Best of East Europe – 16 Days
$200
/ per person
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Best of East Europe – 16 Days – Ex Bucharest
Bucharest, Brasov (Romania) – Budapest (Hungary) – Octocac – Dubrovnik – Split (Croatia) – Lake Bled – Ljubljana (Slovenia) – Prague (Czech Republic) – Warsaw – Krakow (Poland)
The major capitals of Eastern Europe are encountered on this multi – country trip – showing you the contrasts and nuances between the places that once lay either side of the Iron Curtain. The beauty of the Dalmatian coast along with Carpathian mountains in Romania gives you a different insight of Europe that we all know
Its Insider moments like….settling into each new city with the help of our local guides. They weave their personal stories into the famous icons you see, like Bran Castle, Prague Castle, Schonbrunn Palace, Auschwitz camp…strolling together they take you through the cobbled streets and readily share their tips for where to shop, eat so that you can seamlessly fit in as you explore on your free time…and you experience European rural life too, returning to nature for 2 nights in Slovenia’s scenic Lake Bled It’s also about insider tastes, as you sample traditional Romanian, Hungarian, Polish and Slovenian cuisines
SUMMARY PROGRAMME :
BUCHAREST: 2 Nights : JW Marriott or similar with ABF Half day city tour of Bucharest including Parliament visit Traditional Romanian Folklore show with dinner
BRASOV : Full day excursion to Bran, including visit to Bran Castle (Bran Castle of Dracula Fame), Count Dracula’s birth house & Peles Castle
TRAIN : 1 Nights : Overnight train to Budapest (2 in a cabin)
BUDAPEST : 1 Nights : Hotel Park Inn Budapest or similar with ABF City tour including Parliament visit, cruise on Danube; A Great Hungarian evening complete with folklore show and dinner
OTOCAC : 1 Night : Hotel Park Exclusive or similar with ABF Entrance to Plitvic Lake National Park
DUBROVNIK: 2 Nights : Hotel Valamar Lacroma or similar with ABF Half day city tour of the city
MONTENEGRO: Day excursion from Dubrovnik
SPLIT : 1 Night : Hotel President or similar with ABF Half day city tour of Split with Diocletian Palace
LK.BLED : 2 Nights Hotel Best Western Kompass or similar with ABF Day excursion Ljubljana, visit the beautiful Slovenian capital; City tour including visit to Old Town, Baroque Cathedral etc…
PRAGUE : 2 Nights Hotel Clarion Congress Prague or similar with ABF Half day city tour with Prague Castle visit
KRAKOW : 2 Nights Hotel Best Western Premier or similar with CBF City tour; visit the fascinating Wieliczka Salt Mine; A delightful private Polish Polka Party in the evening
AUCHWITZ: Enroute visit to the camp so chillingly evoked in “Schindler’s List”. Many of Our Guests rate this experience as one of the most touching in their lives.
WARSAW : 1 Night Hotel J W Apart or similar with CBF Transfer airport-hotel, Half day city tour with guide
MEALS : Daily American breakfast, 6 lunches, 15 Local / Indian dinners as per itinerary
PORTERAGE : One Pc of check baggage in/out of the hotel
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Destination
Tour Plan
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DAY 1 : ARRIVE BUCHAREST
Arrive at Bucharest airport complete your immigration and customs formalities. Then proceed to hotel and check in. Balance day at leisure.
Tonight, proceed for dinner at traditional Romanian Restaurant incl. folklore show
All the wonderful things that Bucharest has to offer, nightlife is not the least of them. There is something for everyone in this town: and we mean everyone. From trendy bars to Irish pubs, lounge clubs and jazz clubs and the odd steamy strip show.
Nor will you have to worry about wandering the streets late at night: this is an incredibly safe city.
For many years all that was lacking was a central nightlife strip: an area where you know you will always find lively people and a good atmosphere.
Now that Old Town/Lipscani has been revived and is packed with bars and cafes, that problem has been solved.
Just choose from the categories, left, and read our great guide to the best bars, pubs, clubs and discos in the city. We are the definitive source for Bucharest nightlife listings.
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DAY 2 : AT BUCHAREST
Morning city tour in Bucharest incl. Palace of the Parliament, the Patriarchal Church and the Village Museum.
Bucharest is a city of contrasts with many multicultural scenes. The tour starts with an inside visit of the Palace of the Parliament, also known as “The People’s House”, which according to Guinness World Records it is the largest and most expensive administrative building in the world. You visit also the open-air Village Museum and the Patriarchal Church from the 17th century.
Indian lunch. Afternoon is at leisure / free for shopping. Indian dinner
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DAY 3 : BUCHAREST-BRAN (ABF,L,D) –3 hrs driving time BRAN-SIGHISOARA – 2 hrs driving time SIGHISOARA-BRASOV – 2 hrs driving time BRASOV-BUDAPEST – OVERNIGHT TRAIN
In the morning, drive to Bran, where you will visit the Dracula Castle. The castle was built by the Transylvanian Saxons at the end of the 14th century and served as customs between the 2 Romanian regions: Wallachia & Transylvania. It is nowadays known as one of the top 100 castles in the world.
Bran Castle : situated near Bran on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia, on DN73. Commonly known as "Dracula's Castle" and the home of the titular character in Bram Stoker's Dracula. There is, however, no evidence that Stoker knew anything about this castle, which has only tangential associations with Vlad III, voivode of Wallachia, the putative inspiration for Dracula.
Discover the myth and legend of Count Dracula !
Then visit Peles Castle. View the stunning interiors of the castle.
Afterwards, you depart to Sighisoara, one of the few still inhabited medieval fortresses in Europe. The town has been listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Site. Here you will visit the Town's landmark…the Clock Tower, the Church on the Hill and the birth house of the world famous Count Vampire Dracula.! Local Lunch!
Continue to Brasov …also known as the 'The Heart of Transylvania'…discover its beauties especially its outstanding old city center with the small colorful houses from the medieval times. Free time.! Later transfer to railway station for your overnight train to Budapest.
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DAY 4 : ARRIVE BUDAPEST
Arrive in the morning to the beautiful Hungarian capital of Budapest, comprises the twin cities of Buda and Pest situated on two sides of the River. Breakfast. Some free time for freshen up.
Morning do a sightseeing tour will introduce you to this fascinating city, including Heroes' Square, Gellert Hill, the Castle district, St. Matthew's church and the Fishermen's bastion in the Pest area located on a hill, with its spectacular view over the city.
Then proceed for a tour of the magnificent Hungarian Parliament building.
Parliament building : The building has nearly 700 rooms, is 268m long, 118m wide at its maximum and over 90m high at the top of the dome. The main entrance leads to a ceremonial staircase with ceiling frescoes by Károly Lotz. From here opens a 16-sided hall below the dome, used for official receptions and ceremonies. The MP's debating chamber is in the south wing. The chamber of the former Upper House in the north wing is today used for conferences. All the interior rooms and passageways are ornamented in a rich neo-Gothic style.
Late afternoon cruise on river Danube will be provided today. You will then be able to appreciate what made Johan Strauss compose “Blue Danube” …. Probably the most popular composition.
Budapest is bright at night with the Landmark buildings brilliantly lit up and a fascinating sight. The Pedestrian area as well and you must walk around to really feel the place.
A Hungarian evening awaits you tonight. Spend an enjoyable evening in a traditional restaurant in the hills of Buda. Marvelous views of the illuminated city. After an aperitif we swerve you a 3-course meal with wine accompanied by a varied folklore programme. An oopportunity to dance…
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DAY 5: BUDAPEST–PLITVICE LAKE-OTOCAC – 5 hrs driving time
Morning proceed to Plitvice lakes area through the beautiful countryside of Hungary and Croatia.
Plitvice Lakes: The park harbors a grand collection of waterfalls, gallery of lakes, forest and diversity of animal life. The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colors, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colors change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight. The sixteen lakes which are formed by natural dams of travertine are separated into upper and lower lakes. About eight km of pathways and wooden walking trails around lakes are accessible to visitors. Trails are descending from an altitude of 636m to 503m above sea level. In 1979 Plitvice lakes NP was inscribed on the UNESCO's World Heritage List.
Then proceed to Otocac for overnight stay. Dinner at hotel.
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DAY 6: OTOCAC-DUBROVNIK – 6 ½ hrs driving time
Morning, proceed to Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik : George Bernard Shaw, famously said “Those who seek paradise on Earth must come to Dubrovnik” …. Smitten by the beauty of the city whose untouched, 1940m long defensive walls – today under the protection of UNESCO – girdle in a city which carries the appellation of the Pearl of the Adriatic. Words are not enough to describe Dubrovnik except to say that everything around is charmingly beautiful.
On arrival, check into Hotel. Afternoon is free for exploration. Dinner
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DAY 7 : AT DUBROVNIK
Morning, a city sightseeing tour of the city
Exploring will start with the walking tour of the city which is on UNESCO’s List of Cultural Heritage. This ancient town, surrounded by ramparts and fortresses, is a treasure trove of architectural and cultural master places, scrupulously preserved over the centuries.
Post Lunch, we will visit Budva...the most import beach town of the country Montenegro.....
Evening, return to Dubrovnik. Dinner
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DAY 8 : DUBROVNIK-SPLIT – 5 hrs driving time
Morning first we proceed to Split… driving along the Adriatic Sea. On arrival sightseeing with English speaking local guide with entrance to Diocletian’s Palace
The city of Split, the second largest city in Croatia, is situated in the warmest region of the northern Mediterranean coast, in the very centre of the Adriatic eastern coast. Split has many museums that showcase the city's rich history. One of Croatia's top sights is the Diocletian Palace, which is right at the heart of the city. It is protected by the UNESCO and entered into the register of the World Cultural Heritage.
Post tour, proceed to hotel. Dinner.
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DAY 9 : SPLIT-LAKE BLED – 6 hrs driving time
Moring proceed to beautiful Lake Bled… paradise on earth. Through the beautiful country side of Croatia and Slovenia.
We arrive Lake Bled by late afternoon. This small village town is cosy with beautiful warm local people. Enjoy a remarkably lovely view of the lake and its surroundings. Check into hotel. Balance day free to enjoy the lake front. In the evening your tour director will treat you to “cream cakes” a delicacy of Lake Bled. Dinner at hotel with entertainment by Slovenian accordionist especially for you.
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DAY 10 : AT LAKE BLED
Today we visit the capital city of Ljubljana. A city that contains all the amenities of large capitals, while retaining the charm, kindness and relaxed atmosphere of smaller localities. You will realise that Ljubljana is a city with a young and dynamic pulse.
A 2 hrs walking tour features the main sights in the Old Town, including the baroque cathedral of St Nicholas, the elegant Fountain of the three Carniolan rivers and the Town Hall; you will proceed further through the Town Square, the Old Square and the Upper Square, and cross the Cobblers' Bridge and the Triple Bridge, both designed by our famous architect Jože Ple?nik. You will also explore the left bank of the Ljubljanica River, with a stress on the Congress Square.
Indian lunch and then return to Bled….Pletna boat ride is included on the Lake with visit to the Church of St Mary. Dinner at hotel.
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DAY 11 : LAKE BLED-JULIA ALPS-PRAGUE – 8 hrs driving time
Moring proceed to Prague through the express way. Enroute a scenic feast as we go through the Julia Alps.
Arrive Prague dinner and Indian restaurant and then check into hotel.
The Golden City Prague… if there is any place that can rival Paris for its charms… this is the place. The city is beautiful at day and even more at night. The Iron curtain has been brought down and the city has sprung to life with buildings renovated/ scrubbed…with many a building in bright Pastel colors. Evening life in Prague is equally interesting and there is something for all tastes… nightclubs, Discos, Operas and Concerts, Folk Shows or simply walking around the area of Old Quarter, Wencelas Square and the Vltava river front…. the monuments softly lit up and bringing out all the charms of the Golden City. Prague was made into a "UN Heritage City" and voted "the European City of Culture".
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DAY 12 : AT PRAGUE
Morning the Grand city tour covers - the Old city center, including Wenceslas Square, Charles Bridge, the Old Town Square and the Jewish Quarter, culminating at the fabulous Prague Castle (Hradcany) on the other side of the River Vltava.
Historic Centre of Prague : Built between the 11th and 18th centuries, the Old Town, the Lesser Town and the New Town speak of the great architectural and cultural influence enjoyed by this city since the Middle Ages. The many magnificent monuments, such as Hradcani Castle, St Vitus Cathedral, Charles Bridge and numerous churches and palaces, built mostly in the 14th century under the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV.
The Charles Bridge : is a famous historic bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague. Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the beginning of the 15th century.
Afternoon & evening is free for you to shop. We will leave you at a Crystal factory outlet. Here you will find the best of Crystals made anywhere … fine Bohemian crystal and cut (etched) glass unmatched anywhere in the world. ndian dinner.
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DAY 13 : PRAGUE-KRAKOW – 6 ½ hrs driving time
Morning board your coach and drive to Krakow on the foot hills of the Tatra Mountains. Scenic stretches enroute. On arrival, check into hotel.
Tonight we have in store for you a Polish Polka Party!!! Dance away the night. Local dinner
Krakow : Often called the “New Prague, Krakow is a magical city. It attracts millions of visitors every year and is a major tourist destination in Poland, not without reason.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Krakow, also called Cracow, has been left largely intact since the 13th century. It escaped the devastation caused by Hitler’s armies and hence it is a showcase for centuries of Polish architecture. Krakow also draws many catholic pilgrims as it is also the city of Pope John Paul II, where he lived for several years and served as archbishop and then cardinal before moving to Rome to start his Pontificate.
The city of Kraków is the capital city of the Malopolskie (Lesser Poland or Little Poland). It is Poland's third largest city (after Lodz and Warsaw), with a population of 780,000 in 2004 (1.4 million after including surrounding communities).
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DAY 14 : AT KRAKOW
For over a thousand years, Krakow has been the center of science, culture and art in Poland.
Your tour begins with a short walk along the streets of the former Jewish district of Kazimierz. Next see Wawel Hill.
A walk up Grodzka street leads you to the heart of Krakow, the Rynek Glówny, or Main Market Square. There the large Gothic Cloth Hall is the perfect place to shop for local souvenirs.
The last sightseeing stop is the twin-spired St Mary's Church with its famous medieval altar by Wit Stwosz and where, every hour the brave trumpeter of Krakow still calls out his warning.
Post lunch, a visit to the Wieliczka salt mine is a must and provided. Legend has it that the salt mines in Wieliczka were part of the dowry of the Hungarian princess, Kinga, when she wed Boleslaw the Shy over 700 years ago, making the Wieliczka Salt Mine one of the oldest in all of Europe and an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Client feed back … ‘It was stunning. Could never imagine such a spectacular place so deep in the underground…. A veritable and unique museum with statues and frescos made of salt’.
Return to Krakow, dinner and then hotel
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DAY 15 : KRAKOW-AUSCHWITZ-WARSAW - 5 ½ hrs driving time
Morning board your coach and drive to Auschwitz.
Step back into recent history as we go on a guided visit to the Camp at Auschwitz, so chillingly evoked in “Schindler’s List”, reminding us of the World War II Holocaust. Client feed back … ‘A moving narration and experience that brought tears to our eyes’.
Concentration camp Auschwitz : was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II. It was the largest of the German concentration camps, consisting of Auschwitz I (the Stammlager or base camp); Auschwitz II–Birkenau (the Vernichtungslager or extermination camp); Auschwitz III–Monowitz, also known as Buna–Monowitz (a labor camp); and 45 satellite camps.
Then drive to Warsaw. On arrival, city tour covering the famous landmarks , cultural centers and busy market squares, pass the Royal Route with its aristocratic residences, historic churches and famous statues.
Historical sites such as the Ghetto Memorial, the Monument of Warsaw Uprising, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Grand Theatre, Chopin's monument, the Belvedere Palace and the Old Town are all seen on your tour.
Indian dinner and check into hotel.
Warsaw : the capital of Poland. This awesome city is full of contrasts, questions and astonishments. Warsaw is a city with the enchanted soul in locations that don’t exist anymore, and the ambiance produced by fantastic combination of modern urban development and historical architecture. Palaces, churches and architectural clusters are interwoven with the wide open space of squares, parks and city gardens. Substantial portion of undeveloped land, with the essential need for investment, awaits the investors. These areas will play a major role in defining the character and ambience of the city in the upcoming years.
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DAY 16 : DEPART WARSAW
Morning transfer to airport for your flight back to India.
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