Boudapest – Vienna
October 24th, 5 days – 4 nights, from 449 €/person.
Programme:
Day 1: DIRECT FLIGHT TO BUDAPEST – FIRST ACQUAINTANCE – CRUISE BY NIGHT
Meeting at the airport, where you will meet the escort of our office, a guide specialized in the specific destination. Check-in and direct flight to Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Upon arrival we will transfer to our hotel for check-in and then have a first introduction to the city under the guidance of our guide. We recommend you to visit the New York Café which opened its doors in 1894 and was described as “the most beautiful café in the world” since its baroque decoration of marble, bronze, velvet and silk made it look like a palace room. For the evening, we suggest a night walk, a cruise on the Danube, where you will admire the sights under the city lights, where of course the majestic Parliament dominates. Overnight.
Day 2: BUDAPEST – CITY TOUR
Breakfast at our hotel and we start the city tour from Heroes’ Square, the Millennium Monument, the 19th century Parliament building, and the Cathedral of St. Stephen, which is the largest church in Hungary. We continue to the city’s most moving attraction, The Shoes of the Danube, sculpted by filmmaker Can Togay and sculptor Gyula Pauer. This monument is located next to the Chain Bridge that connects Pest and Buda, parallel to the river and is dedicated to the memory of the 550,000 Hungarians who lost their lives in 1944-1945. Thousands of Hungarians were shot along the riverbank by their compatriots who had collaborated with the Nazis. We move to the Tower of Psarades, built in 1905 for decorative purposes and located near the church of St. Matthew in the castle area. This church is also known as the Church of the Lady. It is located in the heart of the castle area and was built in the 13th century. We will also see the Hill Castle which rises 48 meters above the Danube, built by the Austro-Burgarians of 1850-1854 to control the city after the suspension of the Hungarian Revolution for independence. The city of Budapest was founded on this hill. We end our tour on the city’s most commercial street Vaci Uca.
Day 3: BUDAPEST – VIENNA – CITY TOUR
After breakfast at the hotel we start our journey to the capital of Austria. Upon arrival in Vienna, we begin our tour of the city where we will visit one of Europe’s most important sights, the famous Senbrun Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was the summer residence of the Habsburgs from the 18th century until 1918. See the imperial apartments, the magnificent gardens and feel what it is like to live as an Emperor ( entrance fee not included ). Then on the tour of the city we see the Kunsthaus a complex of buildings of abstract style and the baroque palace complex Bellevue of Prince Eugene of Savoy, today a gallery with works of art by artists of the modern period and the Modernist movement . We continue to Charles Square where the Church of St. Charles Borromeo and the Hall of the Association of Friends of Music are located and enter the famous Ringstrasse (ring road of the historic centre). Here you will see the State Opera House, Hofburg’s winter imperial palace complex, the twin Museums of Art History and Natural History, the Museum Quarter, the Parliament, the former Imperial Theatre opposite the City Hall, the University, and the Votifkirche (Church of the Tama). and walking through the historic centre, with the famous St. Stephen’s Cathedral, we will discover the historic Greek neighbourhood with the Greek Orthodox churches of St. George and Holy Trinity. Free time to enjoy the city centre and taste the local cuisine. Talk to our guide to find what interests you from an attraction (Natural History Museum, Art History, Museum Square, Treasure Museum, Spanish Riding School, etc.) to a good café or restaurant and return to the hotel on your own at your own time.
Day 4:VIENNA – LAKES – SALZBURG
Breakfast and we set off for a magical optional excursion to Mozart’s birthplace, Salzburg. Our route takes us to the central Alps through four of Austria’s federal states offering variations and a wealth of visual experiences. We cross the “Alpine Republic” from east to west, climbing from the Danube valley to the alpine zone in the idyllic lake district of Salzkammergut. Here we see some of the country’s largest lakes, among them the legendary Monze of Celtic and early Germanic myths. But also the architecture of the countryside and the alpine hinterland is of particular interest. Then we reach the “Rome of the Alps”, the “Jerusalem of the German-speaking Christian world”, the fairytale Salzburg. We walk through the gardens of the Mirabel Palace, leaving the Mozarteum University of Music on our left, and see the Chora Theatre, the home of the Mozart family, the birthplace of King Otto of Greece and the Greek-born composer Herbert von Karajan. We cross the Mackart Bridge or the “locked hearts” of the Zaltschach River, and enter the Old Town of the Renaissance and the Middle Ages. Strolling through arcades, narrow alleys, we reach the infamous Gettridegasse where Mozart’s birthplace, and the Town Hall, is located. We continue to the Palace of the Prince Archbishops next to the Renaissance St. Peter’s Cathedral, the Abbeys of St. Peter and the Franciscans. Free time for a walk and coffee. Return to Vienna.
Day 5: VIENNA – BRATISLAVA RETURN FLIGHT
Breakfast at our hotel and free time for our last shopping in magical Vienna. We will then depart for Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. There we will take a panoramic tour. We will wander through the Old Town, a maze of medieval streets and large, aristocratic cobbled streets. We will go to the main square with its baroque buildings and the historic town hall. We will see the impressive Presidential Palace with its large gardens, admire the Cathedral of St. Martin and the famous Blue Church. This church is dedicated to Elizabeth of Hungary and is named after the colour of the façade, the mosaics and the blue-glass ceiling. Today it is the symbol of Slovakia. Free time and then we depart for the airport for our return flight. Arrival in our city with the best memories.
What is included:
- One 10 kg carry-on bag and one small bag or personal item per person
- Tours according to the programme
- breakfast daily
Not included:
- Total taxes 165€ per person
- Entrance fees to museums & shows and anything optional
or suggested - Municipal accommodation taxes
- Cost of a cruise on the Danube 30€ with a glass of Champagne
- Cost of a day trip to Salzburg 75€ adult / 60€ child
