Daily Itinerary
PRAGUE- DRESDEN - BERLIN - KRAKOW - BRATISLAVA - VIENNA
Daily Itinerary 24 December – 13 January 2013
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Day 1: Monday 24 December Depart from Australia with Emirates via Dubai for Prague
Day 2: Tuesday 25 December Prague – Czech Republic
2pm arrive in Prague, the heart of Europe. Transfer to our centrally located K & K Fenix hotel, just a few steps from Wenceslas Square the cities main and the most fashionable boulevard. orientation tour
6pm dinner at the local restaurant and informal introductions.
Day 3: Wednesday 26 December Prague
10am meet our local guide for a grand Bus / Walk Tour of Prague. Uncover the rich history of this beautiful city. See 1000 year old Prague Castle, St Vitus Cathedral, Lesser Town, Charles Bridge, Astronomical clock, once the envy of all Europe.
2:30 pm late lunch early dinner - at the Novomestky Pivovar – Prague’s first microbrewery and the chance for you to sample the delights of its own brand light and dark wheat beer.
7:30pm meet in the lobby for a short walk to the Wow Black Light Theatre – enjoy poetry, humor and irony without using words. The show will capture your heart!
Day 4: Thursday 27 December Prague
10am walking and boat tour - visit the famous Jewish Quarter, stroll through the 15th century cemetery, visit the Spanish Synagogue built in 1868 often described as the most beautiful synagogue in Europe. From here we will walk to the Vltava River to enjoy a 2 hour cruise and admire unique and scenic panoramic views as we cruise down the river past many famous historical and cultural sites.
4:45pm meet in the hotel lobby for a short walk to the Stylish Como restaurant before attending the opera.
7pm opera at the stunning Prague State Opera begins. Program to be advised
Day 5: Friday 28 December Prague
Full day at leisure, enjoy mixture of modern shops and ancient architecture, stroll the city, and discover history dating back to Holy Roman Empire. Sample the Czech sausages & the local beer from one of many street vendors!
7 pm dinner at the local restaurant
Day 6: Saturday 29 December Prague - Dresden - Germany
10am depart for 2 hour drive north across the border into Dresden the royal residence of Saxon Kings. There is probably no other town which better symbolizes the turbulent history of this country and shows many centuries of cultural and architectural boom.
Check into Hilton hotel in the old walled city.
2pm meet our local guide and explore the moving history. See the Frauenkirche, Zwinger Palace, Semper Opera. Etc.
7pm dinner at the hotel
Day 7: Sunday 30 December Dresden - Meissen
10 am we’ll drive 25km northeast of Dresden, to the historic town of Meissen renowned for the world-famous porcelain factory . See the unique work of art created before your eyes. The city itself is a medieval gem:
Free afternoon. Perhaps visit the Dresden Gallery home to some of the finest European art in the world. There are over 750 paintings here, including works by Rafael, Titian, Rembrandt & Rubens .
7 pm dinner at the hotel.
Day 8: Monday 31 December Dresden – Berlin - Celebrate New Year in Berlin!
10am depart for a 2 hour drive to reunited Berlin. one of Europe's most exciting and eclectic cities Check in to Crown Plaza Hotel located close to historical centre ,& the shopping district .
7pm New Year’s Gala Buffet Dinner with drinks included at the hotel.
Day 9: Tuesday 1 January Berlin New Year’s Day
12 noon meet our local guide for a Grand 4 hour tour of Berlin. Few cities have seen as many changes over recent years. See the reunited city, the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie.
7pm dinner at the hotel.
Day 10: Wednesday 2 January Berlin - Potsdam
10am today we visit Germany’s most beautiful city - Potsdam, UNESCO heritage city of palaces and gardens. movie classic "The Blue Angel," "The Pianist," and "Around the World in 80 Days" were all shot here.See the Sanssouci, Palace built in 1747, Dutch quarter, Russian colony, Alexandrowka etc. You will feel history in the air while you walk among the city's well preserved buildings. On the way back we’ll drive along the "Babelsberg Film Studios", where Marlene Dietrich.made movies. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 11: Thursday 3 January Berlin
Full day at leisure. Visit Story of Berlin and explore 800 years of Berlin’s history, DDR museum, or do some shopping at the Europe’s biggest department
store KaDeWE where the 6th floor offers around 1800 different cheeses! Dinner at the hotel.
Day 12: Friday 4 January Berlin Krakow - Poland
9am today we will cross the border into Poland and visit the medieval city of Krakow dating back to 7th century. It was country’s capital for over 500 years.
Check into 5 star Radisson Hotel only few minutes walk from the main market square. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 13: Saturday 5 January Krakow
10am meet our local guide for a grand tour of Krakow. Explore the ancient city for centuries the residence of Polish kings. See the Royal Castel, the Wawel Hill, the Cathedral, Renaissance Cloth Hall on the largest medieval town square in Europe. Free afternoon.
7pm dinner at the local restaurant.
Day 14: Sunday 6 January Krakow
Free day for a stroll around the city. Visit the Cloth Hall with great amber selection, folk art and variety of goods on offer.
Optional: Tour to Auschwitz
5pm dinner at the hotel before this evening Chopin Concert.
6:30pm short walk to the Bonerowski Palace to delight in the music of Poland's greatest composer, Fryderyk Chopin.
Day 15: Monday 7 January Krakow - Bratislava - Slovakia
10am we depart on scenic drive across the border to Slovakia's capital, the historic Bratislava, which was also capital of the Hungarian Empire for 200 years. We check into our luxury 5 star Radisson Carlton Hotel in the heart of the old town filled with beautifully restored baroque palaces. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 16: Tuesday 8 January Bratislava
10am meet our local guide for a 4 hour bus and walk tour. Enjoy the unique atmosphere of historical and modern city with its winding streets of the pedestrian Old Town, see the Medieval Michael’s Gate and Tower, Bratislava Castle, St Martin Cathedral and some beautifully reconstructed palaces. We visit the Primate’s Palace and its most famous chamber the Hall of Mirrors that has played host to many significant events. We will drive 13 km west of the city to Devin castle destroyed in 1809 by Napolean's army, today lies in ruins and is one of the most important monuments in Slovakia.
7pm dinner at our Radisson Hotel.
Day 17: Wednesday 9 January Bratislava – Vienna - Austria
12 noon enjoy free morning before we depart for 60 km drive to Vienna. No other two capital cities are as close together in the world! We check into Hotel City Central, ideally located in the heart of Vienna. Orientation tour of the area.
7 pm meet in the lobby and walk next door to the elegant Kronprinz Rudolph restaurant for dinner.
Day 18: Thursday 10 January Vienna
10am meet in the lobby for a 5 hour Grand City Tour of Vienna including inside visit of Shonbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the Habsburgs, considered one of the most beautiful palaces in Europe.
6pm we’ll take the short drive to the City Park and the famous Kursalon –- where the first Johann Strauss’concert took place in October 1868. Our dinner at the stylish Johann Restaurant is followed by a world class Mozart and Strauss concert in the Kursalon’s historical setting.
Day 19: Friday 11 January Vienna -
A full day at leisure. Visit the museum quarter, the Spanish Riding School, explore the shops or just relax over an authentic Vienna coffee and cake in a sidewalk café.
7pm short walk for Dinner to Vienna’s oldest restaurants the historical Griechenbeisl – favored by famous personalities, whose framed autographed photos on the wall ensure that their presence lives on. Our farewell dinner will be accompanied by accordion or zither music.
Day 20: Saturday 12 January Vienna - Australia
11am depart for Vienna airport for our 2:35pm flight.
Day 21: Sunday 13 January Arrive Australia