SHORT ITINERARY
DAY 1: VIENNA – tour starts
DAY 2: VIENNA – SCHOENBRUNN PALACE
DAY 4: GRAZ – MARIBOR – LJUBLJANA
DAY 5: LJUBLJANA – BLED – BOHINJ – LJUBLJANA
DAY 6: LJUBLJANA – POSTOJNA CAVE – PREDJAMA CASTLE - LJUBLJANA
DAY 8: LJUBLJANA – MARIBOR – HEVIZ, HUNGARY
DAY 9: HEVIZ – TIHANY – BUDAPEST
DAY 10: BUDAPEST TWIN CITY
ABOUT THIS TOUR
Country: Austria, Slovenia, Hungary
Duration: 11 days / 10 nights
Type of Travel: escorted, with local guides
Group Size: maximum 8 (van), maximum 26 (public bus tour)
Recommended for: families with older children, couples, individuals, friends
Transportation: modern A/C van or tour bus
Inclusive: main entrance fees
Accommodation: 4* or 3* hotels
Meals: 10 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners, wine tasting, beer tasting
Physical Rating:
DETAILED ITINERARY
DAY 1: VIENNA – tour starts
Welcome to Vienna, the capital of Austria! A vibrant city with baroque streetscapes, imperial palaces, art and design, musical masterpieces and coffee-house culture.
Arrival to your hotel and time to freshen up. In the evening meet your Tour guide at your hotel for orientation briefing, followed by a lovely welcome dinner.
Meals: dinner
Overnight: Vienna
DAY 2: VIENNA – SCHOENBRUNN PALACE
Start your day with an orientation walk of the old town that once was surrounded and protected by the city walls. See St. Stephen’s Cathedral – one of Europe’s great Gothic structures, stroll on Kärntnerstrasse and perhaps stop in the famous Sacher hotel, where even more famous Sacher chocolate cake was invented. Free time for lunch. Get your camera ready for a circuit of the famous Ring Road. This grand boulevard is built along the lines of the old city walls and showcases many of the capital’s architectural masterpieces, including the Opera House and magnificent Hofburg Imperial Residence. Next is a visit and magnificent tour of the Schoenbrunn Palace. The site of the Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn is outstanding as one of the most impressive and well preserved Baroque ensembles of its kind in Europe. A small hunting lodge and later summer residence of the Habsburg family became a symbol of the power and influence of the House of Habsburg over a long period of European history, from the end of the 17th to the early 20th century. Free time to explore the gardens where you can visit Europe’s oldest ZOO or get lost in Maze & Labyrinth. A walk away there is also a Technical museum of Vienna. Drive back to historical city center, you can visit Imperial Palace (Hofburg), State Opera House, art museum Albertina, or a City Hall. Maybe you want to see Vienna from panoramic wheel Wiener Riesenrad or have some fun at amusement park Prater. Evening at leisure.
Meals: breakfast
Overnight: Vienna
DAY 3: VIENNA - THAL (ARNIE’S VILLAGE) - GRAZ
Before departing Vienna to Graz, stop to see a unique work of architectural art – colourful Hundertwasser house, an architecture style so different and fun but still very livable. Continue towards Thal, a village known as a birthplace of Arnold Schwarzenegger. “I’ll be back.” Hardly anyone could fail to recognize Arnold Schwarzenegger’s famous line. Even though he doesn’t actually come back in person that often, nevertheless you can gain an intimate insight into the childhood and career of this international star at the Arnold-Schwarzenegger Museum, located at his place of birth in Thal near Graz. The beautiful building was constructed in 1806 and is the original forester’s lodge of the Count of Herberstein and Eggenberg. Followed by lunch. Afternoon arrival to a nearby city of Graz, the second-largest city in Austria after Vienna. For centuries, Graz was more important to Slovenes, both politically and culturally, than the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana and strong ties remained to this day. Have a walk through Graz’s historic center, one of the best-preserved ones in Central Europe and learn about this UNESCO listed city which is boosting with another title from 2008 – City of Culinary Delights. Evening at leisure.
Meals: breakfast, lunch
Overnight: Graz
DAY 4: GRAZ – MARIBOR – LJUBLJANA
Depart from Graz to Ljubljana. Stop in Slovenia’s second largest city, Maribor; European Capital of Culture of 2012. Maribor is a home of the oldest – 400 years old – vine in the world. We will have a lovely stroll through this city of wine, friendly people, great sights and monuments before we get to our final destination of the tour – Ljubljana. Centrally located capital city of Slovenia has a feel of metropolis with small-town friendliness. With over 50,000 students it is a city with a young vibe and great respect for seniors. With over 10,000 cultural events that take place in the city every year, Ljubljana is called a city of culture. Boosting with a rich history; from the legacy of Roman Emona; through to the Renaissance, Baroque and Art Nouveau to modern Ljubljana that was shaped by the strong personal style of Jože Plečnik, it is also a home of one of the oldest philharmonic orchestra in the world. By arrival to Ljubljana, we take you on a culinary journey of Slovenian food and drinks. Our excellent graded Slovenian food & wine city walk in Ljubljana includes a selection of Slovenian typical dishes and wines. Along with tastings in different restaurants, we will visit Ljubljana’s best features like Plecnik’s Triple bridge, baroque St. Nicholas Cathedral, Renaissance City hall and Art Nouveau street. We will not let you leave hungry of food nor information.
Meals: breakfast, dinner (replaced by several tastings)
Overnight: Ljubljana
DAY 5: LJUBLJANA - BLED - BOHINJ - LJUBLJANA
Start your day excursion to the sunny side of the Julian Alps. Enjoy a picturesque hike in a 1,6 km/1 mi long Vintgar gorge* which carves its way through the vertical rocks and is graced with waterfalls, pools and rapids. A short bus ride brings us to the shores of the beautiful glacial lake of Bled surrounded by the Julian Alps. This place is a nature escape for those searching peace and fresh mountain air. To step back in time, we will visit a typical medieval gothic Bled castle built on 130 m/426 feet high cliff. Optional visit to the tiny island of Lake Bled in the middle of the lake is possible with a traditional wooden rowing boat called pletna. In the island’s church, you can ring a bell of wishes, a tradition, that is most possibly 500 years old. Let’s explore deeper in Triglav National Park and drive through picturesque alpine villages and pastures full of hayracks to the biggest Slovenian lake – Bohinj. Optional cable car ride to Mt. Vogel** where you will be rewarded with astonishing views of mountain peaks and lake Bohinj on your palm. If you decide to get a lift above the clouds, let us give you a hint: Lunch up there tastes even better!
Meals: breakfast
Overnight: Ljubljana
*Vintgar gorge is open to visitors from Easter time until November 1st.
**Mount Vogel visit is weather permitted.
DAY 6: LJUBLJANA - POSTOJNA CAVE - PREDJAMA CASTLE - LJUBLJANA
Today we will take you to the home of baby dragons and knights. It sounds like a fairytale, right? Number one visited attraction in Slovenia is the Queen of the caves – Postojna cave. It is a system of chambers, halls and passages that you enter by open train which adds to the experience of depths and adventure. Countless stalagmite and stalactite formations are lit well enough even to take pictures. You will hear about Slovenia’s most unusual creature that we are fond of and call a human fish. A short drive away there is one of a kind, the Renaissance-style Predjama castle which has a reputation for being the most hunted castle in Europe. It is nestled in the mouth of a cave and is set within a 123-meter-tall (404 feet) rock face. Let us walk you through the story of chateau’s famous resident knight Erazem Lueger. Drive back to the capital to learn more about beer making in the city’s largest brewery and its museum and enjoy the best part of the process; beer tasting*. Traditional lunch that will compliment brewer’s nectar, is included in this beer experience.
Meals: breakfast, lunch and beer tasting
Overnight: Ljubljana
*for beer tasting you need to be minimum 18 years old. On Sundays and public holidays brewery is closed and will be replaced by tasting in suitable pub/bar.
DAY 7: LJUBLJANA – SKOCJAN CAVES – PIRAN - LJUBLJANA
Morning start to a place that looks like something out of The Lord of the Rings. Skocjan caves are a UNESCO protected site. The real attraction here is the largest underground cavern in all of Europe. What steals the show from other caves are spectacular views from many footbridges overlooking underground canyon and the underground river flowing inside the cave. As you walk along, you have to remind yourself that what you see is real. Lunch in traditional Karst tavern. On the way to the coast, we shortly stop in Lipica stud farm, home to almost 400 Lipizzaner horses, nourishing a tradition of over 400 years. Photo stop in the edge of Karst that offers views over Slovenian coast and Italian town of Trieste. On the coast is the town of Piran where Venetian Republic has left its legacy that one can feel in narrow winding streets, houses huddled close together, beautiful squares and churches. Enjoy some free time wandering around this well preserved medieval town with cafes and ‘gelaterias’ lined on the seaside promenade. Head back to Ljubljana and enjoy an evening at leisure.
Meals: breakfast, traditional Karst lunch
Overnight: Ljubljana
DAY 8: LJUBLJANA – MARIBOR – HEVIZ, HUNGARY
Depart from Ljubljana to Heviz in Hungary. Stop in Slovenia’s second largest city, Maribor; European Capital of Culture of 2012. Maribor is a home of the oldest – 400 years old – vine in the world. We will have a lovely stroll through this city of wine, friendly people, great sights and monuments before we get to Heviz. Heviz, your miniature spa paradise for the rest of the day. The town of Heviz is located near Lake Heviz, the world’s second-largest thermal lake. The water breaks out from a spring cave, with a temperature of 40 °C (104 °F) and even on the coldest winter days doesn’t drop below 24 °C (75 °F). That makes bathing in the lake possible year round. The lake’s healing properties have been well known for centuries, people lived here even at the end of the Stone Age, but foundations of bath culture were laid by the Romans in the 2nd century. The city and the bath began developing significantly in the 18th century, related to the Festetics family, who started scientific research about using the water for healing. Afternoon at leisure, perhaps try out the healing powers of thermal waters and later in the evening enjoy a lovely welcome dinner at your hotel.
Meals: breakfast, dinner
Overnight: Heviz
DAY 9: HEVIZ – TIHANY – BUDAPEST
Depart from Heviz to Budapest with a stop at Tihany. Lake Balaton is the essence of Hungarian rural beauty. Hungary’s version of Provance. You will enjoy the scenic ride while passing tiny villages with century-old whitewashed houses and admire amazing formations of nature. Visit the pearl of Balaton, Tihany Peninsula. Thanks to the special attributes of its landscape, its geological specifics, its diverse flora and fauna, it was the first designated landscape protection area of the country. Visit Tihany Abbey, a Benedictine monastery established at Tihany in the Kingdom of Hungary almost 1000 years ago. Some free time and continue to Budapest.
Welcome to Budapest, the capital of Hungary! ‘Few European cities can rival Budapest’s glorious setting astride the Danube river. Its two sides, Buda and Pest, were separate cities until 1873, and they retain their own distinct identities, the former run through with ancient history, the latter noisier, earthier and more cosmopolitan. In Buda you’ll find royal palaces, Ottoman-era spas and wooded hills, while over in Pest you can pore over a clutch of fine museums, fantastic art nouveau buildings and a resurgent Jewish quarter.’, says The Guardian.
In the evening you can enjoy a dinner cruise on the river Danube (optional).
Meals: breakfast
Overnight: Budapest
DAY 10: BUDAPEST TWIN CITY
Start your day with a panoramic drive in Hungary’s lovely capital, UNESCO listed Budapest, featuring the historic Buda Castle District, where you can take a photo at Fisherman’s Bastion and the 500-year-old St. Matthias Church. Cross Danube river, pass Hungarian State Opera House and the neo-classical structure of St. Stephen’s Basilica, one of the two tallest buildings in Budapest. Continue to Heroes’ Square. There you’ll see the impressive statues of Hungary’s most important national leaders. After taking a walk through the City Park, beloved by locals and visitors alike, you’ll come to the Vajdahunyad Castle, constructed in 1896 as part of the Millennial Exhibition, which celebrated 1,000 years since the Hungarian Conquest of the Carpathian Basin. Spend some time at Vaci Street, a strip well-known for its shops and trinkets. Maybe take a walk along the Danube Promenade, taking in the panorama of Gellert Hill and the Citadel, while snapping a photo of the Chain Bridge. Your local guide’s insight of the city and suggestions what to do in your free time will come in handy for afternoon/evening at leisure. We will raise our glasses with a farewell drink.
Meals: breakfast
Overnight: Budapest
DAY 11: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – tour ends
Safe travels!
Meals: breakfast
Note: If you need a transfer to the airport or want to continue with extension travel, let us know – we will handle everything for you. Take a look at our offer.
PRICE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE TRAVELLING | PRICE PER PERSON IN EUR |
1 | 6150 € |
2 | 3650 € |
3 | 2950 € |
4 | 2500 € |
5 | 2250 € |
6 | 2100 € |
7 | 1950 € |
8 | 1850 € |
Included in the price:
- Small groups of maximum 8 travellers
- All transfers and sightseeing per itinerary in modern air-conditioned vehicles
- 10 nights First Class accommodation (2 nights in Vienna, 1 night in Graz, 4 nights in Ljubljana, 1 night in Heviz, 2 nights in Budapest)
- City hotel taxes, tourist taxes
- Hotel porterage
- Meals: 10 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners; including welcome dinner in Vienna and Slovenian food & wine city walk in Ljubljana with 5 food tastings and 4 different wines, small wine tasting, beer tasting
- Entrance fees: Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum, Schoenbrunn Palace, Vintgar gorge, Bled castle, Postojna cave, Predjama castle, Brewery museum*, Skocjan caves, Tihany Abbey
- Services of local English-speaking tour guide throughout
- Comprehensive, guided sightseeing
- Active itinerary with unique features
*Brewery museum is closed on Sundays and public holidays and will be replaced by suitable pub/bar
Not included in the price:
- Transfer from/to the airport (from 29 EUR per person one way)
- Optional dinner cruise on the Danube from 52 euro; approx. 2 hours, open buffet dinner, live music entertainment, welcome drinks and 2 further drinks (glass of wine/juice/bottle of mineral water)
- Everything that is not listed in the ‘Included in the price’ sector
- Personal expenses (meals, drinks, shopping etc.)
- Gratuities
- Supplement for single room from 565 EUR (per person per tour)
Pick up:
By itinerary in the program.
Accommodation:
- Vienna: Hotel City Central 4* or similar
- Graz: Hotel Weitzer Graz 4* or similar
- Ljubljana: Central Hotel 4* or Hotel Galleria 4* or Allegro Hotel 4* or similar
- Heviz: Palace Hotel Hévíz 4* or similar
- Budapest: NH Budapest city 4* or similar
Note: 5* star hotels upon request
from 1850 eur
click HERE to see our dates & prices
Included in the price:
- Small groups of maximum 26 travellers
- All transfers and sightseeing per itinerary in modern air-conditioned vehicles
- 10 nights First Class accommodation (2 nights in Vienna, 1 night in Graz, 4 nights in Ljubljana, 1 night in Heviz, 2 nights in Budapest)
- City hotel taxes, tourist taxes
- Hotel porterage
- Meals: 10 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners; including welcome dinner in Vienna and Slovenian food & wine city walk in Ljubljana with 5 food tastings and 4 different wines, small wine tasting, beer tasting
- Entrance fees: Arnold Schwarzenegger museum, Schoenbrunn palace, Vintgar gorge, Bled castle, Postojna cave, Predjama castle, Brewery museum*, Skocjan caves, Tihany Abbey
- Services of local English-speaking tour guide throughout
- Comprehensive, guided sightseeing
- Active itinerary with unique features
*Brewery museum is closed on Sundays and public holidays and will be replaced by suitable pub/bar or other brewery
Not included in the price:
- Transfer from/to the airport (from 29 EUR per person one way)
- Optional dinner cruise on Danube from 52 euro; approx. 2 hours, open buffet dinner, live music entertainment, welcome drinks and 2 further drinks (glass of wine/juice/bottle of mineral water)
- Everything that is not listed in the ‘Included in the price’ sector
- Personal expenses (meals, drinks, shopping etc.)
- Gratuities
- Supplement for single room from 565 EUR (per person per tour)
Pick up:
By itinerary in the program.
Accommodation:
- Vienna: Hotel City Central 4* or similar
- Graz: Hotel Weitzer Graz 4* or similar
- Ljubljana: Central Hotel 4* or Hotel Galleria 4* or Allegro Hotel 4* or similar
- Heviz: Palace Hotel Hévíz 4* or similar
- Budapest: NH Budapest city 4* or similar
Note: 5* star hotels upon request
You are welcome to contact us.
We are flexible in adjusting program to your needs.
Suggestions: traditional meals, wine tastings, visit of museums, sports activities, hikes etc.
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