Central & Eastern Europe
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Czechia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia and the Balkans. Alpine railways, imperial capitals, Christmas markets and the Adriatic coast.
The heart of Europe
This is where you’ll find the Alps and the great panoramic trains, Vienna, Prague and Budapest, the Christmas markets, and the Adriatic coast of Croatia. Distances are short and the trains are excellent, so it’s easy to see several countries in one trip.
Pick a country below to get started. Every card links to the full itinerary.
Three capitals in a week by train, or one Alpine valley for four nights. Both work here.
Any escorted tour on this page can also be recreated as a private trip on your own dates. See Private & Custom Itineraries.
From Athens, my suitemate and I took the train to Belgrade, Sofia and Bucharest. We called Sofia the city of shopping, with stores everywhere and everyone shopping like crazy. Belgrade was the city of lovers: anywhere we wandered, couples were snuggling in the parks and outside the cafes. Bucharest was our final stop, and I didn’t want to leave.
Romania is my absolute favorite country that I’ve visited. I felt more at home there than anywhere else in Eastern Europe. The people were friendly. I wandered Bucharest solo and never felt unsafe. The food was fabulous. Transylvania was an experience that I highly recommend.
Katie
Germany & Austria
Berlin to Bavaria, Salzburg and the Danube, Oktoberfest in the autumn and Christmas markets in December.
“Vienna is a city that invites you to slow down, to sit in a cafe for hours over a single pastry, and watch the world go by.”
Europe’s Rivers & Castles
River cruise · AmaWaterways
Luxembourg to Nuremberg along the Moselle, Rhine and Main: Bernkastel, Koblenz, Rüdesheim, Wertheim, Würzburg and the Franconian hills. Also sails the other way.
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Rhine & Moselle Splendors
River cruise · AmaWaterways
Luxembourg to Basel: Cochem Castle on the Moselle, the Rhine Gorge, Heidelberg, Strasbourg and the Black Forest.
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German Grandeur for Beer Enthusiasts
River cruise · Avalon
The Rhine and Main with a beer expert on board: the Black Forest, Strasbourg, Rüdesheim, Würzburg and a hop garden near Bamberg.
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Best of the Christmas Markets by Car & Train
Independent
Munich, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Vienna and Prague in market season.
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Essential Germany: Berlin, Nuremberg & Munich
Independent, by train
Three cities by train: a Berlin food tour and the Wall, Potsdam, Nuremberg and Munich.
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German Highlights
Escorted
A Rhine cruise, the train from Cologne to Berlin, Dresden, Bavaria and the Black Forest.
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Country Roads of Bavaria, Switzerland & Austria
Escorted
Vienna, Salzburg, Munich and Neuschwanstein, then St Moritz, the Glacier Express and Lucerne.
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Danube Symphony
River cruise
The Wachau Valley, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest.
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Germany Uncovered: Oktoberfest, Breweries & the Rhine
Private
An Oktoberfest tent in Munich, breweries in Plzeň, Bamberg and Düsseldorf, and a Rhine Gorge cruise.
Ask me about this trip →Switzerland
The Glacier Express, the Bernina Express and the Jungfrau Railway, traveled independently or with a group.
Best of Switzerland by Train
Independent
The Glacier Express and Bernina Express in one loop, with Zermatt and Lake Geneva.
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Alpine Railways & the Jungfraujoch
Private
Four nights in Interlaken, with three mountain railways including the Jungfrau Railway.
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Alpine Adventure with the Bernina & Glacier Express
Escorted
Both panoramic trains, plus the Dolomites and Zermatt.
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Panoramic Train Journey across Europe
Independent
Five countries by train, starting with the Swiss panoramic lines.
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Swiss Train Escape
Escorted, quieter season
The Voralpen Express to Lucerne, Bern’s old city and the Lavaux vineyard terraces above Lake Geneva.
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The Best of Austria & Switzerland
Escorted
Vienna, the Sound of Music country around Salzburg, the Glacier Express to Zermatt, and Bern.
Ask me about this trip →Czechia, Poland & Hungary
Prague, Vienna and Budapest together, Kraków and Warsaw, and the Danube at Christmas.
“Prague never lets you go… this dear little mother has sharp claws.”Franz Kafka
After my Cyprus program ended, I flew from Larnaca to Vienna to meet my sister for two more weeks in Vienna, Budapest, Prague and Bratislava. One night we ordered two large pizzas and several beers, and the bill came to less than $20. In Slovakia we had garlic soup twice. It was the most amazing soup, and we still talk about it to this day.
We also went to the Mauthausen Concentration Camp Memorial. That was a heavy day. Visiting a place where such horrors took place is something every adult needs to witness and feel.
Katie
A Culinary Experience on Danube Dreams
River cruise · Avalon
Passau to Budapest with a sommelier aboard, a Passau food walk, a cooking class in Vienna and a foodie tour of Budapest.
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Romantic Danube
River cruise · AmaWaterways
Vilshofen to Budapest: Passau, Linz, the Wachau, a full day in Vienna, Bratislava and a full day in Budapest. Some sailings host a celebrity chef or a Christmas theme.
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Danube Dreams for Wine Lovers, with Prague
River cruise · Avalon
Two nights in Prague, then Passau, the Wachau, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest, with a certified sommelier on board.
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Polish Escape
Escorted · quieter season
Warsaw, Poznań, Wrocław and the Black Madonna at Częstochowa, a guided visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau, and Kraków’s Kazimierz quarter.
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Prague, Vienna & Budapest
Escorted, good value
Three capitals with local guides, plus a stop in Bratislava.
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Imperial Escape
Escorted, quieter season
Budapest, Vienna and Prague with local guides. A nine-day version adds Berlin.
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The Best of Eastern Europe
Escorted
Berlin, Warsaw with a Chopin concert, Kraków and Auschwitz-Birkenau, Budapest, Vienna and Prague.
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A Holiday Journey Through Budapest, Vienna & Prague
Independent, by train
The three capitals in Christmas-market season, with a guide in each.
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Christmastime from Vienna to Budapest
River cruise
A December Danube cruise with a market at every stop.
See the full itinerary →Croatia, Slovenia & the Balkans
The Adriatic coast and islands, Lake Bled country, and small-group adventures through Transylvania and the Balkans.
Balkan Discovery
River cruise · Avalon
Down the Danube through Croatia, Belgrade and the Iron Gates Gorge to Bulgaria’s Veliko Târnovo. Extensions add Bucharest and Transylvania.
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The Danube from Romania to Budapest
River cruise · Avalon
A night in Bucharest, then up the Danube: Veliko Târnovo, Belogradchik’s rocks, the Iron Gates Gorge, Belgrade and Pécs. Longer versions add two nights in Transylvania.
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Highlights of Croatia
Independent
Four nights in Dubrovnik with Korčula and the Elaphite Islands, then Split and a food walk, and Zagreb.
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Highlights of Croatia & Slovenia
Private
Zagreb, three nights in Ljubljana with a day at Lake Bled and the Postojna Cave, and the Adriatic coast at Rijeka, with private transfers throughout.
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Treasures of the Balkans
Escorted
Eight countries, from a private visit to Bran Castle in Romania through Bulgaria, Albania and Montenegro to Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia.
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Albania & Montenegro
Small group, about 16
Tirana, Berat and Gjirokastër, along Albania’s Ionian coast, then into Montenegro for Budva and Kotor before finishing near Dubrovnik.
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Budapest to Sofia Adventure
Small group, up to 16
Hungary, Transylvania and Bulgaria: a winery stay, Sighișoara, Brașov and Bran Castle.
Ask me about this trip →Questions About Central & Eastern Europe
What’s the best way to get between cities?
Usually the train. Prague, Vienna and Budapest are a few hours apart by rail, and the Swiss network is built for scenery. A car is useful in the Alps and the countryside, and private transfers fill the gaps.
When should I go?
Late spring to early autumn for the Alps, the lakes and the Adriatic. Late September for Oktoberfest, and late November through December for the Christmas markets.
Is Croatia good for a first trip to this region?
Yes. Dubrovnik, Split and the islands are easy to reach and easy to combine with Slovenia or a few days in Vienna or Budapest.
Can I do Switzerland on a budget?
Switzerland is pricey, but a quieter-season trip like the Swiss Train Escape, or an escorted tour that includes the trains, keeps costs predictable.
What does it cost to work with you?
For custom trips, my planning fee starts at $50 per person for a single city, and starts at $100 per person per city for a multi-city trip. Other trips vary, and I’ll tell you the exact fee before we start. My How It Works guide walks you through exactly how I plan your trip, step by step.
Let’s Plan Your Central & Eastern Europe Trip
Tell me which countries you’re drawn to and when you can travel. I’ll take it from there.
