Buffet breakfast, Specialty Highlight Dinner)
DAY 3 –
SZENTENDRE EXCURSION
Enjoy time at leisure
before driving past the remains of the Roman settlement of Aquincum to the
picturesque riverside village of Szentendre, with its brightly coloured
houses and quaint churches. There’s time to browse in the shops before
returning to Budapest. (Buffet breakfast, dinner)
DAY 4 – BUDAPEST
– KRAKOW
Enjoy a gentle drive
into Slovakia and through the breathtaking Tatra Mountains, where peasants
still live in traditional wooden houses. See the picturesque Oravsky Hrad
Castle before crossing into Poland and continuing to historic Krakow.
Hotel: Sheraton. (Buffet breakfast, dinner)
DAY 5 – KRAKOW
SIGHTSEEING
Join a local guide to
tour historic Krakow – for centuries the seat of Poland’s kings.
Ascend Wawel Hill, with its castle and legendary dragon, to visit the
cathedral. Walk through the Old Town, past the courtyard of Jagiellonian
University and Cloth Hall, to visit the 14th century St Mary’s Church
(keep your eyes and ears peeled for the trumpeter in the tower). (Buffet breakfast)
DAY 6 – KRAKOW –
WARSAW
Make a sombre visit with
a local guide to the Auschwitz concentration camp and see nearby Birkenau.
Travel north to Czestochowa to visit the 14th century Monastery of Jasna
Gora, famous for the Black Madonna, said to have been painted by St Luke.
Continue across the Polish Plains to the country’s capital, Warsaw. Hotel:
Sheraton Hotel & Towers/Hilton (Buffet
breakfast, dinner)
DAY 7 – WARSAW
SIGHTSEEING
Warsaw was almost
totally destroyed during World War Two and only the detail in
Canaletto’s paintings of the city enabled an authentic reconstruction to
take place. On a guided tour, see the ‘wedding cake’ Palace of Culture
and the Chopin Memorial in the Lazienki Park. Pay your respects at the
emotive Monument of the Ghetto Heroes and, finally, see the reconstructed
Old Town, including the Royal Palace. As night falls, why not enjoy a
Chopin concert? (Buffet breakfast, dinner)
DAY 8 – WARSAW –
BERLIN
Cross fertile plains to
the historic river port of Poznan. There’s time for lunch in the
charming Old Town Square before crossing the German frontier at the River
Oder on your way to the capital, Berlin. Hotel: Concorde. (Buffet
breakfast)
DAY 9 – BERLIN
& POTSDAM SIGHTSEEING
A local expert introduces
the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag building (symbol of Hitler’s rise to
power) and Germany’s Parliament building. Drive along Unter den Linden,
seeing the beautifully restored State Opera House and Alexanderplatz. Enjoy
a highlight excursion to historic Potsdam to visit the Cecilienhof, where
the 1945 Treaty was signed, and visit the Gardens of Frederick the Great’s
Sans Souci Palace. Consider enjoying an evening out in a lively local
restaurant. (Buffet breakfast)
DAY 10 – BERLIN –
PRAGUE
Drive south to Dresden
where a walking tour introduces the Frauenkirche, now rising once again from
wartime destruction. See the Castle of the Electors of Saxony, including the
unique Saxon Wall overlaid with Meissen tiles, the courtyards of the Zwinger
Palace and the Opera House. After some free time, head for the Czech border
high in the Ore Mountains and continue to the capital of Prague. Hotel:
Diplomat/Crowne Plaza. (Buffet breakfast, dinner)
DAY 11 – PRAGUE
SIGHTSEEING
Prague has blossomed
since the ‘Velvet Revolution’, but its unique character remains
unchanged. On a guided tour, visit the amazing St Vitus’ Cathedral, which
is set inside the 1,000-year-old Prague Castle. Later, cross the river to
explore the cobblestoned Old Town Square and see its famous Astronomical
Clock. As night falls, why not enjoy Prague’s exciting night life? (Buffet breakfast, dinner)
DAY 12 – PRAGUE –
VIENNA
Enjoy a delightful drive
through the green Bohemian countryside to medieval Cesky Krumlov, with its
ancient town and Renaissance castle on either side of the River Vltava.
After some free time to explore, return to Vienna. Hotel: Hilton/Sofitel. (Buffet
breakfast)
DAY 13 – VIENNA
SIGHTSEEING
Venture inside the
glorious State Apartments of Schönbrunn Palace during a tour with an
expert local guide. There is also time to admire the gardens and Gloriette
before seeing the baroque St Charles’ Church. Drive around the famous
‘Ring’, passing the Opera House, the Hofburg Imperial Residence and
Parliament. The rest of the day is at leisure: why not enjoy a farewell
dinner? (Buffet breakfast)
DAY 14 – VIENNA
Our tour ends today with
a complimentary transfer from your tour hotel to
Vienna Airport. (Buffet breakfast)
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