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During the height of the Holy Roman Empire, Central Europe nurtured architectural and musical influences that continue to this day. Enjoy our gay cultural tours with walking, concerts, a dinner cruise, rejuvenating baths, and ample time to explore.
Explore Four Capitals of Central Europe! The Danube has flowed like an artery through Central Europe through the millennia, serving as a bridge between several unique cultures. On this tour, we start in the Hungarian capital of Budapest (or more specifically Buda and Pest across the river). We then drive into Slovakia’s mountains to spend a night at an intimate pension in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Banska Stiavnica, that sits in the middle of an immense caldera formed when an ancient volcano collapsed. Our next destination is the capital of the nation of Slovakia, which became a capital overnight in 1993 during the separation from the Czech Republic. The separation process was so orderly that it was dubbed the “Velvet Divorce”. From Bratislava we make the short drive to Vienna, where we spend three nights. We’ll have a walking tour of some of the Schonbrunn Castle as well as some cultural landmarks, culminating in an evening classical music performance (subject to availability). Departing from Vienna we drive northwest to the small Czech city of Cesky Krumlov, and we will stay in the historic heart of the city, also a World Heritage Site. We’ll visit the town’s restored castle, then see the town’s monuments and homes from our ride on the river. Our tour will conclude in the Czech capital of Prague, where we will stay close to its historic center. During our walking tour we’ll visit Wenceslas Square, Charles Bridge and other highlights of this ancient capital.
Most North American travelers will need to depart home a day before the first tour day, flying overnight and connecting to Budapest. We will provide a transfer from Budapest Airport to our hotel for those arriving on the first day, or arranging extra hotel nights through us. We’ll have our welcome dinner near our hotel in the heart of Budapest on our arrival day. The next day, during the our City Tour of Pest, we get acquainted with the Pearl of the Danube. We drive along the main avenues, passing by Parliament and the Opera House, and we stop at Heroes’ Square. We will also visit the Market Hall, where we’ll have some free time to look at the hundreds of local products sold there. Our afternoon and evening will be free to explore the city on our own. We cross over to hilly Buda for our next half-day tour that will include the Castle Hill area, and visits to Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion. We’ll also go up Gellert Hill for a panoramic view of the city and the majestic river that divides Buda and Pest. Later in the afternoon, you may want to visit one of the spas for a rejuvenating treatment. One of the oldest spas dates back to Turkish occupation in 1566.
We’ll drive north out of Hungary and into the mountains of Slovakia. Our lunch will be in the hamlet of Svaty Antol where we will have a traditional Slovak lunch, accompanied by a local folklore performance. Later we will have a 2-hour walking tour of the town, including a special presentation about the local sport of falconry.
This morning we will drive through the mountains to Bratislava, nestled on the bank of the Danube. We’ll have a walking tour of the old city, then dinner at one of the city’s finer restaurants.
During our three days in Vienna, we’ll have a walking tour to see the sights, and we’ll visit 22 rooms of the Schonbrunn Castle with an English audio guide. One evening we will also enjoy a classical music performance and have dinner at a renowned restaurant nearby. (Details about the performance are subject to change, but we will include one concert.)Our last day in Vienna will be unscheduled so you can explore what is personally most interesting about this cultural capital of Europe. Our guides will have plenty of suggestions for you, and help you plan how to get around on the extensive public transportation system.
This morning we drive northwest from Vienna to the small Czech town of Cesky Krumlov. We will have lunch together in this charming historic town, and weather permitting, spend the afternoon on a leisurely self-paddle raft on the river. We will check into our hotel in the late afternoon, and the rest of the day will be free to wander around Cesky Krumlov.
The next morning we’ll tour the castle and other sites, then have a little free time to grab lunch and see more of the town before we drive north to Prague. As we head toward Prague from Cesky Krumlov, we’ll stop at Ceské Budejovice – home of Budvar, one of Czech’s more prominent beers. We’ll have a beer tasting and lunch there. Once we get to our hotel in Prague, the rest of the afternoon and evening are on your own to check out the fine restaurants and perhaps some of the nightlife of Prague. The next day we’ll have a half-day walking tour, including the Astronomical Clock, Wenceslas Square, Royal Way of the Old Town, and Charles Bridge. Our farewell dinner will on held on a cruise on the Vltava River. Our second half-day of touring will include the Mala Strana area, Hradcany Castle (from the outside), and St Vitus Cathedral.
We will provide one or two group transfers from our hotel to the Prague Airport today, as we bid our farewells to this historic region of Europe. May we meet again soon! If you have time for more travel, we invite you to continue on to Greece for a Classical Cultural Tour (see Extension).
Capitals of Central Europe Price includes: Group transportation from Budapest to Prague and for local sightseeing; Accommodations each night in accordance with the tour itinerary, at 4-star, centrally-located hotels and one night at an intimate small-town pension; Breakfast each day, 5 special dinners and 4 lunches; Entrance fees for sightseeing, accompanied by knowledgeable guides; Transfers from Budapest Airport to hotel and from Prague hotel to airport for those arriving and departing on the first and last day of tour; All hotel service charges, government taxes, porterage (where available), and gratuities for included meals. HE Travel provides complimentary Medical & Evacuation Insurance for every US Resident on our group tours who does not have other coverage. Not included: Transportation to Budapest and from Prague; Meals not shown as being included; Gratuities for guides, drivers and HE Travel tour director; Personal items including: alcoholic beverages, snacks, laundry, and telephone calls. Optional Tour Choices: $1300 Single Supplement (for solo travelers who wish to enjoy a private bedroom and bathroom) Amsterdam – Art and History Price includes: Three nights at our charming hotel; 3 breakfasts, 2 dinners; knowledgeable gay historian accompanying the group on included activities; Entrance fees to sites listed in itinerary; HE Travel provides complimentary Medical & Evacuation Insurance for every US Resident on our group tours who does not have other coverage. Not included: Airfare, Airport-hotel transfers on arrival and departure; Meals not shown as included in tour package; Alcoholic beverages; Gratuities for local guides and drivers; Personal items such as souvenirs and snacks; Optional activities; and Trip cancellation insurance. $1790 per person in a shared room $450 Single Supplement (for solo travelers who wish to enjoy a private bedroom and bathroom)
4–17 Mar 2027 · New Zealand · with HE Travel
Last departure 12–19 Aug 2018 · with HE Travel
Last departure 18–25 Aug 2018 · with HE Travel