8 DAY BEAUTY OF CENTRAL EUROPE:
BUDAPEST & PRAGUE ITINERARY:
DAY 1, Sunday- Depart USA
Depart USA for Hungary. Your flight includes meals, drinks,
and in-flight entertainment
DAY 2, Monday - Arrive in Budapest
Arrive in Budapest, Hungary's capital, cultural and
commercial center, appropriately nicknamed "Paris of the East"
Overnight: Budapest Meals: Dinner
DAY 3, Tuesday - Hungarian Cooking Class, City Tour
This morning you'll have the opportunity to discover finer
points of Hungarian cooking at one of Budapest's most famous
restaurants, the Gundel. Learn from one of Hungary's
award-winning chefs the methods of preparing paprika chicken and
a vairety of traditional strudels. Enjoy the fruits of your
labor with wine. Afterwards, tour Budapest, beginning in Pest
with views of the Hungarian Parliament Building, completed in
1904, the Royal Palace, Market Hall and Heroes' Square, central
site of the Millennium Memorial and its statesmen sculptures.
Cross the Danube via the Elizabeth Bridge to the Buda Hills.
Visit the Citadel on Mount Gellert, arguably the best locale for
snapshots of the city, continuing to the 13th-century Matthias
Coronation Church on Castle Hill. From the Fisherman's Bastion,
enjoy a panoramic view of the city below Overnight:
Budapest Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 4, Wednesday- Thermal Spa, Illuminated River Cruise with
Dinner
This morning experience a true delight of Central European
life--a thermal spa. Not only are thermal spas popular in
Europe, they are especially so in Budapest, home to some of the
world's finest mineral baths. Enjoy spa services at the elegant
Margaret Island Thermal Spa. Margaret Island is in the middle of
the Danube River, a location perfect for thermal spa treatment
because it uses the natural thermal springs of the island.
Guests are kindly asked to bring towels and swim suits as access
to the main pool will be temporarily open to everyone. Indulge
yourself with a medicinal massage, mudpack or facial, before
relaxing in the warm mineral-enriched baths of the main pool.
Following your treatments, you may choose to stop at the Neptun
Pool Bar for a glass of wine or a delicious dessert. Spend the
rest of the afternoon relaxing at your hotel, or opt for a
stroll along the fabulous Vaci Utca, Budapest's chief shopping
district, lined with fancy boutiques, traditional cafes and a
wealth of inspiring architecture. This evening, enjoy a dazzling
illuminated dinner cruise on the Danube River with scenes of
Budapest by night Overnight: Budapest
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 5, Thursday- Bratislava tour
This morning, depart for Czech Republic. Travel into
Southern Bohemia and view the scenic countryside, where hillside
towns with Gothic style churches and medieval monasteries pop
from the surrounding forests and farmlands. Along the way,
you'll stop in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, where an
experienced local guide will accompany you on an orientation
tour of this historic city. After lunch continue to Prague.
Dinner at a charming local restaurant will feature regional
specialities
Overnight: Prague Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 6, Friday - City Tour, Castle Visit
This morning, enjoy a tour of Prague, a city that escaped
damage despite two World Wars and thus retained its old beauty.
Your morning tour of Prague includes a visit to the Royal Castle
at Hradcany, former residence of the Bohemian kings. Enjoy
charming views of the city and Charles Bridge below, before a
visit to St. Vitus Cathedral, regarded as the oldest Gothic
church in Central Europe. View St. George's Basilica and the
Golden Lane, then visit Lobkovicz Castle, recently opened to
house the treasures from the Renaissance Nelahozeves. Apart from
its prized antique furniture, most of which dates from the 16th
and 18th centuries, the Castle boasts an impressive gallery with
famous works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Canaletto, Rubens and
Veronese. The castle is also home to one of the largest
collections of 16th and 17th-century Spanish portraits outside
Spain. Continue to the Jewish Quarter and the Old Town Square to
view the famous Town Hall Astronomical Clock, with mechanical
components dating to 1410. Following lunch on your own, take the
remainder of the afternoon to explore Prague independently
Overnight: Prague Meals: Breakfast
DAY 7, Saturday - Mucha Museum, Tea and cake at the Municipal
House, Horse-and-Carriage Ride, Bohemian-style dinner
This morning, enjoy a guided visit to the Mucha Museum,
which honors the life and work of world-renowned Czech Art
Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha. Afterwards, have tea and cake at
the Municipal House, Prague's most celebrated Art Nouveau
building. Your program ends with a charming horse-and-carriage
ride through the streets of Prague, providing a unique and
romantic view of the city. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner
at a local restaurant, featuring traditional Bohemian dishes and
live musical accompaniment Overnight: Prague
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 8, Sunday - Depart for USA
Transfer to the Prague airport for your departure flight.
Meals: Breakfast
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Europe Travel - Menu Page
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Take this opportunity to see the splendor of Central Europe
today. Lovely Budapest, the first city you'll visit, is graced
by splendid suspension bridges connecting Buda and Pest. Listen
to the sounds of Gypsy bands in Buda's Castle district and walk
through the fashionable shopping street of Vaci Utca in Pest.
You'll delight in how this endearing city reflects both the
traditions and the extraordinary warmth of its people. Then
travel to Prague, often described as one of Europe's most
beautiful capitals. Spared damage in WWII, Prague today is a
well-preserved museum of classic architecture. In true Gutsy
style, you'll enjoy a spa treatment, dinner cruise,
horse-and-carriage ride along the way as your expert guides show
you the Old World charm of two of Central Europe's premier
cities.
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INCLUSIONS |
- Flights NYC-Budapest, Prague-NYC.
Other departure cities available.
- All transfers
- 3 nights at the Hotel Astoria in Budapest
- 3 nights at the Mercure Praha Old Town in Prague
- 6 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 4 dinners
- Tour Manager throughout
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HIGHLIGHTS |
- Small Groups
- Participate in a cooking class at Gundel Restaurant
- Indulge yourself with a thermal spa in Budapest
- Enjoy an illuminated cruise on the Danube
- Tour Bratislava, Slovakia with an expert local guide
- Visit the Mucha Museum in Prague
- Visit Lobkovicz Castle and its galleries
- Enjoy tea and cake at Prague's Municipal House
- Take a carriage ride around Prague
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2008 DEPARTURE DATES & RATES |
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Departure Dates |
Land Only |
Air & Land |
| Aug 3 |
$2,099 |
$3349 |
| Oct 19 |
$2,099 |
$2,839 |
Not included: airport taxes, fees & September 11th
Security Fee, and tips to Tour Manager.
Land only price does not include arrival/departure transfers.
All information is property of Gutsy
Women Travel. Certain restrictions apply. All rates in U.S.
dollars. Prices, savings offers, and other terms subject to
change without notice. Images, logos, photographs etc. on this
page is copyrighted by Gutsy Women Travel. All such copyright
material is acknowledged. These pages are not endorsed or
supported by Gutsy Women Travel in any way. All information
presented is based on promotional material provided by Gutsy
Women Travel. It is presumed to be accurate and
is subject to change without notice.
Call toll-free 1-877-306-5595
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