Travel Fair Guide

Destinations: to Warsaw Krakow Ljubljana Vienna Prague
14 Days 13 Nights
From: 4499 SGD
Valid date: from 2008-04-01 to to 2008-11-30.

14D EASTERN EUROPE REDISCOVERY

Note:
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Prices shown are not inclusive of airport taxes and fees and other incidental.
Prices shown are in SGD.
Taxes and fees quoted are subject to currency flunctuation and are not guaranteed until air ticket issuance.

Itinerary

Day 1: SINGAPORE-WARSAW
Assemble at Singapore Changi Airport for your flight to Warsaw.
Meals on Board

Day 2: WARSAW-CZESTOCHOWA-KRAKOW
Upon arrival, embark on a city tour of Warsaw which was almost totally destroyed during World War II. The remaining details in Canaletto’s painting of the city enabled the authentic reconstruction of the city. Your guided tour will include sights like the “Wedding Cake” Palace of Culture, Royal Palace and Chopin Memorial in the Lazienki Park. Later, visit the reconstructed Old Town before continuing on a scenic drive along the Polish Plains to Czestochowa to visit the 14th-century Monastery of Jasna Gora, famous for its Black Madonna, said to have been painted by St Luke.
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Day 3: KRAKOW-Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner
This morning, visit Wieliczka Salt Mine. Follow your guide through the many chambers carved from solid salt. The mine’s 11 levels of galleries stretch 300 kilometres where some 20 million tonnes of rock salt have been extracted over 700 years. It is not surprising that the largest underground chamber is the St Kinga Chapel, which took 30 years to carve. A walking tour through the old town of Krakow, the 3rd largest city in Poland awaits you. Visit the 16th-century renaissance Cloth Hall which dominates the square. There is a large craft market under its arches. Do not miss a photo stop at the Jewish Quarter where the movie, “Schindler’s List” was filmed. You will also get to visit the royal courtyard at Wawel. At the Church of Virgin Mary, hear a trumpeter play from the tower window on the hour.


Day 4: KRAKOW-KOSICE
Depart Poland and drive into Slovakia through the breathtaking Tatra Mountains, where peasants still live in traditional wooden houses.  Arrive into Kosice, Solvak republic’s 2nd largest city. Kosice prides itself on its long history of many cultures and religious faiths. Your city tour of this charming city includes the complex of Cathedral of St Elizabeth. A national cultural monument, it consists of the cathedral built between 1378 and 1508, the city’s oldest architectural landmark and a Gothic masterpiece. To the south is the single nave Gothic edifice, St Michael’s chapel which is the city’s 2nd oldest building. Not to be missed are St Urbain’s bell tower, State Theatre, Forgach Palace and Immaculata, the Plague Pillar.
Breakfast/Dinner

Day 5: KOSICE-BUDAPEST
Enjoy a leisurely drive through the countryside to cross the border to Hungary and drive towards its capital, Budapest. Embark on a tour to see Budapest’s breathtaking sights like the Old Buda Center and the Pest part of the city, the Royal Palace and the impressive Parliament Building by Danube River. Marvel at the murals in Church of St Matthias beside the fisherman bastion. End your tour with a visit to the Heroes’ Square and enjoy a local dinner with gypsy entertainment.
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Day 6: BUDAPEST-SZEKESFEHERVAR-ZALAKAROS
Explore the oldest Hungarian town, Székesfehérvár, where Hungarian kings were crowned over five centuries. The country’s main church, where 37 kings and 39 queens were crowned and 15 monarchs were buried, has been there for 500 years. In the garden of ancient ruins belonging to Stephen l’s basilica is a National Memorial Park where you can see the remains of the imposing pillars and the foundation stones of the apse closing the sanctuary. The original sarcophagus of the first king of Hungary, St Stephens can be seen in a mausoleum. Stay overnight in Zlalakaros which is famous for its spa and thermal baths.
 
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Day 7: ZALAKAROS-MARIBOR-LJUBLJANA
A short drive will bring you to Slovenia, one of the young members of the European Union. Continue to Maribor, well-known for the oldest grapevines in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records. 7 metres below the ground in the centre of Maribor lie one of the largest classical wine cellars. This is where top Vinag wines mature in the dark vaults of the 2-century-old corridors. Spreading more than 2 kilometres long and occupying 20,000 square metres, there is room to store 5.5 million litres of wine. Upon arrival in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, embark on a walking tour of the old town to view the enormous twin bell-towers and high dome of the baroque St Nicholas’s Cathedral. Proceed to the nearby Market Colonnade, which curves along the east bank of the Ljublijanica River between Triple Bridge and Dragon Bridge. It houses dozen of excellent little shops, selling a wide variety of foodstuff.  Later, cross Triple Bridge to Preseren Square which is named after the greatest Slovene poet, France Preseren.
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Day 8: LJUBLJANA-POSTOJNA-LJUBLJANA
This morning, visit the Predjama Castle which is pressed into a huge cavern hollowed out of the high, flat rock over the karstic swallow hole. For 700 years, it has perched in a 123-metre cliff, the perfect hideout for the rebellious knight Erazem of Predjama, a “robber baron” who is the subject of a romantic and beautiful legend. The first records of the castle date back to 1202. A visit of the renovated rooms and their equipment reveals how people once lived and worked in the castle. Thereafter, continue to Postojna Cave, the largest known “classical karst” cave in Europe. Board a train through an artificial tunnel, built during the construction of the railway 40 years ago. The train will pass by some of the galleries which are rich in drop stones. One of the galleries known as the “Dancing Hall” has served as a setting for numerous dance show and concerts for 180 years. After viewing the natural sculptures, you will get off the train midway and continue on foot to view the vast opening of the caves. Later, board the train again to continue your journey. On your way back to the rail track, not to be missed is a view of “The Human Fish”.
Breakfast/Dinner

Day 9: LJUBLJANA-BLED-ST-VEIT
Arrive in Lake Bled to enjoy a gondola or pletnas ride to Bled island, a magically picturesque islet crowned by the exquisite Church of the Assumption. Built in 1698, the baroque church’s most outstanding features are from the preceding gothic church. The remarkably well-preserved frescoes on the north and south presbytery walls depict scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary and a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary with child.  The wishing bell, which seems to keep most visitors amused, was installed in 1534. Thereafter, cross the border to Austria and continue to St Veit while enjoying the countryside scenery along the way.  
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Day 10: ST-VEIT-VIENNA
Upon arrival in Vienna, proceed to visit Schonbrunn Palace, the imperial summer residence built by King Leopold I but completed by Empress Maria Theresa in 1743. The palace contains 1,200 rooms but only a handful of them are open to the public for viewing. You can view a selection of private rooms used by Empress Maria Theresa. Take a stroll in the grand Hoffburg, Buggarten and Volksgarten which is the oldest park of the city. 
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Day 11: VIENNA-BRNO-PRAGUE
After crossing Czech Republic, drive to Brno, capital of the Province of Moravia. Enjoy a brief city tour to see the unusual baroque Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul, as well as Spilberk Fortress, which was used as a jail by the Nazis during World War II. Proceed to Prague for your overnight stay.
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Day 12: PRAGUE
Built along Vltava River, Prague is one of the most beautifully preserved cities in Europe.  Begin your tour of Prague by visiting the Jewish Quarter, the Golden Lane and the famous Wenceslas Square, which is the hub of cultural, social and business activities in Prague. Not to be missed is the Astronomical Clock, where a crowd gathers at the start of every hour to admire the procession of the Apostles and other allegorical figures. Take a stroll on the medieval Charles Bridge, the symbol of the city of Prague and admire the baroque statues that decorate both sides of the bridge. Later, spend your day at leisure to explore this historical city further.
Breakfast/Lunch

Day 13: PRAGUE-SINGAPORE
If time permits, you can do some last-minute shopping before you transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Breakfast/Meals on Board

Day 14: ARRIVE-IN-SINGAPORE