A Whistle-Stop Tour of Central Europe

Itinerary

1. Day 1 Arrival in Prague

   “The Golden City,” “The City of 100 Spires,” “The Mother of Cities,” Prague has no shortage of nicknames paying homage to its charm and beauty. Prague’s winding cobblestone streets, gorgeous architecture and atmospheric bridges are fabled. Get up early and stroll across the statue-lined Charles Bridge. Soak it from the magnificent Old Town Square with its 600-year old astronomical clock. From exploring history and modern culture on foot, to traveling farther afield to take in the picturesque countryside and fairytale villages, you’ll have an itinerary full of adventure and relaxation. Besides the city’s history, evident on every street, especially in the beautifully preserved former Jewish Quarter, you can delve into the city’s gastronomy. You can literally dive into some of Europe’s best beers by visiting a beer spa, or explore its beloved breweries with walking tours, or enjoy a dinner cruise. Day-trip destinations include scenic castles, the perfect spa town, and Kutna Hora with its “bone church” and gothic cathedral. Prague is a city of history that comes to life for every visitor, no matter their interests.

   A driver will be at the airport to greet you and transfer you to your centrally located Prague accommodations.

   Our representative will then meet with you to answer any questions you have and to get you settled for the rest of your trip.

2. Day 2 Your First Full Day in Prague

   

   Prague Private Walking Tour

   This three-hour walking tour of the Golden City is the ideal way to get to know the beautiful historic center of Prague. You will walk the Royal Route, originally used for the king's coronation procession. The walk takes you through the center of Old Town, where you'll see all of the most famous sights, and also learn about the fascinating history that has made Prague a unique destination throughout the ages. Crossing Charles Bridge, your guide will tell you all the stories of the past as you head up to Lesser Town, where the tour finishes.

   • Activity Level : Light
   • Duration : 3 hours

   Included in your vacation package price

   

   Prague Old Town Small Group Evening Food Tour

   Enjoy a Prague food tour that lets you taste centuries of Czech culinary history, from traditional dishes to modern twists. With a local foodie guide, explore the evolution of Czech cuisine, from early influences to Communist-era fare and today’s dynamic flavors. Savor authentic specialties like goulash, roast pork, and beef sirloin with dumplings paired with Czech beer or Moravian wine. Discover hidden local favorites and leave with a personalized map of food recommendations to continue exploring Prague’s food scene.

   • Activity Level : Light
   • Duration : 4 hours

   Please ask your travel advisor for the cost to add this to your package

3. Day 3 Your Second Full Day in Prague

   

   Prague Castle Private Tour with Interiors

   This tour of Prague Castle is the best way to quickly and easily take in the main star of the city's skyline. Your guide will pick you up at your accommodation and take you to the castle by tram. Once inside the castle grounds, you'll see the most impressive sites while your guide fills you in on the vibrant history of the area and its importance for the Czech nation. Highlights of the tour include the Basilica of St. George, the Golden Lane, Daliborka Tower, the Royal Gardens and the Old Royal Palace, to name just a few. In three hours you'll take in all the must-sees at the castle, as well as a few hidden gems.

   • Activity Level : Light
   • Duration : 3 hours

   Included in your vacation package price

   Explore Bohemia on a Day Trip

   Prague’s location in the heart of Bohemia makes it a great base for day trips in every direction. We encourage you to leave the borders of the capital and explore the picturesque countryside. One of our favorite trips is to Karlovy Vary, one of Europe’s most famous spa towns. For a more medieval experience, we can also provide a day trip to Kutna Hora, a UNESCO-listed town. If you like wine, you could also enjoy a private wine tasting at the royal Melnik Chateau.You can read about a trip there by a blogging couple we hosted.

   Suggested activities for an additional cost, depending on your choice

   

   Karlovy Vary Private Day Trip

   Enjoy the many colonnades of a legendary spa town on this day trip to Karlovy Vary with a private driver and local guide. The hot springs were discovered here in the 14th century by Emperor Charles IV, the town's namesake, when he was out on a hunt and their healing attributes were used for treating everyone from Peter the Great to Goethe. En route, you'll stop by the formidable 12th century gothic Loket Castle, where part of Casino Royale was filmed.
   

   • Activity Level : Light
   • Duration : 9 hours

   Suggested activities for an additional cost, depending on your choice

   

   Kutna Hora Private Day Trip

   Visit Kutna Hora, a medieval center of silver mining and once the second richest Czech town, after Prague. The variety of Kutna Hora's architectural monuments and its well-preserved town center reflects its ancient fame and wealth. While principally known for the Sedlac Ossuary (AKA the "Bone Church"), a chapel decorated with more than 40,000 human bones (some of which form a bone chandelier or messages and coats of arms), this town could have easily won its UNESCO World Heritage status from its other landmarks, such as the massive gothic St. Barbara's church.
   

   • Activity Level : Moderate
   • Duration : 6 hours

   Suggested activities for an additional cost, depending on your choice

   Watch the video

   

   Melnik Chateau Private Wine Tasting and Tour

   Experience both wine and history on this unique private day trip at a chateau just an hour from Prague. The town's history is closely connected with wine production, a tradition going back over a thousand years. You'll visit the place where 23 Czech queens and princesses have lived, enjoying a private tour, and trying local wines in a medieval wine cellar.

   • Activity Level : Light
   • Duration : 5 hours

   Suggested activities for an additional cost, depending on your choice

   Watch the video

4. Day 4 Traveling to Vienna by Train / Arrival in Vienna

   

   Today, you'll have a lovely train ride from Prague to Vienna. As there are a number of trains running throughout the day, you can depart either in the morning or the afternoon for the roughly 5-hour trip. We'll arrange standard class tickets based on the train time of your choice and have a driver transfer you from your accommodation to the Prague train station. We can also arrange first class tickets for an additional fee though in our experience there is little difference, other than proximity to the dining car if available, between the two types of carriage. If you'd like a bit more comfort and flexibility, a private transfer can be arranged for an additional fee. This will save a bit of travel time and offers door-to-door service. You would also have the option of stopping for lunch and to taste the local wines in Mikulov, in the heart of the Moravian wine region close to the border with Austria.

   

   You can upgrade your transfer

   Vienna by Private Transfer with a Stop in Wachau

   Upgrade for an additional cost

   Vienna is a timeless city of high culture, grand cafes, breathtaking architecture and more, all set on the banks of the majestic Danube River. The moment you set foot in the city you’ll see why Vienna’s center is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Often regarded as the world capital of music, Vienna is the place where Beethoven and Mozart made history. Even today a visit to the opera or a classical music performance at one of the city’s sublime concert halls is an unforgettable experience. Stephansplatz, Vienna's main square, is dominated by the impressive eponymous gothic St. Stephen's Cathedral. Inside you’ll find a rich collection of artistic treasures, and the view from the tower is well worth the climb, offering amazing views over the city. But the cathedral is only one of the most visible attractions in Vienna. You won’t want to miss the magnificent Schonbrunn Palace and the imperial Hofburg Palace. Explore the city on foot, in a car, or by bike: the choice is yours. If you’d like to go farther afield you can even take a river cruise to nearby Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, or a bike trip to local wineries. But you don’t have to leave Vienna to have a wonderful time. Simply strolling through the pedestrian zones in the city center and stopping for a coffee and a slice of cake make for a truly enjoyable vacation.

   A driver will greet you at Vienna's Hauptbahnhof Train Station and take you to your accommodations.

   Visit a Traditional Wine Tavern

   Have you just arrived and are ready to discover? Vienna's layout is based on Paris', with a system of grand boulevards and avenues that make it hard to get lost, so venture down one of its rings and start making discoveries! When it's time for a break, visit a "heuriger." These traditional taverns exclusively offer local wines, generally produced themselves earlier in the same year, alongside classic local dishes, and some even have musical entertainment. Your local JayWay contact will recommend several places to visit, based on the time of year.

   Suggestion to explore on your own

5. Day 5 Your First Full Day in Vienna

   

   Vienna Private Walking Tour

   Map out Vienna's Old Town with an insider! The personalized route starts from your hotel and takes you to all the must see sights of the Austrian capital. You'll enjoy a pleasant walk through the Hofburg (Imperial Palace) and its gardens, along the famous Ring Street, then passing by and entering magnificent ecclesiastic edifices like the Stephansdom. The tour will be spiced with stories, fun facts, and recommendations for places to eat, drink, and explore further. By the end, you'll feel like a local.

   • Activity Level : Light
   • Duration : 2 hours 30 minutes

   Included in your vacation package price

   

   Touch History and Culture in Vienna

   If you want to get a taste of art and culture in Vienna, the MuseumsQuartier Wien (Vienna's museum quarter) should be your destination of choice. With more than a dozen museums ranging from the old and dusty to the young and avant-garde, this is the neighborhood that packs a lifetime of local culture into a few compact streets. It’s worth heading over to wander and window shop. You’re certain to find a museum or specific exhibition that suits you. For exhibitions, opening hours, and tickets, visit the website: https://www.mqw.at/en/

   Suggestion to explore on your own

   

   Schonbrunn Palace Self-Guided Grand Tour

   The Schönbrunn Palace sits atop many people's list of must-see sights within Vienna. Join the self-guided Grand Tour and learn about the lives of the royals who lived within the Schönbrunn's walls with skip-the-line tickets, which come with a 60-minute audio guide tour and entrance to 40 rooms. After the tour we recommend continuing to explore the palace's sprawling grounds on your own.
   

   • Activity Level : Easy
   • Duration : 50 minutes

   Included in your vacation package price

6. Day 6 Traveling to Budapest by Train / Arrival in Budapest

   

   You'll go from one imperial city to another today by train. Your next stop is bewitching Budapest. There are a number of trains daily between Vienna and Budapest so we'll book second class tickets with seat reservations based on your preferred departure time. First-class tickets are also possible for an additional fee. A driver will pick you up at your accommodations in Vienna and take you to the train station. If you'd prefer the comfort of door-to-door service as well as the opportunity to see another capital city along the way we can arrange for a private driver to take you instead. On the way, you can stop for a few hours in the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava.

   

   You can upgrade your transfer

   Budapest by Private Transfer with a Stop at the Korda Filmpark

   Upgrade for an additional cost

   The Paris of Central Europe, Budapest is the Queen of the Danube, a sprawling, regal city split in two halves by the mighty river. The city’s two UNESCO-listed halves, ancient Buda and modern Pest both have their charms and are linked by numerous picturesque bridges. From the Buda Castle to the Danube Embankment and the sprawling Andrassy Avenue, with its impressive architecture, there is plenty to keep you busy here, exploring and discovering this atmospheric city. It’s a little too big to explore only on foot, but the Pest side of the city is well laid out with broad avenues of the Parisian system, so it’s hard to get lost, and the public transportation, including the world's second oldest subway system, works well. Budapest has all the charm of Western Europe at a fraction of the price. Here you can taste excellent wines produced throughout the region, and even enjoy Michelin-star dining in various locations. We can offer you more than enough exciting activities in the city, from a visit to the incredible Parliament building to a boat cruise with dinner, or an exploration of Budapest’s communist past. The city also has a rich Jewish heritage, so you’ll find the perfect balance of history and modern culture here. Voted Best City in Europe in 2013 by Condé Nast Traveler readers and a regular in their top 3, Budapest really is a special city with activities to cater to every interest.

   When you arrive at Budapest’s Keleti Train Station, there will be a driver there to meet you and bring you to your accommodation located in Budapest's city center.

7. Day 7 Your First Full Day in Budapest

   

   Pest Private Walking Tour

   When arriving at a new capital for the first time, it's best to have a knowledgeable local show you around. On this tour, an expert local guide will take you around the Pest side of Budapest, home to most of the city's landmarks and history, showing you not just the big-name sights, but introducing you into the everyday lives of the city's citizens.

   • Activity Level : Moderate
   • Duration : 3 hours

   Included in your vacation package price

   

   Budapest Market, Food, and Coffee Private Tour

   One of the best - and definitely a must - tours in Budapest if you consider yourself a foodie or would just simply like to have some delicious Hungarian food. Your guide will show some truly amazing local places, such as the Great Market Hall, a Hungarian restaurant and of course a beautiful coffeeshop.

   • Activity Level : Moderate
   • Duration : 4 hours

   Please ask your travel advisor for the cost to add this to your package

   Watch the video

   

   Bathe with the Locals

   Is there anything more quintessentially Budapest than a visit to one of the legendary baths? With more hot springs than any other capital, the city lets you take your pick of various styles, from the old school Turkish Rudas Baths to the Art Nouveau Gellert Baths on the Buda side of the city, or even the Neo-Baroque Szechenyi Baths with a large outdoor pool in Pest’s City Park. These are very much for locals, don't expect day-spa luxury! We've written a handy roundup of Budapest's best baths here.
   

   Suggestion to explore on your own

   

   Evening Sightseeing Group Cruise

   You're invited for a panoramic boat ride at night, when the city will be beautifully lit up for your pleasure. Glass in hand, you will be able to experience how the legends of Budapest come alive. Look behind the walls of the Royal Palace, the Parliament, the bridges, and other splendid sights all bathed in light.

   • Activity Level : Easy
   • Duration : 1 hour

   Included in your vacation package price

8. Day 8 Departure Day

   A driver will meet you at your accommodation to take you to the airport for your departing flight.