Tour from Vienna to Krakow - Austria, Slovakia, Poland - Vienna, Bratislava, Krakow

Itinerary

Three Central European countries unveil part of their cultural and historical monuments located in two capitals and one former royal town.
Vienna is the capital and largest city of Austria. For decades, it was the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Thanks to its position, the historic centre of Vienna is rich in architectural ensembles, including Baroque castles and gardens, as well as the late-19th-century grand buildings, monuments and parks.
Bratislava is Slovak capital located in southwestern Slovakia, on the banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries. For more than 200 years, the city was the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary, a part of the larger Habsburg Monarchy territories.
Krakow is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland, situated on the Vistula River. Historic city centre includes the Old Town, Kazimierz and the Wawel Castle, all included on UNESCO list.

1. Day 1 Arrival in Vienna, Austria.

   - Arrival at Vienna airport
   - Airport car transfer to the hotel
   - Accommodation at first class hotel
   - Free time

2. Day 2 Vienna city tour and Schonbrunn Palace visit.

   - Breakfast
   - Vienna City Tour and Schonbrunn visit
   - Free time
   
   Vienna City Tour will take you to the central Innere Stadt's historic quarter - a home to the Gothic St Stephen's Cathedral with its ornate roof tiles. Sense the ghosts of Habsburg rule as you wander around the living quarters of Austria's former royal family at the Hofburg imperial palace. Daring contemporary art is on display at the Kunsthalle Wien. Admire the Habsburgs' summer residence at the Schonbrunn Palace.
   
   Schonbrunn Palace is a former imperial Rococo summer residence of Habsburg royal family. The palace and gardens illustrate the tastes, interests, and aspirations of successive monarchs. The sculpted garden space between the palace and the Sun Fountain is called the Great Parterre. The complex however includes many more attractions: the Tiergarten, a Palm house, English garden, a botanical garden, a modern enclosure for Orangutans.

3. Day 3 Transfer to Bratislava, Slovakia.

   - Breakfast
   - Car transfer to Bratislava
   - Accommodation at first class hotel
   - Free time

4. Day 4 Bratislava Old town and Devin castle visit.

   - Breakfast
   - Meeting with a tour guide in hotel lobby
   - Bratislava Old town sightseeing (up to 2 hours)
   - Devin castle visit
   
   
   Bratislava castle dominates the center of Bratislava city and its four towers became symbol of the city. The castle hill was inhabited from neolithic Hallstadt and Roman era. It reached its highest importance during the reign of Austro-Hungarian Queen Maria Theresa. In 1761 - 1766 the fortress was rebuilt into a typical royal residence. Today, after reconstruction, the castle shelters a historical part of the Slovak National Museum.
   
   Old town tour includes many monuments. Top visited sites are St Martin's Cathedral, the Primates' Palace with historical Zrkadlova sien (The Hall of Mirrors) and the famous Bratislava tapestries, Michalska gate offering panoramic view of the Old town.
   
   Devin castle ruins tower over the confluence of the rivers Danube and Morava.The fortress, used as a watchtower by the Slavonic count Rastislav Dovina, was mentioned in the manuscripts as early as the 9th century AD. After the fall of the Great Moravian Empire of the ancient Slavs, the Devin fortress became an important strategic fortification of the Hungarian Kingdom. As early as in the 13th century, a smaller building with a tower (foundation of a later castle) was situated at the top of rocky hill. In 1809, advancing Napoleon troops destroyed the fortress. Since 1965 an archaeological research has been carried out in the castle area. The castle ruins have been partially reconstructed under auspices of the Municipal Museum in Bratislava.

5. Day 5 Trencin town visit. Transfer to Krakow, Poland.

   - Breakfast
   - Trencin castle visit
   - Car transfer to Krakow
   - Accommodation at first class hotel
   - Free time
   
   Trencin castle is a royal residence from 11th century. It consists of a set of palaces and a tower. Legendary castle well is another point of interest because of a legend about Omar and Fatima and their great love.

6. Day 6 Krakow city tour.

   - Breakfast
   - Krakow city private tour (4 hours)
   - Afternoon free time
   
   Krakow is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Krakow has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life. The historic centre includes the Old Town, Kazimierz Jewish quarter and the Wawel Castle. It was included as the first of its kind on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1978. The Old Town is the most prominent example of an old town appearance in the country. For many centuries Krakow was the royal capital of Poland.

7. Day 7 Farewell.

   - Breakfast
   - Airport taxi
   - End of the tour

Overview