TOUR ITINERARY
THE MAGICAL WHITE CHRISTMAS TOUR
PRAGUE- CESKY KRUMLOV - BUDAPEST - BRATISLAVA - VIENNA
Daily Itinerary 23 December 2013 – 10 January 2014
If you would like to download a copy of the itinerary click here.
Day 1: Monday 23 December Depart from Australia with Emirates for Prague via Dubai
Day 2: Tuesday 24 December Prague – the most festive day of Christmas for Czech people
14:00 Arrive Prague airport. Go through passport control, collect your luggage and when you come out meet Eva, waiting for you holding a boxing Kangaroo flag. We transfer to our centrally located K & K Fenix hotel.
17:00 Early Dinner & Informal Introductions
Day 3: Wednesday 25 December Christmas Day - Prague
10:00 Meet our local guide for a Bus / Walking 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.
18.45 meet in the hotel lobby for a short stroll to a local restaurant for a traditional 3 course Czech dinner.
Day 4: Thursday 26 December - Prague
10:00 Walk /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’ll walk o Vltava river to enjoy 2 hour cruise and admire unique and scenic panoramic views as we cruise down the river past many famous historical and cultural sites.
14:30 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.
20:00 Wow Theatre – enjoy poetry, humor and irony without using words. The show will capture your heart!
Day 5: Friday 27 December - Prague
A full day of leisure - Enjoy the festive magic and the traditional Christmas markets full of stands where you can buy food, gifts and decorations. Stroll the city, enjoy the architecture and discover history dating back to Holy Roman Empire. Make sure to sample the Czech sausages & the local beer from one of many street vendors!
16:50 Meet in the hotel lobby for a short walk to the stylish Como restaurant, specializing in modern Czech cuisine before attending opera.
19:00 Tonight we attend the stunning Prague State Opera built in 1888!
Day 6 Saturday 28 December - Prague to Cesky Krumlov
10:00 We depart Prague for 3 hour drive through the scenic Bohemian countryside, to the medieval town of Cesky Krumlov in South Bohemia. This stunning village is one of the most perfectly restored in Central Europe. Afternoon of leisure.
18:00 Tonight’s Dinner at the Gothic dungeons of the old town prison
Day 7 Sunday 29 December - Cesky Krumlov
10:00 Guided tour of this very unique town. Marvel at the 82% of the town’s building that are officially registered as cultural monuments. Wander through the cobblestone, traffic free streets, past colourful houses that lead up to the finest castle in the land. Afternoon at leisure.
18:00 Dinner at the local restaurant
Day 8 Monday 30 December - Cesky Krumlov to Budapest
9:00 Today we travel through the farming Czech country into Hungary and on to Budapest. We’ll spend 4 nights at the luxury Spa Hotel Thermal located in the heart of Budapest, on Margaret Island on the river Danube .This tranquil, picturesque island is named after the daughter of King Bela IV, who lived in a Dominican convent on the island in the 13th century. The ruins of the convent still stand near the Franciscan church. Explore the 100 year old park, the open air theatre and UNESCO listed water tower.
After an orientation tour you can relax and unwind in one of the thermal pools where the healing properties of the waters are as preventative as they are soothing and revitalizing. Enjoy 1 revitalizing massage and 1 aromatic bath included in your package.
Every night in Budapest we dine at one of the two hotel’s restaurants offering a superb buffet dinner - one with gypsy band and the other featuring a harp player; both sure to please lovers of folklore.
Day 9 Tuesday 31 December New Year’s Eve Budapest
10:00 Meet in the lobby. Today we start with a 5 hour Grand City Tour of Budapest. We visit the famous sights of the Capital, Heroes’ Square, the Castle District, the Matthias Church, Fishermen’s Bastion, Royal Palace etc. We’ll have free time at the neo Gothic Central Market Hall and marvel at the variety of fresh produce, flowers & souvenirs. Later in the afternoon take time out to relax and get ready for the evening’s spectacular Gala dinner at our hotel.
20:00 New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner with entertainment
Day 10: Wednesday 1 January – New Year’s Day Budapest
Enjoy late breakfast and then day at leisure. Take advantage of the Hotel’s exceptional spa facilities, steam rooms, thermal bath and pool, spa treatment. Take a stroll around the island's centuries-old trees, hidden statues and ruins.
12:00 Enjoy New Year’s Day concert at the hotel. Complimentary wine and drinks will be provided.
20:00 The day will finish with 1 hour spectacular Danube cruise with glass of champagne on the famous Danube River.
Day 11: Thursday 2 January - Budapest
10:00 This morning we’ll drive 25 km outside Budapest to the medieval Baroque village of Szentedre . The village is famous for its colonies of artists, painters and sculptors both past and present. The crooked cobblestone streets abound in shops offer all sorts of souvenirs, embroidered tablecloths and shirts, pottery, wines and paprika.. Here you’ll have the chance to taste a real Hungarian goulash or the traditional Hungarian fish soup “Halaszle”.
14:30 Budapest Enjoy some time in the pedestrian part of the city, the fashionable Vaci St.that is also the most lively and elegant street. Visit 150 year old Gerbaud Café the most traditional coffee houses in Europe. Explore the narrow streets and shops, most building here are from 1850s. .
Day 12: Friday 3 January Budapest to Bratislava
10:00 Depart on a 3 hour drive 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 tow that is filled with beautifully restored baroque city palaces. Orientation tour. Free afternoon.
19:00 Dinner at the Hotel’s restaurant
Day 13: Saturday 4 January - Bratislava
10:00 Meet in the lobby for a 4 hour bus and walk tour. Enjoy the unique atmosphere of historical and modern city with it’s 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’ll 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.
19:00 Dinner at our Radisson Hotel.
Day 14: Sunday 5 January - Bratislava to Vienna
12:00 Enjoy free morning before we depart for the 60 km drive to Vienna. No other 2 capital cities are as close together in the world! We check into Hotel City Central, ideally located in the heart of Vienna. Orientation tour followed by a free afternoon. Take the time to visit museams as some will be closed on Monday (check with Eva for more information).
18:00 Meet in the lobby and walk next door to the elegant Kronprinz Rudolph restaurant for dinner.
Day 15: Monday 6 January
10:00 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
18:00 We’ll meet in the lobby for a short bus 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 16: Tuesday 7 January – Vienna to Vienna Woods
10:00 Meet in the lobby for a 5 hour tour of the most beautiful sights of the southern part of the Vienna Woods. Highlights include the medieval cloister of the Cistercian Abbey at Heiligenkreuz, the former hunting lodge Mayerling, (where the only son of Emperor Franz Joseph , Crown Prince Rudolf committed suicide with his mistress Baroness Vetchera) and, finally, some free time in the delightfully compact, historical spa town of Baden.
18:30 Meet in the lobby for a short walk to Vienna’s oldest restaurants the historical Griechenbeisl – favored by the famous
personalities, whose framed autographed photos on the wall ensure that their presence lives on.
Day 17: Wednesday 8 January - Vienna
Full day at leisure.. Visit the museum quarter, The Spanish Riding School morning exercise at the Hofburg Palace, explore the shops or just relax over an authentic Vienna coffee and cake in a sidewalk café.
19:00 Farewell dinner at the Kronprinz restaurant next door to our hotel
Day 18 Thursday 9 January - Vienna to Sydney/Melbourne (via Dubai)
11:00 Depart for Vienna airport for our 2:35 PM flight to Sydney / Melbourne via Dubai.
Day 19: Friday 10 January - Arrive Sydney 22:40
Day 20: Saturday 11 January – Arrive Melbourne 02:05