Eastern Road - A Contiki Trip

DAY 1 - ARRIVE BERLIN

Berlin

Here we are in the arms of Germany, the first of 6 incredible countries we're going to get very familiar with over the next 13 days. Settle in to your new digs before we head out to start the exploring. This city is one of the world's most historical spots, where history and modern Europe come together. And let us tell you, it is seriously cool. We will dive right in with an A to Z of the city with your TM, and with all this knowledge to hand you're sure to be hungry, so we'll down some traditional German food at a local restaurant to start the trip right. This is happening!

Stay

Holiday Inn Express Berlin Alexanderplatz (or similar)

 

DAY 2 - BERLIN

Berlin

Make today a perfectly blended affair of old meets new. Opt onto an historical walking tour & see where many East Berliners tried to escape to the West at Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall, the Holocaust Memorial and Brandenburg Gate, to name but a few. Your Local Guide takes the charge on this one, nothing like an inside angle on a destination.  Then follow this up by shopping small boutiques and perusing the street art and pokey galleries symbolic of Berlin's creative scene, stopping to re-fuel on a beer or two. We know you won't want to leave. 

Stay

Holiday Inn Express Berlin Alexanderplatz (or similar)

NO REGRETS INCLUSIONS

See the site of Checkpoint Charlie

See the Tiergarten, Alexanderplatz, Russian War Memorial, Brandenburg Gate & historic Reichstag building

FREE TIME ADD-ONS

Berlin Historical Walking Tour

EUR 10.00

Alternative Berlin (Summer only)

EUR 25.00

 

DAY 3 - BERLIN TO PRAGUE VIA DRESDEN

Berlin

Finishing Berlin off on an important note we see the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall known as East Side Gallery and one of the city's symbols, covered in grafitti from head to toe. Next up, we head to the border and stop at a town called Dresden.

Dresden

A drive from Berlin to Prague would not be complete without stopping in Dresden. Destroyed by World War II, the rebuilt town is now a symbol of resilience, soaked in the rebirthed beauty of an Opera house, the domed Frauenkirche, & the Royal Residence.

Prague

By the afternoon we'll be Czech side, heading to the buzzing capital city of Prague. Always down to explore, we'll waste no time getting acquainted with castles, bridges, gothic cathedrals & general prettiness galore on an included Locally Guided tour of the city on foot. You'll be feeling like a local in no time at all. 

Stay

Ibis Praha Wenceslas Square (or similar)

NO REGRETS INCLUSIONS

Take in commemorative artwork and the remains of the Berlin Wall

See Hradčany Castle and the Cathedral of St. Vitus

Visit the Old Town Square and see the Astronomical Clock

See the rebuilt Baroque architecture of the Royal Residence, Zwinger Palace, Opera House and Frauenkirche

Visit Dresden the city destroyed in World War II

FREE TIME ADD-ONS

Traditional Czech evening

EUR 32.00

 

DAY 4 - PRAGUE

Prague

Prague is yours to uncover, one ovocné knedlíky traditional fruit dumpling at a time. Grab a push bike and follow yet another Local Guide around, your knowledged up guide who will reveal the secrets of another side of the city, from the John Lennon wall to the 'Dancing Houses'. Use your free time to shop for some famous Bohemian beads and amber jewellry or dive a little deeper into the lanes and courtyards of the Old Town, and sus out a roof bar for a cocktail overlooking the city. For those that are keen for a little bit of Cold War throwbacks, you could head to an old Bunker, for a locally guided tour and a peek into life during this turbulent time.  

Stay

Ibis Praha Wenceslas Square (or similar)

NO REGRETS INCLUSIONS

Locally guided bike tour of Prague

FREE TIME ADD-ONS

Nuclear Bunker Tour

EUR 15.00

 

DAY 5 - PRAGUE TO VIENNA VIA KUTNA HORA

Prague

Just remember, with every great city we leave behind we find another one, and today we have Vienna in our vision.

Kutna Hora

Out of Prague, our first stop is the World Heritage-listed Kutná Hora. Make the local Sedlec Ossuary chapel high priority, it's decked out and furnished in the bones of over 40,000 ... humans. And trust us it's a must see in this part of the world. 

Vienna

What what what - an old Schnaps museum? Yes, that's coming up tomorrow, but first we have a bit of heritage to tap into with the grandeur of Hofburg Palace, the uber elegant State Opera House and the gothic masterpiece of St. Stephen’s Cathedral which we'll see more of tomorrow.

Stay

Ibis Wien Mariahilf Hotel (or similar)

NO REGRETS INCLUSIONS

Scenic drive along the historic Ring Road

See the Habsburg Palaces, St. Stephen's Cathedral and the State Opera House

 

DAY 6 - VIENNA

Vienna

Let's make one thing very clear: if you want to make your whole day about full-bodied Viennese coffee & warm apple strudel with whipped cream, we're not going to judge. Other things that should be high on the agenda today are Swarvoski and Schnaps. Shop for sparkly Austrian jewels or in the name of culture get sampling on the Schnaps at a cute family-run shop and museum, and see why all the locals swear it's the perfect digestive. Those who can drag themselves away from this heavenly situation may wish to pop by the Vienna Museum of Art or roam the streets on architectural observation. Tonight you have the chance to please your sense of sound with the classical music this city is famous for at a traditional concert in a real life PALACE, with dinner thrown in as well. Mum would be so proud!

Stay

Ibis Wien Mariahilf Hotel (or similar)

FREE TIME ADD-ONS

Old Vienna Schnaps Museum

EUR 7.00

Vienna Classical Concert & Dinner

EUR 64.50

 

DAY 7 - VIENNA TO BUDAPEST VIA BRATISLAVA

Vienna

Vielen dank, Vienna! We are officially in love with everything you are. We'd stay for another strudel but we've heard about these famous Hungarian chimney cakes dusted in cinnamon and we're a little bit intrigued... 

Bratislava

There's nothing like stopping for lunch in an entirely new country before moving onto another, this is Europe after all. We'll stretch our legs in the Slovakian capital with a stroll in the Old Town and come across it's famous statues. They all have a story behind them, and you'll learn about them all. 

Budapest

Fun fact #1: Buda and Pest are two different cities separated by a river, together they make Budapest. Fun fact #2: You're going to be head over heels with both of them by the time we scoot outta here. After a satisfying day of sightseeing of both sides of the city, and all the sights you've seen or read about, down goulash and cabbage rolls on tonight's Danube cruise; you'll be completely in the Hungarian spirit of things by the time we dock. 

Stay

Ibis Budapest City South Hotel (or similar)

NO REGRETS INCLUSIONS

Sightseeing of Buda, Pest, the Royal Palace, the Church of St. Matthias, the Chain Bridge & Fisherman's Bastion

Orientation of Bratislava Old Town

FREE TIME ADD-ONS

Group Photo

EUR 11.00

River Cruise with Lunch

EUR 40.00

 

DAY 8 - BUDAPEST

Budapest

Those still keen to explore can jump on the Budapest Past and Present Tour and continue learning about this incredible city. The House of Terror, the Parliament Building, and some blissful buildings, this will take you on a journey of old and new.  After all the beauty and knowledge you soaked up yesterday at the church of St. Matthias, the Royal Palace and the Chain Bridge, you'll probably be feeling like a day soaking in the cities famous outdoor thermal pools set amongst Art Nouveau architecture while getting a bargain-priced massage - because why not.  Blissed out in Budapest - there's an Insta caption for you. 

Stay

Ibis Budapest City South Hotel (or similar)

FREE TIME ADD-ONS

Budapest Past & Present Tour

EUR 22.00

 

DAY 9 - BUDAPEST TO KRAKOW VIA BANKSA BYSTRICA

Budapest

3 countries in one day - we can and we will! In no great hurry we will float out of Hungary with a sojourn through Slovakia (oh hello again) before we head into Poland for dinner. Ah, the life of a traveller. 

Banska Bystrica

Pastel painted and manicured to perfection, Banska Bystrica is a lunch break that will charm you to no end. Make this a real box ticker by tucking into an item of Slovakia's traditional creamy, dumpling filled cuisine. 

Krakow

Once the capital of Poland, Krakow is now known for its silver mining heritage and tales of mythical dragons. Tonight we take you to one of our favourite restaurants for a traditional feed, then you can rest up knowing we have all day tomorrow to get our Polish on. 

Stay

Ibis Krakow Centrum (or similar)

 

DAY 10 - KRAKOW

Krakow

A Jewish Quarter, a jaw-dropping castle & museums aplenty are just some of the relics found in the relatively untouched Krakow. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed centre should occupy your time with an included sightseeing tour with our Local Guide. You'll even see a fire breathing dragon, very Game of Thrones might we add. Beautiful old town square will leave you charmed and packed full of knowledge once the tour wraps up. What else? We serve up a Salt Mine tour, but this aint like what you put on your eggs in the morning. These mines are like an underground gallery of carvings, and seriously cool. We recommend you also conserve some energy for the option to get involved with a traditional Polish Pierogi (dumpling) evening, consisting of, well, dumplings. Collective YUM at these sweet and savoury treats.  

Stay

Ibis Krakow Centrum (or similar)

NO REGRETS INCLUSIONS

Guided sightseeing of the cathedral & Royal Castle on Wawel Hill

FREE TIME ADD-ONS

Salt Mines Tour

EUR 30.00

Pierogi Dinner

EUR 32.00

 

DAY 11 - KRAKOW TO WARSAW VIA CZESTOCHOWA

Krakow

This morning we change our tune and take a moving stop at Auschwitz, the most infamous former Nazi concentration camp and a very sobering experience. 

Częstochowa

After allowing some of history’s darkest moments to unfold themselves upon us, we will carry on to the holy hotspot of Częstochowa visiting it's tall and picturesque monastery at Jasna Góra.

Warsaw

Perogies Polish dumplings and a glass of compote somewhere within Warsaw's lively cafe scene should be your introduction to this emerging European capital. As we pull into the city, just ask your Trip Manager for the best local hangs. We have all day tomorrow to explore, so there's no need to start whipping through the to-do list just yet. 

Stay

Ibis Hotel Warszawa Centrum (or similar)

NO REGRETS INCLUSIONS

Entrance to and guided tour of Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camp memorials

See the monastery at Jasna Góra

 

DAY 12 - WARSAW

Warsaw

You didn't think we were winding down now, did you? Gosh no. Not when we have an old Jewish Ghetto to explore and an authentic Polish feast to devour, and both are included. Tragic bombings after the war have seen this city experience a re-birth, and it's packed with museums, a buzzing street art scene, and cool vibes dotted with a dose of random to keep us on our toes. Your Local guide will give you the insider track as we take it all in on foot. A renowned musical city, keep your ears open day long and see what sound pleasures you also stumble upon. We'll treat you to dinner tonight, as, wait for it, it's our last night on tour. And oh what a tour it has been. We've eaten, strolled and learnt more than we thought possible, and no doubt made some unbreakable bonds along the way. Over dinner we'll reminisce on the good times over apple roast duck, dumplings (surprise, surprise) and roulade, with a start like this it is sure to be a night to remember. 

Stay

Ibis Hotel Warszawa Centrum (or similar)

NO REGRETS INCLUSIONS

Locally guided tour of the old Jewish Ghetto & the medieval centre of Warsaw

 

DAY 13 - DEPART WARSAW/BERLIN

Warsaw

Whether you choose to hitch a free ride back to Berlin or you end your festivities here in Warsaw, the pain will be equally unbearable. We have just two words: Reunion Trip.

Berlin