35 DAY Imperial Trail EEMERL-8

Transcription

1 35 DAY Imperial Trail EEMERL-8 This tour visits: Italy, Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands This may not be the fastest route from Rome to London, but it is quite possibly the most exciting. Just like a Roman emperor taking a tour of his Europe domain you will live it up amongst the very best travelling the east of the continent. Sail the Greek Med; wander medieval ramparts in the Balkans; roam amidst the gothic grandeur of Budapest and Prague; and cycle the wide boulevards of Berlin. And in between all that, treat yourself to all the scenery, culture and cuisine this fascinatingly varied Europe tour has to offer! The Bucket List More Inclusions Driving tour of Berlin Guided tour of former concentration camp Auschwitz- Birkenau 3 nights sailing in Greece Canal dinner cruise in Amsterdam Walking tour of Bratislava Sun, sea & party on Mykonos 34 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 14 dinners 7 nights in hotels, 17 nights in hostels, 3 nights sailing in Greece, 1 night in a bungalow at a European campsite, 5 nights in canvas cabins & 1 night in a cabin on an overnight ferry English Channel crossing Modern air conditioned coach with free Wi-Fi Guided tours of all major cities Awesome Trip Leader + Driver + On- Site Chefs

2 Trip Itinerary Day 1 - Rome, Italy Oh my, Rome time! Prepare to meet the group today and get excited, you're in one of the greatest cities in the world. If you arrive early, wander the streets and prepare for the next few days of adventure. -Walking tour of Rome Day 2 - Rome to Sailing in Greece via Overnight Ferry A road trip today: we're off to board our overnight ferry to Greece, the land of gyros and all things amazing. Play connect-the-dots with the stars or let the swell rock you to sleep tonight. Day 3 - Sailing in Greece Bring on three great days of sailing on the Ionian Sea. What's not to love? Learn the ropes, navigate through awe-inspiring islands then laze on board like the god or goddess that you are. -Lunch Day 4 - Sailing in Greece Free day in para-para-paradise. Loving it? We hope so! Soak up those rays and make the most of 50 shades of blue. Spin the compass and watch the world go by - remember, you're on sailing time so float on and relax. -Lunch Day 5 - Sailing in Greece Found your sea legs yet? Another day of turquoise water and diving off boats. You could probably get used to this. -Lunch

3 Day 6 - Sailing in Greece to Athens Back on land, stretch your legs and explore the cradle of civilization on a guided tour. Cue jaw drop at the Acropolis and Parthenon then grab some yiros or hit the sack. -Driving tour of Athens Day 7 - Athens to Mykonos Ferry over to Mykonos (aka 'that island with the cute windmills') for two nights of tropical bliss. Expect sun-soaked beaches, sinfully good local restaurants and a bustling nightlife. Day 8 - Mykonos The DJ is calling. Go forth and party. Day 9 - Mykonos Are you dreaming of another day in paradise? Great, you're in the right place. Soak up as much of this beautiful island as possible. Day 10 - Mykonos to Santorini Wave goodbye to Mykonos and try to contain your excitement as we arrive in Santorini - home to the world's best sunset. Day 11 - Santorini

4 Get ready for more rom-com-worthy landscapes and views to write home about. After dark, hit the taverns to mingle with the locals. Day 12 - Santorini to Athens Whip out your camera and snap one last shot of Santorini's postcard-worthy scenery. We're catching the ferry back to Athens for a final dose of ancient architecture and tragic myths. Day 13 - Athens Today is all about YOU! Spend it however you wish. Take the day to get lost and spend your evening searching for Greek grub and live entertainment at a traditional taverna. Day 14 - Athens to Meteora Leave your fear of heights in Athens. We're driving to Meteora, perched on the nail biting cliffs of Thessaly (Google it). Visit one of six remaining 14th century monasteries (out of 24) then round up the day with good friends, good food and some Facetiming. -Visit the cliffside monasteries of Meteora (entry not included) Day 15 - Meteora to Tirana, Albania What happens when you paint a former communist capital in vivid colours? According to Tirana's artist-turned mayor-turned TED speaker Edi Rama, people start paying taxes and crime rates plummet. True story. -Driving tour of Tirana with a local guide Day 16 - Tirana to Dubrovnik, Croatia via Budva, Montenegro Pit stop in Montenegro en route to Dubrovnik. Lots more stunning scenery gets pushed past the window as we head up the gorgeous coast and make for the most famous walled city in Europe. Wander Dubrovnik's tiny cobblestoned streets and explore hidden cafés and shops

5 before grabbing some dinner and checking out the glitzy nightlife. -Visit Budva -Walking tour of Dubrovnik with local guide Day 17 - Dubrovnik A free day in Dubrovnik for the win! Later, steal a cold beer on the wall as the sun sets over the Adriatic. This is the good life. Day 18 - Dubrovnik Are you a kayaker or a wall sitter? Today, you can do both. Jump on the optional kayaking day trip, or check out the residential homes further up in the old town for awesome views and a local perspective. Optional activities: -Sea kayaking around the Dubrovnik walls -Game of Thrones tour Day 19 - Dubrovnik to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Out of Dubrovnik and onwards to Sarajevo for a walking tour and a chance to get to know the A to Z of this town. -Walking tour of Sarajevo Optional activities: -Guided tour of The Sarajevo Tunnel Day 20 - Sarajevo to Belgrade, Serbia More of Eastern Europe's unique mix of glasnost and capitalism as we dig into Belgrade, capital of modern-day Serbia as well as the former Yugoslavia. Serbia's religious and political past has cultivated a diverse cultural landscape throughout the city. Today we visit the Srebrenica Memorial to pay our respects and for a sobering reminder of events past.

6 -Driving tour of Belgrade -Visit to Srebrenica Memorial Day 21 - Belgrade to Budapest, Hungary Hello, twin cities: Buda and Pest. Check out Hero's Square, Parliament House, the National Palace, Fisherman's Bastion and swanky Andrássy Ave. After gorging on cabbage rolls and dumplings, roll into bed. -Driving tour of Budapest Day 22 - Budapest Free day = Put down your Rubik's Cube and take on a city with enough baroque, neoclassical and art nouveau architecture to keep you puzzled for hours. Top tip: goulash is a MUST. Hot and dangerous (in a good way) this dish is the definition of 'Hungary'. Optional activities: cruise on the Danube Day 23 - Budapest to Vienna, Austria via Bratislava, Slovakia Today we move on to Vienna - but first, a pit stop at Bratislava, Slovakia. Later, pick your Baroque from Rococo as we slide into The City of Dreams (kudos, Freud!). The Vienna Orchestra provides the soundtrack while we check out Europe's classiest capital. Wave hello to the President as we go past the Hofburg Palace - and because one palace isn't enough, we also take a peek at the Schonbrunn. Top off your day with a search for schnitzels and apple strudel. -Walking tour of Bratislava -Driving tour of Vienna Optional activities: -A night at the Viennese Chamber Orchestra (dinner optional at an additional expense) Day 24 - Vienna to Krakow, Poland On to gothic Kraków to devour all the pierogi. Legend has it a dragon had to be defeated in order for Kraków to be built (with a sulphurstuffed lamb as bait).

7 -Walking tour of Kraków Optional activities: -Kraków pub crawl Day 25 - Krakow Miraculously untouched by the effects of war, this city boasts some serious Middle Ages swag and a quaint Old Town neighbourhood. Day 26 - Krakow to Prague, Czech Republic Learn more about the Holocaust at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Sombre, yes, but an important introduction to the region's history. Next: crack on to Prague. Welcome to a land of cheap beer and fairytale-like architecture. -Guided tour of former concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau -Walking tour of Prague Day 27 - Prague Channel your inner bohemian at the John Lennon memorial wall, soak up some Czech history at the National or Communist Museum or get a taste of the quirky local culture at a marionette puppet opera (you gotta see it to believe it). Still have time to kill? Snap a selfie at Prague's own Eiffel Tower, visit The Museum of Miniatures or eat roast pork from one of the street vendors lining Old Town Square. Day 28 - Prague to Berlin, Germany Rock and roll over to 800 year-old Dresden - a city virtually destroyed in WWII and then rebuilt - and ogle the Frauenkirche before making your beard all the more ironic in Berlin. Prep yourself for currywurst, absinthe and more hipsters per capita than anywhere else. We'll drive you around to see (what's left of) the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag building before making your food baby sing with a hearty German meal. -Walking tour of the restored city of Dresden -Driving tour of Berlin

8 Day 29 - Berlin Berlin is yours. Shake off last night with a wander around. Optional: Third Reich walking tour and local insight into what the city was like under Nazi rule during World War II. Hackescher Markt is a hit for lunch. Afternoon suggestion? Have a picnic at the historic Tempelhof airport turned public park #picniconthetarmac. Tonight: hit the hotspots on an optional alternative and nightlife tour. Optional Activities: -Third Reich walking tour -Alternative Tour & Nightlife Tour of Berlin Day 30 - Berlin to Copenhagen, Denmark Home of more Nordic 'cool' than you can poke a hipster's beard at, Copenhagen is sure to impress. If you think you've eaten it all, nuh-uh! Not even close. Uncover the food market gems scattered across the city and satisfy your inner gastronome. Try: the food markets on Paper Island for a luxe 'warehouse vibe' experience. -Driving tour of Copenhagen Day 31 - Copenhagen Romantic streak? Check out The Little Mermaid, a tribute to the fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen's pre-disney masterpieces. Spoiler: his version has the lovestruck mermaid become foam on the sea after she fails to win the prince's affections (even back then, it seems, #thestrugglewasreal). Day 32 - Copenhagen to Hamburg, Germany On to Hamburg, aka the 'Gateway to the World'. Boasting more bridges than Venice and Amsterdam combined, plus the first zoo with no enclosures, Hamburg is one of the hippest cities in Europe. And if that weren't enough, Hamburg also boasts 3km of funfair AND Europe's biggest Japanese garden. If you hear "Hummel, Hummel" be sure to reply with "Mors, Mors". Don't ask. Later, check out the nightlife at the Port. Day 33 - Hamburg to Amsterdam, Netherlands Welcome to the most liberal city in Europe. Fun times ahead. Get your bearings on a walking tour of the vibrant capital and see the Dam

9 Square, Royal Palace and National Monument. Then: explore all that this notoriously liberal city has to offer. Culture fiends, delve deeper with a visit to the Anne Frank House or the Van Gogh or Rijksmuseum. Still thirsty for more? Check out the Heineken Experience for an interactive visit and tasting at the brewery. -Walking tour of Amsterdam -Dutch cheese & clogs demonstration Day 34 - Amsterdam Did you sneak a peek at the Red Light District last night? Freshen up and make your own way around the city. Grab some Dutch fries and finish on a high at our farewell dinner cruise tonight. Start swapping those phone numbers. -Canal dinner cruise in Amsterdam Optional Activities: -Bike tour of Amsterdam Day 35 - Amsterdam to London, England Love and leave Amsterdam this morning as we head back to London, where this trip of a lifetime ends. Accommodation Hostel Plus trips host our most eclectic types of accommodation. While modern hostels make up the majority of your overnighters you could also stay in hotels (free upgrade - yeah!) or bungalows. The 'More Inclusions' section details what type of accommodation will be used for overnight stops on your trip. The number of people to a room on Hostel Plus trips will vary. For hostels you will have multi-share rooms and usually share with between 3 and 5 others (although in some circumstances you will share with more than 5) while in hotels there will be twin or triple-shares (and the odd quad-room). Bungalows can be up to 4 people to a room. Please note: When staying on a Hostel Plus trip, multi-share accommodation is single-sex.

10 Optional Activities On all trips we have arranged extra activities that we think will enhance your travel experience, but you have a choice as to whether or not you will participate. These are not included in the cost of your trip. They are usually organised on a group participation basis and should be taken into consideration when budgeting your spending money. None of the Optional Activities on your trip are operated by Topdeck, nor do they form part of your contract with Topdeck for your trip. Topdeck arranges the activity as an agent of the local supplier. Should you participate in any Optional Activities your contract will be with the local supplier and their conditions will apply. Please note: while we make every effort to keep these prices as accurate and up-to-date as possible, they are subject to change and in rare circumstances the actual price may vary slightly to what is published here. Dubrovnik - Croatia Sea kayaking 220 Kuna Game of Thrones tour 15 Sarajevo - Bosnia and Herzegovina Sarajevo Tunnel tour 10 BAM Hungary - Budapest Dinner cruise on the Danube 35 Poland - Krakow Nightlife tour of Krakow 15 Austria - Vienna Vienna Orchestra 37 Orchestra with dinner Germany - Berlin Third Reich walking tour 10 Berlin Alternative Tour & Nightlife Tour 20 Netherlands - Amsterdam Amsterdam bike tour 14 Meals Your included meals are detailed in the 'More Inclusions' section of this document. Breakfasts are included every day (except on the first morning). Included meals will be a combination of those prepared by Topdeck On-Site

11 Chefs, local restaurants and places in which we stay. If you have any dietary requirements we will make every effort to cater to your specific needs as long as you advise your travel agent or Customer Service Consultant when you book, or make note of this in the Topdeck app when you check in (refer below). However, please be aware that although we will do everything in our power to arrange it, we cannot guarantee that every restaurant we use will be able to cater to all dietary needs, particularly in Eastern Europe. We also cannot cater for tastes or dislikes, as most of our included evening meals feature a set menu. No Tip Necessary Your Topdeck crew never expect tips themselves and will not ask for any; that s not what friends do! We also know how much tipping can cost you. So go ahead, spoil yourself with the money you will save by travelling with Topdeck (just don t forget Mum s souvenir). Topdeck Travel App Our travel app has landed! With a range of awesome features including a Currency Converter, Budget Tracker, Check-In tool and Social Timeline you can plan your trip like a pro. Think of it like your very own Topdeck Trip Leader, always on call with the latest info, weather, maps and city guides to give you the trip of a lifetime, all in the palm of your hand. Please note: The Topdeck Travel App should only be downloaded once you have booked onto your trip. You will not be able to log in unless you have a Topdeck Booking Reference Number. Get it for iphone Get it for Android Passenger safety One of the best parts of travelling is experiencing the nightlife and entertainment each city has to offer. However, amidst the fun and excitement, it s important to be aware of your surroundings and personal safety as well. Before you hit the road with us, it s important to be aware of the following: When you re on a night out, remember to avoid walking alone, particularly through deserted areas like beaches and back streets. Always stick together, take a taxi where possible, and keep a note of your accommodation details so you can find your way back to your fellow Topdeckers if you become separated. In some countries, alcoholic measures can be considerably larger than what you may be used to. Try to keep track of what you re drinking, and if you see one of your trip mates looking a little worse for wear, take them back to your accommodation. Be cautious when accepting drinks from strangers and never leave your drink unattended. It s also important to be aware that what you might consider harmless flirting may be interpreted differently in some countries. Be yourself and have fun, but don t be naïve, and be mindful of the signals you are sending out so that you don t find yourself in an uncomfortable situation.