Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

There simply is no way to tour Europe & not be awestruck by its natural beauty, epic history, dazzling artistic & culinary diversity. From soaring mountains to golden sands, a tapestry of quaint & contemporary cultures – always with enough rough edges to keep you intrigued Natural & refined, folksy & cultured: the combination of mountain rusticity with old-world style captivates.

Welcome to incredible Czechia – in Central Europe bordered by Austria, Germany, Poland & Slovakia. Since the fall of Communism in 1989, the Czech Republic & its capital in particular – has evolved into one of Europe’s most popular & exotic travel destinations. Wonderful castles & chateaux, world famous spas, unspoilt countryside, historical cities & legendary cuisine. Nowhere is too far for you to be able to set out for. 

Arrive in the capital Prague the Cradle of Czech Culture has something for everyone – from dramatic history & flamboyant architecture to healing thermal waters & a nightlife that is unrivalled in Eastern & Central Europe.  

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Prague Vaclav Havel International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & discuss the program for the next few days.

If, for any reason you are unable to make contact with our representative within 30 minutes of waiting, please call the local Emergency telephone # listed on your Contact List. Please follow the advice given by our 24 / 7 Duty Officer.  Please do not exit the Airport & make your own way to the hotel unless advised.

Reach the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

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

Historic Overload | European Hotspot | Cultural Dynamism | Castles & Chateaux 

Prague is the equal of Paris in terms of beauty. Its history goes back a millennium. And the beer? The best in Europe.

Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, is bisected by the Vltava River. Nicknamed “the City of a Hundred Spires,” it's known for its Old Town Square, the heart of its historic core, with colorful baroque buildings, Gothic churches & the medieval Astronomical Clock, with a popular show. Completed in 1402, pedestrian Charles Bridge is lined with 30 statues of saints. Not surprisingly, avid travellers come in droves, and on a hot summer's day it can feel like you are sharing Charles Bridge with half of humanity.

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. Marvel at the sight of a 14^th century stone bridge, a hilltop castle & a 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 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. One of the great joys of the city is its potential for exploration - neighbourhoods such as Vinohrady and Bubenec 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.

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 Veletrzní Palac. The weird & witty sculpture of David Cerny punctuates Prague's public spaces, and 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.

Where Beer is God! 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.

Overnight.   

Morning at 09:00 am, you will be picked up for a 8 hour sightseeing tour.

You are going to see some of the most interesting historical landmarks 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.

The magnificent city of UNESCO World Heritage listed Prague has mesmerized travelers for generations with its intoxicating blend of stunning art & architecture. See the winding lanes with their magical atmosphere, medieval ramparts & romantic corners.

Harmony of Architecture – Prague is not only the Bridge & the Castle.

A frontier of the modern West & the former Iron Curtain, Prague is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Central Europe, hiding such beauty & elegance that you will be amazed. Prague has a bit of everything: historical monuments, admirable architecture, as well as vast gardens & parks.

The old town center on the right bank of the Vltava River is filled with historic buildings, charming cobblestoned lanes, lively cafes & restaurants, designer hotels and shops brimming with souvenirs like Czech crystal, Becherovka liquor & signature ceramic mugs with built-in straws, which is what spa-goers traditionally use to drink the mineral water.

You will recognize the most famous places of Old Town while walking along the Royal Route. This tourist trail of the historic center, which was once used by processions of Czech kings & queens on their way to coronation in St. Vítus Cathedral at Prague Castle, starts at Republic Square at Municipal House.

Enter Old Town at Prasna brana, walk along Celetna Street around the Cubist house At the Black Madonna & come to Old Town Square, where the timeless astronomical clock on Old Town Hall has been measuring time for 600 years.

From here continue along the Royal Route through Male Square & Charles Street around the area of Klementina until you reach the Knights of the Cross Square with Old Town Bridge Tower and cross the Vltava River over Charles Bridge and head towards Lesser Town.

Enjoy the Bohemian atmosphere in Prague's beautiful & bustling Old Town Square - a great place to begin any tour of the city. The Tour-guide will explain the workings of the legendary 15^th century Astronomical Clock – & recommend that you climb up the Old Town Hall tower for breathtaking views of the city.

Every hour, on the hour, crowds gather beneath the Old Town Hall Tower to watch the Clock in action. Despite a slightly underwhelming performance that takes only 45 seconds, the Clock is one of Europe's best-known attractions & a 'must-see' for visitors to Prague.

Four figures beside the clock represent the deepest civic anxieties of 15^th century Praguers: Vanity (with a mirror), Greed (with his money bag; originally a Jewish moneylender, but cosmetically altered after WWII), Death (the skeleton) & Pagan Invasion (represented by a Turk). The 4 figures below these are the Chronicler, Angel, Astronomer & Philosopher. On the hour, Death rings a bell & inverts his hourglass and the 12 Apostles parade past the windows above the clock, nodding to the crowd. On the left side are Paul (with a sword & a book), Thomas (lance), Jude (book), Simon (saw), Bartholomew (book) & Barnabas (parchment); on the right side are Peter (with a key), Matthew (axe), John (snake), Andrew (cross), Philip (cross) & James (mallet). At the end, a cock crows & the hour rings with a sound.

See the skyline of spires & turrets as you drive / walk around streets packed with Gothic & Romanesque monuments; and learn about Prague’s history from the onboard commentary.

See the State Opera & circle bustling Wenceslas Square, dominated by the National Museum & statue of St Wenceslas, Bohemia’s patron saint.

Continue around Charles Square & you can step onto the iconic Charles Bridge from the Old Town or Lesser Quarter side. The entrance from the Old Town is guarded by the elegant Old Town Bridge Tower, the decoration of which ranks it among the most beautiful in the world. Don’t forget to climb to the top & indulge yourself in the wonderful view of the whole 516m long bridge & panorama of Prague, city of a hundred spires. Just past the tower, a unique Baroque gallery awaits you in the open air.

Stroll slowly across the Vitava River on 14^th century stone edifice that spans the water.

The Charles Bridge will never cease to fascinate the artists, photographers and poets who pay homage to it in their works. When the day’s first rays of sunlight touch the cold cobblestones and illuminate the monumental Gothic towers at both of its ends, you would be hard put to find a more romantic location. With the powerful silhouette of Prague Castle in the background & the gallery of Baroque statues on both sides, it is no wonder that this is one of the most beautiful places in Europe.

In 1357, King Charles IV commissioned Peter Parler (the architect of St Vitus Cathedral) to replace the 12^th century Judith Bridge, which had been washed away by floods in 1342 – you can see the only surviving arch of the Judith Bridge by taking a boat trip with Prague Venice.

The new bridge was completed in 1390 & was named after Charles only in the 19^th century – before that it was known simply as Kamenny most (Stone Bridge). Despite occasional flood damage, Charles Bridge withstood wheeled traffic for 500 odd years – thanks, legend says, to eggs, wine & milk mixed into the mortar (though recent investigations have disproved this myth) – until it was made pedestrian-only after WWII. All of this was supposed to ensure its perfect stability for many centuries.

The first monument erected on the bridge was the crucifix near the eastern end, in 1657. The first & most famous statue – the Jesuits’ 1683 tribute to St John of Nepomuk – inspired other Catholic orders & over the next 30 years, a score more went up, like ecclesiastical billboards. New ones were added in the mid-19^th century, & one in the 20^th (plus replacements for some lost to floods).

According to the legend on the base of the statue, Wenceslas IV had St John of Nepomuk trussed up in armour & thrown off the bridge in 1393 for refusing to divulge the queen’s confessions (he was her priest), though the real reason had to do with the bitter conflict between church & state. The stars in his halo allegedly followed his corpse down the river. Tradition says that if you rub the bronze plaque, you will one day return to Prague. A bronze cross set in the parapet between statues 17 & 19 marks the point where he was thrown off.

As most of the statues were carved from soft sandstone, several weathered originals have been replaced with copies. Some originals are housed in the Casements at Vysehrad; others are in the Lapidarium in Holesovice.

At the Stare Mesto end of the bridge, look over the downstream parapet at the retaining wall on the right & you will see a carved stone head known as Bradac (Bearded Man). When the river level rose above this medieval marker, Praguers knew it was time to head for the hills. A blue line on the modern flood gauge nearby shows the level of the 2002 flood, no less than 2m above Bradac.

Join the groups of tourists squeezing through a gauntlet of hawkers selling charming souvenirs & buskers, artists & musicians beneath the impassive gaze of the 30 baroque statues that line the parapets & get to know the true atmosphere of this Gothic gem which has joined the 2 banks of the Vltava for more than 650 years.

Next, board a tram up to the Castle Mount & go back through1200 years of history as you explore the UNESCO World Heritage listed Prague Castle where all Czech rulers lived, walking past some magnificent palaces.

You can go inside Prague Castle to explore the courtyards & buildings, including St Vitus Cathedral, once the coronation site of Bohemia’s monarchs; and Golden Lane, the cottage-lined cobbled alley that once housed castle servants & alchemists.

Within its walls lies a varied & fascinating collection of historic buildings, museums & galleries that are home to some of Czechia's greatest artistic & cultural treasures. A tour of Prague Castle is like a walk through a textbook on architecture. You will visit just the some of the important parts (all views from the outside only, separate Entrance Tickets required to tour inside - own expense - Entry Tickets, not included, allow entry to different combinations of sights).  

The former royal residence with extensive gardens is not simply one Palace like in other cities of the world. It is a large complex built over 10 centuries by several royal families. And in the 20^th century it became the main office of the President.

The huge Castle grounds are dominated by the monumental St. Vitus Cathedral situated right in the middle of the vast area, which is one of the most beautiful in Europe. When you enter it, you will find yourself in a place where time has literally stood still. The beautifully decorated interior created by medieval masters is lit to perfection by the rays of sunlight which stream through the beautiful stained-glass windows designed by the Czech Art Nouveau artist Alfons Mucha. The Cathedral also houses the tombs & remains of important saints & Czech rulers. You can see the tomb of St. Wenceslas here - the patron saint of the Czech lands, St. John of Nepomuk, as well as the last resting places of the emperors Charles IV & Rudolf II.

Make sure to also take a look at the imposing mosaic of the Last Judgement above the Golden Gate & you may climb up to the main tower, which offers one of the most beautiful views over the city.

One can wander around its courtyards, palaces & museums. You can visit the Romanesque Basilica of St. George with its mystical interiors, the Gothic Royal Palace, the extensive Baroque courtyard, the Renaissance Summer Palace of Queen Anne as well as the ultramodern greenhouse in the Royal Gardens.

No visit to Prague Castle would be complete without a tour of the tiny picturesque Golden Lane adjacent to the ramparts, full of small fairy-tale houses. According to legend, the colourful miniature houses here were inhabited by alchemists working for Emperor Rudolf II, who longed to discover the legendary Elixir of Youth & the Philosopher’s Stone. House No. 22 is especially famous because the world famous Prague writer Franz Kafka lived here.

Would you like to see works from masters such as Titian or Rubens with your own eyes? Then, visit the Picture Gallery at the Castle. For kids, there is a Museum of Toys.

The Castle tour ends & you drive back to the hotel, passing through the Jewish Quarter – with the oldest active Synagogue in Europe & the medieval still functional Jewish cemetery.

Balance of the day is 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 transferred to Praha Central Train Station Wilsonova to board the train for Olomouc.

Arrive at Olomouc hlavní nadrazí (Central Train Station) after the high-speed 2 hour train ride.

Walk 5 minutes to the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

Relax for an hour before setting out to explore the city on a guided ‘walking’ tour.

A nice-to-have dilemma for visitors to the Czech Republic is where to go after Prague. There are loads of worthy candidates (Cesky Krumlov & Karlovy Vary come to mind), but the often-overlooked Moravian city, Olomouc, has quietly pushed itself into the conversation. Olomouc is the country best-kept secret, unknown by international travelers & free of mass tourism.

Olomouc, a stately former Moravian capital & Habsburg stronghold, plays an outsized role in Czech history & has always been one of the most important cities in the Kingdom of Bohemia. Thanks to its advantageous position, ancient university, spiritual & cultural traditions, it has been the natural centre of Moravia for many centuries.

Mythical princes & historically documented kings of the oldest of the Bohemian ruling families, the Premysls - it is precisely in Olomouc that the era of their famous rule ended, when young King Wenceslas III, the last male heir of the ruling dynasty, was assassinated in 1306 within the walls of Zdik’s Palace. The murder remains unsolved to this day. Centuries later, in 1848, Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph I was crowned here (at the tender age of 18) after bourgeois revolutions around Europe that year forced the royal family temporarily out of Vienna for safer digs.

Olomouc Old Town is surrounded by green areas. There are many parks in Olomouc, rose gardens, botanical gardens & even a Science Museum in the middle of the green. Walking around them is a pleasant way to explore the city & see the baroque Olomouc from a different perspective. The parks are also the address of many events & student gatherings.

Olomouc has it all, including UNESCO Heritage listed architecture, great museums & energetic, student-oriented nightlife. There is so much history here that you will be amazed. Olomouc’s old town is magical. Everywhere you look at you see beautiful buildings, churches, huge fountains & impressive columns. It is still the religious capital of Moravia & that is why the city has so many churches and religious sites.

The compact centre is dominated by one the largest free-standing Baroque sculpture in Central Europe – the 18^th century UNESCO Heritage listed Holy Trinity Column that rises 35m in height & punctuates the main Square, Horní namestí (Upper Square).

To create a monument of unrivalled size, wealth & beauty. That was what the citizens of Olomouc had in mind when creating the Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc. The main purpose was to celebrate the Catholic Church & faith, partly caused by feeling of gratitude for ending a Plague, which struck Moravia between 1713 & 1715. Although the city already had one Plague Column at that time, the citizens thought it was not spectacular enough.

Similar columns were built around the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the day; the differences here are size & attention to detail. Its height & monumentality will captivate you at first glance. It is so large that there is even a small chapel hidden in its bowels (entry to the Chapel is allowed on special occasions). It is impressive during the day & even more majestic at night.

The story of the Column is an unsettled one. The stimulus for its construction was one of the most extreme bouts of the plague. Once it was finished, the Holy Trinity Column immediately became a source of immeasurable pride for the people of Olomouc.

Their pride for this work was so great that when the city was under siege, they pleaded with the Prussian general to tell his soldiers not to shoot at their Column. The liberal general accommodated their wishes & consequently, you can feast your eyes on the original beauty. The Column was also understood to be an expression of local patriotism, since all artists & master craftsmen working on this monument were Olomouc citizens, and almost all depicted saints were connected with the city of Olomouc in some way.

In order to feel the true atmosphere of elegant Olomouc, all you need do is take a seat at the foot of the Column & watch what is going on around you. The magnificent city palaces, the pleasant cafes & the ubiquitous students from the local universities provide the perfect backdrop for this monumental & harmonious Baroque work of art.

Olomouc, a “city of soldiers and priests”, experienced its heyday during the Baroque period & the spirit is reflected on the surfaces of the set of 6 unique Baroque fountains named Neptune, Hercules, Jupiter, Triton, Caesar & Mercury, showing that the artists of the time drew inspiration from the mythology of antiquity. This was not by chance. According to one legend, Olomouc was founded by the Roman Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar & so he proudly sits astride a prancing horse in the Square today. In 2002, the modern Arion fountain including a non-traditional turtle was added to these 6.

At the centre of the Upper Square, the impressive Olomouc Town Hall is has been a symbol of the city, for more than 6 centuries. The Square was named after Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia on the 1000 anniversary of his death in 1935. The Cathedral is also named after him.

On the northern wall of the Town Hall is the 15^th century heliocentric Astronomical Clock that has been reconstructed several times. The latest appearance is from 1955 in the socialist realism style sporting various figurines of glorious workers (in keeping with the then-Communist aesthetic). At 12.00 pm the Clock goes off & you don’t want to miss the action. Very unique, it is completely different from the famous one in Prague.

The gardens that surround the Old Town walls look serene & well-tended but conceal a more-sinister sight sure to appeal to fans of Cold War history. The underground Civil Defence Shelter was built in the 1950s to protect the elite in the event of nuclear war (Guided tours are offered through the summer months).

In an Art Nouveau building, you will find the Olomouc Museum of Modern Art which has collections from the 20^th – 21^st centuries & temporary exhibitions from Czech artists.

Make your way slowly north and east from Horni namestí to find the city's most important museum & church, at a spot where old Olomouc Castle once stood centuries ago. You can discover the wealth of history here whilst touring Fortress, which was designed to stave off attacks by the enraged Prussian army thanks to its massive ramparts & extensive barracks.

And where can you go to find some important church history? Allow yourself to be blinded by the beauty of the treasures held in the Archdiocese Museum, founded on the instigation of John Paul II. Religious history of the country is preserved through statues, paintings & in the building architecture. The entire area used to be the Olomouc Castle, that after wars & reconstructions became a cultural & religious center & you can still see some of the Castle's original foundations at Museum. The exhibits here take you back 1,000 years. Don't miss the elaborate Troyer Coach, the 18^th century carriage of one Bishop Cardinal Ferdinand Julius Troyer von Troyerstein. Stroll around the garden & get lost among many corridors.

The massive Gothic tower of St Moritz Cathedral, the town's original parish church goes back to 15^th century. Pop in to admire a giant organ & then limber up for another climb up the bell tower.

Just across the way, stands stately St Wenceslas Cathedral, the 2^nd tallest in the Republic, an impressive oft-rebuilt Gothic church with its 3 impressive Neo-Gothic towers rising up over the skyline of Olomouc that lend solemnity to this quiet part of town. It wasn't always this peaceful: poor Wenceslas III met his untimely end in 1306 at a house just next to the church.

Discover the unique Zdík’s Palace, the representative seat of the bishops of Olomouc, clinging tightly to the magnificent St. Wenceslas Cathedral. Zdík’s Palace is the only preserved Romanesque palace in Central Europe. History was made here in the following centuries. The grandiose palace, with richly embellished masonry, has the signs of advanced West European Romanesque architecture. The history of the Middle Ages & the reign of the bishops will stare at you from the remains of the palace, Gothic cloister with a mural cycle, paradise garden around a water well & Gothic chapel of St. John the Baptist with frescoes.

Among so much history & impressive buildings, you will find a lively bar scene, modern arts & tons of events happening all year long in Olomouc.

Olomouc is also known around the country for its stinky (no kidding) beer cheese, called olomoucky syr. You will find it as a side dish at pubs or packaged at food stores around town. You should certainly try the local speciality – the famous Olomouc tvaruzky cheeses, first mentioned in the 15^th century, legendary for their distinctive flavour & aroma.

The gourmet cheese connoisseurs may even visit the local factory to try some genuine Olomoucke tvaruzky right on the spot where they are made. The tangy taste of these golden coins of maturing cheese will enchant all.

The Cheesemaker will explain about the production & history of this delicacy, how they are made from unset sour curd cheese after a natural 2 stage process of maturation. Take the real thing home with you at a discount price from the factory shop. In fact, in a neighbouring town of Lostice, there is even a Museum of Olomouc Cheese where visitors can learn more about the process of making Olomoucke Tvaruzky cheese & buy some specialties to take home.

The 4 hour sightseeing finishes & you are free to explore on your own.

Now that you have seen the main attractions in Olomouc Old Town, you may want to explore the city surroundings. Olomouc & vicinity has about 80 attractions as per the official city guide.    

Balance of the afternoon is at leisure (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Evening, we have arranged the dinner at the Konvikt Bistro with a unique ambience, located in the Palacky University Art Centre in the heart of the Baroque 17^th century Jesuit Seminary (the oldest building in the university).

Come back to the hotel.Morning, Check-out & depart.

Morning, Check-out & depart for Roznov Pod Radhostem.

Enroute, you will be discovering some interesting cultural heritage linked to Czechia.

Stop at the historically significant small Moravian town of Uherske Hradiste in the Zlín Region, known known for its characteristic folklore, music, costumes, traditions & production of wine.

Founded in 1257 by the Czech king Otakar II, it still pulsates with life today. The easily walkable historical city center is well preserved & the Town Hall located in the city centre half way between 2 important medieval Squares can be recognized by its conspicuously leaning tower. 

A large number of the historical buildings here were built upon wooden piles, similarly as in Venice, Italy. This is why the town hall building has tilted over the centuries. The town is also known for its annual film festival named Summer Film School.

But, the most famous landmark is the regional Uherske Hradiste Museum focused on the ethnographic region of Slovacko.

The Museum of Moravian Slovakia founded in 1914, has a special status among the other Czech & Moravian museums. It is not so much its age or number of collection items but its scope & output that grabs the attention of both learned & the layman public. Since its foundation, the Museum has focused on archaeology & ethnography; history & visual art were added later.

Designed by the internationally respected architect Bohuslav Fuchs, the main building of the Museum & some other buildings are located in Uherske Hradiste, others in the surrounding villages of the district. Originally a modest cultural facility born thanks to enthusiasm & devotion of patriotic-minded scholars later evolved into a professional, highly specialized institution, located in several buildings. The modern extension to the older building made in 1936-1937 in preparation for the 1937 Exhibition in Slovacko , in which the Museum played a significant role,

The main building is used by the Administration, the Economics & History department, the Library, Documentation & Ethnography department. Exhibitions presenting works by domestic & foreign authors are held here. There is also a modern multimedia permanent ethnographic exposition of Moravian Slovakia along with various other ethnographic, archeological & historical exhibitions,

The largest part of the Collection at the Ethnography department is made of clothes, internally divided into men´s, women´s, children´s, embroidery, lace, fabric, textile furnishings, accessories, samplers & masks. This Collection is as old as the Museum itself as the first components of folk clothes were collected on its opening. In the 1920s to 1940s Collectors´ interest was primarily in embroidery, details & complete costumes from the whole of Slovacko.

Now, the Collection comprises over 20,000 pieces of embroidery, folk costume components & textile furnishings since the late 17^th century till today.

Those worthy of mentioning are collections of Frantisek Kretz, Josef Stancl & Josef Zemek which contain embroideries, valuable decorations & among others also decayed parts of women´s dresses such as ancient scarves & headdresses. In addition, there are folk costume sets with almost 2,000 components, 300 pairs of children´s, women´s & men´s shoes.

In another crumbling Baroque building built between 1721- 1723 which was a fortress under Emperor Joseph II, it was decided to renovate / reconstruct & use it as the location for the Gallery of the Slovacko Museum to feature an Art Collection documenting the characteristic art culture of the area. There is a permanent exhibition titled Art of Southeast Moravia, concentrating on the works of important personalities (locals inspired by the Moravian Slovacko countryside) from the end of the 19^th - 20^th century. In addition, the Gallery hosts cultural programs, concerts & theater performances. The building was declared an immovable cultural monument

Stare Mesto, the adjacent village of 1,700 people offers an exhibition documenting an important era of Czech history - 2 rural farmsteads - monuments of folk architecture turned into expositions of folk housing & Smithery.

Originally founded in the 13^th century as a settlement by German colonists, the village was mentioned as Goldeck ("Gold Corner") for its rich gold & silver mines which caused a steep rise of population  & resulted in its elevation to the status of a royal mining community by King John of Bohemia who exploited the metal for minting the Prague groschen. However, when the deposits were depleted around the 15^th century, the mines were abandoned & the population declined.

The 2 storey farmhouses had an economic part. There is a barn, a timbered well, a forge. There is an exhibition of folk housing & the original barn with agricultural tools. On the floor of the chamber are exhibited objects related to washing & almonding & fishing.

After exploring the Museum complex, walk around the town. Check out the shops selling traditional materials, costumes & ribbons.

Time to depart for the next place, a short drive away.

Reach Zlin, the distinctive city, where all the buildings look alike. It is totally unlike other towns & cities on the tour as it is a modernist masterpiece.

Zlín was first mentioned in 1302 & soon became a local center for crafts & mining. But it was not until the industrial revolution that the rise to fame began. The development of the modern city is closely connected to the Bata Shoes Company.

After the foundation of the shoe factory in 1896, the smaller industrial town of Zlin rapidly evolved into a major city & the modernist industrial architecture, together with housing & social facilities, remains a representative of early 20^th century social & industrial architecture.

The Communists took over management of Zlín & Bata factories after the end of the WWII in May 1945 & in October the Bata company in Czechoslovakia was nationalized. Zlín was renamed Gottwaldov in 1949 after the first communist president of Czechoslovakia Klement Gottwald. After the Velvet revolution, Zlín regained its original name in 1990.

It was also home to some radical & fascinating experimentation in functionalist town planning. Adhering to Bata’s plan, the factories, offices, shopping centres & houses all used lookalike red bricks & a functionalist template to provide a total environment to house, feed & entertain the workers at Bata’s massive shoe factory. The rigorously built functionalistic city is a unique display of interwar modern urbanism & architecture, not only on the Czech scale. Everything is economical, rational & functional: villas, family houses & residential homes, workers’ colonies, collective houses, public buildings, the first Czech skyscraper & original street numbers based on orientation & house numbers based on their location. Wide avenues & planned gardens produce a singular ambience, giving Zlin an expansive & unnervingly modern appearance, in contrast with the sometimes-saccharine historical centres of other towns.

The combination of a reinforced-concrete framework with brick masonry & windows in metal frames gave birth to the unique world of impressive modern, economical & functional architecture. People used to live, work, shop & have fun in the unmistakeable buildings. You cannot escape functionalism in Zlin, even if you are wearing the famous Bata shoes.

In addition to the internationally well-known shoe factory Bata, Zlin is also famous for the animation film studios, whose works from the 1960s also became popular in Western Europe.  

The Czechs have a long-standing reputation for producing high quality leather goods. You can find Bata shoes all over the world. They are no longer made in Zlin, but they made the city famous, in addition to the functionalistic architecture.

The Bata spirit & entrepreneurship might get transferred to the students of Tomas Bata University with the Shoe Design Studio, where the Bata Information Centre is located in the library. The city is also well known thanks to the Zlín Film Festival, the oldest & largest film festival for children & youth in the world.

For a taste of the importance of Bata & his ideas to the town, stop by Building 14 - 15 of the Bata Complex to see a permanent exhibition titled 'The Bata Principle: Today Fantasy, Tomorrow Reality'. There are tonnes of interesting & interactive displays on the history of Zlin & the Bata Shoe Company, filled with old photos, machinery & maps (&, of course, lots of shoes over the ages).

The Bata Company also contributed to the foundation of a professional Art Gallery in Building 14, created thanks to works of art purchased in various shows, contemporary Czech art shows, both classic & avant-garde. The new Zlin Salon successfully follows the tradition together with the Zlin Youth Salon, focusing on the most interesting works by talented artists under 30.

You will visit the Zlin Bata Shoe Museum, where more than a thousand exhibits introduce visitors to the history of footwear, footwear manufacture & the craft of shoemaking that has protected & beautified people’s feet since time immemorial.

A show not only for the ladies is provided by this specialised Museum in in the centre of the Czech shoemaking capital.

The Collection follows the development of footwear from the earliest period of Czech history to the present. The oldest originals date back to the 16^th century, Czech examples being supplemented with a unique collection of foreign shoes. Among the exhibits from around the world, you will see sandals made from emu feathers & human hair, which were used for ritual ceremonies in central Australia.  

The Bata family moved to Toronto in the 1940s in order to facilitate the company's expansion into the Americas. In 1965, the Company's headquarters was formally relocated from Zlin to Toronto (the Headquarter was later relocated to Lausanne in 2002).

They set up a Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto too, originating from the personal collections of Sonja Bata started in the mid-1940s, with the aim of having the Collection professionally managed & to house, store, & exhibit the collection. The Museum's permanent collection includes over 13,000 shoes & other footwear related items dating back 4,500 years; providing the Museum with the largest collection of footwear in the world.    

And finally, it is time to leave for the final destination, an hour away, where you will spend the night.

Reach the hotel in Roznov Pod Radhostem by evening & Check-in.

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or walk around on your own.

Roznov Pod Radhostem with about 16,000 inhabitants is nestled in the picturesque mythical Beskydy Mountains smelling of wood, in Northern Moravia.

Early morning, drive to the nearby town of Valasske Mezerici to see an iconic Textile factory.

Valasske Mezerici in the foothills of the Beskydy Mountains on intersection of the important roads connecting Czechia with Poland & Slovakia was created by the unification of 2 towns - the town of Krasno nad Becvou on the right bank of the river & the town of Mezirici on the left bank of the river, with an important railway junction, is on the historical trade paths significant for trading of cloth & textiles as per documents dated from 1297.

The centre of the town is historically significant & there are numerous sights. Dominating the town are 2 Castles belonging to 2 prominent historical families who lived here.

There is the Kinsky Castle of the House of Kinsky, a prominent Czech noble family originating from the Kingdom of Bohemia who rose from minor nobles to princely status under the rule of the Habsburgs & is considered to have been one of the most illustrious of Austria-Hungary.

According to romantic medieval legend, the Kinsky story began in Bohemia over 1,000 years ago, when a king's beautiful daughter went out hunting in the forest & was attacked by a pack of wolves. Her attendants all fled the scene except for one young man, who saved the princess by killing some wolves & driving the rest away. In gratitude, the girl's father ennobled the young man, granting him a coat of arms featuring 3 wolves' teeth as an emblem of his bravery. In 1723, Emperor Charles VI ordered the Kinsky family to develop their stud farms & breed horses for the officers of the elite cavalry regiments of the empire. The Kinsky horses were famous throughout Europe for their high equine quality under Count Oktavian Kinsky.

Castle Zerotín was / is the residence of the Zerotíns, one of the oldest & most illustrious Czech noble families from Bohemia & Moravia. Their history goes back to around the year 1200 when they achieved the rank of Imperial Counts in the Holy Roman Empire. Its estates, the Bludov Manor, were returned to their female descendants after fall of Communist rule in 1989.  In modern times, members of the family were judges, governors, patrons of art & politicians.

There are also other significant historical monuments - the Town House at Apostles, the Church of Holy Trinity, the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary & the Observatory.

Besides monuments the town offers to its citizens a quality sport infrastructure. There are indoor & outdoor swimming pools, 2 stadiums with football field, tennis court etc. There is also a dedicated bicycle path Becva passing through the town which connects with surrounding municipalities.

Valasske Mezirici is also a historical industrial center of the region with chemical, automotive & food industry.

But the purpose of your visit here is to see the world-renowned Moravian Tapestry Manufactory which maintains a historical tradition of weaving tapestries.

Founded in 1898, Moravian Gobelin Manufactory is still operating today as a centre devoted to the hand production of textiles: tapestries, rugs & theatre curtains. The Manufactory has been involved in preserving the handcraft’s tradition of the area, producing handmade classical artistic tapestries, restoring & also creating new pieces with modern themes.  It is considered the first tapestry manufactory in Czechia & the only workshop of this kind in Moravia & Czech Silesia.

The first stage in the history of the Manufactory dates back to the 19^th century, when the author Rudolf Schlattauer materialized his idea of opening a tapestry-weaving workshop. After training as painter at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, Schlattauer studied & practiced painting in other European cities, spending a period of time in Scandinavia. There, he became acquainted with the local manufacture of handwoven tapestry.

In 1898, after returning from the Nordic countries, he established a tapestry-weaving practice in the village of Zasova in Valasske Mezirici.  The region's traditional textile cottage industry & skilled work force were viewed as assets for the tapestry workshop's most successful operation.

The creative partnership between the tapestry establishment &d visual artists, through which paintings were translated into textile form, continued to flourish; tapestries were woven from designs by artists Vaclav Spala, Frantisek Suser & many others. The 1930s were marked by a minimalist artistic expression, distinctive of functionalist-style carpet designs.

During World War I, the Manufactory's art production stagnated due to the lack of fine-quality material for tapestry weaving. In 1946 after the war, the new management & expanded its specialization to include the restoration of historical tapestries and production of handwoven carpets. The following year saw the establishment of co-operation with foreign companies, among them the French traditional tapestry workshop in Aubusson. In the 1950s, a Tapestry was made for the Triennale in Milan from a design by Pravoslak Kotik & another piece was produced from a pattern by Ludmila Kybalova for the World's Fair Expo '58 in Brussels.

In the 1960s, the Manufactory collaborated with the textile designer Antonin Kybal & a sizable group of his students. Their purpose has been to resurrect the Manufactory's time-tested collaboration with contemporary artists & over the years, a host of prominent artists embodying many different styles & distinctive aesthetic approaches have been invited to express themselves through the medium of wool.

During the visit you will see tapestries being restored & produced by the skilled craftswomen of the factory using principal technical methods of fine manual work.  Also on display are a number of old looms, carpets & tapestries designed by artists from before World War II to the present.  The Workshop, Manufactory & Museum, are well known for collaborating with Czech artists & architects.

Return to Roznov & embark on a tour of the city, visiting Wallachian Museum, the largest & oldest open-air museum in central Europe, a national cultural monument with more than 100 original buildings.

The Museum is devoted to preserving & displaying material culture & traditions of the Wallachians who were shepherds & consequently, the wool & felt manufacturing was an important industry in the area. Their style of architecture & folk costume are unlike other areas of the Czech Republic & Moravia

The Museum comprises of 3 independent sections: the Little Wooden Town, the Wallachian Village & the Water Mill Valley

The Wooden Town represents a small rural development at the turn of the 18^th - 20^th centuries & contains traditional Wallachian houses & farms collected from around the surrounding villages. You can learn about housing, crafts, authorities, the Church & the climatic spa. The Wallachian village resembles a true village with farmsteads, a windmill, a blacksmith’s shop, wells and gardens. The Mill Valley presents functional technical structures, located on the piece of land around the original millrace since 1982 – the Water Mill, where there are a number of traditional water-powered crafts including a working felt mill, the Woollen Mill for making cloth out of the wool yarn & you can see how cloth fabric is felted, cereals are milled, boards are cut, oil is pressed in the Oil Crusher or how iron is processed in the Hammer Mill.

The Valley includes the Wallachian Pantheon, an honourable cemetery that pays honours to prominent natives of the region. It is where Emil Zatopek, a famous Czech athlete & 4 times Olympic winner, is buried.

Lunch in a traditional Wallachian pub in the Wooden Town.

A 20 minute moderate climb through the woods from the Museum is the Jurkovic Observation Tower located on Charles Hill built in 2012, based on the original architectural design by famous Slovak architect Dusan Jurkovic more than a hundred years before. The Tower, constructed of stone & wood with 4 gables, a ball top & typical folk decorations, looks like a gingerbread house. All the blacksmith’s, tinsmith’s & most of the carpenter’s work using old techniques no longer practised today. Aside from its architectural value, the Tower will definitely enchant you: it is, unofficially, the most beautiful lookout tower in Moravia & the panoramic view from the 19 metres high Observation Deck is beautiful.

The guided tour ends & you are free to spend the day as you wish.

45 - 60 minute bus ride away will get you to Pustevny, a mountain resort area with several restaurants & hotels. You can head out on a 9 km hike to Mount Radhost (3700 ft) with awesome views of the countryside, if you want to. If you don't feel like going all the way, you can at least walk (30 minutes) to the statue of the mountains' legendary pagan god Radegast with the body of a man & a lion’s face that allegedly lived there. There is also a chair lift from Trojanovice near Frensat pod Radhostem. The famous local beer, one of the best in the Czech Republic, is named after him.

The legend says that his idol at the top of the mountain was destroyed by the missionaries Constantine & Methodius in the 9^th century. Today, there are statues of both saints at the top welcoming visitors & also a statue of Radegast turned the other way.

Towards the end of the 18^th century, a local physician noticed the favourable climate in Roznov & surroundings and sent 4 patients there to breathe in some fresh air. The result was great; soon after a climatic Spa was founded in the city. In the beginning, the therapy included sheep’s whey & walks. It was later expanded with baths & electrotherapy. The Spa was very popular at the beginning of the 20^th  century when it provided therapy to patients with diseases related to the breathing - lungs & heart.

Notable guests came from all over the world, including the famous founder of psycho-analysis, Sigmund Freud & Gregor Johann Mendel, the founder of genetics.

The Spa flourished until WWII & the only reminder of its history is now the Spa House in the city park.

But now Roznov boasts of a Beer Spa in the city.

Perhaps the Roznov Beer Spa is the first spa of a completely new kind. Baths in beer, including its internal use, have long been used by folk medicine.

The Spa tries to combine elements of alternative healing based on the ancient techniques of the ancient Egyptians & Eastern cultures with common & less common traditional Spa & Physiotherapeutic procedures.

Traditional ancient healers recommended brewer's yeast for a number of diseases & much has been written about it (although ‘cos of ulterior motives, the mainstream Pharma industry & doctors do not want you to know about Nature Cure & Folk Medicine which has no side effects). Researchers clearly agree that they contain more vitamins, trace elements & amino acids than ever thought.

The Spa offers aromatherapy, gentle peeling & beer baths so that in deep relaxation, the skin & body can eliminate everything harmful.  Brewer's yeast wraps are a fantastic means of nourishing so-called "skin doping", smoothing wrinkles & hydrating it, not to mention anti-cellulite & slimming effects.

And for those who do not believe in alternative procedures, they  offer classic physio-therapeutic massages using flasks, lava stones, reflexology, honey, chocolate, Indian, shiatsu, craniosacral massage, etc.

They can also pamper you from peeling with cane sugar, through washing with coconut milk & hydrating wraps from coconut oil or wraps in banana leaves.

You will simply fall in love with the wraps of the face, decollete, hair & whole body. Beer baths in Victorian copper baths in deep brewery cellars made during the reign of Premysl Otakar II, combined with aromatherapy, massages, peeling, body & soul healing techniques can be an amazing experience for many.

Morning, Check-out & depart for Brno at 07.00 am.

Reach Brno by 09.30 am & straightaway, proceed to tour the area.

Petrov is a stone promontory in the city part of historical Brno-center welcoming visitors from afar & is one of the important places in Brno & the whole of Moravia. It houses the Baroque & Neo-Gothic style Cathedral of St. Peter & Paul & the adjacent seat of the Brno diocese . Petrov is also used as a common abbreviation for the Cathedral itself.

Probably the oldest church in Brno with foundations from the 12^th century, the Cathedral is part of the silhouette of the city of Brno & it would be difficult to imagine the panorama of Brno without the 2 towers of the Cathedral.  Since that time, it has changed its appearance like few others in the Czech Republic. The entire area is protected as a national cultural monument.

One of the peculiarities of Petrov is the ringing of the Cathedral bells for noon an hour early, at 11 o’clock in remembrance of the year 1645 when the city was held under siege by the Swedish army during the Thirty Years War.

Legend has it that the Swedish commander, General Torstenson who had been frustrated by Brno's defences for more than a week & was unable to conquer the city, decided to launch a final attack, with one caveat. He declared that if he was unable to conquer the city by the time Petrov rang the bells for noon, he would end the siege & withdraw.

By 11.00 am the Swedes were making headway, but the Cathedral's tower-keeper had the inspired idea to use a ruse & ring out noon 1 hour early. The General kept his word & withdrew & the city was saved. That practice is followed till today.

If you do not suffer from vertigo, you may climb one of the lookout Towers; your bravery will be rewarded with a view of the beautiful Chapel of the Annunciation of the Lord with its rare altar made from ebony. The permanent exhibition in the Cathedral treasury has sacral textiles, cups & a monstrance on display.

There are many other attractions in this area, such as the Colonnade with a fountain or the Bastion with an obelisk. One of the components of the bishop's complex, the Chapel of St. Crosses & the Virgin Mary, located directly on the original Brno walls. The silhouette of the local church is also depicted on a Czech ten-crown coin.

Nearby,  there are  around 80 traditional wine cellars decorated with traditional patterns, made up to what looks almost like a street with 2 village greens - various cultural events are held on the upper one every summer. The vineyard complex has a tradition dating back as far as the 15^th century right here.

Get to know Petrov-Plze on the southwest edge of the protected landscape region of the White Carpathians, a place where superb wine matures & learn about the wine traditions in the wine-producing region.  Try some superb Moravian wine right in the Cellars (not included – direct payment). And not just any cellars - small white houses with a sky blue base walls & colourful vine ornamentation along the sides look almost unreal, as if it were rather Tolkien’s hobbits which lived here. The Cellars are usually family business so the atmosphere is very friendly & comfortable. Families have been working in the region for centuries and they are proud about their heritage.

Later, drive 1 hour to the small village of Dolni Vestonice known for a series of ice age archaeological sites in the area, including the oldest permanent human settlement ever found by archaeologists in the entire world, providing us with an insight into a culture of Ice-Age people in central Europe.

One of the most important old stone age sites in the world, it was once a thriving camp inhabited during the Palaeolithic period approximately 30,000 years ago & is famous for the Venus of Dolni Vestonice, one of the oldest ceramic nude female figure (dated 29,000 - 25,000 BCE) thought to be a symbol of fertility or possibly an idol or ‘goddess’, ever found. This Venus found a prominent place in textbooks & coffee-table books & also in popular imagination - showing how our distant ancestors reflected on themselves through pictorial representation & how they invented the art, as we know it.

Over the years there has been much debate about the purpose & meaning of these figurines made with considerable artistic skill & attention to detail. It has been suggested that the figurines had a magical or ritual significance. We see them as pieces of art, but it is possible that, for the people thousands of years ago, it was the actual process of making hat was actually more important than the final product.

Other stylised female figurines have also been found at the site, some more lifelike than others, several carved in animal bone or ivory. Many animal clay figurines are quite naturalistic & depict large Ice Age animals including mammoth, rhinoceros, bear & lion.

Yet, most figurines were destroyed. Was it a result of crude firing technology or perhaps intentional outcome? Figurines crafted from clay mixed with powdered bone show evidence of fractures acquired during the firing process. It is possible that baking the wet-clay animals, without letting them dry first, made them explode or fracture in the kiln.

You will also see impressions of woven material in fired clay, which pushed back the history of weaving by at least 17,000 years.

The site includes the remnants of several huts, one of which has the remains of one of the earliest kilns used for baking clay objects, ever discovered. The Kiln at Dolni Vestonice had glowing coals that were covered by a dome made of earth. The floor of the hut around the Kiln was covered with hundreds of ceramic figurines & their fragments, depicting humans & numerous animals. These are the first examples of ceramic artefacts ever found. It is a remarkable find for that time as it was not for another 15,000 years that people in faraway Japan were known to  shape clay & turn it into ceramic pots - the first containers, ever discovered, made out of clay.

It shows how people constructed their huts of mammoth bones, the technology they used, as well as burial practices & the making of art - some of the earliest examples of symbolic representation.

In the 1970s the Australian Museum acquired a dozen cast replicas of figurines from Dolni Vestonice along with other examples of similar representations from European archaeological sites. Although replicas are only a modest substitute for the real objects, they provide some insight into an extraordinary evidence of culture of early humans.

After spending an hour there, drive back to the city.

Reach the hotel by afternoon & Check-in.

Moravia’s capital city just keeps getting better & better. Brno perfectly combines history, modern architecture, culture & busy nightlife in original bars.

Best known for some daring modernist buildings, like the legendary UNESCO Heritage listed restored Villa Tugendhat, completed in 1930 by architect Mies van der Rohe, the medieval Spilberk Castle which houses the City Museum, the mysterious underground & the atomic bomb shelter for the chosen few, gardens & an infamous former jail with vaulted tunnels & the 2^nd largest Ossuary in Europe.

All of that in the city of students, science & an omnipresent magical atmosphere in all seasons. The thousands of university students here have always ensured a lively club & entertainment scene, but a wave of next-gen cafes, restaurants & cocktail bars in the past few years has put the city on the map & even invited positive comparisons with Prague.

Immediately, proceed to visit the Museum of Romani Culture (Gypsy Museum) which tells the story of the Roma in the Czech Republic & central Europe. It has a collection of typical gypsy costumes as well as more modern designs.

The Museum was founded in 1991 as a non-profit organisation at the initiative of Roma intellectuals. It is a unique institution that has endeavoured to document the Romani culture & history & build up a Collection of artifacts (currently around 25, 000 items) including interior furnishings, clothing, jewellery, fine arts, written materials, posters and invitations, audio, photo & video documentation.

Today it administers funds to preserve traditional crafts, professions & types of dwellings. The original historical items are presented as a permanent exhibition called The Story of the Roma. Additionally, there are a wide range of temporary exhibitions & events - annual Museum Night, lectures & meetings, film evenings, fashion shows, concerts, books promotions, sales of music produced in-house & by others etc. There is a library & study room available to Researchers.

Walk back to the hotel.

Balance of the day at leisure to explore independently (we will be happy to offer suggestions).

Under the Cathedral of St. Peter & Paul, there are areas of Denisovy sady Studanka park & Capuchin gardens, popular public places for pleasant walks or just to sit down and enjoy the peace & quiet

By the end of the 19^th century, Brno was a key European textile power & the prosperous mill owners invested their profits in the patronage of art & architecture and supported many social &cultural activities.

And of course, built huge mansions to reside in.

The city’s most famous building is the UNESCO Heritage listed modernist masterpiece villa of Greta & Fritz Tugendhat, an architecturally significant building in Brno & one of the pioneering prototypes of modern architecture in Europe, designed by the German architects Ludwig Mies van der Rohe & Lilly Reich.

Constructed between1929 - 1930, it was the first private house of its kind in Czechoslovakia which employed a steel load-bearing structure with columns on a cruciform floor plan. Onyx from Northern Morocco, Italian travertine & veneer from exotic woods such as rosewood, zebrawood & Makassar ebony decorate the interior. The technology used in the house at that time, such as hot-air heating or electrically-operated windows make it absolutely unique.

In 2010 - 2012, the Villa underwent a general restoration & started allowing visitors. The house & the adjacent garden were restored to their original appearance & replicas of the original furniture as well as preserved original pieces of furniture were added to the interior.

Morning at 09.00 am, proceed on a 10 minute walk with the Tour-guide to have a look at the world-famous Villa Tugendhat.

In the basement, visitors can explore the technology used to run this modern house (air-conditioning, boiler room, engine room, retractable window system, laundry room, photographic darkroom, a special room designed to store fur coats). The Villa also features a permanent exhibition focusing on its architect & construction workers as well as the life of the Tugendhat family until 1938. Various short-term exhibitions are held in the basement & garden.

After spending an hour here, walk to next door to marvel at the Art Nouveau dwelling of Greta Tugendhat’s father, a Jewish industrialist & trader in textiles.

The Low Beer Villa tells the story of early 20^th century society & represents a cornerstone of the villa community that started to develop on the slopes of the Cerna Pole neighbourhood in the 1860s. Originally owned by a textile magnate Moritz Fuhrmann, it was designed by the Viennese architect Alexander Neumann in 1903. After Fuhrmann’s death, the Villa was bought by textile tycoon Alfred Low-Beer in 1913 & he lived there till 1939.

The restored Low-Beer Villa now houses a permanent exhibition entitled The World of the Brno Bourgeoisie around the Low-Beers & Tugendhats. There is a public library & the Exposition is complemented by temporary exhibitions about Brno textile industry & architecture at the Celnice Gallery (Customs House). Visitors can also enjoy refreshments in the Cafe Low-Beer. (Guided tours take place on specific days).

Walk back to the Town Hall.

Balance of the day is at leisure for independent exploration.

No visit to Brno would be complete without a peek inside the city's medieval quirky Old Town Hall, parts of which date back to the 13^th century. The oddities start right at the entrance on Radnicka. Look at the Gothic portal made by Anton Pilgram in 1510 & notice the crooked middle turret. According to legend, this was intentional: Pilgram was not paid the agreed amount by the Council so, in revenge, he left the turret more than slightly bent. The building is decorated by statues & sculptures by leading Czech artists - & one of the most beautiful is a statue of Rabbi Loew.

Walk inside to see the corpse of the legendary Brno 'dragon' that supposedly once terrorised the city's waterways. The animal in fact is an Amazon River crocodile, donated by Archprince Matyas in 1608. Near the dragon, you will see a wooden wagon wheel hanging on the wall that was apparently crafted by an enterprising Cartwright from Lednice. In 1636 he bet a mate that he could fell a tree, build a wheel & roll it 50 km to Brno - all before dusk. He was successful & the hastily made & quickly rolled Wheel has been on display ever since. Unfortunately, someone started the dodgy rumour that the Cartwright had received assistance from the devil & he died penniless when his customers went elsewhere.

Walk to the spacious namestí Svobody (Freedom Square), the city's bustling central hub dating back to early 13^th century, when it was called Dolni trh (lower market). Notice the clock, the facades of local houses, & the round fountains with lines by Brno poet Jan Skacel.

The Plague column here dates from 1680 & there is a Renaissance palace House of the Lords of Lipa with a 19^th century sgraffito facade & arcaded courtyard. On the eastern side of the Square is the House of the 4 Mamlases whose facade here is supported by a quartet of well-muscled, but clearly moronic, 'Atlas' figures, each struggling to hold up the building & their loincloths at the same time.

Ceska Street will take you close to Moravske namestí (Moravian Square) where you should make sure to have a look at the statue of Margrave Jobst from underneath. Pass through the gate in Behounska Street, & Janackovo divadlo (Janacek Theatre) will appear in front of you, ready to enchant you with its magnificent water curtain while you sit in the outdoor relaxation area.   

If you want, you can climb the relatively steep slope of Denisovy sady (Denis Gardens) to the top to gaze out over Brno & take in the whole picture.

Return to the hotel when you want.

Today, we have a special cultural treat for you.

Morning at 08.00 am, proceed for a full day excursion to the historically significant village of Vlcnov-Kojiny renowned for the colourful beauty of its folk costumes, its winemaking, the richness of its musical traditions, its folk architecture, its customs & traditions. Its unique annual traditional folklore festival (held in May) Ride of the Kings has attracted the attention of artists, ethnographers, folklorists & lovers of folk art from around the world for centuries.

Historians maintain that the town’s origin dates back to even before 10^th century AD, the first written preserved record dating back to March 3, 1264, when the town suffered under the yoke of Bores of Ryznburk. He built a fortified seat with steep moat that was designed to protect its inhabitants from frequent attacks by foreign armed forces. In the course of time, the town had several owners, the last lords of Vlcnov belonging to the house of Kounic.  

Vlcnov-Kojiny is known for its unique vineyard buildings of folk architecture - Budy - which are above ground cellars & presses. Sipping some local Muller Thurgau or Pinot blanc (Rulandske bile) in the one-of-a-kind complex of wine buildings is an unforgettable experience Another notable building is the Church of St. James the Great built in the middle of the 13^th century. Another place to see is the 20^th century Smallholder’s House (Rolnicky dum) - a typical dwelling with a scullery & a thatched roof which also has a small Museum which exhibits folk costumes.

In addition to the wine, the locals also make excellent fruit distillates. The Museum of Folk Distilleries showcases the past & present of distillation process.

Traditional folk culture is being widely popularized in the Czech Republic. In 1922 the Moravian Regional Museum organised an exhibition in Brno on the subject of the past & present of distillation which its Curator Helena Berankova called Distilled your fruits yet? It was so successful that more than 20 Museums at home & abroad participated. Sadly, as the case is with many travelling exhibitions, the exhibits were returned to their owners & all that remained were archive photographs & documents.

However in 2006 two friends from Slovacke Museum in Uherske Hradiste, decided to establish a permanent specialized Museum in Vlcnov. Terrain research & inspections indicated that it would not be easy to get illegal distilling kits. Illegal home distillation was & still is relatively common but the fear of being punished logically stopped owners displaying their very original home-made apparatuses. The Museum had to turn to the police, authorities & court in several borderland regions in an attempt to get complete illegal kits that were confiscated by state.

When the Home Distillery Museum in Vlcnov was inaugurated in 2010, around 30 complete kits of distilling apparatuses & their parts were gathered & displayed as well as a great number of other equipment for distilling, such as vessels, etiquettes & documents. Text panels, small prints, publications, music & photographs depict the past & present of home-made spirits & other distilled liquors.

And now a little bit about the Ride of the Kings, the Slovaka folklore festival, full of colors, folk costumes & regional specialties,  which takes place on the last weekend in May. This spectacular old-time folk festival, recognized by UNESCO for its “Intangible Cultural Heritage” as a tradition going back more than 200 years

The culmination of the celebration is the procession of the King & his entourage on adorned horses, which passes through the entire village. Before the Second World War, the Ride of the Kings was held in almost every village in Slovacko. Now, only a few villages practice.

This is an original initiation ceremony in which 18 year-old boys are welcomed among the adult population of the village.

The King is a small boy aged 10-12, dressed up in an old-fashion woman’s folk costume, his head covered with a wreath of artificial flowers & embroidered ribbons & his lips pressed together to firmly hold a red rose, the symbol of taciturnity. He is guarded by 2 adjutants dressed in the same clothes as the King & holding an unsheathed sabre in their hands.

Boys who turn 18 in the same year ride horses decorated with ribbons, go around town & chant witty verses celebrating their King & asking for gifts on his behalf. Each of them serves in the royal entourage only once in his life.

The Ride of the Kings is accompanied by performances of folklore ensembles from all over the Czech Republic & abroad, concerts of wind & dulcimer music bands & brass bands, wine testing, a crafts fair, craft demonstrations & exhibition of ethnographic collections & paintings. All the community will be wearing traditional dress and the King & his attendants wear special costumes.

In time, drive back to Brno.

Balance of the day is at leisure.

At 07.00 am or earlier, proceed (on your own) to Brno Main Station to board the train for a. scenic ride through the countryside into the grand city of Vienna, the former capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Reach Vienna at 09.21 am & walk over to the other Platform to board at 09.42 am to catch the train to Budapest.

There simply is no way to tour Europe & not be awestruck by its natural beauty, epic history, dazzling artistic & culinary diversity. From soaring mountains to golden sands, Eastern Europe reveals a tapestry of quaint & contemporary cultures – always with enough rough edges to keep you intrigued.

Welcome to incredible Hungary – the land of the Magyars with its stunning architecture, vital folk art, thermal spas & Europe's most exciting capital after dark are Hungary's major drawing cards.

Arrive in the capital Budapest, which has something for everyone – from dramatic history and flamboyant architecture to healing thermal waters & a nightlife that is unrivalled in Eastern & Central Europe.  

After you arrive at Budapest Keleti Station, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel, help you settle in & provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next day.

Please exit the Carriage & stay by the door only. Please do not move away. If, for any reason you are unable to make contact with our representative within 30 minutes of waiting, please call the local Emergency telephone # listed on your Contact List. Please follow the advice given by our 24 / 7 Duty Officer.  Please do not exit the Station & make your own way to the hotel unless advised.

Reach the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

Historic Overload | Cultural Dynamism | Super Structures | Folk Culture

Straddling the Danube River, with the Buda Hills to the west and the Great Plain to the east, Budapest is a gem of a city.

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.

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.

Hungarians are rightly proud of their country’s rich cultural heritage, and 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.

They say the past is another country, but it’s 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 & 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 – left & right – told.

The 19^th century Chain Bridge connects its hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A funicular runs up Castle Hill to Buda’s Old Town, where the Budapest History Museum traces life from Roman times onwards. Trinity Square is home to 13^th century Matthias Church and the turrets of the Fishermen’s Bastion, which offer sweeping views.

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’s the world’s best cure for what Hungarians call a macskajaj (cat’s wail) - hangover.

There is a lot more to Hungarian food than goulash & it remains one of the most sophisticated styles of cooking in Eastern & Central Europe. Magyars may exaggerate when they say that there are 3 essential world cuisines – French, Chinese & their own. But Budapest’s reputation as a food capital dates largely from the late 19^th & the first half of the 20^th century and, despite a fallow period under Communism; the city is once again commanding attention. So, too, are Hungary's excellent wines – from Eger's complex reds & Somlo’s flinty whites to honey-sweet Tokaj.

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

Balance of the afternoon is at leisure or depending on the time, perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Evening, proceed to the Pier (on your own) to enjoy a 1 hour sightseeing cruise on the Danube to get a riverside view of the sites you will tomorrow.

The river cruise is one of the highlights here, without a doubt. A river cruise in Budapest will let you see the most fascinating sights of the historical city of Budapest, which is often called the Pearl of the Danube or the Paris of East. On a romantic cruise on the river Danube, you will marvel at the genuine grace & beauty of century old Budapest.

The evening sightseeing dinner cruise is combined with a sound & vision show. The boat departs from the Pier in the centre of Budapest and makes a loop around the city. Live music will set the mood as you glide past the capital city’s stunning backdrop.

Admire Budapest’s UNESCO World Heritage listed urban panorama & notable sights showcased along the river, and you will have a front-row seat to admire the glowing Buda Castle Quarter, the Freedom Monument & Andrassy Avenue. You will also pass the Gellert Baths, where Hungarians & visitors alike come to swim & relax, as well as the Chain Bridge - a suspension bridge that spans the river and connects Buda and Pest connects the eastern Buda & western Pest.

As you cruise along , enchanted by the illuminated sights, famous personalities from the Hungarian history, kings, queens, poets, inventors  will come alive & even the Danube tells you legendary stories about the town. Through TV screens you will be able to look behind the walls of the buildings passing by & admire the hidden interiors.

The Cruise ends and you will return to the hotel (on your own).

Balance of evening is free (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

At a restaurant, you can never experience true home-cooked food, the ‘Sunday family-lunch’ effect”. Fancy a Hungarian cooking class in an authentic Hungarian home? Dive into the world of Hungarian cuisine with an interactive 4 hour Cooking experience which offers a fascinating insight into Hungarian history, beliefs, culture through learning about its food, cooking & culinary traditions.

Morning at 09:00 am, proceed to the Meeting Point (on your own).

Meet the Hostess & walk to the Central Market where the locals shop. You will learn about the ingredients & the spices used in the Hungarian home cooking as the Hostess purchase the stuff from various stalls.

Stroll through all 3 floor levels, through the food section, with opportunities for tastings and a non-food section both of which embody the rich Hungarian heritage & culture that is expressed through foods and artifacts such as embroidery, porcelain, clothing, arts & crafts.

You will taste langos (savory street food), cottage cheese – chocolate dessert & strudel. You will experience a unique slice of Budapest’s one-of-a-kind culinary culture.

After the market tour, head to the lovely apartment of the Hostess on the Buda side for a hands-on cooking class. You will learn how to make some traditional Hungarian dishes from start to finish.

Arrive at the Host’s home & immerse yourself in Magyar culture to learn about Hungarian cuisine with this lesson at the Budapest family’s home.

Get a hands-on, insider’s introduction to cooking with local spices & ingredients as you follow the intricacies of the preparation of food.

There is no place more exciting than a kitchen (as in any country) to learn about Cooking & catch up on the family banter. You will get to interact with the family as you assist the lady of the house & learn the time-tested secrets behind some of the most iconic dishes  before sitting down for a sumptuous ‘home cooked’ meal.

Recipes are only transmitted from generation to generation. As your Host cooks, learn about the traditional ingredients used to make every day ‘home’ meals (note how the taste at home is completely different from a restaurant meal). The cuisine’s originality & national color is specified by cooking techniques, flavor & traditions.

Now, it is time to enjoy the fruits of your labour but your lesson on culture continues. Sit down to enjoy a well-earned sumptuous meal accompanied by complimentary non-alcoholic refreshments. Experience the warmth of Hungarian hospitality as you interact with the family & the value of family as you hear / share personal stories.

Finally, it is time to say good bye to the Hostess & now, accompanied by the Tour-guide, you will proceed for a 3 hour sightseeing tour of Budapest, sitting on a TukTuk.

Budapest is a truly exciting city, shaped by both ancient & modern history and where Eastern & Western culture meets.

Keeping the guests satisfied is our top priority, and to provide you with the best memories we do much more than drive you through the streets! Budapest is an enchanting, vibrant city, which holds many undetectable secrets.

You will be driving through & passing by most landmarks of this gothic city. It enables you to decide where you would like to return for a more in-depth exploration.

The Budapest TukTuk experience allows you to witness every corner of Budapest coming alive: your driver is also your personal guide - sit back and enjoy his stories & insights. Lay back & enjoy the beauties of marvellous Budapest.

The Italian PIAGGIO company provides an exclusive solution for the carriage of passengers in urban environments. Design is an inherent symbol of the people of the Mediterranean Sea: a single look at these vehicles brings a smile to our faces every time we see them.

Let the city talk to you! Every TukTuk is equipped with a tablet to allow passengers to access PocketGuide, the audio tour application, free of charge. And of course, you can download it to your phone!

Pass by the picturesque Chain Bridge, arguably the most striking of all the 7 road bridges that span the Danube.

The Szechenyi Chain Bridge is a chain bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda & Pest, the western & eastern sides and is particularly beautiful when lit up at night.

The city's oldest twin-towered Bridge, named in honour of its initiator, Istvan Szechenyi, was actually built by Scotsman Adam Clark, who enjoys one of the few places reserved for foreigners in the Hungarian panoply of heroes. The Bridge opened in 1849, was unique for 2 reasons - it was the first link between Buda & Pest and the nobility – previously exempt from all taxation – had to pay up like everybody else to use it.

The Chain Bridge was the first permanent stone-bridge connecting Pest & Buda, and only the second permanent crossing on the whole length of the river Danube. It is one of the symbolic buildings of Budapest, the most widely known bridge of the beautiful Hungarian capital. Before it was built, the river could be crossed only by ferry or by a pontoon bridge that had to be moved when ice blocks began floating downstream in the winter.

Continue along the pedestrian 'Promenade' of the Bridge with great views of Gellert Hill & Castle Hill on the opposite bank.  Stroll past the Concert Hall (Vigado), which is a curious mix of Byzantine, Moorish, Romanesque & Hungarian motifs.

Cross over the Danube via Margaret Bridge & drive over to Buda side where the Royal Castle is located. Make a stop in the Castle District & walk around the important sights of this area.

Get to know the Buda Castle District from the first stone set to the modern day version we see today! Through this guided tour you will learn all about the history of the Buda Castle District.

The Castle District encompasses Castle Hill (Varhegy) – nerve centre of Budapest’s history & packed with many of the capital’s most important museums & other attractions – as well as ground-level Vízivaros (Watertown). What the latter lacks in sights it makes up for in excellent restaurants, many of them around Szell Kalman ter, a major transport hub & the centre of urban Buda. Major changes are afoot, as the government aims to consolidate Castle Hill as the seat of power & the Hungarian National Gallery is eventually due to move to a purpose-built facility in City Park.

Walk through the small cobblestone streets & squares stopping at historical points feeling the medieval aspects from the first stone laid to the present day evolution and the roles it played throughout the Hungarian history.

Reminiscence how the Castle Hill was originally built & designed and how the area has been used over the centuries by many different cultures & nations. Learn how the Castle District survived & helped its inhabitants defend & live through invasions & occupations for centuries.

Drive by the Matthias Church dating back 500 years, with its stories & legends. Parts of Matthias Church, notably the carvings above the southern entrance, but essentially the church itself (named after King Matthias Corvinus who married Queen Beatrix here in 1474) are a neo-Gothic confection designed by the architect Frigyes Schulek in 1896.

Steps in the northwest corner of the Church lead up to the Royal Oratory & the Matthias Church Collection of Ecclesiastical Art (Matyas-templom Egyhazmuveszeti Gyutemenye), contain ornate monstrances, reliquaries & chalices, plus replicas of the Crown of St Stephen & other items of the coronation regalia including the coronation throne. Ascending the 200 odd steps of the steeple will bring you to the top of the Panoramic Tower (Torony Panorama) with stunning views of the city.

After visiting the Church, walk down Tarnok Utca to the Royal Palace & the National Gallery, devoted exclusively to Hungarian Art.

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Organ concerts take place in the Church on certain evenings (usually Friday & Sunday at 7pm or 7.30pm), continuing a tradition dating from 1867 when Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Coronation Mass was first played here for the coronation of Franz Joseph & Elizabeth, the beloved queen affectionately known as 'Sissi'. The current 7000-pipe organ was built in 1909.

Admire the views from the famous lookout towers of Fishermen's Bastion.

The neo-Gothic bastion with a medieval masquerade offering some of the best views in Budapest was built as a viewing platform in 1905 by Frigyes Schulek, the architect behind Matthias Church. Its name was taken from the medieval guild of fishermen responsible for defending this stretch of the castle wall. The 7 gleaming white turrets represent the Magyar tribes that entered the Carpathian Basin in the late 9^th century.

Drive on to Gellert Hill (Citadel) & enjoy a breathtaking view of the city on a brief stop for memorable pictures.

Standing atop Gellert Hill & proclaiming freedom throughout the city is the lovely Liberty Monument, Budapest’s most visible statue. Lady Liberty looks down on the Taban, a leafy, once very Serbian neighbourhood dating to the 17^th century. Today the greater area is home to the prestigious Budapest University of Technology & Economics (BME) & its students, which can only mean cheap eateries & a decent nightlife. The main thoroughfare, Bartok Bela ut, is fast laying claim to being the 'happening' part of south Buda – around here you will find trendy cafes, a wine bar & vegetarian / vegan eateries.

Drive back to Pest through Elisabeth Bridge & get acquainted with Pest, the Paris of the East! Discover the original charm & lively character of this inspiring part of the city as you explore the most exciting spots in Eastern Budapest, stopping ‘briefly’ to admire architectural masterpieces along with a few well-kept local secrets. You will see ‘some’ of the main sights.

See the popular Central Market Hall (Nagycsarnok) building, designed by Gustav Eiffel. Head up to the 1^st floor for Hungarian folk costumes, dolls, painted eggs, embroidered tablecloths, carved hunting knives & other souvenirs.

Completed in 1897, this is Budapest's biggest market, though it has become a tourist magnet since its renovation for the mille centenary celebrations in 1996. This cavernous 3 story market teems with people browsing stalls packed with everything from salamis & red-paprika chains to folk embroideries and souvenirs.

Gourmets will appreciate the Hungarian & other treats available here for less than they would pay in the shops on nearby Vaci utca: shrink-wrapped and potted foie gras, garlands of dried paprika, souvenir sacks & tins of paprika powder & as many kinds of honey as you would care to name.

Drive down leafy Andrassy Avenue to downtown Pest passing by the Hungarian Opera House & the impressive St Stephen’s Basilica & the largest Synagogue of Europe & Budapest’s beloved City Park.

A brief stop at Hosok tere (Heroes' Square) the largest & most symbolic Square dominated by the Millenary Monument (Ezereves emlekmu), a 36m high pillar topped by a golden Archangel Gabriel, holding the Hungarian crown & a cross.

It was designed in 1896 to mark the 1000^th anniversary of the Magyar conquest of the Carpathian Basin. At the column's base are statues of Prince Arpad & 6 other Magyar chieftains who occupied the Carpathian Basin in the late 9^th century. The other 14 Statues in the colonnades behind, are of rulers & statesmen - from King Stephen (far left) to Lajos Kossuth (far right).

Drive by Budapest Zoo & Szechenyi Baths, the largest thermal Spa complex in Europe & probably Budapest’s most popular baths. The outdoor section is stunning, but it gets quite busy. Iconic "sparties" take place here on some Saturday nights.

The tour concludes & rest of the day is free for you to go back to whichever spot you like (Budapest is a ‘walkable’ city & you can access most spots quite easily).   

You will return to the hotel on your own.

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

Today, you will learn some more about the Textiles of the region.

Proceed to visit the Goldberger Textile Museum.

Also called ‘The Museum of Textile & Clothing Industry’ it is hosted in the former residence of the Goldberger family, one of the most flourishing textile merchants in Budapest during the 18^th - 20^th century.

This Museum tells the story of Hungary's textile industry & that of the textile factory founded by Jewish entrepreneur Ferenc Goldberger in 1784. The Goldberger family played in the commercial context for almost 3 centuries when they dominated the clothing industry of Hungary & supplied fine fabrics to the Habsburgs royals in its heyday.

The family’s residence became available for occupation by the Museum, which opened to the public in 1999. The ground floor of the house was originally a workshop for producing indigo dyes & there are explanations of the techniques that were used. It was primarily concerned with printing fabrics, using those indigo dyes.

The Museum features 4 permanent exhibitions. A Collection of the Company’s products & equipment was established in 1972 & 1992. Displays show the technology of various means of textile printing & the history of the Goldberger family & the Company they established. There are also many examples of the end products of the Goldberger workshops some of which feature in window displays.

It also serves as event space for temporary Textile related exhibitions. It has been awarded & acknowledged for its documentary value on the cultural scene of Budapest in particular & Hungary in general. The Museum also organises walks around the city visiting sites connected with the Goldbergers and textile printing

Learn about blue-dying & screen-printing through interactive exhibits. Check out the revolutionary machinery (for its time) & marvel at the gorgeous fabric samples.

The tour ends & you can stroll around the area discovering the craft & culture and find a bistro to have lunch.

Walk to the nearby Igezo Viselet Varazsa (translation: Charming War) Workshop to learn about basic stitches of Hungarian Kalotaszeg írasos (written embroidery), a folk style that originated in Transylvania & Romania in the late 18^th century.

In the 3 hour class, you will be taught to make a specific pattern. Fun for beginners & experienced embroiderers, you will stitch a heart or tulip design on a piece of linen that you can later sew into a small bag, pin cushion, or decorative hanging or add to a quilt or clothing. You will also take home materials to create another embroidery as well as resources on Hungarian needlework & patterns. 

The Worksop concludes & you return to the hotel.

After a long day exploring Budapest’s landmarks & museums, it is time to discover some more of Hungary’s rich culture by visiting one of the city’s colorful folk music & dance shows.

Later in the evening, meet the Journeys Rep at 07.00 pm & proceed to Budai Vigado Theatre in Corvin Square.

Hungarian Folklore is based on traditional dances that have been preserved for several centuries in small Hungarian villages. These performances will bring you closer to Hungary’s traditional music, dance, costumes & traditions.

Budapest has many extremely renowned folk groups. These music & dance groups have been performing for over half a century both in Hungary & abroad:

The Hungarian State Folk Ensemble was established in 1951 & has traveled to over 44 countries, playing authentic folk music & folk dances. Lately, the Group has had enormous success in the United States & in the Far East. 

The Performance gives the viewer a great insight into Hungarian heritage, music, dance & traditional costumes. The Hungarian State Folk Ensemble aims to collect & play authentic folk music & preserve the folk dances & traditional bright colorful costumes of ancient Hungary.

The Ensemble consists of up of 34 dancers, a Gypsy orchestra composed mainly of strings, with 14 musicians & a folk orchestra with 5 musicians.  It has a diverse repertoire of dances & traditional choreographies that are several centuries old, originally from various villages all over Hungary.

The Folk orchestra plays traditional instruments, while the Gypsy orchestra, not only accompanies the dancers but plays its own songs. Its repertoire includes Hungarian music & international classics from Liszt, Bartok, Kodaly & Brahms.

The Performance in the beautiful ornate theater begins at 08.00 am & is split in 2 sessions of 45 minutes each with an intermission in between.

The experience concludes & you proceed to a restaurant to enjoy dinner.

Return to the hotel.

Today, meet the Tour-guide at 09.00 am & walk to probably the most iconic landmark of Budapest.

The impressive neo-gothic architecture of House of Parliament (Orszaghaz) is the most visible building of Budapest's left bank.

Discover Hungary's largest building on this guided tour & see some of Budapest’s finest architectural achievements such as the splendid Session Room, the Great Vaulted Hall & impressive central staircase.

The magnificent Hungarian Parliament was built between 1885 & 1902 along the Danube embankment built by 1,000 workers & was for a long time the world’s largest parliamentary building. With 691 rooms & staircases stretching for more than 12 miles (20 kilometers), the building is topped by a vast elegant central dome soaring 226 feet (69 meters) into the sky. Ornamented with white neo-gothic turrets & arches, spacious arcades & high windows, the Parliament is one of the city’s most outstanding landmarks. Its regal exterior has become an iconic site in the city’s panorama & the interior hosts the Holy Crown of Hungary.

The 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 & learn more about the last 1000 years of Hungarian history.

Finish with the Parliament & walk to the nearby Museum of Ethnography.

After having already won the award for best European public building, the Museum has also won the "World's Best Architecture" award at the International Property Awards in London. The award draws attention not only to the excellent performance of Hungarian architecture but also to Hungarian innovation & culture in a more general sense.

The new purpose-built Museum building designed by Napur Architect has dynamic yet simple lines simultaneously harmonised with the park environment & communicating with the surrounding urban area & thus facilitates the large-scale, modern, user-friendly operation of the institution to a significant degree, along with the visually enticing & diverse display of mankind’s material & spiritual heritage, as well as the collection comprising Hungarian & international material.

As one of the earliest ethnographic museums in Europe, the Budapest Museum of Ethnography has been collecting, archiving, preserving, researching & transmitting the traditional & modern cultural artefacts of Hungarian, European & world communities’ since1872. The Museum is a collection of objects, images, textual material, audio recordings & thoughts that serves as a rich & multi-faceted resource for learning about the world.

As a social history Museum, it is a place to reflect on, study & exhibit the manifestations of material culture past & present, as well as of various social phenomena.

It is also the determining Hungarian institution in - & primary musicological laboratory for - the fields of ethnography, European ethnology & cultural anthropology. Given its excellent Collections & the amassed knowledge it represents, the Museum may be viewed as a point of departure for both other sciences & the arts, in comprehending, accepting & respecting cultural memory, diversity & changing identities.

The Museum of Ethnography is an open cultural space, where past & present converge, where science & the transmission of knowledge conjoin, and where cultures & generations come to meet.

Spend an hour or 2 exploring the Museum.

Then, walk to the iconic Strudel House restaurant in a historical building built in 1812, a Budapest landmark for a traditional lunch. They are known for experimenting with different traditional Hungarian dishes but are famous for their Hand-made Strudels. The restaurant sometimes even organises a Strudel Stretching Show where guests can prepare their own strudel. 

Post lunch, proceed to Eventuell Galeria run by renowned textile designer Szigeti Szilvia where you will meet with maybe 2-3 other Hungarian artists & Szigeti herself if she is around.

The predecessor of Eventuell Gallery, Eventuell Studio was founded in 1994.

Eventuell Gallery is considered an outstanding example of the collaboration between a creative community of freelance designers. Apart from the Textile & Interior designers, there are Jewellers & Fashion designers as well, who create unique items in a limited quantity. They use of various traditional techniques, adapted in a contemporary way, the creative use of materials, material association & an organic approach.

Since 1994, the Gallery has held nearly 80 exhibitions & professional events & trade fairs organized by the founders Szilvia Szigeti & Tamas Radnoti. In addition, around 200 mainly contemporary & entrant, Hungarian & foreign designers, craftsmen & fellow artists have made their debut by showcasing their works here.

On entering, the first thing a visitor notice is an incredibly colorful spectacle of items. Claret, red, brillant, orange, grass-green, custom-made & limited series of woven “Ikat“ style embroidered, printed textiles, curtains, cushions, cloths, bedspreads, scarves, stoles, custom-made lamps, exciting range of jewellery, ambiguously humorous, “folk-inspired“ denim wear & T-shirts.

Along with the store’s other products, the Designers create custom made items as well, according to individual needs, such as unique curtains, interior design & counselling, textile design, custom-made jewellery, garments & dresses.

Spend as much time as you want browsing through the Gallery & interacting with the Artists.

Then, walk to the stately & sprawling Liberty Square (Szabadsag ter). In the Square's center,  remains a gold hammer & sickle atop a white stone obelisk, one of the few monuments to the Russian 'liberation' of Budapest in 1945.

From here we walk to one of the liveliest places in Budapest, Vorosmarty Ter - a large pedestrian-only Square at the north end of Budapest's best known shopping street - Vaci Utca, - which has undergone a full transformation over the last 10 years.

You will return to the hotel on your own.

Later, meet the Journeys Rep & proceed for dinner at Rezkakas - a typical Hungarian restaurant located in the center of Budapest which offers a nice Hungarian experience with live gypsy folk music.

Return to the hotel (on your own).

Morning at 07.00 am, depart for a full day excursion to see Szentendre & Holloko.

Reach the lovely town of Szentendre by 09.00 am & commence a ‘walking’ tour of the enchanting town with a rich history.

The charming little town  riverside town in Pest county along the 'Danube Bend', is known for its well-preserved houses on narrow cobble-stoned streets, charming Squares, Serb temples, dozens of art museums, galleries & artists, churches.- an ethnographic museum showcasing real village life.

The location was largely uninhabited until the arrival of Hungarians in the 10^th century, but had been entirely depopulated during the Ottoman conquest of Hungary in the 16^th century. Under the Romans, it was called Ulcisia Castra, meaning Wolf Castle. During the Great Turkish War (1683-1699), Serbs have participated in the war on the Christian side, alongside Germans & Austrians, but the aftermath of the war did not provide liberation for the Serbs, and many have been forced to flee from Kosovo & southern regions of Serbia in fear of Turkish revenge. Home to the Serbs who settled here during the 14^th - 17^th centuries when Austrian emperor Leopold I allowed Serbian refugees to cross the Danube.

Most of the Serbs who survived First & Second World Wars have migrated back to Serbia. There are now less than a hundred Serbs inhabiting the city & the connection with Serbian culture has, unfortunately, practically disappeared. Today the town's best-known inhabitants are artists & small galleries that can be found on every street corner.

Today, it is the south European atmosphere with baroque architecture, churches of various faiths, narrow side streets & cobblestone roads characterizes this town.

Szentendre boasts a well-preserved 18^th century Baroque townscape. Old but well-kept merchant houses encircle Main Square like the block on the eastern side of the square that was rebuilt under the same roof after a fire. Winding streets lead off from the Main Square packed with architectural masterpieces, museums, restaurants, cafes & souvenir shops.

As an art colony turned lucrative tourist centre, Szentendre strikes many travellers as a little too 'cute' & hosts a vibrant collection of artists & a large selection of contemporary art galleries & museums have formed there, as a result. A nearby artists’ quarter houses many of the great minds behind the works on display. The main square, Fo Ter, & the alleyways around it are lined with art galleries, museums & shops.

Out of the 9 churches of Szentendre the Baroque-Rococo Greek-Orthodox Blagovestenska Church is the best known, built in the mid18^th century by settlers living in the Greek quarter next to the church. Above its wooden gate frescoes of St Helene and St Constantine greet you while inside you can admire the remarkable iconostase.

You will experience a Mediterranean atmosphere that few other Hungarian settlements offer. No wonder that lots of artists come to find inspiration & work here and so today the town's best-known inhabitants are artists & small galleries that can be found on every street corner.

You will have an hour to stroll briefly through this gorgeous little town.

Go inside one of the most visited museum of Hungary - Margit Kovacs Museum - a tiny jewel-box. Housed in a baroque merchant house, it features charming ceramic works representing a combination of traditional folk life with a modern touch, visions of goodness, beauty & humanity. Margit Kovacs was born in 1902 & originally wished to become a graphic artist but later became interested in ceramics. In her 20s, she went to study in Vienna with a very famous Austrian ceramic artist. Then, she studied clay modelling in Munich & mastered the art of modelling with chamotte clay to make figurines.

Hop on the vehicle & continue your drive.

Reach Holloko, a UNESCO World Heritage listed Paloc ethnographic village inhabited by approximately 650 people.

The Cserhat Hills may not be graced with soaring peaks (none of them is higher than 650m), but they are cloaked in a rich folk-culture tapestry belonging to the Paloc people. Holloko (Raven Rock), a two-street village nestled in a tranquil valley, is the epicentre.

Holloko is an outstanding example of a deliberately preserved traditional settlement. This village, which developed mainly during the 17^th - 18^th centuries, is a living example of rural life before the agricultural revolution of the 20^th century.

The rural architectural ensemble, which covers 145 ha, consists of 55 residential buildings, farm buildings & the church. Together, the traditional Paloc use of architectural forms & materials form a harmonious unit with the surrounding landscape & natural environment, characterized by strip-field farming, orchards, vineyards, meadows & woods.

What sets this picturesque village apart from others is the 'Old Village' where 50 little white houses on cobbled streets have been listed & declared historic monuments. Throughout time, Holloko has managed to preserve its unique ethnographic and folk art values.

Atop the nearby hill we can view what remains of a 13^th century castle that was blown up by the Hapsburgs. This castle played a decisive part in the feudal wars of the Paloc & the Hussite and served as protection for the village whose ruins have been found a little way from its walls.

At the end of the Ottoman occupation (1683) the Castle & the village were finally abandoned & the present village established which evolved gradually. As was customary in the region, the first generation of inhabitants settled on either side of the main street. In this one-street village, subsequent generations built their houses at the back of the narrow family plots, thus progressively enlarging the built-up area. The barns were built apart from the village, on the edges of the fields, according to Palocz custom. The village has burned to the ground many times since the 13^th century (most recently in 1909), but the residents have always rebuilt their houses exactly to plan in traditional wattle & daub.

In 1782, Holloko was still a typical one-street village. Later, a second street developed to the east of the main street. A plan from 1885 shows that the topography was already like that of the present-day plan: the amount of cultivated land had reached its maximum by the mid19^th century & the village could therefore grow no further. Growth is now strictly controlled.

Holloko is one of the most beautiful day trip destinations in Hungary. From picturesque mountains and over a century-old charming buildings to castle ruins & unique gastronomy, this tiny village has a lot to offer to curious travelers.

Upon arrival, guests are greeted by local residents who still live as they used to in 1600's. Wearing traditional Hungarian dress, they offer scones & their home brewed Schnapps to those who dare.

Many local handicraft shops run by villagers offer unbelievably cheap prices.

See the former Weaving House which hosts an exhibition called “From Hemp Seed to Linen”, which as its name suggests, demonstrates to the visitors how hemp seeds are processed through various stages to become linen, a textile valued for its exceptional coolness & freshness in hot weather.

In one of the rooms, you can see works by designer Feher Janosne, who used traditional materials, tailoring techniques & patterns to make the Paloc identity recognizable on the costumes.

Enjoy a traditional lunch at a villager’s home.

In time, return to Budapest.

But before reaching the hotel, stop briefly at the famous Hosok tere (Heroes' Square) the largest & most symbolic Square dominated by the Millenary Monument (Ezereves emlekmu), a 36m high pillar topped by a golden Archangel Gabriel, holding the Hungarian crown & a cross.

A brief Stop at Hosok tere (Heroes' Square) the largest & most symbolic Square dominated by the Millennial Monument (Ezereves emlekmu), a 36m high pillar topped by a golden Archangel Gabriel, holding St. Stephen’s Crown & a Cross.

According to the story, Gabriel appeared to St. Stephen in his dream & offered him the Crown of Hungary. Pope Sylvester II indeed sent a Crown to him acknowledging Hungary & King Stephen as a defender of Christendom. Today you can view this Holy Crown in Budapest Parliament.

A tribute to Hungary’s National Identity, the imposing Hosok tere is one of the major open Plaza in Budapest designed in 1896 to mark the 1000^th anniversary of the Magyar conquest of the Carpathian Basin & is one of the most emblematic & photographed sights of Budapest. Every part of the Monument pays tribute to determining parts of Hungary’s history.

The Memorial won the first prize at the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris. The monument was completed in 1929 & the Square received its name then too. Since 2002 the Millennium Monument together with Andrasy Avenue is part of UNESCO’s prestigious World Heritage sites.

At the column's base are statues featuring the 7 Chieftains of the Magyars & other important Hungarian national leaders - Prince Arpad & 6 other Chieftains - who occupied the Carpathian Basin in the late 9^th century. The 7 tribes lead by Árpad arrived first in the Carpathian Basin around 896 AD to find out whether the area was suitable for settling down.

The other 14 Statues in the colonnades behind, are of rulers & statesmen - from King Stephen (far left) to Lajos Kossuth (far right). There is also the Memorial Stone of Heroes, often erroneously referred as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The Hungarian War Memorial commemorating the heroes of the independence of Hungary stands in front of the Column.  It is a popular spot for wreath-laying ceremonies on national holidays.

The Square has witnessed several 20^th century key events of Hungary’s history. During the Communist era the place saw choreographed demonstrations on holidays. The reburial ceremony of Imre Nagy, leader of the 1956 revolution took place here in 1989.

Morning at 07.00 am, depart for the Lake Balaton region, enroute stopping at Papa.

Papa is a historical town, noted for its baroque architecture, located close to the northern edge of the Bakony Hills in Veszprem county. With its 32,473 inhabitants, it is the cultural, economic & tourism centre of the region known for its thermal springs. There is an Air Base used by the US Air Force.

Spend an hour or 2 here, strolling through the picturesque town.

You can see the baronial halls & get an insight into the everyday lives of the Baroque aristocracy at Esterhazy Castle. This influential family has left their marks all over Hungary, Austria & Germany. Gyor also has a smaller Esterhazy Palace in its centre. There is a huge park near the Castle, called Varkert. Before the war, it was way bigger than now. It is especially magnificent in the autumn.

The thermal bath here is called Varkertfurdo. There are indoor & outdoor pools with underwater lighting, slides, massage, neck massage, underwater back massage benches, geysers, swirl corridors.

Walking in the Baroque style Fo ter (main square), you can see Saint Stephen’s Martyr Catholic Church, which has been a pivotal symbol of the town since the 18^th century. The Church was built in 1774 by Count Karoly Eszterhazy, the Bishop of Eger, Papa’s landlord, according to the plans made by Jakab Fellner, a master builder. It has recently been renovated & a playground & new fountains were added.

Don’t miss the nice Ricsi confectionery with a vast selection of cakes, cookies & ice cream. The coffee is also excellent. You can even watch them making cakes at the Bakery.

But the highlight here will be visiting Blue Printing Museum.

Seeing old factories & workplaces give us a better understanding of the living & working conditions of the time. If you are interested in “Industrial Heritage” or the origins of old handicrafts, you will love this place. All exhibits are low-key, no flashy video screens or other visual enhancements – it feels just like stepping into a mothballed relic of the past. The only real visual treasures are some mannequins in preserved historic blue-dye clothes and some historic photographs, documenting the history of the Kluge Blue-Dye Factory. One photo in the exhibition shows a staff of 22 workers, 3 trained specialists, 24 sales staff & the entire Kluge family clan.

The Kekfesto Muzeum (also called Blue Paint Museum) is located in the original buildings of the former blue-dye factory of Kluge Company in Papa, with all its original equipment left in place, providing an insight into the mysteries of the blue paint industry. Each station of the workflow & machines in the 200 years old factory is still functional. 

It opened in 1962 to the general public providing an insight into the mysteries of the blue paint industry. Visitors are guided back to the past as they learn about the difficulty of this occupation & the admirable skills, passed on from one generation to the next. (Kekfesto literally means blue-dyed cloth & the term is used for all such fabric that originates from Hungary).

This factory was founded by a German migrant textile worker from Saxony, Johann Friedrich Kluge. He brought the knowledge & skill of a new textile printing technique, reverse-style cold vat indigo printing, with him & operated until its nationalisation.

His son Carl learned the same trade & established his first workshop in Sarvar in 1783. In 1786, he moved to Papa with his family to open a larger blue-dye factory. In the following decades, the business flourished, in part because the Kluge family regularly upgraded their equipment with the latest machinery from Germany.

By 1880, the economic climate was favourable which encouraged the family to expand & modernise the factory to the size it is today. The factory kept producing at full capacity until WWI. In 1956, the factory was nationalised under the Communist regime & subsequently closed down. Until this time, the Kluge family had managed the factory through 7 generations. Prudently, all equipment was left in place with the idea of creating the museum you can visit today.

Blue dyed fabrics were popular in Europe for centuries. Originally, a plant called woad (Latin Isatis Tinctoria) was used. When indigo found its way to Europe from India in the 17^th century, it quickly replaced woad as a fabric dye because of its superior qualities.

Indigo dye works best with natural fibres like cotton, linen & wool, Indigo dyed clothes are more colourfast & don’t fade as quickly in sunlight.

The resist block printing technique opened the way for intricate white patterns on the blue dyed fabric & quickly became very desirable. In 2018, the technique & tradition of blue-dyed fabric in Europe was recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Austria, Czechia, Germany, Hungary & Slovakia. The UNESCO listing specifically mentions the complex skills & long running family heritage of this old craft.

Traditional knowledge is still based on (mainly family-owned) journals dating back to the 19^th century and passed on through observation & hands-on practice. Stakeholders feel a strong emotional bond with their products & the element encapsulates a sense of pride in long-lasting family traditions.

Somehow these fabrics have managed to remain popular to this day - from traditionally inspired dresses, to napery & their use in quilting. Especially in USA, you will find many quilts stitched exclusively with patches of hand-printed blue & white fabrics produced the old-fashioned way.

The facade looks just like any other 19^th century residential house in the street. The front building used to house the administration & salesrooms and manufacturing is physically separated from the front building. You will notice lines of protruding rods just below the gutters. Runs of fabric would have hung there to dry in the open air & sun. The entire blue-dye process requires the repeated airing and drying of the material in its several stages.

There is room for drying which still has heating pipes running through its base. There is a washing room, called the “Black Kitchen”. As an initial step the freshly received raw cloth had to be washed to clean it from all residue & starch left from spinning & weaving; otherwise, it wouldn’t take the dye evenly.

There is a large room for the dyeing vats. The cloth was fixed to large metal rings, running in a spiral from the inside out; that way long lengths could be immersed in one small round bath (their inner diameter isn’t much over one metre). When the material came here to be dyed, it would have already been stamped with patterns.

Most patterns were applied by hand using wooden printing blocks. These leave a pattern of paste on the cloth, where it won’t absorb indigo in the dye baths – thus leaving white patterns in the blue. After dyeing, the applied insulating paste was washed out in an acid bath, which was the most hazardous part of the process. There is a Perrotine Textile Printing machine, the latest technology introduced at Kluge, for mechanical printing of large bales of cloth, quickly covering both sides of the material with small stamps. This entire technique is called resist block printing, a skill the Kluge family had brought with them from Germany.

Then, there is a spacious Airing Attic where you can see a trapdoor for the mechanical lift that was used to heave the heavy wet material up to this level. Here the ‘curtains’ were lengths of cloth airing & drying in preparation for the next steps in becoming the famous Kekfesto fabric.

There is also a creek which supplied the water needed for the blue-dye process. The building at the back of the block cramped with various large-scale machines including an oversized spin-dryer, was where most of the finishing of the dyed fabric happened.

In the front is the factory’s old boiler, which was powering the steam engine that was running the entire complex. In those days, machines were belt-driven & the wheels to move the belts were mounted on long axle shafts, which were all turned by the power of the steam engine. You can imagine the noise, on top of all the heat, steam & moisture from washing, dyeing & hot calendering of the fabric.

A good number of small tables, almost decorated like market stalls, showcase the finished goods of Hungarian Blue-Dye Manufacturers that are still producing to this day. Some of the displayed items would make unique souvenirs, with which you can help to keep a slowly disappearing craft alive. These are 100% authentic indigo fabrics, not cheap imported copies.

And now, it is time to drive on to the scenic Lake Balaton region.

Lake Balaton is a freshwater lake in western Hungary, a major holiday destination with, volcanic hills, historic resort towns with ancient fortresses, underwater cave galleries, sizzling beaches with oodles of fun on the water where you can sun, swim or try stand-up paddle boarding along its 197km shoreline.  The hilly north shore is a wine-growing region, with protected wetlands & hiking trails at Balaton Uplands National Park.  The town of Veszprem has a walled Castle district & 13^th century frescoes at the Gizella Chapel. Hevíz boasts a thermal length where you can bathe even when it is snowing

Drive on & reach your hotel in Tihany by late afternoon.

Check-in & relax or walk around.

Balance of day is free. Or perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

The tiny town of Tihany was created by God when he was happy - or so the story goes among Hungarians. In 2014, it was a recipient of the most beautiful renovated village in Europe award.

On the north shore of the dazzling Lake Balaton stands proud the oldest medieval town in the region.  Tihany sits proud on the top of the peninsula jutting 5 km into the lake that centers the entire panorama of the turquoise lake valley itself. With its enchanting natural beauty, a trip to this peninsula will transport you far away from your everyday problems.

The peninsula itself is a nature reserve of hills & marshy meadows with an isolated, almost wild feel to it. Two inland basins are fed by rain & groundwater: the Inner Lake (Belso-to) is almost in the centre of the peninsula & visible from the village, while the Outer Lake (Kulso-to) to the northwest has almost completely dried up & is now a tangle of reeds. Both basins attract considerable bird life.

Today is yours to plan as you see fit.

This is where one of the jewels of the Balaton, the stunning Baroque Benedictine Abbey of Tihany - can be found. Due to its excellent location, the Abbey has a magical view of the eastern corner of Balaton as well as the south shore.

The Abbey has a long history going back to a documented 1055 when it was a shelter for monks, a castle during Turkish times & an old peoples’ home during the socialist era. Despite all of these tempestuous events, it still stands strong at the same spot.

The Benedictine order was the first (& for a long time the only) monastic order of the Roman Catholic Church & Christianity. Although the Benedictines’ mission was always to spread the Christian faith & morality, during their existence they also greatly contributed to intellectual development by supporting religious sciences & church literature. The Abbey was dedicated to the Holy Virgin & to Saint Aignan of Orleans.

Entering the portal of the Abbey, you are greeted by an exquisite Baroque interior. Look right to the side Altar dedicated to Mary. The large angel kneeling on the right supposedly represents Stuhlhof’s fiancee, a fisher’s daughter who died in her youth

On the Altar of the Sacred Heart across the aisle, a pelican (symbolising Christ) nurtures its young (the faithful) with its own blood. The figures atop the pulpit beside it are the 4 doctors of the Roman Catholic Church: Sts Ambrose, Gregory, Jerome & Augustine. The next 2 altars on the right & left hand sides are dedicated to Benedict & his twin sister, Scholastica; the last pair, a baptismal font & the Lourdes Altar, date from 1896 & 1900 respectively.

The sight of beautiful paintings, breathtaking statues, screens carved between 1753 & 1779 by an Austrian lay brother named Sebastian Stuhlhof, each a baroque-rococo masterpiece & the robust organ-loft will instantly put you in a state of sacral awe.

Stuhlhof also carved the magnificent choir rail above the porch. The frescoes on the ceilings by Bertalan Szekely, Lajos Deak-Ébner & Karoly Lotz were painted in 1889, when the Church was restored.

The ‘other face’ of the Abbey, however, is surprisingly simple: given that there is still a monastic community living here today, the interior of the Monastery that serves as their residence is very modest & almost puritan.

If you think that the monks living in a monastery spend most of their lives resting, you are mistaken: they perform pastoral work locally & in nearby villages, organise exhibitions & concerts, conduct spiritual retreats, teach at the local Benedictine primary school & even make medicinal teas & candles. “Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something”, they say, striving to ensure that all members of the community spread the evangelical gospel with their own charisma.

The monastery was founded in 1055 by Andrew I. The founding charter document of the Monastery with Latin text interspersed with Hungarian words preserved in its original form, makes it the oldest written record in the Hungarian language.

The Monastery has endured numerous blows over time. The first major changes for the building complex came in the 16^th & 17^th centuries: due to Ottoman attacks, monastic life was practically eliminated in Tihany, with soldiers taking their place in the monastery. Following the wars of liberation, the Monastery passed into the ownership of an Austrian abbey, & was only taken back into Hungarian ownership in 1716. Although the reconstruction of the church & the Monastery was restarted afterwards, a fire in 1763 hindered these efforts. The monks were then forced to abandon the Monastery on two other occasions: once in 1786 & then again in 1950.

It has also served as a castle during Turkish times & an old peoples’ home during the socialist era. Despite all of these tempestuous events, it still stands strong at the same spot & is certainly worth visiting even if you are not a religious person.

The buildings were only returned to the Benedictine order in 1994 & comprehensive renovation works started in 1996, to ensure that the Benedictine Abbey of Tihany could be restored to the full glory you see today. You can also visit the Benedictine Abbey Museum.

King Andrew's remains lie in a limestone sarcophagus in the atmospheric Romanesque crypt. The spiral swordlike cross on the cover is similar to ones used by 11^th century Hungarian kings.

The Abbey offers another unique feature. Since it was rebuilt in the 19^th century, the peculiar phenomenon of echoes in the locality has made Tihany well-known across the whole country.

If you stand on Echo Hill (a stone helpfully marks the best point) & shout towards the Abbey, your voice echoes 7 times in 2 seconds (especially on cold, clear winter days). According to mythology, a cursed princess is shut within the stones as a punishment for having been proud & hard-hearted: she is obliged to answer every passerby who calls out to her.

The lavender garden in Tihany was planted by a botanist after the First World War. The lavender was brought straight from France &d became a huge success due to its higher volatile oil content. Nowadays, lavender grows across a 100-hectare plot, which is an absolutely stunning sight when in bloom.

You can also buy lavender pillows made by a local manufacturer. There is small center where you can see an exhibition about the locality’s geological past, how humans & nature have been living here side-by-side &, of course, learn more about lavender.

There was also an old castle here, built between the Bronze & Iron Age, & the remains are still visible.

This place has provided shelter for people throughout the centuries. On the east side you can still find some of the Caves carved by monks that arrived from the Kievan Rus, accompanying the wife of one of the Hungarian kings. A small well was named after them, bearing the romantic name of Cyprian Spring.

You may also want to take a look at the Inner Lake & Outer Lake - both of which lap peacefully within the remnants of a volcanic caldera. A beautiful spot for a long walk, you can even fish or take a boat trip. If you are a nature lover, you can find many rare dragonflies, toads, frogs & even reptiles, such as the European pond turtle. Unusual avian friends you might encounter include the greylag goose, Eurasian bittern, egret & western marsh harrier.

Within a mere 10-minute walk from the Inner Lake there are the smaller & bigger geyser cones, created by volcanic activity a million years ago. The highest one is often referred to as the ‘Golden House’ due to the yellow moss that grows on the surface, giving it a golden hue in sunshine. You may notice a red cross on one of the small paths; this is the sign for the famous Loczy Nature Trail; a loop that presents a wealth of natural beauty &, if you are lucky, a number of rare living creatures.

There is a unique restaurant you may want to try for one of the meals. Regi Idok Udvara Skanzen is not only a restaurant, but is dedicated to presenting the heritage of times gone by. You can experience how people ate & drank centuries ago, when all the food was prepared in a beehive oven, when wine came straight up from the cool cellar & schnapps (palinka) was served from a demi-john. You can try to stretch your own strudel, or even practise your archery skills here!

And if you want to venture to nearby neighbouring towns (short drives), there are multiple options.

Imagine a quiet, peaceful place amidst lush green forests where everything is about relaxation & recharging your batteries. A place where you can bathe amongst colourful water lilies in the gentle turquoise thermal water of the world’s largest peat-bedded lake. A place centred to invigorate, revitalise and pamper you.

Romans came to Heviz Spa to bathe more than 2,000 years ago. Since then it has been a hotspot for relaxation & mineral treatments for people from all of the Balkans & Central Europe. Scattered over the area of Lake Balaton, the wonderful springs number more than 1,000 & are famed for their medicinal powers. Heviz is one of the most popular & offers a whole range of different treatments & therapeutic programs.

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

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 usage of the facilities & to leave the luggage at the Bell Desk). 

No more Iron Curtain. Hungary is a place is where the East meets West, North meets South – literally & lyrically A beautiful country where you can see influences of different cultures intertwine. With roughly100 Castles & Gardens & Churches & ancient mystical Town Centers and of course, the 8 UNESCO World Heritage sites, you will have a difficult time to choose.

You have seen a glimpse but there is so much more that we are sure will entice you to come back.

“When you leave Hungary, as the plane lifts, you feel that more than leaving a country, you are leaving a state of mind. Whatever awaits you at the other end of your journey will be of a different order of existence” – Anonymous

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

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