Explore the winding cobbled streets of some of Europe's most beautiful cities; hike through the Carpathian mountains of Slovakia; relax at the open air cafes of Budapest and Bucharest; visit Dracula's Castle; wander through the souqs (markets) of exotic Istanbul. This trip has all this and more, on a three week journey through the best of Eastern Europe.
Itinerary:
Day 1,MOSCOW Arrival day. Day 2,MOSCOW - ST PETERSBURG A guided tour of the capital city of Russia, afternoon free. In the evening we board an overnight train to St Petersburg. Day 3,ST PETERSBURG Guided tour of St Petersburg, free afternoon. Day 4,ST PETERSBURG a?' VILNIUS Free day to explore St Petersburg. In the evening we board an overnight train to Vilnius in Lithuania. Day 5 to Day 6,VILNIUS Two full days to explore the beautiful Lithuanian capital. Day 7,VILNIUS a?' WARSAW We spend the day travelling to Warsaw. Day 8,WARSAW Free day to explore Warsaw. Day 9,KRAKOW Morning train ride to Krakow, Poland's most celebrated city. Day 10,KRAKOW A free day. Perhaps take a trip out to the fascinating Wieliczka salt mine or alternatively visit Auschwitz concentration camp to see this moving memorial / museum. In the evening we board our overnight train to Prague. Day 11,PRAGUE Morning walking tour of this wonderful city, one of the most beautiful and romantic in Europe. Day 12,PRAGUE A free day. In the evening we board an overnight train to Stary Smokovec in the High Tatras Mountains of Slovakia, Eastern Europe's highest mountain range. Day 13,HIGH TATRAS MOUNTAINS Today we have a wonderful full day trek in this stunning mountain range. Day 14,HIGH TATRAS MOUNTAINS a?' BUDAPEST A full morning free to explore. You can visit the nearby historic towns of Levoca, Slovakia's most beautiful walled town and Spissky Hrad, one of the largest castles in Europe. In the afternoon we board our train to Budapest. Day 15,BUDAPEST Budapest is known as the Paris of the East and is a wonderful place to wander - lose yourself in the romantic medieval city or take a boat cruise on the Danube. Day 16,BUDAPEST A free day. In the late afternoon we board an overnight train to Brasov in Romania. Day 17,BRASOV A full day to explore the atmospheric medieval city of Brasov. Alternatively take a day trip to the stunning resort of Sinaia and spend the day walking through spectacular alpine pastures and forests. There is also the chance to visit the exquisite Peles castle, an old royal palace. Day 18,DRACULA'S CASTLE This morning we head out to Dracula's Castle, or Bran's Castle as it is known to those with less imagination! Day 19,BUCHAREST We take a morning train to Bucharest, the capital of Romania. The afternoon is free. Day 20,BUCHAREST After a free morning in Bucharest we board our final overnight train and head for Istanbul. Day 21,ISTANBUL Arrive in the morning. The day is free to explore. Day 22,ISTANBUL Tour ends. (B)
Included
Maximum Group Size 18
Trek Grade A Easy
Fully Escorted By Imaginative Traveller tour leader
Transport Bus and train
Activities Extensive walking in towns, optional hiking in High Tatras Mountains and around Brasov
Accommodation 15 nights simple hotels, 6 overnight trains
Most breakfasts
Excluded
Entrance fees: Allow approx EUR85 (US$100) though this will vary according to how many sights you want to visit
Arrival Transfer: Not included
Local Payment: Must be paid in cash on day 1 of your tour
Visa costs: Not included
Border Taxes: Not included
Entrance fees: Not included
Drinks, tips, laundry and other items of a personal nature.: Not included
International flights: Not included
Departure and arrival transfers: Not included
Meals other than those listed: Not included
The single supplement does not apply to the nights on the trains.: Not included
Note: This tour is designed to link with our Turkey or Middle Eastern combination tours a?' so you could travel all the way to Cairo.
Note: These trips use a number of overnight trains through Eastern Europe. Whilst the itinerary is accurate at time of printing, train schedules may change resulting in amendments to the itinerary. Whilst we will try to keep these to a minimum please be prepared.
Trip Reference: UAMI
