Beauty of Central Europe: Budapest & Prague

DAY 1, Monday - Arrive in Budapest
Arrive in Budapest, Hungary's capital, cultural and commercial center, appropriately nicknamed "Paris of the East." Transfer to your hotel and enjoy a welcome dinner with your Gutsy companions. 
Overnight: Budapest
Meals: Dinner
 
DAY 2, Tuesday - Hungarian Cooking Class, City Tour
This morning enjoy the opportunity to discover finer points of Hungarian cooking at one of Budapest's most famous restaurants, the Gundel. Learn from one of Hungary's award-winning chefs the methods of preparing paprika chicken and a variety of traditional strudels. Enjoy the fruits of your labor with wine. Afterward, tour Budapest, beginning in Pest with views of the Hungarian Parliament Building, completed in 1904, the Royal Palace, Market Hall and Heroes' Square, central site of the Millennium Memorial and its statesmen sculptures. Cross the Danube via the Elizabeth Bridge to the Buda Hills. Visit the Citadel on Mount Gellert, arguably the best locale for snapshots of the city, continuing to the 13th-century Matthias Coronation Church on Castle Hill. From the Fisherman's Bastion, enjoy a panoramic view of the city below.
Overnight: Budapest
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
 
DAY 3, Wednesday- Thermal Spa, Illuminated River Cruise with Dinner
This morning experience a true delight of Central European life -- a trip to a thermal spa. Not only are thermal spas popular in Europe, they are especially so in Budapest, home to some of the world's finest mineral baths. Enjoy spa services at the elegant Margaret Island Thermal Spa, located in the middle of the Danube River. Your entrance ticket to the spa area includes access to the thermal pools, swimming pools, fitness area, the sauna and the steam room. For an additional charge, add one or more of a variety of treatments such as massages, scrubs, mud packs, access to the salt cave. Indulge yourself then relax in the warm, mineral-enriched baths of the main pool. Following your treatments, perhaps you will stop at the Neptune Pool Bar for a glass of wine or a delicious dessert. Spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at your hotel, or opt for a stroll along the fabulous Vaci Utca, Budapest's chief shopping district, lined with fancy boutiques, traditional cafes and a wealth of inspiring architecture. This evening, enjoy a dazzling illuminated dinner cruise on the Danube River with scenes of Budapest by night.
Overnight: Budapest
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
 
DAY 4, Thursday- Bratislava City Tour
Today, depart for Czech Republic. Travel into Southern Bohemia and view the scenic countryside, where hillside towns with Gothic style churches and medieval monasteries pop from the surrounding forests and farmlands. Along the way, you'll stop in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, where an experienced local guide will accompany you on an orientation tour of this historic city. After lunch continue to Prague, the glorious City of Spires. In the evening, dinner at a charming local restaurant features regional specialties.
Overnight: Prague
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
 
DAY 5, Friday - Prague City & Castle Tour
This morning, enjoy a tour of Prague, a city that escaped damage despite two World Wars and thus managed to retain its old beauty. Your morning tour of Prague includes a visit to the Royal Castle at Hradcany, former residence of the Bohemian kings. Enjoy charming views of the city and Charles Bridge below, before a visit to St. Vitus Cathedral, regarded as the oldest Gothic church in Central Europe. View St. George's Basilica and the Golden Lane, then visit Lobkovicz Castle, recently opened to house the treasures from the Renaissance Nelahozeves. Apart from its prized antique furniture, most of which dates from the 16th and 18th centuries, the Castle boasts an impressive gallery with famous works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Canaletto, Rubens and Veronese. The castle is also home to one of the largest collections of 16th and 17th-century Spanish portraits outside Spain. Continue to the Jewish Quarter and the Old Town Square to view the famous Town Hall Astronomical Clock, with mechanical components dating to 1410. Following lunch on your own, spend the remainder of the afternoon at leisure to explore Prague independently.
Overnight: Prague
Meals: Breakfast
 
DAY 6, Saturday - Mucha Museum, Tea at the Municipal House, Horse-and-Carriage Ride
This morning, enjoy a guided visit to the Mucha Museum, which honors the life and work of world-renowned Czech Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha. Afterward, have tea and cake at the Municipal House, Prague's most celebrated Art Nouveau building. The tour concludes with a charming horse-and-carriage ride through the streets of Prague, providing a unique and romantic view of the city. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant, featuring traditional Bohemian dishes and live musical accompaniment.
Overnight: Prague
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
 
DAY 7, Sunday - Depart Europe
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
Meals: Breakfast