Grand Eastern-European Tour
Grand Eastern-European Tour Budapest, Romania and Bosnia with Vienna
| Type of the trip: | Small Group Tour |
| Period – Dates to apply for: | Throughout whole year – any time as per your wish |
| Duration: | 14 nights / 15 days |
| No. of persons: | Up to 15 |
| Meals included: | Breakfast daily |
| Guides, drivers: | Tour-leader and local guides
Private mini-bus driver throughout your trip |
| Booking of your trip: | Instant booking possible |
Program:
Day 1: Vienna
Arrival to Vienna airport and private transfer to Vienna hotel. Check-in at the hotel and at leisure.
Overnight: Vienna Hotel
Day 2: Vienna
Vienna City Highlights Tour: Our guide will pick you up at the reception desk in your hotel and take you to a tour of all main cultural and historical attractions along the famous Ringstrasse to see the Vienna Rathaus, Vienna’s historical center, St Stephen’s Cathedral any many more.
The Capital of Austria is home to nearly one third of the county’s inhabitants and is its primary city. Ranked as one of the most liveable cities in the world with its inhabitants enjoying a high quality of life, Vienna is a haven in central Europe and remains a popular tourist destination. Duration of guiding: 3 hours.
Overnight: Vienna
Enjoy in additional things you can do this day:
– VIENNA CARRIAGE RIDE: horse drawn carriages called “Fiaker” belong to Vienna’s favourite sights. There is almost no cozier way to explore Vienna’s attractions.
Day 3: Vienna
This day visit famous Schönbrunn Palace & Gardens. Play royalty for a day in Vienna by visiting the summer residence of the Habsburgs, with its elegant gardens, fountains, fake Roman ruins, a hilltop café, and Europe’s oldest zoo.
Overnight: Vienna
What else you can do on this day:
– SPANISH RIDING SCHOOL GUIDED TOUR: The Spanish Riding School in Vienna with its famous Lipizzaner ballet can be experienced live in the baroque ambience of the Imperial Palace.
– MOZART & STRAUSS CONCERTS WITH DINNER IN THE KURSALON: Enjoy the musical delights of the concert in the Lanner Hall of the Kursalon with an Austrian dinner in the stylish surroundings of the Restaurant Johann.
– VIENNA FOOD, COFFEE AND MARKET TOUR: Get a thorough introduction to Vienna’s dynamic food and drink scene with a local showing you the best places to stop for all manner of sweet versus savoury. Walk through the trendiest neighbourhoods and discover the legendary markets of this extraordinary city. Find out where to sip the best coffee in a city filled to the brim with historic coffeehouses and hear about the legendary debate over who invented the most famous dessert in Vienna. Duration: 4 hours
Day 4: Vienna – Budapest (Hungary)
Bye bye Austria and new adventures are waiting for you in Hungary. Private transfer to Budapest. Check-in hotel and at leisure.
Overnight: Budapest
In the evening you can visit one of the TOP RESTAURANTS in BUDAPEST:
– *Costes Downtown (Michelin-starred restaurant, International cuisine with Hungarian influence)
– *Borkonyha Winekithcen (Michelin-starred, best Hungarian cuisine, offering 200 different wines from well-known wineries)
– *La Perle Noire (Michelin Guide, traditional Hungarian dishes to gourmet French food)
– *Tigris restaurant and wine bar (Michelin Guide, Hungarian cuisine with highest quality ingredients)
– *Kollazs (Collage of French and Hungarian dishes)
Day 5: Budapest
Private Guided tour of Budapest. Visit Castle Hill, one of the undisputed must-see attraction in Budapest. This UNESCO World Heritage Site includes the 700-year-old Matthias Church, houses from the Middle Ages, and the Royal Palace, Fishermen’s Bastion. Stroll along the cobblestone streets between colorful Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque facades. Crossing Margaret-Bridge (Margaret-Island), then get acquainted with busy Pest: the inner city of Pest passing by St. Stephen’s Basilica, the Parliament Building, Heroes’ Square, Opera, Central Market hall and Váci Street, a pedestrian precinct and perhaps the most famous street in Budapest.
Overnight: Budapest
Additional things for this day:
– SZECHENYI SPA BUDAPEST: Szechenyi Baths (built in 1913) is the most visited and much praised attraction in Budapest: relaxing, fun, affordable and, at night, romantic. In addition to the marvellous medicinal natural hot spring waters in the 18 pools, there are 10 saunas / steam cabins, several massage therapies, facial treatments, and more.
– BUDAPEST COOKING CLASS: Dive into the world of Hungarian cuisine with this 4-hour cooking class and market tour in Budapest. After walking through the city’s Central Market Hall with your guide, head to a professional kitchen for a hands-on cooking class. Learn how to prepare traditional Hungarian dishes and then sit down to enjoy a three-course feast with your fellow chefs and food lovers.
– RELAX ON MARGARET ISLAND: Surely Budapest’s most impressive green space, Margaret Island is a 2.5 km- long island of quiet parkland on the Danube, linked to Buda and Pest by bridges at either end. It’s tranquil, secluded and mainly free to explore. Grab a book and chill in the rose garden, or sun yourself by the waterfall in the Japanese garden. There’s also a spectacular musical fountain near Margaret Bridge, which comes alive four times a day, plus a small ZOO and a few cafés.
Day 6: Budapest
Enjoy another day in Budapest and do some optional tours.
Overnight: Budapest
Optional tours:
– ETYEK WINE TOUR AND MEAL WITH CHOCOLATE TASTINGS (5 hrs): Departing from Budapest, you’ll be transferred to the picturesque wine region of Etyek with an artisan workshop to sample rich regional wines and learn the process behind making cheese or chocolate. You’ll then travel to three additional wine cellars to learn how the wine is cultivated, pairing the last visit with a 2-course meal.
– DAY TRIP TO BALATON LAKE WITH TAPOLCA AND TIHANY: Stroll by the Balaton Lake, Hungarian sea. Visit pristine and authentic village of Tihany, get their home-made produced beer and visit paprika house and numerous ceramic houses. Continue to underground cave lakes of Tapolca and drive by boat on cave lakes. Besides that, Balaton Lake is famous for its wine there are also plenty of spas which you can combine with sightseeing, cruising around by boat on Balaton Lake.
– DANUBE BEND DAY TRIP FROM BUDAPEST: Discover the dreamy landscapes of the Danube Bend, the most scenic stretch of the Danube River, on this full-day tour from Budapest. Escape the capital for a scenic drive through the countryside, stopping to explore the medieval fortress of Visegrad, admire the neoclassical cathedral of Esztergom and browse the handicrafts shops of Szentendre. After tucking into a delicious 3-course lunch, hop aboard for a romantic cruise along the Danube River and sail back to the capital by boat.
Day 7: Budapest – Bucharest (Romania)
Private transfer from your hotel to Budapest airport and flight to Bucharest. Driver will pick you up at the Bucharest airport and transfer you to your hotel. At leisure.
Overnight: Bucharest
Day 8: Bucharest – Brasov
Guided tour of Bucharest: The city tour will give you the opportunity to admire some of the landmarks of Bucharest, such as the Arch of Triumph (inspired by the one in Paris), the Atheneum (Romania’s most famous concert hall), the Revolution Square (where the 1989 anti – Communist revolt went nationwide), the Romanian Patriarch’s Church, and the Palace of Parliament (the world’s second largest building, after the U.S. Pentagon), built by Ceausescu, Romania’s Communist dictator.
In the afternoon private transfer to Brasov.
Overnight: Brasov
Tip of the day
– TOP RESTAURANTS IN BUCHAREST:
Local: Caru’ cu Bere, Bistro Ateneu.
Street food & Cafés: The Food Hood and Grand Cafe Van Gogh.
Vegetarian & Vegan: Simbio, Arome, Barca.
– OLD PRINCELY COURT AND COURT CHURCH: In the Old City, the Old Princely Court was the palatial residence of Wallachian princes, including Vlad Tepes, otherwise known as Vlad the Impaler, who inspired Bram Stoker’s tale of Dracula. A statue of the infamous Romanian prince stands among what’s left from the past, including the court’s walls, several arches, and columns.
– DIMITRIE GUSTI NATIONAL VILLAGE MUSEUM: Founded in 1936, this unique open-air museum stretches through leafy Herastrau Park and depicts the traditional way of life in Romania. Visitors can wander through 300 traditional buildings, including peasant homes with steep roofs, thatched barns, heavy log cabins, various types of churches, workshops, and mills.
Day 9: Day trip to Visrci & Sighisoara
Private day trip to Visrci & Sighisoara: Drive to Viscri. Visit Viscri Fortified Church witch is one of a series of UNESCO-listed historic churches in Romania. It is first mentioned in a 16th century accounts book of the bishopric of the county of Rupea. The village of Viscri is famous for the fact that Prince Charles has bought 2 properties here. The Prince of Wales has bought and renovated properties to help protect the unique way of life that has existed for hundreds of years through the promotion of sustainable tourism. You will enjoy a carriage ride in the village of Viscri to admire the beauties and the authenticity of this village. Drive to Sighisoara. Founded by Transylvanian Saxons during the 12th century, Sighisoara (Schassburg in German) still stands as one of the most beautiful and best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. Designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, this perfectly intact 16th century gem with nine towers, cobbled streets, burgher houses and ornate churches rivals the historic streets of Old Prague or Vienna for atmospheric magic. It is also the birthplace of Vlad Dracula, also known as Vlad the Impaler, ruler of the province of Walachia from 1456 to 1462. Return to Brasov in the late afternoon.
Overnight: Brasov
Day 10: Sibiu and Sibiel
Private day trip to Sibiu and Sibiel.
Drive to Sibiu. Visit to Sibiu is a „must” as this was the European Cultural Capital in 2007. Walking tour in the heart of the city. We suggest you take an incursion in the medieval center who has been very well preserved: the Big Square, where in past times big reunions and executions took place, the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, the fortifications, etc. Drive to Sibiel, an unique village that has received Golden Apple prize. We discover the village and visit the Icons glass Museum.
Drive back to Brasov and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight: Brasov
Day 11: Brasov – Bran with Dracula’s Castle – Bucharest
Private transfer to Bucharest.
En-route we will stop in Bran to visit the famous medieval castle built as a fortress – The “Dracula’s” Castle – for the citizens of Brasov with view to defence the city. Prince Vlad used the Castle as a general headquarters during his incursions in Transylvania. For many years it has been an interesting medieval art museum. Surrounded by an aura of mystery and legend, perched high atop a 200-foot-high rock, Bran Castle owes its fame to its imposing towers and turrets as well as to the myth created around Bram Stocker’s Dracula.
Continue to Bucharest. Check-in hotel and at leisure.
Overnight: Bucharest
Day 12: Bucharest – Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Private transfer to Bucharest Airport and flight to Sarajevo, Bosnia. Private transfer to Sarajevo hotel. Check-in and at leisure.
Overnight: Sarajevo
Day 13: Sarajevo
Guided tour of Sarajevo: The heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the capital Sarajevo, once a heart-broken, torn and demolished city it has risen above its recent history to once more welcome visitors with its centuries-old tradition of hospitality. Sarajevo is one of the more historically interesting and varied cities in Europe. It is a place where the Western & Eastern Roman Empire split; where the people of the Roman Catholic west, Eastern Orthodox east and the Ottoman south met, lived and warred. It is a city full of fabulous places of interest that you should definitely visit when in Sarajevo. Sightseeing of Sarajevo main attractions: Bascarsija, Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, old brewery house, Kovači Memorial Cemetery, Sarajevo town Hall, eat famous čevapi meat dish.
Overnight: Sarajevo
If you want to experience more:
– VISIT LUKOMIR: Life in the Dinaric Mountains moves to the ageless rhythms of the past, and this one-day trip to Lukomir offers unique insights. After an hour and a half drive beginning in Sarajevo we arrive in Lukomir, Bosnia’s highest and most isolated mountain village. The traditional lifestyles of the Dinaric highlanders are still practiced here, providing a unique window into Europe’s past. Traditional dress is still worn, and goes hand in hand with the more familiar signs of everyday life, such as electricity and running water. On the edge of the village you will be treated to a breathtaking view of Rakitnica Canyon, which drops 800 m below, as well as the neighbouring Obalj and Visočica mountains. We will introduce you to the villagers and you can learn first-hand how they live in this beautiful but difficult environment. Next we hike to the Peruce Waterfall (about 40 meters tall) before returning to Gornji (upper) Lukomir and head back to Sarajevo.
– SARAJEVO BREWERY: The Sarajevo Brewery was founded in 1864 and it is believed to be the first industrial production in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2004, the Sarajevo Brewery opened a renowned Pivnica HS Restaurant within its building. Come and enjoy special Bosnian evening here with Bosnian beer and food.
– BOSNIAN PYRAMIDS – supposedly the biggest structures in the world. The Bosnian pyramid complex is a pseudoarchaeological notion to explain the formation of a cluster of natural hills in the area of Visoko in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. Visits from Serbian tennis great Novak Djokovic in 2020 have sparked renewed interest in claims of ancient structures in a small Balkan town.
Day 14: Sarajevo – Mostar – Sarajevo
Private transfer to Mostar.
Guided tour of Mostar: Predominantly influenced by the centuries of Turkish rule, the tall, slim minarets reaching for the sky, cobbled bazaar streets with the rhythmic tapping of hammers against copper plates being transformed into pretty souvenirs and houses with ornate wooden balconies will all remind you of times gone by. Mostar was founded in the 15th Century and its architecture is a precious combination of Turkish ingenuity plus Herzegovinian and Dalmatian workmanship.
Optionally on the way to Mostar visit Tito’s Bunker: In the early 1950s, Josip Broz Tito, the late leader of the former Yugoslavia, ordered the building of a secret bunker that would safeguard the country’s ruling class in case of a nuclear attack. Located 900 feet (270 m) underground, near the Bosnian town of Konjic, the 26-year project was only completed in 1979, the year before Tito died, and it was built at a cost equivalent to just under £3 billion ($4.6 billion). According to AP, if restocked with supplies it would still serve its purpose – allowing 350 people to live and work for six months without ever coming outside.
In the afternoon return back to Sarajevo.
Overnight: Sarajevo
Day 15: Back home
Private transfer to Sarajevo Airport and flight back home.
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DepartureOn Request
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Departure TimeFixed & Flexible (if on request)
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Return TimeAnytime
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Included14x in 3* Hotels in double rooms with breakfast dailyTransportation, guidesOrganizationVATEntrance fees as per itinerary
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Not IncludedAll international air travel and associated costsAll meals except breakfast unless stated otherwise in the itineraryPorterageGratuitiesCity/tourist taxes are payable on the spot at each accommodation upon check-out (amount is normally between 1-5 USD/person/day, depending on hotel and location)All items of a personal nature (e.g. beverages, telephone calls, laundry, personal insurance)Anything not specifically mentioned in the “Inclusions” list above