BY RAIL
CZECH REPUBLIC DISCOVERY RAIL TOUR
7 nights / 8 days From £ 1,820 per person
Prague
COLOGNE OR BERLIN • PRAGUE • KARLOVY VARY • COLOGNE
This itinerary combines two distinctive places in the Czech Republic: its dreamy, historical capital, Prague, and the lesser-known but previously famous spa town of Karlovy Vary. Travel there by rail from Lonodn, breaking up your journey with overnight stops in Germany.
DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY
DAY ONE Travel from London to Cologne by train Begin your journey by travelling from London to Cologne by rail. Catch a morning Eurostar to Brussels. After a change of trains, board a direct service from Brussels to Cologne. Check in to your hotel for one night.( An alternative is to take the train on to Berlin and stay in Berlin for one night instead, travelling on day two from Berlin to Prague in about 4 hrs 30 minutes). Cologne is an important cultural and economic city straddling the River Rhine. Dating from Roman times, Cologne was also a thriving centre in the Middle Ages, from Charlemagne onwards. The Roman-Germanic museum is located near the Cathedral and explains the history of the city from Palaeolithic times until the Middle Ages. It contains precious articles in gold, glass and other treasures. The landmark of the city is the Gothic cathedral dating from 1248 and housing the Shrine of the Three Kings. Nearby are remnants of the city’ s mediaeval past with the Rathaus dating from the 12th Century and reconstructed houses in the Old Town. Cologne is also home to numerous museums and galleries, as well as being an important musical centre with several orchestras. Cologne celebrates Carnival boisterously, produces its own beer, is famous for Eau de Cologne and also is renowned for its Christmas market.
DAY TWO Cologne to Prague by train Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your hotel before boarding a train to Prague. If you are travelling from Cologne, board an 08:00 train to Dresden, changing in Frankfurt. After lunch in Dresden, board a final train to Prague where you will arrive in the late afternoon. Stay in Prague for three nights.
DAYS THREE AND FOUR In Prague You have two full days in Prague to take in the cultural highlights. Take a stroll across Charles Bridge as it spans the River Vltava and links the old town with the Mala Strana( lesser or little town) and continue uphill towards Prague Castle, one of the city’ s most popular sights. St Vitus Cathedral is near to the castle and can be seen from around the city. Spend another day exploring Prague’ s old town where you can enjoy Old Town Square, the Astronomical Clock( dating from 1410 and the oldest astronomical clock in the world that is still working) and Wenceslas Square. Prague enjoys a cultural reputation of immense stature in Europe and there are numerous opera and concert performances that can be booked. Unique to Prague is the Laterna Magika where classical principles of non-verbal theatre mingle with dance, film images and black light theatre. Prague’ s rich cultural heritage can be experienced in visits to any number of museums in the city: Czech museum of music, Mucha museum, Frank Kafka museum, Antonin Dvorak museum, the
Narodni museum and the City of Prague museum. Be sure to taste traditional pork or beef and dumplings at a typical Old Town restaurant.
DAY FIVE Prague to Karlovy Vary by train Check out of your hotel in Prague and board a direct train to Karlovy Vary just before midday. You will arrive in just over 3 hours. Check in to your hotel for two nights.
DAY SIX In Karlovy Vary You have one full day to explore the resort town of Karlovy Vary, renowned as a spa town. Places of interest include the Hot Spring Colonnade which houses an impressive geyser that gushes 15m into the air. There are also some museums to visit which include the Karlovy Vary Museum, with extensive exhibits on the town’ s history as a spa resort and Czech glasswork as well as the Moser Glass Museum with more than 2000 items on display. You could also hike to the Diana Lookout Tower situated at the top of a wooded hill offering views across the town.
DAY SEVEN Karlovy Vary to Cologne by train Depart your hotel and board a train to Cologne just after midday. You will change trains in Cheb and Nuremburg before you arrive a little after 7p. m. in Cologne. Check-in to your hotel for one night.
86 To speak to our specialist rail holidays team telephone 01392 441250 or see www. expressionsholidays. co. uk