Old Europe Tour

Did you know that…

• The Vatican State is a country that covers no more than 0.44km2. This means that it is the smallest country in the world, and is surrounded by Italy. Ironically, the Vatican is home to the Basilica of San Pedro, the biggest church in the world!
• The only bank in the world that allows its customers to select Latin on the ATMs can be found in the Vatican Bank.

Day 11 – Florence – Venice

“Buongiorno Principessa” said Benigni, actor from Florence, in the film “Life is Beautiful”.

Today on this super trip for young people, we will visit the cradle of the Renaissance, the city that was the cultural and artistic centre of all Europe from the fifteenth century. In this city the stars aligned, and thanks to art-sensitive families and generations of incredible artists, it began to create works that continue to amaze today.

Well, this is where their walks began, and then they spread their arts throughout the rest of Italy, especially in Rome to the court of the Popes.

After admiring this small town with more artwork per square metre in the world, we will continue with our route through Europe for young people and set sail for another jewel of Italian architecture: Venice.

Venice was one of the most powerful, rich and populated cities for many centuries, dominating the Mediterranean and the trade routes of the East, and its art reflects the Byzantine and Asian influence that Marco Polo told us.

So rest well today, and expect an intense day tomorrow!

Day 12 – Venice

Winter is the best time to visit Venice, the first European city that has been turned into an open air museum, attracting so many tourists that they almost don’t all fit in. Don’t miss the chance to visit it! Soon, limits will be set to control the traffic of tourists….Or the water might sink it! Get your camera out and search for the best angle to take the best pictures of its bridges, “Vaporettos” and “Góndolas”.

We will enjoy the Byzantine influenced art that characterizes the Basilica of San Marco, and we will also get the chance to see and learn how glass is made in Murano as well as admire the colorful houses in Burano!

*Optional Activity:

• Venice Pack 

Day 13 – Venice – Alps – Munich

Today on our Grand tour around Europe we will have some time to enjoy the breathtaking mountains covered in snow (hopefully!). This area is stunning in the winter! We will pass the Adige River, the beautiful Italian mountain range otherwise know as the Bolomites and then we will cross the boarder to another country… Austria. Once we have arrived you will be amazed at the incredible waters, snowy mountains and the green Heidi hills.

After a long day of taking photos in the mountains that separate Austria and Italy, we will travel through Austria until we reach Bavaria, the most southern area in Germany, famous for its car brands (BMW, Mercedes), its beer and the great capital: Munich.

Munich is not only a rich, modern and very lively city… but it also has a lot of history. Therefore, weather permitting, we will stop to visit its cathedral and the Marien Platz with its famous Gothic clock-rail, which has 43 bells and 32 animated figures that dance every morning at 12 p.m..

*Optional Activity

• Sled Descent – Snow Activities

Day 14 – Munich – Castle of the Crazy King* – Munich 

¡Guten Morgen!

Today on our Grand tour around Europe, you will have the option of  either staying in the hotel and resting (a.k.a. getting rid of your hangover from the night before) or you can come on an adventure with us to  discover a hidden european gem: The Castle of Walt Disney. The real name of this castle is the castle of Neuschwanstein, also known as the castle of the Mad King. We will also have the chance to visit a skiing area, where you will have the chance to enjoy the snow!

Would you prefer to stay in the hostel and explore the city by yourself? Or would you like to surf on an artificial river in the centre of the city? Ask us and we will tell you all of the hidden secrets in this incredible city, Munich!

*Optional Activity

• Visit to the outside of the Mad King’s Castle (Neuschwanstein) + Surprise

Hopefully we will have the chance to see this castle in the snow and take some unforgettable photos like this…

Did you know that…

• The literal translation of the Castle of Neuschwanstein in English is the “New Stone Swan”
• Neuschweinstein Castle was built in an era in which castles and forts were no longer needed, from a strategic point of view. It was born from the imagination of Luis II as a pure romantic fantasy of an idealised medieval castle.
• Its design is not functional, it is purely aesthetic, being largely the product of the mind of a theatrical set designer.

Do you want to know more about the legend of the Mad King?

What makes Munich worth visiting?

Day 15 – Munich – Dachau* – Prague

This morning you will have the chance to visit Dachau concentration camp, one of the very few camps that remains in-tact to provide evidence of the atrocities conducted by the Nazis during the Second World War. However, if you would prefer to have some free time, you can explore Munich.

After the optional visit to Dachau concentration camp, we will hop back on our bus and this time, on our Grand tour around Europe, we will head to PRAGUE!

Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic and the most important city in the Bohemian region. It is known for being one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, its privileged location in the centre of Europe and its good communication with the neighbouring countries, make it one of the most visited destinations on the European continent. During its history, this city has received many names, such as “The Golden City”, “The City of the Hundred Spires” and “The Heart of Europe”.

This city was born from the union of five ancient cities and through it pass the waters of the Vltava River. It has traditionally been the political, economic and cultural centre of the Czech Republic.

*Optional Activity

• Trip to Dachau concentration camp (Munich)

Do you know its legends?

Legends of the city Prague.

Day 16 – Prague (New Year’s Eve)

Put your coat on and have a hot drink because the golden city awaits us!

Before enjoying the New Year, we will continue our Christmas Wonderland trip and visit the Old Town, the New Town also of medieval origin, and the old Jewish Quarter.

You can go from Republic Square, with the Powder Tower, and the beautiful Art Nouveau Municipal House, to Wenceslas Square. This square is universally known for being the scene of the “Prague Spring”.

We will go to the Theater of the States, where several operas by Mozart were premiered, and the Jewish Quarter. Afterwards, we can stroll through the Clementinum, the former Jesuit College, and then on to the famous Charles Bridge, with its 30 famous baroque sculptures. If there is time… We can pass by the old market square, the “Old Town Square” with its outstanding and attractive Astronomical Clock.

We hope you didn’t get too tired today, because there are still the New Year’s celebrations. Every year, people from all over the world come to Prague to celebrate, because of the charm of the city and the low price of its beer. Are you going to miss it?

*Optional Activity:

• For more information on New Year activities, please contact the group leader.

Did you know that…

• The beer in Prague is almost cheaper than water! It’s because beer is part of their culture.
• Prague Castle, from the ninth century, is the largest in the world! Although it is not a castle as such, it brings together churches, gardens, the official residence of the president of the Czech Republic and a large number of beautiful streets.

Day 17 – Prague – Kutna Hora* – Prague

Did you know that…

• One of the most impressive things that can be found in Kutna Hora are its religious temples, which are considered to be among the most incredible in the whole of the Czech Republic, therefore you cannot pass up on the opportunity to visit them!
• Kutna Hora has a bit of a morbid feel to it, a characteristic which is almost certainly due to the fact there is a chapel created from the bones of 40,000 people who wanted to be burried there.

Day 18 – Prague – Frankfurt – Berlin

After giving it our all in Prague, we will continue our Grand tour around Europe. We’ll go even further north and temperatures will drop even further! Germany and its capital, Berlin, awaits us.

Berlin, after being almost completely destroyed throughout World War II, has had to reinvent itself and achieved it mostly from the year ’89, following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the unification of the West and East side of the city. Since then, because of the low living costs, it has attracted urban artists from all over Europe, and that’s why today Berlin is home to some of the best graffiti on the continent.

Weather and schedules permitting, on the way to Berlin we will make a stop in Dresden, known as “Florence of the River Elbe”. There we can try a delicious German “wurst” and also appreciate the Baroque architecture of this city.

Did you know that…

• The origin and meaning of Berlin is “swampy land” given that the terrain over which this city was constructed was kind of swampy.
• The television tower of Berlin is 368m high, and is the second highest tower in Europe. But that’s not all, it’s possible to go 200 metres up the tower, to the restaurant which spins 360 degrees of its axis every 30 minutes
• Even though the only emblematic gate that still remains in the city is Brandenburg Gate, Berlin used to have 18 entrance gates.

Day 19 – Berlin

“Ich bin ein Berliner”, which means “I am a Berliner” is what JFK said in ’63 to show support to the people who were separated from their families due to the construction of Berlin wall. Today, it’s time for you to repeat the phrase and spend a day as a Berliner.

Today on this Grand tour around Europe, you can choose whether to spend a day with us to know every last detail behind the buildings of Berlin, especially the famous Reichstag, the German Parliament, next to it you will see the icon of Berlin the Brandenberg Gate, and the famous Holocaust memorial.

From there we will continue onwards to Checkpoint Charlie, taking in a portion of the old Berlin Wall destroyed in ’89, undoubtedly the most important political event in Germany in the last 50 years. If time permits we will visit the famous Alexanderplatz, where you can climb the other symbol of the Berlin skyline, the telecommunications Tower of Berlin.

*Optional Activity:

•  Bus Tour of Berlin

Día 20 – Berlín – Cracovia

Did you know that…

• From a political and historic point of view, Poland has been the most unfortunate country in Europe over the past 2 centuries, having been invaded by Germany, Russia, Czech Republic and Austria.
• At the same time, they were never invaded either by the Romans or by the Turks.
• Poland is the most catholic country in europe, above all, amongst the younger generation.

Day 21 – Krakow – Auschwitz* – Krakow

Today we propose getting up early for an optional activity, an essential trip if we are doing this Ground tour around Europe, part of which is based on many of the key locations in World War II.

On the side of Krakow, an hour and a bit away, you can find the only concentration camp that was saved from the self-destruction of the Germans, who tried to erase the evidence of the existence of these camps.

Auschwitz is a place for rememberance and reflexion, in which a guide will teach us about the cruel nature of the Nazi regime and the mental, physical and moral destruction that the jews had to endure. (This tour is usually done in English).

For those who would prefer to stay in Krakow below there is useful information about the city.

* Optional Activity:

• Trip to Auschwitz concentration camp

Did you know that…

• Auschwitz and Krakow have been scene to many movies: Movies set in Poland
• The famous scientist Copernicus, the first one to notice that the sun, not the earth was the centre of the solar system, studied in Krakow.
• Schindler’s factory is located on the south side of the Vistula River, where the old Jewish ghetto used to be.

¿+ Info?:

The best of Krakow

Day 22 – Krakow

Krakow, is the cultural reference of Poland due to its history: here you can enjoy different areas developed in different eras that have not suffered significant destructions throughout the Second World War. The historic centre of medieval origin, is perfectly preserved and it is possible to walk along the royal road that goes from the North to the South of the city, starting with the Barbican, passing the market square, the largest and most beautiful in the city where the Cathedral of Santa Maria stands out and top it off with the mythical Wawel Castle overlooking the Vistula River.

The Jewish quarter, the most active and characteristic district of the city, was developed in the 19th century. This neighborhood became a ghetto under Nazi rule and is where the famous Schindler operated, a German who saved thousands of Jews by lying to the German authorities and whose story was later brought to the cinema by director Steven Spielberg.

Also, Krakow has a neighborhood of communist architecture known to urban planners around the world as Nowa Huta, a highly developed industrial area.

*Optional Activity:

• Wieliczka Salt Mine

Day 23 – Krakow – Budapest

Today on this Grand tour around Europe we will start heading towards the impressive Tatras mountains that mark the end of Poland and the beginning of Slovakia. The road on the national road is particularly pleasant for nature lovers.

In Slovakia we will stop in a small town called Oravsky Podzamok, where, erected on top of a rock, is one of the most beautiful castles in Europe: the Castle of Orava (entrance optional), where they filmed the first Dracula film, “Nosferatu” (1922)

After this visit, we will continue our tour in the direction of Hungary, where we will visit the last city of our extensive list – Budapest.

*Optional Activity:

• Visit to Orava Castle

Dia 24 – Budapest

Did you know that…

• If we look at the statistics we will see how the holocaust affected Hungary, one out of 10 victims of this horrible historical moment was of Hungarian origin.
• The most famous Ruin Bars are the Szimpla Kert or the Instant, all of them decorated with everyday objects but in a sketchy way that give the place an alternative touch.
• If you have time and you like ice skating, the rink next to the Heroes’ Square has 12,000 square meters!