About your tour
Hotels
Excellent selection of modern hotels
including
the magnificent Hilton West End in the
heart of Budapest, the newly refurbished
Vienna Hilton and the comfortable Crowne
Plaza located across from the Presidential
Palace in Bratislava.
Fellow Passengers
A blend of seasoned travellers who
wish to extend
their knowledge of Europe to the former
Eastern bloc countries, plus travellers,
maybe in Europe for the first time, who
wish to trace their ancestral roots in
Eastern
Europe.
Highlights
The contrasts between the three main
cities of
Vienna, Budapest and Prague the
grandeur of Vienna and the splendour of
Schönbrunn
Palace, the strains of the gypsy violins
of Budapest and the magical beauty of
Prague
the inspiration to many a great
composer!
Enjoy our Premium
Highlights plus
these extra tour features
Excursions &
Sights
- Panoramic view of Budapest from
Gellert Hill &
visit to Heroes Square
- Visit Matthias Church by the
Fishermans Bastion
in Budapest to see the murals
- Drive along the Danube to see the
ruins of the Roman
settlement of Aquincum
- Visit the Citadel in
Visegrád for stunning views over
the Danube Bend
- Visit the splendid Coronation
Cathedral in Esztergom
- Views from Bratislava
Castle & stroll the old town to
the medieval Town Hall
- See Brnos formidable
Spilberk fortress & baroque
Cathedral of Sts Peter & Paul
- Admire the
stained glass windows of St Vitus
Cathedral in Prague Castle
- Visit Pragues
Old Town Square and see the
Astronomical Clock
- See the Hofburg, Opera House,
Parliament
building & St Charles
Church in Vienna
Guided City Tours
- Indepth sightseeing tours with expert
local guides in Budapest,
Bratislava, Prague & Vienna
Insight's First Class Services
- Escorted by a professional Tour
Director
- Luxury
air-conditioned 40 seat coach with
onboard toilet
- First-class hotels with all service
charges, taxes and porterage
- Travel bag, document wallet, map
book journal and information
pack
Quality Dining
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Your itinerary
9 Days ~ Austria ~ Hungary ~
Slovakia ~ Czech Republic
Tour
Pace
This tour has been expertly planned
to run at
a leisurely pace, with two-night stays
in the three main cities: Vienna, Budapest
and Prague. There are no long travelling
days on this compact tour; a perfect
introduction
to Central and Eastern Europe.
DAY 1 SAT
UK - VIENNA
After your scheduled arrival at
Vienna Airport, there are complimentary
transfers to your hotel at 09.00, 12.00
& 15.00 hours. Vienna is famous for
its delicious coffees and pastries
so, after checking in, why not stroll to
a local café? Or take a walk through
the Stadtpark to see the statue of
Strauss. Later, meet your Tour Director
for a
Welcome Drink. Hotel: Hilton.
DAY 2 SUN
VIENNA BUDAPEST
Take a leisurely drive through
farming country
to the Hungarian border. Continue
through farmland, passing the eagle
overlooking
the town of Tatabanya, before arriving
in Budapest, your home for two nights.
Enjoy
the view across the Danube from the
lofty Citadel atop Gellert Hill. Marvel
at the
superb murals in the Church of St
Matthias beside the Fishermans
Bastion,
and take in a perfect vista of the
beautiful Parliament building. View the
Royal
palace of Buda, then cross the Danube to
the Pest district to visit Heroes
Square and Andrassy Boulevard. Enjoy a
Highlight Dinner with traditional Gypsy
entertainment.
Hotel: Hilton West End. (BB,HD)
DAY 3 MON
BUDAPEST SIGHTSEEING
The day is set aside for you to
explore this fascinating
city at your own pace. Shop for bargains
in fine porcelain and colourful
embroideries,
take an optional excursion to explore
the Secret Treasures of
Budapest or visit a world-famous
restaurant to enjoy coffee and pancakes.
(BB,D)
DAY 4 TUE
BUDAPEST
BRATISLAVA
Take a fascinating drive past the
remains of the
Roman settlement of Aquincum and along
the Danube to the picturesque riverside
village
of Szentendre. This community has long
been the haunt of artists, enchanted by its
brightly coloured houses and quaint
churches. Continue to Visegrád,
where
the castle walls and Solomons
Tower are all that remain of
Visegráds
regal splendour. Walk up to the Citadel
for breath-taking views across the Danube
Bend. See Esztergom, former capital of
Hungary, and visit its splendid cathedral.
Cross the Danube at Komarom to enter the
Republic of Slovakia. Skirt the foothills
of the Little Carpathian Mountains to
arrive at your hotel in Bratislava. Upon
arrival,
view the presidential palace before
taking a leisurely walk through the Old
Town,
stopping at the medieval Town Hall.
Hotel: Crowne Plaza. (BB,D)
DAY 5 WED
BRATISLAVA PRAGUE
Drive to the 9th century castle,
perched high
above the Danube, for panoramic views
across Bratislava. After crossing into the
Czech Republic, drive to Brno, capital
of the Province of Moravia. During an
orientation
tour, see the unusual baroque Cathedral
of St Peter and St Paul, as well as the
grim Spilberk Fortress, used as a jail
by the Nazis during World War Two. Continue
through Czech countryside to
Golden Prague named
for its gleaming
gilded spires. Hotel: Movenpick. (BB,D)
DAY 6 THU
PRAGUE SIGHTSEEING
Since the Velvet
Revolution, Prague
has been one of the most fashionable,
beautiful and culturally exciting cities in
Europe. The Czech capital features a
unique blend of Gothic, Renaissance and
baroque
architecture; a sightseeing tour with an
expert local guide introduces the
1,000-year-old
Hradcany Castle and the majestic St
Vitus Cathedral. Descend to the
Old Town,
where the tour concludes at the
fascinating Astronomical Clock in the
city square.
Later, there is time to shop for fine
Bohemian crystal, Carlsbad porcelain or
superb
costume jewellery; treasures for which
the Czech Republic is world-famous. (BB)
DAY 7 FRI
PRAGUE VIENNA
Enjoy a drive through the green
Bohemian countryside,
passing the town of Tabor, headquarters
of the 15th century reformer, John Huss,
and continuing south to medieval Cesky
Krumlov, with its ancient town and
Renaissance
castle on either side of the River
Vltava. After some free time to explore,
head
back to Vienna for a two-night stay.
Hotel: Hilton. (BB)
DAY 8
SAT VIENNA
SIGHTSEEING
A sightseeing highlight this morning
is a guided
visit to the magnificent Schönbrunn
Palace and gardens. See also St
Charles
Church and the baroque architecture of
the Opera House, the magnificent Hofburg
Imperial Residence and Parliament
building. The afternoon is free to visit
Prater
Park for a ride on the famous ferris
wheel, or to try the coffee and apple
strudel
on Karntnerstrasse. As night falls, why
not join your friends for a farewell
dinner? (BB)
DAY 9 SUN
VIENNA - UK
The tour ends after breakfast with
transfers to
Vienna Airport at 07.00 & 09.00
hours. (BB)
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