Eastern Highlights

Welcome to Munich! Check into your hotel this morning and meet up with your tour guide who will brief you on the upcoming itinerary. Then, head into Munich and see the sights on an orientation tour! Munich will delight the avid explorer. It’s a city that is a great combination of old and new. In Munich, you’ll find a captivating old town and wealth of cultural hotspots alongside modern high-powered industry, designer shopping districts and sleek BMW. This evening, get to know your fellow passengers and tour leader over dinner in a traditional German beer hall and enjoy a taste of German culture and cuisine.

Munich orientation tour: Your tour leader will take you on an orientation of Munich to get you acquainted with this wonderful German city.

German beer hall: Tonight we’ll take you to a traditional German Beer Hall. Sample German beer, along with traditional German cuisine. Prost!

En route to Prague, visit Nuremberg and enjoy an orientation tour of the city. Bavaria’s second-largest city, Nuremberg is famous for its art, architecture, ancient chapels and great beer! Next, we make our way to Prague. A beautiful city boasting elaborate Baroque, Gothic, Art Nouveau and Cubist architecture. Explore the streets to find quirky bars, cobbled lanes and courtyards. Known for its brilliant beer and abundance of art, any exploration of Prague is a rewarding one. After getting your bearings on a walking tour of the city with a local guide, experience authentic Czech cuisine at our local restaurant for dinner on your first night in Prague.

Orientation tour of Nuremberg: Join your tour leader and see the medieval castle in Nuremberg and get a chance to explore the old town and shop at the markets in the town square. Nuremberg is home to incredible architecture, painstakingly restored using original stone after the bombings of the Second World War.

Prague guided tour: Enjoy a guided tour of the “City of a Hundred Spires” with a local guide. See highlights including the Charles Bridge and Old Town Square.

Prague dinner: Experience authentic Czech cuisine at a local restaurant on your first night in Prague. You will also have the option to try some famous Czech beer!

The day is yours to enjoy the fairytale magic of Prague! Join the Prague+ excursion for deeper insight into the city. Choose to visit the magnificent Prague Castle, the famous Charles Bridge, the ‘Old Town’ and the Jewish Quarter. Find the ‘Secret Garden’ which leads to a man-made grotto. Prague's dramatic history is reflected in the beauty of the churches, opera houses, concert halls and parks. Try some local brew in a beerhouse and visit the John Lennon Wall. Prague is also the home of absinthe. Some say that Vincent Van Gogh’s love affair with this drink is considered to be the most famed in history!

Leaving Prague behind, continue on the journey to Krakow. En route, spend time visiting the harrowing grounds of Auschwitz concentration camp. Learn more about this tragic period of European history on a guided tour. After the tour of Auschwitz, travel on to Krakow. The royal capital of Poland for centuries, Krakow today is home to some of Europe’s most impressive Gothic and Renaissance architecture – and over 2,3 million artworks to complement its historic buildings and monuments. Arrive in Krakow, check into tonight’s accommodation and enjoy an included dinner at the hotel.

Auschwitz concentration camp guided tour: Visit the concentration camp which was operated by Nazi Germany during WW2. Learn the history and see the sites of one of history’s most harrowing events.

The day is yours to explore Krakow further. Start the day with a guided walking tour. Learn all about the history and significance of Krakow’s top sights as you explore. The rest of the day is free to spend as you wish! There is also the chance to take an optional excursion to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the mine dates back to the Middle Ages and is a fascinating look at the area’s history. Descending underground, you’ll walk through 2km of tunnels, chapels, reliefs and freestanding sculptures carved from salt rock walls; along with underground lakes and archaeological displays.

Krakow walking tour: Take in some of Europe’s most impressive Gothic and Renaissance architecture, learn about the history and explore the iconic landmarks including the Old town square, views of St. Mary's Basilica, Grodzka street, Krakow Castle, Wawel Cathedral, Kazimierz (Jewish district) and the Old Synagogue.

Today, enjoy a visit to Banska Bystrica in Slovakia. Embark on an orientation tour of this picturesque town, home to beautiful buildings dating back to the late Middle Ages. Next up is Budapest, the Hungarian capital! Blessed with natural beauty as well as Baroque, Neoclassical and Art Nouveau architecture, this city is beautiful to discover. Arrive and get an overview of Budapest with a driving tour. See the Houses of Parliament and drive along the riverside admiring the city – take note of spots to revisit tomorrow on your free day. Tonight’s meal is at a local restaurant- a great chance to try the local cuisine!

Orientation tour of Banska Bystrica: Explore this beautiful Slovakian city with your tour leader. Surrounded by mountains, this beautiful city has a lot to offer visitors in the form of history and unique architecture.

Driving tour of Budapest: Meet up with a local guide who will accompany us on a driving tour of the city and point out all the best-loved sights. See both sides of Buda and Pest. This is a great way to learn more about Hungarian culture and language and the city's fascinating history. Drink in incredible views from atop Gellert Hill and the Citadel, take a stop at Heroes Square and get an eyeful of other must-see attractions like Budapest Parliament, St Stephen's Basilica, the state opera, the castle district, and more.

Make the most of a free day in this incredible city. Budapest has traces of the past evident in the interesting and unusual details. Be sure to look out for remnants of historic conflicts such as WWII and the uprising of 1956. Sample Hungarian cuisine, taste world-renowned wines, and take a dip in the thermal waters at one of the city’s bath-houses – something Budapest is famous for! Two of the most popular bath houses are Szechenyi Baths and Gellert Baths. Finish off your free day with an optional evening cruise along the Danube and see the city illuminated at night!

Today, the grandeur of Vienna is calling! Visit Bratislava in Slovakia en route and enjoy a driving and walking tour with your tour leader. See some of the capital city’s main sights and see if you can spot Bratislava Castle, which overlooks the city. On arrival in Vienna, enjoy a driving tour. Few cities can show off such cultural and historical splendour and maintain a profile as an exciting, modern city, but Vienna does it well! After the driving tour, enjoy a delicious included dinner. The perfect ending to your time in Vienna is a Mozart Concert in one of the great music halls!

Orientation tour of Bratislava: Join your tour leader on a driving and walking tour of Slovakia’s capital city. See the top sights and don’t miss a chance to get a photo at the Bratislava Castle! 

Guided tour of Vienna: On the drive into Vienna, Austria’s capital city, you will see the Schonbrunn Palace before reaching the Inner City and one of the best vistas from Belvedere Hill. Vienna is known as the 'City of Music’ due to its classical heritage and the prodigies that worked there including Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms to name a few as your local guide on your walking tour will tell you. The tour starts at the Golden Mile on the Ring Strasse (Parliament, City Hall, Burgtheater). Then discover the courtyards and passages around the Hofburg (Imperial Castle) and St. Stephen’s Cathedral which is Vienna’s geographic and historic centre.

Leaving Vienna behind, head for the charming city of Ljubljana, making a stop in the beautiful city of Graz to enjoy an orientation tour on the way. Arrive in Ljubljana and enjoy a walking tour of this little gem of a city. Despite its small size, you’re sure to be entranced by the beauty of this city, which features a wealth of cultures, activities and sights. Ljubljana Castle overlooks the city and dates back several centuries. Tonight, explore a little more and take advantage of the fact that pretty much everything is just a short stroll away! Opt-in for an evening of Slovenian food, music and dancing!

Orientation tour of Graz: Visit this bustling city and enjoy an orientation tour of Austria’s second-largest city with your tour leader. Graz is home to a charming Old Town, palaces and forts coupled with intriguing contemporary art. 

Guided tour of Ljubljana: Meet up with an expert local guide who will accompany us on a walking tour of the city. On foot, we'll encounter the inimitable scenery of the medieval old town, Preseren Square, City Centre, the Riverfront, Dragon Bridge and Cobblers Bridge. When the formal tour is done, there will still be some time to explore on your own. We recommend that you make your way to the 13th-century St. Nicholas Church - it's Baroque architecture is truly spectacular.

Depart Ljubljana and travel towards the last destination for this Eastern Europe tour - Munich. Along the way, enjoy a photo stop at beautiful Lake Bled and perhaps take the time to enjoy the iconic Bled Cream Cake. Next up, stopover in picture-perfect Salzburg, Austria. Featuring gorgeous architecture, a formidable cliff-top fortress and impressive mountain ranges in the distance, you could be forgiven for thinking that you were in a fairytale! This was also Mozart’s home-town – see if a little of the genius rubs off! Shortly afterwards travel onwards to Munich. This evening is yours to spend as you wish!

Visit Salzburg: Experience this wonderful city which was once home to Mozart! Divided by the Salzach River, the west side of Salzberg’s centre is characterised by the medieval and baroque architecture of the World Heritage Listed Old City (Altstadt), which faces the 19th century New City (Neustadt). A fairytale castle overlooks the city upon a steep hill and against a background of scenic Alpine mountains.

Visit Lake Bled: This beautiful lake in Slovenia is situated in the Julian Alps and surrounds Bled Island in the middle of the lake, and is overlooked by the medieval Bled Castle on the north shore.

After 11 incredible, experience-filled days, this Eastern European adventure concludes after breakfast. Make sure you have exchanged contact details with your new-found travel friends, and share your amazing tour memories with us online using the hashtags #ExpatExplore and #BetterTogether. We hope you've loved every minute of your Eastern Highlights tour, and we wish you a safe onward journey!