WARSAW, BUDAPEST, VIENNA & PRAGUE - Tauck

Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna & Prague

Look around you... and you’ll see that dazzling architecture is just about everywhere on your in-depth exploration of Budapest... from the neo-Gothic Parliament Building to the monuments of Heroes’ Square

“I want to reiterate how very much we enjoyed

our ‘Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna & Prague’ trip. Our Tauck Director had a great part in making the trip so wonderful and so easy to navigate, not to mention her terrific personality and willingness to help. I will return to Tauck for our next land trip. – Sheila Stern, NY

”

1. Arrive Warsaw Tour begins: 6:00 PM, Le Méridien Bristol, Warsaw. A transfer is included from Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport to your hotel, Le Méridien Bristol, Warsaw, set on the Polish capital’s fashionable “Royal Route” overlooking the Presidential Palace. We invite you to join us for a welcome reception and dinner tonight. Meals D

2. Explore Warsaw / Chopin Recital Although more than 85% of Warsaw was destroyed or damaged in World War II, the city has been rebuilt into one of Europe’s most vibrant capitals, using pre-war paintings and sketches to

54

painstakingly reconstruct many historic buildings, restoring them to their former glory. See the results for yourself on a guided sightseeing tour including the Palace of Culture; Radziwill Palace, where the beloved composer Frederic Chopin gave his first concert; the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; the Grand Theatre; and Constitution Square. Continue with a walking tour through 13th- and 14th-century Old Town (Stare Miasto), and a visit to the Jewish Ghetto Memorial honoring the victims of the Warsaw Ghetto and the heroes of the 1943 uprising. Your afternoon is free to explore at your leisure. Chopin’s music comes to life at a memorable private piano recital in the early evening, followed by an à la carte dinner at your historic Art-Nouveau hotel. Meals BD

3. Across Poland

to

Cracow / Old Town

Traditional villages and farms dot the Polish countryside as you wind your way through the country’s heart to ancient Cracow, considered one of the finest medieval cities in Europe. Approximately 1,000 years ago, Cracow was the capital city of Poland; today, its historic center (Old Town) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch, highlights of your guided walk through Old Town include the Jagiellonian University – established in the 14th century as the University of Cracow, and one of the world’s oldest universities; the city’s Franciscan Church, rebuilt

Tauck Value Includes: •T  AUCK’S YELLOW ROADS! Authentic cultural discoveries as you travel from Poland to Hungary, from a visit to Wawel Hill to lunch in a Slovakian village in the scenic Tatra Mountains •T  AUCK EXCLUSIVE! – Special evening at Lobkowicz Palace in Prague Castle, featuring a private tour of the palace’s “Princely Collections” exhibit, a reception and a gala dinner • TAUCK  EXCLUSIVE! – Private guided tour of the beautiful Baroque libraries of Strahov Monastery in Prague •P  rivate piano recital in Warsaw celebrating the music of the beloved Polish composer and patriot Frederic Chopin

Whether you call it Apfelstrudel, as the Viennese do, or apple strudel... you’ll not only see how this delectable treat is made, but you’ll taste some, too... during a demonstration at Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace

•A  private dinner cruise on the Danube River in Budapest for spectacular views of the city skyline, illuminated at night •S  trudel-making demonstration and tasting in Vienna’s opulent Schönbrunn Palace, summer home of the Habsburgs • Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted

in Gothic style in the 19th century, with a stunning modernist interior featuring brightly colored murals and stained glass by the renowned artist Stanislaw Wyspianski; and the Archbishop’s Palace, where Karol Wojtyla resided for 20 years as Archbishop of Cracow before becoming Pope John Paul II in 1978. Meals BLD

4. Cracow’s Kazimierz or Wawel / Auschwitz Take your choice of locally guided sightseeing in Cracow this morning. You may tour Kazimierz, the city’s former Jewish Quarter (holidays permitting); once a separate town that dated back to the 14th century but was nearly destroyed by the Nazis during World War II, this historic district is currently undergoing a renaissance as a bohemian enclave, as its splendid synagogues

Maximum Elevation: 3,000 ft.

POLAND

Warsaw

GERMANY Prague

CZECH REPUBLIC Vienna

SLOVAKIA Bratislava

AUSTRIA

SLOVENIA

and churches are restored and new cafés, bars and bistros pop up. Or visit Wawel Hill on the banks of the Vistula River, home to a wealth of historic architecture, with your local guide. You’ll get a sense of the hallowed place this complex occupies in the hearts of the Polish people as you view Wawel Castle, Poland’s seat of power and royal residence for five centuries, and go inside Wawel Cathedral, the country’s national sanctuary, where most of her monarchs were crowned and many distinguished citizens are buried. The afternoon is also your choice – spend it at leisure, or journey to the poignant memorial and museum at Auschwitz, 40 miles southwest of the city, for a guided visit. Meals BD

5. Tatra Mountains / On

to

Budapest

Traverse forests and farmland into the scenic Tatra Mountains, located along the border of Slovakia and Poland – and a popular ski area for both countries – en route to Hungary, stopping for lunch in Slovakia. Arrive in Budapest, capital of modern Hungary, often referred to as the “Paris of the East.” Join us for dinner with wine included aboard a private Tauck cruise on the River Danube, offering inspiring views of Budapest’s remarkable mix of architectural styles, brilliantly illuminated at night. Your home for the next three nights is the Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest, a modern luxury hotel towering over the city center. Meals BLD

HUNGARY

Danube River

Budapest

ITALY

Cracow

Auschwitz

•2  9 meals (13 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 10 dinners), service charges, gratuities to local guides, admission fees, taxes and porterage

Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-468-2825

6. The Architecture

of

Pest

The Danube River divides Budapest into two distinct areas, Buda and Pest. Today, Tauck’s locally guided sightseeing shows you the best of Pest, sprawling along the eastern banks of the Danube. View the city’s historic embassy district; City Park; and

www.tauck.com 55

Connect with centuries’ worth of European history and culture – and contemporary European life... from Cracow’s ancient heart... to Chopin’s legacy in Warsaw... a private tour of the Strahov Monastery libraries... Bratislava’s statues... Tauck’s private concert in Vienna... and Old Town Square in Prague

adjacent Andrassy Avenue, one of Budapest’s main shopping boulevards, lined with elegant 19th-century mansions and townhouses and itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Go inside the neo-Renaissance State Opera House for a special visit; tour St. Stephen’s Basilica and the synagogue at Dohány (holidays permitting); visit Heroes’ Square, whose impressive statuary commemorates many of Hungary’s early rulers and national heroes; and explore the Museum of Fine Arts. Enjoy dinner à la carte at your hotel this evening. Meals BD

7. Explore Buda & More / Castle Hill Today includes a guided tour of Hungary’s neo-Gothic Parliament building in Pest, an icon of Budapest’s skyline. Crossing over to Buda, you can practically feel the history that’s been made inside the Gothic Matthias Church, among the city’s most notable sites, where the last two Hungarian kings were crowned. Check

out the imposing Fishermen’s Bastion looming over the Danube, and stroll the quaint lanes and cobblestone streets of Castle Hill, perched above the river’s western bank. Feel free to enjoy complimentary use of the spa at your hotel this afternoon, or explore more of fascinating Budapest on your own. Meals BL

8. To Vienna

via

Bratislava, Slovakia

Make your way from Hungary to Slovakia’s ancient capital city, Bratislava. After lunch, discover 17 centuries worth of history along the cobblestoned, vehicle-free streets of the city’s Old Town, both on a walking tour with our local guide and during time on your own; see the 13th-century Old Town Hall and St. Martin’s Cathedral. Your journey continues to Vienna, Austria, for a three-night stay at one of the most celebrated hotels in Europe, where you’ll enjoy dinner à la carte tonight. Meals BLD

9. Fine Arts Museum / Schönbrunn Palace Vienna inspires romantic visions of “Old Europe” at virtually every turn! Following a drive along the famous Ringstrasse and the Danube, view masterworks from the Imperial Habsburg art collections on a guided visit to the Kunsthistorisches (Museum of Fine Arts). Then it’s on to Schönbrunn Palace – an architectural treasure built to rival Versailles, and the former summer residence of Austria’s emperors – for a demonstration of the art of making Vienna’s delectable strudel... with a tasting... as well as lunch and a tour of the grand State Apartments. Meals BL

10. Vienna / Private Concert

See the Hofburg in Vienna... now the residence of Austria’s president

56

More of Vienna waits for you... on a guided walking tour that includes the city’s medieval center, the historic Jewish Quarter, and the courtyard of the Hofburg, former home of the Habsburg emperors and Austria’s presidential residence today. After an afternoon spent on your own, join us for dinner followed by a private classical music concert at a traditional palace. Meals BD

11. On

to

Prague, Czech Republic

Depart Vienna and travel to Prague – capital of the modern Czech Republic and one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities – for a three-night stay in the heart of Bohemia. Arrive in time for lunch, then join us for a guided walk that includes the Powder Tower and the Municipal House; Old Town, where you’ll view the Astronomical Clock; and iconic Charles Bridge, lined with historic statues and alive with artists and street musicians. Meals BLD

12. Visit Prague’s Castle Quarter A guided tour of Prague’s Hradcany (Castle) district reveals magnificent palaces, museums and monasteries surrounding 1,000-year-old Prague Castle. Explore its halls and courtyards; visit the Cathedral of St. Vitus; and enjoy a Tauck Exclusive – a private guided tour of the Baroque libraries of Strahov Monastery. The rest of the day is free to spend as you like. Meals B

13. Sights

and

Sounds

of

Prague

Prague seems to grow more beautiful every day of your visit! With your local guide, tour Wenceslas Square, which figured prominently in the Orange Revolution, and visit the Estates Theatre. Then choose either a guided architectural tour of the city that visits the Town Hall and the Art-Nouveau Municipal House, or a guided tour of the Josefov District, Prague’s Jewish Quarter – see the Jewish Cemetery and the Old-New, Pinkus and Maisel synagogues (holidays permitting). Tonight, join us for a very special evening at Lobkowicz Palace at Prague Castle, including a “Princely Collections” tour and a gala farewell dinner. Meals BD

14. Journey Home Tour ends: Prague. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the Kempinski Hybernská Prague to Ruzyne International Airport. Allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in. Meals B

Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-468-2825

14 Days from $4,990 plus airfare (13 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches & 10 Dinners)

Begins Warsaw Apr 23, 30 May 14, 21, 28 Jun 4, 18, 25 Jul 2, 9, 23, 30 Aug 6, 20, 27 Sep 3, 10, 17, 21, 24 Oct 1, 5, 8, 15 Dates in blue indicate a Small Group Departure with no more than 26 Tauck guests, specially priced from $5790 per person double. Specific dates apply; ask at booking. Go to www.tauck.com for up-to-the-minute space availability; additional departure dates may become available as these sell out.

Price Per Person Double $4990

Single $5822

Triple $4899

International Airfare is additional. Call Tauck for special rates on international air for travel originating in the U.S. (subject to availability). Please ask at time of booking about additional hotel nights before or after your tour and about our comprehensive Guest Protection Product.

Fine Hotels / Great Locations Night 1,2

Le Méridien Bristol, Warsaw

Night 3,4

Sheraton Krakow Hotel

Night 5-7

Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest

Night 8-10

Hotel Bristol, Vienna

Night 11-13 Kempinski Hybernská Prague

Warsaw, Poland Cracow, Poland Budapest, Hungary Vienna, Austria Prague, Czech Republic

Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna & Prague combines well with these Europe trips; ask at time of booking! Romantic Germany (14 days, page 66) Russian Glories, Baltic Treasures (14 days, page 110) A Week In… Paris and Provence (8 days, page 128)

www.tauck.com 57