TOP HIGHLIGHTS
- Four countries and celebrated UNESCO treasures across Central Europe
- Prague Castle, Old Town and an illuminated Vltava dinner cruise
- Vienna’s imperial landmarks and a live Mozart Orchestra concert
- Lake Balaton ferry journey, volcanic vineyards and Badacsony wine tasting
- Budapest thermal bathing and a private Danube River cruise
- Medieval Visegrád lunch with a lively knights’ tournament
PACKAGE INCLUSIONS
- KLM roundtrip international flights from Los Angeles via Amsterdam
- Hotel accommodations across six Central European cities
- 25 meals, sightseeing admissions and specialty dining as stated
- Traditional Viennese apple strudel-making class
- Gratuities for local tour escorts and drivers
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
DAYS 1–2 | MAY 28–MAY 29 | LOS ANGELES–AMSTERDAM–PRAGUE | DEPARTURE & ARRIVAL | (D)
Begin your journey aboard KLM, flying from Los Angeles to Prague via Amsterdam. After the overnight flight, meet an Air & Sea Travel representative and transfer to the hotel for dinner.
DAY 3 | MAY 30 | PRAGUE–KARLOVY VARY–PRAGUE | SPA TOWN & VLTAVA CRUISE | (B/D)
Travel to the spa town of Karlovy Vary. See Mill Colonnade, the Church of St. Peter and Paul, New Louka Street and Hot Spring Colonnade. Ride the funicular to Diana Observation Tower, then have lunch independently. Later, visit the Jan Becher Museum for a Becherovka tasting. Return for a Prague orientation, free time and a Vltava buffet dinner cruise with a welcome drink, live music and illuminated views.
DAY 4 | MAY 31 | PRAGUE | CASTLE DISTRICT & OLD TOWN | (B)
Explore UNESCO-listed Prague Castle, including St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, St. George’s Basilica, Golden Lane and Daliborka Tower. Continue to Old Town Square, the Astronomical Clock, Charles Bridge, National Theatre and Dancing House. This afternoon, enjoy tea, coffee and cakes, followed by leisure time.
DAY 5 | JUN 1 | PRAGUE–ČESKÝ KRUMLOV–BRNO | MEDIEVAL TOWNS | (B/D)
Explore UNESCO-listed Český Krumlov’s historic center and view the castle garden and Church of St. Vitus. After lunch independently, continue to Brno for Liberty Square, the Moravian Museum and Bishop’s Palace before hotel check-in and dinner.
DAY 6 | JUN 2 | BRNO–VIENNA | SCHÖNBRUNN & MOZART | (B/L/D)
Continue to Vienna and visit UNESCO-listed Schönbrunn Palace, the Habsburgs’ summer residence. Enjoy traditional Viennese schnitzel for lunch, then tour the Jewish Quarter and see Hofburg Palace, Parliament and City Hall. After hotel dinner, attend a Vienna Mozart Orchestra concert.
DAY 7 | JUN 3 | VIENNA–MELK–VIENNA | LIPIZZANERS & APPLE STRUDEL | (B)
Travel to historic Melk for sightseeing overlooking the Danube. Return to Vienna for a guided Spanish Riding School tour and insight into its centuries-old Lipizzaner tradition. Later, prepare a beloved Austrian dessert during an apple strudel-making class. Tonight is free to explore Vienna independently.
DAY 8 | JUN 4 | VIENNA–BRATISLAVA | OLD TOWN & FOLKLORE EVENING | (B/D)
Cross into Slovakia and tour Bratislava. Visit St. Martin’s Cathedral, the former coronation church, and see Bratislava Castle, the Franciscan and Jesuit churches, and Bridge of the Slovak National Uprising. After lunch independently, enjoy Old Town free time. Tonight, experience dinner, beverages, music and dance at Folklore Garden Bratislava.
DAY 9 | JUN 5 | BRATISLAVA–SOPRON–FERTŐD–GYŐR–HÉVÍZ | ESTERHÁZY PALACE | (B/D)
Enter Hungary and tour Sopron, including a Firewatch Tower photo stop, Main Square and Kecske Temple. Continue to Fertőd and visit Esterházy Palace within the UNESCO-listed Fertő/Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape. Later, travel through Győr before arriving in Hévíz for spa-hotel check-in and a buffet dinner.
DAY 10 | JUN 6 | HÉVÍZ–SZÁNTÓD–TIHANY–BADACSONY–HÉVÍZ | LAKE BALATON | (B/L/D)
Travel to Szántód on Lake Balaton, Central Europe’s largest freshwater lake, and cross by ferry to Tihany. Continue to volcanic Badacsony for a tasting at Sipos Borház Winery and a local lunch. Return to Hévíz for free time, buffet dinner and the hotel’s thermal and wellness facilities.
DAY 11 | JUN 7 | HÉVÍZ–BUDAPEST | SZÉCHENYI THERMAL BATH | (B/L/D)
Depart for Budapest, where historic Buda and lively Pest face each other across the Danube. After lunch, relax at Neo-Baroque Széchenyi Thermal Bath, whose indoor and outdoor pools use natural springs. Later, check in and enjoy a buffet dinner.
DAY 12 | JUN 8 | BUDAPEST– ESZTERGOM– VISEGRÁD– SZENTENDRE– BUDAPEST | DANUBE BEND | (B/L)
Explore the Danube Bend, beginning at Esztergom Basilica, Hungary’s largest church. Continue to Visegrád for an orientation and medieval lunch at Renaissance Restaurant with traditional dishes, unlimited soft drinks, coffee or tea and a knights’ tournament. Visit Visegrád Castle, then tour Szentendre and the Szamos Marzipan Museum before returning for a free evening.
DAY 13 | JUN 9 | BUDAPEST | CASTLE HILL & PRIVATE DANUBE CRUISE | (B/L)
Tour Budapest along Andrássy Avenue, viewing Heroes’ Square and the Hungarian State Opera House. Continue to UNESCO-listed Buda Castle Hill and Fisherman’s Bastion for Danube and Parliament views. After lunch, enjoy a private cruise past waterfront landmarks and bridges, followed by free time and dinner independently.
DAY 14 | JUN 10 | BUDAPEST–AMSTERDAM–LOS ANGELES | RETURN FLIGHT | (B)
After breakfast, transfer to Budapest Airport for the KLM flight to Los Angeles via Amsterdam, concluding the journey.
PHYSICAL RATING: LEVEL 2 -3 | MODERATE TO ACTIVE
Guided city tours, palace and castle visits, cobblestones, stairs and multi-stop touring require sustained walking, though no strenuous hiking is scheduled.