TALES OF EASTERN EUROPE

Drive to Austria’s oldest and possibly, most photographed village, Hallstatt.  Enjoy the delightful sight of traditional Alpine houses adorned with colourful flowers and a preserved historic charm.  Its Alpine setting amidst the Dachstein Alps reflected on the glass-like Hallstatter See. Continue to Austria’s capital, Vienna known for its grand architecture, classical music and rich imperial history. 

Join our local guide for a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Schonbrunn Palance.  This opulent palace was the summer residence of the Habsburgs and offers stunning gardens and grandeur rooms. Drive around the Ring Boulevard to admire the stately Hofburg, Austrian Parliament, State Opera House, Museum of Fine Arts, the first public observatory Urania and Vienna University among others. In the historic center, admire the Gothic masterpiece, St Stephen’s Cathedral with its iconic tiled roof.  The city is famous for its coffeehouse culture.  In the afternoon, why not enjoy the famous Sachertorte at a coffeehouse or explore the city at leisure?    

Enjoy some time at a factory outlet which provides a vast selection of designer brands at a significantly discounted price compared to retail stores. Travel through enchanting Austrian countryside, passing old village, steep vineyards and castle ruins in the Danube Valley as we travel to the Hungary and its capital, Budapest.

Spend some time shopping at a factory outlet offering a wide range of designer brands at significantly discounted prices. From the Fisherman’s Bastion, take in panoramic views of the Parliament building, then admire the murals of St. Matthias Church and stroll to the Royal Palace. Cross the Danube into Pest via one of its grand bridges, such as the Chain or Elisabeth, and stop at Heroes’ Square to see the Millennium Monument. Head out to the great Hungarian Plain (Puszta), dotted with paprika fields and traditional inns, and enjoy a performance by the Hungarian horsemen, the Csikós.

Enjoy some time at a factory outlet which provides a vast selection of designer brands at a significantly discounted price compared to retail stores. Cross the border into Slovakia.  Make a photo stop at one of the unique wooden churches built without the use of nails in Hronsek and represent a remarkable example of Baroque architecture in a wooden structure. Break our journey in the Banska Bystrica Region.   

Continue our journey to Krakow located in the south of Poland and often considered the country’s most beautiful and culturally significant cities. Visit Oswiecim known for its association with the Auschwitz concentration camps.  The camps are preserved as museums and memorials to honour the victims and educate visitors about the atrocities committed during the Holocaust.

Begin your tour in Krakow’s old town, admiring its beautifully preserved medieval architecture. Visit the Market Square with its Renaissance Cloth Hall, and see the iconic towers of St. Mary’s Basilica. Walk through the historic courtyard of Jagiellonian University—one of Europe’s oldest and once home to Copernicus—before continuing to Wawel Royal Castle, a symbol of Polish royalty. Explore the Wieliczka Salt Mine, operating for over 700 years, with its impressive underground chambers, carved chapels and sculptures, including the stunning St. Kinga’s Chapel.

Drive through Poland’s farmlands and rolling hills to Wroclaw, a vibrant university city. Explore the Old Town around the Rynek, one of Europe’s largest market squares, with colorful townhouses and the Gothic Town Hall featuring its astronomical clock. Hunt for the city’s quirky bronze dwarf statues, originally a form of protest. Admire the rural Lower Silesian landscape before crossing the Neisse River into Germany and continue on the Autobahn—famous for sections without speed limits—toward Berlin.

Begin your Berlin tour at the Berlin Wall, an open-air gallery marking the former East-West boundary. See Cold War landmarks like Checkpoint Charlie and the Brandenburg Gate, symbol of German reunification. Visit the Reichstag, home of the German parliament, and the 67 m Victory Column in Tiergarten Park, topped with a golden statue of Nike. Enjoy some leisure time to explore Berlin at your own pace.

Travel to Dresden, the “Florence on the Elbe,” known for its stunning architecture. See the Semperoper opera house, the reconstructed Baroque Frauenkirche, and the magnificent Zwinger Palace with its art collections. Visit Saxon Switzerland National Park, famed for sandstone cliffs and lush valleys, and stop at Bastei Bridge for panoramic views of the Elbe (weather permitting). End the day in Prague, the Czech Republic’s captivating capital.

Visit Hradcany Castle and the impressive St. Vitus Cathedral. Stroll down Golden Lane, cross the historic Charles Bridge, and explore the Old Town Square with its Astronomical Clock, Jan Hus Memorial, and the Gothic Tyn Church. Enjoy some free time for shopping or relaxing. Conclude the journey and depart the Czech Republic with lasting memories of its sights, sounds, and stories.