Highlights of Central Europe

A real gem of a holiday for city lovers, this cultural holiday treats guests to four of Europe's finest and most historic places; Prague, Vienna, Budapest and Krakow. For those that prefer a truly intimate atmosphere, the quaint and ideally located Czech town of Cesky Krumlov, the stunning walled Slovakian town of Levoca, and the artists' favourite Hungarian hideaway at Szentendre is sure to inspire. The natural backdrops are also spectacular, with the dramatic Tatra Mountains and beautiful parks and scenery of Moravia. These act as a stunning setting for palaces and castles, as well as providing an opportunity for some gentle scenic walks.

Detailed Itinerary
Day 1
Start Prague.

Day 2
A full day to explore the wealth of attractions Prague has to offer, with some guided sightseeing in the morning and some free time. We will explore the Old Town, with the famous Wenceslas Square, and Prague Castle, the largest ancient castle in the world. Clients will pay their own entrance fees.

Day 3
We head south to the quaint town of Cesky Krumlov. En route we visit the picturesque village of Holasovice, a World Heritage site, which is one of the best places to see Baroque folk architectural style. Cesky Krumlov, whose chateau is perched delightfully on a hill overlooking the town, is one of Central Europe's gems. The quintessential cobbled streets, red roofs and surrounding hills make this a popular day trip for many. For this reason, the town is best viewed in the early evening and morning.

Day 4
Today we head to Vienna. On the way we stop at Telc, another World Heritage site, a lovely Renaissance town that was destroyed by fire in the 16th century. The town has remained largely untouched since and represents a unique insight into this period of history. From here we continue south to Vienna, arriving mid afternoon.

Day 5
Full day's sightseeing in the wonderful city of Vienna, including visits to the grand Schonbrunn Palace and St. Stephens Cathedral and an optional visit to the Mozart Museum (entry payable locally). Late afternoon there will be some free time and an optional visit to an evening concert (this will need to be pre-booked and so will be explained by your leader on Day 1).

Day 6
Today we drive to the quaint mediaeval town of Sopron in Hungary where Franz List had his residence: there will be time to have lunch here. We continue to Budapest, arriving mid afternoon with free time to explore the city.

Day 7
The mighty Danube literally splits this great city into two halves, Buda, dominated by the Castle Hill Palace complex, high above the river, and Pest, the bustling and more cosmopolitan centre of trade. The morning is spent visiting the Castle Hill area, perched above the Danube and inner city area. In the afternoon we visit the charming riverside town of Szentendre, a short drive north of Budapest following the 'Danube Bend'. Szentendre, traditionally an artists' colony, is full of pretty houses painted in pastel shades and many small galleries. We end our tour with dinner, and an optional boat cruise on the Danube, offering close-up views of the spectacular Neo-Gothic Parliament building on the waterfront.

Day 8
Today we transfer to Eger, one of the most wonderful Baroque towns in Hungary, it boasts a glorious past and a wide collection of important monuments. Highlights include: the mediaeval Egri Castle, the Dobo Istvan Castle museum, the second largest church in Hungary, the Turkish thermal baths and an impressive cave complex. Eger is also a historic wine-producing region and there will certainly be the opportunity to sample some of the excellent local red and white wines.

Day 9
This is a rather long driving day (5-6 hours) up into the Slovakian hinterland and the walled town of Levoca, founded in the 13th Century. En route we stop at the Spis castle, a UNESCO listed site and the largest castle ruins in Central Europe. Leaving Levoca we drive through gentle undulating hills, with the main granite bulk of the mighty Tatra Mountains in front of us. Our destination is Stary Smokovec, a pretty mountain town with good access to some lovely walking trails.

Day 10
We transfer to the neighbouring settlement of Tatranska Lomnica by mountain train and take the cable car to Skalnate Pleso (1751m). There is the option to ascend further to the second highest peak in the Tatras, Lomnicky Peak at 2633m. Our walk from the lake takes us on the popular Tatranska Magistrala, past beautiful waterfalls such as the 20m Maly Studeny, and mountain cottages where we can stop for lunch. We also take in some fantastic viewpoints on the way back to Stary Smokovec.

Day 11
Free morning in Stary Smokovec then depart for Krakow, arriving mid-afternoon. The ancient city of Krakow has a magnificent mediaeval centre with a huge market square - the biggest in Central Europe - and several Gothic churches. Our hotel is located a short walk from the square. Our leader will escort the group into the Old Town with a short orientation walk and meal suggestions.

Day 12
We take a short tour on foot of the main sights of the old city, including the Mariacki church, Old Market Square, the Jewish quarter and Wawel Hill. Wawel Castle is renowned as the best example of a renaissance style castle on the north side of Alps. Afternoon free to explore, or an optional visit to the impressive and labyrinth like Wieliczka Salt Mine. This vast network of tunnels and rooms now covers 9 levels to a depth of 327m and was described by an eighteenth-century visitor as being 'as remarkable as the Pyramids and more useful'. This huge mediaeval underground salt mine contains chambers, chapels and even concert halls all excavated from salt by hand.

Day 13
Free day in Krakow or alternatively clients can opt to take an optional visit to the moving museum at Auschwitz.

Day 14
End Krakow.

Is this trip for you?
This is a relaxed itinerary but with a few long driving days due to the amount of distance that you cover on this trip. There is some walking involved on a few days, but this is gentle and not like mountain hiking (it is also optional). The accommodation is a little more basic than in comparable hotels in Western Europe.

You'll benefit from free time and informative guiding in some of Europe's finest cities. As a great addition, your groups will now have helpful and informative local guides who will tell you all you need to know about the fascinating places you see. You will also get the chance to do some exploring of your own, armed with some top tips and orientation, the perfect opportunity to soak up the atmosphere and culture and make the most of your visit.