Get Social: Central & Eastern Europe Express (Winter) 2022-23

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. Best thermal undies? Fave mulled drink? 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 winter adventure? This. Is. Happening.

You've got 24 hours of free time here, so don't muck around. Go all Willy Wonka at the E. Wedel Chocolate Cafe (the hot choc here is *chef’s kiss*). 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 settle into a cosy bar. 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.

Ready for round two exploring Kraków’s frosty, fairytale streets? We’ve got some suggestions for your free day. 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 try a few uniquely flavoured varieties as you go. Refuse to drink it without Red Bull? There are plenty of bars to sample 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. Then: swing by 360 Bar and shotgun a rooftop igloo complete with eye-popping views of the icy skyline. It doesn’t get more winter-y than this.

You wanted freedom to explore – here it is. Check out the Central Market Hall. Explore the Jewish Quarter. Play pinball at the Flippermúzeum. Get a harrowing education at the House of Terrors. Hunt down the Anonymous Statue. Soak in the warm therapeutic waters of the Széchenyi Thermal Baths. Or head to Buda Castle and check out all the views from Fisherman’s Bastion. Tonight, get stuck into some local fare: goulash, chicken paprikash, langos, dobos cake. Hopefully you like paprika, they’re kinda obsessed with it here. Or hang with the hipsters at one of the original ruin bars. Our suggestion? Try pálinka (traditional fruit brandy) – it’s like a warm hug for your insides.

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 warm up with 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! Get acquainted with this picture-perfect city as our Trip Leader takes us on a wander through Wenceslas Square, past the largest ancient castle in the world and across medieval Charles Bridge. Then: get stuck into some smažený sýr (fried cheese = yes please) and watch the quirky show the 600-year-old Astronomical Clock puts on every hour. Tonight, rally the troops and head to a traditional pub to sample some of that famous Czech beer. Or – if you’re here in December – warm up with some mulled wine under the ginormous Christmas tree in Old Town Square.

Another day done completely your way. ‘Czech’ out (sorry not sorry) the John Lennon wall. Soak up some history at the Communist Museum. Take the funicular up Petrin Hill for allll the views. Or grab a delish roast pork roll at one of the street vendors lining Old Town Square. Fancy yourself as a bit of a hops connoisseur? Don’t miss the beer tasting optional this afternoon. Or fully commit to the sugar rush with a serving of trdelník. Think: fire-roasted pastry coated in cinnamon sugar – add Nutella and you’ve got the stuff of dessert dreams *wipes drool from chin*.

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 wintery whirlwind of Central and Eastern Europe’s best bits = completed. Swap Insta handles and get planning the next adventure. Southern Europe in summertime? Do it.