8-Nights Prague, Vienna & Budapest

Cosmos

On this splendid Central Europe tour, you’ll discover the former Habsburg Empire. Your tour starts and ends in Munich. Along the way, you’ll overnight in some of Central Europe's most exciting cities: Prague, Vienna, Budapest, and Salzburg. In Prague, Vienna, and Budapest, join your Local Guides-experts who will share with you the history and secrets in their cities-for sightseeing of the must-see sights. Among the sights you will see in Prague are Charles Bridge, dating to 1357 and one of the oldest stone bridges in Europe, and the Astronomical Clock, built in 1410 with a sinister medieval figure of death who emerges to pull the bell cord. In Budapest, see the Parliament building, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered one of the world’s most beautiful parliament buildings, and Fishermen’s Bastion, which overlooks the city. In Vienna, view the Hofburg, the palatial complex and the political focal point for the Hapsburgs. You’ll have time on your own in Vienna to sit in a café with a piece of scrumptious Sachertorte while listening to a legendary waltz, or explore the inside of St. Stephen’s Cathedral with its Romanesque and gothic architecture. In Nuremberg, wander through the charming, pedestrian Old Town with its impressive medieval ramparts. In Salzburg, you may want to walk through the quaint streets of the town center and maybe visit Mozart’s house, or just browse through the typical shops to taste some of the delicious chocolates. Vibrant cities and historic sights-along with some beautiful scenery of the Alps and the Danube River-make this a comprehensive tour through Central Europe for value-minded travel lovers.

Featured Destinations

Salzburg Salzburg Mozart's birthplace and "festival city" of breathtaking scenic beauty, "The Sound of Music" resonates in every alleyway and picture perfect street of Salzburg. One of the most famous cities in the world, Salzburg used to be called "Rome of the North" - because of Italian influence on its architecture and because it was for centuries the major center of religious power in the German world. Today, it is perhaps the best existing example of a Baroque city, a riotously decorative style of architecture. Salzburg's most important attraction is still music and the two festivals, Festpielhause and Easter Festival, which annually transform the city into a music-lovers paradise.	Destination Guide
Munich Munich Home of tworld-famous Oktoberfest, the Hofbrauhaus and beergarden-experience, Munich has become one of the most modern and prosperous cities in post-war Germany. Munich offers museums, art galleries, concert halls and historical buildings, beergarden athmosphere on a warm summer night and the hottest dance hall scene in Germany. The area around Munich has mountains, lakes, fairy-tale-castles, wintersport centers and treasures like the monastery-and-brewery of Andechs. Among "must-sees" in Munich, are a walk on the high-level-shopping mile of Maximilianstrasse, a visit of Monopterus building and the "Chinesischer Turm" beergarden on a warm summer day, a match of two main local soccer clubs in Olympic stadium, a visit to "Deutsche Museum", a beer in the students' pubs, and an afternight breakfast in the cafe "Schmalznudel" at Viktualienmarkt. For history, go to a museum, visit the castle of Nymphenburg or get confronted with the dark side of German history in Dachau concentration camp memorial site.	Destination Guide
Prague Prague Amid Prague's cobblestone streets and gold-tip spires, galleries, cafes, and clubs teem with young Czechs and "expatriates." New shops and restaurants have opened, expanding the city's culinary reach beyond the traditional roast pork and dumplings. The arts and theater also thrive in Prague. Young playwrights regularly stage their works, weekly poetry readings are standing room only, and classical music maintains famous standards, while the clubs are jammed. The arts - nonverbal theater, "installation" art, world music - are as trendy in Prague as in any European capital but possess distinctive Czech flavor. All of this is set against a stunning backdrop of towering churches and centuries-old bridges and alleyways. Prague achieved much of its glory in the 14th century, during the long reign of Charles IV, king of Bohemia and Moravia and Holy Roman Emperor. Charles established a university in the city and laid out the New Town, charting Prague's growth. Prague Castle is the most popular sight and is the largest ancient castle in the world with three courtyards.	Destination Guide
Budapest Budapest Caught between eastern and western Europe, Budapest has a character uniquely its own. It's also the last cheap, civilised city in Europe. Budapest can seem like one big sight, with each phase in its history, from the Ottoman period until the Communist days and from renaissance to revolution, leaving its mark on the city. For the tourist, a trip to Hungary's capital is dominated by the majestic sights of Buda. In the summer, there are open-air festivals at Szeged, Diosgyor Castle in Miskolc, Gyor and Pecs. Visit the former Royal Palace complex, the Matyas templom and the Belvaros. Margaret Island is a giant recreational park and feels pleasantly separated from the city bustle. Hungarian National Gallery houses Hungarian art since the birth of the nation. Although Esztergom is Hungary's most sacred city, home of the Archbishop and the nation's biggest church, it has a real-life edge. The first-time visitor to Szeged is invariably struck by its space and grandeur. One's immediate impressions of Hungary's third largest provincial city are of greenery and plazas, of broad.	Destination Guide

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