An eight-day tour to Budapest, Auschwitz, Cracow, Gdañsk and Warsaw.
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.
The Danube Express heads north from Budapest alongside the Danube towards the Slovak border. Settle in on board the train, with lunch in the restaurant car, before we take you on a tour of historic Košice. On departure you will be impressed by the stunning views of the Tatra Mountains as you take dinner on board.
Day Four
After breakfast on the train you arrive in Auschwitz. Your tour offers a sombre insight into the events which cast such a shadow on the 20th century, and which are still remembered throughout the world today. Re-board the train for lunch en route to Cracow. You will be taken on a tour of the highlights of this fabulous city. Relax in the lounge car before dinner as the train heads north to the Baltic.
Day Five
Morning sees the train arrive in Malbork, once a stronghold of the Teutonic Knights. You will have a comprehensive tour of the castle before rejoining the train for lunch en route to the charming city of Gdansk. Historically a free city, it became synonymous with freedom as the place where the Solidarity movement was born. This evening you take dinner in a restaurant in the city, before a final night on board your Hotel-on-Wheels bound for Warsaw, Poland’s capital.
Day Six
Arrival in Warsaw is journey’s end for the Danube Express. You are taken on a brief orientation tour followed by a visit to the palace of Wilanow constructed by King Jan Sobieski in the 17th century. After a break for lunch you return to the city for a two night stay in the Bristol Hotel (5 star), or similar. Dinner in the hotel.
Day Seven
Morning walking tour of the Old Town. You will be shown Castle Square, King Sigmund’s Column, St John’s Cathedral and the Market Square. The afternoon is free to explore the city further or browse round the shops. Farewell dinner in the hotel.
Day Eight
After breakfast, departure for onward connections home.
Please note this tour also operates in the reverse direction, starting in Warsaw 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 Warsaw to UK or v.v.
- Two nights half-board in Warsaw in twin/double room.
- Services of a Tour Manager.
Departures
1 September 2008 : Budapest - Košice - Auschwitz - Cracow - Malbork - Gdañsk - Warsaw
4 September 2008 : Warsaw - Malbork - Gdañsk - Auschwitz - Cracow - Košice - Budapest
Prices
| Classic sleeper two-berth (upper and lower berths) with washbasin.......... |
£2,090 |
| Twin-bedded Deluxe sleeping compartment with private shower / WC............. |
£2,690 |
| 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 |
| Warsaw Bristol Hotel | £80 | £130 |
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.
