An eight-day tour to Budapest, Cracow, Prague and Berlin.
Day One
Arrival in Budapest for a two-night stay in this cosmopolitan city straddling the Danube. You will stay in the recently refurbished Hotel Astoria (4 star), or similar, situated in the very centre, only a few minutes walk from the Danube and with easy access to all parts of the city. Dinner will be in the hotel and you will have time for a stroll along the river to see the illuminated city.
Day Two
Your morning sightseeing tour includes the Cathedral, Heroes Square and City Park on the Pest side. On the Buda side you will visit Gellert Hill for possibly the best views of Budapest and finally Castle Hill with the St Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion. In the afternoon you have the option of a visit to the Children’s Railway in the Buda Hills. In the evening you will have dinner in a restaurant close to the hotel.
Day Three
After breakfast in the hotel, coach transfer to Nyugati Station for a champagne reception in the former Royal Waiting Room. The Danube Express will be waiting in the adjoining platform. Your sleeping car attendant will show you to your accommodation. In every compartment will be details of the on-train programme.
After departure from Budapest, settle down in the Lounge Car with a drink as the Danube Express heads east between the northern mountains and the Great Hungarian Plain. You then cross the border with Slovakia, past Košice, and into the Tatra Mountains to experience some spectacular scenery. Lunch and dinner are on board and the bar car is available for you throughout the journey. Overnight the train heads north, crosses into Poland, then continues to Cracow.
Day Four
After a full breakfast, cooked to order, there is a full-day sightseeing tour. Included in the tour will be Wawel Castle, the Old Market Square, the Cloth Hall and St Mary’s Church. After lunch, you will be taken by coach to the Wieliczka Salt Mine for an underground tour through an amazing subterranean city. The train will depart from close to the Salt Mine and dinner will be served as the train travels westwards towards the Czech Republic.
Day Five
Arrival in Prague will be after breakfast and you will see St Vitus’ Cathedral and the former Royal Palace. After lunch cross the Charles Bridge into the Old Town Square with it’s famous astronomical clock. You will have some free time in the Old Town before returning to the train. Relax in the lounge car before a farewell dinner on board.
Day Six
After arrival in Berlin it’s goodbye to the Danube Express. In the morning you will be taken on a tour of this once divided city. You will see the Brandenburg Gate, Alexanderplatz, Checkpoint Charlie and the Reichstag. Early afternoon you will be taken to your hotel, the Derag Hotel Grosser Kurfuerst, or similar, for a two-night stay. The hotel is centrally situated within easy reach of Unter den Linden, Friedrichstrasse and Alexanderplatz. Dinner is included this evening in the hotel.
Day Seven
Morning excursion past the Wannsee Lakes to Potsdam for a visit to the New Palace and gardens of Sanssouci. You will have free time in the afternoon for browsing the shops of Friedrichstrasse or perhaps a visit to one of the many museums in the area. Dinner in the hotel or a local restaurant.
Day Eight
After breakfast we say our goodbyes and go our separate ways.
Please note this tour also operates in the reverse direction, starting in Berlin and finishing in Budapest.
What's Included
- Two nights half-board in Budapest in twin/double room.
- Three nights on the Danube Express in two-berth compartments with washbasin or deluxe two-bedded compartments with en-suite shower and WC.
- All meals on board the train with complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks.
- Comprehensive sightseeing tours as outlined in the itinerary.
- Flights with Lufthansa UK to Budapest and Berlin to UK or v.v.
- Two nights half-board in Berlin in twin/double room.
- Services of a Tour Manager.
Departures
13 September 2008 : Budapest - Tatra Mountains - Cracow - Prague - Berlin
Prices
| Classic sleeper two-berth (upper and lower berths) with washbasin.......... |
£2,190 |
| Twin-bedded Deluxe sleeping compartment with private shower / WC............. |
£2,790 |
| Single supplement (single rooms in hotels, single occupancy of Classic sleeper)................... |
£550 |
| Two single adjoining Classic compartments on train, double/twin rooms in hotels................. |
£300 |
Additional Nights in Budapest
Why not extend your stay and either travel out earlier or return later. The additional costs, per person per night (bed & breakfast), are as follows:
| Double Room | Single Room | |
|---|---|---|
| Budapest Hotel Astoria | £60 | £110 |
| Berlin Hotel Grosser Kurfürst | £70 | £115 |
All prices are in £'s per person.
Included in the above prices are flights from and to London Heathrow, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh or Manchester with Lufthansa with a change in Frankfurt. If you wish to book your own flights, we will be pleased to quote a price excluding flights.
