Day 9 (Saturday) Prague

Prague is filled with rare delights – religious masterpieces from the Middle Ages and wonderful museums of history occupying old landmarks that are, in turn, works of art. The city also has an incredible number of cathedrals, palaces, and gardens dating back over half a millennium. Along the cobblestone streets and bridges, while visiting the Old Town Square, New Town, and the historic Jewish Quarter, you find an older, quieter Europe. This afternoon, you have leisure time for shopping in some of Prague’s best shops featuring items such as Bohemian crystal, china, wooden toys, and antiques. Many of these stores are conveniently located in the city’s center, especially in the area around Wenceslas Square. You have a most enjoyable treat this evening – you go to a performance at the Opera after your à la carte dinner in a local restaurant. (B,L,D)

The history of Prague begins with the Prague Castle that was founded in the 9^th century. Its assorted sharp spires and roofs are the definitive landmark of the city. The complex sits high above the Vltava River; and within its walls are a palace, three churches, chapels, towers and a monastery, representing the architecture of every period of its history. You see St. Vitus’s Cathedral, the Royal Palace, St. George’s Basilica and Convent, and the Golden Lane, among other sights. There is a wonderful view of Prague from the South Gardens laid out along the former ramparts of the Castle. Today, Vaclav Havel, president of the republic, has his offices here. After a free afternoon to explore the city on your own, join your fellow travelers for dinner at a restaurant featuring such typical local dishes as vegetable soups, beef with dumplings, smoked pork, and roast duck with sauerkraut, followed by very tasty strudels, fruit dumplings, or crepes. (B,L,D)

This morning you journey southward from Prague through the rolling green hills and medieval towns of Southern Bohemia. Germans and Czechs have lived together on this land for centuries; since the end of World War II, the area has been considered a "close family relation" to nearby Austria and Bavaria. You stop in the town of Tabor, named after a Biblical mountain and settled for the sole purpose of receiving Christ on his return to earth in the Second Coming.

You have lunch in Cesky Krumlov – a town that is described in UNESCO’s World Heritage List as "second only to Venice in terms of its beauty and cultural significance". Postcards of this village will never do it justice. The picturesque, narrow, winding streets cling like ribbons to the hills as they follow the terrain around and down to the Vltava River that, in turn, winds around it. Standing watch from above is the majestic castle of the Rozmberk family (one of the wealthiest and oldest noble families in the area). You check into your hotel, the Ruze, which is housed in an historic building that was once a Jesuit monastery. In the evening, you make your à la carte dinner selections in the hotel’s charming restaurant. (B,L,D)

This morning, you continue traveling through the green hills and forests of Southern Bohemia and cross the border into Austria where the landscape is dotted with farms on low rolling hills. Numerous images come to mind when thinking of Vienna – magnificent architecture along wide boulevards, elaborate imperial palaces, coffee houses offering delectable pastries, crystal chandeliers, lace curtains, Baroque mirrors, choirboys with angelic voices, horse-drawn carriages, the blue Danube River, Strauss’s waltz, and elegant shops.

Upon your arrival in Vienna, you check into the Hotel Imperial, which was once the city’s most prominent ducal palace. The wealth of antiques, tapestries, polished marble, crystal, and honey-toned wood provides an elite yet warm setting. This evening, you dine from the à la carte menu, pampered by an attentive staff and entertained by the strains of live music. (B,L,D)

For six centuries, Vienna was the residence of the imperial court, and the influence of the Habsburgs remains clearly evident. Now the seat of the neutral federal government, it enjoys considerable prestige. Set in the Danube River valley, with the hills of the Vienna Woods creating a northern and western border, the city is built on both sides of the Danube.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral, with its glorious tiled roof, is at the heart of the old city in the Innere Stadt, which is encircled by the Ringstrasse. It was built on the site of a 12^th-century church – the main entrance of the original building was incorporated into the present building. You visit the Imperial Palace (Hofburg) – the favorite residence of the Habsburgs - and see the imperial apartments as well as the treasury. There is ample time this afternoon for shopping for items such as porcelains, enamelware, and needlepoint in the shops along the pedestrian-only thoroughfares of Kärtner Strasse, Graben and the Kohlmarkt; the numerous cafes will also tempt you with a coffee and pastry.

Early this evening, you attend a Mozart and Strauss concert in a palace in town. Afterward, you go to a typical Viennese wine tavern (Heuriger) to sample the local specialties for dinner. (B,L,D)

Today you visit the sumptuous Baroque Schönbrunn Palace, constructed in the late 1700s; it was home to Empress Maria Theresa (as well as Napoleon). Painted in Maria Theresa’s favorite shade of yellow, there are 1,441 rooms (including a chapel and a theater). In 1918, in the Blue Chinese Salon, the last Habsburg emperor, Charles I, abdicated; and the palace became the property of the new republic. Later, you get "off the beaten track" to enjoy the nature of the Vienna Woods as you drive through charming wine-producing villages and rocky, wooded valleys. Join your companions tonight for dinner in an elegant hunting lodge outside the city. (B,L,D)

This morning, your journey ends, and you are escorted to the Vienna Airport for your flight to the States. (B)