Central Europe Tour 2024 - Czechia, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland

Itinerary

Central Europe is formed by Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia. Many Central European countries were part of the German and the Austro-Hungarian empires and thus they do not only have geographical, but strong historical and cultural connections.
During your stay you will visit 4 capitals with their own special atmosphere formed by history and the present. Prague also referred to as Mother of Cities, City of a Hundred Spires or Golden City; Vienna also known for its balls, world famous musicians and fairy-tale Schonbrunn castle; Bratislava the historical Capital of the Kingdom of Hungary and the coronation town of the Hungarian Kings and Queens; and finally Budapest with a truly unique geographical locations including the world's largest thermal water cave system, second largest synagogue and third largest Parliament building in the world.
Also, we cannot miss another Royal town also known as Paris of Central Europe - Krakow.

1. Day 1 Arrival in Prague, Czechia.

   - Arrival in Prague
   - Airport transfer to the hotel in the city center
   - Accommodation at a 4-star hotel
   - Free time

2. Day 2 Prague city tour.

   - Breakfast
   - Grand city tour of Prague (3.5 hrs) with pick up at the hotel
   - Afternoon free time
   
   the Prague Castle, an ancient symbol of the Czech lands, is the most significant Czech monument and one of the most important cultural institutions in the Czech Republic. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the Prague Castle is the largest coherent castle complex in the world, with an area of almost 70,000 square meters. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it consists of a large-scale composition of palaces and ecclesiastical buildings of various architectural styles, from Roman-style buildings from the 10th century through Gothic modifications in the 14th century.
   
   St. Vitus Cathedral is the largest and the most important temple in Prague. Apart from religious services the coronations of Czech kings and queens also took place in here. The cathedral is a place of interment of remains of provincial patron saints, sovereigns, noblemen and archbishops.
   
   The Charles Bridge is a famous historic bridge that crosses the Vltava river. Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the beginning of the 15th century. the Charles Bridge was the most important connection between Prague Castle and the city's Old Town and adjacent areas. At night Charles Bridge is a quiet place, but during the day it changes into a very busy venue with painters, owners of kiosks, and vendors alongside numerous tourists crossing the bridge.

3. Day 3 Train to Vienna, Austria.

   - Breakfast
   - Car transfer to the railway station in Prague
   - Train to Vienna
   - Car transfer from railway station to the hotel
   - Accommodation at a 4-star hotel
   - Free time

4. Day 4 Vienna city tour and Schonbrunn Palace visit.

   - Breakfast
   - Vienna City tour and Schonbrunn visit (3 hrs)
   - Free time
   
   Vienna City Tour will take you to the central Innere Stadt's historic quarter - a home to the Gothic St Stephen's Cathedral with its ornate roof tiles. Sense the ghosts of Habsburg rule as you wander around the living quarters of Austria's former royal family at the Hofburg imperial palace. Daring contemporary art is on display at the Kunsthalle Wien. Admire the Habsburgs' summer residence at the Schonbrunn Palace.
   
   Schonbrunn Palace is a former imperial Rococo summer residence of Habsburg royal family. The palace and gardens illustrate the tastes, interests, and aspirations of successive monarchs. The sculpted garden space between the palace and the Sun Fountain is called the Great Parterre. The complex however includes many more attractions: the Tiergarten, a Palm house, English garden, a botanical garden, a modern enclosure for Orangutans.

5. Day 5 Train to Budapest, Hungary.

   - Breakfast
   - Car transfer to the railway station
   - Train to Budapest
   - Car transfer from railway station to the hotel
   - Accommodation at a 4-star hotel
   - Free time

6. Day 6 Budapest city tour.

   - Breakfast
   - Budapest city tour with a private guide (4 hours)
   - Free time
   
   Budapest City Tour with private guide: Buda side in the Castle District with Matthias Church and Fishermen Bastion. Pest side with the Heroes' Square, Vajdahunyad Castle and its museums.

7. Day 7 Train to Bratislava, Slovakia. Bratislava Old town and Devin castle visit.

   - Breakfast
   - Car transfer to the railway station
   - Train to Bratislava
   - Car transfer from railway station to the hotel
   - Accommodation in a 4-star hotel
   - Meeting with a private guide-driver in a hotel lobby
   - Afternoon Bratislava Old Town and Devin castle sightseeing with a private guide (3 hrs)
   
   Devin castle ruins tower over the confluence of the rivers Danube and Morava.The fortress, used as a watchtower by the Slavonic count Rastislav Dovina, was mentioned in the manuscripts as early as the 9th century AD. After the fall of the Great Moravian Empire of the ancient Slavs, the Devin fortress became an important strategic fortification of the Hungarian Kingdom. As early as in the 13th century, a smaller building with a tower (foundation of a later castle) was situated at the top of rocky hill. In 1809, advancing Napoleon troops destroyed the fortress. Since 1965 an archaeological research has been carried out in the castle area. The castle ruins have been partially reconstructed under auspices of the Municipal Museum in Bratislava.
   
   Old town tour includes many monuments. Top visited sites are St Martin's Cathedral, the Primates' Palace with historical Zrkadlova sien (The Hall of Mirrors) and the famous Bratislava tapestries, Michalska gate offering panoramic view of the Old town.

8. Day 8 Transfer to Banska Stiavnica (UNESCO), sightseeing.

   - Breakfast
   - Car transfer to Banska Stiavnica
   - Afternoon sightseeing of Banska Stiavnica
   - Accommodation in a stylish guest housel
   - Free time
   
   Banska Stiavnica is a former mining town and lies amid the forests of the Stiavnicke mountains. Banska Stiavnica is one of the most beautiful and historically one of the most beautiful towns in Slovakia. The town is on the list of the World Cultural Heritage of UNESCO.
   Banska Stavnica progressively became the dominant mining center in the Habsburg Monarchy in the 18th century. Banska Stiavnica monument town reserve comprises as many as 360 structures. Together they present a unique set of high cultural and historical value, placed into the pleasant environment of the Stiavnicke mountains.

9. Day 9 Transfer to The High Tatras. Short walking in the mountains.

   - Breakfast
   - Transfer to the High Tatras
   - Short walking in the mountains
   - Accommodation in a 4-star hotel
   - Free time
   
   The High Tatras are the highest mountain range of Slovakia and the most popular tourist center for the summer and winter holidays.
   There are about 35 valleys, 110 mountain lakes, but the most amazing is the Tatra peaks. There are more than 500 peaks in the High Tatras, out of which ten peaks are above 2,600 meters high.
   The silence of the valleys, mountain lakes, silky sheen of the waterfalls, and simultaneously monumental touches with the heights of the peaks - all of that is the magical world of Tatra National Park.

10. Day 10 Spis region UNESCO sites. Afternoon transfer to Krakow, Poland.

    - Breakfast
    - Spis region UNESCO sites: Levoca, Spis Castle
    - Afternoon private car transfer to Krakow
    - Accommodation in a 3-star hotel
    - Free time

11. Day 11 Krakow city tour.

    - Breakfast
    - Krakow sightseeing with a private guide (4 hours)
    - Free time
    
    Krakow is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Krakow has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life. The historic centre includes the Old Town, Kazimierz Jewish quarter and the Wawel Castle. It was included as the first of its kind on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1978. The Old Town is the most prominent example of an old town appearance in the country. For many centuries Krakow was the royal capital of Poland.

12. Day 12 Farewell.

    - Breakfast
    - Car transfer to the airport
    - End of the tour

Overview