Budapest, Vienna, Prague – 9 Days

Today you will depart on your overnight flight to Budapest, Hungary.

Upon arrival, you will meet your Tour Manager at the airport and start your You will take a guided walking tour through the city of Budapest, the pearl of the Danube. During your tour you will cross the Chain Bridge connecting Buda and Pest, and visit many important sites, including Castle Hill, the Budapest Opera House and stroll down Andrassy Avenue to Heroes Square and the Millennium Monument.

In addition, you will visit The Shoes on the Danube, a memorial to the people of Budapest who were shot by Arrow Cross militiamen between 1944 and 1945. The victims were lined up and shot in the back so they would fall into the Danube River. They had to take their shoes off, since shoes were valuable belongings at the time. This moving memorial was created by Gyula Pauer, Hungarian sculptor, and his friend, Can Togay, in 2005. It contains 60 pairs of iron shoes, forming a row along the Danube. Each pair of shoes was modeled after an original 1940’s pair.

You will also visit the Dohany Street Synagogue, which is also known as The Great Synagogue or Tabakgasse Synagogue, and is a historical building in Budapest. It is the largest synagogue in Europe and the second of the largest in the world. You will see many important sights at the Synagogue, including the Heroes’ Temple, and the Raul Wallenberg Memorial Park at the back of the Synagogue, which contains the Holocaust Memorial.

This evening you will have dinner and rest up for the exciting days ahead.

After breakfast, you will take a short funicular from the center of the city to Castle Hill where you will have some time to explore. The country’s first citizens arrived at Castle Hill in the 13th century after the Mongolian invasion, seeking protection in the hills of Buda. The first royal castle was built around this time. Today, Castle Hill is recognized as a World Heritage Site, and has many must-see attractions, Gothic arches, eighteenth-century Baroque houses and cobblestone streets. Some of the main attractions include Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church and the Royal Palace (home to the National Gallery and Budapest History Museum).

Next, you will visit Fisherman’s Bastion (Halászbástya) , which is only 100 years old, and is a magnificent lookout. In medieval times, the fish market was nearby and the bastion was built to commemorate the fishermen who protected this part of the city. The seven tent-like turrets symbolize the seven Hungarian tribes that arrived in the Carpathian Basin in 896.

Time for some shopping! The main shopping areas in Budapest are located in Pest’s City Center. You will have time on Váci Street (Váci utca), perhaps the most famous shopping street in Budapest. Designated as a pedestrian precinct, it runs from Vörösmarty Square to the Central Market Hall featuring a large number of fashionable shops, restaurants and cafés.

This evening you will have dinner and reminisce about the day.

After breakfast this morning, you’ll board a train for the journey from Budapest to Vienna.

Upon arrival to the Imperial City, you will take a guided walking tour and see many historic and beautiful sites and monuments such as St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Ringstrasse and the Giant Ferris Wheel at the Prater.

Next, you will ride on the Giant Ferris Wheel, which is a trademark of Austria’s capital city and a symbol of Vienna’s world-famous Prater, and creates a special point of reference for every visitor with its unmistakable silhouette, clearly visible from great distances. This Giant Ferris Wheel is open year round and is one of the most frequented attractions in the Danube metropolis.

To finish a great day of sightseeing, you’ll visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral, a world famous cultural heritage site, a national emblem of Austria and a symbol of Austrian identity. The most important religious building in Vienna, St. Stephen’s Cathedral has witnessed many important events in both Habsburg and Austrian history.

You will have dinner this evening and rest up for another adventure packed day.

After breakfast, you will visit Schönbrunn Palace, a World Cultural Heritage site and the most-visited attraction in Austria. The Baroque palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural and historical monuments in the country and was the property of the Habsburgs spanning several centuries as a former imperial summer residence. You will find many attractions here, from the authentically furnished residential and ceremonial rooms of the Imperial Family in the palace, to the maze and the labyrinth in the gardens and a separate Children’s Museum.

Next, you will visit Mozarthaus Vienna, which presents the life and work of the musical genius Wolfgang Amadéus Mozart. The composer lived at this address from 1784 till 1787 in a unique setting in the heart of Vienna close to St Stephan’s Cathedral. It was here at Domgasse 5 that he also penned his best compositions, including what is perhaps his most popular opera The Marriage of Figaro.

After dinner, you will see a musical performance in the world’s music capital.

After breakfast, you will take a tour of the Vienna State Opera, which has a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally named the Vienna Court Opera. It was renamed the Vienna State Opera with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Republic of Austria (1920). The members of the Vienna Philharmonic are recruited from its orchestra. Today, the Vienna State Opera is considered one of the most important opera houses in the world.

This afternoon, you will visit the Belvedere, a baroque architectural jewel which consists of two palaces (Upper and Lower Belvedere), which today house Austrian art from the Middle Ages to the present day. The buildings are set in a Baroque park landscape in the third district of Vienna.The Belvedere houses the Belvedere museum. The grounds include decorative tiered fountains and cascades, Baroque sculptures, and wrought iron gates. The Baroque palace complex was built by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy (successful general and art connoisseur). The Belvedere was both the imperial capital and home to the ruling Habsburg dynasty.

After dinner you will rest for your train to Prague in the morning.

After breakfast, you’ll board a train in Vienna and travel to Prague.

Today you will take a guided tour getting to know the central historic districts of Prague including Old Town, New Town, and Mala Strana. Highlights will include the Charles Bridge, Astronomical Clock, Wenceslas Square, and Old Town Square. During your tour, you will learn about the city throughout history including the middle ages, the renaissance, life in the city during communism and Soviet control and then modern history.

This afternoon you’ll take a self-guided tour of St. Vitus Cathedral, the largest and the most important temple in Prague. Apart from religious services the coronations of Czech kings and queens also took place here. The cathedral is a place of interment of remains of provincial patron saints, sovereigns, noblemen and archbishops.

After dinner you will enjoy the evening preparing for your final few days in Europe.

After breakfast you will head to The Charles Bridge, a stone Gothic bridge that connects the Old Town and Lesser Town. It is the oldest bridge in the city, built between the 14th and 15th centuries, and it spans the river with 16 pillars. It is lined with statues and lamps and has Gothic bridge towers on both ends. This magnificent historical monument is a breathtaking sight to see.

This afternoon, you’ll visit Prague Castle, an ancient symbol of the Czech lands and the country’s most significant monument. The castle dates from the 9th Century and has been the seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors, presidents of Czechoslovakia and is currently the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic. According to the Guinness Book of Records, it is the largest ancient castle in the world occupying almost 70,000 square meters.

Tonight you will have dinner and relax for the evening.

Today you have a free day to shop and explore this magnificent city!

After breakfast, your three city European adventure comes to a close as you head to the airport for your return trip home.