BY RAIL
HIGHLIGHTS OF BERLIN, PRAGUE AND VIENNA RAIL TOUR
8 nights / 9 days From £ 1,770 per person
Berlin
BERLIN • PRAGUE • VIENNA
Visit three historical central and Eastern European cities in a total of eight nights: Berlin, Prague and Vienna. Begin your rail holiday in Germany, exploring its capital, Berlin, then to Prague and the ancient capital of Bohemia. Your third destination is the capital of Austria and once focal city of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY
DAY ONE Travel from the UK to Berlin Begin your holiday by travelling to Berlin by air or by rail. If you opt to travel by rail, you catch an early morning Eurostar from London to Brussels. After a change of trains in Brussels, carry on to Cologne, where you will change trains once more before arriving in Berlin in the evening. Check in to your hotel for 2 nights. If you travel out and back by air, the holiday duration is 7 nights in total.
DAY TWO In Berlin You have one full day to explore Berlin at your leisure. Berlin has a fascinating history stretching back hundreds of years although it is really for its more recent history that it is best known. Berlin has been at the epicentre of two world wars and the Cold War in the course of the 20th Century and is now the capital of a re-united Germany. Its rich history means that there is a vast amount to discover. Major attractions include the Reichstag, German Parliament, which was built in the 19th century and destroyed in 1933 and the Brandenburg Gate, which was inspired by the Acropolis in Athens, and at the head of the long boulevard, Unter den Linden( named after the rows of linden trees planted almost 400 years ago). Another important cultural place of interest is Museum
Island where 5 museums are located. These include the Pergamon Museum which houses 3 separate collections; the Museum of Antiquities( from Greece and Rome), the Museum of Near Eastern Antiquities and the Museum of Islamic Art as well as Neues Museum which hosts Egyptian and prehistoric items. Apart from all the museums that the city has to offer, Berlin is also home to one of the oldest zoos in Germany situated in Tiergarten park. Why not take a stroll by the Landwehr Canal which is seven miles in length and will take you through some of the cities sights including Kreuzberg’ s café-lined embankments and part of Tiergarten Park. Berlin is a very large city and covers an area of just under 900 sq kms.
DAY THREE Berlin to Prague by train After two nights in Berlin, depart your hotel and board a direct train to Prague. The last stop in Germany is the pretty spa town of Bad Schandau and the first stop in Czech Republic is Decin where you can observe the Decin Castle. The river views continue as the train runs along the river Vlatava. On the approach to Prague, you may be able to spot Prague’ s old town cathedral towers in the distance. You spend two nights in Prague.
DAY FOUR In Prague You have one full day in Prague to take in the city’ s 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.
DAY FIVE Prague to Vienna by train The service from Prague to Vienna takes about four hours. You can arrive in Vienna mid-afternoon and then check-in to your hotel. You spend three nights in Vienna.
DAYS SIX TO SEVEN In Vienna You have two full days to explore Vienna at leisure. Vienna, on the banks of the River Danube, has been at the heart of central European history since the Roman times. Vienna never fails to impress and
88 To speak to our specialist rail holidays team telephone 01392 441250 or see www. expressionsholidays. co. uk