DAY 1Arrive in Berlin, Germany
Welcome to Berlin! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (Dinner)
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DAY 2Berlin
Sightseeing with a Local Guide in the once-divided metropolis includes the Ku’damm, the restored Reichstag, a picture stop at monumental Brandenburg Gate and the Holocaust Memorial, Charlottenburg Palace, and the 210-foot Victory Column in the vast Tiergarten Park. Visit the KAISER WILHELM MEMORIAL CHURCH (on Sunday, inside guided visit not possible), drive along Unter den Linden Boulevard, and pass the German State Opera House and Checkpoint Charlie. To enhance your stay, exciting optional excursions are available to historic Potsdam, and to sample Berlin’s fine restaurants and nightlife! (Breakfast)
 | Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
"During World War II, Americans soldiers in occupied Germany got a booklet called the “Pocket Guide to Germany” that explained the ins and outs of occupation. In 1944, it read: “Don’t forget that you’re ordered into Germany now partly because your fathers forgot so soon what the war was about last time.” The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin’s Charlottenburg district is the eternal reminder. It was an unremarkable late 19th Century church until the allies bombed it in 1943. After the war, Berliners protested plans to demolish it. Today, the ruins are a symbol of what Germany lost by letting itself be seduced by Nazism. They could have roped it off and slapped a plaque on it. Instead, they left it open, free to the city. You can walk through it, under it, look up at the shattered bell tower." |
 | Checkpoint Charlie
"It’s just a white shed and a stack of sandbags filled with concrete, a replica of Checkpoint Charlie. Visitors to this traffic island on Friedrichstrasse pose from two directions – west and east – because they’re standing on the old symbolic border of the two Berlins. Checkpoint Charlie was for diplomats, Allied military and foreign tourists wanting to get into East Berlin, and that’s the source of its mystique. Today’s Cold War buffs have to be content with photos by the 1960s-era replica shed, a browse through the private collections of the nearby Haus am Checkpoint Charlie – and maybe a visit to the Allied Museum in Berlin’s Zehlendorf district, where the original Checkpoint Charlie building is on display. The huge portrait photographs over Checkpoint Charlie of two soldiers – one American, one Soviet – symbolize the Big Brother military presence of Cold War Berlin." |
 | Potsdam – Sanssouci
"There were drawbacks to being a European monarch. For Friedrich II the Great, philosopher, flute-player and Prussian soldier-king, the public scrutiny of his royal life got on his nerves. He sketched out his ideal summer home, a cozy little private palace he could reign from, tend his hunting dogs and entertain the likes of Voltaire and Goethe. He called it Sanssouci – “no worries.” One look at the terraced gardens and great stairway to Sanssouci in Potsdam and it’s hard to believe this was Old Fritz’s idea of cozy. The marble and gilding of the baroque interiors give you the urge to stand up straighter and tuck in your shirt." |
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DAY 3Berlin–Poznan, Poland–Warsaw
Cross the Polish border, enjoy vistas of rural life in the fertile central plains, and take a break in the historic river port of Poznan on your way to Warsaw. (Breakfast, Dinner)
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DAY 4Warsaw
Your Local Guide will tell you about the tormented, often tragic history of this important gateway city between East and West. See the medieval Stare Miasto (Old Quarter) with its market square and 14th-century CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN, the “wedding cake” Palace of Culture and Science, neoclassical Lazienki Palace, and the remnants of the Jewish ghetto. In the HISTORICAL MUSEUM a moving film shows the city before and after wartime destruction. An optional excursion to Wilanow Castle is available. (Breakfast)
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DAY 5Warsaw–Czestochowa–Auschwitz–Krakow
A fascinating morning; visit JASNA GÓRA, the monastery near Czestochowa, and admire its BLACK MADONNA, which is venerated as the “Queen of Poland” and has become the country’s national symbol. Next stop in Auschwitz to visit what is left of the CONCENTRATION CAMP, a chilling reminder of the Holocaust. Evening arrival in Krakow. (Breakfast, Dinner)
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DAY 6Krakow
Morning guided sightseeing in ancient Krakow features the Market Square, the 14th-century Jagiellonian University, and ST. MARY’S CHURCH. Take pictures of the impressive Wawel Royal Castle, then enjoy a 
special visit to the OSKAR SCHINDLER FACTORY, made famous in the movie Schindler’s List. How about tonight’s optional Polish dinner and folklore show? (Breakfast)
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DAY 7Krakow–Banská Bystrica, Slovakia–Budapest, Hungary
A scenic drive through the heart of mountainous and densely wooded Slovakia, where brown bears still roam free, brings you to Banská Bystrica, a picturesque medieval town with fortifications. Arrive in Budapest, where a private DINNER CRUISE tonight is the perfect introduction to this fascinating city. (Breakfast, Dinner)
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DAY 8Budapest
Your Local Guide takes you through Eastern Europe’s most cosmopolitan city. See elegant Andrassy Avenue, the Thermal Baths, and the world’s second-largest Jewish synagogue. From the lacy lookout towers of Fishermen’s Bastion, enjoy a panoramic view of the sprawling city. Then, visit the 13th-century MATTHIAS CORONATION CHURCH and Heroes’ Square. Afternoon at leisure. Tonight, a delectable optional Hungarian specialty dinner can be arranged. (Breakfast)
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DAY 9Budapest–Vienna, Austria
Drive through the Hungarian plains to Vienna, once the center of the mighty Habsburg Empire. Meet your Local Guide and start your sightseeing with vistas of Prater Park with its giant Ferris wheel and a drive along the elegant Ringstrasse. Pass the impressive State Opera House, the Jewish quarter, and stop at the Hofburg Palace, winter residence of the Austrian imperial family. Marvel at the impressive courtyards and famous Heldenplatz and visit awesome ST. STEPHEN’S CATHEDRAL. (Breakfast)
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DAY 10At Leisure in Vienna
A whole day at leisure offers you the opportunity to join exciting optional excursions to the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava, the Vienna Woods, a concert, or to just explore this magnificent city on your own. (Breakfast)
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DAY 11Vienna–Telc, Czech Republic–Prague
In the morning, an optional excursion to historic Schönbrunn Palace is available. Then, cross the Czech border and enter Moravia. Stop in one of the most beautiful towns in the Czech Republic, Telc, where a special lunch with local specialties awaits you. In the afternoon, drive through the rich farmlands of Moravia and Bohemia to Prague. Tonight is your chance to join an optional outing to explore Prague by night. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
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DAY 12Prague
Guided sightseeing includes a visit to HRADCANY CASTLE GROUNDS. Also see St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Town, the Jewish ghetto, and the ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK, once the envy of all Europe. Afternoon at leisure. Tonight you can try out traditional dishes at one of Prague’s fine restaurants. (Breakfast)
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DAY 13Prague–Dresden, Germany–Berlin
Re-enter Germany and stop in Dresden, the former capital of Saxony. Badly damaged by Allied bombing in February 1945, the city has since been restored to its baroque splendor. During your walking tour, admire the architecture of the Zwinger Palace and Semper Opera. Next, return to Berlin, where a special farewell dinner with wine awaits you—the perfect way to celebrate the success of your vacation. (Breakfast, Dinner)
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DAY 14Berlin
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)
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Transportation
Motorcoach with free Wi-Fi; private cruise
Full buffet breakfast daily; 1 special lunch in Telc; 6 three-course dinners, including a welcome dinner, a private dinner cruise with wine in Budapest, and a special farewell dinner with wine