Collette
OFFER ID 1612638
Imperial Cities featuring Prague, Vienna & Budapest
Bask in the splendor, history, and romance of Europe’s regal capital cities of Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. Your journey starts in Prague, the noble capital of the Czech Republic. Your adventure continues in Vienna, where you’ll delight in the Baroque marvels of the Schönbrunn Palace, the summer retreat of the Habsburg dynasty for more than 200 years. Listen to the lineage of Vienna’s history and indulge in a performance featuring the works of Mozart and Strauss, two former Viennese residents. In Budapest, visit a 14th-century Hungarian castle. Enjoy traditional local cuisine, and a glimpse into this region’s eminent past.
9 nights from $3,149 per person
Day 1 Overnight Flight
Set out on a grand cultural adventure through the Imperial Cities of Central Europe: Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. Along the way, soak up traditional entertainment, local cuisine, and a glimpse into this region’s eminent history.
Day 2 Prague, Czech Republic - Tour Begins
Hotel: Grandior Hotel
Arrive in Prague, the "City of 100 Spires" to witness ancient landmarks and medieval architecture. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.(D)
Day 3 Prague
Hotel: Grandior Hotel
Feel the magic and wonder of Prague. Your first chapter in this fairy-tale city begins with exploring the best of Prague's Old Town and its iconic landmarks. Marvel at the iconic, statue-lined Charles Bridge – a picturesque structure stretching over the Vltava River. After, enjoy some time at leisure for lunch on your own and spend the rest of the afternoon and evening with free time to discover the city how you like. Perhaps you’ll join an optional excursion to Prague’s Old Jewish Quarter to see its historic Jewish Museum and Europe’s oldest Jewish cemetery, founded in 1478.(B)
Day 4 Prague
Hotel: Grandior Hotel
Start your morning with a panoramic tour and continue on to explore the “Castle District”, the gothic St. Vitus Cathedral, the majestic Prague Castle, and the Golden Lane. The afternoon is yours to spend at leisure. You may consider shopping for Bohemian crystal or visiting the city’s museums, such as the Lapidarium. Tonight, savor dinner and traditional folklore dances at a famous Prague restaurant where the menu is created based on original recipes from Czech grandmothers.(B, D)
Day 5 Prague - Cesky Krumlov - Vienna, Austria
Hotel: InterContinental Hotel
Travel through the scenic countryside on your way to Vienna. En route, make a stop in the medieval town of Cesky Krumlov. Lined with towering Baroque architecture, explore the quaint preserved streets before continuing to the grand city of Vienna. This evening, join your Tour Manager for an evening stroll before having dinner on your own.(B)
Day 6 Vienna
Hotel: InterContinental Hotel
Join a local guide at the magnificent Schönbrunn Palace, the summer retreat of the Habsburg dynasty for more than 200 years. Continue on to Vienna’s city center and behold the beautiful architecture, scenic parks, and gothic spires that fill the city. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure where perhaps you’ll partake in the city’s famous café culture as you walk the streets, watching locals take a moment out of their day for a hot coffee and bite of cake. Tonight, hear Vienna’s past come alive and experience a classical performance featuring the works of Mozart and Strauss.(B, D)
Day 7 Vienna
Hotel: InterContinental Hotel
Choose how you spend your day because it’s your choice! Venture down the Danube* to the medieval town of Durnstein and cruise to the 11th-century Melk Abbey -OR- join a local guide in the Belvedere Museum, home to Gustav Klimt’s iconic painting The Kiss -OR- enjoy a leisurely morning before attending a Viennese Waltz lesson in the afternoon. The rest of the day is yours.(B)
Day 8 Vienna - Bratislava, Slovakia - Budapest, Hungary
Hotel: Up Hotel
Say hello to Bratislava, the former Imperial capital of the Habsburg Empire. Get to know the city’s 4,000-year-old history on a tour with a local expert. Continue to the most famous Neszmély wine region. Enjoy lunch and learn how to make a traditional strudel in one of the most beautiful Hungarian wineries. Located on the top of the hill, it offers the most beautiful views over the Danube. Later this afternoon, arrive in Budapest, the "Queen of the Danube" and your home for the next 3 nights. Enjoy the evening on your own.(B, L)
Day 9 Budapest
Hotel: Up Hotel
Join a local expert for a panoramic tour of the city. Discover the incredible Neo-Gothic marvel of Matthias Church atop Buda Castle Hill, the Fisherman’s Bastion, the historic Old Buda and Gellert Hill, and the Parliament House. This afternoon, enjoy some free time to explore Budapest on your own. Perhaps you’ll head to the city’s famous thermal pools for an afternoon of relaxation, or maybe you’ll join an optional excursion to discover Budapest by Night.(B)
Day 10 Budapest - Visegrad - Budapest
Hotel: Up Hotel
This morning, talk with a local and listen to stories about his life during the former communist era. Enjoy the rest of the morning at leisure. This afternoon, head out of the city to the former Renaissance capital of Visegrad for a magnificent view of the Danube Bend and the Borzsony Mountains. Embrace the lifestyle of the 14th-century castle, a former residence of Hungarian kings, and enjoy an exclusive Renaissance-style dinner in the castle.(B, D)
Day 11 Budapest - Tour Ends
Say goodbye to these regal cities as your tour comes to a close today.(B)
Budapest Shore Excursion: Private Half Day City Tour of Budapest, 4 hours
This privately guided tour shows you the major sights within on the Pest Side (e.g.the Opera House, St. Stephen's Basilica), as well the Buda Side (Castle Hill). One highlight of this tour is an inside visit of the Fishermen's Bastion and the impressive Matthias Church.
Highlights:
Budapest Shore Excursion: Private Full Day City Tour of Budapest, 8 hours
This extended privately guided full day basically covers all major sights and interesting locations within Budapest, also including inside visits of the Fishermen's Bastion, Matthias Church and the Parliament Building.
Highlights:
Budapest Shore Excursion: Private Half Day Tour Budapest Castle District, 4 hours
During this privately guided tour, you visit the Castle Hill of Budapest, with the Royal and Presidential Palaces, fascinating squares and medieval cobblestone streets. Highlights are inside visits of the Fishermen's Bastion and the impressive Matthias Church.
Highlights:
Vienna Shore Excursion: Private City Walk Vienna's Old Town, 2,5 hours
This interesting city walk offers you an initial overview of the history, culture and achitecture of Vienna, taking you through the most beautiful and elegant streets and passing by some of the most famous sights of the city.
At the end of this tour, you can continue exploring the city centre on your own.
Highlights:
Vienna Shore Excursion: Private City Walk Mozart in Vienna, 2,5 hours
During this city walk "On the Traces of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart", you discover Vienna's historic old town, passing by some of the most important locations of Mozart's life. This tour also includes a visit of the Mozart House. At the end of this tour, you can continue exploring the city centre on your own.
Highlights:
Vienna Shore Excursion: Private City Walk Imperial Palace, 2,5 hours
This privately guided walking tour through Vienna's historic old town takes you to the Imperial Palace ('Hofburg'), to visit the Imperial Apartments and the fascinating Sisi Museum.
Highlights:
Vienna Shore Excursion: Private City Tour of Vienna & Visit of Schoenbrunn Palace, 4 hours
This privately guided tour shows you the major historical sights along the Ringstrasse, before taking you to the magnificent Schoenbrunn Palace, former summer residence of the Habsburg family.
Highlights:
Vienna Shore Excursion: Private City Tour Art Nouveau and Viennese Architecture, 4 hours
In addition to the familiar Gothic and Baroque buildings, Art Nouveau has a fixed place in Viennese architecture. Naturally, this tour also covers further architecural epoques, such as modernity.
Highlights:
Vienna Shore Excursion: Private City Walk & the Lipizzaner Horses, 5 hours
From Tuesday to Friday (9am-1pm, excl. July), this package covers many interesting aspects of Vienna: Starting with a short Vienna Old Town City Walk, you follow your guide through the old town towards the Spanish Riding School, where you attend the Lippizaner's Morning Exercise, allowing an insight into the training of the Lipizzaner Horses and their riders. At the end of this tour, you can continue exploring the city centre on your own.
Highlights:
Walking tour of downtown Prague
This walking tour will lead us through the former commercial heart of the city where the ancient roads of the Czech Kingdom and from abroad used to cross. We will visit two ancient Prague districts - Old Town and New Town, briefly touching Prague Jewish Quarter. This tour is a perfect introduction to discover the entire city.
Exploring the puzzle of medieval streets we will soon reach the Old Town Square where we can admire most of the Prague Old Town monuments, the stunning Old Town Hall with its mysterious Astronomical Clock, vertical gothic beauty of the Tyn Church and many other historical houses and former noble family palaces.
The time is passing by and not only the Astronomical Clock offers a live view of the movements of the universe, but it also gives us a short spectacle of the twelve apostles marching every hour on the hour, while a skeleton and human vices are nodding their heads. From the Astronomical Clock our steps will take us to the Tyn Church where gothic verticality and relative austerity of the exterior meets with its opulent baroque interior. On our way to the former city entrance we will pass through the medieval miniature Tyn fortress – Ungelt where foreign merchants used to do their business. Passing by the St. James´ Church we will take a shortcut to get to Celetna Street which will lead us to the mighty Powder Tower, which was once one of the major entrances into the city. Yes, it used to be right there where the city walls with a deep moat protected the City of Prague and where king Vaclav IV. built his city palace. Many things have changed but the Powder Tower still stands here. The city walls are gone, the moat changed into a shopping street and where there used to be the king´s palace you will now find the flamboyant Municipal House, a real jewel of art nouveau architecture.
Returning to Old Town Square via Na Prikope Street we will make a short stop at Wenceslas Square, nowadays a commercial and shopping heart of the city. From there we will proceed to the Estates Theater where a young genius music composer W.A. Mozart conducted his operas, including the world premiere performance of Don Giovanni.
On our way to the Charles Bridge we will briefly touch the Jewish Quarter, which definitely deserves a special tour. Therefore we will only walk through seeing the monuments from the outside. We will pass by the famous Old New Synagogue, Old Jewish Town Hall and the Old Jewish cemetery. Along the Vltava embankment our steps will lead us towards the Charles Bridge, the most famous statue gallery in Central Europe which connects the two sides of Prague like a diamond ring offering unforgettable views of Prague Castle, Lesser Town and Old Town.
The tour takes about 3 hours and 30 minutes
Your private guide and driver will meet you in the lobby of your hotel and will take you for a half day tour with a vehicle support. You will see the Prague Castle complex with the famous St. Vitus cathedral, Royal palace and the Golden Lane as well as the Strahov Monastery. Short overview drive around Prague will get you oriented of the city layout and you will see a few more intersting sights such as the Dancing house, Rudolfinum concert hall, etc.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
Main Office
5860 N. Mesa, Ste. 107
El Paso, TX 79912
Monday - Friday: 8:00 am - 5:30pm (MST)
(800) 874-4042
Eastside Office
1718 N. Zaragoza Rd, Ste. B1
El Paso, TX 79936
Monday - Friday: 8:30 am - 5:30pm (MST)
(800) 874-4042
Great Falls Office
18 6th St. No.
Great Falls, MT 59401
Monday - Friday: 8:00 am - 12:00pm (MST)
Or By Appointment
(800) 727-6022