Explore Eastern Europe 2023/2024

After breakfast, we’ll make our way to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Holloko. Here, we’ll be welcomed by members of the Holloko Women’s Choir and enjoy a traditional folk performance. Following the atmospheric experience, we’ll have the opportunity to enjoy some Hungarian hospitality and sit down to a delicious home-made lunch with a local family. Later this afternoon, we’ll move on to enchanting Eger – where we’ll have the rest of the evening free to wander through the cobbled streets past beautiful Baroque buildings, quaint wine cellars and preserved Ottoman minarets. (B,L)

Accommodation: Hotel Korona (or similar)

Today our road will carry us to Tokaj, where we’ll have the opportunity to taste some of the region’s world-famous wines. This relatively small wine region in north-eastern Hungary has been producing Tokaji Aszú for centuries – earning it a UNESCO World Heritage listing since 2002. Following our visit, we’ll move on to the city of Košice in Slovakia. After a photo stop at the grand Spiš Castle, we’ll set a course for our hotel in the heart of the magnificent High Tatras region. Tonight will be free to enjoy relaxing at our hotel or exploring the surrounding area at our leisure. (B)

Accommodation: Grand Hotel Praha (or similar)

After breakfast it’s onwards to the mountain slopes, where we’ll take in some marvellous views on a morning cable car ride. The High Tatras is the tallest range in the Carpathian Mountains and we’ll enjoy the panoramic return journey to its second highest peak – Lomnický štít, with incredible views from the summit of course. When we’re back on terra firma, we’ll hit the road to a local farm – where a homemade cheese tasting session and light lunch await us. Then: it’s back to the hotel for an evening spent at our leisure. (B,L)

Accommodation: Grand Hotel Praha (or similar)

Today we’ll visit the extraordinary Wieliczka Salt Mine. Dating back to the 13th century, its otherworldly chandelier-lit chambers and chapels are all carved from salt. After emerging back into the daylight, our final stop for the day will be Kraków: our home for the next two nights. A city filled with magnificent architecture and culinary delights, you’ll have the evening to explore this historic city at your leisure – perhaps seeking out a local restaurant serving up steaming plates of kielbasa (sausage) or sampling a tipple of Polish vodka in a Gothic cellar. (B)

Accommodation: Hotel Polski pod Bialym Orlem (or similar)

Today we’ll give Kraków our full attention on a locally guided city tour – taking in the likes of Wawel Royal Castle, the medieval St Mary’s Basilica and the historic Cloth Hall. Heads full of newfound knowledge – we’ll have the afternoon to explore at our own pace and lunch at a restaurant of our choosing. This evening, we’ll be treated to a pierogi making class, where we’ll learn how to cook classic Polish dumplings – and sample our creations for this evening’s dinner. (B,D)

Accommodation: Hotel Polski pod Bialym Orlem (or similar)

We’ll take a guided tour of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp today – a sobering reminder of the atrocities committed by the Nazis in WWII. After a moving visit, we’ll move on to the Czech city of Olomouc – a majestic city dotted with Baroque fountains, 18th-century religious sculptures and remarkable historic buildings. We’ll have the evening free to explore the city’s highlights including, the Romanesque Bishop’s Palace, St Wenceslas Cathedral and Town Hall – before seeking out a local restaurant for dinner at our leisure. (B)

Accommodation: Hotel Arigone (or similar)

This morning we’ll continue our journey to Brno, the Czech Republic’s second largest city – where our Tour Leader will show us the sights. Following that, we’ll move on to charming Trebon – a town that’s home to a 17th-century Renaissance château complex. We’ll round off the day in the picturesque town of Ceský Krumlov – where we’ll have the evening to explore at our own pace or enjoy some relaxation time back at our hotel. (B)

Accommodation: Hotel Grand (or similar)

This morning we’ll explore Ceský Krumlov’s cobbled streets on a walking tour with a local guide – taking in the vast Castle and its spectacular interiors as we go. Built in the 13th-century, the castle has a stunning mix of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture – as well as panoramic views over the Old Town and Vltava River below. Following our in-depth tour, we’ll have the afternoon to take in the town’s historic sites at our own pace. This evening, we’ll come together for our last hurrah – a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. What better way to toast our incredible tour? (B,D)

Accommodation: Hotel Grand (or similar)

The last day of the tour will begin with a visit to Tábor – where a decadent tasting at the Museum of Chocolate and Marzipan awaits. We’ll have the opportunity to observe the confectioners at work and create our very own gourmet souvenir, before we move on to captivating Prague – where we’ll say our goodbyes this afternoon. (B)