Overview
Itinerary
Although more than 85% of Warsaw was destroyed or damaged in World War II, the city has been rebuilt into one of Europe's most vibrant capitals, using pre-war paintings and sketches to painstakingly reconstruct many historic buildings, restoring them to their former glory. See the results for yourself on a guided sightseeing tour including the Palace of Culture; Radziwill Palace, where the beloved composer Frederic Chopin gave his first concert; the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; the Grand Theatre; and Constitution Square.
Continue with a walking tour through 13th- and 14th-century Old Town (Stare Miasto), and a visit to the Jewish Ghetto Memorial honoring the victims of the Warsaw Ghetto and the heroes of the 1943 uprising. Chopin's music comes to life at a private piano recital in the early evening, followed by a dinner featuring typical Polish cuisine and authentic local entertainment at a local restaurant. (B/D)
Start the day with a journey from Warsaw across the Polish countryside to ancient Kraków, the country's medieval capital and considered one of the finest medieval cities in Europe, for a two-night stay.
Upon arrival, take a guided walking tour of the city's Old Town, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including St. Mary's Church, Jagiellonian University, the Franciscan Church and the Archbishop's Palace, where Karol Wojtyla lived for two decades before becoming Pope John Paul II. After your tour, check into your Kraków hotel; enjoy dinner at your hotel at leisure tonight. Stay Two Nights: Sheraton Grand Krakow (B/L/D)
You'll have a choice of sightseeing this morning, choosing to explore Kraków's former Jewish Quarter, known as Kazimierz (holidays permitting) – nearly destroyed in World War II but now restored and enjoying a Renaissance – or journeying to Wawel Hill on the banks of the Vistula to see Wawel Castle, the seat of Polish kings from the 11th to 17th centuries, and visit inside iconic Wawel Cathedral, Poland's national sanctuary and historic royal coronation site.
In the afternoon, you're free to explore Kraków on your own or join an excursion to the poignant memorial and museum at Auschwitz, 40 miles from the city. (B/D)
Start today's Budapest sightseeing with a morning visit to Hungary's Parliament building in Pest, a neo-Gothic masterpiece. Then head over to Buda to admire the frescoes and stained glass windows inside the Gothic Matthias Church, where the final two Hungarian kings were crowned; see Fisherman's Bastion overlooking the Danube, with its neo-Romanesque design; and explore the cobblestone streets of Castle Hill, offering more splendid views of the city.
After lunch at a local restaurant in Buda, enjoy a private after-hours visit with a lecture and reception at the Imre Nagy Memorial House in Budapest, a museum in the restored home of Hungarian Prime Minister Imre Nagy, who was secretly tried and executed in 1958, after the Soviets put down the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. (B/L)
Today, wind your way from Budapest and Hungary through Slovakia en route to Austria. After lunch, stop in Slovakia's capital city of Bratislava this afternoon to explore some 17 centuries worth of history on a walking tour with a local guide of the Old Town. Followed by some time on your own. Then continue on to glorious Vienna, the Austrian capital and former center of the Habsburg empire, for a three-night stay the Hotel Bristol, Vienna – one of Europe's most celebrated hotels.
Upon arrival, join us for an orientation walk of the historic Vienna area around your hotel, including the Hofburg Complex and St. Stephen's Square, before enjoying dinner at your leisure tonight. Stay Three Nights: Hotel Bristol, Vienna (B/L/D)
Trip Inclusions
- TAUCK'S YELLOW ROADS – Authentic cultural discoveries as you travel from Poland to Hungary, from a visit to Wawel Hill to lunch in a Slovakian village in the Tatra Mountains
- Private tour of the Baroque libraries of Strahov Monastery in Prague
- Private after-hours visit with lecture and reception at Imre Nagy Memorial House in Budapest
- Private piano recital in Warsaw celebrating the music of Frederic Chopin
- A private dinner cruise on the Danube River in Budapest
- 29 included meals (13 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 11 dinners)
- Itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and specified internal flights. International flights not included.
Trip Reviews (1) Most Recent 'Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna & Prague' Reviews
On a very positive note, the local tour guides were excellent, very knowledgeable, courteous and friendly. Our Tauck Tour Guide was also excellent with extensive experience in Eastern Europe. One final negative comment, unfortunately. Even though we realize that Tauck does not make hotel room assignments, we feel that they can do a much better job of influencing the hotels on our stay to provide rooms that are more comparable to the cost of our tour. We have not once during our Tauck tours been assigned a hotel room with a view of anything but rooftops of adjacent buildings or a view of another section of the hotel itself. That's not what we feel we deserve for the money we pay for these tours. On a closing note, we are booked on our next Tauck tour to Portugal in October and plan to book a follow-on Tauck tour to New Zealand on 2024.
Availability
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Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Prices and trip information are correct at the time at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Tauck. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from Tauck. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
