Day 1 - Depart USA:
Board your overnight flight.
Day 2 - Vienna at Leisure:
Welcome to Vienna - a city rich in Imperial history & musical tradition! On arrival at Vienna Airport, your airport shuttle service leaves for the tour hotel at 09:00, 12:00 & 15:00. Then you are at leisure. Perhaps stroll through the Stadtpark to see the statue of Strauss? Later, join your fellow guests for a Welcome Drink .IN. Hotel: Hilton
Day 3 - Vienna Sightseeing
A local guide reveals the Grandeur of the Schönbrunn Palace & there is time to w&er in the formal gardens. Then past the baroque St Charles' Church to see the Opera, New Imperial Palace & Parliament lining the Ring Road. Cafés are an institution in Vienna; your guide points out some of the most famous & explains the history & role they play in local culture. The rest of the day is at leisure. (BB)
Day 4 - Vienna - Cesky Krumlov
Enjoy a delightful drive along the Danube through the Wachau Valley. Vineyards cover hillsides overlooked by ruined castles like Dürnstein, where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned. Join the motorway near the Monastery of Melk & continue to the Czech border. Your destination is the picturesque medieval town of Cesky Krumlov, nestled on the banks of the Vltava. Walk through the narrow cobbled streets & arch covered footpaths for a guided visit of the fairy-tale red roofed castle, considered by many to be the finest in the land. Hotel: The Old Inn (BB,D)
Day 5 - Cesky Krumlov - Prague
Drive north through the green Bohemian countryside to the golden city of Prague. On a guided tour, visit St Vitus' Cathedral, which is set inside the 1,000-year-old Prague Castle. Later, cross the river to explore the vast cobblestoned expanse of the Old Town Square & see its famous Astronomical Clock. Hotel: Palace/President (BB,D)
Day 6 - Prague at Leisure
A whole day at leisure in this most beautiful of cities. Stroll with your loved one across the romantic Charles Bridge or visit the Jewish Quarter where the world's oldest synagogue still operates. Perhaps join a tour to one of the nearby country castles, or dedicate the day to two of the most famous Czech products - fine crystaland beer? (BB,D)
Day 7 - Prague - Dresden - Berlin
Drive high into Ore Mountains & cross the German Border to arrive in Dresden. Walk from the Frauenkirche, risen once again from wartime destruction, to the Castle of the Electors of Saxony, stopping at the unique Saxon Wall overlaid with Meissen tiles. Further on, see the courtyards of the Zwinger Palace & the Opera House. After some free time, head for the vibrant capital, Berlin. Hotel: Marriott (BB)
Day 8 - Berlin & Potsdam Sightseeing
A local expert shows you the highlights of this reunited city. Drive through the Tiergarten to the refurbished Reichstag building & see the Br&enburg Gate. On the eastern side, take the Unter den Linden past the State Opera House to the Alex&erplatz. Later, drive to historic Potsdam to visit the Cecilienhof, where the 1945 Treaty was signed, & visit the gardens of Frederick the Great's Sans Souci Palace. Consider enjoying an evening out in a lively local restaurant. (BB)
Day 9 - Berlin - Poznan - Warsaw
Cross the border & head into Poland, passing the river port of Poznan. Take time for lunch en route before continuing to Warsaw. Hotel: Hilton/Sofitel (BB,D)
Day 10 - Warsaw Sightseeing
On a guided tour, see the 'wedding cake' Palace of Culture & the Chopin Memorial in the Lazienki Park. Pay your respects at the emotive Monument of the Ghetto Heroes &, finally, see the reconstructed Old Town, including the Royal Palace. Tonight you are offered a selection of restaurants for your dining pleasure. (BB,DA)
Day 11 - Warsaw - Czestochowa - Krakow
Cross the Polish Plains to reach Czestochowa. Visit the 14C Monastery of Jasna Gora, famous for the Black Madonna. Further south you are invited to spend some reflective moments at the Auschwitz Memorialand Museum. Birkenau is also located nearby & you can climb the central watch tower, which overlooks the remains of the camp. Continue to historic Krakow. Hotel: Hotel: Sheraton (BB,D)
Day 12 - Krakow Sightseeing
Join a local guide to tour Krakow - for centuries the seat of Poland's kings. Ascend Wawel Hill to visit the cathedraland meet the 'Wawel Dragon'. Walk through the Old Town, past the courtyard of Jagiellonian University & medieval Cloth Hall, to visit the 14C St Mary's Church (keep your eyes & ears peeled for the trumpeter in the tower). (BB)
Day 13 - Krakow - Budapest
Cross into Slovakia & stop for a photo at the Oravsky Hrad Castle. A gentle drive takes you through the Tatra Mountains, where peasants still live in traditional wooden houses. Head south to the Hungarian border & continue to Budapest. Hotel: Corinthia Grand Royal/Sofitel (BB)
Day 14 -Budapest Sightseeing
If you wish, join an included presentation about life with & without the Communists, about a childhood in the old regime & the changes since 1989. Then gaze across the Danube from the Citadel atop Gellert Hilland ascend Buda's Castle District to visit Matthias Church. Admire the immense Parliament building from the Fisherman's Bastion. Over in Pest, visit Krassy Boulevard & Heroes' Square. The afternoon is at leisure before a fun evening of Hungarian cuisine & music. (BB,HD)
Day 15 - Return to USA
Your departure transfer arrives at Budapest Airport at 08:00 & continues back to Vienna Airport arriving at 11.00am. (BB)
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