A DANUBE CHRISTMAS DELIGHT

Transcription

1 T O U R C O D E : G R A D E : S S / 2 D E C E M B E R Dec - 01 Jan 9 day duration A DANUBE CHRISTMAS DELIGHT Celebrate the wonders of Christmas in two of the finest cities on the Danube

2 H O L I D A Y I N F O R M A T I O N TOUR DESCRIPTION: Our new two-centre Christmas holiday allows us to experience the festive period in two of the finest cities on the Danube; in Austria s elegant capital Vienna, and Hungary s quaint capital Budapest. Our first four days are spent exploring Vienna s many highlights; architectural gems such as the Staatsoper (Opera House), the Heldenplatz (Heroes' Square), the beautiful Stephansdom (St Stephen s Cathedral) and the elegant horse drawn carriages that assemble around this area. There are also a good many museums throughout the city to enjoy. Depending on our arrival time in Vienna we should be able to experience the magical Christkindlmarkt (Christmas market) or even enjoy a carol singing display, to get our festive spirit into full swing. We travel by train to Budapest. This unique city still retains its old world charm, spanning both sides of the Danube; there are lots of interesting sights to explore. Our hotel is on the Pest side, so this is a good place to begin our city sightseeing, visiting such historical and architectural gems as the St Stephen s Basilica, Heroes Square, Dohany Street Synagogue; the largest in Europe, and the spectacular parliament building resting on the banks of the river. We visit the central market hall, the perfect place to sample local Hungarian delicacies. We can also take a rest stop for a coffee at the world s most beautiful coffeehouse at the New York Palace. Once we have crossed Szechenyi Chainbridge we have arrived on the Buda side. A funicular takes us up to the unique Castle Hill district, a limestone plateau towering 170m above the Danube and a Unesco World Heritage Site. Here we can visit the many medieval monuments, marvel at the Holy Trinity Square, the Royal Palace, admire the beautiful and unique construction that is the Matthias Church and the Fishermen's Bastion. This is also where you can enjoy the most spectacular views of the city. We hope to experience the wonderful Christmas markets in Budapest including the traditional Christmas Market on Vӧrӧsmarty Square in the heart of Pest, which should remain open until the end of December. New Year s Eve is referred to as Szilveszter in Hungarian, and the Hungarians celebrate in style with an impressive fireworks display.

3 HOLIDAY GRADE & WALKING PROGRAMME: This holiday is graded SS/2. The main element of this holiday is sightseeing, which will take place on foot; we will however use the public transport system to access some areas of the cities. Since we are exploring two major and bustling cities there is much to see and do in each centre, so our sightseeing days will be rather energetic and most certainly thrilling. However should you wish to take some time out of our sightseeing schedule there are plenty of cafes, restaurants and seating areas where you can relax. We intentionally do not include local transport costs or entrance fees in conjunction with the programme of walks on this holiday. Walks can be weather dependent or you may choose to take a day off from the group arrangements and this way you only pay for the activities you take part in. Local transport costs are very reasonable in both centres. Many of the points of interest and monuments are free to view, but there will be a charge to enter some sites and particularly any exhibitions, museums, and galleries. Please allow extra funds for this, we recommend around 65 for the duration of your holiday to cover local transport and entrance fees. Please note that the estimation of local costs relating to this holiday is based on currency exchange rates valid in March Fluctuations in exchange rates since the publication of our brochure and this Holiday Information sheet may impact on this estimation of local costs; please check with your bank or currency provider prior to your holiday to enable you to plan your spending. Please make sure that your insurance for this holiday covers you for guided walking below 2000m. Each evening the leader will discuss with you the programme for the following day. Should you not wish to join the party, please let the leader know. TRAVEL INFORMATION: Flights are from London Heathrow to Vienna and return from Budapest to London Heathrow, with British Airways. Details of your baggage allowance will be confirmed in your travel documents sent to you approximately 10 days before departure. Travel between Vienna Airport and the hotel will be by bus and will take around 45 minutes. Transfers between Vienna and Budapest will be by train and will take around 2 hours and 45 minutes. Travel between our hotel in Budapest and Budapest airport will be by bus and will take around 40 minutes. If you are joining the holiday in Vienna and leaving the holiday in Budapest, it is assumed, unless you have advised us otherwise, that you will meet and leave the party at the hotels. If this is not your intention, please let us know in writing at least 5 weeks before departure.

4 PASSPORTS & VISAS: Please refer to section 2 of the enclosed General Information Booklet. It is a good idea to carry photocopies of the personal details pages of your passport. Should you lose your passport, this may assist with the issue of replacement documents and your return to the UK. Please also take your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) with you - it will help in the event of an emergency. Please note that the EHIC has an expiry date and check that your card is still valid for the duration of your holiday. Passport, visa and health requirements can change at any time. It is your own responsibility to ensure that you inform yourself from a professionally qualified source on, and comply with, such requirements. Advice on vaccinations is available from your GP, or can be obtained from the Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad (MASTA). In addition, general travel advice is available from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at LOCAL CURRENCY: Please refer to section 2 of our General Information Booklet. The currency in Austria is the euro. Banks and ATM machines can be found within easy reach of the hotel and in and around the city. The currency in Hungary is the Hungarian Forint (HUF). There are a number of places that may accept Euros too, but the rate of exchange would be less favourable than if you were to use the official currency. Banks and ATM machines can be found within easy reach of the hotel and all over the city. ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS: Our accommodation in Vienna is at the centrally located three star Ibis Wien Mariahilf, in twin and single bedded rooms with shower and WC. Although this is a large city hotel, the location is perfect to enable us to fully explore the city. The hotel interior is clean, modern and stylish throughout. The facilities in the rooms include a telephone; satellite TV, and a hairdryer. Wifi is available throughout the hotel free of charge. There is also a restaurant and a bar. Ibis Wien Mariahilf Tel: Mariahilfer Gürtel Fax: A-1160 Wien h0796@accor.com Austria Website:

5 Our accommodation in Budapest is at the Ibis Styles Budapest City, located on the bank of river Danube, the hotel is modern, clean and comfortable. The hotel is in good location, with the most comfortable access to both the financial and historical parts of the city. It is the perfect area to be located during the festive period. A comfortable night s sleep, an all you can eat buffet breakfast, unlimited WiFi access are guaranteed. Ibis Styles Budapest City Tel: +36 (1) Soroksári út Fax: +36 (1) Budapest h2025-re@accor.com Hungary Website: ibisstyles.com - accorhotels.com Contact: Judit Fazekas Breakfasts and dinners are included in the holiday charge. Breakfasts will be served in the hotels, and dinners are provided both at the hotels and in local restaurants. On Christmas and New Year s Eve we will enjoy a special festive meal. Lunches are not included. CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT: The weather in Vienna and Budapest can be similar, with the temperature cold and often close to freezing, but this adds to the winter spirit of the holiday. Average daily temperatures are around 2 C and below freezing at night. Snow is always a good possibility at this time of the year and creates a beautiful winter scene. There are many websites that you can look at to get an idea of the climate of the area you are visiting including: You should come prepared with warm winter clothing, a warm winter coat, gloves, hat and a scarf. Plenty of layers will be useful as you may want to remove some clothing whilst travelling and inside sites. A good pair of waterproof walking boots are recommended as we hope to experience some snow. You may also want to consider bringing ice-gripers, which attach to the sole of your shoe. These will help if conditions are icy. You can purchase them in the UK and can do so from the following website: We suggest you take a daysack, lightweight bottle for drinking water, picnic knife, some polythene bags, small first aid kit, and a lunchbox.

6 MAPS & SUGGESTED READING: Maps and books on Vienna and Budapest may be obtained before departure from specialist map sellers such as: The Map Shop 15 High Street Upton upon Severn, Worcs WR8 0HJ England Tel: Fax: Website: Further information can be found on the last page of our General Information Booklet. Many local libraries stock a selection of travel guides/books, which may offer you more information. You may find a visit to the Austrian National Tourist Office webpage useful at: or You may find a visit to the Hungarian National Tourist Office webpage useful at: Please note that this Holiday Information sheet may be periodically updated and reissued. In most cases any revisions will be minor and the overall nature of the holiday will be unchanged. Should we need to make a major change to the holiday arrangements between you booking your holiday and your date of travel we will notify you to specifically draw your attention to any significant change. You may wish to review the latest version of the Holiday Information sheet online prior to travel PLEASE QUOTE YOUR HOLIDAY CODE AND BOOKING REFERENCE NUMBER IN ALL CORRESPONDENCE. WE WISH YOU AN INTERESTING AND ENJOYABLE HOLIDAY AND WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS UPON YOUR RETURN.