Central Europe: Castles, Culture & Capitals

The tour begins in Prague in the late afternoon. If you arrive early, the Czech capital is the perfect place to wander: cut through the alleys of the medieval Old Town, sample the much-lauded Czech beer or try the hearty local cuisine. If you're interested in visiting the top city attractions, such as Charles Bridge, Prague Castle or Wenceslas Square, your leader can point them out on the free maps available at the hotel. If you wish to explore this beautiful city in more detail, we recommend booking an extra night pre-tour. Stay: Hotel Lunik (or similar).

Spend a full day exploring the wealth of attractions Prague offers, with a guided sightseeing in the morning followed by free time. We explore the Old Town, including: the Old Town Square; Wenceslas Square, which houses the impressive Lucerna concert hall; the Jewish Quarter; and Prague Castle, the largest ancient castle in the world. Entrance fees are not included and payable locally. We then spend our second evening in the Czech capital. Stay: Hotel Lunik (or similar) (B).

We hop into our private minibus for a transfer (approximately three hours) to the historic town of Cesky Krumlov, home to petite squares, narrow cobbled streets, an open-air theatre with a revolving auditorium, and a magnificent castle. We enjoy a guided walk of the town in the early afternoon before free time. The early evening and morning are particularly good to see this enchanting town, when the light reflects off the red roofs and surrounding hills. Stay: Penzion Prelat (or similar) (B).

After breakfast, we travel (approximately two hours) to the Czech town of Telc; a great example of Renaissance architecture that has changed little over the past century. The Renaissance chateau here is a favourite with filmmakers – featuring in more than 50 movies – and the town square is flanked by traditional buildings, many of which display historic coats of arms that provide a glimpse into a bygone era.

The next stop is Lednice (approximately two hours) where we visit the Unesco-listed Lednice Chateau, a neo-gothic masterpiece wrapped by one of the largest parks in Europe. We enjoy a boat trip to the minaret before returning to the chateau, taking a walk through the manicured grounds. We end our day in the wine-growing town of Mikulov, enjoying a guided walk. Stay: Hotel Galant (or similar) (B).

After breakfast, we cross the border into Slovakia and to the royal town of Skalica (approximately one hour), where we take a guided walk of the landmarks. Here we'll unravel the captivating history and cultural highlights nestled within the remnants of ancient city fortifications. We then have a short transfer to a vineyard, where we can have a picnic lunch after we sample local wines with an expert wine producer.

We will savour the unique flavours of locally produced wines, including the illustrious Skalický Rubín, also known as Skalica's Ruby. We then transfer (approximately 60-90 minutes) to Bratislava, the Slovakian capital, where we have a guided tour and explore famous street statues and eventually make our way to Bratislava Castle. Stay: Hotel Bluebell (or similar) (B/L).

This morning, we transfer to Vienna, Austria, for a day of sightseeing in this fabled capital city. We have a guided tour and then free time to visit impressive sites such as St Stephen's Cathedral, the majestic Schoenbrunn Palace (summer palace of the Hapsburgs), the popular Kunsthistorisches Museum and Hundertwasser Hause or a visit to the Mozart Museum (all entrances payable locally).

No visit to Vienna is complete without a café stop for coffee and a cake or you could watch the world go by in one of the many parks or beer gardens. You then have the option to take the bus back to Bratislava or cruise back on the Danube River. This optional boat trip is around €25. Stay: Hotel Bluebell (or similar) (B).

This morning, we transfer to the Hungarian capital of Budapest. The mighty Danube splits this great city into halves: Buda, dominated by the Castle Hill palace complex high above the river, and Pest, the bustling and more cosmopolitan centre of trade. We spend the morning visiting the Castle Hill area, perched above the Danube, and the inner-city area.

In the afternoon or evening, there is an optional boat cruise on the Danube, offering close-up views of the spectacular neo-gothic Parliament building on the waterfront. There also may be the chance to visit Budapest Great Market Hall. Stay: Hotel Benczur or Hotel Verdi (or similar) (B).

The trip ends this morning after breakfast. If you wish to explore this fascinating city more, we recommend booking an extra night post-tour. Please ask your sales representative for more details (B).