Central Europe

Meet at the airport at 12:00 and fly to the Austrian capital, Vienna. We board our coach and start our tour on the famous Ringstrasse. Following a circular route, we see one by one the most important buildings of the historic centre: the Museum of Applied Arts, the City Park, the Hotel Imperial, the State Opera, the Academy of Fine Arts, the Hofburg winter palace, Maria-Theresien-Platz with its twin buildings, the Museum of Art History and the Natural History Museum, the Parliament, the City Hall, the Burgtheater and the neo-Gothic Votive Church. Free time in the city centre for a meal. Check-in at our hotel. Overnight.

After breakfast we board our coach and admire the famous Ringstrasse once more. Our first stop is the famous Schönbrunn Palace, where we can admire and take photos in the palace gardens. We then head to what is widely considered the city's most beautiful Baroque palace, the Belvedere, with a short walk to the main building and the gardens. Next we reach Schwedenplatz, where with our tour leader we explore the picturesque lanes of the old Greek community, passing its two Greek Orthodox churches and the Rigas Feraios monument, and end at the famous St Stephen's Cathedral, the landmark of the Austrian capital. Free time in the centre for walks, coffee, a meal and souvenir shopping. Overnight.

After breakfast we leave for Prague. After the necessary stops we arrive in this beautiful city on the Vltava river in central Bohemia, aptly called "the golden city" and "mother of cities". It is no coincidence that Prague's historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. We begin our tour of this architectural jewel of Europe straight away, starting with the cosmopolitan Old Town Square. You will find yourself here several times and will immediately understand why! On our walk we see beautiful buildings, old palaces such as the Kinsky Palace, the imposing Church of Our Lady before Týn, known for its two towers, Adam and Eve, and the church of St Nicholas. We admire the Jewish Quarter with its Old-New Synagogue, the Old Town Hall with its famous astronomical clock and the New Town Hall, and reach the famous stone Charles Bridge. We then see the Powder Tower, Wenceslas Square, where Prague's people gather, and the imposing National Museum building. A little time for a first look around and transfer to the hotel. In the evening you can dine at a typical Czech beer hall with local specialities such as tasty pork knuckle and their own beer, or visit the city's famous jazz clubs. Our tour leader is there for any information you need.

After a good breakfast our tour begins with two of Prague's most important monuments, the Strahov Monastery and the Loreto, one of the most popular places of pilgrimage in the country. We continue with the Castle district (Hradčany), the city's acropolis crowning the hill above Malá Strana. We see the Schwarzenberg Palace and the old palace of the Bohemian kings, later residence of Maria Theresa and today the presidential seat. Next comes the imposing St Vitus Cathedral, the oldest Gothic cathedral in central Europe, and the chapel of St Wenceslas, the country's patron saint. We pass the Basilica of St George and the palaces where the kings of Bohemia lived. We continue to the "Lesser Town" (Malá Strana), one of Prague's oldest historic quarters, where we admire the imposing Baroque church of St Nicholas from outside and walk across the picturesque Gothic Charles Bridge through the medieval lanes of the "Royal Way". King Vladislaus II built the first bridge over the Vltava in 1170, the Judith Bridge, which collapsed in 1342; Charles Bridge was later built on its foundations. Spend the rest of the day in the picturesque lanes or join us on an unforgettable optional cruise on the Vltava, as the river whispers its history and the secrets of the bridges and buildings that have embraced it for so many years.

After breakfast we board our coach for the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava. Built on the banks of the Danube, this small, beautiful city was traditionally an important Hungarian city called Pozsony, as between 1563 and 1830 a total of 10 Hungarian kings and one queen were crowned in St Martin's Cathedral. That is why in many cobbled lanes of the medieval old town you will see a small crown in the pavement, marking the so-called Coronation Route. After visiting the castle, which stands on a high hill with a superb view, we enter the medieval town through St Michael's Gate and follow the crowns to St Martin's Cathedral, where the coronations took place. We then see the main square, Hlavné námestie, where we can take photos with one of the old town's most typical statues, that of Napoleon Bonaparte, and admire the old town hall, dating from the 13th century and now home to the city museum. A lovely walk through the old town's lanes introduces us to three bronze statues, all placed after the political change in 1997 and very popular with visitors: Čumil, the sewer worker who peeks out of a manhole at passers-by (especially the ladies…), the Paparazzi and Schöner Náci. Our walk ends at the elegant building of the Slovak National Theatre. Free time for coffee, a meal or chocolate at one of the old town's famous chocolatiers. We then board our coach and leave for Budapest. Transfer to the hotel, check-in and free time to stroll through this beautiful city. Overnight.

After breakfast we start our tour at the monumental Heroes' Square with the Millennium Monument, where we learn about the country's history. We then visit St Stephen's Basilica, Andrássy Avenue with the Opera and its well-preserved buildings, the huge neo-Gothic Parliament and the bridges linking Buda and Pest. We then cross to Buda to admire the Castle, the Liberty Statue, the National Gallery, the Fishermen's Bastion and the historic Matthias Church (where Hungarian kings were crowned). We continue to Gellért Hill for the panoramic view of Buda, Pest and the Danube. Free time in the city centre. Then comes the optional Budapest by night tour: a short coach ride for a first taste of the illuminated city, followed by a Danube cruise to admire the sights under the city lights, dominated of course by the magnificent Parliament. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for the famous Parndorf outlet village, with brand names at unbeatable prices. Free time for shopping. Then transfer to Vienna airport for the return flight.