Eastern Europe Highlights

554 Days until departure
June 1, 2026 - June 12, 2026
Trip ID: Lewis-4556

Tour Itinerary print itinerary

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Day 1 Overnight Flight to Germany
Day 2 Guten Tag Berlin
Berlin city walk
AlexanderplatzBebelplatzHackesche HöfeNikolai QuarterMuseum Island
Dinner on your own
Details: Meet your tour director and check into hotel
Your 24-hour Tour Director will meet you at the airport and remain with your group until your final airport departure. You’ll also have a private coach and driver while touring .
Details: Berlin city walk
Explore Alexanderplatz, known to locals as simply "Alex". This public square is dominated by the impressive TV Tower, built by the former socialist East German government in the 1960's as a showcase to the West. Today the tower shapes the skyline of the city. See the World Time Clock, which shows the time for various cities around the world, and the Red City Hall, once again Berlin's administrative center since reunification. Take a stroll down the boulevard "Unter den Linden" to Bebelplatz, the site of the Nazi book burnings and see the memorial to commemorate the event. Walk through the Hackesche Hoefe - a courtyard complex built in the "Judenstil" or Art Nouveau style. Pass through the medieval Nikolai Quarter, famous for its vibrant restaurants and cafes which was destroyed by Allied bombing in WWII, but has since been rebuilt. Then view Museum Island, home to a complex of 5 major museums and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A city with a rich and complex past, your Berlin City Walk will be one of the most memorable parts of your trip!
Day 3 Berlin
Berlin guided sightseeing tour
LEAP Guten Appetit!
Cooking class and dinner
Details: Reichstag Dome visit
Take an elevator up into the stunning Glass Dome to witness dramatic views both internally of the building and externally of Berlin.
Details: Berlin Wall
Follow the route of the Berlin Wall viewing numerous crosses and wreaths to remind us of the tragedies which occurred after the wall was built in 1961.
Details: Brandenburg Gate
Spend time at the Brandenburg Gate, a triumphal arch, which stood in "no man's land" between East and West Berlin during the Cold War and became a symbol of a divided Germany. Enter the Room of Silence, built into one of the guardhouses, where visitors gather to meditate and reflect on Germany's past.
Details: Unter den Linden
Enjoy a Walking Tour down the famous Unter den Linden, one of Berlin’s most fashionable and important boulevards. Along the walk, view the Deutsche Staatsbibliothek, the Equestrian Statue of Frederick the Great, Humboldt- Universität, and the Deutsche Staatsoper.
Details: LEAP Guten Appetit!
Bring your appetite along with you and cook up a traditional German meal.
Day 4 Berlin--Prague
Church of Our Lady (Frauenkirche)
Dresden Castle visit
Details: Travel to Prague via Dresden
Stop in Dresden for a visit to the Baroque-style Zwinger Museum where Bavarian Princes once lived and collected master art works. The museum’s exterior, framed by statues of gods and goddesses, boasts 6 linked pavilions surrounding a vast esplanade embellished with pools and fountains. Tucked safely inside, you’ll find masterpieces such as Raphael’s Sistine Madonna and great works by Van Eyck, Vermeer and Veronese. The grand collection of Meissen (European porcelain) is a flattering ode to fine china.
Details: LEAP Ich bin ein Berliner
Step into the shoes of the people whose lives were impacted by the Berlin Wall. Participate in a group activity that involves reciting personal accounts of the event and discussing its repercussions. Live through their experiences and gain a personal insight into Germany's history.
Day 5 Prague
Prague guided sightseeing tour
Old Town SquareAstronomical clockCharles BridgeJohn Lennon Peace WallPrague Castle
Dinner on your own
Details: Prague guided sightseeing tour
Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic, built on seven hills astride the Vltava River. The beauty of Prague is legendary; Goethe described the city as “the most precious stone in the crown of this world.”. As the former capital of the Holy Roman Empire, the city was built on beauty and decadence from a wide array of architectural styles (including Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Art Nouveau). Wander through the courtyards of Hradcany (Prague Castle) where Europe’s grand ruling family, the Habsburgs, lived and reigned.
Details: Charles Bridge
Stroll across the stunning Charles Bridge which spans 16 arches and is lined with 30 Baroque statues of religious figures.
Details: Prague Castle
Prague Castle in the Hradcany quarter, was named by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest ancient castle in the world. Prague Castle represents virtually all of the architectural designs of the last millennium and contains several churches, a monastery, gardens as well as multiple museums.
Details: Prague Castle visit
Explore the immense Prague Castle in the Hradcany quarter, that was named by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest ancient castle in the world. Prague Castle represents virtually all of the architectural designs of the last millennium and contains several churches, a monastery, gardens as well as multiple museums.
Day 6 Prague--Krakow
Travel to Krakow by train
Krakow evening walking tour
Day 7 Krakow
Krakow guided sightseeing tour
St. Mary's BasilicaRynek Glowny, Old TownWawel Hill
Dinner on your own
Details: Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum guided visit
Auschwitz – hearing the name sends chills down your spine and sadness in your heart. The horrific Nazi death camp, located in southwest Poland, exterminated prisoners from 1940-1945. Now a museum and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Auschwitz is a reminder of the Jewish Holocaust – deaths of more than a million people; of violence, racism, anti-Semitism, and hatred. Since the liberation, Auschwitz has become an enduring symbol of the Holocaust. Several of the people that survived and were liberated became famous authors, writing of their unimaginable experiences there. These authors include Primo Levi, Elie Wiesel, and Viktor Frankl (who wrote Man’s Search for Meaning, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize).
Day 8 Krakow--Budapest
Travel to Budapest
Day 9 Budapest landmarks
Budapest guided sightseeing tour
Castle HillRoyal PalaceFisherman’s BastionMatthias ChurchHungarian Parliament
Matthias Church visit
Royal Palace visit
Dinner on your own
Details: Budapest guided sightseeing tour
Budapest is a modern cultural city and capital of Hungary. It consists of two parts, Buda and Pest, which are divided by the beautiful river Danube. Wave to the 90 statues of Hungarian historical heroes that line the outside of the Neo-Gothic Hungarian Parliament. Explore Castle Hill, the historic center of Buda, on your way to Fisherman's Bastion, a lookout tower behind the Matthias Church where residents once gazed upon the thriving fishing settlement. See the Royal Palace on Castle Hill, the original site of the castle built in the 13th century.
Day 10 Budapest--Vienna
Travel to Vienna
Vienna city walk
Hoher MarktAltes RathausSt. Peter's Church
Details: Vienna city walk
Stroll through Old Vienna on a walking tour that will include the Hoher Markt with the Virgin Mary's Wedding Fountain and an Art Nouveau clock, the Altes Rathaus, the old Chancellery of Bohemia, the Clock Museum, and St. Peter's Church.
Day 11 Vienna landmarks
Vienna guided sightseeing tour
Belvedere PalaceHofburg Imperial PalaceOpera HouseSt. Stephen’s CathedralSchönbrunn Palace visit
Dinner on your own
Details: Vienna guided sightseeing tour
Follow in the footsteps of the imperial Habsburgs as a local guide brings you to the Hofburg, the family's 2,600-room palace that is now home to the Vienna Boys Choir. View the Belvedere Museum and Palace, St. Stephen's Cathedral, and Stephansdom. End the adventure with a visit to Schönbrunn Palace, where the Habsburg’s ruled until 1918 and six-year-old Mozart serenaded Marie Antoinette.
Details: Schönbrunn Palace visit
Stop just outside the city center for a visit to the 1,441-room Schönbrunn Palace, which was designed for the Habsburgs before becoming the imperial summer palace during the 40-year reign of Maria Theresa. It was the scene of great aristocratic events during the Congress of Vienna, including a performance by a 6-year-old Mozart.
Details: Danube cruise
See the opulent sights of Vienna, “City of Music,” from the beautiful blue Danube, or Donau River, as the locals may call it. As Europe's second largest river and only major European river to flow from west to east, learn how it was a vital means of transportation for 2,000 years.
Day 12 Flight home from Vienna

Tour Includes

  • Round-trip airfare and other transportation described in the itinerary
  • Basic Medical, Dental, Emergency Evacuation Insurance during trip
  • Up to three college credits upon course completion (grades 9-12) or high school credit (grades 6-12)
  • Centrally located three- and four-star hotels
  • Plentiful daily breakfast to start the day energized and ready to go
  • Full time, multilingual, WorldStrides tour director who is LEAP-trained in experiential education
  • Appetizing, culturally representative, three-course dinner (except where dinner on your own is noted)
  • Local guide at sites and on city tours as described in the itinerary
  • LEAP! Learning through Exploration and Active Participation; trademarked immersive approach of learning by doing
  • Entrances and transportation to sites and activities described in your itinerary
  • Local guide and local bus driver tips; see note regarding other important tips
  • 24/7 On Tour Emergency Support
  • Note: On arrival day only dinner is provided; on departure day, only breakfast is provided
  • Note: Tour cost does not include airline-imposed baggage fees, any required passport or visa fees, optional excursions, or recommended Tips for the Tour Director or multi-day Bus Drivers. Optional excursions, optional pre-paid tips, or other individual/group customizations will be listed as separate line items in the total trip cost, if included.

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About your Program Leader

Stacy Lewis
slewis@salpointe.org

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