Join Grandview Travel’s own resident art historian and senior travel advisor Natalie on a journey through the grand imperial capitals of Austria and Hungary this coming April 2025!

Have you ever wanted to tour Europe with your travel advisor? Sign up today for this special opportunity that is limited to just 12 travelers.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire dominated Central Europe and the northern Balkans from the end of the Middle Ages until its collapse at the end of World War I. At the time of its greatest extent, in the mid-19th century, it spanned about a thousand miles from Pavia in Northern Italy to Ternopil in Western Ukraine. At its peak it was a tapestry of diverse ethnicities, languages, and traditions, each contributing to a cultural flourishing that spanned music, fine arts, literature, architecture, and theater. This 11-night tour will take you on a rich and immersive exploration of the empire’s artistic legacy, from the grand palaces of Vienna to the vibrant cultural hubs of Budapest. In between, we will explore age-old cultural centers throughout Austria, Hungary, and even Slovakia, following the blue waters of the Danube and beyond.

This tour is perfect for…:

• History buffs
• Art and museum lovers
• Classical music listeners
• Fans of fine dining, beautiful cafes, and regional wines
• You have been to Paris and want something similar but different
• You have been to Vienna or Budapest on a river cruise: this tour will provide a more in-depth experience of both!

Itinerary:

April 2
Flight from US to Munich, Germany (MUC). Flight arrangements can be made on your own or via Grandview Travel (see Airfare Options section).

April 3
Arrive at Munich (MUC) airport, meet tour manager and touring coach, and transfer down to Salzburg. Welcome dinner at hotel or local restaurant. Overnight in Salzburg.

April 4
Enjoy a guided city tour in Salzburg, before a group lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, take the funicular to the summit of the Hohensalzburg Fortress. You will later enjoy a private group guided tour of Mozart’s Birthplace House. Overnight Salzburg.

April 5
Leave Salzburg this morning, as you head east through the Salzkammergut and beyond towards Vienna. After a photo stop at Mondsee Abbey (made famous in The Sound of Music) you will visit St. Florian’s Abbey for a guided tour. This is a lesser-known and less visited abbey than the famous Melk Abbey but no less impressive and historically significant. You will also stop at Melk later in the afternoon for a photo stop. Overnight Vienna.

April 6
You will enjoy a morning guided city tour of the old heart of Vienna, see the Hofburg, Heldenplatz and St. Stephen’s Cathedral, as well as sights relating to the city’s famous resident composers, such as Mozart, Strauss and Schubert. In the afternoon, you will visit the Sisi Palace at the Hofburg, with an audio-guide – one of the greatest Habsburg buildings. Evening free. Overnight Vienna.

April 7
You will enjoy another full day in Vienna, starting with a stop to view the Secession Monument. Enjoy a visit to both the Upper and Lower Gallery of the Belvedere Palace – in the former, focus on Art Nouveau with a private guided tour of the Gustav Klimt collection. Next, you can enjoy Viennese café culture with tea and cake included at a traditional local café. This evening, enjoy some live classical music, with tickets to a Mozart concert at the Musikverein – (or similar). Overnight Vienna.

April 8
On a third full day in Vienna, head to the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art history museum) to enjoy a private guided group tour of the painting galleries (1hr). In the afternoon, you will visit the grand Vienna State Opera for a guided tour. Evening free. Overnight Vienna.

April 9
Before leaving Vienna, you will visit the iconic Schönbrunn Palace, with an ‘Imperial Tour’ ticket. Next, make the short drive across from Vienna to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, and in fact the two nearest capital cities in Europe. On a guided city tour, learn about Slovak history and visit the grounds and museum of the striking Bratislava Castle. Continue into Hungary tonight, to Gyor, to overnight.

April 10
Drive south into Hungary today, bound for Pecs. An afternoon guided city tour will introduce you to the sights and cultural significance of this small but resplendent city of Art. Free time for optional gallery visits will be available, included with the Zsolnay Museums Ticket. Overnight Pecs.

April 11
Enjoy a full day of museum visits with a local guide on this day in Pecs, including the Modern Hungarian Gallery. In the late afternoon, transfer to Budapest, to overnight.

April 12
A morning guided city tour of Budapest, taking in the main sights, followed by some afternoon museum visits. Included is a visit to the Franz Liszt Museum, located at the famous composer’s former residence, followed by a visit to and guided tour of the highlights at the Hungarian National Gallery. For a special dinner experience, you will enjoy a folk-dance show dinner cruise on the Danube this evening. Overnight Budapest.

April 13
On the final full day of the tour, you will take a guided excursion out of the city to visit some towns situated elsewhere along the Danube, namely Esztergom, with its impressive basilica; Visegrad, with the Renaissance Palace of King Matthias and its hilltop fortress ruins; and Szentendre, which has a lively art scene and lots of independent, boutique shops. Return to Budapest to overnight. Farewell dinner in Budapest.

April 14
Flight home from Budapest (BUD), or continue your journey!

Destinations and accommodations

Salzburg
Hotel Imlauer Pitter https://imlauer.com/hotel-pitter-salzburg/?lang=en
Former capital of an archbishopric that was a separate state within the Holy Roman Empire and was only annexed by Austria in 1805. Hence, Salzburg’s most famous son, Mozart, was considered a foreigner when he came to Vienna.

Vienna
Hotel Beethoven https://www.hotel-beethoven.at/en/
The primary capital of historical Austria-Hungary and current capital of today’s Austria. Big parts of its architecture and urban design date from an era when it was supposed it would “soon” become a major imperial capital of four million or more inhabitants.

Gyor
Barokk Hotel Promenad  https://promenadhotelgyor.hu/en/hotel
Former “royal free city” of the Kingdom of Hungary, traditional trade center with Baroque old town. Since the transformation of 1990 it is once again an economic boomtown in the centre of the triangle Vienna–Bratislava–Budapest.

Pecs
Corso Hotel https://corso.accenthotels.com/en
Hungary’s fifth largest city has a strongly multicultural heritage. The cultural centre of Hungary’s Germans and Romani hosts associations and cultural institutions of nine ethnic minority groups

Budapest
Continental Hotel  https://continentalhotelbudapest.com/
The capital of the Hungarian half of the historical Austro-Hungarian empire and current capital of today’s Hungary. It boomed massively during the late-19th century, resulting in splendid boulevards lined with representative Habsburg-style buildings, and one of the first subway lines in the world.

Pricing for LAND TOUR:

Only $5884 per person based on double-occupancy!
Single supplement: $1553

Limited single room types available. Please request double or twin beds at time of booking. Request is not guaranteed. In the unlikely event of a major currency fluctuation, Grandview Travel reserves the right to adjust the USD cost of the tour.

Post-nights – Continental Hotel Budapest
$106.00 per person per night in double occupancy room, including breakfast
$191.00 per person per night in single room, including breakfast

Payment/cancellations terms and important deadlines:

Information/Payment Required:	Due Date:	Notes
Initial Deposit – 25%	Friday, January 3rd 2025	90 days prior to arrival – non-refundable
Provisional Rooming List & Flight Info Required:	Friday, January 3rd 2025	90 days prior to arrival
Final Rooming List Required, including dietary requirements	Friday, January 31st 2025	60 days prior to arrival
Balance Payment Due:	Friday, January 31st 2025	60 days prior to arrival – non-refundable

Airfare options and Tour Start/End Location:

The tour will begin at the Munich airport on the afternoon of April 3. Please plan your flights to arrive into Munich by noon on this date. You may also choose to fly to Salzburg and meet the group directly at the Imlauer Pitter hotel instead.

Travelers may depart out of Budapest anytime on April 14.

Grandview Travel is happy to book and manage your flights at a discounted booking fee of $50 per traveler. If you prefer to book your own airfare, please forward your full airfare details to Natalie no later than January 31, 2025. Full details must include departure airport and arrival airport, airline, flight numbers, and flight times. Airfare is subject to price fluctuation and availability.

We recommend the following schedule flying from Columbus, OH:

Inclusions:

• Accommodation for 11 nights in 4-star hotels
• Daily breakfasts, 3 group lunches, and 3 group dinners including a special Danube river cruise dinner
• Private transportation throughout, with private local professional driver(s)
• All sightseeing entrance fees for sites included in the itinerary, as well as optional sightseeing passes for leisure time
• Full-time tour manager local to the region on hand throughout
• Private local English-speaking guides in each destination
• Tips for tour manager and drivers [gratuities for local guides are not included and are at discretion of tour participants; tipping guide will be provided]

This tour does not include:

• Personal expenses such as shopping, extra sightseeing, meals not listed in itinerary, additional transportation as needed
• Medical expenses and travel insurance
• Spa and beauty treatments
• Tips and gratuities for local guides; please see tipping guide provided with tour documents (tips always at traveler discretion)
• Airfare
• Pre and post tour accommodation, extra travel days, and itinerary extensions

Terms and Conditions

Dates, prices, & itineraries are subject to change with written notice to tour members. Travel insurance is recommended. Grandview Travel reserves the right to correct any errors or omissions at any time.

Booking

Please email NATALIE@GRANDVIEWTRAVEL.COM no later than JANUARY 1, 2025 with the following details:

• Full name and dates of birth as printed on your passports
• passport expiration dates
• phone number
• mailing address
• email
• type of room and bedding preference (double or single room; double bed or twin beds)
• do you need airfare assistance?
• would you like a travel insurance quote?

Nonrefundable deposit of 25% is due on January 3, 2025 to secure your spot on this one of a kind tour!!!