EASTERN EUROPE

FEATURES TO WHET YOUR APPETITE

1.    Make a musical pilgrimage to Mozart's Birthplace in Salzburg, Austria from where he made a memorable performing tour of the great cities of Europe when he was between six and ten years old.

2.    Wander through the steep streets of the lakeside village of Hallstatt in the mountainous Salzkammergut region of Austria and witness at first hand the breathtaking beauty of this region.

3.    Attend a parade at Vienna's world-renowned Spanish Riding School where you will see the Lippizaner horses with their gleaming, white coats perform the quadrille, the gavotte, the polka and the slow waltz.

4.    Explore the narrow streets of Budapest, Hungary's capital city on the banks of the Danube and get a taste of the spicy local specialities and the czardas music.

5.    Visit the High Tatras for breathtaking vistas of the Slovak mountains, towns and castles.

6.    Pay your respects at Auschwitz, the famous World War II death camp.

7.    Visit the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, one of the world's largest museums, and decide which of its three million exhibits you would like to see.

8.    Take in an evening performance at the Bolshoi Opera or Ballet which, despite the economic and cultural stagnation of the Communist years, performed to a standard unsurpassed anywhere in the world.

9.    Descend into the bowels of the earth and explore the underground chambers, caves, chapels and statues carved from salt in the mine at Wieliczka in Poland.

10.    Stroll down the streets of thousand year old Prague, the capital city of a hundred spires, where a rich blend of architecture tells the story of the centuries and where the old, cobbled streets are now filled with new boutiques outdoor cafes and shops.