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Hungary & Slovakia

Code: LE03EE
From: 1990.- EUR

DAY 1:

LONDON - BALATON

We pick you up at your selected hotel in London and drive you to the airport from where we take morning flight to the area of the Balaton Lake. You meet your DG at the airport, board your maxi-van and start this expedition. The first stop is Lake Balaton. The biggest fresh water lake outside Scandinavia is one big summer resort for the Germans and Hungarians. We get to know the country and have dinner in a tipical 'czarda'. Overnight in Balaton area.

DAY 2:

PECS

Breakfast. Today we drive to the southern parts of the country, which have more Slavic and even turkish appeal. In Pecs, we visit the huge mosque, which is now converted to a christian church and stroll the city which has other interesting features - like a synagogue, bishop's palace and a barbican. Overnight in Pecs area.

DAY 3:

MOHACS - KISKUNSAGI NP - BUDAPEST

Breakfast. Exploring the Danube area before arriving to Budapest, takes us to the border with Serbia to the famous Mohacs battle site, where the Turks won, and spent the next 150 years ruling over Hungary and surrounding countries. This is the real Panonia - puszta; like NP Kiskunsaagi, where we get to know the landscape and the Hungarian cowboys performing their skills. In Budapest we stroll along the Danube and Vaci Utca pedestrian street. Overnight in Budapest.

DAY 4:

BUDAPEST

Breakfast. We explore the dual city of Buda with two magnificient hills (Gellert and the Citadel and Castle Hill with the Matthias Church and Royal Palace) and Pest with the Parliament building, the Market Hall, grand avenues and squares. You have enough time to explore Budapest on your own. Overnight in Budapest.

DAY 5:

HOLLOKO - EGER

Breakfast. The backroads take us into the northern hills of Hungary. Holloko may be the prettiest village around, frozen in time, but still vibrant and alive. Old costumes are worn and old customs preserved. Eger is a bit bigger yet still very picturesque. We stroll through the center with baroque facades and arcades to the lovely castle with a minaret. In the evening we walk to the Valley of the Beautiful women and taste the local wine. Overnight in Eger area.

DAY 6:

BUKK - TOKAJ

Breakfast. NP of Bukk Hills: the beech forest, the winding canyons, limestone plateaus, the underworld with 500 caves. We remain in this area for much of the day before continuing to a small town with a very famous name - Tokaj. The name of the king between wines is world known. The Turks invasion was the reason for postponing a harvest until November, so the grapes have shrinked and the sweetness increased. We tour the wine cellars and taste the wine of Tokaj. Overnight in the Tokaj area.

DAY 7:

TREBIŠOV - KOŠICE

Breakfast. We enter Slovakia through the back roads with the first stop in Trebišov. The steel industry center Košice has (once you drive pass the blocks of the communist architecture era), a delightful old town and a vibrant student population. Overnight in Košice area.

DAY 8:

BARDEJOV - STARA LUBOVNA - PIENINSKY NP

Breakfast. The expedition takes us north, all the way to the pretty little historic town of Bardejov. The bastions, the walled town center and the market square look like the time has stopped here. The Open Museum near Stara Lubovna is also nice with the ruins of the old castle, the old wooden church and other houses. We may also take a slow wooden raft on the river Dunajec through the Pieninsky NP. Overnight in the area.

DAY 9:

LEVOČA - SLOVAKIAN PARADISE

Breakfast. Slovakian Paradise with Levoča and Spiš is our menu for the day. Levoča is probably the best preserved little walled town and the Spiš Castle is one of the largest castle ruins in Central Europe. Overnight in the area.

DAY 10:

HIGH TATRAS

Breakfast. More nature today: The High Tatras may be lower than the Alps but they are nevertheless at least equal in natural beauty. We may take furnicular, cable car or gondola to some of the peaks and have short or longer hikes. Overnight in the area.

DAY 11:

MALA FATRA - BANSKA BISTRICA - NITRA/BRATISLAVA

Breakfast. In the region of Mala Fatra hills we visit the picturesque Orava castle, perched on the 112 meters high limestone crag and commanding over Orava river valley. Banska Bistrica is also an interesting city and a center of Slovak uprising, as is a charming town of Nitra, with the medieval core and a castle. Overnight in Nitra/Bratislava area.

DAY 12:

BRATISLAVA

Breakfast. Full day of exploring the capital of Slovakia takes us to the Castle and the Old city with the wall and Michael's Tower, Old town hall, Hlavne namesty square.... You have time to stroll the pedestrian center of Bratislava on your own. Dinner and overnight in Bratislava.

DAY 13:

BRATISLAVA - LONDON

Breakfast. Driving to the airport from where we will fly to London. End of our expedition.