Tour Details - Christmastime In Berlin & Eastern Europe

Visit Berlin as well as the popular cities of Prague, Budapest, and Vienna. Enjoy 2-night stays in each city, where sightseeing with Local Guides is included. In Berlin, take pictures of Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church with its bomb-damaged tower and drive by Checkpoint Charlie. Also visit Prague's Hradcany Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral, Budapest's Matthias Coronation Church, and Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral. En route, stop in Dresden, once belonging to the "other part" of Germany; and in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. There’s time to enjoy the Christmas markets and festive atmosphere in each city.

Meals
Breakfast - 8
Lunch - 0
Dinner - 4

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.

Travel Protection/Insurance, Passports & Visas

Please double check that you have travel protection/insurance and valid documents (passport, visas, etc.) before leaving home. Be informed of passport validity date regulations. Ask your local consulate for advice (responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveller). Please carry personal identification on you at all times, or a photocopy if you leave your passport in the hotel safe.

If your nationality (passport) differs from the country in which you reside, please take time to check especially carefully with your local consulates concerning visa and passport requirements for your travels.

Due to heightened security, many countries have adopted practices to prevent international abductions of children. If a child will be travelling with grandparents or with only one parent, it is recommended that a notarised letter be written by the parents or non-travelling parent stating the dates of travel and granting authorisation to travel. We suggest that you also contact the appropriate consulates and airlines, who may have additional requirements.

Baggage

Porterage for one suitcase is included in the vacation price. Due to limited coach capacity, this single bag should have dimensions not exceeding 76 x 53 x 28 cm. (30 x 21 x 11 in.), and weight not exceeding 22 kg. (50 lbs.) or less if your air carrier has stricter weight/dimension limitations (you may be required to remove articles and put them in another bag if weight or size limits are exceeded). We regret we are unable to accept a second suitcase, or any luggage exceeding these limits. If you are carrying extra luggage, please make independent arrangements for its storage while you are on vacation. We also recommend you consult your air carrier as size and weight limitations vary from airline to airline and even according to destination, and are becoming more restrictive. Globus is not responsible for additional fees imposed by air carriers. Regulations within most airports require that travellers handle their own luggage through customs. So test the weight of your packed suitcase; you should be able to lift and comfortably transport it for short distances (drivers and porters will be lifting and transporting your luggage during the vacation, so also on their behalf we urge you to please keep size and weight within the above limits).

For your own comfort and that of fellow passengers, please limit hand luggage to one Globus travel bag or it’s equivalent in size (30 x 28 x 14 cm. or 12 x 11 x 6 in.) For safety reasons, wheeled-carry-on bags are not suitable as hand luggage on motorcoaches and mini-buses.

Carry all documents and money on your person but not all in the same place to limit the inconvenience in case of loss. No money, important documents, medicines or jewellery should be left in your suitcase; please leave valuable jewellery at home. We recommend use of a money belt, worn inside your clothes (on departure from your hotel room remember to double check that you have this with you, and that you have collected items left in hotel safes). Please, at all times, be as vigilant as you would be in any major city especially in crowded places such as subways, squares, or churches/cathedrals. Never leave your hand luggage unattended or out of sight in public areas, including the airport, hotel lobbies or dining rooms.

The same common-sense rules of safety and security apply to Europe as to anywhere else: Avoid excessive displays of jewellery or cash (only carry sufficient for daily needs); use room safes or leave items with the hotel manager, and make certain that any valuables are insured against theft; avoid exploration on your own of unfamiliar streets or areas; do not accept any offer of food or drink from strangers.

Keep a separate list of important numbers, i.e. passport, traveller's cheques, credit card(s), in your luggage, together with photocopies of airline tickets and the relevant pages of your passport/visa.

Packing

For general advice please refer to "What to Wear" in Tips for Travellers. This booklet will also be very useful to you for shopping ideas and local specialty suggestions; we recommend you bring it with you on vacation. You might like to use some of your flight time to study Tips for Travellers and Important Travel Documents (don’t forget them when you leave the aircraft).

Due to global weather changes, regional temperatures may deviate from the norms. Weather can be unpredictable, windy and quite cool. We recommend layered, easy care loose-fitting clothing, an item or two for rain or unseasonable temperatures, and something warmer if you will be travelling in the spring or autumn. Approximate average temperatures: March 48°F (8.9°C), April 55°F (12.8°C), May 63°F (17.2°C), June 68°F (20.0°C), July 72°F (22.2°C), Aug. 70°F (21.1°C), Sept. 64°F (17.8°C), Oct. 55°F (12.8°C), Nov. 48°F (8.9°C).

For winter tours (late October-April) pack warm socks, hat, scarf and gloves with your hand luggage.

Remember to bring a pair of comfortable, tried-and-tested walking shoes (rubber soles help grip slippery/uneven surfaces), a warm jacket and a small umbrella for the occasional shower. Evening dress code: Smart casual - please no shorts, sneakers, or tracksuits when dining at your hotel. Bring one dressier outfit for the optional Scottish evening/an evening at the theatre or dinner at an elegant restaurant. As some hotels do have pools, you might like to bring swimwear. Most hotels have hairdryers in bathrooms or they can be borrowed from reception; unless you wash your hair every day, it is not necessary to pack one. Having laundry done professionally can be very expensive, so you may wish to bring some travel soap.

Washcloths usually are considered a personal item (like a toothbrush) and are rarely supplied. If you use washcloths, please bring some with you (disposable would be ideal, so damp ones don't have to be carried in your luggage).

Hotels/Accommodations

Ice machines are often not available (when getting ice from the bar, a small tip to the bartender is customary); fixtures in bathrooms and bedrooms are not standardised; rooms may be slightly smaller than you are use to; mini bar items and access to pay TV channels are at your own expense.

Queen-size beds are rare in Europe. In some hotels, key cards operate the room lighting system, and/or the elevator; in others, corridor and bathroom lighting may be automatic. Liquid soap dispensers are often fitted in bathrooms and showers.

While some hotels may be able to provide for a special diet, such as vegetarian or salt-free there is no way for us to guarantee this. Special food usually costs extra. A word of warning: Vegetarian meals tend to lack variety and imagination.

Phoning Home: To avoid expensive hotel phone bills, for long distance calls we recommend you use a calling card (AT&T/MCI/Bell/Telstra/Telecom etc.) different access codes apply, depending on the country you are calling from (remember to bring this information with you from home); hotels will probably make a connecting charge even to toll free numbers; various international long distance calling cards or local phone cards may be available at tobacco stores/kiosks/post offices; ask tour director for more information.

To Know About Your Tour

Please remember that as in North America, Australia and elsewhere, it is not permitted to remove food from the breakfast room.

Motorcoaches are equipped with an emergency washroom (WC). Due to the chronic shortage of adequate cleaning facilities, the washroom is reserved for true emergencies and must not be used regularly in lieu of the restrooms at comfort stops. Occasionally rest stops are at roadside restaurants for your convenience as all services can be found under one roof; it is a good additional opportunity to see and try fresh, local produce at reasonable prices and gives you a chance to mingle with the locals and absorb their customs. This is a practical solution to avoid losing precious sightseeing time in ever increasing traffic, as you are travelling from destination to destination. For health and hygiene reasons, it is advisable not to carry perishable food due to lack of refrigeration.

Due to environmental concerns, it is generally not permitted to operate the motorcoach air-conditioning system while the vehicle is stationary.

Sightseeing generally involves some walking; if you lead a sedentary life, enjoy brief walks to improve physical condition before leaving home.

Tour directors and drivers usually do not join the group for included meals as they are use this time to discuss tour details.

To Know About Your Destination

Sometimes there is a small charge for public toilets; stores may close earlier than back home and are usually not open on Sundays; food and drinks usually cost more; service may be a little more leisurely than you might expect. Air-conditioning is not yet widespread in Britain; due to environmental concerns, it is often strictly regulated.

Please watch your step on split-levels, steps and uneven surfaces. Due to the structure of old buildings, access to some establishments may not be convenient for wheelchair use, and facilities for the disabled in general may be limited. Many areas are pedestrian only and gave cobblestones.

To help you budget: Approximate cost of soft drink/mineral water US; coffee US; sandwich US.

Mid-Summer advice: Wear a sunhat and loose-fitting clothing; drink at least one litre (two pints) of mineral water a day if you can (carry a small bottle in your hand luggage); avoid eating too much ice cream and reduce the amount of ice in drinks. A small battery-operated fan may be useful in warm weather.

Voltage is mostly 220, 50-cycle alternating current. Before leaving home purchase an international adaptor so your two or three-prong plug will connect to the various local electrical supply outlets (check that it is sufficiently powerful for your appliance). In Britain square-pin plugs are used. Adaptor kits that cover the entire range of plugs can be purchased at better electrical supply stores. Buying electrical devices in foreign places is not recommended unless you are sure that the current they use is compatible with that at home. It will likely cost you more than the original purchase price to have an appliance converted.

In some cases the 24-hour clock is used (omitting a.m. and p.m.) e.g. 15.30 = 3:30 p.m. See your Tips for Travellers booklet for further details.

International Purchases & Shopping Tips

See the country profiles in Country Highlights & Facts in Tips for Travellers for lists of fine local items to purchase while you are abroad.

Enjoy some stress-free birthday/Christmas shopping during your travels; small, light items that you can easily carry home make splendid gifts. Don’t forget to buy something nice for yourself too to take home, to evoke pleasant memories of your vacation abroad.

If you purchase a video or DVD, please check very carefully that it is compatible with your home viewing system (for US and Canadian clients, VHS NTSC and DVD region 1; for Australian, New Zealand, and clients from the Pacific area, VHS PAL and DVD region 4, etc.)

Sales tax or VAT (value added tax) is already included on price tags; VAT refunds, if applicable, may take up to three months to process.

Emergency Numbers

Emergency switchboard 999 or 112

If you are making an emergency call from a phone booth, you do not need to insert a telephone card. Clearly state which service you require.

24-hour tour joining information: Tourwise of London Ltd. +44 (0)20 87484225.

Money

Major credit cards are widely accepted but some shops and restaurants require a minimum purchase amount when using them (so they are not appropriate for incidentals such as ice creams, snacks etc). You might consider bringing more than one card, as some outlets may not accept all types. Due to increasing credit card fraud worldwide, be prepared to show identification (ie. your passport) when making a transaction with your credit card.

For the best available exchange rate, you will find ATM (automatic teller machine) cards indispensable. The usual care should be exercised when using ATMs; avoid making withdrawals at night or in unlit areas, conceal your PIN code from view, and be wary of assistance from seemingly helpful strangers, however polite or well-dressed. In order to safeguard your card details and your transactions, wherever possible use the special security rooms provided by banks for this purpose. A lost or blocked card should be reported to your bank via its 24-hour emergency number for immediate cancellation/replacement.

Before travelling be sure to:
- Activate ATM and/or credit card.
- Bring your PIN code(s) - consisting of numbers, NOT letters (European ATMs have numerical key pads only) - to facilitate use of both ATM and credit card(s) (increasingly important with new “chip & pin” technology).
- Check with your bank to ensure you can withdraw cash on your cards abroad.
- Check that cards do not expire while you are abroad and are still valid for at least 31 day after completion of your vacation.
- Ask your credit card and traveller’s cheque companies for emergency numbers (international code; not those starting with 0800 or 13) to report loss. Always keep these numbers with you while travelling (but separate from cards and cheques).

Please note: Britain did not adopt the Euro in 2002. Cash in £ Sterling will be necessary for minor purchases, tipping in restaurants, taxis, personal sightseeing - museums etc (US Dollars are generally not accepted); for convenience, you might like to bring a supply of £ Sterling with you from home. For tipping your tour director, driver, and local guides, Dollar bills will be useful. Hide a couple of bills on your person as emergency funds while travelling; these can always be exchanged at a bank for local currency. Due to increasing counterfeit, establishments may be reluctant to accept bills of 100 and over in any currency, so we recommend you bring denominations of 50 or less. A pocket calculator will come in handy when making conversions.

You may also wish to bring some money in traveller’s cheques, although they are becoming increasingly difficult to use; see "Your Spending Money" in Tips for Travellers for guidelines regarding use. In most cases you will not be able to use cheques as cash to purchase items in stores or pay for restaurant meals; instead exchange cheques for £ Sterling at a local bank. On the rare occasions that you are able to use cheques as cash a processing fee may be applied (usually 2-3%). We suggest larger denomination cheques (, ) because of fixed-rate service charges per cheque when you exchange for local currency. Traveller’s cheques can also be used for tipping tour directors and drivers.

As a general guideline, aim to bring a variety of means to "pay your way" for your own convenience, and also in case you have difficulties with your preferred method of payment. Your tour director will be pleased to advise you on the current best-value approach.

Banking hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Some branches are open Saturday mornings.

Tipping Guidelines

Tipping is a way of life in Europe and generally expected; we hope the following information will be of assistance.

Gratuities to your tour director and driver are not included in the tour price. While the amount of these gratuities will depend upon your degree of satisfaction for services received, many of our clients have asked us for general tipping guidelines. For a good job, we suggest US to US per tour day per tour member for your tour director, and US-US per tour day per tour member for your driver. (An example to assist you: US per day amounts to US per person for your tour director and US per person for your driver). Tipping local guides is also customary; ask your tour director for advice.

Restaurants: If not included, tip 10-15% of the bill, depending on quality of service. Taxis: Tip 10-15% of the fare. (We recommend you pre-negotiate taxi fares to avoid unpleasant surprises at the end of the journey).

A Last Note

If there is any additional information that you feel should be included here, please advise us via the Customer Survey. Thank you for your assistance in improving our client documentation.

ACCOMMODATION PRICES