Wonders Of Eastern Europe Package
- Home >
- Holidays >
- Customized Holidays >
- International Holidays >
- Wonders Of Eastern Europe
11 NIGHTS/12 DAYS
-
DAY 01: Arrive Prague
Welcome to Czech Republic! On arrival into Ruzyne international Prague Airport., you will be welcomed by our local expert chauffeur who will escort you on a spectacular journey through Central Europe. Transfer to your hotel in Prague. Maticka Praha - "little mother Prague" - was largely undamaged by WWII, and the cityscape is stunning. The city's compact medieval centre remains an evocative maze of cobbled lanes, ancient courtyards, dark passages and churches, all overlooked by a 1,100-year-old castle The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the city on your own.
-
DAY 02: Prague
Spend a full day exploring the capital of the Czech Republic on an introductory tour. Prague sits amid the gentle landscapes of the Bohemian plateau, straddling the Vltava River. Most of the city~s attractions can be found within the districts of Hradcany, the famous castle district, Stare Mesto, the gothic Old Town and Josefov, all of which are linked by the landmark and legendary Charles Bridge. This tour combines luxury coach travel and easy walking for your tour of Prague~s famous sites, such as the State Opera, National Museum and Wenceslas Square. Then, continue across Charles Square along the banks of the River Vltava to Charles Bridge, the Rudolfinum, and across the river to Prague Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk around the magnificient and enormous castle courtyards, where you will see St Vitus Cathedral, the seat of the Ar chbishop of Prague. Visit the Royal Palace, famous with its huge Wladislav Hall and Golden Lane, the legendary place of the mysterious alchemists. Drive across the River Vltava to the Old Town, where you~ll pass through the former Jewish Quarter. In the Old Town Square, see the St Nicholas Church, the Tyn Cathedral and the historical Old Town Hall with its world-famous astronomical clock and 12 apostles dating back to 1410. Learn about the interesting history of each location you see from your experienced guide. Enjoy free time for shopping.
-
DAY 03: Prague - Karlovy Vary – Prague
Today you will drive into scenic West Bohemian countryside for your relaxing day trip to Karlovy Vary (also known by its German name of Carlsbad), the country~s largest and most famous thermal spa. It is renowned for its 12 medicinal mineral springs, the most famous being Vridlo. Taste the town~s famous mineral springs for yourself, including the largest and best known, Vridlo (Giant Spring), which spurts its healing waters to a height of almost 17 metres. Enjoy free time to explore on your own. Admire locally manufactured Bohemian crystal, Moser, and Thun porcelain while a taste of the traditional, local liqueur Becherovka made of herbs and sweet local wafers is recommended to complete the Karlovy Vary experience.
-
DAY 04: ROTORUA SIGHTSEEING
Later, embark on an orientation tour of this historic and extraordinary city which includes a visit to Schonbrunn Palace. Walk through beautiful streets as your guide points out the most famous sites such as the State Opera House, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Natural History Museum, the Ringstrasse (Ring Boulevard) with its magnificent buildings, St Stephen~s Cathedral, the Hofburg - the grand imperial palace of the Habsburg family, the Parliament, City Hall, the Burgtheatre and the University. The highlight of your tour is a visit to the Schonbrunn Palace, the summer home of the Habsburgs and Maria Theresa, mother of Marie Antoinette, who later became Queen to Louis XVI of France. End the tour at the State Opera, driving past the Belvedere Palace, the former summer residence of Prince Eugen and is home to the largest and the most precious Gustav Klimt collection in the world.
-
DAY 05: Vienna
This morning, embark on a half-day excursion to Vienna Woods. Drive past the Roman City of Baden, famous for its thermal springs, and through the Helenental valley to the former Mayerling hunting lodge, today a commemorative chapel. It is here that Crown Prince Rudolph and the 17-year old Baronesse Vetsera died tragically in 1889. In the Cistercian Abbey of Heiligenkreuz (1133), you visit the gothic cloister which houses the remains of the last ruler of the Babenbergs. Highlight of your tour is a leisurely boat ride on the largest subterranean lake in Europe, the Seegrotte.
-
DAY 06: Vienna - Bratislava - Budapest
Today your journey takes you through the beautiful Austrian landscape to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia located on the banks of the Danube River. A compact medieval city, its history dates back to 907 and includes a long spell as the capital of Hungary from 1563 to 1841. Many beautiful monuments survive in the Old Town including the Primate~s Palace with rare English Tapestries, and the Castle area, from where there are great views over the city. On this trip, your guide will give you a complete overview of the city~s main sites, such as the picturesque Old Town, the impressive Bratislava Castle located on a hill and dating back to the Stone Age, the rococo-style Grassalkovich Palace built as a summer residence for Count Grassalkovich in the 18th-century, Michael~s Gate - the only remaining gate of the medieval fortification of Bratislava, St Martin~s Cathedral - an ancient coronation place for Hungarian emperors. Continue your drive to arrive at Budapest. Budapest sits on either side of a gentle curve in the Danube River, the Buda hills rising dramatically on the west bank while the Pest district to the east. Check in to your hotel and enjoy free time to freshen up and relax before you spend an enjoyable traditional Hungarian evening at the historical Borkatakomba which was established in one of the former wine cellars of a large cellar complex. Relish a sumptuous dinner of traditional Hungarian cuisine with unlimited wine and get entertained by a folkloric gypsy show.
-
DAY 07: Budapest
This morning, embark on a half-day city tour. Cross the Danube on the Margaret Bridge, view the House of Parliament, the Royal Castle, Fisherman~s Bastion, Matthais Church and much more. Drive to Gellert Hill (Citadel) for photo opportunities before crossing Elizabeth bridge and Heroes~ square (Promenade). Conclude your tour at downtown Pest. In the afternoon, explore the picturesque artists~ village of Szentendre on a half-day tour. Located in the beautiful natural setting, the tiny town squares, meandering streets, Serb temples and baroque buildings contribute to the Mediterranean atmosphere. Highlights include the Marzipan Museum, the Hungarian National Wine Museum set up in an ancient wine cellar, the Holy Trinity Monument, the Belgrade Church and the Blagovestenska Church. The Margit Kovacs Museum has an extensive collection of ceramic works featuring a unique synthesis of folk and Byzantine motifs.
-
DAY 08: Budapest - Krakow
Today your journey takes you to Krakow, one of Poland's most popular cities, with its stunning renaissance square, the largest in Europe. Situated on the banks of the Wisla River and not far from the Tatra Mountains, this old medieval city has plentiful monasteries, churches and abbeys to admire. Stop in a mountain Village. Arrive in Krakow late afternoon and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the evening is at leisure to explore on your own.
-
DAY 09: Krakow
Discover the delights of Krakow on a morning tour. Visit the Jewish District of Kazimierz which used to be inhabited by one of the most diverse Jewish communities in Europe. Ascend Royal Wawel Hill to visit the Royal Wawel Cathedral and the Royal Wawel Castle. The Gothic castle was built on the remains of the 10th-century settlement and extended in Renaissance style during the 16th century. The Gothic cathedral contains reminders of the first, Romanesque cathedral, dating back to the 11th century, and is also a necropolis of Polish kings, dukes and noble citizens. Then explore the Old Town with its grand Market Square, historic Cloth Hall, St. Mary~s Church and the Florianska Gate. End your tour by walking across the Planty Gardens, a belt of greenery that replaced fortified medieval walls. Visit Salt Mines of Wieliczka (Private).This afternoon visit the salt mines of Wieliczka. A Unesco World Heritage Site, it is one of the oldest operational mines in Europe dating back more than 700 years. Inside are galleries, chambers and buildings that have been carved from salt
-
DAY 10: Krakow - Auschwitz Camp - Warsaw
Drive to the Polish capital, enroute visiting the UNESCO-listed Auschwitz- Birkenau Museum. This sobering half-day trip will have a lasting impact, commemorating the lives of those who died in the extermination camps during the Holocaust of World War II. Your tour of this daunting site begins with a 15-minute documentary about the liberation of the camp. On arrival at the museum, your guide will show you the exhibitions in some of the surviving prison blocks, the gas chamber and the crematorium. After a short break, the tour continues to Birkenau, where the view from the watchtower above the entrance gate reveals the forbidding expanse of the biggest Nazi concentration camp built during the Holocaust. A Martyrdom Museum was set up here in 1947, and in 1979 AuschwitzBirkenau was added to UNESCO~s list of World Heritage sites. Continue on a drive to arrive at Warsaw late this afternoon and check in to your hotel. The largest city in Poland, and its capital, Warsaw has emerged from its ruins of WWII, to become a thriving metropolis, with plenty of sights to see, a vibrant cultural scene and an increasingly lively nightlife.
-
DAY 11: Warsaw
Discover Warsaw on a morning tour. Pass by numerous churches (including Holy Cross Church where Chopin~s heart is kept in a pillar), monuments, historic buildings and palaces, many of them housing embassies and ministries, but still have the old charm. Stop in front of the Parliament and walk through the Lazienki Park with its famous Palace on the Water, monument to Chopin and Belvedere Palace. Then explore the ghetto where the Jews of Warsaw lived during World War II, to get insight into their life.
-
DAY 12: Depart Warsaw
Today, you will be transferred to Warsaw Airport for your flight back home.