Central Europe In 12 Days

Berlin, Prague, Krakow, Warsaw12 days

About

From the energy of post-wall Berlin and the beauty of Prague, to the treasures of Krakow and the culture of Warsaw, this tour takes you on a journey of rich heritage, fascinating history, beautiful artworks and fairytale buildings. Past castles, cathedrals, chateaux and palaces, you will be swept through some of the world’s most beautiful and cultured cities, with a chance to see East German baroque in Dresden and the tallest range of mountains that tower over most of Eastern Europe.

You should experience it because...

From ‘East meets West’ in Poland and ancient meets modern in both Berlin and Prague, to magnificent medieval architecture in Krakow, and delicious new world cuisine in Warsaw, there are so many different experiences to enjoy on this tour through the centuries of Eastern European cities.

Art, history, culture and creativity

The Reichstag, with its glass dome created by Sir Norman Foster, is the quintessential example of Berlin’s mixture of old and new architecture.

In the Old Town of Prague, wander through the Jewish Quarter and visit the cemetery, which dates to the 15thcentury.

See Warsaw Rising at a beautiful modern museum housed in a restored redbrick power station that traces the city history through interaction, exhibits and displays.

The silent synagogues of Krakow’s Jewish quarter, Kazimierz, reflect the tragedy of the recent past.

Places covered 12 Days

Day 1 Berlin attractions - optional Charlottenburg Palace dinner and show
Day 2 Berlin attractions and sightseeing
Day 3 Berlin to Prague via Dresden
Day 4 Prague - Castle - Old Town - Charles Bridge
Day 5 Prague - day trip Karlstegn Castle
Day 6 Prague - Zakopane
Day 7 Day trip to the High Tatras national park -folklore evening
Day 8 Krakow - Old town - Wawel Palace Polish Folklore
Day 9 Krakow - Auschwitz - Welicksa Saltmine
Day 10 Krakow to Warsaw - discover the Old town
Day 11 Warsaw sights Lazienki Park Palace + other attractions
Day 12 Depart

Days Details
1 Berlin attractions - optional Charlottenburg Palace dinner and show Don’t miss the city must-sees such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag Building, Checkpoint Charlie and the Berlin Wall Memorial – a football-field-sized memorial to the murdered European Jews. For a walking tour with a difference, head north of Berlin for a tour into the past at Sachsenhausen, one of the main concentration camps in Nazi Germany. The Pergamonmuseum is an aladdin’s cave of treasures and opens a fascinating window onto the ancient world and is the one museum in Berlin that should not be missed. Bargain hunt at the busy flea market – Flohmarkt am Mauerpark – right where the Belin Wall once ran. Settle in for an evening at the grandest of Berlin’s surviving nine former royal palaces - Charlottenburg Palace, set in a beautiful palace park. Enjoy dinner, a self-guided palace tour and a concert.
2 Berlin attractions and sightseeing See the Brandenburg Gate a symbol of division during the Cold War now a landmark that epitomises German reunification and often serves as a photogenic backdrop for festivals, concerts, and parties. Prater is Berlin’s oldest beer garden (since 1837) and has kept much of its traditional charm. Enjoy a cold beer beneath the ancient chestnut trees. Visit the bunker where Adolf Hitler committed suicide on 30 April 1945 alongside Eva Braun, when Berlin was burning and Soviet tanks were advancing. Take a half-day walking tour and visit some of Berlin’s infamous third reich sites from Wilhelmstrasse to the former Prinz Albrecht Strasse and the site of Hitler’s bunker. Berlin’s main contemporary art museum Hamburger Bahnhof - is in an old railway station full of an Aladdin’s cave of paintings, installations, sculptures, and video art. Enjoy a cabaret evening at the intimate 1912 Bar Jeder Venunft an art-nouveau mirrored tent that puts on song and dance shows, comedy and chanson evenings.
3 Berlin to Prague via Dresden A baroque masterpiece, split by the Elbe River, Dresdenis often overlooked on the trail between Berlin to Prague. Stop here to see unique treasures, including the rebuilt Frauenkirche Church. The church was completed in 1743, but the Stone Bell supporting its huge dome was destroyed in 1945. It lay in ruin until the fall of communism, when it was rebuilt from original plans. The Zwinger – part park and part baroque showpiece, is a calm patch of ground in modern Dresden. Arrive Prague.
4 Prague - Castle - Old Town - Charles Bridge Prague is a European hotspot of history and heritage. In 1989 the Velvet Revolution freed the Czechs from communism and bequeathedto Europe a gem of a city. Prague’s main historic sites are located on the so-called Royal Route between the Old Town and Prague Castle, crossing the river on the Charles Bridge. Modern sculptures mix with stunning ancient architectures from the soaring verticals of Gothic and the exuberance of Baroque to theelegance of art nouveau. Take in some of the city’s art galleries, there is art all around from the Gothic altar pieces in the Convent of St. Agnes to the magnificent collection of 20thcentury surrealists and cubists in the Veletrzni Palac. Pubs abound in Prague. For a slightly more upscale experience, try one of the Kolkovna chains that serve litres upon litres of fresh Czechbrew.
5 Prague - day trip Karlstejn Castle Rising above the village of Karlstejn, 30km southwest of Prague, this fairytale medieval castle is in incredibly good shape, and the views from here are spectacular. This is one of the biggest castles in the world (accordingto the Guinness Book of Records – the biggest ancient castle) at about 570m in length and around 130m wide. Here, the Kings of Bohemia, the Holy Roman Emperors, the presidents of Czechoslovakia, and the Czech Republic, have all had their offices. Take a guided tour that passes through the Knight’s Hall, Charles IV’s Bedchamber, the Audience Hall, and the Jewel House.
6 Prague - Zakopane On to Zakopane, nestled in the foothills of the Tatras, and a few hours drive from Prague. This is Poland’s most fashionable mountain resort and known for its beautiful mountain villas dating from the late 19thand early 20thcenturies. The father of this craze for all things wooden was the architect Stanislaw Witkiewicz (1851-1915). And the first of several magnificent wooden villas that he built in the area, the Willa Koliba, now houses the Museum of Zakopane Style. Take a ride on the Funicular cable car from central Zakopane that climbs 300m to Gubalowka hill, and offers incredible views of the mountain range, the beautiful forests, and the wooden villas below.
7 Day trip to the High Tatras national park -folklore evening The Tatra Mountains are the highest mountain range in the Carpathian Mountains. From pristine snowfields and ultramarine mountain lakes, to crashing waterfalls and shimmering alpine meadows, the Tatra National Park covers most of this jagged and spectacular mountain landscape. Enjoy a ride on the cable car to Mount Kasprowy and the incredible views from up high. Visit the Tatra National Park Museum that explains the natural history of the park and boasts an excellent display of local flora and fauna. Sample the best dumplings in Zakopane at the Pierozek Bar Mleczny, or dine at the Karczma Zbojecka restaurant whilst savouring regional meats grilled on a huge wood-burning rotisserie accompanied by local folk music in the evenings.
8 Prague to Krakow - Old town - Wawel Palace Polish Folklore Get your first glimpse of Krakow’s main market square – the largest square in Europe. As the royal capital for 500 years, Krakow city was able to absorb much history and talent over the centuries and is today a treasure trove of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. No other city in Poland can boast so many historic buildings and monuments or such a vast collection of artworks. Wawel Castle is Krakow’s center piece and a must-see, as is Wawel Cathedral, that has witnessed most of the coronations, funerals and entombments of Poland’s monarchs and strongmen over the centuries. Stroll through the Old Town with its soaring Gothic churches and gargantuan Rynek Glowny (main market square). And visit the Collegium Maius, built as part of the Krakow Academy and the oldest surviving university building in Poland and one of the best examples of 15thcentury Gothic architecture in the city. Just outside the Old Town is the former Jewish quarter Kazimierz, its silent synagogues reflecting the tragedy of the recent past. Enjoy a night of dinner and entertainment in Krakow at Michalik’s Cave, once a favourite bohemian hangout among Krakow’s creative crowd.Start with a folk music concert and dance show followed by a traditional Polish dinner.
9 Krakow - Auschwitz - Welicksa Salt mine About 14km southeast of Krakow are the Wieliczka salt mines an eerie world of pits and chambers where everything within its depths has been carved by hand from salt blocks. The mine was included on Unesco’s World Heritage List in 1978. You can visit three upper levels of the mine, walking through the pits and chambers. Some have been made into chapels, others are adorned with statues and monuments. An underground sanatorium has been established at a depth of 135m where chronic allergic diseases are treated by overnight stays. Pay a visit to the Krakow Salt works Museum accommodated in 14 worked-out chambers on the third level of the mine. From here a fast mining lift takes you back up to the real world. Spend half a day at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum that commemorates the lives of those who died in the concentration camp during the Holocaust of World War II.
10 Krakow to Warsaw - discover the Old town Warsaw was flattened in WWII, and ever since, the city has been racing to replace what was lost. The energy of reconstruction extends to the city’s thriving club and music scene and there are many street festivals, music events, and art events throughout the year. Start a tour of Warsaw at the Royal Castle, a former Mazovian stronghold. Spend the rest of the morning exploring the evocative back streets of the Old Town, then head to the New Town for lunch. Let the food digest while retracing your steps and wandering down ul Krakowskie Prezedmiescie and ul Nowy Swiat before crossing town to the Warsaw Rising Museum. There are two new museums worth a visit to – one on Chopin and the other on Jewish history. Take in the view from the top of the Palace of Culture & Science and finish off the day with dinner at one of the many restaurants south of Al Jerozolimskie.
11 Warsaw sights - Lazienki Park Palace + other attractions The Lazienki Park is a beautiful place of manicured greens and wild patches. Once a hunting ground attached to Ujazdow Castle, Lazienki was acquired by King Stanislaw in 1764 and transformed into a splendid park complete with palace, amphitheatre, follies and other buildings. Enjoy an al-fresco Chopin concert on a Sunday in the summer, or simply wander through the peaceful space and marvel at the proud peacocks. If you prefer to see Warsaw from an expert’s eye, take a City Sightseeing Tour that takes you to the Ghetto Memorial, the Monument of Warsaw Uprising, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Grand Theatre, Chopin’s Monument, the Belvedere Palace, and the Old Town.
12 Depart

€ 2,350 per person	(Prices are in Euros and exclude international flights)
Price Per Person in Twin Sharing Accomodation
(Prices are in Euros and exclude international flights)
All rates mentioned are an approximate price per person on a twin-sharing basis, and are based on a minimum of 4-6 adults travelling together. Rates are subject to change based on the number of passengers and the time of year. (Flights, visas, travel insurance, lunches & dinners, personal expenses not included. There may be some itinerary activities not included also – please ask). Inclusions : - Traditional ,Boutique or Heritage accommodation where possible or Quality accommodation (on a twin-sharing basis) in centrally located 4*Hotels . -Meals – breakfast in all destinations - Internal Travel by rail - ferries - coach as applicable -Guided sightseeing excursions as per the itinerary -First arrival and last departure transfers Most Holidays are based on Independent Travel . Holidays could be Customised to your requirements and you could choose to upgrade to Selfdrive or Exclusively Private basis .

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Capture summer magic in the lakes and mountains of Austria & Italy or take an iconic spring rail tour for a combination city and culture break. Walk in Slovenia’s Tatras mountains in the summer, and enjoy Slovakia’s rich medieval culture & charming rural landscapes from May to August. Not forgetting the stunning winter skiing in the Carpathian mountains as well as the magnificent Swiss & Austrian Alps. Add to this city breaks galore in Germany, Hungary & Poland, with spring Rhine cruises, year-round Budapest spas, and summer Polish cultural tours - central Europe is a must-visit destination all year-round.

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About Us

Freedom Holidays is passionate about creating inspirational tailor-made travel to Europe and beyond. Our business is your pleasure and our expert and dedicated team is here to listen to your travel needs down to the ‘nth’ degree, leaving you ‘free’ to enjoy your holiday of a lifetime with no gimmicks, no hassle, and no stress. What makes us different? With 14 years experience of providing quality tailor-made customised holidays with an ‘off-the beaten-track’ themed approach, we take you to well-known destinations as well as far flung locations (or a mixture of both), leaving you safe in the knowledge that you will be looked after every step of the way.

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