From the centuries-old quarters of the cosmopolitan capital city, Bratislava, and the ornate churches, towers and architectural marvels therein, to the breathtaking natural glory of the Pineny region and the dizzying heights of the Carpathian Mountains, our route showcases the many faces of the Slovak Republic and its majesty. We descend to investigate underground caves and ascend the slopes of the second highest mountain in the Low Tatras Range in a chairlift, before ending the Slovak Republic leg of the tour with a train-ride into Hungary’s capital, Budapest.
We tour the dynamic capital, spending time amid stately buildings and meandering along narrow streets, all the while soaking in the attractions, like the neo-Gothic Parliament, the Museum of Ethnography, the concert hall and the Chain Bridge. Through towns and villages that at times seem forgotten by time, we admire rural scenery that would not be out of place over a century ago, like the traditional garb of the women in Holloko and the town’s cobbled streets.
Our trip to see the stalagmite pyramids and red and black stalactite drip stones in the Aggtelek Caves is one not soon forgotten and we leave Hungary via the wine-producing region near Debrecen and the Hortobagy National Park and Wildlife Preserve. In Romania, we check out the famous Bucovina Monasteries and their collections of Byzantine art, the mythical home of Dracula at Bran Castle, ‘the Pearl of the Carpathian Mountains’ at Sinaia and one of the most beautiful castles in Europe at Peles Castle. We then head into Bulgaria to spend our final eight days seeing the capital city, Sophia, hiking in the Valley of the Roses, visiting the Rila Monasteries and wandering around ancient Thracian cities admiring the sights and meeting the friendly locals.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Breakfast and dinner (hotels & local restaurants) daily
- All transport, sightseeing and entrance fees for sites noted as 'visited' in the detailed itinerary
- Gratuities for local guides, drivers, restaurant staff, porters
- Airport transfers for land / air customers arriving / departing on tour dates.
Price Excludes:
- Tour Leader gratuities, lunches, drinks, personal items (phone, laundry, etc), domestic and international air taxes (if applicable), excursions referenced as 'optional'
- Airport transfers for early / late arrivals / departures or Land Only customers
- Our post-reservation trip notes offer further guidance on optional meal costs and shopping.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
Slovakia
Hungary
Bulgaria
Cultural Journey
Archeology/History
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