Day 1. Join tour Budapest
Arrive Budapest and check-in at hotel.
Day 2. Sightseeing in Budapest (Hungary)
Situated on a beautiful stretch of the Danube, Hungary's capital consists of two
parts: Buda and Pest. Buda seems today the older, more graceful part, with cobbled streets and medieval buildings, whilst the latter is the business centre. Utilising local transport, this morning's guided walking tour takes in the major sites of this impressive city. We discover the Basilica of St. Stephen and Parliament buildings before crossing Chain Bridge to the Castle District andWatertown. Here lie Buda's most ancient gems – Castle Hill with the Old Town, Fisherman's Bastion, and the Royal Palace. This afternoon in Budapest is left free for you to further explore its many attractions. You may want to visit one of the city's famous thermal baths, or take a boat cruise on the Danube. (Included meals: B).
Day 3. Drive to Eger via Holloko
Today we drive to Holloko, a small village nestling in the folds of the Cserhat hills, overlooked by Holloko Castle. From the castle ruins, the views over the Carpathian Mountains are stunning. It has many rustic and unusual wooden buildings and a small church. We have time to explore this quiet and peaceful town, now recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, before driving on to the Matra Mountains where we will walk to the summit of Mt. Kekes (1014m) Hungary's highest peak (about 2 hours walking). Please note that if you prefer not to walk you can spend some time in the pleasant nearby resort of Matrafured. We'll then continue driving to the beautifully preserved town of Eger. 2 nights hotel H+(included meals: B).
Day 4. Free day in Eger
The itinerary today is left flexible. Your leader will organise a walk in the Bukk Hills. Alternatively you can spend time wandering around Eger, a town full of Baroque
architecture and home to the famous red wine 'Bull's Blood' and an impressive medieval fortress. (Included meals: B).
Day 5. Drive to High Tatras (Slovakia)
Today we drive to Stary Smokovec in the High Tatras mountains of Slovakia. En route, we aim to stop at the Dobsinska ice cave recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The High Tatras area of Slovakia can justly claim to be the Switzerland of the country. Snow-capped for most of the year, the compact High Tatras range is sliced by beautiful valleys and lakes. An ideal region for winter sports, in summer the network of wellmarked trails are a hiker's delight. On arrival in the afternoon your tour leader will take you on an orientation walk of the area. Trails are well-marked and sign-posted, and the advantage of having both a tour leader and local guide is that we may split the group, to allow both an easier shorter walk, and a longer more difficult one to be accompanied. 2 nights hotel H+ (included meals: B).
Day 6. Optional Walks in the High Tatras
Today can be spent walking the trails of the High Tatras amidst the valleys and jagged peaks whose waters drain into emerald mountain lakes. Escorted by our tour leader or the local guide, there are many walking options for all abilities. We use a variety of transport (bus, train, funicular, cable car) to provide access to different parts of the mountains. (Included meals: B).
Day 7. Bus and train to Prague
This morning we will drive to Popradske pleso lake, and take a gentle walk down to Strbske Pleso, arriving around lunchtime. In the afternoon we will continue our drive through the beautiful Slovakian countryside to the town of Ostrava, where we will join the train headed for Prague. On arrival later this evening we will transfer to our hotel. 3 nights hotel H+ (included meals: B).
Days 8 & 9 Sightseeing in Prague
The relaxed charm of Prague is at once evident. Twelve centuries have adorned it with a labyrinth of old streets and wonderful palaces and bridges. On the morning of our first day here, we plan a guided city tour which will take in some of the main highlights of this Old World charm. Among the many points of interest in Prague are the Old Town Square and City Hall, set amid antique houses and arcades, the Astronomical Clock,Powder Tower and Prague Ghetto, which includes the Jewish Cemetery and Synagogues. We also see the Charles Bridge, the oldest and most handsome bridge over the Vltava river and the area of Hradcany with the castle of the Bohemian Kings. The afternoon is left free for personal discovery. On our second day in Prague you are free to continue enjoying the city at your leisure. You may wish to head to the gothic Konopiste Castle, built in 1300, by local train. The castle was once owned by Archduke Ferdinand whose assassination in Sarajevo triggered the start of World War One. A boat trip on the Vltava river is another optional possibility. There are also many classical music concerts to be found, if the timing is right, you may be lucky to see a performance in one of the old atmospheric churches (optional). (Included meals Bx2).
Day 10. Tour ends in Prague
(Included meals: B).
