RAILWAY & TRAIN TOURS

Polish Explorer

Tour Details

Day 1: Berlin
Arrive Berlin. Transfer to the central Derag Hotel Grosser Kurfürst (4-star) for a two-night stay.

Day 2: Berlin
A morning tour encompasses symbols of Berlin’s past and present – the Brandenburg Gate, Alexanderplatz, Checkpoint Charlie and the Reichstag. A free afternoon allows time for a museum visit, a boat trip or a stroll.

Day 3: Berlin, Potsdam
A free morning, then an afternoon journey past the Wannsee Lakes to Potsdam to visit the New Palace and Gardens of Sanssoucci. Dine in a local restaurant and transfer to Berlin Ost railway station in late evening. Step aboard the Danube Express and your sleeping car attendant shows you to your compartment. Make yourself comfortable here or join fellow travelers in the lounge as the train heads to Poland. Overnight on Danube Express.

Day 4: Gdansk, Malbork
Morning sees arrival in Gdansk, where a city tour includes the reconstructed Burgher houses and quaint harbor of the Old Town, St Mary’s Church and the Neptune Fountain. Lunch en route to Malbork, a stronghold of the Teutonic Knights, where you visit the magnificent 13th-century castle. On board, relax with a drink and dine as the train heads south. Overnight on Danube Express.

Day 5: Krakow, Zakopane
Arrive in Krakow, where a morning tour evokes a colorful past and includes Wawel Castle and the Old Town, the medieval Market Square and magnificent Cloth Hall. In St. Mary’s Church, see the elaborate Gothic altarpiece by Veit Stoss. During lunch, the Danube Express climbs through spectacular mountains towards Zakopane where you have free time to admire unrivaled views of the Tatra Mountains. Dinner is served as the train descends and heads for Slovakia. Overnight on Danube Express.

Day 6: Košice, Budapest
Wake and enjoy the scenery of the Hornad River Valley en route to Košice. A walking tour takes in the well-preserved historic city center and St. Elizabeth’s Cathedral, a beautiful example of Gothic architecture constructed between 1378 and 1508. The Danube Express heads south and crosses the border, with lunch served as it travels between Hungary’s northern mountains and the Great Plain, arriving in Budapest’s Nyugati station in late afternoon. Transfer to the elegant Hotel Astoria (4-star) for two nights. Centrally situated, a few minutes’ walk from the hotel brings you to the edge of the Danube.

Day 7: Budapest
Today’s tour includes sights in Buda and Pest. First see Heroes’ Square and City Park, then the Cathedral and the impressive Parliament building. Cross to Buda for stunning views from Gellert Hill and Fisherman’s Bastion, then visit St. Matthias Church. The day continues with a journey on the Children’s Railway through Buda’s wooded hills.

Day 8: Budapest
Depart Budapest.