GCCL TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE

Romantic Blue Danube: Budapest to Prague 2021 Learn how to personalize your experience on this vacation

Grand Circle Cruise Line® The Leader in River Cruising Worldwide 1 Grand Circle Cruise Line ® 347 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210

Dear Traveler,

At last, the world is opening up again for curious travel lovers like you and me. Soon, you’ll once again be discovering the places you’ve dreamed of. In the meantime, the enclosed Grand Circle Cruise Line Travel Planning Guide should help you keep those dreams vividly alive.

Before you start dreaming, please let me reassure you that your health and safety is our number one priority. As such, we’re requiring that all Grand Circle Cruise Line travelers, ship crew, Program Directors, and coach drivers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days prior to departure. Our new, updated health and safety protocols are described inside.

The journey you’ve expressed interest in, Romantic Blue Danube: Budapest to Prague River Cruise Tour, will be an excellent way to resume your discoveries. It takes you into the true heart of Europe, thanks to our groups of 38-45 travelers. Plus, our European Program Director will reveal their country’s secret treasures as only an insider can. You can also rely on the seasoned team at our regional office in Bratislava, who are ready to help 24/7 in case any unexpected circumstances arise.

Throughout your explorations, you’ll meet local people and gain an intimate understanding of the regional culture. Join a Slovakian family in their home for a Home-Hosted Dinner, where you’ll learn about everyday life and sample the city’s cuisine; and visit a local school supported by Grand Circle Foundation in Bratislava. Plus, a portion of our proceeds goes toward the charitable efforts of Grand Circle Foundation: inside you’ll also see how your travel dollar helps make the world a better place.

We understand that no two people are the same. That’s why more than 80% of our travelers take advantage of the freedom to personalize their experience. Join the 48% of travelers who extend their time abroad. Add the pre-trip extension to Hungary: Budapest, post-trip extension to Germany: Dresden & Berlin or Poland: Warsaw & Krakow, or a combination of these extensions to your European vacation.

I hope you find this Grand Circle Travel Planning Guide helpful. If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to contact one of our Travel Counselors at 1-800-221-2610.

Warm regards,

Harriet R. Lewis Vice Chairman Overseas Adventure Travel

P.S. For further peace of mind, please know that we are EXTENDING our Risk-Free Booking Policy through 12/31/21. Learn more at www.gct.com/riskfree-booking.

2 WHAT’S INSIDE

TRIP SUMMARY

It’s Included ...... 4

Departure Dates and Prices ...... 5

Deck Plans...... 6

Freedom to Personalize Your Experience ...... 8

DETAILED DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY ...... 9

ESSENTIAL TRAVEL INFORMATION ...... 33

Travel Documents & Entry Requirements ...... 35

Rigors, Vaccines & General Health ...... 38

Money Matters: Local Currency & Tipping Guidelines ...... 41

Air, Optional Tours & Staying in Touch ...... 46

Packing: What to Bring & Luggage Limits ...... 50

Climate & Average Temperatures ...... 57

Aboard Your Ship: Cabin Features, Dining & Services ...... 60

About Your Destinations: Culture, Etiquette & More...... 65

Demographics & History ...... 81

Resources: Suggested Reading & Movies ...... 93

Health & Safety Measures – Vaccines Required ...... 102

MAP ...... 103

3 Romantic Blue Danube: Budapest to Prague Hungary: Budapest | Slovakia: Bratislava | Austria: Vienna, Krems, Linz | Czech Republic: Cesky Krumlov, Prague Countries: 4 | Cities: 7 | 10 Nights Aboard Our Privately Owned 162-Passenger M/S River Aria or M/S River Adagio

Wachau Valley, Krems, Austria

Discover three of Europe’s legendary capital cities—Prague, Vienna, and Budapest

$ IT’S INCLUDED 15 days from 4895 Including international airfare International airfare, airport transfers, government taxes, fees, and airline from New York fuel surcharges, unless you choose to make your own air arrangements Travel from only $327 per day Accommodations for 10 nights aboard a private river ship with wireless Internet access in all common areas and cabins, and 3 nights in the Grandior Hotel Prague or similar 14 days from $3595 River Cruise Tour only 34 meals: 13 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 12 dinners—including 3 meals in local restaurants—plus all onboard house beer, wine, and soft drinks Travel from only $257 per day 11 included tours with personal headsets and 2 Exclusive Discovery Series Single Supplement: $595 Events—Home-Hosted Visit • School visit Local Program Directors, a Grand Circle Cruise Line exclusive: Our MAXIMIZE YOUR dedicated experts are with you and your group of 38-45 travelers from DISCOVERIES & VALUE beginning to end to provide an insider’s knowledge and perspective Gratuities for local guides and motorcoach drivers OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS All port charges all with FREE Single Supplements

Budapest, Hungary Baggage handling for 1 piece of luggage per person, including tips 3 nights pre-trip from $745 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward your next trip Dresden & Berlin, Germany 5 nights post-trip from $995 Highlights of Poland: Warsaw & Krakow To get a richer view of the Included Features on this trip, 5 nights post-trip from $1095 watch our Trip Itinerary video at www.gct.com/edr2021

Romantic Blue Danube: Budapest to Prague 4 ROMANTIC BLUE DANUBE: RISK-FREE BOOKING POLICY: RESERVE WITH CONFIDENCE—NOW THROUGH 12/31/21 BUDAPEST TO PRAGUE We will waive any change fees if you transfer to another departure date for any reason—up until 24 hours prior to departure. 2021 DATES & PRICES See details at www.gct.com/riskfree-booking. To calculate your trip price with airfare, add deck price to air add-ons below.

CABIN CATEGORY JUNE JULY AUGUST OCTOBER

A Serenade Deck $5395 $4795 $4995 $5395 B(Top Deck w/balcony) $5195 $4595 $4795 $5195

C Sonata Deck $4795 $4295 $4495 $4895 (Middle Deck w/picture Dwindow) $4695 $4195 $4395 $4795

E Cantata Deck $4595 $4095 $4295 $4695 (Middle Deck w/picture F$4495$3995$4195$4595window)

G Prelude Deck $4295 $3795 $3995 $4395 H(Lower Deck w/small window) $3995 $3595 $3795 $4195

AIR ADD-ONS JUNE-AUGUST OCTOBER New York $1300 $1000 Baltimore, Chicago $1400 $1100 Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Houston, Seattle, Washington, DC $1500 $1200 Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Newark, Orlando, $1600 $1300 Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco, Tampa Phoenix $1700 $1400 San Diego $1800 $1500

Additional departure cities are available. Upgrade to Business Class may be available for the international portion of your flight. Call for details. EDR2021

SHIP & CRUISE DIRECTION Prices are per person. Airfare prices include Budapest to Prague Prague to Budapest government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges. Standard Terms & Conditions apply, please visit our Departure Ship Departure Ship website: www.gct.com/tc. Every effort has been made to produce this information accurately. We reserve the 6/13; 7/3; 8/12 M/S River Aria 6/20; 7/10; 8/19 M/S River Aria right to correct errors. 10/8 M/S River Adagio Low-cost Single Supplement is $595 on your main trip & FREE on all extensions.

For specific departure dates, current availability, and detailed pricing, visit www.gct.com/edr2021pricing

CRITICAL AIR INFORMATION NEW: SAVE UP TO 10% WITH OUR GOOD BUY PLAN Your travel time will be 8-17 hours and will have at least one The earlier you reserve your departure and pay in full, the more connection (depending on your gateway city). Connecting you’ll save—up to 10%—plus, you’ll lock in your price. times in each city will be between 2-3 hours. Visit us online for more information on average flight times and number of For details, visit www.gct.com/gbd connections. Learn more at www.gct.com/edr2021

Publication Date 1/4/21 1-800-221-2610 • www.gct.com/edr2021 5 Your Rhine, Mosel, Main, and Danube river ships

Sail aboard our privately owned 140- to 162-passenger vessels Grand Circle Cruise Line’s Rhine, Mosel, Main, and Danube ships were designed specifically to create an unforgettable European river cruise experience for American travelers. Explore storybook landscapes with up to four groups of no more than 38-45 travelers, each with one of our dedicated, local Grand Circle Program Directors, and enjoy the attentive onboard service of our top-notch English-speaking ship crew.

Shipboard Features

• Dining room with single, open seating: Enjoy • Sun Deck: Sit outside and enjoy the view as your ship regionally-inspired cuisine in your ship’s dining room. glides past the European countryside. • Bar & lounge: Relax with friends old and new. • English-speaking crew: Our crew is dedicated to your comfort, and all shipboard announcements are made • Complimentary beverages: Enjoy house beer and in English. house wine—as well as soft drinks—at any time of day while onboard. • Smoking/non-smoking: Smoking is not permitted indoors, but is permitted on the Sun Deck. • Complimentary wireless Internet access: Connect online in cabins and common areas. Please note: Wireless • Shipboard security: State-of-the-art shipboard radar Internet access may be limited at certain points throughout ensures safe navigation at night and in low visibility; your River Cruise. safe docking space; onboard security staff; state-of- the-art fire safety system; and secured entryway doors.

6 M/S RIVER HARMONY

R E

RESTAURANT BAR LOUNGE

SHOP

SERENADE DECK

E FITNESS MASSAGE SAUNA/ WHIRL– POOL

SONATA DECK CANTATA DECK

PRELUDE DECK

Registry: Malta Length: 366 ft. International crew: 34 Number of cabins: Width: 38 ft. Passenger capacity: 140 Decks: 4 70—all outside Elevator: Yes

M/S RIVER ARIA & M/S RIVER ADAGIO

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Registry: Malta Length: 418 ft. International crew: 38 Number of cabins: Width: 38 ft. Passenger capacity: 162 Decks: 4 82—all outside Elevator: Yes CABIN CATEGORIES A B C D E F G H

E ELEVATOR R RESTROOM (Does not go to Prelude Deck)

1-800-221-2610 • www.gct.com

7 Freedom to Personalize Your Experience

Your Choice, Your Trip, Your Way

Extending the length of your stay in a destination can improve your overall travel experience—and allow you to seek out even more eye-opening cultural interactions. Your local Program Director will help to ensure you’re getting the personalized experiences you’re looking for. In fact, 85% of our travelers are personalizing their experience in more than 85 countries. Call us at 1-800-221-2610 to discuss personalizing your River Cruise Tour today or visit us online at www.gct.com/personalize-edr2021.

Maximize Your Time & Value: 55% of our travelers Cabin Upgrade: Choose the onboard experience that’s choose to take a pre- or post-trip extension right for you See more of the world and maximize your value Perhaps you’d like to be close to the elevator, dining by taking advantage of your already-included room, or even your friend’s cabin—we’ll help you select airfare. On this River Cruise Tour, you can choose the ship cabin or deck category that works best for you. between Budapest, Hungary; Dresden & Berlin, Germany; or Highlights of Poland: Warsaw & Krakow. Air Options: More than 50% of our travelers customize their flights “Break Away” Options: 30% of our travelers choose We make every effort to provide you with non-stop to arrive early or stay late in their destination flights and acceptable connection times to and from Before or after your main River Cruise Tour or trip your destination. You also have several other ways you extension, “break away” anywhere you’d like to go to can personalize your air itinerary, including choosing do more exploring entirely on your own. your departure city and airline, upgrading your seat, and more. Back-to-Back Trips: 90% of our travelers who combined two vacations rated it excellent Save $250 per person when you reserve two trips right after one another. One of the most common River Cruises travelers combine with this one is The Great Rivers of Europe.

Old Town, Warsaw, Poland

8

Romantic Blue Danube: Budapest to Prague 2021 15-Day River Cruise Tour

EXTEND YOUR TRIP PRE-TRIP Budapest, Hungary POST-TRIPS Dresden & Berlin, Germany OR Highlights of Poland: Warsaw & Krakow

Your Day-to-Day Itinerary

9 GRAND CIRCLE CRUISE LINE

Grand Circle Cruise Line is the leader in river cruising worldwide—offering American travelers unique experiences at unbeatable value aboard our privately owned fleet of 86- to 162-passenger ships. With each River Cruise, you’ll enjoy unmatched discoveries, leisurely pacing, and the freedom to personalize your experience. Plus, Grand Circle Cruise Line is the only cruise company with expert, resident Program Directors who accompany you throughout your trip, enhancing your exploration with the kind of insight and passion that only a local can provide.

YOUR GRAND CIRCLE PROGRAM DIRECTOR TOUR

During your Grand Circle vacation, you’ll have reliable assistance available at all times from an on-site local Grand Circle Cruise Line Program Director throughout your trip, who will serve as your trip experience leader. He or she is fluent in English and can give you an inside perspective on your destinations. You will also be supported along the way by local tour guides, who lead you expertly through particular sites and cities.

Many Program Directors are graduates of professional education programs for travel guides. In addition, they receive specialized training directly from Grand Circle, based on what we’ve learned from 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.

He or she will provide sightseeing trips, handle all travel details, reserve optional tours you choose to take, oversee your Exclusive Discovery Series events, and provide any other assistance you may need.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

10 INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

International airfare, airport transfers, Local Program Directors, a Grand Circle government taxes, fees, and airline fuel Cruise Line exclusive: Our dedicated experts surcharges, unless you choose to make your are with you and your group of 38-45 travelers own air arrangements from beginning to end to provide an insider’s knowledge and perspective Accommodations for 10 nights aboard a private river ship with wireless Internet access in all Gratuities for local guides and common areas and cabins, and 3 nights in the motorcoach drivers Grandior Hotel Prague or similar All port charges 34 meals: 13 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 12 Baggage handling for 1 piece of luggage per dinners—including 3 meals in local person, including tips restaurants—plus all onboard house beer, wine, and soft drinks (Our Prague to Budapest itinerary 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward features 33 meals) your next trip

11 included tours with personal headsets and 2 Exclusive Discovery Series Events—Home-Hosted Visit • School visit

WHAT THIS TRIP IS LIKE

GROUP SIZE miles unassisted within a time frame of » This trip has a group size of 38-45 travelers 1-2 hours, and walk on uneven surfaces, with our local Program Director exclusive to including steep and unpaved paths, hills, Grand Circle riverbanks, 25-50 stairs without handrails, and cobblestones, which can be slick in wet PACING or colder conditions » 14 days, with 10 nights aboard our privately » Optional activities and elective walks owned 162-Passenger M/S River Aria or M/S may be offered in addition to the activity River Adagio, and 1 three-night hotel stay levels above » Return flights often require departing in » Not accessible for travelers using early morning hours wheelchairs or scooters » Air travel time will be 9-18 hours and will » Travelers using walkers, crutches, or other have at least one connection mobility aids must travel with a companion who can assist them throughout the trip PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS » We reserve the right for Program Directors » Included features on your trip may consist to restrict participation, or in some of 3-4 hours of physical activity each circumstances send travelers home, if their day. Travelers should be able to walk 1-3 limitations impact the group’s experience

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

11 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 50-90°F during cruising season » June-August are the warmest months, where temperatures can climb above 90°F » March and November weather can be unpredictable and change quickly

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

12 Romantic Blue Danube: Budapest to Prague

YOUR DETAILED ITINERARY

BEGIN YOUR TRIP WITH AN OPTIONAL PRE-TRIP EXTENSION 3 nights in Budapest, Hungary

Day 1 Depart U.S. Day 4 Budapest • Optional Hungarian Culinary Experience tour Day 2 Arrive in Budapest, Hungary Day 5 Budapest • Visit Szentendre Day 3 Explore Budapest

Day 1 Depart U.S. Program Director will describe the approaching port area and town prior to arrival so you can Depart today for your flight to prepare for the next day’s activities, including Budapest, Hungary. any free time you may have.

Day 2 Arrive in Budapest, Hungary • Dinner: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. Embark ship Evening: You have the freedom to spend the • Destination: Budapest rest of your evening as you wish—ask your • Included Meals: Dinner Program Director for recommendations. • Accommodations: M/S River Aria or M/S River Adagio Day 3 Explore Budapest • Captain’s Welcome Dinner Morning: Arriving in Budapest, you’ll be met at the airport by a Grand Circle representative and • Destination: Budapest transferred to your ship, joining travelers who • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner took our Budapest, Hungary, pre-trip extension. • Accommodations: M/S River Aria or M/S River Adagio Lunch: On your own—ask your Program Director for local restaurant recommendations. Breakfast: Onboard in the ship’s dining room.

Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries—ask Morning: Set off on a tour of Hungary’s your Program Director for recommendations. lovely capital, situated on both sides of the magnificent Danube River. In Buda, on the Before dinner, gather onboard with your fellow western bank of the Danube, you’ll see Castle travelers for a welcome briefing followed by Hill, encircled by ramparts that protect the a Port Talk—something you’ll enjoy every massive castle complex. Destroyed during evening throughout your Danube River Cruise World War II, the palace has been restored, Tour—to learn a bit about Budapest. Your

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

13 approximating its previous splendor, and it is Day 4 Budapest • Optional Hospital in now a vast museum complex, where remains of the Rock tour the original structure are displayed. • Destination: Budapest Later, cross the Danube and see Heroes’ Square, • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with its Millennial Column set off by equestrian • Accommodations: M/S River Aria or statues of historic ninth-century Magyar M/S River Adagio conquerors. The adjoining colonnade displays Breakfast: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. more statues of kings, dukes of Transylvania, and liberty fighters who influenced the history Morning: After breakfast, a local will come of Hungary. aboard the ship to chat with you about daily life in Hungary. From there, the rest of the morning Lunch: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. is free for your own discoveries—ask your Afternoon: Enjoy free time in Budapest to Program Director for recommendations, or explore on your own. Perhaps you’ll visit join them on an optional discovery walk of the the Church of Our Lady, formerly used for surrounding area. the coronations of Hungarian kings. Its Lunch: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. popular name of Matthias is in recognition of the Renaissance king who ruled in the 15th Afternoon: At your leisure. Your Program century and whose heraldic sign—a raven—is Director has another discovery walk prepared displayed on one of the towers of the church. for you if you wish to join. Dating back to the 13th century, the structure is an interesting mix of architectural styles You may also choose to join an optional tour used during reconstruction of the building at to discover the fascinating Hospital in the different times in its history. Note that during Rock. Connected to underground caves below the 150-year Turkish occupation of Hungary, Castle Hill in Buda, this hospital tended to the church served as Eski Djami (Old Mosque) scores of sick and wounded during World War for the Turks. Inside the church you can II, and again during the Hungarian Revolution view art of Bertalan Szekely and Karoly Lotz, of 1956. It was even concerted into a nuclear 19th-century Hungarian painters. fallout shelter during the Cold War. Today, it is a museum, with wax figures in period Or, join your Program Director on an optional clothing and vintage medical equipment giving discovery walk of the surrounding area. visitors a feel for the intensity of the work performed here. Dinner: Onboard in the ship’s dining room, enjoy the Captain’s Welcome Dinner. Dinner: Onboard in the ship’s dining room.

Evening: Enjoy peaceful sailing this evening as Evening: Your Central European River Cruise you continue your cruise through Budapest. begins as the ship sets sail toward Bratislava. Perhaps you’ll enjoy a nightcap at the bar or relax in the lounge as you cruise.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

14 Day 5 Explore Bratislava, Slovakia • Evening: You have the freedom to spend the Home-Hosted Visit rest of your evening as you wish. Perhaps you’ll enjoy a nightcap at the bar or relax in • Destination: Bratislava the lounge. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner • Accommodations: M/S River Aria or Day 6 Bratislava • School visit • M/S River Adagio Vienna, Austria Breakfast: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. • Destination: Bratislava Morning: After breakfast, engage in a frank • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner conversation with your Program Director about • Accommodations: M/S River Aria or what it was like growing up behind the Iron M/S River Adagio Curtain. Enjoy the rest of the morning at leisure Activity Note: The school visit is not possible onboard as we sail toward Bratislava. on weekends or during the summer and Lunch: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. national holidays when school is not in session. Travelers on these departures will instead Afternoon: Arrive in Bratislava, where you enjoy an arranged local experience and/or local will discover Slovakia’s capital known for its food tasting. picturesque setting at the foot of the Little Carpathian Mountains. Breakfast: Onboard in the ship’s dining room.

This petite city—the smallest of the four Morning: Disembark your river ship and start capitals you’ll visit on this itinerary—is full your day with an Exclusive Discovery Series of irresistible charm and personality, and visit to a local school supported by Grand Circle was once the seat of power for neighboring Foundation. Hungary. As you stroll through Old Town, Lunch: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. Bratislava’s historic heart, take in the beautiful St. Martin’s Cathedral, built in the 14th and 15th Afternoon: Enjoy scenic cruising towards centuries. Walk along the pedestrian zone, and Vienna. Arrive in the Austrian capital this you’ll find Michael’s Gate with its 15th-century evening before dinner. tower, offering excellent views of the city, Dinner: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. including the massive Bratislava Castle. Whimsical public art installations, such as the Evening: You have the freedom to spend the photo-favorite “The Watcher” sculpture, serve rest of your evening as you wish. Perhaps as visual reminders of Bratislava’s eyes towards you’ll enjoy a nightcap at the bar or relax in the future. the lounge.

Dinner: You’ll join a local family for a Home-Hosted Dinner tonight. Learn about everyday life and sample the city’s cuisine during this Exclusive Discovery Series event.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

15 Day 7 Explore Vienna • Optional Musical Evening: You have the freedom to spend the Vienna tour rest of your evening as you wish. Or, perhaps you’ll experience our Musical Vienna optional • Destination: Vienna tour to one of the city’s famed concert halls • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner to attend an enchanting performance of the • Accommodations: M/S River Aria or classical Austrian music of Strauss and Mozart. M/S River Adagio Breakfast: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. Day 8 Vienna • Optional Schoenbrunn Palace tour Morning: Explore Vienna, Austria, starting at the Ringstrasse—Vienna’s grand main • Destination: Vienna boulevard—one of the many achievements of • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner the Emperor Franz Joseph. In 1857, the Emperor • Accommodations: M/S River Aria or ordered the demolition of the ancient city walls, M/S River Adagio which were no longer needed as fortifications Breakfast: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. and were impeding the growth of the city. In their place was constructed an elegant 2.5 Morning: Discover more of Vienna’s charms mile-long boulevard, encircling the city center. on your own. Your Program Director will have The buildings that line the Ringstrasse bring an optional discovery walk scheduled if you together all the greatest architectural styles so choose. in an exuberant celebration of all that seemed Or, take an optional tour of the expansive possible during the Industrial Revolution. summer estate of Habsburg royalty, Continue on along the city sidewalks, passing Schoenbrunn Palace (whose name means by the well-known Imperial Palace, home to “beautiful spring”). Featuring 1,400 rooms, many generations of the Habsburg family, and meticulously maintained gardens, and an the renowned Spanish Riding School. architectural legacy that stretches back to Lunch: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. the 17th century, the palace is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your visit includes a Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries—ask tour of palace highlights and free time to your Program Director for recommendations. spend exploring the palace’s stunning park You may want to head to the old Jewish Quarter and gardens. to see the only Viennese synagogue to have survived the 1938 Kristallnacht. Or perhaps Lunch: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. explore Austria’s capital aboard a fiaker. These Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries—ask horse-drawn carriages have been in business your Program Director for recommendations. since the 17th century, and drivers are happy Perhaps you’ll visit one of Vienna’s famed to show you the sights and delight you with museums, such as the 18th-century Belvedere Viennese anecdotes. You’ll also find out for Museum, known for housing some of Austria’s yourself whether or not it’s true that drivers most important art dating as far back as the whistle strains of Mozart’s beloved Magic Flute Middle Ages. If you choose to spend your as they conduct passengers through the city. afternoon in the city, feel free to take advantage Dinner: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. of the shuttle bus that will transport you between the ship and the city center.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

16 Dinner: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. Dinner: Onboard in the ship’s dining room.

Evening: You have the freedom to spend the Evening: You have the freedom to spend the rest of your evening as you wish. Perhaps relax rest of your evening as you wish. Perhaps with your fellow travelers as your ship cruises you’ll enjoy a nightcap at the bar or relax in toward Krems. the lounge.

Day 9 Visit Durnstein • Optional Day 10 Krems • Wachau Valley • Marillen Farm tour Melk Abbey • Destination: Krems • Destination: Krems • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner • Accommodations: M/S River Aria or • Accommodations: M/S River Aria or M/S River Adagio M/S River Adagio

Breakfast: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. Breakfast: Onboard in the ship’s dining room.

Morning: Discover Durnstein, a charming town Morning: Cruise along one of the most set at the confluence of the Danube and Krems beautiful parts of the Danube—the Wachau rivers, on a morning walking tour. Durnstein Valley—taking in the stunning landscape is known for its wine production due to its of sculpted hills and medieval towns built position perched along the Wachau Valley. along the river that comprise this UNESCO World Heritage Site. As you sail, your Program The historic town is sprinkled with bustling Director will lead a discussion on Eastern cafes and shops, perfect for taking a leisurely European customs and traditions. stroll of sight-seeing and people-watching, which you’ll have the chance to do before lunch Lunch: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. at your own pace. Afternoon: Transfer to the town of Melk, where Lunch: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. you’ll explore the historic Melk Abbey during a guided tour. Sitting high upon a rocky outcrop Afternoon: Take a shuttle bus to Krems for overlooking the Danube River and adjoining free time. You may want to explore Gottweig Wachau Valley, the Benedictine abbey was Abbey—in some form or another, the originally a palace when it was first built in still-active monastery has been sitting on the 1700s and now contains the tomb of Saint a hilltop overlooking the unspoiled Wachau Coloman of Stockerau and members of the Valley below since 1072. Or, perhaps you’d enjoy House of Babenberg. Following your tour, you’ll a scenic bicycle ride around Wachau Valley. have free time to make your own discoveries. Or, set off on an optional tour to Marillen Dinner: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. Farm—a local family-run apricot farm. Here, you’ll sample the fresh produce in its many Evening: You have the freedom to spend the forms, from marmalade to wine, and explore rest of your evening as you wish. Perhaps the gardens during a guided tour. you’ll enjoy a nightcap at the bar or relax in the lounge. Then, return to the ship for an evening Port Talk before dinner.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

17 Day 11 Explore Linz • Mauthausen • Day 12 Linz • Disembark ship • Visit Cesky Captain’s Farewell Dinner Krumlov, Czech Republic • Prague • Destination: Linz • Destination: Linz • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner • Included Meals: Breakfast • Accommodations: M/S River Aria or • Accommodations: Grandior Hotel Prague M/S River Adagio or similar

Breakfast: Onboard in the ship’s dining room. Breakfast: Onboard in the ship’s dining room.

Morning: Begin a day of explorations in Linz Morning: Disembark in Linz and begin your and Mauthausen. Half of the group will depart transfer to Prague in the Czech Republic. Along for Linz, the capital of Upper Austria (one the way, you’ll stop in the medieval town of of the country’s nine states) that bestrides Cesky Krumlov, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Danube. Enjoy an included walking tour for a walking tour. followed by free time to explore the city Lunch: On your own in Cesky Krumlov—ask independently. your Program Director for local restaurant The other half of the group will take part in a recommendations. sobering visit to the Mauthausen concentration Afternoon: Arrive in Prague in the late camp with a local guide. This complex was one afternoon. of the Nazis’ first large-scale concentration camps—and the last to be liberated. Dinner: On your own—ask your Program High-profile Jewish prisoners and captive Director for local restaurant recommendations. Russian soldiers were brought to the camp to work as free labor for the local stone quarry, Evening: You have the freedom to spend the harvesting and hauling granite slabs. rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Program Director for recommendations. Lunch: Onboard in the ship’s dining room.

Afternoon: You’ll set off on a tour of either Linz Day 13 Explore Prague or Mauthausen—whichever destination your • Destination: Prague group did not explore this morning. • Included Meals: Breakfast

Dinner: Gather with your fellow travelers for a • Accommodations: Grandior Hotel Prague Farewell Drink and Port Talk, followed by the or similar Captain’s Farewell Dinner. Breakfast: At the hotel.

Evening: You have the freedom to spend the Morning: Set out to explore Prague. During rest of your evening as you wish. Perhaps the reign of Charles IV, King of Bohemia and you’ll enjoy a nightcap at the bar or relax in Moravia, Prague was the seat of the Holy the lounge. Roman Empire. Later, it was the vital center of the Habsburgs. While other European capitals were leveled during World War II, Prague survived virtually intact.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

18 Visit Stare Mesto, the Old Town, with its many Morning: The day is yours to explore this wonderful Gothic and Baroque buildings, and beautiful city. As it was during the zenith of see the famous 15th-century Astronomical the Bohemian kingdom, Prague still ranks as Clock at the Old Town Hall. Every hour, crowds the thriving center of the country, with an assemble below to watch Christ and the twelve artistic community reminiscent of Paris in the Apostles appear at two little windows above 1920s. It boasts one of Europe’s most notable the clock face, followed by the skeleton of Jewish quarters, world-class museums and Death tolling the bell. Stroll across the city’s cathedrals, architectural masterpieces that famed Charles Bridge, a 15th-century structure span a thousand years—and mighty Prague spanning the Vltava River that functions as a Castle. Perched regally over the Vltava River makeshift performance and gallery space for and offering stunning views of the city, Prague musicians, artists, dancers, and more. Castle is more than 1,000 years old and features residential quarters, chapels, galleries, gardens, We’ll also make our way to the colorful and the bustling Castle District surrounding it. Franciscan Garden, where a local expert will meet with us to discuss the “velvet end” Or you may choose to join an optional Jewish of Czechoslovakia, or the separation of the Prague tour during which you’ll learn about the republic into two independent countries city’s 1,000 years of Jewish cultural history. in 1993. You’ll have a chance to ask this Lunch: On your own—ask your Program eyewitness about their personal experience of Director for local restaurant recommendations. the events leading up to the dissolution. Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries—ask Lunch: On your own—ask your Program your Program Director for recommendations. Director for local restaurant recommendations. You also have the option to join them on Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries—ask another discovery walk. your Program Director for recommendations. Dinner: Gather with your fellow travelers for a Or, join them on an optional discovery walk of Farewell Dinner at the hotel. the surrounding area. Evening: Spend some time at leisure and enjoy Dinner: On your own—ask your Program your last night in Prague. Perhaps you’ll take Director for local restaurant recommendations. a stroll in the area around the hotel or finish Evening: You have the freedom to spend the up packing. rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Program Director for recommendations. Day 15 Prague • Return to U.S. • Destination: Prague Day 14 Prague • Optional Jewish Prague • Included Meals: Breakfast tour • Farewell Dinner Breakfast: At the hotel. • Destination: Prague • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Morning: Transfer to the airport for your • Accommodations: Grandior Hotel Prague flight home. Or, continue your discoveries with or similar our Highlights of Poland or Dresden & Berlin, Germany, post-trip extensions. Breakfast: At the hotel.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

19 END YOUR TRIP WITH AN OPTIONAL POST-TRIP EXTENSION 5 nights in Dresden & Berlin, Germany

Day 1 Prague • Visit Pirna • Day 4 Explore Berlin Dresden, Germany Day 5 Berlin • Optional Potsdam tour Day 2 Explore Dresden Day 6 Berlin • Return to U.S. Day 3 Dresden • Visit Wittenberg • Berlin

OR 5 nights in Highlights of Poland: Warsaw & Krakow

Day 1 Prague, Czech Republic • Day 4 Krakow • Visit Czestochowa • Krakow, Poland Warsaw • Optional Chopin Piano Recital with Dinner Day 2 Explore Krakow • Optional Wieliczka Salt Mines tour Day 5 Explore Warsaw Day 3 Krakow • Auschwitz Day 6 Warsaw • Return to U.S.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

20 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 Schoenbrunn Palace (Day 4 $55 per person) (Day 8 $75 per person)

Below Castle Hill in Buda exists a network of The expansive summer estate of Habsburg underground caves, which were eventually royalty, Schoenbrunn Palace (whose name mapped by engineers and connected to a means “beautiful spring”) features 1,400 hospital that tended to scores of sick and rooms, meticulously maintained gardens, wounded during World War II, and again during and an architectural legacy that stretches the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. In the Cold back to the 17th century. Your tour of this War era, it was outfitted as a fallout shelter UNESCO World Heritage Site includes a in case of potential nuclear disasters. Today, selection of palace highlights and free time to the hospital is a museum, with wax figures in spend exploring the palace’s stunning park period clothing and vintage medical equipment. and gardens. Your excursion includes a guided tour of the hospital and its exhibits. Marillen Farm (Day 9 $85 per person) Musical Vienna Immerse yourself in the culture of Wachau (Day 7 $90 per person) Valley and get a glimpse at local life during Vienna without music wouldn’t be Vienna. a visit to Marillen Farm. You’ll get a guided So, you may want to join an optional tour of this family-run apricot farm and enjoy evening excursion to one of Vienna’s concert a tasting of the fresh produce in its many halls, where you’ll enjoy a classical music forms—from marmalade to wine. This is the performance. You’ll be enchanted by the most perfect chance to speak with your guides about beautiful melodies of classical Austrian music agriculture in Austria and what it’s like to run a of Strauss and Mozart. business in the Wachau Valley.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

21 Jewish Prague (Day 14 $80 per person)

Prague boasts 1,000 years of Jewish cultural history—including a period in the 18th century when more Jews lived here than anywhere else in the world. During this tour, you’ll visit several of the city’s synagogues (among them Europe’s oldest), as well as the Jewish Museum, displaying some 40,000 cultural artifacts. You’ll also explore the Old Jewish Cemetery, where observant Czech Jews have been buried for six centuries.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

22 PRE-TRIP Budapest, Hungary

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations for 3 nights » Dedicated services of a local » 4 meals: 3 breakfasts and 1 dinner Program Director » 2 guided tours with personal headsets: » Gratuities for local guides and Hungarian Parliament Building • motorcoach drivers Szentendre » All transfers

PRE-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

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. Afternoon: Get to know your Program Director and fellow travelers over a welcome briefing Depart the U.S. today on your flight to Budapest. and Welcome Drink. Please refer to your individual air itinerary for exact departure and arrival times. Dinner: On your own—ask your Program Director for local restaurant recommendations.

Day 2 Arrive in Budapest, Hungary Evening: You have the freedom to spend the • Destination: Budapest rest of your evening as you wish—ask your • Accommodations: Courtyard by Marriott Program Director for recommendations. Budapest City Center or similar

Morning: Arrive today in Budapest. You’ll Day 3 Explore Budapest be met at the airport by a Grand Circle • Destination: Budapest representative and directed to the bus that • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner will take you to your hotel. Free for your own • Accommodations: Courtyard by Marriott discoveries— or you can join your Program Budapest City Center or similar Director for a walk to get acquainted with the Breakfast: At the hotel. vicinity around your hotel. Morning: Set out with your Program Director to Lunch: On your own—ask your Program discover the city via public transportation. Director for local restaurant recommendations. The balance of the day is at leisure. Perhaps use your 24-hour pass to continue exploring Budapest. Hungary’s capital flourished as a

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

23 cultural and commercial center in the latter massive domed structure dominates Budapest’s part of the 1800s. In the time since, the city skyline on the banks of the Danube. Gothic has greatly expanded the number of its Revival elements, such as gargoyles, pointed buildings to meet the needs of its ever-growing archways, and spires, decorate the city’s most populace. Despite modern development, many famous landmark. of Budapest’s most iconic structures continue Lunch: On your own—ask your Program to reflect two architectural styles—classically Director for local restaurant recommendations. focused Historicism and the more predominant Hungarian Art Nouveau. Facades embellished Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries—ask with decorative ceramic tiles depicting your Program Director for recommendations. Hungarian folk motifs helped set the country’s interpretation of the international art moment Dinner: On your own—ask your Program apart, while its preservation has earned Director for local restaurant recommendations. the cityscape a spot on the UNESCO World Or, join us for an optional Hungarian Culinary Heritage List. Experience—an excursion to Borkapolna Winechapel restaurant for an evening of Lunch: On your own—ask your Program traditional food and wine. Director for local restaurant recommendations. Evening: You have the freedom to spend the Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries—ask rest of your evening as you wish—ask your your Program Director for recommendations. Program Director for recommendations.

Dinner: Enjoy a Welcome Drink and dinner with your fellow travelers at a local restaurant. Day 5 Budapest • Visit Szentendre • Destination: Budapest Evening: You have the freedom to spend the • Included Meals: Breakfast rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Program Director for recommendations. Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Join your Program Director for a Day 4 Budapest • Optional Hungarian visit to the charming town of Szentendre. Set Culinary Experience tour in a painterly landscape, this village is twelve • Destination: Budapest miles north of Budapest, where the Danube • Included Meals: Breakfast River makes a sharp bend through the Pilis and • Accommodations: Courtyard by Marriott Borzsony hills. Artists have drawn inspiration Budapest City Center or similar from these surroundings for almost 200 years, and the town has many galleries. Activity Note: In the event the Parliament Building tour is not available for your departure As you stroll here, you can browse the art and date, a similar program will be arranged for absorb the atmosphere of this picturesque your group. town, some of whose streets consist of narrow steps climbing the hills. This is also a fine place Breakfast: At the hotel. to shop for Hungarian arts and crafts if this Morning: Travel like the locals do and set off by suits your interests. public transportation for an included morning Lunch: On your own—ask your Program tour of the Hungarian Parliament Building. This Director for local restaurant recommendations.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

24 Afternoon: Transfer to your ship in the early afternoon. Tonight you’ll join your fellow travelers on your Romantic Blue Danube: Budapest to Prague River Cruise Tour.

OPTIONAL TOUR

Hungarian Culinary Experience (Day 4 $110 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 1-800-221-2610

25 POST-TRIP Dresden & Berlin, Germany

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations for 2 nights in Dresden » Dedicated services of a local and 3 nights in Berlin Program Director » 7 meals: 5 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 dinner » Gratuities for local guides and » 4 guided tours with personal headsets: motorcoach drivers Pirna • Dresden • Wittenberg • Berlin » All transfers

POST-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

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 • Visit Pirna • Dinner: On your own—ask your Program Dresden, Germany Director for local restaurant recommendations.

• Destination: Dresden Evening: You have the freedom to spend the • Included Meals: Lunch rest of your evening as you wish—ask your • Accommodations: Vienna House QF Dresden Program Director for recommendations. or similar

Morning: As you make your overland transfer, Day 2 Explore Dresden you’ll pass the impregnable hilltop Konigstein • Destination: Dresden Fortress, a former royal redoubt and one of • Included Meals: Breakfast the handful of castles in Europe to never fall • Accommodations: Vienna House QF Dresden in battle. or similar

Lunch: At a local restaurant in Litomerice, Breakfast: At the hotel. Czech Republic. Morning: Tour the city of Dresden by Afternoon: On your way to Dresden, enjoy a motorcoach. Situated in a broad floodplain, short stop in the small town of Pirna nestled Dresden was founded in the twelfth century by along the banks of the Elbe. After some free Slavs; only in the early 1300s was Dresden given time to explore, continue on to Dresden. Once to the Germanic Wettin dynasty. By the late you’ve checked into your hotel, your Program 1400s, Dresden was the seat of Saxon dukes, Director will lead you on a short tour of the and a century later, the city was home to the vicinity to help you familiarize yourself with prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire. It the city. was one of these prince-electors, Augustus I,

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

26 who first called the finest painters, architects, structure as a tribute to the past. Dresden and musicians from across Europe to Dresden stands as an eternal reminder of the folly of war in the late 1500s. and the indomitability of the human creative spirit. Discover more of the city’s rich history From that time onward, Dresden gained a during a walking tour of Old Town, finishing at reputation as an open, tolerant city of artists. the Zwinger Museum. The city was captured by Napoleon during his march across Europe and played a significant Lunch: On your own—ask your Program role in the continent-wide social revolutions of Director for local restaurant recommendations. 1848, but even during its time as the capital of Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries—ask Saxony, Dresden was never heavily garrisoned. your Program Director for recommendations. The city experienced exponential growth in the 19th century, seeing its population quadruple Dinner: On your own—ask your Program as a result of the Industrial Revolution. Many Director for local restaurant recommendations. of these new residents were, again, artists from across Europe. These artists helped make Evening: You have the freedom to spend the Dresden a hub of modern art until 1933. rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Program Director for recommendations. With the rise of the Nazis in Germany, artists and intellectuals began fleeing the newly Day 3 Dresden • Visit Wittenberg • Berlin proclaimed Reich. Still, Dresden retained its status as an artistic capital and was largely • Destination: Berlin defenseless when war broke out in 1939. Its • Included Meals: Breakfast location far from the front lines and the lack • Accommodations: Maritim proArte Hotel of heavy industry in the Dresden metropolitan Berlin or similar area seemed to augur that Dresden would Breakfast: At the hotel. escape the worst wounds of the war. As the tide of the war turned inexorably against Morning: Depart for Berlin via Wittenberg, Hitler, hundreds of thousands of refugees where you’ll enjoy a short orientation walk with streamed into Dresden; having escaped Allied your Program Director. Then, enjoy free time bombing, Dresden was perceived as a safe zone. in the former home of Martin Luther and the February 13, 1945 marked the beginning of birthplace of the Protestant Reformation. one of the most controversial events in World Lunch: On your own in Wittenberg—ask War II: 1,300 Allied aircraft used incendiary your Program Director for local restaurant bombs to burn Dresden to the ground. The recommendations. city was utterly and completely destroyed, and thousands of civilians were killed. Kurt Afternoon: A short two-hour drive through Vonnegut, himself a survivor of the air raids, scenic forests and farmlands brings you to chronicled these events in Slaughterhouse-Five. Berlin in the early evening. Your Program Director will lead you on a short vicinity walk Following the war, Dresden was rebuilt from after checking you into your hotel. the ground up. Today, the Frauenkirche, a church whose ruins stood as a stark reminder Dinner: On your own—ask your Program of the war, has been totally reconstructed, Director for local restaurant recommendations. incorporating the charred bricks of the original

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

27 Evening: You have the freedom to spend the Afternoon: After some free time to relax at rest of your evening as you wish—ask your the hotel. Or, explore the city at your own Program Director for recommendations. pace. Your Program Director will provide you with a day pass to use public transportation Day 4 Explore Berlin throughout Berlin. • Destination: Berlin Dinner: On your own—ask your Program • Included Meals: Breakfast Director for local restaurant recommendations. • Accommodations: Maritim proArte Hotel Evening: You have the freedom to spend the Berlin or similar rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Breakfast: At the hotel. Program Director for recommendations.

Morning: Enjoy an included tour of Berlin, including iconic sites like Checkpoint Charlie Day 5 Berlin • Optional Potsdam tour and the city’s bustling Gendarmenmarkt. • Destination: Berlin • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner The second-largest urban area in Europe, • Accommodations: Maritim proArte Hotel Berlin is an enormous city, but most of its Berlin or similar most iconic sites are relatively close together. Divided at the end of World War II, blockaded Breakfast: At the hotel. by the Soviets during the Cold War, riven by Morning: Free for your own discoveries—ask a cruel grey wall, and finally delivered by the your Program Director for recommendations. sledgehammers of freedom fighters, Berlin is Perhaps you’ll explore Museum Island, a once again a united city. UNESCO World Heritage Site conveniently The city’s lakes and forests provide bucolic located near the city center. retreats in an urban setting, while its divided Or, join an optional tour of nearby Potsdam. history has led to a truly unique collection of The residence of the Prussian kings until 1918, architectural styles. If you find yourself in the Potsdam is home to the Sanssouci, the former old Soviet sector of the city, keep your eyes summer palace of Frederick the Great and a open for extant Ampelmannchen, the “little UNESCO World Heritage Site. traffic light man” who adorned East German traffic lights. The Reichstag, site of the final Lunch: On your own—ask your Program defense of the Third Reich, was rebuilt after Director for local restaurant recommendations. World War II and now features an enormous Lunch is included at a local restaurant for those glass dome, emphasizing the transparency on the optional tour. and openness of the new Germany. Like so much of Berlin, the future and past are Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries—ask inextricably mixed. your Program Director for recommendations. Maybe you’d like to explore Schloss Lunch: On your own—ask your Program Charlottenburg, the largest remaining palace Director for local restaurant recommendations. in Berlin.

Following your independent explorations, you’ll rejoin your fellow travelers for a Farewell Drink at the hotel.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

28 Dinner: Enjoy an included Farewell Dinner at a Day 6 Berlin • Return to U.S. local restaurant. • Destination: Berlin Evening: You have the freedom to spend the • Included Meals: Breakfast rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Breakfast: At the hotel. Program Director for recommendations. Morning: Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

OPTIONAL TOUR

Potsdam (Day 5 $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 1-800-221-2610

29 POST-TRIP Highlights of Poland: Warsaw & Krakow

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations for 3 nights in Krakow and » Dedicated services of a local 2 nights in Warsaw Program Director » 7 meals: 5 breakfasts and 2 lunches » Gratuities for local guides and » 4 guided tours with personal motorcoach drivers headsets: Krakow • Auschwitz • » All transfers Czestochowa • Warsaw

POST-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

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 Explore Krakow • Optional Wieliczka Krakow, Poland Salt Mines tour • Destination: Krakow • Destination: Krakow • Included Meals: Lunch • Included Meals: Breakfast • Accommodations: Park Inn Krakow • Accommodations: Park Inn Krakow or similar or similar

Morning: Transfer by motorcoach to Krakow. Activity Note: Salt mine tour involves extensive walking inside caves that are not brightly lit. Lunch: At a local restaurant in Olomouc en You’ll descend into the caves by stairs that route to Krakow. may be slippery and return to ground level Afternoon: Check in to your hotel and then via elevator. explore the area with your Program Director. Breakfast: At the hotel. Dinner: On your own—ask your Program Morning: Krakow is a showcase of seven Director for local restaurant recommendations. centuries of architecture, as you’ll see during Evening: You have the freedom to spend the an included tour that spotlights the Wawel rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Royal Castle Hill, site of the cathedral where Program Director for recommendations. the former Cardinal Wojtyla (the late Pope John Paul II) once preached.

Lunch: On your own—ask your Program Director for local restaurant recommendations.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

30 Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries—ask Day 4 Krakow • Visit Czestochowa • your Program Director for recommendations. Warsaw • Optional Chopin Piano Recital Or join this afternoon’s optional tour, which with Dinner descends 250 feet underground to visit the • Destination: Krakow eleventh-century Wieliczka Salt Mines. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Dinner: On your own—ask your Program • Accommodations: Mercure Warszawa Grand Director for local restaurant recommendations. or similar

Evening: You have the freedom to spend the Breakfast: At the hotel. rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Morning: You’ll ride to Warsaw via Program Director for recommendations. Czestochowa, stopping for an included tour of the 14th-century Jasna Gora Monastery, home Day 3 Krakow • Auschwitz of the famous Black Madonna shrine. • Destination: Auschwitz Lunch: At a local restaurant. • Included Meals: Breakfast • Accommodations: Park Inn Krakow Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries or similar in Warsaw—ask your Program Director for Breakfast: At the hotel. recommendations. You may choose to visit one of the city’s many museums including Morning: Today’s tour may be an emotional the Copernicus Science Centre or the beautiful one, as you visit Oswiecim, better known to Lazienki Palace. Americans by its German name of Auschwitz. This is the location of the State Museum of Or, take in an optional piano recital, Auschwitz-Birkenau, set on the site of the featuring the works of the famous Polish largest of the World War II concentration composer Frederic Chopin, followed by an camps as a memorial to the millions of Jews, included dinner. Gypsies, and “enemies” of the Nazi regime Dinner: On your own—ask your Program who were killed here. Grand Circle Foundation Director for local restaurant recommendations. has donated to assist in the expansion of this Dinner is included if you choose to join the educational center. optional tour.

Lunch: On your own—ask your Program Evening: You have the freedom to spend the Director for local restaurant recommendations. rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries—ask Program Director for recommendations. your Program Director for recommendations. Day 5 Explore Warsaw Dinner: On your own—ask your Program • Destination: Warsaw Director for local restaurant recommendations. • Included Meals: Breakfast Evening: You have the freedom to spend the • Accommodations: Mercure Warszawa Grand rest of your evening as you wish—ask your or similar Program Director for recommendations. Breakfast: At the hotel.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

31 Morning: Explore the capital of Poland Dinner: On your own—ask your Program on today’s included city tour. Visit the Director for local restaurant recommendations. reconstructed Old Town and the Warsaw Ghetto Evening: You have the freedom to spend the Memorial in the Muranow quarter. rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Lunch: On your own—ask your Program Program Director for recommendations. Director for local restaurant recommendations.

Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries—ask Day 6 Warsaw • Return to U.S. your Program Director for recommendations. • Included Meals: Breakfast Following your independent explorations, join Breakfast: At the hotel. your fellow travelers for a Farewell Drink. Morning: Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

OPTIONAL TOURS

Wieliczka Salt Mines Chopin Piano Recital with Dinner (Day 2 $105 per person) (Day 4 $95 per person) Join an afternoon optional tour to the Wieliczka In the early evening, you can attend an optional Salt Mines—working mines that have been Chopin piano recital, enjoying the music in operation for more than seven centuries, of Poland’s best-known and most beloved producing about 700 tons of pure salt per day. musician. Finish up the evening with an These fascinating mines are considered one of included dinner following the performance. Europe’s great wonders and are protected by UNESCO as a historic 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. 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.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610

32

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TRIP:

With the planning of any vacation comes the need to research and ask questions—and even more so with international travel. We’re here to SPW[
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With all of our resources available to you, enjoy peace of mind … and look forward to the incredible discoveries that await.

33 CONTENTS

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS...... 35

RIGORS, VACCINES & GENERAL HEALTH ...... 38

MONEY MATTERS: LOCAL CURRENCY & TIPPING GUIDELINES . . . 41

Top 3 Suggestions

Local Currency

Tipping Guidelines

AIR, OPTIONAL TOURS & STAYING IN TOUCH ...... 46

PACKING: WHAT TO BRING & LUGGAGE LIMITS...... 50

CLIMATE & AVERAGE TEMPERATURES ...... 57

ABOARD YOUR SHIP: CABIN FEATURES, DINING & SERVICES . . . . 60

ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE . . . 65

Culture & Points to Know

Shopping

DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY ...... 81

RESOURCES: SUGGESTED READING & MOVIES...... 93

34 TRAVEL DOCUMENTS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Your Passport • Must be in good condition

• Must be valid for at least 6 months after your scheduled return to the U.S.

• Must have the required number of blank pages (details below)

• The blank pages must be labeled “Visas” at the top. Pages labeled “Amendments and Endorsements” are not acceptable

Need to Renew Your Passport? Contact the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) at 1-877-487-2778, or visit their website at www.travel.state.gov for information on obtaining a new passport or renewing your existing passport. You may also contact our recommended visa service company, PVS International, at 1-800-556-9990 for help with your passport.

Recommended Blank Pages Please confirm that your passport has enough blank pages for this vacation.

• Main trip only: You will need 3 blank passport pages.

• Pre- and/or post-trip extension: No additional blank pages are needed for any of the extensions.

No Visas Required Travelers with a U.S. passport do not need any visas for this vacation, including the optional trip extensions.

Traveling Without a U.S. Passport? If you are not a U.S. citizen, or if your passport is from any country other than the U.S., it is your responsibility to check with your local consulate, embassy, or a visa services company about visa requirements. We recommend the services of PVS International, a national visa service located in Washington D.C.; they can be reached at 1-800-556-9990 or www.pvsinternational.org.

Traveling With a Minor? Some governments may require certain documentation for minors to enter and depart the country or to obtain a visa (if applicable). For further detail on the required documentation, please contact your local embassy or consulate.

35 Emergency Photocopies of Key Documents We recommend you carry color photocopies of key documents including the photo page of your passport plus any applicable visas, air itinerary, credit cards (front and back), and an alternative form of ID. Add emergency phone numbers like your credit card company and the number for your travel protection plan. Store copies separate from the originals.

If you plan to email this information to yourself, please keep in mind that email is not always secure; consider using password protection or encryption. Also email is not always available worldwide. As an alternative, you could load these documents onto a flash drive instead, which can do double-duty as a place to backup photos during your trip.

Overseas Taxes & Fees This tour may have taxes and fees that cannot be included in your airline ticket price because you are required to pay them in person onsite. All taxes are subject to change without notice and can be paid in cash (either U.S. or local currency). If applicable, you will receive a list of these fees with your Final Documents.

Requirements for the Czech Republic You will need to bring additional documentation for the Czech Republic, so please read carefully.

According to the U.S. State Department and Czech Embassy, all foreign tourists must be able to provide proof of medical coverage, if asked. Not all travelers will be asked—in fact, most travelers won’t—and even some local officials are unaware of this rule. But occasionally, travelers are asked at passport control in Prague or by medical personnel. And if that happens to you, we want you to be prepared.

Specifically, you must be able to show proof of coverage that meets these requirements:

• Be for a minimum of 30,000 Euros (about $37,000 US dollars at the time of writing).

• Cover possible medical expenses and hospitalization charges while traveling.

• Be valid in Schengen countries like the Czech Republic. Schengen countries are the European Union countries that have signed the Schengen Agreement—for example, Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, etc.

• Include evacuation or repatriation coverage—it must cover the cost of getting you back home if you need to return for medical reasons.

The good news is that our Travel Protection Plan DOES meet these requirements. So what type of documentation you should bring depends on if you purchased Travel Protection with us or not.

36 If you purchased our Travel Protection Plan: All you’ll need to bring is a copy of the coverage from our plan provider. You can download and print a copy of your coverage for this purpose. Go online to www.gct.com/tpp or oattravel.com/tpp, and follow the links to the plan provider’s website. This will redirect you to where you can print a copy of your coverage. TIP: In our experience, the page from Part B with the schedule of benefits is usually enough to satisfy local officials.

If you did not purchase Travel Protection with us: You will need to bring some other form of proof of coverage. If your own health insurance meets the requirements above, contact your insurer for a letter stating that you are covered. A certificate of coverage or proof of purchase from a private insurer or another Travel Protection Plan will also suffice, as long as the requirements listed above are met. However, Medicare cards are not acceptable, since Medicare does not cover medical expenses abroad.

37 RIGORS, VACCINES & GENERAL HEALTH

Keep Your Abilities in Mind Please review the information below prior to departing on this vacation. We reserve the right for our Program Directors to modify participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home if their limitations are impacting the group’s experience.

GROUP SIZE • This trip has a group size of 38-45 travelers with our local Program Director exclusive to Grand Circle

PACING • 14 days, with 10 nights aboard our privately owned 162-Passenger M/S River Aria or M/S River Adagio, 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 • Included features on your trip may consist of 3-4 hours of physical activity each day. Travelers should be able to walk 1-3 miles unassisted within a time frame of 1-2 hours, and walk on uneven surfaces, including steep and unpaved paths, hills, riverbanks, 25-50 stairs without handrails, and cobblestones, which can be slick in wet or colder conditions

• Optional activities and elective walks may be offered in addition to the activity levels above

• 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 throughout the trip

• 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 50-90°F during cruising season

38 • June-August are the warmest months, where temperatures can climb above 90°F

• March and November weather can be unpredictable and change quickly

Health Check Feeling healthy and confident of your mobility is essential to fully enjoy your trip abroad. If you have ongoing medical conditions or concerns about your health, we highly recommend that you schedule a checkup with your personal physician at least six weeks in advance of your departure date.

• Discuss with your doctor any aspects of your itinerary that may affect your health and be guided by his or her advice. (You can use the “Keep Your Abilities in Mind” on the previous page as a guideline to discuss with him or her.)

• You may want to have a dental exam before your trip. A loose filling or developing cavity would be difficult to remedy while you are traveling.

• If you have a condition that requires special equipment or treatment, you must bring and be responsible for all necessary items related to your condition.

Vaccine Required

COVID-19 Grand Circle Cruise Line requires that all travelers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and are able provide proof of their vaccination upon arrival at their destination. A full vaccination is defined as having been inoculated at least 14 days prior to departure by an approved vaccine. This requirement is not contingent on the countries the tour visits, but a strict company policy due to the nature of the pandemic.

Traveling with Medications • Pack medications in your carry-on bag to avoid loss and to have them handy.

• Keep medicines in their original, labeled containers for a quicker security screen at the airport and a better experience if you get stopped by customs while overseas.

• Bring copies of your prescriptions, written using the generic drug name rather than a brand name to be prepared for any unforeseen loss of your medications.

We recommend checking with the State Department for medication restrictions by country: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel- Country-Information-Pages.html. (Pick the country and then follow the links to “Local Laws & Special Circumstances”; if you don’t see any medications specifically mentioned, then you can presume major U.S. brands should be OK).

39 Staying Healthy on Your Trip Jet Lag Tips

• Start your trip well-rested.

• Begin a gradual transition to your new time zone before you leave or switch to your destination time zone when you get on the plane.

• Attempt to sleep and eat according to the new schedule.

• Avoid heavy eating and drinking caffeine or alcoholic beverages right before–and during– your flight.

• Drink plenty of water and/or fruit juice while flying

• Stretch your legs, neck, and back periodically while seated on the plane.

• After arrival, avoid the temptation to nap.

• Don’t push yourself to see a lot on your first day.

• Try to stay awake your first day until after dinner.

Allergies

If you have any serious allergies or dietary restrictions, we advise you to notify us at least 30 days prior to your departure. Please call our Traveler Support team at 1-800-321-2835, and we will communicate them to our regional office. Every effort will be made to accommodate you.

Water • Tap water aboard ship and in the countries you’ll visit is perfectly safe for drinking, although it may not taste the same as at home.

• If you prefer bottled water it is usually for sale in hotels, food shops, and restaurants.

• Another alternative is to bring a reusable water bottle from home, which you can fill up on the ship or in your hotel before you set out for the day.

40 MONEY MATTERS: LOCAL CURRENCY & TIPPING GUIDELINES

Top Three Tips • Carry a mix of different types of payments, such as local currency, an ATM card, and a credit card.

• Traveler’s checks are not recommended. They can be difficult to exchange and the commission fee for cashing them is quite high. It’s more practical to view them as a last resort in the event of a special situation.

• You will not be able to pay with U.S. dollars on this trip.

Local Currency For current exchange rates, please refer to an online converter tool like www.xe.com/ currencyconverter, your bank, or the financial section of your newspaper.

Euro Countries The euro is the official currency in many member countries of the European Union. Unless otherwise listed, the countries you will be visiting will use the euro. Euro banknote and coin denominations are as follows:

• Banknotes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 euros

• Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents; 1 and 2 euros

Czech Republic Czech legal tender is the Czech crown or koruna (CZK pr Kr.), divided into 100 hellers. Banknote and coin denominations are as follows:

• Banknotes: 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, and 5000 CZK

• Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 CZK

Note that coinage below the crown (i.e. hellers) as well as the 50 CZK note are no longer in circulation. Prices given in CZK and hellers – i.e. Kr. 36.70 – will be rounded to the nearest crown. Although some establishments will accept euros, the exchange rates are usually not favorable, and any change will be in Czech crowns. If possible, use local currency or credit/debit cards.

Hungary The official currency of Hungary is the forint (ft), made up of 100 fillers. Banknote and coin denominations are as follows:

• Banknotes: 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000, and 20,000 forints

• Coins: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 forints

41 Note: Banknotes of all denominations are printed in the same size and they are sometimes similar in color. It’s very easy, therefore, to mistake one bill for another. Please pay attention to the numerical value of each bill in your hand every time you make a cash transaction.

Poland The Polish monetary unit is the zloty, which is divided into 100 groszy. Banknote and coin denominations are as follows:

• Banknotes: 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 zloty

• Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 groszy; 1, 2, and 5 zloty

How to Exchange Money If you want to exchange money before your trip, you can usually do so through your bank or at an exchange office. Your departure airport in the U.S., a travel agent, or an AAA office are also possible outlets. Or you can wait and change money on the trip instead—but it might be helpful to arrive with some local currency in case you run into a bank holiday or an “out of order” ATM.

On your trip, the easiest way is to withdraw funds from a local ATM. The ATM will give you local money and your bank at home will convert that into U.S. dollars.

You can also exchange cash at some hotels, large post offices, and money exchange offices. To exchange cash, you’ll usually need your passport and bills in good condition (not worn, torn, or dirty). New bills (post 2004) are best.

Please note that many banks in Europe will only exchange money for their own customers. One exception is in the Czech Republic, where it is more economical to try a bank first. Never exchange money on the street. All exchange methods involve fees, which may be built into the conversion rate; ask beforehand.

ATMs When using the ATM, keep in mind that it may only accept cards from local banks, and may not allow cash advances on credit cards; you might need to try more than one ATM or more than one card.

Many banks charge a fee of $1-$5 each time you use a foreign ATM. Others may charge you a percentage of the amount you withdraw. We recommend that you check with your bank before you depart.

Lastly, don’t forget to memorize the actual digits of your card’s PIN number (many keypads at foreign ATMs do not include letters on their keys—they only display numbers.)

Austria: ATMs are widely available throughout Austria.

Czech Republic: ATMs are widely available in large cities and small towns.

Germany: ATMs are readily available throughout Germany.

42 Hungary: ATMs are available throughout large cities and small towns in Hungary.

Slovakia: ATMs are available throughout large cities and small towns in Slovakia.

Poland: ATMs are widely available throughout larger cities and small towns in Poland.

Credit & Debit Cards Even if you don’t plan on using a credit card during your trip, we still suggest that you bring one or two as a backup, especially if you are planning a large purchase (artwork, jewelry). We also suggest that you bring more than one brand of card (i.e. Visa, MasterCard, American Express) if possible, because not every shop will take every card. For example, although the Discover card is accepted in some countries outside the U.S., it is not widely adopted, so other brands will work at a much larger range of stores, restaurants, etc.

Austria: Credit and debit cards are readily accepted in most places in Austria.

Czech Republic: Credit and debits cards are widely accepted in the Czech Republic.

Germany: Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in Germany.

Hungary: Credit and debit cards are widely accepted.

Slovakia: Credit and debit card use is common in Slovakia.

Poland: Credit and debit card use is common in Poland.

Using Your Credit Card in Europe By now most of us are used to the new credit cards with the embedded computer chip (the ones you insert instead of swiping). But in Europe—where they’ve had this type of card longer than us—these credit cards usually require a PIN (personal identification number) to make a purchase. And in contrast, most U.S. credit cards either do not require a PIN or don’t have one. So what do you do if you want make a purchase with your credit card in Europe?

Don’t worry. 90% of the time you won’t need to do anything special. You’ll insert your card and the purchase will go through as normal. Often you won’t even be asked to sign anything.

But bring more than one form of payment with you. For those rare cases when your credit card doesn’t work, the best plan is to already have a backup form of payment with you. Debit cards are a good alternative as they have a PIN. And there’s always cash.

Consider asking your credit card company. You can try contacting your credit card company before you leave to see if they will issue you a PIN. Many won’t—but at least you’ll know. You could also try looking at their website to see if they have guidance about getting a PIN.

43 Notify Card Providers of Upcoming Travel Many credit card companies and banks have fraud alert departments that will freeze your card if they see suspicious charges—such as charges or withdrawals from another country. To avoid an accidental security block, it is a good idea to notify your credit card company and/or bank you will be using your cards abroad. You can do this by calling their customer service number a week or two before your departure. Some banks or credit card companies will also let you do this online.

You should also double-check what phone number you could call if you have a problem with a card while you are abroad. Don’t assume you can use the 1-800 number printed on the back of your card—most 1 800 numbers don’t work outside of the U.S.!

Onboard Ship

Two Separate Bills Will be Issued • Shipboard account: This bill is for any on board purchases (drinks, souvenirs, etc.) and is calculated in Euros. The bill is payable at the ship’s front desk; we accept cash or credit/ debit card only. For cash we accept Euros. For credit/debit cards, we accept MasterCard and Visa. Other forms of payment, such as checks, American Express, and Discover Card are not accepted for this bill.

• Optional tour account: This bill is for any optional tours taken during the trip and is calculated in U.S. dollars. The bill is paid at the ship’s front desk (they will have you fill out a form) by credit/debit card only; other forms of payments such as cash and checks are not accepted. For more information on optional tours—including which cards we accept for payment—see the “Preparing for Your Trip” chapter.

Please note: Payments made by credit card may take up to three months to process. We ask that you use a credit card that will not expire until three months after your trip ends. Because our headquarters are in Boston, the charges may appear to be from Boston or might be labeled as “OPT Boston” (depending on your credit card company).

Exchange Services: Policy Update Due to international banking laws, we are not able to exchange money onboard the ship. If you need to obtain local currency, please see the “How to Exchange Money” section for helpful tips and information.

Tipping Guidelines Of course, whether you tip, and how much, is always at your own discretion. For those of you who have asked for tipping suggestions, we offer these guidelines. All tips below are quoted in U.S. dollars; tips can be converted and paid in local currency (this is usually preferred) or in U.S. dollars. Do not use personal or traveler’s check for tips.

44 • GCCL Program Director: It is customary to express a personal “thank you” to your Grand Circle Program Director at the end of your trip. As a guideline, many travelers give $5-$8 USD (or equivalent in local currency) per person for each day their Program Director is with them. Please note that tips for your Program Director can only be in the form of cash. If you are taking any of the optional extensions, your Program Director during the extension(s) may not be the same as the one on your main trip.

• Shipboard Crew: We recommend a flat tip of $10-$12 U.S. per traveler, per day. You’ll give this tip once—at the end of your cruise—and it will be pooled among the entire cruise staff. Policy Update: Due to international banking laws, we are no longer able to process crew tips on a credit card; crew tips can only be in the form of cash.

• Housekeeping Staff at Hotels: We recommend $1 per traveler, per day. (This is for hotels only; on the ship Housekeeping are part of crew, so you don’t need to tip them separately.)

• Included in Your Trip Price: Gratuities are included for local guides and motorcoach drivers on your main trip, extensions, and all optional tours.

Time at Leisure

When you are exploring on your own, it’s useful to know when to tip and how much, because local customs often differ from the U.S. Here are a few helpful guidelines for the most common services a traveler might use:

• Taxis: In many cities the tip is included in the fare, and will be announced on a sign inside the cab; otherwise a 10% tip is appropriate.

• Restaurants, cafes, and bars: A service charge is usually included in restaurant and bar bills. If not, it is customary to leave a tip of around 10% of the bill for your waiter or bartender.

• Public restrooms: Most public restrooms in Europe have attendants that take care of cleaning and supplies. It is customary to leave a small tip for them—usually 2 zlotys in Poland, 10 crowns in the Czech Republic or half a euro elsewhere—so hold on to those coins! Some restrooms are pay-toilets; you pay the staff at the entrance to the restroom or drop the appropriate coin into the slot on the stall door. In this case, the fee is set and no tip is needed. U.S. dollars are usually not accepted for this fee, so bring small change in the local currency with you to the restroom just in case.

Suggestion: In Austria and Slovakia it is best to tip in euros, but in Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland, it is acceptable (and welcomed) to tip in U.S. dollars. You might want to bring a supply of U.S. $1 bills for tipping purposes.

45 AIR, OPTIONAL TOURS & STAYING IN TOUCH

Land Only Travelers & Personalized Air

Quick Definitions • Land Only: You will be booking your own international flights. Airport transfers are not included.

• Air-Inclusive: You booked international air with us. Airport transfers are included as long as you didn’t customize your trip’s dates (see next bullet).

• Personalized Air: You booked international air with us, and have customized it in some way. If you have customized your trip’s dates to arrive early, stay longer, or stop on your own in a connecting city, airport transfers will NOT be included. You must also arrange your own accommodations for any additional nights. For your convenience, a preliminary list of your included hotels is available on your My Account at www.gct.com/myaccount under “My Reservations”.

Airport Transfers Can Be Purchased For eligible flights, airport transfers may be purchased separately as an optional add-on, subject to availability. To be eligible, your flight(s) must meet the following requirements:

• You must fly into or fly home from the same airport as Grand Circle travelers who purchased included airfare.

• Your flight(s) must arrive/depart on the same day that the group arrives or departs.

Airport transfers can be purchased up to 45 days prior to your departure; they are not available for purchase onsite. To learn more, or purchase airport transfers, please call our Traveler Support team at 1-800-321-2835.

If you don’t meet the requirements above, you’ll need to make your own transfer arrangements. We suggest the Rome to Rio website as a handy resource: www.rome2rio.com.

Arrival Time If you are booking your own international airfare or have personalized your flights, we recommend that you choose flights that arrive by 2pm on Day 2 of your trip (or pre-trip extension, if you are taking one) if you are interested in joining your Program Director for an orientation walk in the vicinity of your hotel.

Air Inclusive Travelers If you have purchased international air with Grand Circle Cruise Line, there are some points that may be helpful for you to know.

46 • U.S. Departure: If you are among a group of ten or more GCCL travelers who depart the U.S. from your international gateway city, it is our goal to have a GCCL Representative assist you at the U.S. airport with the check-in of your flight. Unless there are extenuating circumstances beyond our control, the Representative will be at the check-in counter three hours before your departure time. If you are flying domestically before your international flight, the representative will be stationed at the check-in counter for your departing international flight, not at the domestic arrival gate.

• Arrival in Europe: Once you arrive overseas, you’ll need to collect your luggage and clear customs. A Grand Circle representative will meet you outside of customs and assist you with your transfer to the hotel or ship. Important note on porters: Airport porters are NOT allowed in the baggage claim area. On arrival, you must take your luggage off the baggage carousel and load it onto a cart, which you will then move through customs. When you exit customs, you’ll handle your cart until reaching your transfer vehicle. Your driver will load your luggage into the transfer vehicle.

• U.S. Return: If you are among a group of ten or more GCCL travelers who return to the same U.S. gateway city, a GCCL Representative will meet you as you exit Customs and help you find taxis, buses, hotel accommodations, or connecting flights. Again, it is our goal to have our GCCL Representative waiting to assist your group. In rare instances, unforeseen circumstances may prevent this service.

• Flying with a Travel Companion: If you’re traveling with a companion from a different household, and both of you are beginning and ending your trip at the same airport on the same dates, let us know you’d like to travel together and we’ll make every effort to arrange this (please note, however, that this is not always possible). If you request any changes to your flights, please be sure that both you and your companion tell us that you still want to fly together.

Optional Tours Optional tours are additional add-on tours that allow you to personalize your vacation by tailoring it to your tastes and needs. And if you decide not to join an optional tour? Then you’ll have free time to relax or explore on your own—it’s about options, not obligations.

What You Need to Know • All optional tours are subject to change and availability.

• Optional tours that are reserved onsite can be paid for using credit/debit cards only. We accept MasterCard and Visa on all trips, and Discover on all trips except river cruises in France. We can also take MasterCard or Visa debit cards as long as the card allows you to sign for purchases. (You won’t be able to enter a PIN.) We do not take Amex, cash, or checks for optional tours.

47 • To ensure that you are charged in U.S. dollars, your payment will be processed by our U.S. headquarters in Boston. This process can take up to three months, so we ask that you only use a card that will still be valid three months after your trip is over. The charge may appear on your credit card statement as being from Boston, MA or may be labeled as “OPT Boston”.

• We will give you details on the optional tours while you’re on the trip. But if you’d like to look over descriptions of them earlier, you can do so at any time by referring to your Day- to-Day Itinerary (available online by signing into My Account at www.gct.com/myaccount).

Communicating with Home from Abroad

Cell Phones If you want to use your cell phone on the trip, check with your phone provider to see if your phone and service will work outside of the U.S. It may turn out to be cheaper to rent an international phone or buy a SIM card onsite. If you want to use a local SIM, just make certain your phone is “unlocked”, meaning it can accept a local SIM card. If your cell is “unlocked” then you will be able to purchase a local SIM for it and then buy minutes with “Pay as You Go” cards, so that you have a local contact number for your friends and family.

Calling Apps Another option is to use a smartphone app like Skype or FaceTime. These services are usually less expensive than making a traditional call, but you’ll need a Wi-Fi connection and the calls may count towards your phone plan’s data allowance. Many smartphones—and some tablets or laptops—come with one of these apps pre-installed or you can download them for free from the appropriate apps store.

Calling Cards & 1-800 Numbers When calling the U.S. from a foreign country, a prepaid calling card can be useful because it circumvents unexpected charges from the hotel. Calling cards purchased locally are typically the best (less expensive, more likely to work with the local phones, etc.). One reminder: Do not call U.S. 1-800 numbers outside the continental United States. This can result in costly long distance fees, since 1-800 numbers do not work outside the country.

Internet Access and Email Internet cafés are available in many of the cities you visit on your Cruise Tour; however it prices for use may vary. While sailing Internet access may be unavailable, depending on locks, bridges, and regional remoteness. Internet access will be most consistently available when the ship is docked in larger cities.

48 Receiving Calls from Home To ensure you are available during your trip to friends and relatives at home, you will receive two copies of your hotel list, including phone numbers, with your Final Documents. One copy is for you to bring, and one is to leave behind with friends or relatives in case they need to contact you during the trip.

How to Call Overseas When calling overseas from the U.S., dial 011 for international exchange, then the country code (indicated by a plus sign: +), and then the number. Note that foreign phone numbers may not have the same number of digits as U.S. numbers; even within a country the number of digits can vary depending on the city and if the phone is a land line or cell phone.

Austria: +43 Hungary: +36

Czech Republic: +420 Slovakia: +421

Germany: +49 Poland: +48

49 PACKING: WHAT TO BRING & LUGGAGE LIMITS

Luggage Limits

MAIN TRIP LIMITS

Pieces per person One checked bag and one carry-on bag per person.

Weight restrictions Varies by airline. The current standard is 50 lbs for checked bags and 15 lbs for carry-on bags.

Size Restrictions Varies by airline. Measured in linear inches (length+width+depth). Generally, 62 linear inches is the checked bag limit; carry-on limit is 45 linear inches.

Luggage Type A sturdy, fabric-sided suitcase with built-in wheels and lockable zippers is recommended.

TRIP EXTENSION(S) LIMITS

Same as the main trip.

REMARKS/SUGGESTIONS

One suitcase and one carry-on bag per person: Due to the space limitations on bus transfers, you’ll be restricted to one suitcase and one carry-on bag per person. This is to ensure that we have room for everyone’s luggage. We ask that you abide by this limit to avoid inconveniencing your fellow travelers and prevent additional airlines luggage fees (which are your responsibility). Most airlines now charge to check more than one suitcase per person for flights to Europe and other international flights.

Luggage rules: Luggage rules and limits are set by governmental and airline policy. Enforcement of the rules may include spot checks or may be inconsistent. However one thing is the same across the board: If you are found to have oversized or overweight luggage, you will be subject to additional fees, to be assessed by—and paid to—the airline in question.

Don’t Forget: • These luggage limits may change. If the airline(s) notify us of any changes, we will include an update in your Final Documents booklet.

50 • It’s a good idea to reconfirm baggage restrictions and fees directly with the airline a week or so prior to departure. For your convenience, we maintain a list of the toll-free numbers for the most common airlines on our website in the FAQ section.

• Baggage fees are not included in your trip price; they are payable directly to the airlines.

Your Luggage • Checked Luggage: Consider a duffel bag or soft-sided suitcase. Look for one with heavy nylon fabric, wrap-around handles, built-in wheels, and a heavy duty lockable zipper. Due to space limitations on our motorcoaches, you are allowed one piece of checked luggage per person. Porterage at airports and hotels is provided for one bag per person. All bags should have luggage tags.

• Carry-on Bag: You are allowed one carry-on bag per person. We suggest a tote or small backpack that can be used as both a carry-on bag for your flight and to carry your daily necessities—water bottle, camera, etc—during your daily activities.

• Locks: For flights that originate in the U.S., you can either use a TSA-approved lock or leave your luggage unlocked. Outside of the U.S. we strongly recommend locking your luggage as a theft-prevention measure.

Clothing Suggestions: Functional Tips • Travel light: A good rule of thumb is to gather together everything you want to bring; then take half of that. To have a varied travel wardrobe, yet keep your luggage light, we recommend you select a color scheme and pack color-coordinated clothing items that can be mixed to create different outfits.

• Pack casual clothes: Comfortable, informal apparel is acceptable at each of your destinations. At dinner, you will not need to don “dressy” clothing; men do not need jackets or ties and women do not need fancy dresses. You may want one or two “smart casual” outfits for the Welcome Reception or Farewell Dinner, but it’s completely up to you.

• Consider clothing designed for travel, sports, or camping: With modern fabrics, lightweight packing for comfort and protection through a wide range of weather is easy.

• Plan to dress in layers on shore excursions. Be prepared for a variety of weather conditions: warm days with sun, chilly temperatures with showers, and evenings that could dip into the 40s or 50s, depending on your travel season.

• Bring rain gear: Regardless of your month of travel, rainfall is certainly a possibility. We suggest you bring a folding umbrella and waterproof shell. Water-resistant walking shoes are advantageous in case heavy downpours pass through.

51 • Good walking shoes are critical. This program features many included tours that follow steep, unpaved or cobbled routes; and even an average day of light sightseeing or shopping can put great demands on your feet. If you prefer more ankle support, take light hiking boots. In case you get caught in the rain, we suggest you bring an extra pair of walking shoes, and rain boots or galoshes. Aboard ship, you’ll want non-slip shoes with rubber soles.

• Day excursions: On days that include full or half-day bus excursions, please remember to bring drinking water and any needed medications with you.

What to Bring We have included suggestions from former travelers to help you pack. These lists are only jumping-off points—they offer recommendations based on experience, but not requirements. You may also want to consult the “Climate” chapter of this handbook.

Your cabin already has: Shampoo, conditioner, hair dryer, soap, body lotion, shower cap, and towels. And don’t forget a reusable water bottle—you’ll need it to take advantage of any refills we offer as we are working to eliminate single-use plastic bottles on all of our trips.

Recommended Clothing ‰Shirts: A mixture of short and long-sleeved shirts to layer ‰Trousers, jeans, or skirts ‰Comfortable walking shoes and/or water resistant shoes ‰Light rain jacket/windbreaker with hood ‰Sleepwear ‰Socks and undergarments ‰A jacket or sweater, depending on the time of year

Essential Items ‰Daily essentials: toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, hairbrush or comb, shaving items, deodorant, etc.

‰Spare eyeglasses/contact lenses and your prescription ‰Sunglasses with a neck strap ‰Sunscreen, SPF 15 or stronger ‰Travel money bag or money belt

52 ‰Moisturizer, lip balm ‰Wide-brim sun hat or visor ‰Pocket-size tissues ‰Moist towelettes (packets) and/or anti-bacterial hand lotion ‰Light folding umbrella ‰Photocopies of passport, air ticket, credit cards ‰Camera, spare batteries, and memory cards

Medicines ‰Your own prescription medicines ‰Vitamins ‰Cold remedies: Sudafed/Dristan ‰Pain relievers: Ibuprofen/naproxen/aspirin ‰Laxatives: Senokot/Ex-Lax ‰Stomach upset: Pepto-Bismol/Mylanta ‰Anti-diarrheal: Imodium ‰Band-Aids, Moleskin foot pads ‰Antibiotics: Neosporin/Bacitracin

Optional Gear ‰Travel alarm ‰Compact binoculars ‰Hanging toiletry bag with pockets ‰Washcloth ‰Travel-size tissues ‰Basic sewing kit

53 ‰Hand-wash laundry soap (Woolite), clothespins/travel clothesline/stopper ‰Electrical transformer and plug adapter–see “Regional Electricity” section. ‰Reading materials ‰Travel journal/note pad ‰Swimsuit, if your ship/hotel has a pool or whirlpool ‰Addresses for postcards ‰Photos, small gift for Home-Hosted visit ‰Phrase book ‰Pocket-size calculator for exchange rates ‰Insect repellant ‰For hotel stays: Many hotels will provide hair dryers, but not all. If a hair dryer is essential to you consider a travel-size version. Hair dryers are provided on your ship.

Electricity When traveling overseas, the voltage is usually different and the plugs might not be the same shape.

Voltage Aboard the ship, cabins are equipped with 220-volt outlets. In your bathroom you will find a 110- volt outlet; this outlet is only for low-voltage appliances, like electric shavers. (Your bathroom also comes equipped with a hair dryer).

Electricity in the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland is 220-240 volts. In the U.S. it is 110 volts. Most of the things a traveler will want to plug in—battery chargers, MP3 players, tablets or computers—can run off both 110 and 220-240. But you should check the item or the owner’s guide first to confirm this before you plug it in. If you have something that needs 110 volts—like a shaver or a hairdryer—you can bring a transformer to change the current. (But transformers tend to burn out, so it might be better to leave whatever it is at home.)

54 Plugs The shape of plugs will vary from country to country. To plug something from the U.S. into a local socket you’ll need an adapter that fits between the plug and the socket. Different plug shapes are named by letters of the alphabet. Standard U.S. plugs are Type A and Type B; standard European plugs are Type C, E, and F. Of the three, a Type C adapter is the most useful as it fits into Type E and F sockets. Type C is usually what is sold in stores as a European adapter.

Aboard ship, the plugs in your cabin bedroom are Type F. The 110V socket in your cabin bathroom takes U.S. plugs, but not polarized ones (where one prong is bigger than the other). Previous travelers have mentioned this because some small appliances, like Waterpiks, have polarized plugs.

Note that even though you’ll only need the European plug adapter on this trip, it may be easier to purchase an all-in-one, universal adapter/converter combo. Versatile and lightweight, these can usually be found at your local electronics goods or hardware stores. Sometimes you can buy them at large retailers too, like Target or Walmart. If you forget to bring an adapter, you might also find them for sale at the airport when you arrive at your destination.

For your reference, here is the list of plugs for the countries on this trip:

Austria: C and/or F

Czech Republic: C

Germany: C and/or F

Hungary: C

Slovakia: C

55 Poland: C and E

Type C Type E Type F

56 CLIMATE & AVERAGE TEMPERATURES

Czech Republic: In spring, variable weather reigns: some years it’s warm, in others it’s cool. Summer days are typically very warm, though there may still be some brisk days. Temperatures start to fall in early autumn, and winter weather begins settling in by early November. In general, you can expect average spring temperatures in the low 60s, summer in the 70s, and fall in the 50s. However, if you’re traveling in July or August, be prepared for heat waves that can spike the temperatures up past the average and into the 90s.

Austria: Austria has a central European climate: variable weather reigns, and rain and drizzle are common occurrences year-round. Spring weather is moderate, with intermittent sun and showers; afternoons in early spring average about 60° F and about 70° later in the season. Summers are typically sunny and warm, though you should be prepared for a few cloudy and wet days. Evenings, too, can get quite chilly. Autumn weather with some drizzle comes early to this region of the world, so by November it can be on the brisk side, with daytime temperatures in the mid to high 40s, and evenings that dip into the 30s.

Slovakia: Because of Slovakia’s landlocked position, seasonal extremes are common without the curbing effects from the Atlantic Ocean. This means that summer can be extremely hot while winter weather can bring bitterly cold temperatures. Weather can fluctuate more during spring and fall, with some days on the cool side but with the occasional warm day. By the end of October, temperatures have started to drop and the evenings are chilly.

Hungary: Hungary is completely landlocked, and its inland position cuts it off from the moderating influence of the Atlantic Ocean. Consequently, seasonal weather is more prone to extremes. Summers can be very hot and winters absolutely frigid. If you’re traveling during the peak of summer, be prepared for some high temperatures, though it could also be comfortable and pleasant. As fall approaches, some days may be on the cool side, but stints of warm weather still occur. By late October, the air is usually brisk and evenings are chilly.

Berlin, Germany: Summer in Berlin, between May and August, is pleasantly warm with lots of sunshine July and August, the hottest months, are also unpredictable – with the possibility of going from sunny to rainy very quickly. Winters can be quite cold and damp although extreme weather is rare. Snow, however, is common and days can be cold, clear, and frosty.

Poland: Poland has a long border with the Czech and Slovak Republics in the south and a coastline on the Baltic Sea in the north. Most of Poland has a very similar climate and the same sequence of weather throughout the year. Winter cold increases towards the east and in the southern mountains, while the coastlands of the Baltic Sea have slightly milder winters and cooler summers. Precipitation is well distributed around the year with a summer maximum of rain, often heavy and accompanied by thunder. Much of the winter precipitation is snow. Summer temperatures do not differ very much over the country. It rarely gets excessively hot but fine, sunny spells of weather and occasional droughts occur. Winters are distinctly cold and the length of really cold spells varies considerably from year to year.

57 Traveling in Summer? Expect Heat Waves We’d like to call out that the last few summers in this region have been extremely hot, with average temperatures in the mid-80s and prolonged heat waves in the 90-100 degree range. If you are traveling in the summer, know that we may need to adjust our daily activities to avoid the hottest parts of day and that many shops, restaurants, etc. do not have air conditioning.

Weather Conditions and River Depths Throughout the river cruise season, weather conditions affect river depths, and water levels may require adjustments to your itinerary. When river depths rise or fall during your River Cruise, we will be required to adjust your itinerary for your safety and to adhere to the current governmental and nautical requirements. Though we strive to adhere to our planned itinerary, we may not always be able to follow it exactly as planned. Therefore the sequence of ports visited and the days on which included features and optional tours occur may vary.

Climate Averages & Online Forecast The following charts reflect the average climate as opposed to exact weather conditions. This means they serve only as general indicators of what can reasonably be expected. An extreme heat wave or cold snap could fall outside these ranges. As your departure approaches, we encourage you to go online to www.gct.com/myaccount for your 10-day forecast.

Average Daily High/Low Temperatures (°F), Humidity & Monthly Rainfall

MONTH PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC VIENNA, AUSTRIA

Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall JAN 34 to 24 91 to 84 15 39 to 31 84 to 75 1 FEB 36 to 25 92 to 76 12 43 to 33 82 to 68 2 MAR 46 to 32 89 to 63 16 50 to 38 81 to 62 4 APR 54 to 36 83 to 51 16 61 to 46 76 to 54 2 MAY 64 to 45 79 to 53 17 70 to 55 76 to 54 7 JUN 69 to 51 80 to 55 17 75 to 59 76 to 57 4 JUL 72 to 54 81 to 54 18 80 to 63 76 to 54 7 AUG 73 to 53 85 to 53 16 80 to 64 78 to 54 5 SEP 65 to 48 90 to 60 15 70 to 57 84 to 61 5 OCT 54 to 39 91 to 68 16 60 to 48 86 to 65 2 NOV 41 to 32 91 to 83 17 47 to 39 86 to 75 3 DEC 36 to 28 90 to 85 14 40 to 33 85 to 78 2

58 MONTH BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

Temp. High-Low % Relative Average #of Days Temp High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall JAN 36 to 26 87 to 79 13 36 to 25 86 to 77 7 FEB 40 to 28 88 to 72 11 40 to 27 85 to 68 6 MAR 51 to 35 85 to 58 15 51 to 35 81 to 57 6 APR 60 to 40 78 to 50 14 60 to 41 75 to 51 7 MAY 69 to 49 77 to 52 14 70 to 51 73 to 51 8 JUN 75 to 55 76 to 53 15 75 to 56 72 to 51 8 JUL 79 to 58 75 to 49 15 79 to 59 76 to 48 7 AUG 79 to 57 80 to 50 12 79 to 59 76 to 48 7 SEP 71 to 51 85 to 56 14 71 to 52 82 to 52 5 OCT 59 to 42 89 to 64 15 59 to 43 86 to 60 5 NOV 45 to 34 88 to 77 16 45 to 34 87 to 75 8 DEC 38 to 30 86 to 80 14 38 to 28 86 to 79 8

MONTH BERLIN, GERMANY WARSAW, POLAND

Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall JAN 35 to 26 89 to 83 23 33 to 24 88 to 84 15 FEB 39 to 27 90 to 76 18 34 to 24 89 to 79 13 MAR 47 to 33 88 to 64 20 44 to 31 88 to 67 15 APR 54 to 37 84 to 54 16 54 to 37 83 to 58 15 MAY 65 to 45 78 to 50 15 65 to 47 79 to 56 15 JUN 70 to 53 79 to 55 19 70 to 52 80 to 60 16 JUL 73 to 56 80 to 53 18 73 to 55 83 to 60 15 AUG 73 to 55 84 to 54 17 73 to 54 86 to 58 13 SEP 66 to 50 89 to 59 17 64 to 47 91 to 66 14 OCT 56 to 42 90 to 71 17 54 to 40 92 to 75 15 NOV 45 to 35 89 to 81 22 42 to 33 91 to 85 16 DEC 38 to 30 89 to 86 23 36 to 27 90 to 87 15

59 ABOARD YOUR SHIP: CABIN FEATURES, DINING & SERVICES ON BOARD

Our River Ships Our private fleet of custom-built river ships—with designs incorporating suggestions from Grand Circle Cruise Line travelers—offers a host of amenities to make you feel right at home. Each ship is designed to carry a moderate number of travelers, ensuring an intimate shipboard atmosphere, plus the ease of maneuverability that’s so important when entering small river ports. Amenities on each ship include a restaurant with panoramic windows and wraparound promenade, sun deck with lounge chairs, a whirlpool, library, sauna, bar, lounge, dance floor, and small souvenir shop.

By owning our ships, we can assure that you’ll be sharing this unique travel experience with only like-minded Grand Circle Cruise Line travelers. You’ll find your ship to be an intimate haven that’s especially conducive to camaraderie. We’ll all be together for the joint celebrations, such as the Welcome Cocktail Party, where you’ll experience the gala ambiance of a larger group. At other times, such as when we venture ashore, we’ll break into smaller groups with individual Program Directors to allow for more intimate and personal discoveries.

Included features of all Grand Circle Cruise Line European river ship cabins:

• A layout of at least 150 square feet

• All outside cabins

• Individual climate control (heat and air conditioning)

• Twin beds that ship staff convert into a daytime couch

• Storage space under beds of 57 inches x 22.8 inches x 11.8 inches (length + width + height)

• Sufficient closet and dresser space

• Color TV, including CNN programming and a bow camera for ship-front views

• Direct-dial international telephone

• Hair dryer

• Desk

• Private bath with shower

Cabins on the Serenade deck have small balconies with sliding doors; those on the Sonata deck have large picture windows; cabins on the Cantata deck have two picture windows, and Prelude Deck cabins have a square window, placed high in the cabin. For safety reasons, cabin windows do not open.

60 An important word: While our fleet features larger-than-usual riverboat cabins, please keep in mind that these ships are river vessels, not large ocean cruise ships. Riverboat cabins, in comparison, are relatively small, and ship amenities, in general, are comfortable but not lavish.

Cabin Assignments You will receive confirmation of your deck and/or cabin category upfront in writing; it will be on your invoice and online in My Account at www.gct.com/myaccount. However, your cabin number may not be assigned until you arrive onboard the ship. (This is normal procedure for ships in many parts of the world, including Europe.) If there’s no cabin number on your invoice or online, you can presume it will be assigned later and communicated to you when you board.

Dining You’ll enjoy fine cuisine and excellent views in your ship’s dining room, featuring a warm decor of dark woods, rich carpeting, and white-linen and china table settings. Your ship’s daily service includes breakfast and lunch buffets, and a more formal dinner. Our professional chefs will create unique menus for you that feature regional specialties. Complimentary house wine, draft beer, and a selection of soft drinks are included with both lunch and dinner. In addition, a selection of other fine wines and beer is available for purchase, starting at approximately $20-35 per bottle (prices vary according to vintage). Travelers may also bring a bottle of their own favorite wine to dinner to enjoy at their table. Should you care to avail yourself of this service, there will be a corkage fee of approximately $10 per bottle, charged to your cabin account.

Please note that if you bring your own alcohol aboard, it can only be consumed in the dining room as described above, or in your cabin. Consumption of alcohol purchased outside the ship is not permitted in the lounge or public areas. We also offer complimentary coffee and tea throughout the day, available at meals and from the machine in the reception area.

Open-table, single seating for all meals: Each meal is open seating—reservations of any kind are not accepted. Dinner has only one designated time for its open seating.

Dining times: Dining times for all meals may vary depending on the day’s sightseeing and sailing schedule, but in general, meal times are as follows:

• Early bird breakfast: 6:00-7:00 am

• Breakfast: 7:00-9:00 am

• Lunch: 1:00-2:00 pm

• Dinner: 7:00-9:00 pm

Celebrations: Recognition of an anniversary or birthday can be accommodated. Please call Grand Circle Cruise Line to submit your request no later than 45 days prior to departure.

Dress code: The dining-room dress code is casual, though most travelers dress nicely for the Captain’s Welcome Reception and Farewell Dinner.

61 Electricity Cabin bathrooms are equipped with a 110V outlet for electric shavers. The rest of the cabin has 220V, with Type C/F “Europlug” outlets. See the electricity section of the packing chapter for more details.

Embarkation/Disembarkation On the day you board ship, your cabin will be available at around noon. The restaurant will open at 12:30 pm and serve a light lunch. On the day of disembarkation, your cabin will no longer be available after 8:00am. You may sit in the ship’s lounge or on the sun deck until disembarkation.

Dock and Landing Etiquette River waterways are simply not big enough to support large landing docks such as those built on ocean shorelines. It is common for river ships to tie up alongside each other at some piers— particularly in ports where docking area is restricted. While we try to arrange the most convenient mooring available in each port of call, other boats may occasionally obstruct views, and you may have to step across other ships when you want to go ashore. On some rivers influenced by the tide, the ship might get below the level of the shore. It might be more difficult to see the ship from the riverbank, and the view from the cabins might be obstructed by the docking wall.

Headsets During your trip, complimentary headsets, or Whispers receivers, are provided on our guided tours through the cities we visit. These receivers and headsets allow you to hear your Program Director and our local guides better. If you use a hearing aid or have strong preferences for headphones, we highly encourage you to bring your own headsets/ear buds with you. The plug size is usually the same as that used by iPods, computer jacks, etc.

Wireless Internet Access Limited Wireless Internet service is available for free in the cabins and common areas on board your Grand Circle Cruise Line ship. If you want to use the WiFi connection you’ll need to bring your own device (laptop/tablet/netbook) — ships do not rent or loan these devices. To use the WiFi, please visit Reception after you board for access information. Shipboard access is subject to the challenges of travel: ship location, signal availability, and usage volume on board will affect connectivity and speed. The ship’s Internet connection demands a strong 3G cell phone signal, which is unavailable in many of the areas we visit. You can expect disruptions of both long and short duration.

Laundry and Linen Service Laundry service is available for a fee. Please note that neither self-service laundry facilities nor dry cleaning services are available. Bed linens are changed at the start of your cruise and then once a week (i.e. twice during a 14-night cruise); towels are changed daily.

62 Medical Care Our entire fleet adheres to stringent European safety standards. In addition to an emergency call button in all cabins, ships also feature fully staffed reception desks, 24 hours a day.

Onboard Activities During your cruise you’ll enjoy exclusive Discovery Series events, organized discussions, group activities that relate to the region (may include a language lesson), and talks on upcoming ports of call.

Recreational Facilities These include a fitness center, sun deck with lounge, library, and lounge with bar and dance floor. The bar is open from 9:30 am to 1 am, and features both complimentary drinks (soft drinks, house beer, house wine, and non-alcoholic cocktails/beer) and drinks for purchase (spirits, alcoholic cocktails, bottled beers, and a selection of wines). Prices are in Euros. The fitness center has an exercise bike and walking/running treadmill. A massage therapist is available as well (prices listed on board).

Bicycles We’re pleased to offer complimentary bicycle rentals onboard your ship for use during free time, including all of the necessary safety gear, such as a helmet, brightly-colored safety vest, and a lock. Because there is a limited supply of bicycles available, they will be offered on a first-come first-served basis. For more information or if you are interested in using one of the bicycles, please speak to the Front Desk staff or Hotel Manager onboard your ship.

Smoking/Non-Smoking Policy Smoking is not allowed anywhere inside our Grand Circle Cruise Line European River Ships, including in individual cabins or balconies. The only area on the ship where smoking is permitted is outside on the sun deck.

Elevator/Chairlift Each ship has an elevator and chairlift service to the sun deck from the deck below (or you can use the staircase to the sun deck, which has one flight of ten to twelve steps). The elevator does not provide service to or from the Prelude Deck. The staircase to/from the Prelude Deck features about six stairs, with a banister to hold on to. The chairlift is a single-seat transport that slides up the staircase banister.

Passport Procedures For your convenience, your passport will be held by the hotel manager after embarkation and returned to you on disembarkation day. This is standard ship’s procedure, and is designed to speed up border crossings and to ensure the crew has all the necessary documents on hand during potential controls in our ports of call.

63 Lost & Found Any lost or forgotten items found on board the ship will be held for 90 days from disembarkation. After 90 days, all unclaimed items will be discarded or donated.

Ship Specifications

M/S River Adagio • History: Built in 2003

• Size: 410x38 ft

• Capacity: 163 passengers, 38 crew members

• Layout: 82 cabins, 4 decks; Elevator-yes (no elevator access to Prelude Deck)

M/S River Aria • History: Built in 2001

• Size: 410x38 ft

• Capacity: 163 passengers, 40 crew members

• Layout: 82 cabins, 4 decks; Elevator-yes (no elevator access to Prelude Deck)

M/S River Harmony • History: Built in 1999

• Size: 361x38 ft

• Capacity: 140 passengers, 32 crew members

• Layout: 70 cabins, 4 decks; Elevator-yes

64 ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE

Your Program Director Grand Circle Cruise Line is committed to showing you a destination through the perspective of those who live, work, and play there. How better to do that than to have a resident with you every step of the way? We are proud to be the only cruise line to provide you the dedicated services of an expert Program Director, a resident or native of the country who is delighted to share their in-depth knowledge of local history, culture, and hidden gems.

Fluent in English and skilled in fostering camaraderie among travelers, our Program Directors are constantly cited by our travelers are as the main reason they continue to travel with us. During your cruise, you’ll enjoy multiple Program Directors aboard your ship, who will each be with you and your group of 25-47 travelers throughout your journey—both on ship and on land. And with personal headsets on every included and optional tour, you’ll be able to enjoy their perspective and enthusiasm as you explore at a level deeper than most Americans go.

Central European Culture The four countries visited on your main itinerary—Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and the Czech Republic—all have very rich, and very distinct cultures. But they also have significant overlap, which makes sense when you consider that up until this century, these nations did not even exist in their current sovereign states but were variously part of each other. Much of this had to do with the Hapsburg dynasty who controlled most of Central Europe (and beyond) from late medieval times till the 20th century. On a cultural level, that meant that Germanic culture was held as the ideal. This is often expressed as an appreciation for cooperation, for precision and accuracy, and a certain level of formality.

In the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria this comes through in the way people appreciate good manners and well-behaved children. You are expected say “good day” to everyone you meet, and to be polite. If you are not, don’t be surprised if local grandmas cluck their tongues at you.

At the same time, Czechs and Slovaks have a dark sense of humor and they love to poke fun at themselves and especially, the government. But one thing they do thank the government for is its traditional support for the arts. During the Soviet era (and still today), the Czechoslovakian as well as the Hungarian governments subsidized many programs for artists as well as theaters and concert halls, so attending plays and musical performances is a regular and affordable pleasure for all members of society.

While Austrians may not share the same love for poking fun at their government, they do love to keep things fun and highly value gemütlichkeit (warmth or happiness). In addition, Austrian society and the government make large efforts to instill an appreciation for the arts at a young age. Austrian children typically have required music and art classes, and it is not uncommon to find Austrians as members of bands, choir, or music groups.

65 History has shaped the Hungarian people in slightly different ways. Hungarians have struggled for centuries to find their own identity while under the control of more powerful states, from Austria to Turkey to Germany and the Soviet Union. Especially among the older generation, there is a sense of somber nostalgia called the “Trianon Syndrome” that harkens to a post-World War I Treaty that whittled Hungary down to about 60% of its previous size. The country has yet to fully recover from this loss, and some still look back on the pre-Trianon years as Hungary’s golden age. On the other hand, most Hungarians have a strong sense of pride about their fierce Magyar forebears, their legendary cuisine, and their close family ties. Regarding the latter, they are not insular and will extend true hospitality to all guests.

The Danube River The Danube River is the second-longest river in Europe and the only major European river to flow from west to east. It rises in the Black Forest region of Germany and flows in a generally easterly direction for a distance of 1,766 miles before emptying, on the Romanian coast, into the Black Sea. This legendary river not only shaped the destinies of all the countries that line its banks, but influenced the whole continent as no other European river ever could.

The Danube river basin is more than 300,000 square miles and includes parts of Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldavia, and Ukraine. The river is ancient and full of history, passing through the cities of Ulm, Regensburg, and Passau in Germany; Linz and Vienna in Austria; Bratislava in Slovakia; Budapest in Hungary; Belgrade in Serbia; and Galatzi and Brãila in Romania. Canals link the Danube to the Main and Rhine, providing a commercial route between the Black and North Seas.

The strategic location of this great river was recognized centuries ago by Roman Emperors who sought to control it. Ruins from that period now perch on banks above the river, reminding you of the Danube’s multi-faceted past. Even today, the Danube continues to be one of Europe’s greatest assets, in part because it provides a water link between the four national capitals on its banks: Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Belgrade. Back in the heyday of river transport, other great cities grew up along the Danube’s banks too, serving as ports for the various cargo being carried on the river, namely salt, wood, and ores. These same products now are transferred on the railroad and highways, which run alongside the Danube’s course.

There is no question that few river voyages can match the romantic appeal of a journey down the Danube. Here is the heart of the lilting Strauss waltzes, of myth-laden castles, Old World villages, and rolling vineyards. As you sail along this twisting river, stopping at fascinating ports, you’ll gain an understanding of the art, music, and culture of a fabled region with a history that stretches back more than 3,000 years.

66 Taking Photographs The etiquette of photographing most people in Europe is about the same as it would be on the streets of your hometown. You need permission to take a close-up, but not for a crowd scene. Consent is especially important if you want to take a photo of a child or minor—ask their parent for permission first. To get a great portrait, show interest in your subject and try to have a bit of social interaction to put them at ease. Then use sign language to inquire if a picture is OK.

Safety & Security As you travel, exercise the same caution and awareness that you would in a large American city. Don’t be overly nervous or suspicious, but keep your eyes open. If you are venturing out after dark, go with one or two other people.

Carry a one-day supply of cash in your pocket. Carry most of your money, and your passport, in a travel pouch or money belt under your shirt. Replenish your pocket supply when you are in a safe and quiet place, or in our vehicle. Don’t leave valuables unattended in your hotel room. Most hotels will offer use of a hotel safe at the front desk or an electronic in-room safe (for which you can set your own personal number). Please utilize them.

Pickpockets may create a sudden distraction. In any sort of puzzling street situation, try to keep one hand on your wallet or money belt. If an encounter with a local turns out to be long and complicated and involves money or your valuables, be very careful. Con artists sometimes target travelers.

Austrian Cuisine Austria has quite a bit of culinary overlap with neighboring Germany. But you have only to consider the scope of the Hapsburg Empire to understand the many influences that have also shaped the national cuisine: the empire once ruled over Switzerland, Holland, Alsace, Burgundy, Spain, Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and Italy, and happily appropriated many of their ingredients and cooking techniques. This is to say nothing of the Turkish influence that wafted westwards across the Austro-Hungarian empire.

One constant on Austrian menus is the national dish, wiener schnitzel, the classic Viennese veal cutlet which is pounded till thin, breaded, fried and served with wedges of lemon and greens. It can also be made with chicken or pork. Meat lovers will want to try Tafelspitz, a filet of beef (or veal) that is gently simmered with vegetables, and served with applesauce and horseradish. Late spring brings spargel, or asparagus, which are particularly tender and flavorful here. They’ll appear as specials on many menus, often served with a delicate hollandaise or just butter, lemon, and toasted bread crumbs.

Like mac and cheese on steroids, kasspätzln is a Tyrolean casserole of chewy, hand-made egg noodles that are mixed with sauteed onions, covered with bergkaäse, a strong local cheese, and baked till browned. Before serving, it is topped with crispy fried onions and parsley. Another Tyrolean favorite is speckknödeln, a bacon dumpling that is often served as an appetizer or in

67 stews or clear soups. It is just one of the dozens of different dumplings that grace the Austrian table. Frittatensuppe or “pancake soup” is a Styrian specialty that is popular all over Austria. It’s a bowl of clear beef consommé with strips of cooked crepes or pancakes.

Practically every Austrian town has its share of Würstelstande, or sausage booths. These street stalls are the go-tos for snackers on the go, and the sausage of choice will usually be a wiener sausage, which Austrians will only ever call a “Frankfurter.” You can also ask for a bratwurst, a Käsekrainer (which is studded with cheese), or a Debreziner, which is a lightly-smoked, reddish sausage spiced with paprika.

One thing Austria can thank the Turks for is coffee. Legend has it that when Hapsburg troops chased the Turks out in 1683, the retreating invaders left behind bags of coffee beans. Within two years the first Viennese coffee house opened, and the rest is history. In 2011, UNESCO designated Viennese coffee house culture as part of humanity’s intangible cultural heritage, saying that the coffee houses have a “very specific atmosphere” and are places “where time and space are consumed, but only the coffee is found on the bill.”

In fact a few other wonderful things are consumed in these beloved establishments, like heavenly Austrian pastry. Try a slice of Sachertorte, a classic chocolate sponge cake layered with apricot jam, and covered in chocolate ganache. It’s available all over, but for the quintessential Viennese experience, try it where it originated, at the Sacher Hotel, or at the famed Demel bakery. Austria must also thank the Turks for introducing apfelstrudel. Powidltascherl are plum jam turnovers dusted with sugar.

If you’re too full for pastry, at least leave room for a Mozartkugel. These small, round candies are balls of pistachio marzipan and nougat, covered with dark chocolate—the perfect accompaniment to your Einspänner, a double shot of espresso topped with whipped cream.

Czech and Slovak Cuisine Like their neighbors, the Czech Republic and Slovakia share a culinary heritage that emphasizes meat, potatoes, dumplings, and fermented vegetables (usually, sauerkraut). These are often served with heavy gravies or sauces, but the high-caloric impact is somewhat mitigated by the fact that most Czechs and Slovaks eat their heaviest meal at lunch, and have a lighter supper of just cold cuts and condiments. You’ll also find that in the major cities, young chefs are experimenting with lighter and healthier versions of the classic dishes they grew up with.

One dish everyone in both countries knows is vepro-knedlo-zelo. It’s shorthand for veprové s knedliky a kyselé zeli, a succulent roast pork and dumplings concoction that is often seasoned with caraway, and served with sauerkraut. You will see it on just about every restaurant menu. Dumplings figure in many other dishes. Houskové knedlíky are bread dumplings made with flour, yeast, egg yolks and milk, sometimes with bread cubes added to the mix. After the dough rises it gets boiled or steamed, then sliced. Bramborové knedlíky are potato dumplings, which are heavier. There are even fruit-filled dumplings (ovocné knedlíky) that are often served with cottage cheese as a main course.

68 Bryndzové halušky are potato dumplings (similar to Italian gnocchi) that are topped with a creamy, soft, Slovakian sheep’s milk cheese that has its own EU protected designation of origin status. It is then topped with crumbled bacon bits and a garnish like chopped chives, onions or dill. The national dish of Slovakia, it’s also popular in the Czech Republic, especially in Moravia.

Dumplings are the perfect accompaniment to svicková na smetane, beef that is marinated in vinegar and herbs; then roasted with vegetables; then simmered till tender. The broth and vegetables are pureed with sour cream to make a sauce, and it all gets garnished with cranberries.

Kureci kapsa are chicken breasts stuffed with ham and cheese, and grilled. If you are on the go, grab a párek v rohliku, a Czechoslovakian hot dog. The small parek sausage will be completely enclosed within the bun, like pigs in a blanket.

Don’t leave without trying palacinky, the regional version of crêpes. This delicate, thin pancake can have a sweet filling (such as jam, fruits, ice cream, sweet cheese or chocolate) or a savory one (perhaps spinach, mushrooms, ham, or salmon with dill sauce). Besides being popular entrees, they are sold as snacks at special palacinky stalls.

For dessert you can try laskonky, two crispy meringues filled with caramel or chocolate buttercream. Koláce are pastry wheels filled with cheese or fruit such as prunes or apricots, similar to a danish. Trdelnik is made by wrapping dough around a metal or wooden stick, then roasting it over an open flame. The tubular treat is then dusted with sugar, and topped with nuts and cinnamon. Veternik is a profiterole made of puff pastry filled with vanilla and caramel cream. The whole pastry is then dipped in a shiny caramel icing for a belt-busting grand finale.

Pubs are an integral part of Czech and Slovak life, and the region brews some of the best beer in the world. In the Czech town of Plzen, brewing dates as far back as the founding of the town, in 1295. Plzen is internationally known for its award-winning Pilsener Urquell, and there are numerous other local beers that perfectly accompany the region’s hearty food.

German Cuisine German Cuisine varies greatly from region to region. The southern regions of Bavaria and Swabia share many dishes among them and with their neighbors to the south, Switzerland and Austria. In the West, French influences are more pronounced, while the eastern parts of the country have much in common with Eastern European cuisine and there are marked Scandinavian influences in the northern coastal regions. But the region that is often viewed as having the most classic German cuisine is Saxony.

When dining in Berlin (or in other cities) you’ll have no shortage of international options, along with restaurants serving the regional specialties of Saxon cuisine. Like most regional German cooking, Saxon food is hearty, with an emphasis on sauces and the Klösse or Knödle, that is, the dumpling.

The Saxons didn’t invent sauerbraten, a tangy pot roast that is eaten all over Germany. But they do have a distinctive way of making it: Sächsischer Sauerbraten uses beer instead of wine to marinate the beef before its long, slow braising. Try also Dresdner Wiegebraten, a Dresden meat loaf made with minced pork, veal and beef bound with eggs, breadcrumbs, anchovies, bacon and herbs that

69 gets slathered with butter before roasting. For something a little lighter, there’s Hochzeitssuppe or “wedding soup.” The chicken-based broth has soft pork and asparagus dumplings garnished with fresh parsley.

Like the rest of Germany, Saxony is partial to potatoes. Try them in Sächsische Kartoffelsuppe (Saxon potato soup), a rich, creamy puree of potatoes and broth studded with onions fried in bacon fat, finely chopped greens, and bacon and sausage bits—all seasoned with ginger, nutmeg, salt and pepper. A special version is made with succulent shrimps and shrimp broth. The bounty of the North Sea also enlivens Leipziger Allerlei, a casserole of shrimp or crayfish mixed with cauliflower, carrots, peas, asparagus, and mushrooms, baked with a creamy sauce topped with bread crumbs. For lunch, try Buchweizenpfannkuchen, a buckwheat pancake that may be served with syrup and cranberries, or with salmon and a salad.

Saxons claim to have invented the kaffeeklatsch, the German custom of socializing over coffee and cake. Here it’s called Gaffee un Guchn, and one of the most delicious cakes you must try is the Dresdner Eierschecke, a three-layered cake filled with custard and cream. Another Dresden confection is Dominosteine, a cake of marzipan, gingerbread and apricot marmalade covered in chocolate. Meissner Quarktorte is a light Saxon cheesecake with raisins, almonds and rum.

Berlin is famous for its street food, including the ubiquitous doner kebab. These are savory cones of seasoned meat grilled on a rotisserie and sliced into pita pockets filled with salad. Though Turkish in origin, it’s a Berlin favorite. Try also the iconic currywurst, a bratwurst flavored with curry, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. It was invented in 1946 by Herta Heuwer, a Berlin housewife who decided to spice up her family’s diet by trading some booze for seasonings from some British soldiers.

Currywurst is a classic example of post-war, East German cuisine—a style that arose during a time of severe shortages, when the people of the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany) had to get inventive with very economical ingredients. Another example of this is Jägerschnitzel, a breaded pork and bacon patty with a creamy mushroom sauce.

Today, there is a widespread nostalgia for these homespun East German dishes, which are popping up on the menus of some of Berlin’s hippest restaurants. The trend is called Ostalgie, a combination of the German words for “east” and “nostalgia”. And even though very few people in the former GDR will be crying in their beer, longing for the good old days, they will be washing down their food with steins of good old Erdinger Weissbier, Sternberg, or Augustiner—some of the most popular beers produced here.

Where the Rhine enters Germany in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the cuisine blends the heartiness of Westphalia with the Rhinelanders’ love of sweet and sour tastes. An example is Rheinischer Sauerbraten. The regional version of this ubiquitous, marinated pot roast adds raisins and crumbled lebkuchen (gingersnaps) to give the tangy gravy a touch of sweetness. It might be accompanied by Pickert, a potato pancake with raisins, served with a plum purée.

Another beefy favorite is Pfefferpotthast, a peppery stew. It’s perfect with salted boiled potatoes (Salzkartoffeln), and gherkins or pickled beets. Enjoy Westfälischer Schinken (Westphalian ham), made from pigs raised solely on acorns. The meat is dry cured and smoked over beechwood

70 and juniper. Try some wafer-thin slices on Westphalian pumpernickel, with a smear of malty brown Düsseldorfer mustard. Duck into any Westphalian tavern, and you might nibble on caraway-flavored Nieheimer cheese. It is aged between layers of hops—which makes it go quite well with the local Altbier, Kölsch or Bönnsch beer.

If you’ve worked up an appetite, enjoy the bounty of Westphalia with a Bergische Kaffeetafel. It means “Bergisches Land Coffee Table” and though it includes coffee, the “table” will be set with sausages, ham, cheeses, potato pancakes, egg dishes, jams, breads, pretzels, and pastries.

Heading south into the Rhineland-Palatinate, the signature dish is dampfnudeln, a yeasty steamed dumpling with vanilla sauce. If they are topped with powidl (a plum jam) and sprinkled with poppy seeds, they are called germknödeln. No need to wait for dessert to enjoy this delight, which is often a main course. But if you prefer your dumplings savory, dampfnudeln can be enjoyed with mushrooms and béchamel sauce; or with gravy and rolls of beef stuffed with bacon and pickles called Rouladen. You can also satisfy your carbo cravings with Reibekuchen or Kartoffelpuffer, crispy deep-fried potato patties or pancakes, often served with applesauce.

Another Palatinate specialty is Saumagen, which mean’s “sow’s stomach.” Here, the stomach lining of a pig is used as a casing to hold a mix of minced veal; diced potatoes and vegetables; and spices such as marjoram, cardamon, nutmeg, and parsley. The filled Saumagen is simmered, then sliced and fried. Enjoy it with mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, and a dry white wine. Along the Mosel, try the local Döbbekooche, a crusty potato pie covered with sausage pieces or bacon.

The state of Baden-Württemberg is renowned for gourmet cuisine, and is home to more than a quarter of Germany’s Michelin-starred restaurants. The region is famous for its delicate white spargel (asparagus), as well as for hearty dishes like Badische Schaeufele, a smoked pork shoulder simmered in wine with garlic, leeks, juniper berries, and other spices. Or perhaps you’ll try a slow-roasted duck breast prepared as the Benedictine monks did, with dates and figs.

Don’t miss Maultaschen, the Swabian region’s answer to ravioli. Here, pockets of dough are stuffed with spinach, meat or cheese; and eaten as a main course or in a beef broth. Another Swabian specialty that is eaten all over Germany is Spätzle, an irregular shaped egg noodle. But the most famous dish of this state is the Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte or Black Forest Cake. It’s a chocolate layer cake filled and frosted with fresh cream and cherries soaked in Kirschwasser (cherry schnapps), and decorated with chocolate shavings.

In the state of Hesse, you must pay your respects to the town that gave us the hot dog, Frankfurt. But these are not just any old dogs, they are Frankfurter Würstchen, smoked pork sausages in a natural sheepskin casing. There is also a variant made with 100% beef called Frankfurter Rindswurst. If you have it with a curry-flavored ketchup, it is called a Currywurst.

You might need a sense of humor to enjoy this Hessian favorite: Handkase mit Musik. It means “hand cheese with music,” referring to the handmade cheese that is marinated and served with onion, nuts, caraway and typically, a glass of apfelwein, a tart cider. The “music” part comes from the flatulence this pungent pub fare is said to cause. If you want something more refined, Bethmännchen are exquisite cookies made from marzipan, almonds, sugar and rose water.

71 In Bavaria is the land of sausages, starting with bratwurst. There are many varieties all over Germany, but in Bavaria you must try Nuremberg or Nürnberger bratwurst. These were the first sausage to receive the European Union’s Protected Geographic Indication (PGI) status. To be labeled as Nürnberger bratwurst, these small, coarsely-ground pork sausages must be 2 ¾–3 ½ inches long; contain mace and marjoram; and be made within the metropolitan Nuremberg limits. The most popular way to eat them is Drei im Weggla or “three in a bun.”

The good news is that you can enjoy so many of these dishes all over Germany, regardless of their regional origins, but sometimes with different names. Case in point: you don’t have to be in Berlin to get a berliner. These deep-fried, yeasty jelly donuts are popular everywhere, though in some Rhine ports they may be called krapfen.

Hungarian Cuisine It won’t take long for you to figure out that paprika (paprikás) and sour cream (tejföl) figure prominently in many classic Hungarian dishes. But don’t be fooled, Hungarian food is delicious and diverse, and even dishes accented with paprika have distinctive tastes, thanks to the eight different grades of “red gold” that are used here. You’ll find this spice in the two most famous national dishes: chicken paprikash and gulyas (goulash), a saucy beef dish that in Hungary is more like a soup than the stew you may be familiar with.

Similar to gulyas, pörkölt is a hearty stew of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, or liver simmered with onion, paprika and other spices, and served with a side of chewy nokedli (egg noodle dumpling). It’s comfort food at its finest, and Hungarians like to say, “It’s not a real Sunday without pörkölt.” Those home cooks might also be serving töltött káposzta, rolls of pickled cabbage stuffed with seasoned rice and ground pork or beef, in a sauce accented by sour cream. It is a favorite around Easter and Christmas.

Halászlé or fisherman’s soup is cooked in a kettle over an open fire. It is based on Danube river fish like carp, catfish, perch, or pike and seasoned with hot paprika, giving it a bright red color. If you order it a la Baja, it will have thick pasta and mainly carp. Szeged-style will have four types of fish. For a hearty snack, lángos is the way to go. This popular street food is a crispy, chewy, deep-fried flatbread smothered with sour cream and garlic sauce, and topped with grated cheese and sometimes, sausage and bacon.

If you’re a vegetarian, try lecsó. Similar to the French ratatouille, it’s a stew of peppers, tomatoes and onions. Some cooks do put meat in it but typically it is served just with bread and a dollop of sour cream. Try also uborksaláta, a salad of thinly sliced cucumbers dressed with white vinegar, dill, and onions.

Palacsinta are Hungary’s answer to crepes. They can have sweet or savory fillings, and they are always served rolled. The famous Budapest restaurant Gundel serves their own version filled with a rum-walnut cream which is then flambéed, and drizzled with chocolate sauce.

This brings us to dessert, an area where Hungary shines. Austrians may claim strudel as their own, but the beloved pastry most likely originated in Turkey and made its way to Hungary first, where it was modified and eventually exported to Vienna. In Hungary it is called rétes, and the

72 dough is flakier. One imperial Hungarian chef said that the dough must be thin enough that “one could read a love letter through it.” Where Austrians prefer their strudel with apples, Hungarians like plum, poppy, sour cherries or sweet turo cheese as a filling.

The most famous Hungarian cake of all is the Dobos Torte, named after the master confectioner who invented it in 1885. It includes six layers of sponge cake covered in chocolate buttercream with a glistening topping of caramel. It is a staple at the many famous coffeehouses of Budapest (and Vienna), and not to be missed. Another favorite is somlói galuska, also based on sponge cake but less intricately composed. The cake is topped with chocolate cream, walnuts, rum and whipped cream, and it is another specialty of the renowned Gundel restaurant

Polish Cuisine As with many European countries, Polish cuisine feels the influence of many cultures: Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Jewish, Hungarian, German, etc., as well as a pinch of Russian, Italian, and Turkish. The focus is on meat, especially chicken and pork, and winter vegetables (cabbage in the dish bigos), and spices, as well as different kinds of noodles – particularly the pierogi. Traditionally, Poles take their festive meals seriously, and feast days — like Christmas Eve or Easter Breakfast — can involve days of preparation.

Normally the main meal is eaten in mid-afternoon or later, and involves three courses, starting with a soup, such as bouillon or tomato or more festive barszcz (beet) followed sometimes by an appetizer. The main course is usually meaty — a roast or breaded pork cutlet. Vegetables, though now replaced by leaf salad, were traditionally served as ‘surówka’ - shredded root vegetables with lemon and sugar (carrot, celeriac, beetroot) or fermented cabbage. Popular side dishes are now boiled potatoes, and, less commonly the traditional kasha (cereals). Meals often conclude with a dessert such as makowiec, a poppy seed pastry, or drodówka, a type of yeast cake.

Budapest in Brief Budapest is divided by the Duna (Danube River) into a right and left bank. Of the city’s three main districts, two—Buda and Obuda—are found on the west bank; Pest is on the east bank. Most of the major shopping venues, the House Parliament, the National Museum, Museum of Applied Arts, and Museum of Fine Arts are located in Pest. Buda, on the west bank, is the site of Castle Hill, Fishermen’s Bastion, Matthias Church, and the National Gallery. In essence, Pest is the hub for dining, shopping, banking, and nightlife; and Buda contains the historical and cultural part of the city. The main shopping street in Pest is Vaci Utca, now a pedestrian zone, which runs parallel to the Danube and is every bit as elegant as the Merceria in Venice or the Faubourg-St.- Honore in Paris.

Local Transportation The public transportation system in Budapest—a metro (subway), buses, streetcars, and trolleybuses—is economical, efficient, and simple to use, but closes down around 11:00 pm. Certain trams and buses run on a limited schedule all night. A day ticket (napijegy) allows unlimited travel on all services within the city limits. You can also buy tickets for single rides from metro stations or tobacco shops. You can travel on all trams, buses, and on the subway with

73 this ticket, but you can’t change lines. Bus, streetcar, and trolleybus tickets must be canceled on board. Don’t get caught without a ticket: spot checks are frequent, and you can be fined if you don’t possess one.

Prague in Brief Prague, an ancient and historic city, is the capital of the Czech Republic (made up of Bohemia, Moravia, and part of Silesia). The city, located at the crossroads of Europe, is both ancient and modern and possesses a palpable energy. Getting around Prague can be a bit tricky—many of the streets are small, narrow cobblestone paths that seem to wind about endlessly. But the “city of 1,000 spires” is one of the most beautiful you will ever see.

Prague is really a series of five historic towns welded together to form one great city. The river Vltava slices through Prague, giving the city its distinctive bridges. Hradcany, the castle district, is on the river’s west bank with Prague Castle and St. Vitus cathedral nearby. Below this section lies Mala Strana (the Lesser Quarter) with buildings dating back to the 13th century. Petrin Hill to the south offers wonderful views out over the city. On the east bank of the river is Stare Mesto (Old Town) with its large central square. Nearby is Josefov, the former Jewish ghetto. Nove Mesto (New Town, though parts of it go back to the 14th century) stretches around parts of Stare Mesto and historic Wenceslas Square. The Charles Bridge, a city landmark, stretches over the Vltava and links much of the city.

Ruzyne airport is in the western suburbs of the city. The Prague Information Service offers good information about Prague and is located in Old Town Square. The Tourist Office (Cedok) at Na Prikope is also a good place for information and maps.

Prague is a lovely city for walking so be sure to stroll the Royal Way, which takes you by some of the city’s architectural treasures, including Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral. In Hradcany stop to see the Strahov Monastery and the Summer Palace. If you are a fan of classical music you’ll want to stop in at the Smetana Hall in Obecni Dum. The Museum of the City of Prague in northern Nove Mesto is an impressive and interesting stop. Wenceslas Square in Old Town and Josefov in Stare Mesto both offer excellent walking and sightseeing opportunities.

Local Transportation Subway: Prague’s modern subway system—the Metro—is easy to use and spotlessly clean. It provides the simplest and fastest means of transportation, and most new maps of Prague mark the routes. Subways run daily from 5 am to midnight with trains every two minutes during peak hours, slowing down to every ten to fifteen minutes by late in the evening. There are several lines, each a different color, which intersect at various points in the city center and the route plans are easy to follow. Once inside the Metro, acquaint yourself with these words: vystup means exit, and prestup means connection.

Tram/Bus: You’ll probably stick to the Metro, but a bus ride can be a good way to see some of the city, especially if you want to venture farther out. You need to buy a new ticket every time you change vehicles.

74 Taxi: These are not recommended, as some drivers try to take advantage of tourists and inflate the price, possibly by driving miles out of the way. If you must take a taxi, it is best to use the hotel’s taxi service—it is a little more expensive than taxis found at taxi stands but it is more reliable. Another choice is to ask the hotel to contact AAA Taxi for you (or call them at 233 113 311)—AAA Taxi is also dependable and they speak English. If you choose instead to use a taxi at a taxi stand or one you hail on the street, definitely agree on a price beforehand!

Punch your ticket on the Metro, trams, and buses: For the Metro, punch the ticket in the station before getting on the escalators; for buses and trams, punch the ticket inside the vehicle.

Vienna in Brief Vienna’s “Ring,” once the location of the city walls and today a broad boulevard in the inner zone (the oldest part of the city), encircles most main sights. In the center is Stephansplatz, site of the city’s famous St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Just a short walk away is the Hofburg (the Habsburgs’ official residence), the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum), and the Staatsoper. The pedestrian thoroughfare, Kaernter Strasse, is the city’s major shopping venue; it runs from Stephansplatz past the Staatsoper to Karlsplatz. The “Ring” itself is two and one half miles long and 187 feet wide. Constructed in the mid 19th century to protect Vienna from outside threats, the Ring encircles the Old City. All sites inside the Ring are part of the First Bezirk (or 1st precinct, designated by the #1010 in addresses). The remainder of the city is also sectioned into precincts.

Local Transportation Vienna is divided into 23 numbered districts. Most sights are concentrated in the city center, the 1st District, which is largely a pedestrian zone and easily reached by public transportation. Many 1st District attractions are within walking distance of one another. You can walk from one end of the Old City to the other in about 30 minutes. Even the walk from the Ring to either train station is only a half hour or so. Beyond this central hub, districts proceed from the 2nd on up to the 23rd.

Vienna’s transit network consists of five U-Bahn (subway) lines, trams, buses, and several rapid transit and commuter trains. Ask your Program Director or hotel concierge for more information about the best options available for obtaining tickets to your desired destination.

Note on Ticket Validation:You must validate all tickets yourself by inserting them into machines at the entryway of S-Bahn and U-Bahn platforms or on buses and trams. When entering streetcars, look for a blue box with a white “E,” which is for validating tickets.

Viennese Specialties Like the rest of Austria, Viennese cuisine is the culmination of various ethnic influences, including Bohemian, Hungarian, Croatian, Slovenian, German, and Italian. But the city as a few local specialties you may wish to try:

• Soups: Griessnockerlsuppe (clear soup with semolina dumplings), rindsuppe (beef broth), and gulaschsuppe (Hungarian-style goulash soup).

75 • Main courses: Familiar dishes are bauernschmaus (a combination of many varied sausages and pork items with sauerkraut and dumplings), tafelspitz (boiled beef with vegetables), wiener schnitzel (breaded veal or pork cutlet), schweinebraten (roast pork), backhendl (fried and breaded chicken), and gulasch (stew). Nockerl are little dumplings, usually served with sauce.

• Desserts: Vienna’s apfelstrudel (apple strudel) is probably the best in the world. Palatschinken are light, sugared pancakes; klaiserschmarren is a diced omelet, served with jam and sprinkled with sugar. And of course, don’t miss the famous sachertorte (chocolate cake with layers of apricot jam)!

• Coffee: Austrian coffee, of which there are at least 20 varieties, is delicious and not to be missed. Introduced 300 years ago by the Turks during their unsuccessful attempt to conquer Vienna, coffee has become an art form, served in veritable institutions known as the Viennese coffeehouses. Among the many kinds of coffee are kleiner schwarzer, a small cup without milk; the melange, a large cup with foamy milk; mokka, strong black Viennese coffee; kapuziner, which is the same as melange but topped with whipped cream; and tuerkischer, Turkish coffee boiled in a small copper pot and served in tiny cups.

Berlin in Brief Berlin is a sprawling city comprised of several smaller towns that joined together over time. The city was largely destroyed in World War II before being occupied and reconstructed by the victorious Four Powers. Berlin served as a powerful symbol of the Cold War, and the Soviets built and maintained an 87-mile-long wall that physically divided the city. Today, only the placid waters of the River Spree separate east from west. In the two decades since the fall of communism, Berlin has reintegrated and remade itself as a unified city, a beacon for the future of Germany. For the most part, Berlin’s wide, well-maintained boulevards form a sensible grid pattern, which makes the city easy to navigate.

Major thoroughfares on the western side of the city include Potsdamerstrasse, Kantstrasse, and most importantly, Kurfurstendamm. The “Ku’damm,” as its known to locals, is Berlin’s answer to the Champs-Elysees: a long, leafy avenue lined with upscale shops, art galleries, department stores, hotels, restaurants, bars, and clubs. The enormous Europa Center, a modern shopping and business complex, forms the easternmost terminus of the Ku’damm and abuts the Tiergarten, a verdant urban park. The Europa Center sits at the extreme southwestern edge of the park; at the extreme northeastern edge, you can find the seat of the German government, including the venerable Brandenburg Gate and the glass-domed Reichstag.

A short walk east from the Brandenburg Gate along Unter den Linden (central Berlin’s answer to the Ku’damm) will take you past the University of Humboldt to the banks of the River Spree. If you follow Unter den Linden over the river, it becomes Karl-Liebknicht Strasse, and a few short blocks later, your path intersects with Alexanderplatz. Here, you’ll find Kaufhof den Westens, an enormous department store rivaled in size and splendor only by Harrod’s in London.

76 The KaDeWe (Berliners’ name for the Kaufhof) resides in the shadow of the Femsehturm, an iconic television tower built by the Soviets that has become a defining feature of Berlin’s skyline. Just a few blocks to the southwest, you can find the Berlin city hall, Marienkirche, Nikolaikirche, and the magnificent Neptunbrunen fountain. If you cross back over the Spree from Nikolaikirche, you’ll find yourself amid the medieval architecture of the Nikolaivirtel and Fischerinsel neighborhoods, both of which survived the destruction of World War II to preserve a taste of old Berlin.

Local Transportation Berlin has one of the most efficient public transportation systems in Europe, a smoothly integrated network of subway (U-bahn) and elevated (S-bahn) train lines, buses, trams (in East Berlin only), and even a ferry (across the Wannsee Lake), making every part of the city accessible. There’s also an all-night bus service, indicated by the letter “N” next to route numbers. In summer, there are excursion buses linking the downtown area with the most popular recreational areas. For visitors who plan to travel extensively around the city, there is a “Berlin Ticket,” valid for 24 hours and good for all trains and buses.

Berlin Specialities German cuisine is at once local and global. In Berlin, you’ll find examples of what might be considered traditional German fare—currywurst, sauerkraut, Apfelstrudel— alongside dishes imported by Turkish, Italian, and east Asian immigrants. Italian workers arriving to rebuild the city after World War II brought spaghetti and pizza with them, while Chinese and Thai immigrants have popularized their home countries’ cooking in recent decades. But Turkish food holds greater sway over Berliners’ bellies than any other, and the doner kebab is far and away the most popular food in the city. Recently, Austrian cuisine has experienced a renaissance in Berlin, making wiener schnitzel a common sight on the city’s menus. The sixth floor of the KaDeWe features gourmet foods from around the world and is a must-see for anyone seeking to satisfy his gastronomic curiosity. Of course, no visit to Berlin would be complete without a few sips from a molle (glass of beer). Berlin’s bars do not have an official closing time, so patrons while away the hours by nibbling on rollmops (marinated herring filets) and buletten (hamburgers without buns, served with spicy mustard) to wash down some of the best beer in the world. Pilsners are common in Berlin, and if you find yourself in one of the picturesque beer gardens near the River Spree, be sure to try Berliner Weisse, a refreshing, extra light, slightly bitter beer that you won’t find anywhere else.

Warsaw in Brief Bisected by the Vistula River Warsaw – the modern capital of Poland – is a very different animal from Krakow. World War II dealt Warsaw a particularly devastating hand – only 15% of the city emerged still standing after being razed by the German occupiers and nearly 60% of the population was either dead or missing. The Postwar years saw Soviet-style city planners, with a blank slate, design and build to their Socialist-Realist palette

77 Local Transportation Warsaw is quite large, so you can expect to become familiar with the public transportation system. It’s complex, and you should probably seek destination specifics before you set out. Trams are most convenient for distance travel, and they run from early morning to around 11:00 pm, though it’s best to avoid the trams at rush hour. Buses and taxis are economical, efficient, and simple to use and tough more expensive than the trams, are relatively economical.

Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, Shipping & More There may be scheduled visits to local shops during your vacation. There is no requirement to make a purchase during these stops, and any purchase made is a direct transaction with the shop in question, subject to the vendor’s terms of purchase. Grand Circle is not responsible for purchases you make on your trip or for the shipment of your purchases.

Returns If you discover an issue with an item, you should contact the vendor directly and expect that any resolution will take longer than it would in the U.S. We recommend that you keep a copy of all your receipts, invoices, or contracts, along with the shop’s contact information. Keep in mind, local practice may vary from U.S. standards, so don’t assume that you have a certain number of days after the purchase to speak up or that you are guaranteed a refund.

Crafts & Souvenirs

Austria Popular buys include glassware, crystal, porcelain, petit point, musical instruments and scores, fur hats, ski wear, and, of course, lederhosen (leather pants), loden-cloth coats, and sachertorte (chocolate cake). But be forewarned: the quality of Austrian wares is exceptionally high, and so are the prices!

Value Added Tax: In Austria, a Value Added Tax is levied on most articles, services, and meals, and ranges from 10% to 30%. Depending on how much you spend on certain goods in specially marked Tax Free Shopping stores, you may be eligible for a partial refund of this tax. Ask the shopkeeper or salesperson for details. Be sure to save all receipts and the special Global Tax Refund forms for Customs, as receipts alone are not enough.

Czech Republic In the Czech Republic many stores sell a wide range of crafts and tourist goods, such as Bohemian glass, porcelain, crystal, peasant pottery, wooden toys, jewelry, and folk carvings. Modern artwork and crafts are sold at private art galleries.

78 Germany Popular German buys include Nymphenburg porcelain, cutlery, high-quality cameras and binoculars, loden clothing, goose-down comforters, Rosenthal china and glassware, and chocolate. Munich is Germany’s fashion capital—there are plenty of chic boutiques, especially on Theatinerstrasse, Maximilianstrasse, and Schwabing’s Leopoldstrasse.

Value Added Tax: Depending on how much you spend on certain goods, you may be eligible for a partial refund of Germany’s 16% Value Added Tax (VAT). You must obtain a special form for VAT from the store. Ask the shopkeeper or salesperson for details, and be sure to save all receipts for Customs.

Hungary Look for exquisite Herend porcelain, cut glass, fine peasant embroidery and needlework, homespun cloth, carpets, charming carved wood objects and, of course, dolls in national dress. Other excellent buys are recordings of classical and folk music.

Slovakia Handicraft shops in Slovakia feature pictures painted on glass or wood, puppets in elaborate costumes, and shepherd axes. Travelers who enjoy musical instruments from other countries should keep their an eye out for a fujara, a type of flute that is played upright like an oboe. At 3 feet long, it might not fit in your carry-on, but it is typically Slovakian. Slovakia is also known for its wines and for slivovica, a potent plum brandy.

Poland Polish folk objects make good mementos and are an excellent value. Some interesting possibilities include embroidery, lace, dolls in folk costumes, prints and engravings, amber, pottery, and woodcarvings. The wide range of chain stores specializing in different local wares makes shopping in Poland relatively easy. Desa stores carry tapestries, painting, sculptures, and porcelain.

U.S. Customs Regulations & Shipping Charges For all things related to U.S. Customs, the ultimate authority is the U.S. Bureau of Customs & Border Protection. Their website, www.cbp.gov has the answers to the most frequently asked questions. Or you can call them at 1-877-227-5511.

The top three points to know are:

• At time of writing, your personal duty-free allowance is $800 for items brought with you. Items totaling more than $800 are subject to duty fees.

• Items shipped home are always subject to duty when received in the U.S. Even when the shop has offered to include shipping and duties in the price, this typically means shipping to the nearest customs facility and payment of the export duties—not door-to-door shipping or payment of the import duties. All additional duties or shipping charges would be your

79 responsibility. Unless an item is small enough to send by parcel service (like FedEx), chances are you will need to arrange shipping or pick-up once the item is in the U.S. and will need to pay customs duties.

• It is illegal to import products made from endangered animal species. U.S. Customs & Border Protection will seize these items, as well as most furs, coral, tortoise shell, reptile skins, feathers, plants, and items made from animal skins.

80 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY

Austria

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 32,382 square miles

• Capital: Vienna

• Languages: German is the official language. English is also spoken, particularly in all tourist areas and major cities.

• Location: Austria is bordered by Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

• Geography: Landlocked in Central Europe, Austria features the mountainous Alps in the south and west, but also is home to flat plains and gentle slopes in the north and east.

• Population: 8,665,550 (estimate)

• Religion: Roman Catholic 73.8%, Protestant 4.9%, Muslim 4.2%, Orthodox 2.2%, other 0.8%, none 12%, unspecified 2%

• Time Zone: Austria is on Central European Time, six hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C., it is noon in Vienna.

National Holidays: Austria

In addition to the holidays listed below, 05/01 Labor Day/May Day Austria celebrates a number of national 08/15 Assumption of Mary holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter. To find out if you will be traveling 10/26 National Day during these holidays, please visit www. timeanddate.com/holidays. 11/01 All Saints’ Day

01/01 New Year’s Day 12/08 Feast of the Immaculate Conception

01/06 Epiphany 12/25 Christmas Day

12/26 St. Stephen’s Day

Austria: A Brief History Austria has been populated since Neanderthal times, but its most significant early culture was the Hallstatt, which arose around 400 BC when Celtic people settled along the shores of the Hallstatter See. The Celts formed a confederation called Noricum, established a prosperous salt trade, and forged iron implements. When Romans arrived in 15 BC, they made the area a province. In exchange for their excellent Noric steel (which the Romans used for swords), the Celts received protection—and they needed it, as Germanic Teutons and other tribes invaded.

81 When Charlemagne arrived in the 8th century and created a zone in the Danube Valley called the East March. In 976, the Babenburg dynasty became the margraves of this “eastern realm” or Österreich, German for “Austria.” The Babenburgs extended the territory and made Vienna their capital. When they died, Rudolf I took over in 1278, ushering in the dynastic powerhouse that dominated Europe for 500 years. Consolidating power through strategic marriages, they built a network from Spain to the Netherlands to Germany. The Hapsburgs were all prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire, and from 1452 they elected their kinsmen as its Emperors. But holding power was not easy. In 1618 Europe erupted into a Thirty Years War that caused nearly eight million deaths. It was largely a contest between Bourbon and Austro-Spanish Hapsburgs. Things further destabilized when the Turks advanced to Vienna. They remained a threat until 1699.

Austria bloomed during the Enlightenment reigns of Maria Theresa and her son, Joseph II. They instituted reforms, and were patrons of the arts (with Mozart as their court composer). Decades later, a result of the Napoleonic wars was that the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1806. But the Hapsburgs survived, creating a German Alliance of hundreds of small states. In 1867, Austria and Hungary united as a dual monarchy—and reveled in the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s cultural flowering. Vienna, newly magnificent after a flurry of building, was its epicenter. The Empire prospered until Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914, sparking World War I. The 1919 defeat of the Central Powers (Austria-Hungary, Germany, Turkey, and Bulgaria) ended the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which split into several nations per the Treaty of Versailles.

Austria became a republic, but suffered inflation, unemployment, and the loss of a national identity. Political tensions erupted into violent street fights, and in 1934, a Conservative government took legislative powers from the parliament, making Austria a fascist country. Though the Treaty of Versailles had expressly forbidden the reunification of Germany and Austria, Hitler (himself an Austrian) had other ideas about this Anschluss. When the Nazis goose-stepped into Austria in 1938, they were welcomed by cheering crowds. Austria’s military, economy, and political infrastructure were integrated into Germany’s war efforts; the execution of Jews and resistors stepped up; and many Austrians participated in the Nazi’s crimes.

Austria was liberated by Allied and Soviet troops in 1945, a second republic was established, and Austria remained under occupation. In 1955, Russia demanded that Austria declare its neutrality as a condition for ending Soviet occupation. This status enabled Austria to be a bridge between East and West during the Cold War. But the nation never came to terms with its war history. That started in 1986, when former U.N. Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim ran for president. He won and served until 1992, and investigations into his wartime activities were inconclusive.

Austria joined the EU in 1995, adopted the euro in 1999, and is one of Europe’s most prosperous nations. It is considered a liberal democracy, and consistently ranks high for its quality of life.

Czech Republic

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 30,451 square miles

• Capital: Prague

82 • Languages: Czech is the official language.

• Ethnicities: Czech 64.3%, Moravian 5%, Slovak 1.4%, other 29.3%

• Location: The Czech Republic is bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Poland, and Germany.

• Geography: Landlocked in Eastern Europe, the Czech Republic comprises the ancient provinces of Bohemia and Moravia, with a mountainous rim on the German border to the west.

• Population: 10,644,842 (estimate)

• Religions: Roman Catholic 10.4%, Protestant 1.1%, other or unspecified 54%, none 34.5%

• Time Zone: The Czech Republic on Central European Time, six hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C., it is noon in Prague.

National Holidays: Czech Republic

In addition to the holidays listed below, 07/05 Saints Cyril and Methodius the Czech Republic celebrates a number of 07/06 Jan Hus Day national holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter. To find out if you will be 09/28 St. Wenceslas Day traveling during these holidays, please visit www.timeanddate.com/holidays. 10/28 Independent Czechoslovak State Day

01/01 New Year’s Day 11/17 Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day 05/01 Labor Day/May Day 12/25 Christmas Day 05/08 Victory in Europe Day 12/26 St. Stephen’s Day

The Czech Republic: A Brief History Though the Czech Republic is less than 50 years old, its culture dates to the 5th century BC, when groups of Celts calling themselves “Boii” settled in Bohemia, which means “home of the Boii.” By the 6th century, the Celts were replaced by Germanic and Slavic tribes. Around 631 AD, Samo, a Frankish merchant living in the area, formed a coalition of Slavic tribes, became their king, and won victories against the Avars and the Franks. His short-lived kingdom was the first Slavic state.

A unified Slavic state continued with the formation of Great Moravia, an empire that included the Duchy of Bohemia. The region soon fell under the influence of German dukes, and in 950 became part of the Holy Roman Empire. Fast-forward to the 14th century, the Czech golden age. Under the enlightened reign of Charles IV, who was elected Holy Roman Emperor in 1355, Bohemia was a center of power, culture and prestige.

By the 14th century, Jan Hus, a rector at Charles University in Prague, advocated for church reform and against corruption. He gained a huge Czech following two centuries before the Protestant Reformation. Hus was burned at the stake in 1415, and in 1419 his followers stormed

83 Prague’s Town Hall and tossed Catholic councilors out the window in what is called the “Defenestration of Prague.” Bohemia and Moravia remained Protestant strongholds, but as the Hapsburgs consolidated power, they confiscated Protestant lands. The Hapsburgs dominated for 300 years, leaving an ambiguous legacy. Though they suppressed dissent and imposed Austrian culture, they also provided stability. Under Empress Maria Theresa and her son Joseph, serfdom was abolished, public education was provided, and the region’s Jews gained rights. An industrial middle class emerged. And there was a renewal of Czech language and culture.

World War I brought the end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the establishment of the first independent Czechoslovakia—a joint state between ethnic Bohemians, Moravians, and Slovaks. Czechoslovakia thrived until Hitler annexed the country in 1939. Bohemia and Moravia became a protectorate of the Reich, and Slovakia became a puppet state. Prague was spared significant physical damage, but the resistance was destroyed and two-thirds of the nation’s Jews were murdered. In 1945, the Nazis withdrew; Czechoslovakia was reconstituted; and in 1947 2.5 million resident ethnic Germans were expelled to Germany and Austria.

The Soviets took power in 1948, sending thousands of Czechs to prison. Resistance emerged in the 1960s with president Alexander Dubcek, who espoused “socialism with a human face.” It smiled upon the world during the Prague Spring of 1968, when there was an outpouring of democratic sentiment. Dubcek loosened restrictions on the press, speech and travel. But in August, 1968, the Soviets invaded with Warsaw Pact troops, replaced Dubcek with a hardliner, and began reprisals against protest leaders (including activist-playwright, Václav Havel).

As Communism fell across Europe in 1989, the most striking revolt was in Czechoslovakia. When Prague police brutally attacked a peaceful student demonstration, dissidents led by Václav Havel negotiated the government’s resignation on December 3, and Havel was elected president. Forty years of Soviet domination were swept aside in what has been called “the Velvet Revolution.” Soon after independence, differences between the Czechs and Slovaks became irreconcilable. So on January 1, 1993, they agreed to a “Velvet Divorce” and split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999, and the EU in 2004. Today, the Czech Republic is a pluralist multi-party parliamentary democracy. The country has held numerous free elections without incident, and the economy has remained relatively robust.

Germany

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 137,846 square miles

• Capital: Berlin

• Languages: German is the official language; Turkish is also spoken in Berlin.

• Location: Germany is bordered by Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, the North Sea, and the Baltic Sea.

84 • Geography: Located in central Europe, Germany is bordered on the west by the Benelux countries and France, and on the east by Poland and the Czech Republic. Switzerland and Austria are to the south. Germany’s northern coastline is met by the North Sea and the Baltic.

• Population: 80,854,408 (estimate)

• Religions: Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, other 28.3%

• Time Zone: Germany is on Central European Time, six hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C., it is noon in Berlin. Daylight Saving Time begins the last Sunday in March and ends the last Sunday in October.

National Holidays: Germany

In addition to the holidays listed below, 05/01 May Day Germany celebrates a number of national 10/03 Day of German Unity holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter. There are also some holidays that 11/01 All Saints’ Day are not national holidays, but are widely observed. To find out if you will be traveling 12/24 Christmas Eve during these holidays, please visit www. 12/25 Christmas Day timeanddate.com/holidays. 12/26 Boxing Day 01/01 New Year’s Day

Germany: A Brief History For many contemporary travelers, the history of Germany has been overshadowed by its role in the two World Wars of the past century. But that belies the two millennia of history and culture that is the legacy of Europe’s Germanic people, and which awaits your discovery.

During the Bronze and Iron Ages, Germanic tribes from southern Scandinavia and Northern Germany expanded, mixing and clashing with Celtic, Baltic, Slavic, Gaul, and Indo-European people. Settling east of the Rhine and north of the Danube, in a region the Romans dubbed “Germania,” they never unified. But they repulsed nearly all efforts of Rome to colonize them. The Romans were only ever able to subdue Germania’s southern and western flanks.

With the 5th century fall of the Western Roman Empire, Germanic Franks rose as the largest tribal confederacy of the middle Rhine. They spread to Gaul, absorbing all of France; and as far west as Poland. There was no unified German nation but by 800 AD, there was a Holy Roman Empire with the Frankish king Charlemagne as Emperor. For 1,000 years, the Holy Roman Empire mostly controlled Europe, and German prince-electors mostly controlled the Empire.

The Holy Roman Empire became a collection of duchies, principalities, Free Imperial Cities, and ecclesiastical states that spread across the larger kingdoms of Germany, Italy, Bohemia, and Burgundy. In 1440, the Austrian Hapsburg dynasty took control of the Holy Roman Empire (and held it until 1806). But all the imperial states became embroiled in the Thirty Years War

85 (1618–1648), which was sparked by a revolt of Bohemian Protestants, but grew into a deadly struggle between Bourbon and Hapsburg powers. Most of Central Europe was devastated by the conflict.

The prospect of a unified German nation began to coalesce during the Seven Weeks War in 1866, when the Prussian army under Otto von Bismarck defeated Austria. Prussia’s superior firepower convinced other German states that Austria was no longer a force. Bismarck then formed a North German Confederation without Austria—the forerunner to the unified German Empire of Kaiser Wilhelm I. Bismarck fostered alliances and instituted universal health care, pension plans, and other social welfare programs. But after Wilhelm I died in 1888, his grandson Wilhelm II rejected liberal reforms in favor of imperialism, which led to Germany’s involvement in World War I. Its defeat ended of the German Empire with the 1919 Treaty of Versailles.

The punitive provisions of the Versailles agreement opened the door for the Nazis. In 1933, a government was formed with Hitler as Chancellor. By 1934, Hitler took over as Fuhrer and established a totalitarian regime. German Jews were targeted by vicious propaganda and stripped of their rights. By 1939, half of Germany’s 500,000 Jews had fled. The Final Solution was implemented in 1941, and the ensuing Holocaust killed 6 million Jews and 11 million others. Meanwhile, Germany began annexing territories and the world was drawn into war.

The Allies defeated the Axis powers in 1945, leaving a partitioned Germany with a decimated political, social, and economic infrastructure. Yet despite its ruin and enormous burden of shame, the Federal German Republic (West Germany) became a parliamentary democracy, a NATO member, a founding member of the European Union, and one of the world’s richest countries. When the Iron Curtain fell in 1989, the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) demanded reform. German reunification took place in 1990. Since then economic integration of East Germany has been difficult, but progressing. Angela Merkel, the Chancellor since 2005, has helped Germany retain its position as a leader of the EU, and indeed, of the free world.

Hungary

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 35,911 square miles

• Capital: Budapest

• Languages: Hungarian (Magyar) is the official language.

• Ethnicities: Hungarian 85.6%, Roma 3.2%, German 1.9%, other 2.6%, unspecified 14.1%

• Location: Hungary is located in central Europe

• Geography: Hungary is a landlocked country that has borders with seven countries: Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia to the east; Serbia and Romania to the south; Ukraine to the northeast; and Slovakia directly to the north. Most of Hungary is a fertile, rolling plain lying east of the Danube River, and drained by the Danube and Tisza Rivers.

• Population: 9,897,541 (estimate)

86 • Religion: Roman Catholic 37.2%, Calvinist 11.6%, Lutheran 2.2%, Greek Catholic 1.8%, other 1.9%, none 18.2%, unspecified 27.2%

• Time Zone: Hungary is six hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C., it is noon in Budapest.

National Holidays: Hungary

In addition to the holidays listed below, 05/01 Labor Day/May Day Hungary celebrates a number of national 08/20 Hungary National Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter. To find out if you will be traveling 10/23 1956 Revolution Memorial Day during these holidays, please visit www. timeanddate.com/holidays. 11/01 All Saints’ Day

01/01 New Year’s Day 12/25 Christmas Day

03/15 1848 Revolution Memorial Day 12/26 Boxing Day

Hungary: A Brief History Hungary has been populated for half a million years. It was settled by Illyrians, Thracians and Scythians, and the Celts arrived around 400 BC. Romans established a province in western Hungary called Pannonia, but left in the 2nd century AD, when Attila the Hun briefly took over.

The progenitors of modern Hungarians were the Magyars. In 895, seven Magyar tribes under the leadership of Árpád formed an alliance. (These chiefs are depicted in the iconic statues of Budapest’s Heroes’ Square.) They were fierce and superior horsemen who conquered lands as far west as Spain. But the Magyars realized that their survival depended on forming ties with more powerful entities—namely, Byzantium or the Holy Roman Empire. They chose Rome.

Magyar rule was solidified in 973, when Géza, the great-grandson of Árpád, had himself and his grandson Vajk baptized—gaining the favor of Rome. Vajk took the Christian name Stephen (István) and in 1000 he became the first King of Hungary. His kingdom lasted 500 years and its endurance gave Hungary a strong taste for sover”ignty. But by 1526, nearly all of Hungary was occupied by Ottoman Turkey. The remaining western and northern parts gained the protection of Austria. But when the Hapsburgs drove the Turks out in 1686, they also made the rest of “liberated” Hungary an Austrian province. Over time there were setbacks (and revolts) under the Hapsburgs, but also an economic and cultural flowering that continued into the 20th century.

In 1848, Hungary revolted against Hapsburg rule and failed. But in 1867, Austria and Hungary formed a federated dual monarchy with two parliaments, two capitals (Vienna and Budapest) and a hyphenated name: Austria-Hungary. Hungary was industrialized, and its economy soared. When Austrian Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914, Hungary entered World War I as a German ally. Losses were enormous, the empire dissolved, and unrest broke out. Large minorities within Hungary’s borders clamored for independence, and got it, thanks to the Treaty of Trianon. It gave lands to the new nations of Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Romania, reducing Hungary to 40% of its traditional size—a loss many Hungarians still mourn.

87 To recoup its former lands, the increasingly right-leaning Hungarian government of Miklós Horthy turned to fascist Italy and Germany. Hungary did recover some lands, but it was also drawn into World War II as an Axis ally. After the Hungarian army was virtually decimated, Horthy tried to negotiate a separate peace with the Allies. But Hitler invaded, installed the pro- Nazi Arrow Cross party, and resumed the murder of thousands of Jews, partisans, Romani, and intellectuals. In December 1944, the Red Army had encircled Budapest and a two-month siege began. By the time the Nazis surrendered in April 1945, much of Budapest had been destroyed.

The Soviets occupied Hungary after the war and made it a satellite state. In October 1953, 50,000 Budapest students began an anti-Soviet demonstration calling for Hungary’s liberal-minded Imre Nagy to be Prime Minister. The secret police fired on them and overnight, Hungary was in revolt. Nagy formed a government and offered amnesty to those involved in the violence. But when he announced that Hungary would leave the Warsaw Pact and pursue neutrality, the Soviets stormed in with tanks. The world watched in horror as nearly 20,000 Hungarians died.

Communism fell in 1989 and on October 23—33 years after the 1956 Uprising—Hungary became the Republic of Hungary. The new Hungary joined NATO in 1999; and the EU in 2004. The current Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, a onetime anti-Communist, now serves his fourth term. He has moved far right and been criticized for increasing authoritarianism.

Slovakia

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 18,933 square miles

• Capital: Bratislava

• Languages: Slovak is the official language; Hungarian is also spoken.

• Ethnicities: Slovak 80.7%, Hungarian 8.5%, Roma 2%, other and unspecified 8.8%

• Location: Slovakia is bordered by Austria, Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic.

• Geography: Situated in central Europe, Slovakia has a strategic position as a “bridge” between the countries of Austria (on its west) and Ukraine (on its east), and Hungary (to the south) and Poland (to the north); it’s also bordered by the Czech Republic (to the northwest). The land has rugged mountains, rich in mineral resources, and vast forests and pastures. The Carpathian Mountains dominate the topography of Slovakia, with lowland areas in the southern region.

• Population: 5,445,027 (estimate)

• Religion: Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 8.2%, Greek Catholic 3.8%, other or unspecified 12.5%, none 13.4%

• Time Zone: Slovakia is on Central Europe Time, six hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it is 6am in Washington D.C., it is noon in Bratislava.

88 National Holidays: Slovakia

In addition to the holidays listed below, 07/05 St. Cyril & St. Methodius Day Slovakia celebrates a number of national 08/29 National Uprising Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter. To find out if you will be traveling 09/01 Constitution Day during these holidays, please visit www. timeanddate.com/holidays. 11/01 All Saints’ Day

01/01 Republic Day 11/17 Fight for Freedom and Democracy Day

05/01 Labor Day 12/25 Christmas Day

05/08 End of World War II 12/26 St. Stephen’s Day

Slovakia: A Brief History Slovakia only gained true independence as a nation in 1993, after the peaceful dissolution of the Czechoslovak federation that it had variously been part of for most of the 20th century. But sovereignty aside, Slovak culture has been evolving for hundreds, if not thousands of years.

What is now modern-day Slovakia has been inhabited since Paleolithic times. The earliest identifiable people were the Celts, who arrived around 400 BC and colonized lowlands along the Danube and its tributaries. They lived in small huts and established villages around hill forts. Romans set up shop here around 174 AD, but their focus turned elsewhere Huns and Germanic tribes moved in. By 500 AD, Slavic tribes had established themselves in settlements along the Morava, Váh, and Hron rivers. Growing in number, they became the progenitors of the Slovak people. By 830 AD, they united with Bohemia and Moravia to form Great Moravia.

Great Moravia was conquered by Hungarian Magyars in the 10th century, and for nearly 1,000 years, Hungarian domination continued. In fact, Hungary’s first king, Saint Stephen, established eight counties in what is present-day Slovakia, and the region was the frontier of the Kingdom of Hungary throughout the medieval era. When Turks invaded in the 16th century, they captured much of south and central Hungary (and Slovakia). Budapest was taken, but the Hungarian royalty moved to Bratislava. They paid obeisance to the Austrian Hapsburgs, upon whom they depended for defense against the Turks. And so Slovakia became a Hapsburg territory, and between 1526 and 1830, 19 Hapsburg rulers of Hungary were coronated in Bratislava.

The emergence of a Slovak national identity dates to the late 18th century, coincident with the appearance of a written language. The romantic nationalism that swept Europe in the early 19th century also swept Slovakia, and was focused on literature and folklore. But after the failed Hungarian Revolution of 1848, Hungary’s weakness left an opening for a political Slovak national political movement. It was sidelined in 1867 after Hungary and Austria reached a compromise and formed the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Slovakia’s dream of independence did not materialize until 1919, when it joined with Bohemia, Moravia, Czech Silesia and Carpathia Ruthenia to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar period, this was the only true democracy in Eastern Europe.

89 When Hitler annexed Czechoslovakia, Slovakia became a client state headed by Josef Tiso, a Catholic priest and Nazi collaborator. Under his rule, nearly all the Jews remaining in Slovakia were deported to death camps in Poland, or killed in Slovakia. In 1944, the Slovak Uprising attempted to overthrow the Tiso government. It was put down by the Nazis, but guerilla operations continued until Slovakia was liberated in 1945 by the Red Army and Czech, Slovak, and Romanian partisans. After the war, a reunited Czechoslovakia became a Soviet satellite.

The nation endured the repression and hardships of the Stalin years. But in the 1960s Czechoslovakia enjoyed a period of liberalization under Slovak-born president Alexander Dubcek. This ended with the “Prague Spring” of 1968, when the Soviets invaded with Warsaw Pact troops. The dissidents moved underground until 1989, when they helped bring about the fall of communism during the Velvet Revolution. In 1993, Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate in what is called the “Velvet Divorce.” Thus, Slovakia finally became truly independent.

Slovakia joined both NATO and the European Union in 2004. Today, Slovakia is a modern country with a strong market economy, complemented by a comprehensive social security system that offers universal health care, free education and generous civil liberties.

Poland

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 120,728 square miles

• Capital: Warsaw

• Government: Republic

• Language: Polish is the official language. It is a Slavonic language. Unlike Russian, it uses the familiar Roman alphabet, but with many additional accents. German, Russian, English, and French are spoken by most members of the travel industry and in hotels.

• Location: Situated in the heart of Europe, Poland’s low-lying plains extend from the Baltic shore in the north to the Tatra Mountains on its southern border with the Czech Republic and Slovakia. To the east of the Polish border are Lithuania, Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine; to the west is Germany.

• Population: 38,562,189 (estimate)

• Religion: Catholic 87.2%, Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.4%, other 0.4%, and unspecified 10.8%

• Time zone: The time in Poland is six hours ahead of Eastern Time in North America: when it is 12 noon in New York, it is 6 pm in Warsaw and Krakow.

90 National Holidays: Poland

In addition to the holidays listed below, 05/01 Labor Day/May Day Poland celebrates a number of national 05/03 Constitution Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter. To find out if you will be traveling 08/15 Assumption of Mary during these holidays, please visit www. timeanddate.com/holidays. 11/01 All Saints’ Day

01/01 New Year’s Day 11/11 Independence Day

01/06 Epiphany 12/25 Christmas Day

12/26 Boxing Day

Poland: A Brief History Poland’s sovereignty has never been easy or taken for granted. From its earliest incarnation as an independent state in 966, Poland has been occupied by foreign powers, sandwiched between hostile neighbors and even wiped off the world map for 123 years. But through it all, there have been remarkable leaders and a commitment to cultural preservation that continues to inspire.

The first nation builders were the Slavs. Their most prominent clan, the Polanie (“people of the open country”) gave the nation its name, and the Piast dynasty. The most important Piast ruler was Duke Mieszko. In 966, he consolidated power by being baptized a Catholic and marrying Doubravka, a Bohemian princess. Mieszko’s son Boleslaw expanded his dominion to an area roughly equivalent to Poland’s current borders. He became Poland’s first legitimate king in 1025.

Kazimierz III the Great presided over a period of prosperity and expansion from 1333–70. He was a visionary who promoted legal, educational, and civil reforms. Among them was a law providing privileges for Jews, which set the stage for Poland as a haven for a group that made significant cultural contributions for 600 years. He built universities and founded so many new towns it gave rise to a saying that Kazimierz “found Poland built of wood, but left it in stone.”

When Kazimierz died without heir, the Polish Princess Jadwiga married the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Jogaila. Their two states became the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1569. It had a central parliament and local assemblies, and an elected king. But a fatal loophole was that in the absence of a serious Polish contender, nobles could elect a foreigner. This opened the door for rampant bribery and a series of kings whose allegiances were not with Poland.

By the beginning of the 17th century, foreign invaders carved up the kingdom. Most devastating was the Swedish invasion of 1655–70, called “The Deluge.” Next came the Ottomans, but Poland had a bright moment when King Jan III Sobieski defeated the Turks at the Battle of Vienna in 1683, preventing their further spread into Europe. He was unable to prevent Poland’s collapse: In 1772, the Commonwealth was partitioned by Prussia, Austria, and Russia. It was divided two more times, despite a revolt led by Tadeusz Kosciuszko, hero of the American Revolution.

91 In 1795, Poland ceased to exist as a nation, its borders erased for 123 years. But its spirit was kept alive by nationalist societies, and by romantic artists like the composer Frederic Chopin. It wasn’t until after World War in 1918 that an independent Polish state came back into existence. The Second Republic only lasted 20 years before the Nazi occupation of World War II. The Germans first targeted Gdansk, then Warsaw, and met fierce resistance. But the Poles were outnumbered and underarmed. The Nazis intended to make Poland their living room by evicting its inhabitants. A million Poles were murdered in camps; nearly all of the nation’s three million Jews were exterminated; and when the Soviets came in 1944, they continued the genocide. By the end of the war, 20% of the Polish population had died, and Poland became a Soviet satellite.

The postwar years saw various protests, but it wasn’t until the Gdansk shipyard strikes of 1980 that change happened. The workers’ main issue was the right to unionize, but in their “21 Demands” they sought far-reaching changes in areas from food supplies to free speech to maternity leave and more. The Solidarity Strike was joined by workers in mines, factories, and more. Through the leadership of Lech Walesa, the protests remained non-violent, but the struggle lasted till the end of the decade. When the Iron Curtain fell, Walesa was elected President, and Third Polish Republic was born. Poland joined NATO in 1999, and the EU in 2004.

92 RESOURCES: SUGGESTED READING & MOVIES

Suggested Reading

General The Improbable Voyage by Tristan Jones (Travel Account) In 1985, former Royal Navy skipper Tristan Jones embarked on a 2,307-mile voyage across Europe, traveling from the North Sea to the Black Sea via the Rhine and Danube rivers. Battling ice and cold, life-threatening rapids and narrow gorges, German bureaucrats and Romanian frontier police, Jones made his way through eight countries and emerged triumphant, albeit penniless, at the Black Sea. His spirited account of his adventures gives readers a vivid glimpse of the quality of life along Europe’s oldest water routes—and of life on the Danube toward the end of the Cold War era.

Danube by Claudio Magris (Travel Account) This widely regarded descriptive travel book follows the river as it flows from its source in Germany to its mouth in the Black Sea, with wonderful descriptions of the scenery en route.

Central Europe: Enemies, Neighbors, Friends by Lonnie R. Johnson (History) A panoramic history of Central Europe that provides a comparative analysis of the key events that have shaped Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, and Croatia. The author abandons the Cold War convention of defining Central Europe in the bipolar terms of East and West, and emphasizes the underlying continuities in the region’s history.

Austria A Nervous Splendor—Vienna 1888-1889 by Frederic Morton (1980, History) When the Archduke Rudolph I shoots his teenaged mistress and then himself at the royal retreat in Mayerling, the scandal sends shock waves throughout Austria. Here, the author traces how that event impacted Vienna’s greatest minds, among them Sigmund Freud, Gustav Mahler, Theodor Herzl, Gustav Klimt, and the playwright Arthur Schnitzler. Their stories are interwoven with that of the doomed Prince, who is buried just as Frau Klara Hitler gives birth to a son named Adolf.

When Nietzsche Wept: A Novel of Obsession by Irvin D. Yalom (2013, Fiction) Set in 19th-century Vienna, this novel is built upon a clever conceit: the psychoanalytic sessions between the impoverished and suicidal philosopher, Frederic Nietzsche; and distinguished physician Josef Breuer, who is undergoing his own existential crisis. The twist is that Nietzsche, too proud to seek help, does not know that he is Breuer’s “patient.” As the two meet in Vienna’s salons and coffeehouses, we encounter the personalities of the day, including Sigmund Freud, and gain a sense of the healing power of connection.

The Austrians: A Thousand-Year Odyssey by Gordon Brook-Shepard (1996, History) A noted historian, draws upon his long-standing associations with Austrian leaders and his special access to the private Hapsburg family archives to trace the identity of Austria as it developed over a millennium.

93 The Age of Insight by Eric Kandel (2012, Art) This book takes us to Vienna in 1900, where leaders in science, medicine, and art began a revolution that changed forever how we think about the human mind—our conscious and unconscious thoughts and emotions—and how mind and brain relate to art. Kandel traces the ideas and advances of Vienna, in rich and rewarding detail, and their enduring influence today.

The Habsburgs: The History of a Dynasty by Benjamin Curtis (2013, History) Discover how this Austrian family gained power—and held it—for more than 500 years, shaping all the nations featured on this adventure.

The Painted Kiss by Elizabeth Hickey (2005, Historical Fiction) The author, an art historian, imagines the relationship between the artist Gustav Klimt, and his younger model-mistress, the couturier Emilie Flöge. She was the inspiration for his famous work, The Kiss, and it was her name that he uttered as his dying words.

The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth (1932, Historical Fiction) Three generations of the von Trotta family see their fortunes rise and fall in the declining days of the Austro-Hungrian Empire. The irony of the book is that each time the Emperor Franz-Joseph bestows some favor upon someone, there are significant personal and political consequences.

The World of Yesterday by Stefan Zweig (1964, Biography) Written as both a recollection of the past and a warning for future generations, The World of Yesterday recalls the golden age of literary Vienna—its seeming permanence, its promise, and its devastating fall.

Czech Republic The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera (1984, Fiction) Passion, politics, and philosophy; loyalty and lies; these are just some of the themes explored in this novel, which follows a young woman in love with a philandering surgeon in Prague of the 1960s.

Me, Myself & Prague: An Unreliable Guide to Bohemia by Rachael Weiss (2008. Travel Narrative) When the author uproots herself and moves from Australia to Prague she hopes to reinvent herself in a specific way—as a worldly and chic novelist—but ends up discovering more about who she was all along.

The Garden Party and Other Plays by Václav Havel (1994, Plays) Written by the famed playwright who went on to become the first president of post-communist Czechoslovakia. These absurdist plays blend politics with typical wry Czech humor to capture the mood of a country on the brink of great change.

Love and Garbage by Ivan Klíma (1986, Fiction) When Klíma wrote this book in 1986, it was banned by the Communist regime. Three years later, after the fall of the Iron Curtain, it became a sensation. It follows the ups and downs of a dissident artist forced to be a garbage man in Communist Prague. He collects far more than trash.

Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937–1948 by Madeleine Albright (2012, Biography) Former Secretary of State Albright describes her early life in Czechoslovakia during the Nazi occupation and World War II. Albright spent much of her childhood in exile in London,

94 and was too young to understand the forces at work in her birth country. For that, she relies here on historical research but also the letters, journals, and articles of her remarkable family and their friends. A stellar example of how the personal becomes the political.

Germany In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin by Erik Larson (2011, History) Acclaimed historian and author Larson follows the experiences of the American ambassador to Germany in 1933 as he and his family slowly come to realize the menace and danger that is Hitler’s Third Reich.

Dresden: A City Reborn Edited by Alan Russell, Anthony Clayton, and Alan Keith Russell (2013, History) On 13 February 1945, Dresden, one of the most beautiful and historic cities of Europe, was destroyed by British and American air raids. This book traces the city’s history from its medieval birth in 1206 through its world war II destruction and up through the 21st century.

The Woman from Hamburg: and Other True Stories by Hana Krall (2006, Non-Fiction) A journalist from Warsaw born in 1937, Krall reveals the lives and strange trajectories of her compatriots in these stories, profiles and interviews of survivors of WWII.

Tschick by Wolfgang Harrndorf (2014, Fiction) Two unpopular teenagers—one German and one Russian—”borrow” a car and go on a joyride across Germany. Although the protagonists are young, the story seems to delight adults too—it was recommended by the ambassador of Germany has one of the best modern stories from his country.

Before the Deluge: A Portrait of Berlin in the 1920s by Otto Friedrich (1995, History) A noted historian describes the raucous social, cultural and political scene in this most vibrant city, when Christopher Isherwood, Marlene Dietrich, Albert Einstein, Greta Garbo, Berthold Brecht Walter Gropius, Vassily Kandinsky and so many others made their home here.

March Violets by Philip Kerr (1990, Mystery) The first of a series that also includes titles such as The Pale Criminal and A German Requiem. Set in 1930s Berlin, these dark mysteries follow Bernard Gunther, a former police officer now turned private detective who specializes in finding missing people and people who don’t want to be found. The language is very much like a classic noir film from the 30s or 40s.

Berlin by Giles MacDonogh (1998, History) A study of the history, sociology, architecture, food, crime, and theater of one of Europe’s most intriguing cities—on the eve of its return as the capital of the Unified Germany.

Peeling the Onion by Günter Grass (2007, Memoir) The Nobel Prize-winning author describes his experiences growing up in Danzig (now Gdansk) and as a soldier in the Nazi Waffen SS. It is a real-life story of the themes he explored with magical realism in his masterpiece, The Tin Drum.

Martin Luther: A Life by Martin E. Marty (2004, Biography) A brief but engrossing biography of the fiery Protestant reformer who transformed western thinking, sending shock waves across Europe’s political as well as religious landscape.

95 The Silent Angel by Heinrich Boll (1992, Fiction) A German WWII deserter returns to his home town of Cologne after it has been carpet bombed, and encounters a city filled with shell-shocked people trying to survive both physically and spiritually. Nobel Prize winner Boll, a Cologne native, drew from his own postwar experiences to create this moving portrait.

Narcissus and Goldmund by Hermann Hesse (1930, Fiction) This classic tale reveals medieval Germany through the experiences of two men, one who chooses the monastic life, and the other traveling the world.

Culture Shock! Germany by Richard Lord (2008, Culture/Travel). Learn all you need to know to understand the modern German way of life.

Hungary Budapest: A Critical Guide by András Török (2016, Guidebook) Frequently updated and widely loved, this is more than your average travel guide, but a witty insider’s look at the quirks and pleasures of Hungary’s most dazzling city. Even if you never went here, this book would be fun to read.

Fatelessness by Imre Kertész (1975, Literature) This semi-autobiographical novel follows the experiences of a young Hungarian Jewish boy imprisoned at Auschwitz. Kertész drew on his own experiences there, and went on to be the only Hungarian to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2002.

The Bridge at Andau by James Michener (1957, Nonfiction) For a brief time in 1956, the bridge at Andau became an escape route for Hungarians fleeing the Soviet suppression of the famous popular revolt that wracked Budapest and riveted the world. Historian Michener was living at the Austrian-Hungarian border at the time, and captures here the dramatic nature of the true-life events surrounding the revolt and the plight of the refugees.

Budapest Noir by Vilmos Kondor (2012, Mystery) The death of a call girl in a seedy neighborhood a few days after the death of Hungary’s Prime Minister doesn’t seem to by of interest to anyone, except a dogged reporter. A classic noir-style mystery that unravels in 1930s Budapest.

Slovakia A False Dawn: My Life as a Gypsy Woman in Slovakia by Elena Lacková (2000, Biography) In the late 1970s, Lacková began telling her life story to Milena Hübschmannová, a leading Romani scholar. It is a startling and moving glimpse at a long-despised culture, and the strength of its families. We follow Lacková from her World War II struggles, to her exhilaration as a youthful playwright, to her emancipation (and gradual disillusionment) as a female socialist state official. Filled with details about daily life, superstitions, gender roles, and more.

In the Name of the Father by Vladimir Balla (2017, Fiction) A combination of the author’s award- winning novella and three additional short stories, this satirical work explores the mind of a man who is looking in all the wrong places to place blame for his serial adultery, failed marriage, dysfunctional family relationships, and his wife’s mental illness. With his dark humor, Balla has been called “the Slovak Kafka.”

96 A Country Lost, Then Found: Discovering My Father’s Slovakia by Rick Zednik (2012, Memoir) In this touching memoir Zednik first describes what it was like for his father to break all ties with Slovakia (due to the 1968 Soviet invasion); the second half reveals what it was like for the author himself to visit Bratislava after the end of the Cold War, and rediscover his extended family.

A History of Slovakia: The Struggle for Survival by Stanislav J. Kirschbaum (2005, History) A ground-breaking work this is the first comprehensive study to describe the resilience of the Slovaks—from the 7th-century Avar invasions to the break with the Czech Republic in 1993.

The Luck of the Weissensteiners by Christoph Fischer ( 2012, Fiction) When Greta, who is both Slovak and Jewish, falls for Wilhelm, who is German, everything seems to go well. But then World War II breaks out, and trouble ensues.

Poland God’s Playground: A History of Poland by Norman Davies (2005, History) Critics regard this work as the best and most exciting history of Poland, covering 1,000 years in two volumes. The author also offers a condensed version—Heart of Europe: A Short History of Poland.

Gimpel the Fool and Other Stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer (1957, Fiction) From the master of Yiddish literature (and Nobel Laureate), this collection vividly depicts Jewish life in a rural shtetl, while mixing magic and reality.

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly (2016, Historical fiction) Loosely based on the true story of an American who campaigned for a group of concentration camp survivors known as “the Rabbits”, this novel follows the intersecting lives of three very different women—a New York socialite, a Polish teenager, and a German doctor.

Suggested Movies

Austria Before Sunrise (1995, Comedy/Drama) Two strangers meet on a rain and decide to get off in Vienna for just one evening. As they explore some of the city’s most evocative landmarks, their conversations go from wryly philosophical to deeply personal, before they must decide to go their separate ways. Stars Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke collaborated on writing the sparkling dialogue.

The Third Man (1949, Drama) Based on a Graham Greene story and starring Orson Welles, this smart and stylish thriller is considered a masterpiece of cinema. Its moody camerawork, striking shots of Viennese landmarks, and jangling zither score perfectly build and release the tension of Cold War Vienna.

Amadeus (1984, Drama) The pious Italian composer Antonio Salieri is obsessed with his rival, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whom God has favored with divine talent and worldly success— despite Mozart’s immaturity and vulgarity. The Oscar winner for Best Picture, this epic from director Milos Forman is gorgeously filmed, and lifted by its pitch-perfect performances by F. Murray Abraham (as Salieri) and Tom Hulce (as Mozart.)

97 Museum Hours (2012, Drama) A lonely guard at Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Art Museum befriends an enigmatic American visitor, who has been called here due to a family emergency. Through conversations sparked by the art they both admire, the two begin sharing their lives, and the life of Vienna.

The Woman in Gold (2015, Drama) Helen Mirren stars as Maria Altmann, an Austrian-Jewish Holocaust refugee who successfully sued the Austrian government for the return of a major artwork that was stolen from her family by the Nazis: Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bauer-Bloch, who was her aunt. Based on a true story.

Middle Europe The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014, Comedy/Mystery) This film was shot primarily in Saxony (Germany) and it takes place in the fictional Republic of Zubrowka, but it beautifully conjures a rich Mitteleuropa nostalgia and has an uproarious story-within-a-story format—plus a killer cast. Ralph Fiennes is the debonair concierge of a grand hotel who deftly contends with his quirky staff, wealthy guests, fascist agents, and the theft of a priceless artwork. Directed by Wes Anderson at his light-hearted (but always precise) best.

Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Czechoslovakia Ice Mother (2017, Comedy/Drama) Hana, a recent widow, has her spirit nearly crushed by her dysfunctional family, with whom she gathers every Saturday for the traditional dinner. Things get disrupted when she meets Brona, who welcomes her into his quirky club of cold-water swimmers, but warms things up in other ways.

Kolya (1996, Comedy/Drama) An Oscar winner for Best foreign Language Film. Kolya is an aging ladies man and professional cellist, after being flippant with Russian officials, he loses his orchestra position. To make money, he marries a Russian woman for pay so she can get her papers. But when the cellist is left with 5-year old son, he changes his tune.

Kafka (1991, Drama) Directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Jeremy Irons as the legendary Czech writer Franz Kafka, this unconventional biopic blends events of the author’s life with fantasy scenes from his fiction. Segments of striking black-and-white cinematography add to the moody allure of 1920s Prague.

The Shop on Main Street (1965, Drama). The Oscar for Best Foreign Film of 1965 went to this story about a disillusioned carpenter, Tono, who is appointed the “Aryan controller” of a button shop owned by an old Jewish woman. By Nazi decree, Tono is the shop’s new owner, but the kind Mrs. Lautmann is so senile, she thinks he is just a nice helper. The two end up forging a delicate bond, but when a roundup of Jews begins, Tono must make a terrible moral choice.

Fireman’s Ball (1967, Comedy) Made just before the Prague Spring, this is the last film that the renowned Miloš Forman directed before going into exile in the US. A masterpiece of the Czech New Wave, this veiled critique of Soviet bureaucracy is wrapped in a comic tale about a retirement fete being hosted by some small town firemen. None of the actors were professionals— they were the actual firemen of Vrchlabí, a Czech village.

98 Anthropoid (2017, Drama) Based on the true story of Operation Anthropoid, an attempt by World War II Czech and Slovak partisans to assassinate Reinhard Heydrich, architect of the Final Solution and the so-called “Butcher of Prague.”

Germany Goodbye, Lenin! (2003, Comedy/Drama) A German boy named Alex pulls off an elaborate scheme to prevent his fragile mother, a dedicated socialist, from experiencing a fatal shock. When she awakens in 1990 after a long coma, Alex strives to keep the fall of the Berlin Wall, the collapse of Communism, and the reunification of Germany a secret.

Bridge of Spies (2015, Drama) Steven Spielberg directed this Cold War thriller based on a true story about a lawyer (Tom Hanks) who must negotiate a delicate prisoner exchange: Francis Gary Powers, a U.S. pilot whose U-2 spy plane was shot down by the Soviet Union in 1960—for captured KGB spy Rudolf Abel. The title refers to the Glienicke Bridge that connects Potsdam and Berlin, where the exchange took place.

Cabaret (1972, Musical/Drama) Directed by Bob Fosse, this movie has it all: a killer Broadway score, a perfect cast, Fosse’s sultry choreography, pointed social commentary, and an electrifying portait of lost souls struggling to survive in Weimar-era Berlin on the cusp of Nazism. It did not win Best Picture, but took eight other major categories including Best Actress (Liza Minelli), Best Supporting Actor (Joel Grey), and Best Director (Fosse).

Das Boot (1981, Adventure) One of the most authentic war films ever made Das Boot is a raw and compelling portrayal of a German Atlantic U-boat crew and captain as they struggle to survive during World War II.

The Lives of Others (2006, Drama) A drama that marked the feature film debut of German filmmaker Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. Set in East Berlin in 1984, an agent of the secret police conducts surveillance on a writer and his lover. As the story unfolds, he finds himself becoming increasingly absorbed by their lives. As intoxicating as it is chilling, this film quietly depicts the secret world of German espionage. In German with subtitles.

The Marriage of Maria Braun (1978, Drama) A young German woman marries her true love, then loses him when he is sent to the Eastern Front and is presumed dead. When the war ends, Maria must fend for herself, becoming a prostitute and eventually using her wiles to establish a bourgeois existence. But things get complicated when her husband returns. This is an engrossing, dynamic and often funny allegory for the scrappy rise of postwar Germany.

Look Who’s Back (2015, Comedy) Can Germany escape the specter of Nazism? Not according to this biting satire, in which der Fuehrer magically reawakens in 2014 in the square where his bunker once stood. He is horrified to learn that the country is led by a woman, Poland is a free state, and the Fatherland is full of immigrants. An out of work filmmaker thinks this eccentric character is just a comic Hitler impersonator, and he builds a reality show about him. As Hitler becomes a media sensation, others are shown to share his ideas about the future of Germany. Filmed Borat-style, many scenes feature real people reacting to this putschy provocateur.

99 Immortal Beloved (1994, Drama) After the death of Ludwig van Beethoven (Gary Oldman), the life and loves of the great composer are revealed in flashbacks as his friend and executor tries to solve the mystery of an unmailed letter to a mysterious lover.

Schindler’s List (1993, Drama) Spielberg’s masterpiece about a callow industrialist, Oskar Schindler, whose life is transformed as he gradually, then unceasingly works to save his Jewish workforce during World War II.

The Reader (2008, Drama) Based on the bestselling novel by Bernard Schink, this compelling story is an allegory for Germany’s struggle to come to terms with its Holocaust guilt. It centers on the secret affair of a 15-year old West German teen and a mysterious woman who is 20 years his senior. Fast forward six years, when the young man is now a law student observing a war trial, and is shocked to realize that the defendant is his former lover. Kate Winslet won an Oscar for her nuanced portrayal of the tormented Hanna Schmidt.

Hungary Son of Saul (2015, Documentary). Winner of the Cannes Grand Prix, Oscar, and Golden Globe awards, this film by László Nemes follows a day and a half in the life of Saul, a Hungarian inmate at Auschwitz forced to work as a Sonderkommando—a prisoner ordered to remove corpses from the gas chamber.

Mephisto (1981, Drama) This retelling of the Faust legend takes place in 1930s Germany, where amoral actor Hendrik Höfgen rapidly rises to become Germany’s most famous actor, and head of the State Theater, by currying favor with the Reich. Sharply observant, yet untroubled by scruples, Höfgen realizes that his best performance is the one that takes place off stage as he acts the role of a loyal Nazi. Buoyed by the electrifying performance of Klaus Maria Brandauer, this gem by István Szabó was the first Hungarian film to win an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film.

Poland The Pianist (2002, Drama) Three Oscar wins for this unforgettable, harrowing and true story of Wadyslaw Szpillman, an up and coming classical pianist who hid and survived for five years in the ruins of the Warsaw Ghetto after his entire family was deported to Treblinka.

Man of Iron (1981, Drama) A dissolute journalist is sent to report on the Solidarity movement in the Gdansk shipyards, knowing that his information is being funneled to state police. But as he becomes involved in the lives of shipyard workers, activists, and their leader Lech Walesa, things change. From one of Poland’s premier auteurs, Andrzej Wadja.

100 Useful Websites

Grand Circle Forum (tips from previous World Weather travelers) www.intellicast.com www.gct.com/forum www.weather.com www.wunderground.com Grand Circle Shop www.grandcircleshop.com Basic Travel Phrases (80 languages) www.travlang.com/languages Grand Circle Frequently Asked Questions www.gct.com/faq Packing Tips www.travelite.org International Health Information/CDC (Centers for Disease Control) U.S. Customs & Border Protection http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel www.cbp.gov/travel

Electricity & Plugs Transportation Security www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/ Administration (TSA) plugs-and-sockets www.tsa.gov

Foreign Exchange Rates National Passport Information Center www.xe.com/currencyconverter www.travel.state.gov www.oanda.com/converter/classic Holidays Worldwide ATM Locators www.timeanddate.com/holidays www.mastercard.com/atm www.visa.com/atmlocator

101 VACCINATIONS NOW REQUIRED FOR ALL TRAVELERS, SHIP CREW, PROGRAM DIRECTORS, AND COACH DRIVERS Plus, updated Health & Safety Protocols for our River Cruises

The health and safety of our travelers is always our #1 priority, and we understand travelers are concerned about exploring the world in light of the unprecedented crisis we are currently facing. To ensure your safety and give you peace of mind, we have worked with our regional team and listened to government guidance and feedback from our travelers to create these health and safety protocols for our trips. As we continue to make changes, we will keep our website updated with the latest information.

VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS AND UPDATED HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR RIVER CRUISES

• All travelers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days prior to departure and provide proof of vaccination upon boarding the ship.

To meet this requirement, please bring your original COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card with you on your trip. The white card must display your name, type of vaccine, and the date(s) the vaccine was administered. We also suggest taking a picture of this card to keep for your records as a backup.

• All local Program Directors, ship staff, and crew will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

• All coach drivers will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

• All public areas will be sanitized nightly and all ships are equipped with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters.

• All travelers, ship crew, and Program Directors will have their temperature checked every time they return to the ship using a non-contact infrared temperature scanner.

• All meals are served by the dining staff—buffets are no longer available.

We will do all we can to ensure our travelers’ safety and health while on our trips, but we need your help. We expect travelers to follow best health and hygiene practices to prevent the spread of illness as well—from washing your hands regularly, to covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing. By working together, we can create a safer travel experience for everyone.

Learn more at www.gct.com/covid-update

102 Warsaw Krakow POLAND DANUBE BEND Budapest OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS OPTIONAL Berlin Dresden GERMANY a SLOVAKIA v (Also Optional Extension) HUNGARY Bratisla 309 miles (498 km) Arrival/ Distance Departure Vienna Motor Route Motor

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