Culinary Cenral Europe
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CULINARY CENRAL EUROPE: Budapest, Vienna & Prague Featuring Extraordinary Experiences: Private Danube Cruise in Budapest VIP Tour of Strahov Monastery in Prague Itinerary at a glance: Day 1 Arrival in Budapest, Hungary Day 2 Etyek Day Day 3 Budapest Sightseeing Day 4 Drive from Budapest to Vienna Day 5 Vienna Sightseeing Day 6 Wachau Valley Day Day 7 Vienna to Prague by Train Day 8 Prague Sightseeing Day 9 Prague Sightseeing Day 10 Prague Departure Why Exeter International? At Exeter International we have been creating memories and crafting our trademark extraordinary journeys to Central Europe, Russia, Scandinavia, and Central Asia for over 25 years. Our specialty is to distill the best of the best in iconic places that are on so many people’s travel must-do list. We are not a call center of nameless, faceless people. We do not try to be everything to everyone. We are a small team of specialists. We are all committed to providing the best travel experiences to our destinations. Each member of our team has travelled extensively throughout our destinations, giving them insider knowledge lacking in many other tour operators. Our Extraordinary Experiences are different, unusual, and often closed to the general public. We can offer special insider access that takes you beyond the typical tourist sites. We know how important it is to remain authentic and increasingly going beyond the well-known sites is what is important to our guests—discovering the little-known museum or street market that adds to their experience. We do this through our local knowledge, cultivating our extensive contacts and regularly visiting each destination to enable us to share the most up-to-date insider information with you, our valued partner. The most important part of your trip will be your guides. Guides come in many quality levels, especially in our part of the world. We have worked with a core group of the best of the best for over 20 years. We know them like family and if they weren't the best, they wouldn't work for us. Simply stated, a guide can make or break your experience. You should have 100% confidence in who is introducing you to your guide and the level of guiding that you are going to get throughout the countries you will be visiting. The best does indeed cost more and we pay our guides at the very top of the market, with pride. You'll also want to know what kind of vehicle your tour will include. We use luxury late-model vehicles, often Mercedes, Audi, BMW, or Volkswagen, depending on the size of the vehicle you need. You'll want to see things that may or may not be open to the public and go in early or after hours before the crowds whenever possible. We also make every effort to skip lines whenever possible. Avoiding long museum lines is one of our top priorities and we work hard to minimize the wait time to get into the most popular sights in each city, maximizing your time in each destination. You'll want impeccable planning and someone to bounce ideas off of before your trip and speak English as well as you do while planning your trip so there are no cultural misunderstandings when you arrive. You'll also want someone to talk to if your trip is not perfect when you get home. These are all ways that we distinguish ourselves from all other companies. A lot goes into our travel program design. We arrange the program so that it is flawless and effortless for our travelers from the time they set foot in the first city until they leave us. The expertise to set up an itinerary like this comes after years of investing in staff on both sides of the Atlantic, and this too is a value that is incorporated into our traveler's trips with us. DAY 1 Arrive in Budapest Upon arrival into Budapest, your Exeter International driver will be waiting for you outside of customs and baggage claim. Please note that no airfare is included in your trip cost. You will be transferred to the historic and perfectly located hotel, in the center of Pest. On the way to the hotel, you will see sights of historical significance, including St. Stephen’s Basilica, a cross between Neo- Classical and Renaissance-style architecture completed in the late 19th century. Over the centuries, Budapest flourished as a crossroads where East meets West in the heart of Europe. Ancient cultures such as the Magyars, the Mongols and the Turks have all left an indelible mark on this magical city. Buda and Pest, separated by the Danube River, are characterized by an assortment of monuments, elegant streets, wine taverns, coffee houses and Turkish baths. Upon arrival at your hotel, enjoy the rest of your day at leisure. Exeter Services Airport transfer Hotel Aria Hotel DAY 2 Budapest This morning you will meet your driver and guide in the hotel lobby, as your destination today is a bit outside the city. You will drive to the closest wine region to Budapest and one of the country’s youngest. The Etyek region is noted for its sparkling wine production and today your tour will focus on the area’s small family-run wineries and food producers. The village is located only 30 minutes or so outside the city. Today you’re walking a gastronomic trail – “gasztrosétány” – which will give you the feeling of a progressive picnic. You’ll be stopping at the small shops of local food producers and tasting at each, along with different wines from a local vineyard. Taste ham, bacon and sausages from a local meat producer. Enjoy cordial tasting at another location. Continue to an artisanal chocolate maker and then meet a local cheese producer. Your final tasting is at the winery itself and you’ll then sit down to enjoy a bowl of homemade goulash with freshly baked bread al fresco. Return to the city this afternoon and enjoy your afternoon and evening at leisure. Exeter Services Vehicle, Driver & Guide (5 Hours) Hotel Aria Hotel DAY 3 – Option 1 Budapest – COOKING WITH A MASTER CHEF Exeter International Extraordinary Experience This morning your guide will meet you at 10AM. Begin with a drive to the Budapest Market Hall, where the head chef of Gundel will meet you to select food for your culinary adventure. Built by Eiffel in the 19th century, the covered market boasts soaring metal columns, high walkways and beautiful produce shops. More than being a place where one can purchase some handcrafted and typical Hungarian souvenirs, it’s a market where locals go to purchase their produce and meats – a meeting place for many and a place where you can enjoy authentic local flavor. After shopping, drive down beautiful Andrassy Avenue, admiring the gorgeous art nouveau architecture that lines the street. Your destination today is Gundel Restaurant - a Budapest institution. This turn-of-the-century restaurant features traditional Hungarian cuisine. Begin your lesson into the best of Hungarian cuisine, with the head chef of Gundel. The chef speaks English and would love to talk to you, while he’s demonstrating your meal, about the culinary scene in Budapest. The head sommelier will also meet you while food is cooking and will lead you to the lower level where you will find Gundel’s excellent cellar. The restaurant’s sommelier will lead your tasting, with accompaniments, of the best Hungarian wines. Exeter Services Vehicle, Driver & Guide (4 Hours) Hotel Aria Hotel DAY 3 – Option 2 Budapest – Art Nouveau & History Meet your guide and driver today for an exploration of the beauty of Central Pest. Begin with a visit to the Budapest Market Hall. Built in the 19th century, the covered market boasts soaring metal columns, high walkways and beautiful produce shops. More than being a place where one can purchase some handcrafted and typical Hungarian souvenirs, it’s a market where locals go to purchase their produce and meats – a meeting place for many and a place where you can enjoy authentic local flavor. Afterwards, take the short drive to Hero’s Square and see the Millennium Monument, designed to commemorate Hungary’s Millennium Celebrations in 1896, though not completed until 1929. It marked Budapest’s high point of its development in the history of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. As you drive today, you will see Andrassy Boulevard. Driving this beautiful boulevard will give you a glimpse into the stunning architecture that Budapest is known for, especially the beautiful art nouveau buildings that have been preserved. Your guide will take you to some of her favorite spots for the most gorgeous art nouveau architecture, including the tiny and private Art Nouveau Museum and coffee house. As time allows, visit the House of Terror near the State Opera House which used to be the headquarters of the Arrow Cross Fascist Association prior to World War II. After World War II, the building was used as the Communist Party Headquarters, and was used by both organizations as one of the most notorious prisons in Hungary. Today it’s an exhibit about life under fascism in Hungary. It’s a graphic and powerful reminder of the brutality of the regime. Exeter International Extraordinary Experience This evening your driver will meet you for the short journey to the river port. Tonight, you will see Budapest at its most beautiful – from the waters of the Danube with all the monuments lit in thousands of white lights. Enjoy all of this from a luxury private boat with your own skipper.