Get Social: Central & Eastern Europe Express 2022

Say hallo and then auf wiedersehen to Berlin. We’ll be back in 10 days. It’s time to stock up on paprika chips and pretzel sticks – we're hitting the road early for Poland’s beating heart. Get to know the gang better en route. Favourite cheese? Embarrassing travel story? Share with the class. Then: when we roll into Warsaw, our Trip Leader will point out all the must-sees for tomorrow on a walking tour of the Old Town. We’ll round off the day with our first included group dinner. Ready for one mind-blowing Euro adventure? Let’s go!

You've got 24 hours of free time here, so don't muck around. Go all Willy Wonka at the E. Wedel Chocolate Cafe. Drop by the Neon Museum for flashy signs and vintage vibes. Regret that big lunch as you squeeze through the narrowest house in the world. Or simply wander the cobbled streets, gawp at the grand palaces and main character it up on a shaded café terrace. And tonight? Gather the fam and embark on a mish to find Warsaw’s best pierogi. We believe in you.

Legend has it a dragon had to be defeated in order for this place to be built. Game of Thrones, eat your heart out. Welcome to Kraków! Get acquainted with this gem of a city on a walking tour – complete with an introduction to its resident dragon. Then? Take Fleetwood's advice and go your own way. Top up your history knowledge at Wawel Castle, explore the hip cafes and boutiques in the Jewish Quarter, head to Schindler's Museum (prepare to queue) or find a local haunt and tuck into a piled-high plate of Polish pancakes.

Here’s a free day we prepared earlier. Need some suggestions? Head to Hamsa in the heart of the Jewish Quarter for some 'Hummus and Happiness', shop for the ‘Gold of the Baltic’ in the UNESCO-listed Cloth Hall. Or do as the locals do and head to Okraglak for some drool-worthy street food –Zapiekanki is a must! Then: it's time to refine your vodka palette on an optional tasting tour. Learn the history behind Polish vodka and sample a few uniquely flavoured varieties as you go. Refuse to drink it without Red Bull? There are plenty of bars to pull into for a tasting of the local beer instead.

Our Kraków love affair was short but oh-so-sweet. Up next? Ngl – we’ve got a bit of a drive towards the twin cities of Buda and Pest. BUT it’s totally worth it, trust us. When we arrive, we’ll be chauffeured past the Chain Bridge, Castle District, Gellert Hotel, Heroes’ Square and House of Terror on a driving tour of the city. Afterwards: free time to do your own sweet thing. Our rec? Swing by a few of the city’s rooftop bars for sophisticated vibes and UN-real views.

A free day to experience everything this firecracker of a city has to offer. Check out the Central Market Hall. Explore the Jewish Quarter. Play pinball at the Flippermúzeum. Hunt down the Anonymous Statue. Soak in the therapeutic waters of the Széchenyi Thermal Baths. Tonight, hang with the hipsters and drink local fruit brandy at one of the original ruin bars. Maybe even sample a pickled carrot or two (random? yep, but they’re a thing).

Wave goodbye to Budapest from the back of the coach – today we’re plugging Bratislava into the GPS. After a whip around town with our Trip Leader, the afternoon’s free to do your own spontaneous this-is-what-I-came-for thing. Check out all the panoramic views from Bratislava Castle, wander through the Gothic Old Town and grab some kapustnica (cabbage soup) or bryndzové pirohy (Slovak dumplings). Keen to see the city from an alien’s POV? Obvs. This eve: round up the gang and channel some extraterrestrial energy at the UFO Observation Deck, shaped like a flying saucer.

After another group brekkie, it’s onwards to the spire-filled skyline and mysterious streets of Prague! Our Trip Leader will get us acquainted with this picture-perfect city – complete with quirky clock tower – and show us all the must-dos for our free day tomorrow. After hunting down some smažený sýr (fried cheese of dreams) for dinner, hit the town to try some local Czech beer or sample a cocktail at The Alchemist – an old-school venue with a 1950s’ vibe. Hint: if you want the full experience, ask for the 'choose your fate'. We'll see you in the morning.

Another day done completely your way. Trust us, there’s plenty to Czech out (ha!). Seek out the John Lennon wall. Soak up some history at the Communist Museum. Take the funicular up Petrin Hill for all the views. Check out what the Dancing House is all about. Or grab a delish roast pork roll at one of the street vendors lining Old Town Square. Fancy yourself as a bit of a beer connoisseur? Don’t miss the beer tasting optional this afternoon. 11 different Czech beers + tapas = good times all around.

From one beer capital to the next – today we’re swapping Prague for Berlin. Prep yourself for currywurst and more hipsters per capita than anywhere else. We'll drive you around to see the main sights including (what's left of) the Berlin Wall, Museum Island, the Holocaust Museum and Alexanderplatz. There’s also a chance to discover how the city operated under Nazi rule with a Third Reich walking tour. Then: it’s time to give this I-N-C-R-E-D trip the send-off it deserves at our final group dinner. We’re not crying, you are.

What? It’s all over? One crazy-good whirlwind of Central and Eastern Europe’s best bits = completed. Swap Insta handles and get planning next year’s adventure. We’ve got some pretty epic Southern Europe trips, just saying...