Old World Prague & the Blue Danube 2017 13-Day River Cruise Tour
Extend your trip
Post-Trips Dresden & Berlin, Germany OR Highlights of Poland: Warsaw & Krakow
Your Day-to-Day Itinerary Grand Circle Cruise Line
Grand Circle Cruise Line is the leader in small ship and river cruising worldwide—offering American travelers a 4-star experience at a 3-star price aboard our privately owned and chartered fleet of 24- to 162-passenger ships. With each Small Ship Adventure or River Cruise vacation, you’ll enjoy unmatched discoveries, leisurely pacing, and more travel choices. Plus, Grand Circle Cruise Line is the only cruise line with expert, local Program Directors who ac- company you throughout your trip, enhancing your exploration with the kind of insight and passion that only a local can provide.
Included in Your Price
»» International airfare, airport transfers, »» All port charges: a value of $125 per government taxes, fees, and airline fuel person surcharges, unless you choose to make »» Baggage handling for 1 piece of luggage your own air arrangements per person, including tips »» Accommodations for 8 nights aboard a »» 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward private river ship with wireless Internet your next Grand Circle trip—an average access now in all common areas and of $271 cabins, and 3 nights in Corinthia Hotel Prague or similar
»» 28 meals: Daily breakfasts, 8 lunches, 9 dinners—including 3 meals in local restaurants—plus all onboard house beer & wine, as well as soft drinks
»» 8 included tours with personal headsets and 3 exclusive Discovery Series events—School visit • Home-Hosted Visit • Apfelstrudel baking demonstration
»» Local Program Directors, a Grand Circle Cruise Line exclusive: These dedicated experts are with you (and no more than 47 travelers) every step of the way to provide insider’s knowledge and the perspective that will enrich your experience
»» Gratuities for local guides and motorcoach drivers
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. What This Trip is Like
Pacing »» March and November weather can be »» 12 days, with 8 nights aboard a private unpredictable and change quickly river ship and 1 three-night hotel stay
»» Return flights often require departing in early morning hours
»» Air travel time will be 9-18 hours and will have at least one connection.
Physical Requirements »» Walk 1-3 miles unassisted and participate in 2-3 hours of physical activities each day, including stairs
»» Not accessible for travelers using wheelchairs or scooters
»» Travelers using walkers, crutches, or other mobility aids must travel with a companion who can assist them
»» We reserve the right for Program Directors to restrict participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their limitations impact the group’s experience
Terrain & Transportation »» Diverse terrain and uneven walking surfaces, including steep paths, hills, riverbanks, 25-50 stairs without handrails, and cobblestones
»» Travel by 140- to 162-passenger river ship and 49-seat coach
»» Changes in water-level depths may require adjustments to your itinerary
Climate »» Daytime temperatures range from 58- 82°F during cruising season
»» June-August are the warmest months
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. Old World Prague & the Blue Danube 2017
Extend your trip
Pre-Trip Budapest, Hungary
Post-Trips Dresden & Berlin, Germany OR Highlights of Poland: Warsaw & Krakow
Follow in the footsteps of the Habsburgs on an enhanced Danube River Cruise Tour that celebrates not only the iconic ports of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, but also some of central Europe’s most stunning river valleys. Explore the storied capital cities of Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, and Prague on this comprehensive four-country journey—experience a slice of daily life in Slovakia ... sip Austria’s famed Wachau Valley wines and visit Mauthausen, one of the first large-scale Nazi concentration camps, during two NEW discoveries ... behold the storybook delights of Cesky Krumlov ... and cruise the legend- ary Danube in comfort aboard an award-winning river ship. Experience it all—from the impressive landscapes to local flavors—for less. In fact, we’ve reduced prices up to $500 per person on most 2017 departures.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. Detailed Itinerary
Your Grand Circle Program Director
During your exclusive Grand Circle vacation, you’ll have reliable assistance available at all times from an on-site Grand Circle Cruise Line Program Director. Your Program Director is fluent in English and can give you an inside perspective on your destinations. He or she is sup- ported along the way by local tour guides, who guide you expertly through particular sites and cities.
Many Grand Circle Program Directors are graduates of professional education programs for travel guides. In addition, they receive specialized training directly from Grand Circle, training that is based on what we’ve learned from thousands of past travelers about how to make the trip most enjoyable. Your Program Director offers both a deep knowledge of the region and a commitment to make this a very pleasant, informative, and rewarding travel experience for you.
Your Program Director will provide sightseeing trips, handle all travel details, reserve optional tours you choose to take, oversee your Discovery Series events, and provide any other as- sistance you may need. You will be in the company of a Program Director throughout your vacation.
DAY 1 Depart U.S. Danube River Cruise Tour to learn a bit Depart today for your flight to Budapest, about Budapest. Your Program Director will Hungary. describe the approaching port area and town prior to arrival so you can prepare for the next day’s activities, including any free time DAY 2 Budapest, Hungary • Embark ship you may have. After dinner aboard ship, Arriving in Budapest, you’ll be met at the enjoy a scenic cruise as the ship crosses from airport by a Grand Circle representative and the Buda side of the Danube to Pest. transferred to your ship, joining travelers Dinner who took our Budapest, Hungary, pre-trip extension.
Early this evening, gather onboard with your fellow travelers for a Port Talk—something you’ll enjoy every evening throughout your
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. DAY 3 Budapest • Captain’s DAY 4 Budapest • Optional Hospital Welcome Dinner in the Rock tour • Danube Bend After breakfast, set off on a tour of Enjoy the morning at leisure to continue Hungary’s lovely capital, situated on both exploring Budapest, or choose to join an sides of the magnificent Danube River. In optional tour to discover the fascinating Buda, on the western bank of the Danube, Hospital in the Rock. Connected to under- you’ll see Castle Hill, encircled by ramparts ground caves below Castle Hill in Buda, this that protect the massive castle complex. hospital that tended to scores of sick and Destroyed during World War II, the palace wounded during World War II, and again has been restored, approximating its original during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. splendor, and it is now a vast museum It was even concerted into a nuclear fallout complex, where remains of the original shelter during the Cold War. Today, it is a structure are displayed. museum, with wax figures in period cloth- ing and vintage medical equipment giving Later, cross the Danube and see Heroes’ visitors a feel for the intensity of the work Square, with its Millennial Column set off by performed here. equestrian statues of historic ninth-century Magyar conquerors. The adjoining colon- Then, return to the ship for lunch on board nade displays more statues of kings, dukes and begin your Central European River of Transylvania, and liberty fighters who Cruise towards Bratislava. As you do, you’ll influenced the history of Hungary. enjoy scenic views of the historic city of Esztergom, along with riverside views of the Following lunch onboard, enjoy free time in remarkable 16th-century basilica that stands Budapest to explore on your own. Perhaps near the banks of the Danube. you’ll visit the Church of Our Lady, formerly used for the coronations of Hungarian kings. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Its popular name of Matthias is in recogni- tion of the Renaissance king who ruled in the 15th century and whose heraldic sign—a DAY 5 Bratislava, Slovakia • School raven—is displayed on one of the towers of visit • Home-Hosted Visit the church. Dating back to the 13th century, Arrive in Bratislava this morning, and take the structure is an interesting mix of archi- part in an exclusive Discovery Series visit to tectural styles used during reconstruction of a local school supported by the Grand Circle the building at different times in its history. Foundation. Note that during the 150-year Turkish occu- pation of Hungary, the church served as Eski Please note: The school visit is not possible on Djami (Old Mosque) for the Turks. Inside the weekends or during the summer and national church you can view art of Bertalan Szekely holidays, when school is not in session. If the and Karoly Lotz, 19th-century Hungarian school visit is not available, you will instead join painters. a group of students for a roundtable discussion about life in today’s Slovakia during an alterna- Tonight, enjoy a Captain’s Welcome Dinner. tive exclusive Discovery Series event.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. Set off on a walking tour after lunch onboard DAY 6 Vienna, Austria • Optional of Slovakia’s capital, the famous Danube city Musical Vienna tour with a picturesque setting at the foot of the Explore Vienna, Austria, this morning, Little Carpathian Mountains. starting at the Ringstrasse—Vienna’s grand Once the capital of Hungary, the city has main boulevard—one of the many achieve- a history dating back to Celtic and Roman ments of the Emperor Franz Joseph. In 1857, times—with the Slavs settling here in the the Emperor ordered the demolition of the fifth century under their ruler, Bretislav. ancient city walls, which were no longer Under Hungarian rule, it was known as needed as fortifications and were impeding Pozsony, its German-speaking settlers called the growth of the city. In their place was it Pressburg, and since 1918, it’s been called constructed an elegant 2.5 mile-long boule- by its Slavic name: Bratislava. The cityscape vard, encircling the city center. The buildings is dominated by its massive namesake that line the Ringstrasse bring together all the castle, which was a favorite residence of the greatest architectural styles in an exuber- Habsburg Queen, Maria Theresa, and other ant celebration of all that seemed possible aristocrats whose lovely houses cluster at its during the Industrial Revolution. Continue base. on along the city sidewalks, passing by the well-known Imperial Palace, home to many Explore Old Town, the historic heart of generations of the Habsburg family, and the Bratislava, where you can witness the renowned Spanish Riding School. beautiful St. Martin’s Cathedral, built in the 14th and 15th centuries. Stroll along the You’ll have time to pursue your own inter- pedestrian zone to Michael’s Gate with its ests before and after lunch at a local restau- 15th-century tower, offering excellent views rant. This evening, perhaps you’ll experience of the city. You’ll also walk by the Old Town our Musical Vienna optional tour—a special Hall and the neoclassical Primate’s Palace, opportunity to hear classical music.. You built in the 1800s for the archbishop. In may want to head to the old Jewish Quarter the Palace’s Hall of Mirrors, Napoleon and to see the only Viennese synagogue to have the Austrian Emperor Francis I signed the survived the 1938 Kristallnacht. Or perhaps historic Peace of Pressburg after the battle of explore Austria’s capital aboard a fiaker. Austerlitz in 1805. These horse-drawn carriages have been in business since the 17th century, and drivers This afternoon, enjoy time on your own in are happy to show you the sights and delight the city before getting a taste of local life you with Viennese anecdotes. You’ll also find in Bratislava when you visit the home of an out for yourself whether or not it’s true that area family for a Home-Hosted Visit com- drivers whistle strains of Mozart’s beloved plete with coffee and cake. Magic Flute as they conduct passengers through the city. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner After an early dinner onboard, enjoy an evening at leisure. Or, join an optional excursion to one of Vienna’s famed concert
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. halls to attend an enchanting performance of Return to the ship for lunch, then cruis- the classical Austrian music of Strauss and ing along one of the most beautiful parts Mozart. of the Danube—the Wachau Valley—this afternoon, taking in the stunning landscape Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner of sculpted hills and medieval towns built along the river that comprise this UNESCO World Heritage Site. DAY 7 Vienna • Optional Schoenbrunn Palace tour • Apfelstrudel Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner baking demonstration This morning, discover more of Vienna’s DAY 9 Linz • Mauthausen • charms on your own. Captain’s Farewell Dinner Or, join us for an optional tour of the ex- Wake up this morning in Linz, the capital pansive summer estate of Habsburg royalty, of Upper Austria (one of the country’s nine Schoenbrunn Palace (whose name means states) that bestrides the Danube. Disembark “beautiful spring”). Featuring 1,400 rooms, after breakfast to discoverer the city, fol- meticulously maintained gardens, and an ar- lowed by a bit of free time to further explore chitectural legacy that stretches back to the on your own. 17th century, the palace is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your visit includes a This afternoon, visit the Mauthausen con- tour of palace highlights and free time to centration camp with a local guide. spend exploring the palace’s stunning park Tonight, gather with your fellow travelers and gardens. for a Farewell Drink and Port Talk, followed As you cruise this afternoon, learn the by the Captain’s Farewell Dinner. secrets of Apfelstrudel during an exclusive Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Discovery Series baking demonstration—and sample the delicious pastry hot from the oven. Then tour the galley to see where your DAY 10 Linz • Disembark ship • Cesky chef creates his sumptuous meals. Krumlov, Czech Republic • Prague After dinner tonight onboard, relax with This morning, disembark in Linz and your fellow travelers. begin your transfer to Prague in the Czech Republic. Along the way, you’ll stop in the Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner medieval town of Cesky Krumlov, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for an included lunch at DAY 8 Krems • Wachau Valley a local restaurant. Discover Krems an der Donau—a large, You arrive in Prague in the late afternoon charming town set at the confluence of the and check into your hotel. Your evening is at Krems and Danbue rivers—on a morning your leisure. Dinner tonight is on your own. walking tour. Then, get an introduction to Breakfast, Lunch the region’s established wine heritage at Winzer Krems, a famed local producer where you’ll also enjoy a tasting.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. DAY 11 Prague • Optional and features residential quarters, chapels, Folk Show & Dinner galleries, gardens, and the bustling Castle District surrounding it. After breakfast, set out to explore Prague. During the reign of Charles IV, King of The day is yours to explore this beautiful Bohemia and Moravia, Prague was the seat city. of the Holy Roman Empire. Later, it was the vital center of the Habsburgs. While other Tonight, gather with your fellow travelers for European capitals were leveled during World a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant. War II, Prague survived virtually intact. Breakfast, Dinner Visit Stare Mesto, the Old Town, with its many wonderful Gothic and Baroque build- ings, and see the famous 15th-century DAY 13 Prague • Return to U.S. Astronomical Clock at the Old Town Hall. After breakfast, transfer to the airport for Every hour, crowds assemble below to watch your flight home. Or, continue your discov- Christ and the twelve Apostles appear at two eries with our Highlights of Poland or Dresden little windows above the clock face, followed & Berlin, Germany, post-trip extensions. by the skeleton of Death tolling the bell. Breakfast Stroll across the city’s famed Charles Bridge, a 15th-century structure spanning the Vltava River that functions as a makeshift performance and gallery space for musicians, artists, dancers, and more.
The rest of the day is yours in Prague to spend as you please. This evening, you can choose to attend an optional folk show, which includes dinner.
Breakfast
DAY 12 Prague • Farewell Dinner As it was during the zenith of the Bohemian kingdom, Prague still ranks as the thriving center of the country, with an artistic com- munity reminiscent of Paris in the 1920s. It boasts one of Europe’s most notable Jewish quarters, world-class museums and cathedrals, architectural masterpieces that span a thousand years—and mighty Prague Castle. Perched regally over the Vltava River and offering stunning views of the city, Prague Castle is more than 1,000 years old
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. Optional Tours
During your trip you will be able to book optional tours directly with us. We will ask you to confirm the payment for these tours by filling out a payment form and swiping your credit card at the ship’s front desk. Optional tours can only be purchased with a credit or debit card. We accept MasterCard and Visa on all trips, and Discover on all trips except river cruises in France. We also accept Visa and MasterCard debit cards, but it must be a debit card that allows you to sign for purchases.
In order to correctly process these charges, there can be a delay of 2-3 months from the date of your return for the charges to be posted to your account. Therefore we ask that you use a card that will not expire in the 2-3 months following your return.
Please note: Optional tour prices are listed in U.S. dollar estimates determined at the time of publication and are subject to change. Optional tours may vary.
Hospital in the Rock Musical Vienna (Day 4 $55 per person) (Day 6 $90 per person)
Below Castle Hill in Buda exists a network of Vienna without music wouldn’t be Vienna. underground caves, which were eventually So, you may want to join an optional mapped by engineers and connected to a evening excursion to one of Vienna’s concert hospital that tended to scores of sick and halls, where you’ll enjoy a classical music wounded during World War II, and again performance. You’ll be enchanted by the during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. most beautiful melodies of classical Austrian In the Cold War era, it was outfitted as a music of Strauss and Mozart. fallout shelter in case of potential nuclear disasters. Today, the hospital is a museum, Schoenbrunn Palace with wax figures in period clothing and (Day 7 $75 per person) vintage medical equipment giving visitors a feel for the intensity of the work performed The expansive summer estate of Habsburg in this unique site. Your excursion includes royalty, Schoenbrunn Palace (whose name a guided tour of the hospital and its exhibits, means “beautiful spring”) features 1,400 along with a scenic photo stop at the Gellert rooms, meticulously maintained gardens, Hill Citadel. and an architectural legacy that stretches back to the 17th century. Your tour of this UNESCO World Heritage Site includes a selection of palace highlights and free time to spend exploring the palace’s stunning park and gardens.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. Folk Show & Dinner (Day 11 $75 per person)
Experience night of medieval Czech folklore, taking in a vibrant performance over dinner.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. Pre-trip Budapest, Hungary
Included in Your Price
»» Accommodations for 3 nights »» All transfers
»» Daily breakfasts
»» Included tours: Budapest • Hungarian Parliament exterior • Szentendre
»» Dedicated services of a local Program Director
»» Gratuities for local guides and motorcoach drivers
Itinerary, Pre-Trip Extension
Experience Budapest, the lively capital of Hungary and both the political and cultural heart of the nation. Full of monuments to its past, it is also a place of contemporary arts and culture, cafes and restaurants, and museums and galleries—all enhanced by the presence of the mighty Danube.
DAY 1 Depart U.S. Relax after your overseas flight, or venture Depart the U.S. today on your flight to out on your own. You can join your Program Budapest. Please refer to your individual Director for a walk to get acquainted with air itinerary for exact departure and arrival the vicinity around your hotel. times. Get to know your Program Director and fel- low travelers over a Welcome Drink. You can DAY 2 Budapest, Hungary ask your Program Director for suggestions for where to dine on your own this evening. Arrive today in Budapest. You’ll be met at the airport by a Grand Circle representative and directed to the bus that will take you to your hotel.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. DAY 3 Budapest • Optional DAY 4 Budapest Hungarian Culinary Experience Today, enjoy an included morning tour of After breakfast, gather for a briefing by your the Hungarian Parliament Building, the Program Director. Then set out and discover massive domed structure which dominates the city via public transportation. Budapest’s skyline on the banks of the Danube. You’ll tour the various chambers Afterwards, enjoy the remainder of the day of the building, including the inside of to explore Budapest at leisure. You may want the impressive dome hall, which features to wander through the city and view some of historic items from the coronation of King the classic architectural treasures that lie off Stephen in the year 1000, as well as statues the beaten paths. of other Hungarian monarchs.
While Budapest flourished as a cultural and After your tour, you’ll enjoy free time to commercial center in the latter part of the explore Budapest on your own. Dinner is 1800s, the city greatly expanded the number on your own this evening; you can ask your of its buildings to meet the needs of its Program Director for suggestions on where ever-growing populace. As you walk through to dine. the city, you’ll see that many of Budapest’s structures reflect two architectural styles— Breakfast Historicism and the more predominant Hungarian Art Nouveau. The variations of this Art Nouveau embellished the facades DAY 5 Budapest • Szentendre of buildings with decorative ceramic tiles This morning, join your Program Director characteristic of Hungarian folk motifs. for a visit to the charming town of Szentendre. Set in a painterly landscape, this The cityscape has retained its Art Nouveau village is twelve miles north of Budapest, elegance throughout the 20th century and where the Danube River makes a sharp is now protected by its inclusion on the bend through the Pilis and Borzsony hills. UNESCO World Heritage List. Artists have drawn inspiration from these Dinner is on your own tonight. surroundings for almost 200 years, and the town has many galleries. Or join us for an optional Hungarian Culinary Experience—an excursion to Borkapolna As you stroll here, you can browse the art Winechapel restaurant for an evening of and absorb the atmosphere of this pictur- traditional food and wine. We’ll enjoy esque town, some of whose streets consist of specialties of the region and sample the narrow steps climbing the hills. This is also best local vintages in a tasting that features a fine place to shop for Hungarian arts and a few of the more than 1,000 Hungarian crafts if this suits your interests. wines available here. We’ll dine in a vaulted cellar that served as an underground chapel during the communist years. One wall is still adorned with a gilded fresco of St. Stephen, Hungary’s patron saint.
Breakfast
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. You’ll transfer to your ship in the early afternoon. Tonight you’ll join your fellow travelers on your Old World Prague & the Blue Danube River Cruise Tour.
Breakfast
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. optional tours on Pre-trip
Hungarian Culinary Experience (Day 3 $90 per person)
Join an excursion to Borkapolna Winechapel restaurant for an evening of traditional food and wine. We’ll enjoy regional specialties and sample the best local vintages at a tasting that features a few of the more than 1,000 Hungarian wines available here. We’ll dine in a vaulted cellar that served as an underground chapel during the Communist years. One wall is still adorned with a gilded fresco of St. Stephen, Hungary’s patron saint.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. Post-trip Dresden & Berlin, Germany
Included in Your Price
»» Accommodations for 2 nights in Dresden »» All transfers and 3 nights in Berlin
»» 6 meals: Daily breakfasts and 1 lunch
»» Included tours: Pima • Dresden • Wittenberg
»» Dedicated services of a local Program Director
»» Gratuities for local guides and motorcoach drivers
Itinerary, Post-Trip Extension
Discover two of Germany’s best-loved cities: Dresden, a city risen from the ashes of World War II to reclaim its place as an intellectual and cultural center, and Berlin, the imperial capital turned epicenter of the Third Reich whose eventual liberation affected us all.
DAY 1 Prague • Dresden, Germany the city. Your Program Director will point After breakfast at your hotel in Prague, you’ll out nearby restaurants where you can savor travel overland to Pirna, Germany—stopping dinner on your own tonight. for lunch in Litomerice, Czech Republic. Lunch You’ll also pass the impregnable hilltop Konigstein Fortress, a former royal redoubt and one of the handful of castles in Europe DAY 2 Dresden to never fall in battle. Rise early this morning and enjoy a full Then, continue on to Dresden. Once you’ve breakfast. Then you’re off to tour the city of checked into your hotel, your Program Dresden by motorcoach. Situated in a broad Director will lead you on a short tour of the floodplain, Dresden was founded in the vicinity to help you familiarize yourself with twelfth century by Slavs; only in the early
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. 1300s was Dresden given to the Germanic civilians were killed. Kurt Vonnegut, himself Wettin dynasty. By the late 1400s, Dresden a survivor of the air raids, chronicled these was the seat of Saxon dukes, and a century events in Slaughterhouse-Five. later, the city was home to the prince- Following the war, Dresden was rebuilt from electors of the Holy Roman Empire. It was the ground up. Today, the Frauenkirche, one of these prince-electors, Augustus I, a church whose ruins stood as a stark who first called the finest painters, archi- reminder of the war, has been totally recon- tects, and musicians from across Europe to structed, incorporating the charred bricks of Dresden in the late 1500s. From that time the original structure as a tribute to the past. onward, Dresden gained a reputation as an Dresden stands as an eternal reminder of open, tolerant city of artists. The city was the folly of war and the indomitability of the captured by Napoleon during his march human creative spirit. across Europe and played a significant role in the continent-wide social revolutions of Explore Dresden on your own this afternoon 1848, but even during its time as the capital and evening, perhaps enjoying Saxon cuisine of Saxony, Dresden was never heavily gar- on your own for lunch and dinner. risoned. The city experienced exponential growth in the 19th century, seeing its popu- Breakfast lation quadruple as a result of the Industrial Revolution. Many of these new residents were, again, artists from across Europe. DAY 3 Dresden • Wittenberg • Berlin These artists helped make Dresden a hub of After breakfast today, we depart for Berlin modern art until 1933. via Wittenberg, where you’ll enjoy a short orientation walk with your Program With the rise of the Nazis in Germany, art- Director. Then, enjoy free time in the former ists and intellectuals began fleeing the newly home of Martin Luther and the birthplace of proclaimed Reich. Still, Dresden retained its the Protestant Reformation. Enjoy lunch on status as an artistic capital and was largely your own here and perhaps visit some of the defenseless when war broke out in 1939. town’s splendid churches before we continue Its location far from the front lines and the on our way. A short two-hour drive through lack of heavy industry in the Dresden met- scenic forests and farmlands brings you to ropolitan area seemed to augur that Dresden Berlin in the early evening. Your Program would escape the worst wounds of the war. Director will lead you on a short vicinity As the tide of the war turned inexorably walk after checking you into your hotel. against Hitler, hundreds of thousands of Dinner is on your own tonight. refugees streamed into Dresden; having escaped Allied bombing, Dresden was Breakfast perceived as a safe zone. February 13, 1945 marked the beginning of one of the most controversial events in World War II: 1,300 DAY 4 Berlin • Optional Potsdam tour Allied aircraft used incendiary bombs to burn This morning, enjoy an included tour of Dresden to the ground. The city was utterly Berlin. The second-largest urban area in and completely destroyed, and thousands of Europe, Berlin is an enormous city, but most of its most iconic sites are relatively close
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. together. Divided at the end of World War Perhaps you’ll explore Museum Island, a II, blockaded by the Soviets during the Cold UNESCO World Heritage Site conveniently War, riven by a cruel grey wall, and finally located near the city center. Or maybe you’d delivered by the sledgehammers of freedom like to explore Schloss Charlottenburg, the fighters, Berlin is once again a united city. largest remaining palace in Berlin. The city’s lakes and forests provide bucolic Lunch and dinner are on your own today. retreats in an urban setting, while its divided history has led to a truly unique collection Breakfast of architectural styles. If you find yourself in the old Soviet sector of the city, keep your eyes open for extant Ampelmannchen, the DAY 6 Berlin • Return to U.S. “little traffic light man” who adorned East After an early breakfast, transfer to the German traffic lights. The Reichstag, site airport for your flight home. of the final defense of the Third Reich, was rebuilt after World War II and now features Breakfast an enormous glass dome, emphasizing the transparency and openness of the new Germany. Like so much of Berlin, the future and past are inextricably mixed. Later on today, use your new-found knowledge of Berlin to explore the city at your leisure.
Or, join an optional tour of nearby Potsdam. The residence of the Prussian kings until 1918, Potsdam is home to the Sanssouci, the former summer palace of Frederick the Great and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Even larger than the Sanssouci is the New Palace, built to celebrate the Prussian triumph over Austrian domination in the Seven Years’ War. Potsdam played an important role in shaping the post-war world. Stalin, Truman, and Churchill met here to determine how to deal with a defeated Germany, and the city’s Glienicke Bridge became known as the “Bridge of Spies” during the Cold War, as the superpowers used its midpoint as a place to exchange captured agents. After dinner at a local restaurant, return to Berlin.
Breakfast
DAY 5 Berlin Explore Berlin at your own pace today.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. optional tours on Post-trip
Potsdam (Day 4 $125 per person)
The residence of the Prussian kings until 1918, Potsdam is home to the Sanssouci, the former summer palace of Frederick the Great and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Even larger than the Sanssouci is the New Palace, built to celebrate the Prussian triumph over Austrian domination in the Seven Years’ War. Potsdam played an important role in shaping the post-war world. Stalin, Truman, and Churchill met here to determine how to deal with a defeated Germany, and the city’s Glienicke Bridge became known as the “Bridge of Spies” during the Cold War, when the superpowers used its midpoint as a place to exchange captured agents. Following your tour of the city, you’ll enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. Post-trip Highlights of Poland: Warsaw & Krakow
Included in Your Price
»» Accommodations for 3 nights in Krakow »» All transfers and 2 nights in Warsaw
»» 7 meals: Daily breakfasts and 2 lunches
»» Included tours: Krakow • Auschwitz • Czestochowa • Warsaw
»» Dedicated services of a local Program Director
»» Gratuities for local guides and motorcoach drivers
Itinerary, Post-Trip Extension
Explore the history and charm of Warsaw’s Old Town on an included city tour, discover Krakow’s rich architecture and culture with your expert Program Director at your side, and with your fellow travelers, pay a memorable—and moving—visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Auschwitz.
DAY 1 Prague, Czech Republic DAY 2 Krakow • Optional • Krakow, Poland Wieliczka Salt Mines tour After breakfast, transfer by motorcoach Krakow is a showcase of seven centuries of to Krakow, enjoying an included lunch en architecture, as you’ll see during an included route. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel tour that spotlights the Wawel Royal Castle and then explore the area with your Program Hill, site of the cathedral where the former Director. Cardinal Wojtyla (the late Pope John Paul II) once preached. Enjoy lunch on your own, Lunch followed by time at leisure.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. Or join this afternoon’s optional tour, which DAY 5 Warsaw descends 250 feet underground to visit the Explore the capital of Poland on today’s eleventh-century Wieliczka Salt Mines, a included city tour. Visit the reconstructed UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with Old Town and the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial sculptures and chandeliers carved from salt. in the Muranow quarter. After lunch on your Breakfast own, enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Breakfast DAY 3 Krakow • Auschwitz Today’s tour may be an emotional one, DAY 6 Warsaw • Return to U.S. as you visit Oswiecim, better known After breakfast, you’ll transfer to the airport to Americans by its German name of for your flight home. Auschwitz. This is the location of the State Museum of Auschwitz-Birkenau, set on Breakfast the site of the largest of the World War II concentration camps as a memorial to the millions of Jews, Gypsies, and “enemies” of the Nazi regime who were killed here. Grand Circle Foundation has donated to assist in the expansion of this educational center.
Enjoy lunch on your own this afternoon. Later, back in Krakow, enjoy time at leisure to unwind or explore more of the city before dinner on your own.
Breakfast
DAY 4 Krakow • Warsaw • Optional Chopin Piano Recital with Dinner You’ll ride to Warsaw via Czestochowa, stopping for an included tour of the 14th- century Jasna Gora Monastery, home of the famous Black Madonna shrine. You’ll also enjoy an included lunch before continuing toward Warsaw. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure in Warsaw, or take in an optional piano recital, featuring the works of the famous Polish composer Frederic Chopin, followed by dinner.
Breakfast, Lunch
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610. optional tours on Post-trip
Wieliczka Salt Mines (Day 2 $95 per person)
Join an afternoon optional tour to the Wieliczka Salt Mines—working mines that have been in operation for more than seven centuries, producing about 700 tons of pure salt per day. These fascinating mines are considered one of Europe’s great wonders and are protected by UNESCO as a his- toric monument. Here are more than 2,000 caverns of underground beauty on nine main levels—breathtaking chambers, galleries, and salt lakes. After exploring the mines, end the day with a typical Polish dinner in a local restaurant, accompanied by a sample of Zubrowka, the famous Polish vodka. The cost of this optional tour includes dinner.
Please note: The salt mine tour involves extensive walking inside caves that are not brightly lit. You’ll descend into the caves by stairs that may be slippery and return to ground level via elevator.
Chopin Piano Recital with Dinner (Day 4 $95 per person)
In the early evening, you can attend an optional Chopin piano recital, enjoying the music of Poland’s best-known and most beloved musician. The cost of this optional tour includes dinner.
Itinerary subject to change. For information or reservations, call toll-free 1-800-221-2610.