Day 1 Depart for Europe
Jet off to the trip of a lifetime awaiting you in Europe!
Accommodations:
Day 2 Arrive Vienna
Check-in to the hotel and head straight out into Vienna to get a feel for the city’s style before meeting up with your Tour Manager and getting to know your Contiki travellers over dinner
Your Tour Manager starts Vienna off by introducing the group to the city’s historical heritage. There’s the imperial grandeur of Schönbrunn Palace, the elegantly ornate State Opera House and St. Stephen’s Cathedral – a Gothic masterpiece.
Accommodations: Hotel
Meals: Dinner (1) day
Day 3 Vienna
There’s free time today to check out magnificent squares and majestic palaces or the city’s art galleries. Take a break in a coffee house like the locals do, chill out in Vienna’s manicured gardens or wander along the Danube River. Cruise down Kärtner Strasse, Vienna’s main shopping spot, and buy some traditional ceramics or materials for gifts back home.
Get schnaps savvy with a behind-the-scenes look into this local liqueur’s production in an optional excursion to the Old Vienna Schnaps Museum.
Tonight, it’s all about the culture at an optional dinner and concert. Up first is a traditional Viennese meal in the stunning grounds of Schönbrunn Palace. Follow this up with a classical music concert with former Vienna locals, Mozart and Strauss.
Accommodations: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast (1) day
Day 4 Vienna to Budapest
Cruise through Slovakia and pause for lunch in quaint Bratislava. We’ll then head into the compact, user-friendly old town and check out its medieval castle. Try some of the regional specialties like treska (cold fish salad) or some local cheeses.
Next up: Budapest. With two cities rolled into one, this exotic town has a bit of everything. Buda and Pest sit on different sides of the river, but bring together the stunning buildings and atmosphere that makes Budapest so romantic.
Accommodations: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast (1) day
Day 5 Budapest
Get an in-depth insight into Budapest on a sightseeing tour with our Local Guide this morning.
On the Buda side of the river, from the Fisherman’s Bastion, you’ll get a full-blown view of the city and learn about Budapest’s history in a nutshell! Check out the colourful Church of St. Matthias, the Royal Palace and the Chain Bridge. Your Local Guide knows all about Budapest’s bumpy history and will tell you more with a visit to the Liberation Monument.
Free time means a chance to treat yourself to a truly local experience: a spa and thermal bath. With outdoor thermal pools, healing waters, art nouveau architecture and spa treatments, this is the perfect way to unwind. For more of Budapest’s outdoor lifestyle, it’s a short bus ride to visit St. Margaret Island, a favourite among the city’s residents with its gardens, fountains, pools and ruins.
Take in a different view of the city from the Danube River on a dinner cruise this evening, past night-time Budapest. Our Local Guide talks about Hungary’s heyday and points out the city’s important buildings from this period, which are lit up for the night. Try some Hungarian specialties, like goulash and enjoy some drinks.
Launch into Budapest’s nightlife and live it up like the locals by heading to a beerhouse, a riverside bar or a happening club.
Accommodations: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast (1) day, Dinner (1) day
The tour ends after breakfast and it’s time to say farewell to your new friends.
Accommodations:
Meals: Breakfast (1) day
