Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Willkommen in Deutschland. Arrive in Berlin, the capital of Germany

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Berlin Tegel "Otto Lilienthal" International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel. He / she will provide assistance during Check-in & also discuss the program for the next few days.

Size-wise, Berlin is pretty big but its key areas are wonderfully compact & easily navigated on foot, by bike or by using public transport. Enjoy its iconic sights, its vast swathes of green, its sky bars & chic restaurants. There is nothing static about Berlin: it's unpredictable, unpretentious & irresistible.

Berlin's combo of glamour & grit is bound to mesmerise anyone keen to explore its vibrant culture, cutting-edge architecture, fabulous food, intense parties & tangible history. Berlin is a bon vivant, passionately feasting on the smorgasbord of life, never taking things - or itself - too seriously.

Berlin dates to the 13^th century. Reminders of the city's turbulent 20^th century history include its Holocaust memorial and the Berlin Wall's graffitied remains. Bismarck & Marx, Einstein & Hitler, JFK & Bowie, they have all shaped - and been shaped by - Berlin, whose richly textured history stares you in the face at every turn.

This is a city that staged a revolution, was headquartered by Nazis, bombed to bits, divided in two & finally reunited - & that was just in the 20^th century!

Berlin is a big multicultural metropolis but deep down it maintains the unpretentious charm of an international village. Locals follow the credo 'live & let live' and put greater emphasis on personal freedom & a creative lifestyle than on material wealth & status symbols. Cafes are jammed at all hours, drinking is a religious rite and clubs keep going until the wee hours or beyond.

Forget about New York - Berlin is the city that truly never sleeps. Sometimes it seems as though Berliners are the lotus eaters of Germany, people who love nothing more than a good time. The city's vast party spectrum caters for every taste, budget and age group. From tiny basement clubs to industrial techno temples, chestnut-canopied beer gardens to fancy cocktail caverns, saucy cabarets to ear-pleasing symphonies - Berlin delivers hot-stepping odysseys, and not just after dark & on weekends but pretty much 24 / 7.

When it comes to creativity, the sky is the limit in Berlin, Europe's newest start-up capital. In the last 20 years, the city has become a giant lab of cultural experimentation thanks to an abundance of space, cheap rent & a free-wheeling spirit that nurtures & encourages new ideas.

Top international performers grace its theatre, concert & opera stages; international art-world stars like Olafur Eliasson & Jonathan Meese make their home here and Clooney & Hanks shoot blockbusters in the German capital. High-brow, low-brow & everything in between – there’s plenty of room for the full arc of cultural expression.

Check-in at hotel.

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, start early & proceed to the Meeting Point (unguided - on your own) to discover the city at your own pace with a regular city tour.  

Hop on / Hop off bus ticket is valid for full day, giving you the opportunity to get off at any place you find interesting & get on the next bus. Suggestions below are “just suggestions” you can match with the Hop on / Hop Route / Itinerary, wherever possible.

Listen to an introductory overview (audio-commentary via headphones) of the strange, winding history of Berlin, covering the city’s founding & continuing with stories about the turbulent years of war & modern era as the tour moves forward.

Take a walk back in time as you explore the many layers of history found in Berlin, covering everything from its Prussian period, to its violent 20^th century & the present period of rebirth. Visit landmarks from the city’s Prussian, Imperial, Nazi, Cold War & modern eras, offering insight into the evolution of this fascinating German capital.

Travel beneath the monumental18^th century Brandenburg Gate, which has become a symbol of reunification & which forms the beginning of Unter den Linden. Check out the rebuilt Reichstag, home of Germany’s parliament, just nearby.

Head next to Museum Island, pausing at the Berlin State Library (once the workplace of Albert Einstein) and the Neue Wache memorial as you continue.

Unter den Linden boulevard, is a thoroughfare that links Stadtschloss royal palace & Pariser Platz & Brandenburg Gate. By the 19^th century, this elegant street was among the most famous in the city, growing even more grand as Berlin’s boundaries pushed further west.

Walk along remnants of the Berlin Wall, marvel at the splendour of a Prussian palace, hear the amazing stories of Cold War Berlin at Checkpoint Charlie or stand in the very room where the Holocaust was planned. Berlin is like an endlessly fascinating 3D textbook where the past is very much present wherever you go.

Then explore Pariser Platz, the location of Hitler’s bunker and the Holocaust Memorial, commemorating the many Jews that lost their lives during the Nazi regime. The city is also known for its art scene & modern landmarks like the gold-colored, swoop-roofed Berliner Philharmonie, built in 1963.

You may want to stop at the Topography of Terror Museum, situated at the former Gestapo and SS Headquarters. Hear from your guide about the significance of the museum’s location, which the city’s leaders consciously chose to help confront and reconcile the awful moments of Berlin’s past. Look down into the building’s excavated cellars, a haunting spot where political prisoners were once tortured and killed.

If you have time, visit the iconic Fernsehturm de Berlín TV tower, the tallest building in the city, built in the 1960s by the German Democratic Government to demonstrate the strength & efficiency of the socialist party system. Today, the tower shapes the skyline of Berlin, a landmark of a reunited Germany

The elevators to the top only take just 40 seconds. Get a 360-degree panorama of Germany’s capital & cultural centerpiece and discover Berlin from a height of 666 feet. See sights like Berlin Cathedral, Checkpoint Charlie, Brandenburg Gate, Olympic Stadium, Reichstag, to name just a few. Take pictures in every direction & check out the informational displays for more information about the sights & scenery of Berlin. Hungry? Bar 203 has the solution, offering light snacks & drinks (own expense) with a stellar view.

Wrap up your Berlin walk on a lighter note with a stop at the modern area of Potsdamer Platz, a one-time “dead zone” between East & West that has since been rebuilt.

Return to the hotel on your own, whenever you prefer (unguided - on your own).

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, you will be met by a Journeys Rep & transferred to Berlin Hauptbanhof to board the train for Prague.

On arrival at Praha Hlavni Nadrazi train station, the busiest in the Czech Republic, you will be welcomed by a Journeys Rep / Driver (holding a placard with your Name).

He / she will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel.

European Hotspot | Art All Around | Where Beer is God | Urban Explorations

Prague - capital city of the Czech Republic, is the equal of Paris in terms of beauty. Its history goes back a millennium.  And, the beer? The best in Europe.

Bisected by the Vltava River it is nicknamed “the City of a Hundred Spires,” known for its Old Town Square, the heart of its historic core, with colorful baroque buildings, Gothic churches & the medieval Astronomical Clock, which gives an animated hourly show.

.

The 1989 Velvet Revolution that freed the Czechs from communism bequeathed to Europe a gem of a city to stand beside stalwarts such as Rome, Amsterdam & London. Not surprisingly, visitors from around the world have come in droves, & on a hot summer's day it can feel like you are sharing Charles Bridge with half of humanity. But even the crowds can’t take away from the spectacle of a 14^th century pedestrian stone bridge lined with statues of Catholic saints, a hilltop castle and bisected by the lovely, lazy river - the Vltava - that inspired one of the most hauntingly beautiful pieces of 19^th century classical music, Smetana’s Moldau symphony.

Prague's art galleries may not have the allure of the Louvre, but Bohemian art offers much to admire, from the glowing Gothic altarpieces in the Convent of St Agnes, to the luscious art nouveau of Alfons Mucha, & the magnificent collection of 20^th century surrealists, cubists & constructivists in the Veletrzni Palac. The weird & witty sculpture of David Cerny punctuates Prague's public spaces & the city itself offers a smorgasbord of stunning architecture, from the soaring verticals of Gothic & the exuberance of baroque to the sensual elegance of art nouveau & the chiselled cheekbones of cubist facades.

Prague's maze of cobbled lanes & hidden courtyards is a paradise for the aimless wanderer, always beckoning you to explore a little further. Just a few blocks away from the Old Town Square, you can stumble across ancient chapels, unexpected gardens, cute cafes & old-fashioned bars with hardly a tourist in sight.

One of the great joys of the city is its potential for exploration - neighbourhoods such as Vinohrady & Bubenec and can reward the urban adventurer with countless memorable cameos, from the setting sun glinting off church domes, to the strains of Dvorak wafting from an open window.

And the best beer in the world just got better. Since the invention of Pilsner Urquell in 1842, the Czechs have been famous for producing some of the world's finest brews. But the internationally famous brand names - Urquell, Staropramen & Budvar - have been equalled, and even surpassed, by a bunch of regional Czech beers & microbreweries that are catering to a renewed interest in traditional brewing. Never before have Prague's pubs offered such a wide range of ales - names you will now have to get your head around include Kout na Šumave, Svijansky Rytir & Velkopopovicky Kozel.

Check-in at the hotel & relax.

Balance of the day free for independent explorations or Optional activities (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make any arrangements).

Morning, walk to the Meeting Point (on your own) to board the regular City Circle Tour Bus for a 3 hour sightseeing tour to explore the capital of the Czech Republic.

During this tour, you will see some of the most interesting historical sights of Prague - the Municipal House, Wenceslas Square, the National Museum, Charles Square followed by a ride along the beautiful riverside, across the River Vltava to Prague Castle.

You will then walk to the Old Town Square in the city centre. Here, you can admire the Tyn Church, St. Nicholas Church & the legendary Astronomical Clock on the Old Town Hall where the tour terminates.

Tour concludes & you return to the hotel on continue exploring.

.

Balance of the day free for independent explorations or Optional activities (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make any arrangements).

Today, you leave for Austria.

In time, you will be met by The Journeys Rep & transferred to Praha Hlavni Nadrazi station to board your non-stop train to Vienna.

On arrival at Vienna Hauptbahnhof, the swish central hub station used by all international trains, you will be welcomed by a Journeys Rep & transferred to the hotel.

Welcome to Vienna, Austria’s capital.

Imperial Architecture | Masterpiece-filled Museums | Soul-stirring Music

Baroque streetscapes & imperial palaces set the stage for Vienna's artistic & musical masterpieces alongside its coffee-house culture and vibrant epicurean & design scenes.

Vienna, lies in the country’s east on the Danube River. Vienna's imperial grandeur is the legacy of the powerful Habsburg monarchy.  The city is also known for its Imperial palaces, including Schonbrunn, the Habsburgs’ summer residence.

Their home for more than six centuries, the Hofburg palace complex, incorporates the Burgkapelle (Imperial Chapel), where the Vienna Boys' Choir sings Sunday Mass & the famed Spanish Riding School, where Lipizzaner stallions perform elegant equine ballet, along with a trove of museums, including in the chandeliered Kaiserappartements (Imperial Apartments).

Other immense palaces include the baroque Schloss Belvedere &  the Habsburgs' 1441 room summer residence, Schloss Schonbrunn, while 19^th century splendours such as the neo-Gothic Rathaus (City Hall) line the magnificent Ringstrasse encircling the Innere Stadt (inner city).

In one of the Habsburgs' most dazzling Rinsgstrasse palaces, the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, houses the imperial art collection, packed with priceless works by Old Masters & treasures including one of the world's richest coin collections.

Behind the Hofburg, the former imperial stables & other contemporary buildings have been transformed into the innovative Museums Quartier district, with a diverse ensemble of museums, showcasing 19^th – 20^th century Austrian art at the Leopold Museum to often-shocking avant-garde works at the contemporary MUMOK.

Meteorites, fossils & prehistoric finds fill the Naturhistorisches Museum, while exquisite furnishings at the applied-arts Museum fur Angewandte Kunst are also among the artistic feasts in store. Also displayed are works by Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt & other artists.

Its artistic & intellectual legacy was shaped by its famous residents. With a musical heritage that includes composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Josef Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss (father & son), Johannes Brahms & Gustav Mahler, among countless others, Vienna is known as the City of Music.

Its cache of incredible venues where you can catch performances today include the acoustically renowned Musikverein, used by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the gold & crystal main opera house, the Staatsoper  & the multistage Konzerthaus, as well as the dedicated home of the Vienna Boys' Choir. The Music comes to life through interactive exhibits at the captivating Haus der Musik Museum.

Not to leave food behind, the Viennese appreciation of the finer things in life extends to its opulent coffee-house 'living rooms' serving spectacular cakes; its beloved pub like Beisln dishing up hearty portions of Wiener Schnitzel, Tafelspitz (prime boiled beef) & goulash; elegant restaurants; & its fine Austrian wines served in vaulted Vinothek (wine bar) cellars & in rustic vine-draped Heurigen (wine taverns) in the vineyards fringing the city. Local & international delicacies fill the heady Naschmarkt stalls & creative chefs are experimenting with local produce & fresh new flavour combinations in innovative, often repurposed venues.

Check-in at the hotel.

Balance of the day at leisure to explore independently or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, start early & walk to the Meeting Point (unguided - on your own) to board the open-top, double-decker bus discover the city at your own pace.  

Hop on / Hop off bus ticket is valid for full day, giving you the opportunity to either stay on the bus for the entire 1 hour loop or choose to hop on & off at any of the 20 stops that you find interesting around the city and get on the next bus (every 15 - 25 minutes).

Listen to an introductory overview (audio-commentary via headphones) as you see all that Vienna has to offer, including top-notch art galleries & eclectic neighborhoods. Listen to the audio commentary for a richer understanding of each major landmark that you pass the best attractions that the city has to offer.

Ride the double decker bus & soak up the sights of the imperial architecture & impressive buildings, including St Stephen’s Cathedral, Schonbrunn Palace & the House of Music, Vienna State Opera, Hofburg Palace, Belvedere Palace, St Charles’ Church.

Hop-off the bus to take a closer look at these magnificent landmarks & to explore the city's beautiful open spaces, like People’s Park. There are 2 Itineraries & after you finish with one, you can hop on to the other bus. Walk through the city center where the buses are not allowed to drive and check out the delectable cake shops & typical Viennese coffeehouses.

You will learn more about the history of the famous Ring Street & will also have the possibility to explore the Prater area with its Giant Ferries Wheel as also the area around the Blue Danube.

Return to the hotel at your preference.

Balance of the day at leisure to explore independently or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Today, you leave for Hungary, the land of the Magyars.

In time, you will be met by The Journeys Rep & transferred to Vienna Hauptbahnhof to board your non-stop train to Budapest Magyar

On arrival at Budapest Keleti railway station - the main international & inter-city railway terminal, you will be welcomed by a Journeys Rep & transferred to the hotel.

Budapest is paradise for explorers. Keep your senses primed & you'll discover something wonderful at every turn.

Budapest, Hungary’s capital, straddles the Danube River, with the Buda Hills to the west & the Great Plain to the east.

Budapest is a gem of a city. Hungarians are rightly proud of their country’s rich cultural heritage & the capital Budapest, with its dramatic cityscape & extraordinary buildings. The city proudly spans the left & right banks of the River Danube, thereby creating the distinct Buda & Pest districts, both of which are studded with architectural landmarks & flaunt Viennese & Parisian-inspired architecture - they don’t call Budapest “Paris of the East” for nothing.

The 19^th century Chain Bridge connects its hilly Buda district with flat Pest.

Budapest’s beauty is not all God given; humankind has played a role in shaping this pretty face too. Architecturally, the city is a treasure trove, with enough baroque, neoclassical, Eclectic & art nouveau buildings to satisfy everyone. Overall, though, Budapest has a fin de siecle feel to it, for it was then, during the capital’s ‘golden age' in the late 19^th century, that most of what you see today was built.

They say the past is another country, but it has always been just around the corner in Budapest. Witness the bullet holes & shrapnel pockmarks on buildings from WWII & the 1956 Uprising. There are sad reminders like the poignant Shoes on the Danube memorial, but ones, too, of hope and reconciliation - like the 'sword' of the former secret-police building on Andrassy ut now beaten into the 'ploughshare' that is the House of Terror, with both sides of the story told.

Despite all the history to be explored, Budapest has a youthful, vibrant feel. It is easy to get around the city on foot or by public transit

The city is blessed with an abundance of hot springs. As a result, ‘taking the waters’ has been a Budapest experience since the time of the Romans. The choice of bathhouses is generous - you can choose among Turkish era, art nouveau & modern establishments. Some people come seeking a cure for whatever ails them, but the majority are there for fun & relaxation - though we still maintain it is the world’s best cure for what Hungarians call a macskajaj (cat’s wail) hangover.

A few days in Budapest - perhaps alongside some countryside discovery - would make for a wonderful European experience.

Check-in at the hotel.

Later in the afternoon, around 02.00 pm, meet the Tour-guide in the Lobby & embark on a 3 hour sightseeing of this enchanting city.

The Tour-guide will lead you to the jewels of the city, including UNESCO World Heritage sites like Heroes’ Square, where iconic statues of the Seven Chieftains of the Magyars sit, as well as the beautiful Buda Castle.

Beginning at the Hungarian State Opera House, you will hop on the Metro for a quick ride out to City Park, beloved by locals & visitors alike and Heroes’ Square where you will see the impressive statues of Hungary’s most important national leaders.

After taking a walk through the Park, you will come to the Vajdahunyad Castle, constructed in 1896 as part of the Millennial Exhibition, which recently celebrated 1,000 years since the Hungarian Conquest of the Carpathian Basin.

Next stop will be the popular Szechenyi Spa, Europe’s largest thermal bath, before taking the metro back into the city center.

Walk along Andrassy Avenue to downtown Pest, where you will see the neo-classical structure of St. Stephen’s Basilica, one of the two tallest buildings in Budapest.

Make a stop in the Castle District and enjoy the important sights of this area. Walk to the Matthias Church & the Fishermen’s Bastion. Admire the views from the famous lookout towers of Fishermen's Bastion & see the interior of Matthias Church.

You will then walk along the Danube Promenade, taking in the panorama of Gellert Hill & the Citadel, while enjoying a breathtaking view of the city & snapping photos of the Chain Bridge.

Last stop will be to marvel at the impressive neo-gothic architecture of House of Parliament.

The Tour concludes here & you will walk back to the hotel (on your own).

We strongly recommend exploring the Hungarian Parliament Building, (Entrance Ticket not included, to be paid directly)

It was built between 1885 & 1902 & currently boasts 691 rooms & staircases stretching for more than 12 miles (20 kilometers). Its regal exterior has become an iconic site in the city’s panorama & the interior hosts the Holy Crown of Hungary.

The government Tour-guide will lead you through the Session Room, the central staircase & the Great Vaulted Hall & you are free to ask questions as you travel from room to room and learn more about the country’s rich history, offering a brief overview of the last 1000 years of Hungarian history.

Walk back to the hotel (on your own).

Balance of the day at leisure to explore independently or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Finally, the experience comes to an end and it is time to say good-bye to the region’s warm hospitality & heritage.

Check-out of the hotel by 12:00 noon (if the departure time is later in the evening, we will request the hotel to allow the use of the hotel facilities & leave the luggage at the Bell Desk if you have the time to walk out). 

In time, you will be met by a Journeys Rep, who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to Terminal? - Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, for your onward journey.  B

 . 

***        End of Services      ***