9-Day Break

Day 1 – Local departure then onwards to Belgium for an overnight. stay.
Day 2 – Continue south to Prague for a 2-night stay. B,D
Day 3 – Prague (included) Guided Walking Tour (optional, included on Silver Service). We spend the day in the elegant Czech capital. Our guided walking tour introduces the splendid architecture of Prague Old Town, the world’s largest UNESCO monument. B,D
Day 4 – Bratislava (included). We leave Prague and head to Bratislava. Enjoy a brief orientation of the highlights of this mystical city, Slovakia’s capital, with its exquisitely renovated centre of Baroque palaces, fountains and romantic streets. Then travel to Budapest for a two-night stay. B,D
Day 5 – Budapest (included) Sightseeing Tour (optional). A full day to discover the Hungarian capital at leisure. Our optional sightseeing tour captures many sights including the Fisherman’s Bastion, the Royal Palace, Parliament Building and St. Stephen’s Basilica. Beginning with a drive to Gellért Hill, we then cross the famous Chain Bridge and travel on to the Pest district, passing Heroes’ Square and ending at the Buda castle district. B,D
Day 6 – Györ and Schönbrunn Palace Gardens (included). En route to the Vienna Woods area, we drive to the beautiful Hungarian town of Györ. Time at leisure visiting the old town. Györ offers one of the best-preserved examples of a Hungarian Renaissance and Baroque town. We continue to Vienna and Schönbrunn Palace, where the gardens and park will take you into a world of Baroque culture (entrance fee to palace not included). Travel onwards to Vienna Woods for a two-night stay. B,D
Day 7 – Vienna (included) Guided Tour (optional). The former imperial city of Vienna has a fascinating heritage as the centre of the Habsburg Empire. There are over 80 museums, plus elegant shops and boutiques. Our optional guided tour will introduce the principal sights, including the Hofburg Palace, the Parliament Building, the Opera House, National Theatre and the City Hall. We see the house where Johann Strauss composed the Blue Danube Waltz, before crossing the Danube to see the United Nations complex. We then pass the famous Prater Wheel, before returning to the centre. B,D
Day 8 – To Belgium for an overnight stay. B
Day 9 – To Calais then return home. B

12-Day Break

Our Extra Leisure option allows you a more relaxed exploration of these great imperial cities. With an extra day spent in Prague, Vienna and Budapest, you’ll have more time for independent sightseeing and the chance to enjoy our additional optional excursions. The itinerary will follow the same order as our 9-day holiday, but with an extra night’s stay in Prague, Budapest and the Vienna Woods area.

• Extra Leisure Day Prague - Enjoy another day at leisure in Prague or choose to join our optional cruise on the Vltava River. Lasting for approximately two hours, the narrated cruise will take you along the majestic Vltava River, past spectacular views of the famous sights of the city. Lunch will be served on board, with a selection of warm and cold Czech specialties for you to enjoy. So sit back on the sundeck, listen to the musician, and admire the views of the city of a hundred spires.
• Extra Leisure Day Budapest - Enjoy another day at leisure in Budapest or an optional excursion to the ‘Danube Bend’, exploring old Hungary, beginning with a visit to the former capital of Esztergom and its magnificent basilica. We continue to Visegrad, where we view the old fortifications, and then to the town of Szentendre, where you will have time for lunch in one of the restaurants serving typical Hungarian food, as well as the opportunity to walk through the narrow streets and browse in the many shops displaying traditional handicrafts.
• Extra Leisure Day Vienna - Enjoy another full day at leisure in Vienna or choose to join our optional ‘Viennese Highlights’ excursion. We begin with a visit to the Prater and a nostalgic ride on the famous Riesenrad, or ‘Giant Wheel’, built over 100 years ago and today one of the most wellknown landmarks of the city. From here, we drive to the northern Vienna Woods, just outside of the city, and to the summit of the Kahlenberg mountain to enjoy the spectacular panorama overlooking the city of Vienna, which on a clear day extends as far as Bratislava. We continue to the picturesque town of Grinzing to enjoy an included lunch with a glass of wine in one of the Heurigen restaurants – typical Austrian fayre and all to the accompaniment of traditional Viennese music! Later we return to Vienna for added free time, before returning to our hotel.

Included Meals: B=Breakfast D=Dinner

Accommodation

You’ll stay for two nights at the 3-star Ibis Hotel Karlin or similar in Prague, then two nights at the cylinder-shaped, 4-star Hotel Budapest in Budapest. In the Vienna Woods area, you will stay for two nights at the
family-run 4-star Hotel Zur Post, or similar, in Laaben. All hotels have a restaurant, bar and lift. All bedrooms have T.V. and telephone.

Overnight stays in Belgium on both holidays will be in a city-style hotel.

Extras
Optional Excursions.
Single Room Supplement: £149 (9 Days)
Single Room Supplement: £199 (12 Days)
Travel Insurance from £42.95

Prices are per person, based on two people sharing.