This 11-day trip follows a classic route through Central Europe’s most beautiful cities, with side trips to the picturesque and historic towns that surround them.
Start in Budapest, a city built to govern a much larger country than Hungary is now. That grandeur is reflected everywhere, from the enormous Parliament building, to the Royal Castle, to Heroes Square. A three hour tour takes you to see the key sights, and includes a walk through the Castle District, from which you can enjoy magnificent city views from the Fisherman’s Bastion. Perhaps end your day with a soak at the opulent Gellert Baths, or down a few cocktails at one of Budapest’s famously ramshackle – but endlessly creative – ruin bars. Continue your exploration of the city’s artsy side on a Danube Bend tour to Visegrad, Estergom and Szentendre, including a cruise on the Danube.
Speed your way to majestic Vienna, where a coach and boat tour awaits to take you through the Vienna Woods. See the Danube Tower, the colourful Kunsthaus and Hundertwasserhaus, and the wine growing village of Grinzing. With your spare time, explore the palaces, museums and coffee houses that define the splendour of Vienna, and discover the capital of what was once one of Europe’s largest and most influential empires. A side trip takes you to Salzburg, Mozart’s birthplace, where you’ll embark on a tour through the city’s rich musical heritage. You might even see a few familiar sights from the beloved film The Sound of Music. With one last night in the city, why not put that musical inspiration to work with a night at the Vienna State Opera?
Spend your last few days based in one of Europe’s most unique and beautiful cities, Prague. Spared from the bombs of World War Two, the Czech capital evokes a seemingly lost Europe full of medieval charm and quirky innovations. A city tour takes you to Wenceslas Square, the Old Town and the historic Jewish Quarter. Then cross the river to the so-called Lesser Quarter before wandering through Prague Castle, home to incredible St Vitus Cathedral.
The following day, set out for Cesky Krumlov, the UNESCO-listed medieval town to the south of Prague. Visit the chateau and castle, the second largest in the Czech Republic. Finally, a more sombre day trip takes you to Terezin, the former defensive fortress that became a brutal concentration camp under the Nazis. Return to Prague for your departure, or spend an extra day or two in the romantic city of spires.
