Vienna, Budapest and Prague: The Classical Heart of Europe

After breakfast in the hotel, a local guide will meet your group at your hotel and accompany you on an immersive tour of Vienna's Innere Stadt (1st District), with its historic city center. With rich commentary on the city's history, art and culture, and visits to iconic landmarks like St Stephen's Cathedral, this is the perfect introduction to Vienna. The guided tour ends back at the hotel, and the remainder of the day is at leisure. If guests wish to explore Vienna's excellent restaurant and nightlife scene, the local guide will be happy to share some excellent options.

On this full-day tour of the Innere Stadt and Old Town in Vienna, guests will discover this UNESCO World Heritage Site with an expert guide. Being a political and cultural capital for the House of Habsburg, Vienna served as a capital of the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Empire, and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The dynasty's patronage long encouraged art, music and science, and as a result, the city of Vienna today is truly a treasure-trove of cultural attractions. This tour takes place inside of Vienna's famed Ring. Your guide will show your group Stephansplatz, which is home to Vienna's iconic St. Stephen's Cathedral. You will stroll down Karntnerstrasse, Vienna's most-famous shopping avenue and see the Vienna State Opera House located nearby. Your guide will take the time to help your group explore the imperial Hofburg Palace in-depth. Once the winter residence of the Habsburg monarchs, it now serves as the official residence of the President of Austria. The enormous palace complex plays houses several residences, offices and museums, including the Spanish Riding School, the National Library, the Burgtheater, the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Imperial Chapel, where the famed Vienna Boys Choir performs on Sunday mornings from September to June. Your group has exclusive access to go inside the Imperial State Apartments (Kaiserappartements) to see the home of Habsburg emperors and their families. You will then continue to the Imperial Treasury (Schatzkammer), which is arguably the world's greatest treasury. At the end of the tour, guests will be escorted back to the hotel.

This morning, your group will dive right back into the world of Habsburg splendor. Visits to several historic palaces, museums and Habsburg residences are planned throughout the day, allowing guests rich insights into the world of this powerful family. The evening is free for you to discover Vienna's wonderful classical music scene, and you might consider attending a performance at the symphony or opera.

This guided full-day tour begins with a visit is to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, or Vienna's Museum of Fine Arts. Many of the pieces from its collection were amassed by the Habsburg rulers from their extensive territories. No wonder it’s one of the finest art museums in the world! Afterward, your group will board the private coach and travel southwest to Schonbrunn Palace, the magnificent baroque summer residence of the Habsburgs. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is where a six-year-old Mozart wowed the Empress Maria Theresa (mother of Marie Antoinette) with his extraordinary musical talent in the late 1700s. After touring the state rooms, 18th-century rooms associated with the Empress Maria Theresa, and private apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Sisi, your group will return to the hotel.

After breakfast, your group will set out on a scenic journey through picturesque towns and vineyards set along the Danube River in Wachau Valley. In the afternoon, guests will return to their hotel in Vienna with time to relax and freshen up before the group dinner in Grinzing.

The picturesque Wachau Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site set along the Danube River. The excursion takes your group west through the Vienna Woods to a fairytale land of vineyards, castles, sleepy villages and historic abbeys. As part of the tour, guests will embark on a leisurely Danube cruise from the pretty wine town of Spitz to historic Melk, home to the famed Benedictine Melk Abbey. This 11th-century baroque masterpiece is an enduring symbol of Austria and one of the most-important monastic sites in the world. Led by a knowledgeable guide, your group will enjoy an informative tour of the abbey before returning to Vienna in the late-afternoon. (Please note that Danube river cruises generally operate from April to October. For any other time, we can arrange a special lunch of regional specialties in Melk as an alternative).

Located on the outskirts of the Vienna Woods, Grinzing is best characterized by its "heurigen" or traditional wine taverns. This is the perfect opportunity to sample typical Austrian cuisine, with local wines and dishes such as Wiener schnitzel and apple strudel. Nestled amid picturesque vineyards, the dinner promises to be a memorable last evening in Austria where guests can unwind, share personal stories, and discuss the last few days' adventure, before returning to their hotel. (Please note that roundtrip transportation to Grinzing is included).

The ancient Hungarian city of Gyor lies at the confluence of three rivers: the Danube, Rabca and Raba. Stopping at this picturesque location on the way to Budapest, your guests will enjoy an hour-long walking tour to discover Gyor's history and natural beauty. Located halfway between the bustling cities of Vienna and Budapest, Gyor is replete with charming old alleyways and beautiful baroque architecture. After a comprehensive tour of the town center, the tour will continue east to the river port town of Komarno in Slovakia. Guests will have time for lunch in this town before setting out on another hour-long walking tour. Komarno was a part of Hungary until World War I, and it has retained some of its heritage and architecture, especially in the Old Town. Visitors will be awed by the history and culture of this region, as well as the charming riverside vistas.

The day begins with a short drive north to the colorful town of Szentendre, where the guests will enjoy a comprehensive guided walking tour of town. Lined with restaurants, shops and art galleries, this promises to be a lively excursions, followed by a return trip to Budapest where guests will enjoy a guided city tour. Afterward, they will return to the hotel and have the evening at leisure. Guests could enjoy a romantic evening spa in a private, thermal bath, watch a show at the iconic Hungarian State Opera House, or enjoy a dinner cruise on the Danube River.

Szentendre, located half an hour from Budapest, is known for its Slavic influences (particularly Serbian), baroque architecture and thriving artist community. There is no shortage of galleries or museums in this part of the world, as guests will discover during their guided walking tour. Afterward, they will return to central Budapest and learn about its fascinating history on a guided tour, including how it was formed in 1873 from three distinct cities: Buda, Pest, and Obuda. There are numerous sights and sounds to explore in Budapest, from its striking architecture to UNESCO World Heritage Sites straddling both sides of the Danube. During the tour, guests will see the famed Parliament building along with the Szechenyi Chain Bridge. They will also visit the Buda Castle District including Matthias Church, the Fisherman's Bastion, and the Hungarian National Gallery, located inside the Buda Castle. The full-day tour will end back at the hotel.

After breakfast, guests have the day free to explore the beautiful sights of Budapest on their own. This may be one of Europe's largest cities, but it is surprisingly easy to visit many of its main attractions on foot. Your group can consider checking out one of Budapest's lovely parks, such as Varosliget "City Park" or the parks on Margaret Island. They can visit Heroes' Square with its Millennium Monument of the Magyars, tour the Budapest Holocaust Memorial Center, or relax in one of Budapest's amazing thermal spring spas. Budapest's indoor Great Market Hall offers a wonderful glimpse into the vibrant community and culture, where guests can also grab a delicious goulash or chimney cake at a food stall. Afterward, they can enjoy a classical music concert if they wish, ending the evening on a high note!

En-Route to Prague, your group will stop at the historic city of Bratislava for a 2-hour guided walking tour. Located on the banks of the Danube only 40 miles east of Vienna, Bratislava was the capital of the Austrian-led Kingdom of Hungary for almost 250 years. Its iconic castle was a major cultural center under the patronage of Austrian Empress Maria Theresa. Today, the main highlight of Bratislava is its Old Town, with its beautiful medieval and baroque architecture, as guests will discover on this tour. Afterward, there will be time for lunch before they re-board the coach and travel northwest to Prague.

After breakfast in the hotel, your group will set out by private coach on a full-day royal castles sightseeing tour featuring Krivoklat Castle and Prague Castle. The sightseeing tour will end back at your hotel, and the evening is at leisure for you to enjoy Prague. Guests could set out to explore the Old Town Square, which is beautifully illuminated after dark, or enjoy a dinner cruise on the Vltava River with traditional Czech cuisine onboard.

On this day-long castle exploration, the first stop is the stunning Krivoklat Castle, just an hour outside of Prague. Dating back to the 12th century, Krivoklat Castle was the home of Bohemian kings and princes for centuries (as well as political prisoners during the Middle Ages). The castle's interiors are absolutely stunning; its library and royal chapel in particular. After touring the castle and free time for lunch, your castle sightseeing tour will continue with a visit to the Prague Castle complex, which is composed of many structures including towers, houses and churches. One can easily spend an entire day there and still not see everything. During your tour this afternoon your group will tour St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George's Basilica, the Old Royal Palace, Golden Lane and Daliborka Tower, all of which form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After breakfast in the hotel, your group will enjoy a full day at leisure to explore Prague on their own. As most of the previous day's tour was in Hradcany, the Castle District, we recommend exploring Prague's medieval Old Town, known in Czech as "Stare Mesto." Guests will find numerous interesting sights, such as the 13th-century Old New Synagogue located in Josefov, Prague's Jewish Quarter. Another must-see is Prague's magnificent Old Town Square, which is home to the city's 15th-century Astronomical Clock. For postcard-like views of the Vltava River, we suggest a stroll across the city's iconic Charles Bridge. Lastly, if your guests are a fan of the Czech Art Nouveau artist, Alphonse Mucha, they must visit to Mucha Museum, which is housed inside the baroque Kaunicky Palace. Later, your group will dine in a local restaurant to celebrate their last evening in Central Europe.

After breakfast and check-out, your group will be transferred by private coach to Prague Vaclav Havel Airport for the return flight home.