9-Day Central and Eastern Europe Tour: Frankfurt to Amsterdam

In the morning, we will leave, hitting the Czech border in the early afternoon and Prague at dusk. Commonly referred to as Zlata Praha, or Golden Prague, the Czech Republic 's capital is a brilliant glimpse of glory in the Old World.

Your Prague adventure starts with a stunning stroll along the coronation route of the ancient Bohemian Kings and Queens. Starting from the top of Castle Hill in the Hradcany district, we will visit Prague Castle, the official residence of the President of the Republic, and, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the world's largest ancient castle. Admission to Golden Road, a street of 11 historic houses located within the castle complex, and the imposing St. Vitus Cathedral are also included in the castle fees. We'll reach the old quarter by crossing the Charles Bridge and see the Astronomical Clock in Old Town Square, which has hosted both uprisings and executions, and remains the city's political and cultural center to this day.

We will make the scenic move from Prague to the hotel in or near the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava, after lunch in the square.

We'll stay overnight in (or near) Bratislava.

We'll be leaving for Budapest, the capital of Hungary, after breakfast. Heroes Square, featuring statues of the Seven Chieftains of the Magyars and other important national figures, as well as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Hungarian Parliament Building, the Elisabeth Bridge, the Fisherman's Bastion, and the Church of Matthias, are major attractions on our trip. You will then have the choice of taking a scenic cruise on the Danube River. In Budapest, we'll spend the night.

After breakfast, the Schonbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the Imperial Family and the favorite living quarters of Empress Maria Theresa, is in Vienna, the capital of Austria; the Stadtpark, home to the gilded bronze statue of Johann Strauss; the Austrian Parliament Building; the world-renowned Vienna State Opera; and the Hofburg Palace. We will arrive at St. Stephen 's Cathedral after a walk down Kartnerstrasse. Tickets can also be arranged (at your own expense) for a Viennese Waltz concert.

You will travel up the Alps to the fabulous Mondsee, a town situated on the shores of Lake Mondsee, home of the medieval Mondsee Abbey, after joining the scheduled Vienna tour. The cloister church was used in The Sound of Music as the wedding place. After arriving in Munich, we will visit Marienplatz, a central square in the center of the city, and the New Town Hall, which, since 1874, has continuously housed the town council, the mayor's office and part of the administrative body. Our evening hotel is going to be in Munich or a neighboring city.

We will take the mountain roads to Switzerland after breakfast, slowly winding our way up to the snow-capped giants of the Alps. Once in Engelberg, we will take the gondola to Mount Titlis, 10,623 feet above sea level, for 45 minutes. Go inside a glacier cave and stroll over the highest suspension bridge in Europe, the Titlis Cliff Walk. At one of the many dining options at the top, you can choose to have your lunch. Afterwards, we will travel to picturesque Lucerne to see the Lion Monument and find the ideal souvenir in the narrow alleyways. Shops that sell Swiss watches are also abundant here. We'll spend the night in a nearby city or Zurich.

After breakfast, we will head out to beautiful Zurich, Switzerland's financial hub. For some of the best photo opportunities of the day, our first stop will be Lake Zurich, followed by a ride to Schaffhausen to see the Rhine Falls. Then, back over the German frontier, we will take the mountain roads to see the Black Forest and Lake Titisee. Pork knuckle and real black forest cake are included in the optional lunch by the pool. The evening lodging is in Frankfurt.

We're going to have breakfast at the hotel, then leave for Bonn, the former capital of West Germany. We'll visit Beethoven House and the University of Bonn there, then travel to Cologne to see the famous Cologne Cathedral, followed by a walk along Schildergasse shopping route. We will depart for Holland after lunch and stay overnight in Amsterdam or a neighboring city.

We will visit all the major attractions in Dam Square after breakfast at the hotel, including the Royal Palace and the National Monument. For an hour-long cruise through the canals, you will have the choice of jumping on a glass-topped ferry. We will then visit the Coster Diamond Factory, using methods that have been in use since the 16th century, to see how diamonds are cut and prepared for the market.

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Our first stop in the afternoon is Zaanse Schans, the capital of Holland's windmills. We're going to visit the Wooden Shoe Workshop & Museum and the Cheese Farm to see how they make clogs and cheese.