Budapest, Vienna and Prague

Passengers who purchase flights will depart 1 day before the tour starts and return on the same day as the tour ends.

For flight details, see Before You Depart.

Landing in this delightful Hungarian capital, we’ll be met and escorted to our centrally located, upscale hotel. This evening, our Tour Director hosts a welcome dinner and briefing.

This morning, our guide will introduce us to Budapest’s fascinating history and sights. Enjoy a breathtaking, panoramic view from the lookout terraces of the Fisherman’s Bastion, located on Castle Hill. We’ll also see the Citadel on Gellért Hill and Matthias Church, which was used for centuries for the coronations of Hungarian kings. In the afternoon, we'll set sail on a leisurely 1-hour cruise on the romantic Danube River to take in city views from the water. Afterward, we'll visit the famous Szechenyi Thermal Spa, one of the biggest natural hot spring spa baths in Europe. Enjoy a relaxing medicinal soak in a historical setting.

Embark on a morning excursion to the scenic Hungarian countryside. We’ll journey to the artist’s town of Szentendre, a gem at the gateway to the picturesque Danube Bend river region. Enjoy free time to explore its cobblestoned streets and Baroque charms. Then, return to Budapest, where you can revel in its fine arts and architecture at your own pace.

Next, we bring you across the border into Austria and drive to Vienna for sightseeing in the heart of the Habsburg Empire. Tour along the Ring Boulevard, encircling the city center, past the Hofburg (official residence of the President of Austria), Vienna State Opera, and Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Finish your day with dinner at the hotel.

Today brings us to the Imperial Palace of Schönbrunn—with its 18th-century architecture, interiors, and vast gardens, it’s among the most impressive baroque structures in Europe. After the visit to the Palace, continue to the nearby Café Residenz where you will experience a strudel-making demo and tasting. After we've enjoyed our delicious strudel, enjoy free time to explore Vienna.

Embrace all that Vienna has to offer with a full day of independent exploration—you can discover more popular attractions and even take in some of the culture with stops at cafes and shops along the way. This evening, we'll visit a local Heuriger, a wine tavern known for its comfortable and cozy atmosphere. It usually has a traditional rustic interior and serves its own wine and food. Heuriger’s culture is an important part of Austria's cultural history. Visit nearby Grinzing, famous for being one of the best Vienna Heurigen places in the area. There are more than 25 Heurigen in Grinzing each with its own unique special history, atmosphere, wine, and food. Enjoy the beautiful nature and enjoy a special tasting & dinner on this tour.

Today, take a leisurely scenic drive through rich farmlands to the rolling hills of Moravia. You’ll first visit the quaint town of Dürnstein before continuing over the Czech Republic border, stopping to see the charming buildings and beautiful surroundings of Telč along the way. Later in the day, we’ll reach Prague, one of Europe’s most vibrant and colorful cities.

Beautiful Prague, the “City of a Hundred Spires,” once served as the capital of the Holy Roman Empire and is now the Czech Republic's capital. This morning, we'll tour the impressive Hradčany castle and the Old Royal Palace, one of the oldest parts of Prague Castle, dating from 1135. We'll also see the 14th-century Charles Bridge, Old Town, and more. The afternoon is at leisure to explore more.

Sightseeing continues this morning with a visit to the Jewish Quarter of Prague with an included visit to the Jewish Museum. Today's touring ends at the hotel with an afternoon of free time to unwind at an outdoor cafe, shop in the bustling markets, or delve into more of Prague’s intriguing sights. Tonight, celebrate this great trip with your fellow travelers at a festive farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Our tour comes to an end today after breakfast. Travelers who purchased the air-inclusive package will transfer to the airport for our non-stop flight back to the U.S.

Passengers who purchase flights will depart 1 day before the tour starts and return on the same day as the tour ends.

For flight details, see Before You Depart.

Welcome to Prague, the "City of a Hundred Spires," and the capital of the Czech Republic. Travelers who purchased our air-inclusive program will be met and transferred to our centrally located hotel. This evening our tour director hosts an orientation followed by a welcome dinner.

Today we'll explore beautiful Prague, which once served as the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. After breakfast, we'll cross the Vltava River to see the Royal Castle of Hradčany, the largest ancient castle complex in the world. Here, we'll visit the Cathedral of St. Vitus, the Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, and the Golden Lane with the Daliborka Tower. Later, in Prague's old town, we'll view the Old Town Square, the famous Astronomical Clock, St. Nicholas Church, the Charles Bridge, and more. The rest of our day is at leisure to explore Prague independently.

Our sightseeing continues this morning in the Jewish Quarter of Prague, a former Jewish ghetto dating back to the 13th century. Here, we'll visit the Jewish Museum. Originally established in 1906, this is one of the oldest Jewish museums in Europe. During our visit, we'll learn more The balance of the day is at leisure with time to unwind at an outdoor cafe, shop in the bustling markets, or delve into more of Prague’s intriguing sights.

Today we'll depart Prague for Vienna, "the City of Waltz." Our drive takes us through rich farmlands to the rolling hills of Moravia (the Easternmost province of the Czech Republic). We'll see the charming buildings and beautiful surroundings of Telč, before we continue across the Austrian border to the quaint town of Dürnstein. Later in the day, we’ll reach Vienna, one of Europe’s most elegant and grand cities. We'll have a short orientation tour of the city by bus with our tour director before arriving at our hotel for check-in.

Our day starts with a visit to St. Stephen's Cathedral, located at the heart of the city. One of Austria's most beloved landmarks, this limestone cathedral features colorful roof tiles that form the Royal and Imperial double-headed eagle and the coat of arms of the city of Vienna. Just a short walk away is the Hofburg Palace, a 13th century palace that characterizes the opulence of the Habsburg dynasty. Next, we'll view the baroque Belvedere Palace, Prater Amusement Park, and the UN Buildings. The rest of the day is at leisure. We can explore Vienna independently, or consider an optional excursion to the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald).

Today brings us to the Imperial Palace of Schönbrunn—with its 18th-century architecture, interiors, and vast gardens; it’s among the most impressive baroque structures in Europe. After the visit to the Palace, we'll continue to the nearby Café Residenz where you will experience a strudel-making demonstration and tasting. After we've enjoyed our delicious strudel, we'll have more free time to explore Vienna. We'll punctuate the day with dinner together in the Grinzing suburb, in one of the typical Viennese wine taverns called the “Heuriger”.

Today, we say goodbye to Vienna and depart to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. For centuries, this city has been famous for its charm and beauty. The beautifully restored old town with its winding lanes and medieval courtyards is nestled between the steep Castle Hill and the Danube River. On a guided walking tour explore historic, lively pedestrian streets of this charming city where local street vendors offer regional gifts. Later, we'll continue on to Budapest where we'll begin our visit with a short orientation tour by bus. After check in, the evening is free for us to enjoy dinner on our own.

This morning, our local guide will introduce us to Budapest’s fascinating history and sights. Enjoy a breathtaking, panoramic view from the lookout terraces of the Fisherman’s Bastion, located on Castle Hill. We’ll also see the Citadel on Gellért Hill and Matthias Church, which was used for centuries for the coronations of Hungarian kings. This afternoon, we'll set sail on a leisurely one-hour cruise on the romantic Danube River to take in city views from the water. Afterward, we'll visit the famous Szechenyi Thermal Spa, one of the biggest natural hot spring spa baths in Europe. Here, we'll enjoy a relaxing medicinal soak in a historical setting.

Today we'll embark on a morning excursion to the scenic Hungarian countryside. We’ll journey to the artist’s town of Szentendre, a gem at the gateway to the picturesque Danube Bend River region where we'll have free time to explore its cobblestoned streets and Baroque charms. Then, we'll return to Budapest, where we can revel in its fine arts and architecture at our own pace. Tonight, we'll celebrate our great trip together at a festive farewell dinner at a typical “Csarda” restaurant, including dinner, a glass of wine, and entertainment.

Our tour comes to an end today after breakfast. Travelers who purchased the air-inclusive package will transfer to the airport for our flight back to the U.S.