Eastern Europe Tour

American Breakfast at hotel.

Commence on a full day sightseeing tour and discover fabulous Prague with guide. Your tour will take you on an exploration of Old Town, New Town, and everything in-between!

Your guide will give you an insight into local Czech culture as you walk through the city’s most beautiful sights… From Stare Mesto—or the old city—to Josefov—the preserved part of the former Jewish city (synagogues and old Jewish cemetery) and to Lesser town with cobble streets, small windows and white chimneys —It is an incredible walking exploration through Prague’s rich history and new world.
Prague Castle, the largest ancient castle in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records – it occupies an area of almost 70,000 square meters. The view from the Prague Castle grounds is amazing so make sure to go around the perimeter to find views of the city. Old Town Square – This is where you would see most of the city’s oldest and most historic relics, the Romanesque Basilica of St. Georg, St. Vitus Cathedral, Charles Bridge, the medieval Astronomical Clock mounted on the southern wall of the Old Town Hall is the oldest operating astronomical clock in the world and Wenceslas Square. Prague smallest and tiniest street, Gingerbread house – Instagram Alert get a beautiful pictures.

We will give you time for shopping in Wenceslas Square at the end of the tour where an array of departmental stores are available. Once you finish your shopping, transfer back to the hotel. Get freshen-up and get ready for a romantic evening.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the views as you drive past a string of top Prague attractions just as they come alive in a blaze of illuminations and see other landmarks as you make your way to the Vltava River, where your sightseeing boat awaits. Step aboard the air-conditioned boat and sip on a complimentary aperitif as you set sail on your cruise. Watch the passing sights from the outdoor deck or through the panoramic windows of the cabin. Glide by St Agnes Monastery, the National Theatre and Vyšehrad, distinctive for the towering spires of St Peter and Paul Church, and after a taster of the sights, sit down to a delectable buffet dinner. Take your pick from the selection of Czech and international hot and cold dishes, and enjoy the convivial atmosphere and accompanying music as it lilts through the cabin and decks. Following your meal, head back to the open-air deck or drink in more of the landmarks from the cabin, including the Rudolfinum, the Charles Bridge and magnificent Prague Castle — its walls and spires all aglitter against the inky black sky. When the time comes, return to the original start point of your tour, where your experience ends. Transfer to the hotel for overnight stay.

VYSEHARD HILL: Vysehrad Hill with St. Veit’s Cathedral towers over Prague. It is a castle complex that has been the country’s political, intellectual and cultural center for more than 1,000 years. Formerly the royal residence, it is now the official residence of the Czech president. Access to the complex is via the first of the inner wards.

ST. VITUS CATHEDRAL: Prague is overlooked by the largest castle in the world that dominates the skyline. From within the castle grounds rising to immense heights are the towering spires of St. Vitus Cathedral, the Czech Republic’s largest church. This elegant gothic structure soars above the castle ramparts and contains numerous chapels, frescoes and tombs. The cathedral origins date back to the year 925 and have been developed much over the following centuries up to and including some 20th century very striking and colourful art deco stained glass windows created by Alphons Mucha (founder of the Art Deco movement) in the North Nave. The building was finally completed in 1929 in time for the Jubilee if St. Wenceslas. The cathedral is home to Bohemia’s crown jewels but the pilgrims and tourists flock to the tomb of St. Wenceslas Duke of Bohemia and martyr. St. Wenceslas was murdered by his brother Boleslav in 930 and the popular Christmas carol recalls his strong faith and concern for the poor. His final words were “Brother, may God forgive you”. His feast day is September 28th which is now national public holiday in the Czech Republic.

THE OLD TOWN SQUARE: The Old Town Square, a market place dating from the 12th century, is one of Prague’s central attractions and is a key focal point for both visitors and locals with its cafes, street performers and musicians. It is dominated by the towers of the Gothic Tyn Church, which also houses the tomb of the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe.

THE ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK: The astronomical clock on the south side of the old city hall is the third oldest of its kind. The Twelve Apostles appear in its windows every hour and the clock shows the phases of the moon, the position of the sun and the planet constellations and of course the time.

THE GOLDEN ALLEY: Franz Kafka lived for a number of years in one of these cottages in Golden Alley on the castle grounds. The cottages were built along the castle walls in the 16th century to provide lodging for watchmen and tradesmen. The assertion that alchemists were at work here under Rudolf II has not been historically proven.

CHARLES BRIDGE: Construction on the grand Charles Bridge began in 1357. It was later embellished with its masterful baroque statues between 1707 and 1714.The Bridge takes you from the Lesser Quarter, the area beneath Vysehrad Hill, over the Vltava River to the Old Town. Its décor is based on the baroque figures of the saints on the Ponte Sant’Angelo in Rome, the most famous of which is the bronze statue of St. John of Nepomuk from 1683. It honors the preacher and saint, John Nepomuk, whom King Wenceslas IV had thrown from the bridge into the Vltava River at this spot. The bridge is named after King Charles IV (1316-1378) The Charles Bridge is 500 M long and its sixteen arches are supported by fifteen pillars.

The Miraculous Infant Jesus of Prague: The real story starts many hundreds of years ago when the heathens were waging war on the Christian outposts of the Spanish peninsula. A remote monastery stood along the wayside road between Seville and Cordoba. As the monks prayed in this tranquil surround an army of Moors invaded the monastery and destroyed it leaving it an empty and derelict monument. A group of monks who had fled and survived the conquering hordes returned much later and resettled into their ruined monastery and slowly over time the buildings were restored. The long hot dusty days passed by and then whilst one of the monks was at work in the monastery flower gardens a beautiful small child came upon him. The little child smiled at him and said: “I am Jesus”. The monk momentarily looked to the pale blue cloudless skies and in an instant the child had disappeared yet the small boy’s face became etched in the holy man’s memory. Years passed, the monastery increased in size and vocations swelled the once quiets cells and cloistered walls. The monk grew old but found it impossible to forget the small angelic child who paid him a visit during his youth. He longed to see the infant’s radiant face one more time and began to model in wax the image that so moved him as a young monk. In his twilight years he made many attempts to recreate the child in wax but none of his finished models were quite right until early one morning a clear bright light appeared and the child standing before him said “I have come to show myself again to you, so that you can finish the sculpture according to my likeness”. The old Spanish monk’s warm fingers molded and shaped the softened wax until a perfect identical image was complete.
The ancient tradition of dressing the statue of the Infant Jesus is intended to bring Jesus closer to the faithful as a real human being. It helps us to experience the closeness of Jesus and to express our love and reverence.
The task of changing the Infant Jesus’ robes is entrusted to the Carmelite Sisters of the Child Jesus, who help the Discalced Carmelite Fathers to look after the shrine and the statue.
Just as we see our vested priests at Mass, the robes of the Infant Jesus of Prague are changed so that the colour is in keeping with the liturgical season or feast day. The main colours of his little robes are:
White – Represents purity and holiness and is used for major feast day’s solemnities and the Easter and Christmas periods. Red –Represents blood and fire. Used always on the feast and memorial days of martyred saints of the church calendar and also at Pentecost. Violet/Purple – solemn colour symbolizing repentance used during seasons of Lent and Advent and may be used at funerals. Green- the verdant colour of life and hope used throughout the long periods of ordinary time and is the colour most seen during the church’s year. Three other colours may be used at specified times during the liturgical year: Rose – Which is used on the third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) and the fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday).Gold – used at festive times namely Easter and Christmas day. Blue – that may be used for feasts of The Blessed Virgin

Church of Our Lady before Tyn: This 14th century Gothic church is one of the most dominant features of the old town of Prague. It is most notable for its twin spires – in the city of a Hundred Spires, these are the queen spires.

American Breakfast at hotel.

Meet your guide in central Vienna and take off on a 4 hour city tour of Vienna. The current capital of Austria and one of the greatest cultural centers in Europe during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Vienna is one of the most romantic cities in the world. Vienna is famous for the State Opera House, Baroque architecture, musical legacy, and Prater amusement park, among many other points of interest.
Learn the fascinating stories of Vienna’s history, culture and politics as you travel, tracing back to its Roman roots and involvement in the world wars. Pass the city’s historic landmarks, walking through Heldenplatz (Heroes’ Square), where Adolf Hitler made his 1938 annexation speech. Admire the iconic landmark of St Stephen’s Cathedral, a beloved mark of Viennese freedom, as well as the Sacher Café, known for its delectable chocolate cake. View the Hofburg Imperial Palace, built in the 13th century and the former residence of the monarchs of the Habsburg dynasty. You’ll also stop at the Spanish Riding School, a center for classical dressage. See the neoclassical House of Parliament and striking City Hall. After exploring the city’s grand structures and small streets, your tour will conclude at the Gothic architecture of St Stephen’s Cathedral.

In the afternoon, meet your driver at your Vienna hotel, settle inside your coach, and then travel through Lower Austria into Slovakia. (80.2 KM-1.30 Hrs.) On route, gaze at the passing countryside dotted with vineyards and windmills, and after about an hour, arrive in Bratislava, Slovakia’s capital, on the River Danube.

Upon arrival, commence on a 3 hour tour of Bratislava with a local guide. As you stroll, learn about Bratislava’s ancient and medieval past, and its time under communism from 1948 until 1989. Admire Bratislava Castle, the hilltop fortress-palace that towers over the city. Hear how the complex was the seat of many Hungarian kings, and then view the Slovakian Parliament, standing on a neighboring hill, head to the cobbled Old Town to admire the medieval and baroque architecture and monuments. Stroll to St. Michael’s Gate, the only remaining of Bratislava’s original city gates, and pause outside the Slovak National Theatre and Academia Istropolitana, the first university of human science in Hungary, founded in 1465. Admire the Town Hall and St. Martin’s Cathedral, whose spire is topped by a crown marking it as the coronation church of Hungary’s kings from 1563 to 1830. Stop for photos of the baroque Palffy Palace, where Mozart performed when he was just six, and take in Leopold de Pauli’s Palace, an 18th-century

Presidential Palace Known locally as the Grassalkovich Palace, this structure serves as the official home of the president of Slovakia. Featuring stunning architecture, this site is rich in history. Besides being the centre for Slovakian politics, it was once home to many of Joseph Haydn’s concerts.

Michael’s Gate is one of the only city gates in the country from medieval times that has been saved and preserved. It is considered to be one of the oldest spots in all of Bratislava and serves as the entrance to the city’s Old Town. Built in the 14th century, the gate features a dazzling baroque architecture and an impressive copper roof that glistens under the sunlight. The gate towers over the town and features seven stories inside that you can climb up to get stunning views of the town. You can take a few pictures at the gate.

American Breakfast at hotel.

After roughly 1.5 hours on the road, arrive at Auschwitz and set off on a guided tour of both the UNESCO-listed Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau sites. Enter the Auschwitz I compound through the gates inscribed with ‘Arbeit macht frei’ or ‘work sets one free,’ and discover how it quickly turned from a detention camp for Polish prisoners into a center for mass murder. Explore the main buildings — some still intact and some in ruins — and walk around the exhibitions that chart the fates of many of those detained here. View the dormitories and gas chambers, and see the factory areas where prisoners were forced to make munitions and other products for Germany’s war efforts. While the facts of what happened here are shocking and distressing, your guide will explain everything in the most sensitive way possible.

After viewing Auschwitz I, take a short break to collect your thoughts and then visit nearby Auschwitz II-Birkenau. Here, see what remains of the watchtowers, fences and barracks as you hear about the appalling conditions endured by those held here. Witness the remnants of the gas chambers and crematoriums that were destroyed by the fleeing Nazis, and then visit the deeply poignant memorials to the victims to spend time in memory of those who suffered and died here. After approximately three hours, travel back to Krakow where your tour ends at your original start point.

Afternoon, enjoy the visit of Devín Castle standing on a massive rock hill above the confluence of the Danube and Morava is an unusually impressive landmark. It is part of the oldest history of Slovakia, the Main Square, with the Old Town Hall rising from a corner of the Main Square, Roland Fountain – the oldest fountain in the city, St. Martin’s Cathedral, the coronation Cathedral of Hungarian Kings, ancient St. Clare’s Church, St. Michael’s Gate, the last well-preserved town gate, the executioner’s house, Venturska Street, site of the rich musical life of the city, many palaces from the time of Empress Maria Theresa, the beautiful Slovak National Theatre and Slovak Philharmonic, Primate’s Palace and many other remarkable sites.

Dinner and overnight in Krakow.

American Breakfast at the hotel.

Goodbye lovely Krakow and leave to Budapest. (651.5 KM – 6.30 Hrs.)

No visit to Budapest is completed without a boat cruise down the River Danube taking in the sights admiring the great historical buildings of Budapest. You’ll see famous landmarks such as the Chain Bridge, which connects the eastern and western sides of the city, as well as Buda Castle. Live music will set the mood as you glide past the capital city’s stunning backdrop.

On completion of the Cruise you will be transferred to the hotel for overnight stay.