An Austro-Hungarian Empire Trio

Our 24-hour tour director will meet us at the airport and remain with us until our final airport departure. We will have use of a private coach and driver while touring for the next seven days. Budapest, a modern cultural city and capital of Hungary. Consisting of two parts, Buda and Pest, and these are divided by the beautiful river Danube.

Take a boat tour on the Danube River, a relaxing and scenic introduction to Budapest.

Visit St. Stephen’s Basilica, the largest church in the country, which took over 50 years to build. The bust above the main entrance is of King Stephen, Hungary’s first Christian king. Inside the church, in the Chapel of the Holy Right, you can see Hungarian Catholicism’s most cherished and bizarre holy relic, Stephen’s preserved right hand.

Enjoy a walking tour through the Old Town. Highlights will include the State Archives, Lord’s Street, Mihaly Tancsics Street, and Holy Trinity Square. We will also visit the Budapest Hilton where ruins and artifacts from the 13th century, uncovered during the excavations for the hotel’s construction, have been incorporated into its design.

Tour Matthias Church. Officially named the Church of Our Lady, it is the symbol of Buda’s Castle District. The last two Hungarian kings (Habsburgs) were crowned in the church: Franz Joseph in 1867 and Charles IV in 1916. The church interior is decorated with works of two outstanding 19th-century Hungarian painters, Károly Lotz and Bertalan Székely.

Your first concert performance is today in Budapest. Venue options include St. Stephen’s Basilica, Matthias Church, Stefania Palota, and Nador Hall.

Stop just outside the city center for a visit to the 1,441-room Schönbrunn Palace, which was designed for the Habsburgs before becoming the imperial summer palace during Maria Theresa's 40-year reign. It was the scene of great ceremonial balls, lavish banquets, and fabulous receptions held during the Congress of Vienna (one of these included a performance by a 6-year-old Mozart). Our tour will include the State Apartments and a stroll through the Imperial Gardens.

Stroll through Old Vienna on a walking tour that will include the Hoher Markt, where we will see Virgin Mary’s Wedding Fountain and an Art Nouveau clock; the Altes Rathaus, the former town hall; the old Chancellery of Bohemia; the Clock Museum; and St. Peter’s Church.

Visit the Hofburg Palace, a complex of imperial edifices which grew with the empire. Today the palace is virtually a city within a city. Our visit will include the Imperial Apartments and the Imperial Treasury, featuring the crown jewels and an assortment of imperial riches.

Explore the Old City with a visit to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, one of the greatest Gothic structures in Europe. St. Stephen’s is rich in woodcarvings, altars, sculptures, and paintings. One of the paintings shows the scene of the double marriage between the Hapsburg, Bohemian, and Hungarian dynasties in 1515 that laid the foundation of the Austrian Empire.

Your second concert performance will be today in Vienna. Venue options include St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the United Methodist Church, the Residence of the Canadian Ambassador, and Haus Gustav Klimt. Other possible venues may include the Karlskirche, the U.S. Embassy, Perchtoldsdorf, a Medieval Fortress, Esterhazy Palace, or Schönbrunn Palace.

Visit the Church of St Nicholas, one of Prague’s most spectacular Baroque churches, completed in 1761. Ornately decorated; the church features statues, frescoes, and paintings by the leading artists of the day.

Stroll across Charles Bridge, Prague’s most familiar monument, which is a haven for crafts and trinket stalls, and features spectacular statues of the Saints lining each side.

Prague Castle is the most popular site visited in Prague. It is the largest ancient castle in the world. Constructed in the 9th century by Prince Bořivoj, the castle transformed itself from a wooden fortress surrounded by earthen bulwarks to the imposing form it has today. Rulers made their own additions, so there is a mixture of styles. The castle has three courtyards and it has always been the seat of Czech rulers as well as the official residence.

Your third concert performance is today in Prague. Sacred venue options include St. Vitus Cathedral, St. Nicholas Church, The Church of Our Lady before Tyn, St. Francis Chapel, The Klementium, St. Giles’s Church, St. Thomas’ Church, Letensky Chateau, the Hotel Olympic Garni, St. George’s Basilica, or the church of St. Salvator. More secular venues include the National House at Vinohrady, Majakovsky Hall, Old Town Square, The Novotneho Lavka Concert Hall, The Boat Restaurant Marovia, Hlahol Concert Hall, or Podebrady Spa. The Ramparts of Prague Castle are a place for a beautiful concert attracting large crowds.

Our rewarding and enjoyable tour comes to an end as our tour director accompanies us to the airport on our final day.