Tour Details - CENTRAL EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE - CATEGORY E (EUROPEAN HISTORY & POLITICS THEMED CRUISE)
CENTRAL EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE - CATEGORY E (EUROPEAN HISTORY & POLITICS THEMED CRUISE)
DISCOUNTS ON EVERY TOUR, UP TO 10% !!!
Tour Duration: 12 days Tour Code: WNRH-E2012 Tour Type: Prices From: A$3782 [Tour Dates]
Tour Itinerary
Day
Description
1
ARRIVE IN PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC Welcome to Prague!the capital of the Czech Republic. The city straddles the Vltava River with domes, cupolas, spires and pinnacles highlighting its skyline.
2
PRAGUE Prague is a 1,000-year-old city preserved in time. It straddles the Vltava River with domes, cupolas, spires and pinnacles highlighting its skyline. See its best-known treasures such as the Old Town's Astronomical Clock, once the envy of all of Europe; HRADCANY CASTLE GROUNDS; St. Vitus Cathedral; and the Charles Bridge. Browse the shops for hand-cut crystal or art books. Mix with the locals in Wenceslaus Square or stroll along the Vltava River. Your Cruise Director will have more suggestions for things to do. (B)
3
PRAGUE?NUREMBERG, GERMANY (EMBARKATION) After lunch, drive to Nuremberg, where your river cruise vessel is docked. Before dinner meet your crew for a welcome reception. (B,D)
4
BAMBERG Another beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site is medieval Bamberg. Your walking tour takes in the breathtaking cathedral, the Old Town Hall straddling the River Regnitz, and serpentine streets with charming houses and 18th-century mansions. (B,L,D)
5
WURZBURG Known as the "Pearl of the Romantic Road," Wurzburg is surrounded by sloping hills covered with vineyards. The magnificent BISHOP'S RESIDENZ is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (B,L,D)
6
MILTENBERG Located on the Main River, Miltenberg is a picturesque Bavarian village that thrived on income from river traffic. Its cultural wealth and affluence are reflected in the beautiful medieval and renaissance houses and the gothic splendor of the Merchant Hall shown to you during your guided walk. This evening, learn how to bake a local SOFT COOKIE specialty. (B,L,D)
7
RHINE GORGE-RUDESHEIM Pretty Rudesheim is the perfect example of a Rhine Valley wine town and SIEGFRIED'S MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM is a real surprise. Enjoy a SPECIAL TREAT, then there?s free time to explore the Drosselgasse and pick up some souvenirs. The dramatic RHINE GORGE is the most beautiful stretch of river. Pass the legendary rock of the Lorelei, where sweet songs of local beauties lured enchanted sailors to their doom. Situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, 2,000-year-old Koblenz is the cultural and business center of the Middle Rhine region. The Deutsches Eck, located on a tongue of land where the two rivers converge, holds an impressive equestrian statue of Wilhelm I. The Moselle River is some 312-miles long, rising in the Vosges Mountains of northeastern France and entering Germany at Trier. The entire Moselle Valley is famous for its beautiful and tranquil scenery. (B,L,D)
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COCHEM Visit REICHSBURG CASTLE, which sits atop a conical hill covered in vines. From here the views of the little town of Cochem nestled down below and of the river valley are splendid. Cruising the wide, peaceful curves of the river, it quickly becomes obvious that the Moselle is an important wine-growing region. Most notably, the Riesling grape is cultivated, producing a dry to sweet, floral white wine. (B,L,D)
9
TRIER-REMICH, LUXEMBOURG The venerable Episcopal city of Trier is the oldest in Germany and, some claim, even older than Rome! The famous Porta Nigra is the only surviving fortified gate from the original Roman settlement and still gives access to the town center. This afternoon cruise to Remich in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. (B,L,D)
10
REMICH (DISEMBARKATION)-PARIS, FRANCE Say goodbye to your crew after breakfast today and travel to Metz to board the HIGH-SPEED TRAIN for a swift and comfortable journey to Paris.(B,D)
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PARIS Paris' famous sights are living history: your included city sightseeing shows you magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid as a contrast to its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opera, Madeleine, Champs Elysees, and the Eiffel Tower, a structural miracle of its age. The city is well known for its colorful nightlife, including some of the world's most famous cabaret shows. (B)
12
PARIS Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
CRUISE: Deluxe 7-night cruise from Nuremberg to Remich in an outside stateroom with hotel-style beds- CATEGORY E (EUROPEAN HISTORY & POLITICS THEMED CRUISE) PRAGUE: Guided sightseeing, see the Astronomical Clock, and visit Hradcany Castle grounds BAMBERG: Guided sightseeing, see the Old Town Hall WURZBURG: Guided sightseeing, visit the Bishop's Residenz MILTENBERG: Guided sightseeing; baking demonstration RUDESHEIM: Visit Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum; special treat RHINE GORGE: Cruise through the gorge COCHEM: Visit Reichsburg Castle BERNKASTEL: Orientation, local marketplace TRIER: Guided sightseeing, see the Porta Nigra REMICH: Welcome reception PARIS-METZ: By high-speed train PARIS: Guided sightseeing MEALS: Full buffet breakfast (B) in Paris and Prague; superb dining with all meals on board daily featuring full breakfast (B), lunch (L), and dinner (D), including a welcome reception, Captain's reception and farewell dinner; quality wines from Europe's most famous wine regions with every dinner; one sitting with open seating arrangements Inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE in the cruise description
Meals Breakfast - 11 Lunch - 6 Dinner - 8
Optional Excursions
To help plan your leisure time, as well as your pre-tour budgeting, here is a list of optional excursions that may be offered on this tour.
Availability is subject to sufficient participation, weather conditions, seasonal suitability, group interests, and general feasibility for your tour. Please note prices may be based on the previous year and are subject to change. Full terms and conditions are contained in the important travel documents.
Cost
Description
46
EUR
Name:WONDERFUL DVORAK - CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT Location:PRAGUE Details:Dvorak was neither conservative nor radical. His works display the influences of folk music, mainly Czech polka rhythms. But Dvorak performed also in the United States, he was for sure one of the first composers working globally. His Slavonic Dances show his very strong roots in the culture of his homeland, yet he was not afraid of letting Indian dances and songs influence his 9th Symphony: "From the New World". Enjoy an evening with tunes and themes of Antonin Dvorak, this great Czech Composer and find out a bit more about his works and his music.
19
EUR
Name:PRAGUE'S SECRETS REVEALED Location:PRAGUE Details:It is quite possible to escape the touristy side of Prague. And just as before, it requires knowing just which street to turn down or even which unsigned walkway to pass. Knowing where to turn from the Old Town Square, you can leave all the crowds behind and find yourself shockingly alone in a twisting Medieval street, quiet as can be - with only the sound of your shoes clicking against the cobblestones or a tram swooshing by a few streets away. And in this street, it's also still possible to find the most interesting places when you least expect them. The houses and doors often look the same from the outside. To the naked eye, the street may even seem residential. There are no big flashing lights pointing out the history that lies behind these facades of Prague. It needs a local expert, who shows you these secrets and tell you the stories of what happened here and there.
42
EUR
Name:PRAGUE - JEWISH HERITAGE TOUR Location:PRAGUE Details:Located between the Old Town Square and the Vltava River, Prague's Jewish Quarter (known as Josefov) was once one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe, with a rich and varied history dating back to the 10th century. The circumstances leading to WW II and the country's post-war Communist regime did little to revive the hopes and religious rights (or indeed living standards) of those who survived, with many deciding to emigrate to the US, Western Europe or Israel. Today, whilst only 1500 or so Orthodox Jews live in what remains of the traditional Jewish Quarter, it has once again become a thriving - and fascinating - part of Prague. Follow our local expert on a tour to the Jewish Museum, the Jewish Cemetery and the Synagogues and get an inside view of Jewish Life in the past and today.
39
EUR
Name:EXCURSION TO ROTHENBURG OB DER TAUBER Location:ROTHENBURG Details:The best preserved medieval town in Germany, Rothenburg ob der Tauber fits the word romantic perfectly. Walk the wall that encircles Rothenburg to get various perspectives of architecture in the middle ages (as well as a lot of exercise). Climb to the top of the Rothenburg Town Hall Tower (circa 1250-1400) for a wide-angle view of Rothenburg and surrounding, mostly pastoral countryside. The entire walled town of Rothenburg is a museum. The wall connects five medieval gates complete with guard towers that date from the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries. Just walk along Rothenburg's narrow cobblestone streets and admire the gothic, renaissance, and baroque houses and fountains. You may wish that you had lived in these prettier, quieter, slow times. As well as the attraction of the town itself, Rothenburg offers a complete selection historic restaurants, gothic churches, art exhibits, museums, suits of armor, and great Franken wine, to name only a few.
33
EUR
Name:EVENING DRIVE OF PARIS Location:PARIS Details:Paris the "City of Light". Join us on a drive through the illuminated capital of France. See the Opera, the glass pyramid of the Louvre, the bustling Champs Elysees, the Arch of Triumph and last but not least the Eiffel Tower.
43
EUR
Name:THE ARTIST'S QUARTER OF MONTMARTRE Location:PARIS Details:Join our local expert on a short walking tour of the lanes and squares around Sacre Coeur Church. Admire a spectacular view over the roofs of the City of Light and love. Listen to the stories, and admire the artwork of the artists at Place du Tertre where some of the French impressionists started their career. There is free time before your local expert provides a short orientation of the city on the way back to the hotel.
167
EUR
Name:AN EVENING AT THE MOULIN ROUGE Location:PARIS Details:"The Moulin Rouge Theatre is the epitome of French cabaret shows. Enjoy a dinner at the Moulin Rouge before you admire the colourful show "Feerie" featuring more than 100 artists and dancers, and more than 1000 costumes."
49
EUR
Name:MONA LISA'S SMILE AND THE LOUVRE MUSEUM Location:PARIS Details:"Open to all since 1793" The Louvre Museum has embodied the concept of a truly "universal" institution. The priceless artworks housed in the Louvre are held for the benefit of present and future generations. The 35 000 works of art include such famous master pieces as the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Venus de Milo. Our local expert will bring them to life as we have a look at the most important pieces of the various collections.
Optional Excursions
