Vantage World Travel

Passion Play with Vienna to Warsaw - 12D/11N

Experience the Passon Play, a dramatic reprisentation depicting the Passion of Christ: the trail, suffering and death of Jesus Christ, while enjoying the history of central Europe’s most famous cities.

Munich is the gateway to the Bavarian Alps, and Germany’s “good time” capital. Bravarian food, beer and oom-pah bands instantly come to mind, particularly during the annual Oktoberfest. The heart of the city is the Marienplatz, surrounded by shops and restaurants. The roccoco Asamkirche is an architectural treat, and the Glockenspiel in teh tower of the new town hall performs twice daily.

Vienna, where history comes alive! With more than six centuries of Habsburg rule, their mark has been left in the arts, music, and achitecture. Visitors enjoy the world-renowed museums, baroque churches and palaces, and splendid parks that are the legacies of those times. Vienna has retained its traditional beauty and elegance. A continuous choice of cultural activities, great social events, and a knack for the good life are an unbeatable combination for a memorable visit.

Budapest is the capital of Hungary, the largest city in Hungary, and serves as the country’s principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation center. Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, its extensive World Heritige Sites includes the banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter, Andrassy Avenue, Heroes’ Square, and the Millennium Underground Railway. The 80 geothermal springs help make up the world’s largest thermal water cave system. The city is split into two sections: Buda, in the hills on the western side of the Danube and Pest, on the flat terrain of the Great Plain on the eastern side of the Danube.

Warsaw has blossomed under a bustling Polish economy and freedom from strict communist rule. The city has undergone a huge transformation process; many old communist bulidings have given way to skyscrapers, dilapidated old town was restored, and entertainment and services have been transformed to match that of other western capitals. The Old Town is the most attractive area of Warsaw. All major attractions are in the vicinity of Rynek Starego Miasta - Market Square. Old Town was established in the 13th century and impresses tourists with its quaint, cobbled streets and unique architecture. The heart of the area is the Market Square with its traditional Polish restaurants, cafes, and shops. The New Town began to develop in the 14th century and in 1408, Duke Janusz the Elder granted the town a separate status from the Old Town. During WWII, the area suffered severe damage, but since has been restored to its original glamour.

Included: First class hotels, rooms with private facilities. Service charges and hotel taxes. Breakfast daily and 6 dinners. Airport transfers. Touring by modern air-conditioned motor coach. Professional Tour Director throughout. Luggage handling. SIGHTSEEING TOURS INCLUDED: Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Krakow, Warsaw. SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDED – PASSION PLAY IN OBERAMMERGAU (1-NIGHT PACKAGE): One night stay including breakfast. Lunch before the play (on Day 03). Dinner during the play interval (on Day 03). Shuttle service in Oberammergau and the nearby villages. Local assistance. Admission ticket to the Passion Play in the respective category. Program book of the 2010 Passion Play. Admission ticket for the Oberammergau Museum. Local tax.

Not Included: Any meals not mentioned in the program. Any airfares. Passport and visa fees. Any expenses of a personal nature.

Accommodations - Munich: Maritim (F). Hotel in Oberammergau Area. Vienna: Renaissance (SF). Budapest: Radisson SAS (F). Krakow: Radisson SAS (F) / Holiday Inn (F). Warsaw: Radisson SAS (SF).

Departures: 2010: 19-May; 26-May; 9-Jun; 7-Jul; 8-Sep.

Itinerary

• Day 01, arrive Munich, Wednesday - You will be met and transferred to your hotel. Time to relax before meeting your fellow travelers and your Tour Director at the welcome dinner. (D)
• Day 02, in Munich, Thursday - After breakfast, take a morning city tour of downtown Munich, featuring the Koenigsplatz, old and new Pinakothek, the Isartor (city gate), the royal palace, the angel of freedom and Odeonsplatz. View also the Olympic park, site of the 1972 summer Olympics and
  which, today, has become an attractive sports and leisure center. The platform on the Olympic tower provides a superior view over the city of Munich. Enjoy a scenic drive through the city where you’ll see such sights as the baroque Nymphenberg palace, the former summer residence of the Wittlesbach dynasty, and the Marienplatz with its famous glockenspiel clock. This afternoon venture into the densely forested mountains of southwest Bavaria. Here you’ll visit the dream-like Castle of Neuschwanstein. This castle was built by the ‘Mad king’ Ludwig and is known for its extraordinary architectural feats. Return to Munich
  late in the afternoon and enjoy remainder of the day at leisure. (B)
• Day 03, to Oberammergau, Friday - Morning travel by motor coach to Oberammergau. Upon arrival we have lunch and in the afternoon The Passion Play begins at 2.30 pm. You will be served dinner during the 3-hour interval in a restaurant in Oberammergau. At the end of the play, at around 10.30 pm, transfer to your hotel. (B,L,D)
• Day 04, to Vienna, Saturday - After breakfast we leave Germany behind, as we head to Austrian capital. On the way stop in Salzburg, for a short panoramic sightseeing tour, which shows us the Getriedergasse with its colorful shops, the majestic Cathedral, as well as the birthplace of the great composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In the afternoon drive along the Valley of the River Danube, past Melk to Vienna, the city of waltz. Dinner. (B,D)
• Day 05, in Vienna, Sunday - On your morning sightseeing tour, visit the Hofburg Palace, once the seat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and view the Belvedere Palace, Prater amusement park, the UN buildings, St. Stephen’s Cathedral and other vivid reminders of the city’s imperial history. Afternoon is at leisure. (B)



• Day 06, to Budapest, Monday - Today, travel east and cross the border to Hungary. Continue through the Transdanubian region, reaching
  Budapest just in time to relax before dinner. (B, D)
• Day 07, in Budapest, Tuesday - Situated on the opposite banks of the Danube River, the former cities of Buda and Pest are linked by a series of graceful bridges. Your morning sightseeing tour includes views of the outstanding Parliament, the Royal Palace and the Castle Hill area, the Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, the Heroes’ Square and Gellert Hill with its Citadel. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore this exciting city on your own. (B)
• Day 08, to Krakow, Wednesday - The road to Krakow winds through the lovely hills and countryside of Slovakia, past the Tatras Mountains
  and into the great plains of Poland. A relaxing dinner in Krakow is planned upon arrival. (B, D)
• Day 09, in Krakow, Thursday - Your sightseeing tour starts with a visit to the Wawel Hill, viewing the Royal Castle and visiting the
  Royal Cathedral. Enjoy a walking tour of the Old Town where you will visit the Main Market Square, Renaissance Cloth Hall and St. Mary’s Church. The afternoon is free for a stroll around the city. (B)
• Day 10, to Warsaw, Friday - This morning perhaps join an optional trip to one of he most somber memorials of the past, Auschwitz Concentration Camp. Later, journey to Czestochowa and visit the Yasna Gora Monastery, known for the blackened picture of the Virgin Mary popularly called
  the “Black Madonna”. In the late afternoon, arrive in Poland’s capital city, Warsaw. (B, D)
• Day 11, in Warsaw, Saturday - The 700 years old capital is a symbol of the Polish nationhood and the will to survive against great odds. A sightseeing tour here includes a drive along the famous Royal Route from the magnificent Castle Square to Lazienki Park and Palace, the summer residence of the last king of Poland. Pass by the Palace of Science and Culture (known as the “wedding cake”), the Saxon Gardens, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Monument to the Heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto and the Barbican. Continue with the walking tour of the Old Town, the Old Market Square and St. John’s Cathedral. The rest of the day is free for relaxing, shopping, a stroll through the city or an optional late afternoon Chopin concert. (B)
• Day 12, depart Warsaw, Sunday - After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your departure flight. (B)

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