golden eagle luxury trains central europe & transylvania
Blue Mosque, Istanbul
golden eagle danube express central europe & transylvania prague - istanbul (eastbound) istanbul - prague (westbound) czech republic - poland - slovakia - austria - hungary romania - bulgaria - turkey Charles Bridge, Prague Maiden Tower, Istanbul Festetics Palace, Keszthely Combining the romance of historic medieval settlements with the architectural splendour of some of Europe s most beautiful cities, this exclusive rail cruise through the diverse and dramatic landscapes of Southern Europe, promises to be truly unforgettable. Traversing over 3,000km, across eight countries, this 14-day voyage offers the ultimate European adventure. Relax in the elegant surroundings onboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express and admire the ever-changing landscapes of Central and Southern Europe as we glide between these charming European cities. Marvelling at the beauty of Prague and Istanbul, at either end of our journey, we explore the contrasting cultures and architectural masterpieces that have been shaped by centuries of ancient civilisations. Take advantage of our flexible Freedom of Choice touring programme here to truly personalise your experience in these magical destinations. As we cruise through the scenic heart of Transylvania and the diverse landscapes of its neighbouring countries, we take time to unearth some of the hidden treasures of this captivating part of the world. With the medieval cities of Romania combined with the imperial beauty of Vienna and the rich, poignant history of Kraków and Budapest, you can enjoy the perfect blend of culture and spectacular scenery on this grand European tour.
central europe & transylvania prague - istanbul istanbul - prague GERMANY Prague POLAND Krakow CZECH REPUBLIC SLOVAKIA Vienna Bratislava Budapest AUSTRIA HUNGARY Lajosmizse Kecskemét Keszthely & Lake Balaton SLOVENIA CROATIA ROMANIA Sighişoara Brașov MOLDOVA ITALY Adriatic Sea BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA SERBIA MONTENEGRO KOSOVO BULGARIA Kazanlak Veliko Tarnovo Black Sea Tyrrhenian Sea ALBANIA MACEDONIA Istanbul tour schedules daily tour itineraries Prague Istanbul (Eastbound) June 1 June 14, 2015 accommodation Istanbul Prague (Westbound) July 18 July 31, 2015 June 11 June 24, 2016 August 6 - August 19, 2016 2 nights in Prague 6 nights onboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express 3 nights in Budapest 2 nights in Istanbul Prague Istanbul (Eastbound) Day 1 Arrive Prague Day 2 Prague Day 3 Prague Day 4 Kraków Day 5 Bratislava & Vienna Day 6 Keszthely, Lake Balaton & Budapest Day 7 Budapest Day 8 Budapest Day 9 Budapest, Lajosmizse & Kecskemét Day 10 Sighişoara & Braşov Day 11 Veliko Tarnovo & Kazanlak Day 12 Istanbul Day 13 Istanbul Day 14 Depart Istanbul Istanbul - Prague (Westbound) Day 1 Arrive Istanbul Day 2 Istanbul Day 3 Istanbul Day 4 Kazanlak & Veliko Tarnovo Day 5 Braşov & Sighişoara Day 6 Kecskemét, Lajosmizse & Budapest Day 7 Budapest Day 8 Budapest Day 9 Budapest, Keszthely & Lake Balaton Day 10 Bratislava & Vienna Day 11 Kraków Day 12 Prague Day 13 Prague Day 14 Depart Prague prague - kraków - bratislava - vienna - keszthely - budapest - lajosmizse - kecskemét sighişoara - braşov - veliko tarnovo - kazanlak - istanbul
golden eagle danube express what s included in the tour price Pera Palace Hotel Jumeirah, Istanbul Pera Palace Hotel Jumeirah, Istanbul Four Seasons Gresham Palace, Budapest EXPERIENCED TOUR MANAGERS Our experienced Tour Managers are selected for their travel knowledge and organisational abilities allowing you to relax and enjoy your rail cruise. We receive exceptional passenger comments about our Tour Managers and their aim is to ensure you enjoy every minute of your holiday. ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE AIRPORT TRANSFERS Arrival transfers from the international airport to our tour hotel, and departure transfers from our tour hotel to the airport are included. HOTEL AND ONBOARD ACCOMMODATION Although you will spend much of your time sightseeing or relaxing in the train s public areas, you will find your hotel room or cabin a welcome retreat at the end of a rewarding day. BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER DAILY All meals are included, starting with dinner on the first day and ending with breakfast on the last day. All departures feature one or two uniquely designed Restaurant Cars where you can enjoy the excellent waiter-served food and wine. We will also sample authentic local cuisine with wine and a selection of drinks off the train, which are also included in the tour price. DRINKS WITH MEALS A generous drinks allowance, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, is included with lunch and dinner on and off the train. ONBOARD SERVICE You can expect service which is attentive, friendly and unintrusive. Your car attendants provide housekeeping and bedding turndown services to assist you and to ensure you are comfortable in your cabin. Complimentary tea, coffee and bottled drinking water are served to you in your cabin. GUIDED OFF-TRAIN EXCURSIONS The history and culture of the places we visit on our rail cruises will come alive through our expert local guides. All our tours include a wide-ranging sightseeing schedule to make the most of the time you have off the train and bring you closer to the culture, people and history of your destinations. We believe it is the special little touches that help create magical memories. PERSONAL HEADSETS On all the off-train excursions, to enhance your enjoyment and insights into the places you visit, you will be provided with a lightweight personal headset on which to listen to your tour guide as you take in the sights. The range of the headset means that you do not need to worry about missing any of the guide s commentary on your excursion, even if you prefer to wander away from the group. ONBOARD DOCTOR AND MEDICAL FACILITIES To give you peace of mind our tours are accompanied by a doctor who travels with us for the entire journey, so you can rest assured that medical assistance is always available. On call 24 hours a day, the doctor is on hand to give primary care as required. The doctor scheduled onboard will be English-speaking and registered with the General Medical Council in the UK. PORTERAGE As you only have to unpack once, your luggage and belongings will stay with you on the train throughout the journey but, wherever necessary, porterage is included between the hotels and stations. ALL GRATUITIES You will not have to worry about tipping on or off the train on your rail journey with Golden Eagle Luxury Trains as all gratuities are included in the tour price.
Voyages of a Lifetime by Private Train TM CENTRAL EUROPE & TRANSYLVANIA Prague Castle prague Czech Republic kraków Poland Prague is one of the most beautifully preserved cities in Europe. It spans the Vltava River and is dominated by the 9th century Prague Castle, a stunning sight that can be seen almost anywhere in the city. Once a royal capital with an extraordinary history, and now a lively university town with fashionable bars and restaurants, Kraków is a fascinating city with beautiful monuments and an exuberant atmosphere. Our tour takes in the Old Town Square with its many historic buildings and Astronomical Clock, the historic 14th century Charles Bridge and the Jewish Ghetto. We will join a vintage tram to travel through the city and Wenceslas Square, then up the hill to Prague Castle, the largest medieval complex in Europe and the gothic St. Vitus Cathedral. The castle and its surrounding architectural gems occupy a hillside overlooking the city and river. Our tour includes the delightful Golden Lane and the Changing of the Guard at the castle entrance. There is some time in Prague for you to discover the hidden treasures of this wonderful city. Stroll the medieval cobbled streets, relax in the ancient squares and admire the many architectural treasures of this City of a Hundred Spires. You have the option to join our included Freedom of Choice tour to Municipal House, originally built to be an administrative and cultural centre. Located just inside the Old Town it was built on the area once occupied by the former Royal Court before it moved to Prague Castle. We ll have a Czech afternoon tea here and then visit its beautiful concert hall. Our hotel in Prague, where we stay for two nights, is the luxurious Four Seasons. Located in the UNESCO-protected historic Prague city centre our hotel is just steps away from the iconic Charles Bridge. There is also an option to extend your stay in Prague for additional nights to explore more of this fascinating city. Highlights of the city include Wawel Hill, home to the Wawel Castle, an impressive blend of Gothic original architecture and a Renaissance Palace and Rynek Glowny, known as the Main Market Square, which is Europe s largest medieval square. You can explore the city at your leisure and perhaps make the trip across the River Vistula to Podgórze, site of the Jewish Ghetto in Kraków and home to the Schindler factory - much of the film Schindler s List was shot here. On our day in Kraków we also offer a number of fully included touring options outside of the city environs as part of our Freedom of Choice programme. Close to Kraków is Auschwitz-Birkenau, now a poignant museum, which was the largest of the Nazi concentration camps during World War Two where an estimated one million people perished. Alternatively, you can choose to visit the Wieliczka Salt Mines, a unique venue full of chambers, stairs, altars, pulpits and statues excavated and sculpted in rock salt. Descend the 360 steps into the mines and be amazed at the devotion of the miners who carved the incredible Chapel of Salt, which has a well-deserved place on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
bratislava Slovakia A short distance from Vienna across what was the Iron Curtain is Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia. Our tour there includes the medieval Old Town (Starý Mesto) where we stroll through the cobbled streets of 18th century pastel buildings and the stunning Bratislava Castle perched high above the city on a hill overlooking the Danube. vienna Austria Savour the captivating baroque elegance of romantic Vienna. Our tour of Austria s capital city includes the impressive Vienna Opera House, the majestic Ringstrasse and the awe-inspiring St Stephen s Cathedral. Take some free time to stroll along the Kartnerstrasse, sample Vienna s famous cakes in the historic coffee houses or join a tour to the Imperial Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens. keszthely & lake balaton Hungary Keszthely is on the western shore of Lake Balaton. At Keszthely there is a visit to the Festetics Palace, a beautiful Baroque palace built on castle ruins in 1745 and expanded 150 years later. Alternatively take a relaxing boat cruise on the calm waters of Lake Balaton. budapest Hungary You may also wish to join our fully included Freedom of Choice wine tasting tour to Eger. Situated in the northeast, the town is rich in historic monuments and famous for its wines such as Bull s Blood. The fortress of Eger, now a protected historic monument, is the site of the István Dobó Castle Museum. The tour includes wine tasting and a visit to the former cellar system of the Archbishop of Eger. Here in this cellar, wines from the vineyards from around Eger were stored. Note about the Westbound 2015 departure: The Hungarian Grand Prix is held annually at the Hungaroring outside Budapest. At the time of writing, 2015 dates have not been released but it is possible that the Grand Prix will take place whilst we are in Budapest. If this happens then the itinerary may need to be amended. Guests may be accommodated at a number of different 5 star hotels or onboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express which will be parked at the Railway Museum. lajosmizse Hungary In Lajosmizse, horse drawn buggies meet the train and transport us to watch a thundering horse parade, as the thrilling Puszta show demonstrates great horsemanship. kecskemét Hungary At Kecskemét we get the opportunity to explore a fascinating city at the geographical centre of Hungary. We ll take a walking tour or you can take a guided tour of the Zwack fruit brandy distillery, where we will get to taste some of their famous apricot brandy. Budapest is actually two cities separated by the Danube. The old city of Buda and the imposing Royal Palace, dominates the city with stunning views across the Danube to the commercial heart of Pest. Our city touring includes the Royal Palace, St. Mathias Church and a panoramic view of the city from Gellert Hill. We will also see the Citadel, the Opera House, St Stephen s Cathedral, Heroes Square and the City Park. One evening we will take in a beautiful dinner cruise along the Danube. Included in our time spent in Budapest is three nights at the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace, a unique art nouveau landmark which combines historical elegance with ultra-modern comforts. Spend some time relaxing at our luxurious hotel, take a stroll along the banks of the Danube, visit the historic Great Market Hall with its endless variety of delicious foods and wines or head to one of the city s famous thermal baths for a rejuvenating dip. Sighişoara sighişoara Romania At Sighişoara we take a walking tour of the town s main highlights. A World Heritage site rumoured to be the birthplace of Dracula, it is one of the best-preserved fortified medieval towns in Europe. Burgher houses and ornate churches line its cobbled streets.
Voyages of a Lifetime by Private Train TM CENTRAL EUROPE & TRANSYLVANIA buildings overlooking the Golden Horn, your visit to Topkapi promises to be a truly fascinating experience. Now a museum, Hagia Sophia was built in the 6th century by the Emperor Justinian, and was one of the largest basilicas in the Christian world. After the Ottoman conquest, it was converted to a mosque and is today one of the most magnificent museums in the world. Take a moment to linger here to admire the fine Byzantine architecture. braşov Romania The train twists and turns as it travels between Veliko Tarnovo and Braşov. It climbs over the Carpathian Mountains and threads its way through the dramatic landscape with crystal clear mountain streams. At Braşov we tour Bran Castle. Popularly known as Dracula s Castle, this beautiful 14th century building is situated amongst stunning mountain scenery. veliko tarnovo Bulgaria Veliko Tarnovo Veliko Tarnovo is Bulgaria s ancient capital. Nestled in a magnificent mountain setting, the stone houses seem perched, one above the other, on the steep banks of the Yantra River. A tour includes the superbly preserved medieval Tsarevets Hill and Castle and there is free time to wander through the ancient city. One of the most famous monuments in both the Turkish and Islamic worlds, the Sultan Ahmet Mosque (the Blue Mosque) is a superb creation in the classical Ottoman style and features six towering minarets and 260 windows illuminating its vast main chamber, which is decorated with more than 20,000 Iznik tiles. We also visit the Grand Bazaar which is one of the world s largest covered markets, with 58 streets and over 4,000 shops. In operation since the 14th century the bazaar is especially known for its jewellery, leather, pottery, spices and carpets. We spend two nights at the iconic five-star Pera Palace Hotel Jumeirah. The hotel was built in 1892 to cater for guests taking the Orient Express and it was here that Agatha Christie wrote her famous book Murder on the Orient Express. A fitting grand hotel in which to start or end our tour. Note: Continuing engineering works associated with the new Bosphorus tunnel could mean that the train terminates (or starts, on Westbound tours) on the outskirts of Istanbul and we will be transferred by coach. kazanlak Bulgaria Kazanlak is situated in the Valley of the Roses, which produces rose oil prized by perfumers worldwide. Here we visit the Shipka Memorial Church and a Thracian tomb with vaulted brickwork dating back to the 4th century BC, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. istanbul Turkey This fabled city that spans Asia and Europe deserves an extended stay so over two days we will see how old meets new and east meets west when we visit Istanbul s must-see historic sites. The largest and oldest palace in the world and primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans from 1465 to 1853, Topkapi is the crown jewel of the Ottoman Empire. With its treasury and exotic
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