Reflections of the Danube
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Highlights:
- Hungary offers many scenic, cultural and culinary opportunities for you to experience.
- For those with limited time constraints, we can make it both practical and convenient by having your personal guide available to take you on entertaining and informative trips.
- While staying in a luxury hotel as your base for the entire stay, you’ll explore both Buda and Pest and have a chance to experience the Hungarian countryside.
SKU:
Explore: The Hungary and the Danube River
Customizable Itinerary - 9 Days (from $2,637 / person)
Day 1: Depart USA
You depart on your overnight flight to Budapest, the capital of Hungary. This charming capital is bisected by the Danube River with hills and valleys on the Buda side and the flat, low-lying Pest on the other.
Day 2: Welcome to Hungary
Upon arrival in Budapest you are met by your guide and taken on a tour prior to transferring to your hotel. You explore Pest including Heroes’ Square, Vajdahunyad Castle, Andrassy Street, the Opera House, St Stephen’s Basilica and the Parliament building before boarding a boat for a cruise on the Danube to Marguerite Island.
Day 3: Highlights of Buda
Along with Vienna, Budapest served as the joint capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the morning you visit the Buda side with a visit to the Fisherman’s Bastion, a neo-Romanesque edifice with seven towers built on the medieval walls and offering spectacular views of the city. You then go to the Castle district and a visit to Matthias church, Budapest’s most famous church and dating back to the 13th Century. The afternoon is left open for you to explore the shops on Andrassy Street. In the evening you experience Gypsy music and dinner.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 4: Esztergom and the Danube Bend
After breakfast you will leave the city for an excursion to Danube Bend, considered one of Hungary’s most beautiful regions. Your first stop with be Esztergom which is the center of the Catholic Church in Hungary. You will have a chance to visit the Basilica before moving on to Visegrad once a royal seat where you can enjoy some of the most beautiful panoramas in the country. After lunch at a local restaurant you drive to Szentendre, a picturesque baroque town noted for its winding streets. The town is noted for its artists and the many museums including the Kovacs Margit Ceramic museum which you will visit before returning to Budapest.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 5: The Buda Side of Town
Today your guide will show you the Buda side of the Danube beginning with the Castle district and a visit to Matthias church, Budapest’s most famous church and dating back to the 13th Century. You will then visit Fisherman’s Bastion, a neo-Romanesque edifice with seven towers built on medieval walls offering spectacular views of the city. Even better views are available from the top of Geller Hill, the last stop on your tour. After time to have lunch you visit the House of Wines to sample a wide variety of Hungarian wines. In the evening you will enjoy a dinner with wine and gypsy music.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 6: The Vineyards of Tokaj
After breakfast you leave the city and head to the Tokaj (pronounced Tokay) wine region. Like Riesling and Sauterne,, the sweet wine is made from grapes that have been left to get overripe and thus increase their sugar. This ancient wine was once a favorite of Nobility including Louis XIV of France and Peter the Great of Russia. You will have lunch followed by a tour of the vineyards before returning to Budapest and a free evening.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 7: Szeged and Kecskemet
In the morning your guide will be waiting to take you to the town of Szeged which is in the south of the country close to the Romanian border. You will have a privately guided tour including neo-Romanesque Bishop’s Cathedral, generally called the Votive Church, the Bishop’s Palace, the Theological College and the monumental Moorish-Art Nouveau building of the New Synagogue. Following the tour you will have lunch at a local restaurant. You then drive to Kecskemet to see the Art Nouveau Town Hall and its clock, the Music Academy of Ferenc Liszt and the Cifra Palace before returning to Budapest.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 8: Godollo and the Story of Sisi
This morning you will drive to the outskirts of the city to Godollo, the summer palace of the Hapsburgs. It was originally called the Grassalkovich Palace prior to its purchase by the Hapsburgs. It was here that the Empress Elisabeth spent her happiest times. Sisi, as she was called brought the court with her from Vienna and Godollo was known for its concerts and for its focus on fashion. One beneficiary was Antal Alter a Budapest fashion house located on Vaci Street since Sisi was a loyal customer. This store’s successor, Alter & Kiss is still located on Vaci Street. When you have finished your tour you will be taken to Vaci Street, Budapest’s Madison Avenue to see for yourself. As your stay in Budapest comes to a close you enjoy an elegant finale as you dine by candlelight as you cruise down the Danube through an Illuminated city featuring the Parliament Building and the Fishermen’s Bastion.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 9: Return to USA
After breakfast your driver will be waiting to take you to the airport for the return flight to the USA arriving back the same afternoon.
Breakfast
You depart on your overnight flight to Budapest, the capital of Hungary. This charming capital is bisected by the Danube River with hills and valleys on the Buda side and the flat, low-lying Pest on the other.
Day 2: Welcome to Hungary
Upon arrival in Budapest you are met by your guide and taken on a tour prior to transferring to your hotel. You explore Pest including Heroes’ Square, Vajdahunyad Castle, Andrassy Street, the Opera House, St Stephen’s Basilica and the Parliament building before boarding a boat for a cruise on the Danube to Marguerite Island.
Day 3: Highlights of Buda
Along with Vienna, Budapest served as the joint capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the morning you visit the Buda side with a visit to the Fisherman’s Bastion, a neo-Romanesque edifice with seven towers built on the medieval walls and offering spectacular views of the city. You then go to the Castle district and a visit to Matthias church, Budapest’s most famous church and dating back to the 13th Century. The afternoon is left open for you to explore the shops on Andrassy Street. In the evening you experience Gypsy music and dinner.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 4: Esztergom and the Danube Bend
After breakfast you will leave the city for an excursion to Danube Bend, considered one of Hungary’s most beautiful regions. Your first stop with be Esztergom which is the center of the Catholic Church in Hungary. You will have a chance to visit the Basilica before moving on to Visegrad once a royal seat where you can enjoy some of the most beautiful panoramas in the country. After lunch at a local restaurant you drive to Szentendre, a picturesque baroque town noted for its winding streets. The town is noted for its artists and the many museums including the Kovacs Margit Ceramic museum which you will visit before returning to Budapest.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 5: The Buda Side of Town
Today your guide will show you the Buda side of the Danube beginning with the Castle district and a visit to Matthias church, Budapest’s most famous church and dating back to the 13th Century. You will then visit Fisherman’s Bastion, a neo-Romanesque edifice with seven towers built on medieval walls offering spectacular views of the city. Even better views are available from the top of Geller Hill, the last stop on your tour. After time to have lunch you visit the House of Wines to sample a wide variety of Hungarian wines. In the evening you will enjoy a dinner with wine and gypsy music.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 6: The Vineyards of Tokaj
After breakfast you leave the city and head to the Tokaj (pronounced Tokay) wine region. Like Riesling and Sauterne,, the sweet wine is made from grapes that have been left to get overripe and thus increase their sugar. This ancient wine was once a favorite of Nobility including Louis XIV of France and Peter the Great of Russia. You will have lunch followed by a tour of the vineyards before returning to Budapest and a free evening.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 7: Szeged and Kecskemet
In the morning your guide will be waiting to take you to the town of Szeged which is in the south of the country close to the Romanian border. You will have a privately guided tour including neo-Romanesque Bishop’s Cathedral, generally called the Votive Church, the Bishop’s Palace, the Theological College and the monumental Moorish-Art Nouveau building of the New Synagogue. Following the tour you will have lunch at a local restaurant. You then drive to Kecskemet to see the Art Nouveau Town Hall and its clock, the Music Academy of Ferenc Liszt and the Cifra Palace before returning to Budapest.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 8: Godollo and the Story of Sisi
This morning you will drive to the outskirts of the city to Godollo, the summer palace of the Hapsburgs. It was originally called the Grassalkovich Palace prior to its purchase by the Hapsburgs. It was here that the Empress Elisabeth spent her happiest times. Sisi, as she was called brought the court with her from Vienna and Godollo was known for its concerts and for its focus on fashion. One beneficiary was Antal Alter a Budapest fashion house located on Vaci Street since Sisi was a loyal customer. This store’s successor, Alter & Kiss is still located on Vaci Street. When you have finished your tour you will be taken to Vaci Street, Budapest’s Madison Avenue to see for yourself. As your stay in Budapest comes to a close you enjoy an elegant finale as you dine by candlelight as you cruise down the Danube through an Illuminated city featuring the Parliament Building and the Fishermen’s Bastion.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 9: Return to USA
After breakfast your driver will be waiting to take you to the airport for the return flight to the USA arriving back the same afternoon.
Breakfast
