Eastern Highlights Christmas & New Year

Welcome to Munich! Arrive at the hotel this morning and meet your Expat Explore tour leader. A city that exhibits both prosperity and a certain amount of comfort and cosiness, Munich’s apparent contradictions will delight the avid explorer. Along with modern high-powered industry, designer shopping districts and sleek BMWs, Munich boasts a wealth of cultural hotspots. Even with all its smart sophistication, Munich has a certain charm that visitors find irresistible. Embark on an orientation tour before enjoying some free time to explore. This evening, visit a traditional German beer hall to get a taste of German food and culture.

Munich orientation tour: Explore Munich with your tour leader on an orientation tour. Learn more about this wonderful German city and see highlights like Karlsplatz and Marienplatz.

Dinner in a German beer hall: Say “prost!” to the first night of the tour! Eat and drink like the locals do in a traditional German beer hall. Try classic German cuisine and sip on German beer.

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Hop on board the coach today and journey towards Prague. Stop off in Nuremberg on the way. This is Bavaria’s second-largest city, home to incredible architecture which was painstakingly restored using original stone after the bombings of WW2. Enjoy an orientation tour with your tour leader before free time for lunch. Arrive in Prague this evening and discover a truly beautiful city, boasting elaborate Baroque, Gothic, Art Nouveau and Cubist architecture, as well as quirky bars, cobbled lanes and courtyards. Experience authentic Czech cuisine at a local restaurant for dinner. Get in the festive spirit, it's Christmas Eve!

Visit Nuremberg: Enjoy an orientation tour in Bavaria’s second-largest city. See the medieval castle and get a chance to explore the Old Town and shop at the Christmas markets in the town square.

Christmas Eve Dinner in Prague: Experience authentic Czech cuisine at a local restaurant on the first night in Prague. Take the option to try some famous Czech beer and toast to Christmas Eve on tour!

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Merry Christmas! Start the day with a walking tour and follow an expert local guide to see all the must-see sights in Prague. The rest of the day is free to explore as you wish. Be sure to visit one of the finest Christmas markets in Europe which is held in Prague’s historic Old Town Square. Alternatively, join the Prague+ optional excursion to explore this magical city in depth. This excursion includes a visit to the Mala Strana neighbourhood, a lunch cruise on the Vltava River and a guided tour of the Prague Castle! Tonight, why not celebrate Christmas with an optional traditional Czech folk music show? Indulge in a traditional four-course dinner while enjoying a vibrant music and dance performance!

Prague Guided Tour: Start off Christmas Day with a guided tour of Prague! A local guide will highlight all of the must-see sights and top attractions such as Charles Bridge and Old Town Square, while sharing insights into this incredible Bohemian city!

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Leaving Prague this morning, continue on to Krakow. The royal capital of Poland for centuries, today Krakow is home to some of Europe’s most impressive Gothic and Renaissance architecture – and over 2.3 million artworks to complement its historic buildings and monuments. Enjoy a walking tour of the city with your tour leader. Discover some of the main sights and get some ideas of what to explore further during the free day tomorrow. Dinner will be served at the hotel tonight.

Krakow walking tour: A real gem of Eastern Europe, Krakow has been the royal capital of Poland for some 500 years. Take a walking tour of the city and delight in some of Europe’s most impressive Gothic and Renaissance architecture.

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The day is yours to explore the city further if you wish. Why not take an optional excursion to the Wieliczka Salt Mine? Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the mine dates back to the Middle Ages and is a fascinating look at the area’s history. Descending underground, walk through 2km of tunnels, chapels, reliefs and freestanding sculptures carved from salt rock walls; along with underground lakes and archaeological displays. Today also offers the opportunity to revisit a tragic part of history at Auschwitz. Alternatively, explore on your own and discover the renaissance cloth hall in the main market square, the Old Town, Kazimierz and the Wawel Castle, or sample the local cuisine! Enjoy dinner at the hotel tonight.

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On the way to Budapest, stop in Banska Bystrica in Slovakia, a picturesque town with beautiful buildings dating back to the late Middle Ages. Then it's off to Budapest, the Hungarian capital. Blessed with natural beauty (it straddles the Danube River) as well as Baroque, Neoclassical and Art Nouveau architecture, this is a city to behold! Get a good overview on a driving tour upon arrival. See the Houses of Parliament and drive along the river admiring the city – take note of spots to revisit tomorrow on the free day tomorrow. Tonight’s meal is at a local restaurant, so savour the chance to try some of the local cuisine!

Visit Banska Bystrica: Enjoy a comfort stop in Banska Bystrica in Slovakia. See the Old Town square and admire its historic architecture, some of which dates back to the late Middle Ages.

Budapest driving tour: Meet up with a local guide for a driving tour of the city and point out all the best-loved sights. Learn more about Hungarian culture, language and the city's fascinating history. Drink in incredible views from atop Gellert Hill and the Citadel, and make a stop at Heroes Square. Get an eyeful of other must-see attractions like the Hungarian Parliament Building, St Stephen's Basilica, the State Opera, the castle district, and more.

Dinner in Budapest: Savour local Hungarian flavours at one of Budapest’s best restaurants!

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Budapest is a widely-loved travel destination and today’s free day is your chance to find out why! The city itself is a feast for the senses. See traces of the past in the striking architecture. Take a dip in one of the city’s famous bathhouses and soak in the thermal waters which will warm you up even in the chill of winter - Széchenyi and Gellért are two of the most famous! Stroll through sprawling parks and wander along the Danube riverside which are beautiful in the colder seasons. Visit local Christmas markets to try Hungarian food and wine, enjoying the sights, smells and tastes and you go. Tonight, choose to see Budapest from the water on an optional Danube Evening Cruise!

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Leave Budapest this morning and head for Vienna, stopping first in Bratislava. Your tour leader will take the group on an orientation tour to see some of the main sights, including a glimpse of Bratislava Castle, which overlooks the city. On arrival in Vienna, embark on a driving tour. Along with a musical past that includes luminaries like Mozart and Beethoven, Vienna has a buzzing modern culinary scene, cheerful, bustling pubs and bars, and a host of clubs and music venues in which to dance the night away. After the driving tour, enjoy an included dinner in a Viennese wine cellar! Afterwards, enjoy the option of attending a classical music concert.

Bratislava orientation tour: Join your tour leader on an orientation tour to see some of the landmarks and historic sights of the city, including a photo stop at Bratislava Castle, which overlooks the city.

Walking and driving tour of Vienna: Vienna is known as the 'City of Music’ due to its classical heritage and the prodigies that worked there including Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms to name a few. The tour starts at the Golden Mile on the RingStrasse (Parliament, City Hall, Burgtheater). Then, discover the courtyards and passages around the Hofburg (Imperial Castle) and St. Stephen’s Cathedral which is Vienna’s geographic and historic centre.

Dinner in a Viennese wine cellar: Enjoy dinner in a special location tonight! Tuck into a delicious meal in a historic Viennese wine cellar.

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Leaving Vienna behind, head for Ljubljana, stopping in the beautiful city of Graz with some free time to explore. On arrival in Ljubljana, embark on a walking tour of this little gem of a city. Despite its small size, you’re sure to be entranced by the beauty of this city, which features a wealth of cultures, activities and sights. Ljubljana Castle overlooks the city, and dates back to the 16th century. Tonight, ring in the New Year! Ljubljana's open-air celebrations are held throughout the city in public squares, with live music and events, before a beautiful fireworks display is launched from the castle hill as the clock strikes midnight.

Visit Graz: Visit this bustling city and enjoy an orientation tour of Austria’s second-largest city with your tour leader. Graz is home to a charming Old Town, palaces and forts coupled with intriguing contemporary art.

Ljubljana tour: Meet up with an expert local guide for a walking tour of the city. On foot, encounter the inimitable scenery of the medieval old town, Preseren Square, City Centre, the Riverfront, Dragon Bridge and Cobblers Bridge. When the formal tour is done, enjoy some time to explore. A visit to the 13th-century St. Nicholas Church (its Baroque architecture is truly spectacular) is highly recommended.

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Leaving Ljubljana behind, visit the spectacular Lake Bled. Take some time to wander around or try the famous Bled Cream Cake! Hop back on the coach and stop off in the picture-perfect city of Salzburg. Featuring gorgeous architecture, a formidable cliff-top fortress and imposing cliffs in the distance, this is a true fairytale city. This was also Mozart’s home-town - see if a little of the genius rubs off! Arriving back in Munich, the evening is free to spend as you wish. Relax in the hotel, go for dinner in a local restaurant, or even visit another beer hall with your new-found friends on the tour.

Visit Lake Bled: This beautiful lake in Slovenia is situated in the Julian Alps. The lake surrounds Bled Island located at its centre, and is overlooked by the medieval Bled Castle on the north shore. Enjoy some free time to explore this gorgeous area.

Salzburg comfort stop: Divided by the Salzach River, the west side of the centre is characterised by the medieval and baroque architecture of the World Heritage Listed Old City (Altstadt), which faces the 19th century New City (Neustadt). A fairytale castle overlooks the city upon a steep hill and against a background of scenic Alpine mountains.

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This Christmas and New Year adventure concludes in Munich after breakfast. Expat Explore hopes you've loved every minute of your Eastern Highlights tour, and wishes you a safe onward journey!