Eastern Europe Discovery

Itinerary

• Days 1-3: Budapest (Hungary)
  

  Arrive in UNESCO-listed Budapest, built in the grand style of the Habsburgs. Visit the Royal Palace, the largest baroque palace in Hungary used by Franz Josef of Austria, and Matthias Church, originally built in 1255. Enjoy panoramic views of the city from Gellert Hill, and admire the facade of Budapest’s magnificent neo-Renaissance Opera House, decorated with statues of some of the world’s greatest composers. On Day 3, enjoy a reception at the Royal Waiting Room in Budapest’s Nyugati Station before boarding the Golden Eagle Danube Express private train in the afternoon.

  HIGHLIGHT

  • Budapest, capital of Hungary, with fine baroque, neoclassical, and art nouveau buildings
  • The Royal Palace, painstakingly restored and reopened as a museum, its main wing furnished to period standards
  • Matthias Church, where King Matthias Corvinus had both of his royal weddings
  • The facade of the Budapest Opera House, which at one time hosted Franz Liszt and Gustav Mahler
  • The elegant reception at the Royal Waiting Room in Budapest’s Nyugati Station
• Day 4: Krakow (Poland)
  

  Arrive in Krakow, Poland’s royal capital from the 11th to the 16th century. Wander the largest remaining medieval town square in Europe, Rynek Glowny, the Main Market Square, laid out in 1257. Explore Wawel Castle, the seat of Polish kings for hundreds of years. Pay your respects at Auschwitz-Birkenau, the concentration camp where over 1.1 million people, primarily Jews, were systematically murdered by the Third Reich.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • UNESCO-listed Krakow, Poland’s royal capital from the 11th to the 17th century
  • Pay your respects and learn about the 20th century’s greatest tragedy at UNESCO-listed Auschwitz-Birkenau, a ghastly reminder of the atrocities committed during WWII
• Day 5: Warsaw
  

  This morning arrive in the Polish capital of Warsaw where you can learn about the extraordinary transformation of a place almost destroyed by war. Take a walking tour of the reconstructed Old Town, passing the powerful Royal Castle, home of Poland’s kings from the 16th century up to the country’s partition. Visit the elegant Lazienki Royal Gardens and enjoy an outdoor concert of Chopin’s music.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Poland’s capital, Warsaw, with its UNESCO-listed Old Town and Market Square, rebuilt from the ground up after WWII
  • Lazienki Park along the banks of the Vistula River, landscaped in 1764 as part of the king’s residence
• Day 6: Malbork, Gdansk
  

  Explore Malbork’s UNESCO-listed castle, which was the seat of the Teutonic State from 1280. Then continue on to nearby Gdansk. The coastal region of Poland has an important place in Polish consciousness as a key location at the start of World War Two in September 1939. This is where the famous Solidarity independent trade union movement started in 1980 for the protection of worker’s rights, which later became a symbol of resistance against the government and instrumental in the fall of communism.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • UNESCO-listed Castle of Malbork
  • The remarkable European Solidarity Centre , which presents the 20th-century history of the political changes leading to the collapse of communism and the Soviet Union.
• Days 7-8: Berlin, Dresden (Germany)
  

  Berlin is one of Europe’s most glamorous capital cities, with superb museums, fine churches, wide boulevards, and a thriving cultural life. Explore the highlights of East and West Berlin by either bicycle or bus. Continue to Dresden the next day. There, visit Wackerbarth Castle, nestled in the delightful landscapes of the Elbe Valley, famous for its for elegant wines which represent the 800-year-old tradition of winegrowing in Saxony. Tour the vineyard and sample some of the local wines.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • The Reichstag, the famous Renaissance style building that  houses Germany’s parliament.
  • The East Side Gallery at the Berlin Wall
  • Wackerbarth Castle, a boutique winery with tours, tastings, and a restaurant
• Day 9: Prague (Czech Republic)
  

  Called the “Hundred-Spired City,” Prague’s beautifully preserved Gothic, Baroque, and Neoclassical churches and palaces make it one of the great cities of Europe. Explore the UNESCO-listed city including Prague Castle, which began in the 9th century as a walled hill-fort; and the Charles Bridge, with its 30 Baroque statues. Learn about the rich Jewish heritage of Prague with a walking tour of the Jewish Quarter. Take a relaxing cruise up the Vltava River by private boat with cocktails on board after lunch.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, called the “Hundred-Spired City”
  • Old Town Prague, with its 12^th-century Town Hall, 14th-century Charles (Karel) Bridge graced with 30 baroque statues, and the 15th-century astronomical clock complete with astrological signs and two of the 12 apostles appearing on the hour
  • Prague’s old Jewish Quarter, with its seven synagogues – remnants of the old Jewish settlement
  • Prague Castle, which includes St. Vitus Cathedral and the beautifully decorated St. Wenceslaus Chapel
• Day 10: Salzburg (Austria)
  

  Explore the heart of Salzburg starting at Mirabell Palace. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the baroque 17th-century palace is one of the most stunning landmarks in the city. On Market Square (Marketplatz) you will see the former Mozart Residence, now a museum. Cross the Makartsteg bridge into the Old Town and walk along the Getreidegasse, Salzburg’s most famous street which is renowned for its wrought-iron trade signs and the birthplace of Mozart.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Mirabell Palace – a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in 1606 and remodeled in the 18th century as a magnificent baroque palace
  • Getreidegasse – Salzburg’s most famous street
  • Hellbrunn Palace – a baroque palace situated at the foot of Hellbrunn Mountain
• Days 11-12: Vienna
  

  Today is a spectacular day with alpine views along the Semmering Railway. Stop in the afternoon of the eleventh day in Austria’s stunning capital, Vienna. Explore the Naschmarkt with its food and antique stalls, and then visit the beautiful Schönbrunn Palace. A concert of classical music rounds out the evening at the Mozart House featuring the Vienna Supreme Orchestra.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • The Naschmarkt, Schönbrunn Palace, and a concert of classical music in Vienna
  • The Semmering Railway through the Austrian Alps