Christmas in Croatia, Austria, Hungary

Vienna (Austria) - a romantically imperial city. Vienna is a dream city for anyone with a romantic streak or an interest in history. Sightseeing opportunities are to be found in abundance. Wander along narrow, medieval alleyways or across imperial squares, view Schönbrunn Palace or the Imperial Palace (Hofburg) in the footsteps of Sissi and Emperor Franz Josef, and marvel at the majestic architecture along the Ring boulevard. Be inspired by an atmosphere steeped in history - which also boasts the comforts and infrastructure of a modern city! Through Vienna in a horse-drawn carriage - They are just as much a part of Vienna as St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the Giant Ferris Wheel: the fiakers. For many tourists, a ride with the two-horse carriage is one of the highlights. There is almost no cozier way to explore Vienna’s attractions. A new luxury shopping area in the heart of the city offers a cosmopolitan shopping experience in the elegant setting of Vienna’s historic first district. The “Golden Quarter” includes the fashionable flagship stores of brands like Louis Vuitton, Emporio Armani, Miu Miu, Roberto Cavalli, Prada, and Saint Laurent. Itinerary

• Arrival to Vienna
• At the airport, you will be met by your chauffeur for a private transfer to your accommodation
• Check-in to the hotel in Vienna (4*)
• Free time and an overnight stay in Vienna

Looking to bring back some genuine Austrian crafts and antiques from your travels? The Österreichische Werkstätten just might have the right souvenir for you. Located in Vienna’s elegant first district, it offers authentic Austrian fashion accessories, jewelry and much more. The collection also includes VER SACRUM, the famous pattern, designed by the master Josef Hoffmann himself in 1908. Today state-of-the-art technology and modern design are used to create handbags your friends will rival you for. Designs by Gustav Klimt, Josef Hoffmann among other  Viennese Art Nouveau artists are being used for silk scarves, shawls, and ties. Don’t forget to check out the unique hand-painted scarves and silk scarves selection, handmade leather bags and much more. If you are looking for something more precious don´t miss the jewelry department, were – in Art Nouveau style - gold, silver, pearls and genuine stones are used to create unique pieces. Itinerary

• Meeting with your driver and an English speaking guide for a panoramic and walking city tour of Vienna with a visit to the Christmas market tour
• This tour will give you an overall impression of the most significant historical sights of Vienna. Along the Ringstrasse we show you numerous grand buildings, such as the MAK, the State Opera House, the magnificent Museum of Fine Arts with its world-famous art treasures of the Habsburgs and the Natural History Museum,  the cultural district the Museums Quartier, the Hofburg (the former Habsburg winter residence), the Parliament, the City Hall, and the Burgtheater. The highlight of this tour will be a visit to the showrooms of Schönbrunn Palace, once the summer residence of the Habsburg family and home of Maria Theresia. Before the tour ends, we drive past the Belvedere Palace which houses the largest and most previous Gustav Klimt collection in the world
• Dinner with wine tasting at a local wine bar

Optional

• Museum tour
• Mozart and Strauss concerts by the Vienna Residence Orchestra

Known as Pressburg to German-speakers or Pozsony to Hungarian-speakers, Bratislava (Slovakia) got its present name only 90 years ago.  But the city has a long and proud history that dates back to pre-Roman times. The hillsides on the edge of the city have been home to vineyards for centuries, and close to Bratislava are wine towns where you can taste the best - and it is startlingly good! - that Slovakia has to offer. In the city itself, there is plenty to see and do.  Bratislava's long history - as home to Celts, Romans, Germans, Hungarians, Jews, and of course Slovaks - means there is an impressive range of architecture, languages, and cuisine. The handsome homes of the Austro-Hungarian noble families who built palaces here dot the city, and many of them are now open to the public as museums and galleries.  The castle, with its long and chequered history (it has been destroyed more than once), is now undergoing a major restoration.  There are great views over the medieval old town and the Danube valley from its fortifications. Bratislava was once one of the most important centers of Jewish learning in Europe.  A unique memorial to its most renowned rabbi, the Chatam Sofer, and the city's Museum of Jewish Culture celebrate this heritage. Itinerary

• Meeting with your driver and a private transfer from Vienna to Bratislava with en-route stop on the way at McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Parndorf, Austria (closed on Sundays)
• After shopping onward drive towards Bratislava
• Check into your Hotel in Bratislava (4* or above), meeting with your guide and an evening walking city tour
• Dinner with wine tasting followed by time at leisure and an overnight

Budapest’s beauty is not all God-given; man has played a role in shaping this pretty face too. Architecturally, Budapest (Hungary) is a treasure, with enough baroque, neoclassical, Eclectic and art nouveau (Secessionist) buildings to satisfy anyone’s appetite. Overall, though, Budapest has a fin-de-siècle feel to it, for it was then, during the capital’s ‘golden age’, that most of what you see today was built. Nearly every building has some interesting or unusual detail, from art nouveau glazed tiles and neoclassical bas-reliefs to bullet holes and shrapnel scorings leftover from WWII and the 1956 Uprising that still cries out in silent fury. Itinerary

• Private transfer from Bratislava to Budapest
• Check into your hotel in Budapest (4* or above)
• If you want to see the most romantic face of Budapest take a night cruise on the Danube. Have a wonderful evening with a 4-course buffet dinner, live gypsy music, and admire the beautiful cityscape draped in warm colors by the setting sun
• The cruise starts at 7 pm, is one-and-a-half-hour-long, with a warm buffet dinner and live music on board

 

Itinerary

• Meeting with your driver/guide for a panoramic and a walking city tour of Budapest
• During the half-day sightseeing tour, we visit the most remarkable and historical sightseeing spots of Pest and Buda. On the Pest side, we cover the Heroes' Square, the City Park behind the square has many sights as well: the picturesque Vajdahunyad Castle, Széchenyi Spa, Grand Circus, Zoo, Amusement Park and the most famous Restaurant of Hungary Gundel
• The Budapest sightseeing tour continues along the Andrássy Avenue (UNESCO World Heritage) where we pass by some mansions of former aristocrats, former Music Academy, and the Hungarian State Opera House. In the office quarter, we see the St Stephen's Cathedral and the magnificent neo-Gothic Parliament building
• After crossing the Danube River we arrive in the Castle District of Buda (UNESCO World Heritage), which used to be the capital of Hungary for several hundred years. In this historical part of Buda, you have the chance to visit the neo-Gothic Matthias Church and take a view of the Danube and the Pest side from the Fishermen's Bastion
• Return to your hotel, time at leisure
• Spend a pleasant evening in a traditional restaurant and enjoy a typical dinner with a folklore show. In the rustic restaurant after the welcome drink, you will be served a 3-course menu with wine. During the dinner, you can enjoy a folklore show accompanied by a gypsy band. After dinner, we will drive up to the Citadel to admire the breathtaking view of the illuminated Budapest
• Return to the hotel and an overnight

Unveil the secrets behind the old facades, discover the hidden courtyards and revive the stories from the past. We'll give you a completely new perspective of Zagreb City. Walking tour of Zagreb starts with the main square Ban Jelačić, Cathedral, Tkalčićeva street, the Stone Gate, Upper Town, the historical center of the city, St. Mark's Church with the famed multi-colored roof. Using funicular, close to the Lotrščak Tower, you can go down to the Lower town to see a part of the famous Ilica street, the Croatian National Theatre, University and so much more. Itinerary

• Private transfer from Budapest to Zagreb
• Check into your hotel in Zagreb (4* or above)
• Meeting with your guide in a hotel lobby and a walking city tour of Old Town Zagreb with wine tasting
• Our wine tasting uncorks smells and tastes of Croatian continental wines produced by boutique, but prize-winning wineries (rarely sold in shops), accompanied by an introduction to the wines our sommeliers chose for you
• Return to the hotel for an overnight

Optional

• Nocturnal tour of Gornji Grad: Secrets of Grič
• Pub Crawl Zagreb

 

Itinerary

• Your guide will meet you in front of Gradska Kavana Restaurant & Café on the main city square and give you a short introduction in the city's cultural and gourmet background before you reach Dolac – the most picturesque open-air market in the city
• In just a few steps you will be in front of the Cathedral of St. Stephen and the Archbishop's towers and halls. Following the Kaptol Square and neighboring streets, you will get to the famous Tkalciceva Street – a pedestrian zone with plenty of cafés, restaurants, gourmet shops, and galleries. The route will lead you further to stone pebbled Radiceva Street and The Stone Gate - the remaining of strong city walls. Now, you will enter a different, enchanting Zagreb returning back to the 15th and 16th centuries. Step by step you will discover all major sights of Upper Town: St. Catherine's Square with the Baroque church, St. Mark's Square with House of Parliament, House of Government, and St. Mark's Church with its picturesque roof arriving panoramic spot beneath The Lotrscak Tower. Return to Lower Town by funicular
• Following the net of streets of Lower Town, passing Flower Square towards the Marshal Tito Square with three important landmarks of Zagreb: The Mimara Museum, Croatian National Theatre, and Zagreb University. You will follow the Lenuci's "green horse-shoe" – 3 impressive squares and parks, passing the building of State Archives in Art-Déco style, Botanical Garden, and the Zrinjevac Park with a lot of buildings representing the typical architecture of Central Europe from the edge of 19th and 20th century. Buildings of The Croatian Academy of Science and Arts and the neighboring Art Pavilion are the two finest examples
• Time at leisure and an overnight

Possibilities in Zagreb

• Zagreb Gourmet Walking City Tour
• Coffee break and sweet refreshment in Kraš Choco Bar – owned and managed by famous Croatian chocolate and sweets factory celebrating 100th anniversary
• For the end of the tour, you will taste famous Zagreb Strukli (a pastry filled with a mixture of cheese with eggs, sour cream, and salt, covered in clotted cream and baked in the oven) with a glass of wine in Le Bistro in The Regent Esplanade Hotel, a shining star at Zagreb gourmet scene
• Time at leisure

Optional

• Full day Plitvice Lakes National Park
• The Upper town witches

Ljubljana (Slovenia) has preserved evidence of all the five millennia of its history, including, among others, the remains of the Roman city of Emona and the old city center with its medieval castle and beautiful buildings with Baroque façades, decorative portals, and uneven roofs. Other significant bits in the mosaic of Ljubljana are its picturesque bridges across the river Ljubljanica and its vast Tivoli park, stretching into the very city center. Bled (Slovenia), the town that exists for a thousand years, is sheltered by picturesque mountains, with an Alpine lake and the only Slovenian island that reigns in the middle. Lake Bled is truly the jewel of Slovenia with its legendary island in the middle of the lake, castle and hot springs. Its beneficial climate has attracted numerous cosmopolitan visitors for centuries. Itinerary

• Private transfer from Zagreb to Bled with an en-route stop in Ljubljana
• Check-in to your hotel in Bled (4* or above) and a meeting with your guide for a walking tour of Bled
• Visit the charming lake resort of Bled, famous for a church on an island in the middle of a lake, a medieval castle perched on a cliff high above the lake, and splendid views of surrounding Alpine peaks
• Time at leisure and an overnight

Possibilities in Ljubljana & Bled

• Private transfer from Zagreb to Bled with an en-route stop in Ljubljana
• Ljubljana walking city tour - visitors get to know the unique character of "Stara Ljubljana" (Ljubljana Old Town), where distinct Baroque and Art Nouveau architecture combines with masterly creations by the 20th-century architect Jože Plečnik
• Bled tour - Take a walk around the lake and taste the 'kremšnita' vanilla-custard-and-cream cake, one of the best known Slovenian desserts. Take a boat ride to Bled Island and visit the museum at Bled Castle

Austria’s second-largest city is probably Austria’s most relaxed, and, after Vienna, it is also Austria’s liveliest for after-hours pursuits. It’s an attractive place with bristling green parkland, red rooftops, and a small, fast-flowing river gushing through its center. Architecturally, it has Renaissance courtyards and provincial baroque palaces complemented by innovative modern designs. Styria’s capital also has a very beautiful bluff connected to the center by steps, a funicular, and a glass lift. Last but not least, a large student population (some 50,000 in four universities) helps propel the nightlife and vibrant arts scene, creating a pleasant, lively and liveable city. Itinerary

• Private transfer from Bled to Graz
• Check-in to your hotel in Graz (4* or above) and a meeting with your guide for a walking city tour of Old Town Graz
• Narrow, dimly lit alleyways, extravagant Christmas lights illuminating magnificent buildings and the colorful hustle and bustle of our Christmas markets: join us on a guided walk
• Time at leisure and an overnight

Possibilities in Graz

• A fascinating stroll through town exploring the city`s history and visiting the main sites - the Main Square, the Styrian Parliament, the Cathedral, the Emperor`s Mausoleum, the Kunsthaus, the Murinsel - the island of glass and steel - romantic arcaded courtyards and much more
• Admire the breathtaking scenery from the Castle Hill: red roofs, the River Mur, green hills and the projects of 2003, when Graz was the cultural capital of Europe. We can go up on foot, by elevator or by funicular

Itinerary

• Private transfer from Graz to Vienna
• Check-in to your hotel in Vienna
• Overnight in Vienna and a farewell schnapps

Optional

• Christmas market tour
• Museum tour
• Mozart and Strauss concerts by the Vienna Residence Orchestra
• Etc.

 

Private transfer from your hotel to the airport