Central Europe: Castles, Culture & Capitals

Customer Reviews

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  Bette

  · October 10th, 2019
  I loved this tour. So much history, so much fun and we couldn't have had better weather. Warm and sunny. Due to the low water levels, we were unable to do the boat ride from Bratislava into Vienna which was a little disappointing but unavoidable. You move a lot! Most locations are 2 night stays with a couple of 1 night stays but as long as you're understanding of that, it's all good. The hotels were clean and in good locations for accessing the cities. Other than breakfasts, the only included meal was lunch at the local winery which was a blast and the lunch was perfect. Add a little wine... what could be bad about that? Nothing.
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  Trip date: September 2019
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  Deborah Hume

  · August 26th, 2011
  I have just returned from this fantastic holiday travelling through the historic cities and towns of Central Europe. The hotels were excellent, more comfortable and centrally located than I expected. The trip covered so much ground that it represents great value for money. Thanks to Eric for keeping us well informed and unhurried in the busy schedule.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Such beautiful architecture in every location as well as striking scenery.  I was glad that the cities were punctuated by a couple of days in the mountains, a chance to chill out and appreciate the mountain views and wonderful clear air.  I particularly enjoyed the free open air cinema in front of the Rathaus in Vienna, mixing with the locals and enjoying a local brew on a warm August evening!  Brilliant!What did you think of your group leader?Eric set a leisurely pace within a tightly structured timetable.  He gave good advice on currency (imporant when travelling to 5 countries in 14 days) and recommendations for restaurants were sound.  I followed all recommendations for additional activities and they were very worthwhile: concert in Vienna, evening cruise in Budapest, the visit to the glacier lake in the Tatras, the Salt Mines and Auschwitz in Krakow.  Eric is easy going and relaxed.This tour was different from those I have taken in Sri Lanka and Vietnam.  The guides there spent much more time with the whole group and meals were almost always taken as a whole group.  On this tour, people split up and did their own thing in the cities so there much less of a 'group ambience'.  And the guide was less prominent as each city had a specialist local guide to accompany the city tour.  I enjoyed having the CD of additional photographs which Eric produced.   Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Fruit and vegetables are best consumed at breakfast!  The menu for vegetarians was a bit limited but for 2 weeks it was OK.   Most of the diet in restaurants consisted of meat with dumplings of various sorts.  I took walking poles for the hike and these were useful to take the strain off my old knees!  There is not much time for browsing or shopping on this trip - a wooden toy, paprika, some Polish pottery, a book of poetry from Auschwitz and finally some Baltic amber.    Is there anything else you would like to add?The whole trip was well balanced and very interesting.  I have waited a long time for a chance to visit these historic cities and the progression through the countries was a real immersion course in central european history.   It was wonderful to visit the smaller UNESCO World Heritage towns, which I had never previously heard of but really appreciated.I would recommend this trip to friends, and would do it myself again without hesitation! So the following comments are just personal ideas to add that final gloss to an excellent travelling experience.I would have enjoyed more cultural insights; this could take the form of a collection of books to browse on the bus, or general information such as some big pictures books to browse through.  I did have some printed material that I had downloaded but did not bring all the guide books due to packing realities!  A road map to have a look at would also have been interesting.As some of the stops were very short, a sketch of the town showing the location of the most important buildings + other highlights + good cafes would have been useful: some stops were only 45 minutes and although it was impressive to just stroll, I would have preferred to have had a map when doing so (e.g. Sopron, Levoca, Szentendre).  One photocopied A4 page, expanded from the trip notes, would not be too difficult to produce and would be very useful to maximise the interest in the visit to the town.The minibus from the Tatras to Krakow is rather cramped.  There were a few taller people in the group and they could hardly fit into the seats.  I am 5'3" tall and my knees were against the seat in front of me. Those sitting over the wheels also had even more restricted legroom.  This is only for one afternoon, so was bearable, but only just! I was able to find a vegetarian restaurant very close to the hotel in Vienna, but otherwise I did not have any recommendations.  A list with one or two vegetarian restaurants for each city would be useful but most restaurants do have some dishes to offer.... but do they use meat stock in the vegetable soup?  Better not ask!  
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  Trip date: August 2011
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  Barbara Scorer

  · November 16th, 2010
  Exodus planned the route really well to take in the highlights and contrasts of central Europe, including great cities and some beautiful countryside. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?There were so many:-the classical concert in Vienna and looking out over the city from the balcony during the intervaldancing to live folk music at the wine festival in a Budapest park   Radek, the wonderful local guide in Prague who brought the history and culture of his home city to lifegoing on a 'communist tour' in a genuine Russian car from the '50s in Krakowthe cool beautiful calm of the Tatras after the heat and activity of the citiesWhat did you think of your group leader?Lovely laid back Erik with his gentle sense of humour. It was good to have a guide from central Europe rather than a British guide. You felt like you were experiencing things from the point of view of a local rather than an outsider looking in.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Read up on the places you will be visiting before going so as to make the most of every day. The time in each place is short, so you need to be focussed on what you want to get out of it before going. Other than that, just do it. If you like cities, mountains, art, culture, history you'll love this trip.Is there anything else you would like to add?The trip was like walking around an art gallery and viewing a series of beautiful painting that changed daily. All in the company of my fellow international travelling companions, who made it all so much fun. It made me want to go back and explore the area fully and in more depth.
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  Trip date: November 2010
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  Margaret Brown

  · August 24th, 2010
  A fantastic holiday with a variety of experiences, especially if optional extras are taken, such as the classical concert in Vienna, boat trip on Danube, visist to Salt Mines and to Auschwitz.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Exploring cities independently with a map in an unknown language and a fistful of unfamiliar notes.Walking down the mountain - although I wanted to start from higher up. What did you think of your group leader?Knowledgeable about the places we visited, able to advice on location of ATMs in each town and how much money we needed in each currency. Only the birthplace of Liszt eluded him to be fair! A good sense of humour and soon picked up on our individual characters. Praise also must be given to the driver who joined in some of the jokes even though he knew no English and we knew no Slovakian; and drove confidently through all the different countries, often while the passengers napped.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Read up in advance about each place and know what you would like to see and do. A map of Central Europe that one person had was good to show the route we were taking. Take clothes that don't crease and can be worn several times. Take some good shoes for walking round all the cities and boots for walking on the mountain trails. Book it!Is there anything else you would like to add?The travelling in the mini bus was uncomfortable at times due to lack of leg room. Another day to explore Vienna would have been appreciated and another day at Cesky Krumlov to allow opportunity for having a go at rafting through the rapids. The trip notes were accurate, but the map attached showed that we would visit Bratislava which caused some confusion.
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  Trip date: August 2010
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  Jeffrey Chesnick

  · August 27th, 2009
  This was a really interesting, busy holiday that did exactly what it said in the brochure. We saw, learnt and did a lot and had a lot of laughs on the way.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The architecture and individuality of each city. The excellent and informative city guides that made learning about each city fun. Visiting the small UNESCO sites that we would never have found or travelled to under our own steam.What did you think of your group leader?Marcel our group leader was brilliant. Very informative and well read about all the palces we visited. He knew all the good places to eat! He was always calm and patient.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Take  plenty of cash or make sure you have a big enough bank balance to allow for cash withdrawals from ATMs Don't expect to use credit cards in any of the countries on this trip. Most restaurants were very reluctant to accept them and most refused point blank. Surprisingly most attractions i.e. entrance to museums don't accept credit cards either!Is there anything else you would like to add? Be warned. The hike down the mountain from Kasprowy Wierch in Zakopane is that- a hike. It is not that easy. The paths are well trodden but exceptionally uneven. Not for the unfit!
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  Trip date: August 2009
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  Stephanie Van Tatenhove

  · July 14th, 2008
  My first Exodus trip and I was disappointed. Very little background inormation given of a general nature. Far too much reliance on local guides, which resulted in a lot of specialised nationalistic and historical information, but certainly did not cover my areas of interest in Art and Architecture nor did we get much practical information e.g. opening hours of attractions or public transport information. After all we were in countries where few of us were at all familiar with the language. We got lost a great deal between places ,so arrived late and then did not have enough time. We spent too much time in Holasovice( should have got to Cesky Krumlov earlier) and Szentendre (especially as we arrived very late in Budapest and simply did not have enough time there) and Egar. We were constantly being told that there was something marvellous to see from the left or right hand side of the bus but we rarely stopped. We saw a lot of the outside of "places of interest" but not much inside. Constantly frustating. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?The short time we had in Cesky Krumlov, Spis castle, the Zakopane descent and it was nice to see Prague again. Would have liked more time in Budapest.It seemed interesting. The hotels were excellent overall.What did you think of your group leader?Aggie was a very nice lady, who told great jokes but I have had much better guides. She did not make any attempt to form a cohesive group: on our first meeting we didn't even introduce ourselves. She seemed to have little sense of time; we left later than necessary and took longer to get everywhere and she gave quite misleading information about walking times. She did not seem to have done any of her own background research, but relied on previous guide notes and the local guides. The information she gave to the group before the descent to Zakopane in the Tatra mountains was dangerously misleading for many in the group, who found the long descent frightening and exhausting and who were very stiff for some days after. Overall she provided vey little leadership and on several occasions was not with us during arranged tours.She was quite enthusiastic about the extra trips which were not included and needed to be paid for. ,Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Prepare yourself as thoroughly as possible and carry as many guide books as you need.Is there anything else you would like to add?Sorry to have been so critical but I was so disappointed overall. Coming from Australia, for 6 or so weeks, means I can't carry guide books for guided tours and, when I have done Explore trips I haven't needed them. The hotels and breakfasts were excellent.
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  Trip date: July 2008
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  Alison Fowler

  · August 3rd, 2013
  The tour takes in five of Central Europe's historic capitals, allowing you to see as much as possible in the time available. Hotels and breakfasts are good. A few of the travelling days are longish, but by comfortable coach. An excellent mix of Culture (music everywhere in Prague and Vienna and assorted museums), superb Mountains, Castles and Fortresses, beautiful Cities and many lovely Villages and Towns passing through green farmland as well as the sombre Jewish quarters What a wonderful trip This was a really interesting, busy holiday that did exactly what it said in the brochure. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?My favourite stop was Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic, where  the view from our room was breath taking. Seeing the peaks and lakes and walking in the Tatra mountains was exhilarating.   This trip is for people who enjoy visiting historical cities with revitalising breaks along the way.  Visit to the wine tasting was fun..What did you think of your group leader?Peter was a charming guide, well informed and so pleased to pass on all the information about his country.He was very enthusiastic over all the activities  whether in cities, towns, or mountains. He catered for different interests  while making the entire group gel.  Peter spent all his time with the whole group and could not have been more helpful.  He always found traditional restaurants for the whole group  so that we could sample the local delicacies and at a cheaper price than in the main tourist areas.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Go for it!  Is there anything else you would like to add?  Holasovic and Znojemska for me  are quite frankly, not worth it. More time could have been spent in Cesky Krumlov, allowing a walk along the river.The small town and mountain breaks contrasted with the walks through the cities, with the local guides giving us a potted history on our walking tours., Prague and Budapest were beautiful and could be revisited. ,Just a taster for Vienna and Krakow. .This trip is for people who enjoy visiting historical cities with revitalising breaks along the way. There is not much time for browsing or shopping on this trip Expanded trip notes with some city guides, details of the small stopping places and a road map of the bus journey would have been interesting to browse on the bus, perhaps from the day before . A sketch of the town showing the location of the most important buildings + other highlights + good cafes would have been useful: Peter gave us a map,marked with the hotel when we arrived but it would have been nice to have had it earlier although it was impressive to just stroll, I would have preferred to have seen a map when doing so (e.g. Cesky Krumlov, Sopron, Mikulov). I also enjoyed 2 days in Prague before the trip began, the highlight being Ivan Lendl's poster collection of Mucha and attending a Prague chamber orchestra recital both in the Municipal House, an Art Nouveau building. 
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  Trip date: August 2013
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  James Wold

  · July 5th, 2013
  I enjoyed this trip very much. It was my third Exodus trip and I pretty well knew what to expect. We had a very good group, all very good to travel with. The trip is fairly fast paced. You visit 5 countries in 14 days so you are not in any country very long, but what a great opportunity to visit so many places. However, some of the small village stops did not seem like good uses of time.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Visiting Auschwitz was very meaningful for me personally.  It is part of why I chose this itinerary.  I have been to the Holocaust museum in Washington, DC and the Ann Frank house/museum in Amsterdam.  If I was going to be in Krakow, I had to go to Auschwitz. What did you think of your group leader?Peter was very good.  He is serious about his job, tries hard, and is very personable.  He had not done this particular tour before, but he did a good job.  He was not familiar with sending people to Auschwitz and we almost missed the bus, but they waited for the three of us and we made it.  He did a good job arranging group meals when we wanted that, which was most nights.I wouldn't hesitate to travel with Peter again.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?A big deal for me was the amount of walking involved.  I am 68 years old, somewhat overweight and have back issues.  The trip notes describe this as a leisurely trip with some walking involved on a few days but the walking is gentle and is optional.  It is more correct to say walking is required everyday, some of it with longish uphill sections (several) and it is not optional, because the tour is a walking tour.  If you opt out of walking, you opt out of the tour.  Most people did not have any problems with the walking, about 3 or 4 did.  I just think the material should more accurately describe the walking required.Dealing with currency was a chore.  I continuously got too little because I didn't want to get stuck with it.  When I left Poland, very early, I did not see a foreign exchange window so I brought home a little more foreign currency than I wanted to.Is there anything else you would like to add?Hotels were good, breakfasts were good.  Most hotels had a bar or at least sold beer and wine at reception.  I enjoyed having a single room to my self.The bus was perfect.  Most people got 2 seats to themselves.  The driver was excellent.All of the food that I had was good to excellent, beer always very good.The visit to the wine cellar was fun.  Huge platters of sausage, cheese, olives and bread with plenty of wine.
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  Trip date: July 2013
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  Susan White

  · June 19th, 2013
  All in all a good trip. We covered a lot of ground in a short time. The pace was good but I did not like the late starts as we had so much to see. Most mornings started at 9:30 or 10, much too late. Definitely need an extra day in Vienna, Budapest and Krakow. Maybe make this a 16 day trip. Depending where you come from in N. America the Tatra Mountains could be missed. Most N. Americans visiting Europe are interested in the old cities, nature we can get at home. Good hotels.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Standing in the centre of Prague with the rain pelting down but still feeling the ambience of the city. The fact that most of the cities we were visiting were experiencing the worst floods of the century and it was raining in nearly every place we visited did not deter from the fantastic feeling of walking in history. What did you think of your group leader?Peter was good and tried very hard. His English was not so good. He "ummed and ahhed" too much especially when he got nervous. When asked a simple question, he would go into a long explanation instead of just answering the question. He needs to be a little more decisive as we wasted a lot of time making decisions which drove some of us to walk away from the group and go on our own. Lot of time wasted at hotels getting keys, couldn't this be ararranged ahead of time?Do you have any advice for potential travellers?If you want a slow paced trip and not too much difficult walking, this trips for you. However, there is a lot of walking on cobble streets which makes for tired feet and backs. Pack light as most hotels do not have elevators.If you are a person who gets up early and wants to go, this trip is not for you.Is there anything else you would like to add?Some of the villages we visited were not worth it. I think it was Mikulov where nothing was open or it could have been Holasovice. Obviously since I can't remember the name, neither of them were memorable. I know it's hard on a trip like this to balance travelling time with visiting time but some of the sites were better left and give more time to the cities which were really interesting. Also, some of us really need a break for coffee and a snack in the morning and afternoon. Sometimes we went from breakfast till 1 or 2 without a break and for someone with low blood sugar this is not good. Some nights we didn't eat dinner till 10pm which is way too late. We don't need a sit down full course lunch; most people are happy with a sandwich and a coffee. This would also not waste so much time.
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  Trip date: June 2013
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  Shelagh Oleary

  · January 3rd, 2013
  I was a bit worried about being too long on the bus but the timings were so well organised and during these bleak rainy days of winter I think about how happy I was travelling through lovely scenery with a lovely group of people.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?I felt that the whole trip was inspirational and I would love to do it againWhat did you think of your group leader?He was brilliant, relaxed, helpful, lovely sense of humour and great at getting the group to gel so that everyone felt a part of the "family"Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Savour every momentIs there anything else you would like to add?I would like to have spent a bit more time in the smaller more picturesque places.If anyone, like myself travels there and back independently by train make sure you have a map of Prague before you visit and beware of rogue taxi drivers at the station - there are the honest yellow taxis and the rogue ones `
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  Trip date: January 2013