Grand Tour of Central Europe
A grand tour of six countries
As you travel to Hungary, admire the majestic Tatra Mountains and enjoy passing through some of the most scenic parts of Slovakia. The legendary Danube welcomes you to Budapest with Buda Castle, Fishermen’s Bastion, and Matthias Coronation Church. Austria’s capital, Vienna, is next—the elegant city known for the waltz, delectable pastries, and awe-inspiring Habsburg palaces.
Head to Prague where you will admire the Charles Bridge, Jewish Quarter, and world-famous Astronomical Clock. Head through the Bohemian Forest into Bavarian Munich, and along the Romantic Road with the fairytale villages of Nördlingen and Rothenburg, medieval jewels with traditional 16th-century, half-timbered houses.
Northeast today using the Autobahn for a stop in Weimar, one-time intellectual heart of Germany and host to such luminaries as Luther, Cranach, Bach, Liszt, Schiller, and, of course, Goethe himself. It was at one time rightly known as the “Athens of Germany.” Journey past Jena, home to the world-famous Zeiss Optics Factory. Over the River Elbe for a few more miles into Germany’s capital city, Berlin.
Drive east to Poznan, one of Poland’s oldest trading centers and admire its renaissance market square. Continue to Warsaw, capital of Poland.
The included sightseeing tour is an excellent introduction to Warsaw, magnificently reconstructed after wartime destruction. Today, its wide avenues contrast strikingly with the narrow lanes of the old section.
Two encounters with history on your southbound journey today. First, Jasna Gora near Czestochowa, the monastery that withstood the repeated onslaught of overwhelming Swedish forces during the religious wars of the 17th century. Since then, its Black Madonna is venerated as the _Queen of Poland_ and has become the country’s national symbol. In the afternoon, visit what is left of the Auschwitz concentration camp, a chilling reminder of the Holocaust. Evening arrival in Kraków.
Travel through three countries today. First, south to the Tatra Mountains of Poland, then through scenic Slovakia, and finally into Hungary. Your destination is Budapest, the most lively of Eastern European capitals
The wealth of gothic and baroque architecture perhaps inspired Dvorak and Smetana, both Prague composers. The included guided sightseeing features landmarks such as the Jewish Quarter, Charles Bridge, and the Old Town Square with the astronomical clock. Your Tour Director may suggest an optional evening excursion with traditional Czech music and entertainment.