DAY    3            BUDAPEST
This morning we explore the hill town of Buda, which grew up around its castle; today this are is known as the Castle District.  We begin with a Walking Tour through the Old Town, exploring the cobbled streets and squares.  Highlights will include: the State Archives, Lord’s Street, Mihaly Tancsics Street, and Holy Trinity Square.  We continue with a visit to Matthias Church.  Officially named the Church of Our Lady, it is the symbol of Buda's Castle District.  The last two Hungarian kings (Habsburgs) were crowned in the church: Franz Joseph in 1867 and Charles IV in 1916.  The church interior is decorated with works of two outstanding 19th-century Hungarian painters, Károly Lotz and Bertalan Székely.  We continue our morning to nearby Fisherman’s Bastion, where we will view the Grand Equestrian Monument of King Stephen.  Our afternoon commences in Heroes’ Square, where we will view the Millennium Monument, built in 1896 to commemorate the 1000-year anniversary of Hungary’s history.
 

· Your First Concert Performance will be today

DAY    4            BUDAPEST - KRAKOW (2 NIGHTS)
After making our way to Krakow today and checking into our hotel our sightseeing will begin in the Old Quarter, focusing on the huge market square filled with cafes, shops, antique dealers, and restaurants.  On the square we will view City Hall Tower, Cloth Hall - a beautiful Renaissance building that is part of the National Museum - and the Churches of St. Barbara and St. Wojciech.  Next we will visit the Church of St. Mary an imposing church that was built by the citizens of Krakow to rival the Cathedral on the Wawel.  It is highlighted by the Hejnal Tower, the Crucifix, the Altar of the Virgin and the Ciborium.

DAY    5            KRAKOW
Today we make our way to Krakow, one of the most beautiful cities in Poland and all of Europe.  Our sightseeing begins as we explore Wawel Hill, which has been at the heart of Poland’s history since 1000 AD when the bishopric of Krakow was established.  We begin with a visit to the Royal Castle, the seat of Poland's kings from the eleventh to the early seventeenth century.  Our visit will include the Royal Chambers, the CrownTreasury and Armory, the Lost Wawel Exhibit, and the Dragon's Den.  Time permitting, we continue with a visit to the Gothic Wawel Cathedral, one of the most important churches in Poland and the burial place of almost all of Poland’s monarchs.

DAY    6            KRAKOW - AUSCHWITZ - BRNO AREA (1 NIGHT)
This morning we will take a tour of Auschwitz and Birkenau, the largest and most efficient of the Nazi death camps.  Our tour will include the Museum and a Documentary Film, followed by a short shuttle to Birkenau, where we will view the remains of the death camp and the moving Memorial to all those who died in the Auschwitz system.  We continue to our hotel in the Brno area, just over the border into the Czech Republic.

DAY    7            BRNO AREA - PRAGUE (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we travel to Prague, the magnificent and historic capital city of the Czech Republic.  Our afternoon commences in the Little Quarter, where we begin with a visit to the Church of St. Nicholas, an 18th century Baroque masterpiece featuring statues, frescoes and paintings by the leading artists of the day.  Our morning continues as we stroll across Charles Bridge on our way to the winding alleys of Old Town.  Charles Bridge, Prague’s most familiar monument, is a haven for crafts and trinket stalls and features spectacular statues of the Saints lining each side.  Our tour of the Bridge concludes with a visit to Old Town Bridge Tower, where we can ascend to the viewing gallery for magnificent views of Prague Castle and the Little Quarter.  In the Old Town Square, we will congregate in front of Old Town Hall's Astronomical Clock to watch the glockenspiel spectacle.  In addition, we will have the opportunity to climb to the top of the Old Town Hall Tower for a panoramic view of the city.

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DAY    8        PRAGUE

Our morning begins as we explore the huge hilltop complex known collectively as Prague Castle; it encompasses dozens of houses, towers, churches, courtyards, and monuments.  We begin with a visit to St. Vitus Cathedral, the dominant and the most historically important section of the castle complex.  The massive Gothic cathedral features 21 chapels, with St. Wenceslas Chapel being the most important.  During our walk through the complex, we will stroll along the Golden Lane, a picturesque street of tiny 16th century houses built into the castle fortifications, and view Powder Tower, White Tower, Lobkowitz Palace, St. George’s Convent, before visiting the Royal Palace, where for more than 700 years, beginning in the 9th century, Bohemian kings and princes resided.  Our visit will include the Vaulted Vladislav Hall, where coronations were hosted and Václav Havel was inaugurated president.  The adjacent Diet was where kings and queens met with their advisers and where the supreme court was held.  From a window in the Ludwig Wing, where the Bohemia Chancellery met, the Second Defenestration took place.

DAY    10       DEPARTURE FROM PRAGUE
Your enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an end as your tour manager/guide accompanies you to the airport for the return flight home.