HIGHLIGHTS
- St Basil’s Cathedral Amory Museum visit in Moscow
- Sapsan train travel Moscow to St Petersburg
- In St Petersburg; Peter and Paul Fortress
- Visit the world famous Hermitage and Peterhof Summer Palace, St Petersburg
- Tallin’s Upper and Lower Old Town
- Turaida Castle Museum, Riga
- Rundale Palace and Park
- See the Hill of Crosses
- The Royal Route drive in Warsaw
- Visiting the Royal Cathedral and St Mary’s Church, Krakow
- Tour the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp
- Entry to the Jewish Quarter
- Visit the Old Royal Palace in Prague
- Enjoy historical Cesky Krumlov and its old town.
- The Hallein Salt Mine, Austria
- Cruise the Danube River from Melk to Krems, Austria
- Visit Hofburg Palace, Vienna,
- Enjoy a Mozart and Strauss concert in Vienna
Pre Tour Stay
Consider arriving a day before the tour starting date, or enjoy a stopover. You can relax and refresh after a long flight. The cost of the additional night/s of stay applies. Ask our travel team about this option, and the additional costs.
DAY 1
Arrive Moscow
Welcome to Moscow, Russia. The day is at your leisure until this evening when you meet your tour director or a welcome drink and tour briefing.
Meals: Welcome drink
DAY 2
Moscow
Moscow, one of the largest cities in the world, is the symbolic heart and soul of the country. After breakfast at the hotel we head out for a morning sightseeing tour. Discover the most impressive sights of this marvellous city. Walk in the city centre, drive along the wide boulevards and a stroll through GUM, Russia’s largest department store. On the north bank of the River Moskva, pass by baroque Novodevichy convent and visit the popular Arbat shopping district. The rest of the day is at leisure until we meet again for our welcome group dinner at a local restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 3
Moscow
Your sightseeing tour begins at Red Square, dominated by colourful St. Basil’s Cathedral and by the massive red walls of the Kremlin. Visit the Armory Museum, with its impressive collection of Tsarist, Russian, and foreign jewellery, armor, and other artifacts. Moscow is a great city for time at leisure. It’s easy to get about on the underground metro and you have the afternoon to make your own discoveries
Meals: Breakfast
FREE TIME EXTRAS:
After lunch, there’s the option to join your tour director for a visit to Moscow’s most stunning underground metro stations (metro ticket at your own expense), then continue at leisure, or return with your guide to the hotel.
DAY 4
Moscow - St. Petersburg
This morning we will travel from Moscow to St Petersburg with the Sapsan fast train, an impressive way to connect the two cities. This afternoon in St Petersburg we visit the Peter and Paul Fortress, built in 1703 to protect the city from enemy attacks. Visit Peter and Paul Cathedral, which towers in the centre of the fortress served as the burial place for Russian Emperors from Peter I. After our introduction to this opulent city, we then transfer to our hotel for our next three nights of stay.
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 5
St Petersburg
There are not many cities in the world that can match the grace of St. Petersburg. When Peter the Great founded the city in 1703, he hired Europe’s best architects, craftsmen, and artists to build and decorate it. Spread over 100 islands and linked by over 600 bridges, it is often referred to as the “Venice of the North.” Today the main sites to be visited on the tour are Palace Square with the Winter Palace, Senate Square with the monument to Russian Emperor Peter the Great, the founder of the city, St. Isaac’s Square, Smolny Cathedral, Cruiser Aurora, Field of Mars, and Nevsky Prospect. Later in the day there’s some free time before we meet to go out for dinner at a local restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 6
St Petersburg
Today a highlight visit to the world-famous Hermitage, housing more than four million works of art. It ranks among one of the largest and oldest museums of the world, founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great. Admire the world-famous masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Rafael, Titian, Rembrandt, El Greco, Velasquez, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya, and French Impressionists. The Hermitage occupies five buildings, the largest is the Winter Palace, the former residence of Russian Emperors. Also today, visit the impressive Petrodvorets, Peterhof Summer Palace of Peter the Great. The evening is free to make your own local discoveries.
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 7
St. Petersburg to Tallin
Today journey to Estonia. There is a convenient stop in Narva right across the Russian border in Estonia. Narva is the 3rd largest city in the country and a melting pot of Estonian and Russian cultures. Once a great example of baroque architecture, the town was heavily damaged during the second world war and almost entirely rebuilt. We make a visit to Narva Castle Museum, and there’s free time for lunch at the Rondel restaurant. From here, we continue towards Tallin to arrive later in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 8
Tallin
This morning, on a walking tour of Tallinn’s Upper and Lower Old Town, view the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the Toompea Castle and the 14th-century gothic Town Hall. The afternoon is unscheduled with time to do as you wish until dinner tonight at a local restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 9
Tallinn - Riga
It’s a morning departure from Tallinn, Estonia to travel to Riga in Latvia. On the way stop at Sigulda for the visit of Turaida Castle a recently reconstructed medieval castle and time for a lunch break, then continuing to Riga.
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 10
Riga
On a morning sightseeing tour, see Riga Castle, the magnificent Dome Cathedral, St. Jacobs Cathedral, St. Peter’s Church, the Parliament building, Liberty Monument, and the district of Art Nouveau houses. Your afternoon and evening are free.
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 11
Riga - Vilnius
Today we depart Latvia for Lithuania for our stay in Vilnius. On our way, we make a highlight visit to Rundale Palace and Park, with our visit including the main exposition, the small wing. There’s free time for lunch in one of the restaurants or coffee shops in the Palace area of Museum. Before arriving to Vilnius, there is a stop on the Hill of Crosses in northern Lithuania; about 100,000 crosses considered a shrine for people of different nations and religions.
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 12
Vilnius – Warsaw
The city of Vilnius is located on the confluence of the Neris and Velnele Rivers. This morning a local guide will give us a window into this city with a lot of history, including a view to St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church, and Vilnius Castle. Today it’s a longer day of travel from Lithuania to Poland for our stay in Warsaw the capital of Poland.
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 13
Warsaw
Warsaw, the 700-year-old capital of Poland. The sightseeing tour today includes a drive along the famous Royal Route from magnificent Castle Square to Lazienki Park and Palace, the summer residence of the last king of Poland. Pass by the Palace of Science and Culture (known as a “wedding cake”), the Saxon Gardens, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Monument to the Heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto, and the Barbican. Then on a walking tour, see the Old Town, Old Market Square, and St. John’s Cathedral. The rest of the day is free for a stroll through the city, shopping, or just relaxing to soak up the atmosphere. This evening, join together for a group dinner
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 14
Warsaw - Krakow
We travel from Warsaw to arrive to Krakow. In Krakow this afternoon a local guide will take us to visit Wawel Hill, and a visit to the Royal Cathedral. Enjoy a walking tour of the Old Town, where you will see the Main Market Square, Renaissance Cloth Hall. Tonight, is at your leisure - you may like to enjoy a local café for some bigos or pierogi.
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 15
Krakow - Prague
The road from Krakow winds through the hills and countryside of Czech Republic. On the way there’s a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau, the notorious World War II concentration camp. It is now on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 16
Prague
Prague has a long and colorful history, from its early days as a bishopric, to becoming the residence of the Bohemian kings, and later the capital of both Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire. Built across seven hills on both banks of the Vltava River more than 1000 years ago, it is one of the most attractive cities in Europe.
Today with a local expert guide, your sightseeing starts with panoramic drive to famous Wenceslas Square, Strahov Stadium, and Castle Square. Then, on a walking tour, visit the Royal Castle of Hradcany with the Cathedral of St. Vitus, the Old Royal Palace, and the Golden Lane with the Daliborka Tower. Walk through the old quarter of Prague to view the Jewish Ghetto, Town Hall and world-famous Astronomical Clock. The rest of the day is at leisure. Tonight, we dine at a local restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 17
Prague - Česky Krumlov - Salzburg
Drive through the unspoiled countryside from Prague to Cesky Krumlov with its Baroque churches, promenades, parks, and ancient city walls. Upon arrival enjoy a sightseeing tour guided by a local export and enjoy an insight to historical Cesky Krumlov and its old Town. There will be free time for lunch and then we travel onwards to stunning Salzburg.
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 18
Salzburg
This morning, visit The Hallein Salt Mine and experience the mystical tunnels and a journey back in time. From the mine, travel back to town, for a city tour with a local guide. Tonight, we enjoy dinner in a typical local restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 19
Salzburg – Vienna
This morning, drive through the Austrian countryside to the city of Melk, where you will board a boat for a panoramic cruise along the Danube river. On the way, you will pass the most beautiful portion of the Danube river, the Wachau valley. A relaxing lunch is included as you cruise the Danube. The cruise finishes in Krems, where you will be picked up by our coach and continue to Vienna.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 20
Vienna
A day to enjoy Vienna. On a morning sightseeing tour, visit the Hofburg Palace, once the seat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Then view the Belvedere Palace, Prater Amusement Park, the UN Buildings, St. Stephen's Cathedral and other reminders of the city’s Imperial History. There’s an afternoon at leisure.
A highlight as we farewell one another and or discovery of Eastern Europe, enjoying a dinner with evening Concert of Strauss’s & Mozart’s music.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 21
Vienna
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before touring services come to an end and you bid farewell to Austria.
Meals: Breakfast
Itineraries may be subject to change, due to circumstances outside of our control. If there is any itinerary change prior to departure of significance we aim to inform you prior to travel. Itinerary changes while on tour will be informed by your tour leader/guide while on tour.
