Central Europe is a vast, fascinating region. The diverse landscapes of Poland, Germany, Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic are home to distinct nations and peoples with entwined histories going back centuries. Vienna, Budapest, Berlin, Prague and Krakow have all been seats of great power, and each has accumulated notable art and architectural treasures over the years, such as incredible art collections, royal palaces, cathedrals and castles. Another shared attribute in these countries is substantial Jewish history, Jewish heritage and Jewish sites, and the region offers some of the most interesting Jewish touring in the world. These countries also have historic villages of incredible beauty, unique sites such as historic salt mines and silver mine towns, and landscapes that range from the high peaks of the Austrian Alps and Poland’s Tatra Mountains, to the river valleys of Germany and the plains of Hungary. Culinary treats, fine wine and excellent beer await in Central Europe. Traditional food in Central Europe is often wonderfully rich and hearty—pork, potatoes and cabbage are common ingredients—and relies on local farm produce such as fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as regional and seasonal ingredients such as mushrooms, paprika, berries and wild game. Younger chefs in top restaurants are introducing contemporary styles and ingredients, expanding the flavors even further. Delicious pastries and chocolate are also common in Central European countries and a special treat any time of day. Austria, Germany, Hungary and the Czech Republic produce a wide range of high-quality wines, and German beer, Czech beer, and Polish vodka are world famous. Traditional clothing, handicrafts and antiques are another highlight of Central Europe, and the markets and shops overflow with options such as glass, crystal, wool clothing, leather shoes, wooden toys, embroidered fabrics and linens.
Our luxury tours in Central Europe are private and customized, and include the best local guides and carefully chosen luxury hotels. They include in-depth tours of single cities, including Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Budapest and Krakow; multi-city tours; single-country and multi-country tours in Poland, Germany, Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic; and thematic tours, e.g. Jewish tours, Christmas market tours, wine tours and culinary tours. Our Central Europe tours are ideal for couples, families and groups of friends interested in experiencing the best of Central Europe’s history, culture, architecture, traditions, food and wine, arts, Jewish heritage and family history.
We specialize in private luxury travel throughout Europe and can customize tours according to individual interests and special-interest themes, including art, architecture, history, family ancestry, religious heritage, folk art, food and wine, spas, and family vacations.
POLAND
Our luxury tours in Poland are private and customized, and include the best local guides and carefully chosen luxury hotels. Our Poland tours are ideal for couples, families and groups of friends wanting to experience the best of Polish culture and hospitality, such as historic buildings and interesting architecture, charming villages, traditional cuisine, Jewish heritage, Jewish sites, family history, beautiful churches, Polish art and traditional crafts, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Warsaw
Warsaw, the capital of Poland and its largest city, sits on the banks of the Wisla River (Vistula River) in the center of Poland. Warsaw is filled with beautiful parks and a unique architectural legacy. Some of our favorite places in Warsaw include the Old Town, New Town, Wilanow, Lazienki Park, Muranow and Mirow. We especially like to: tour the charming New Town (Nowe Miasto) and Old Town (Stare Miasto), whose historic buildings were reconstructed following the devastation of World War II and now constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site; see historic churches, the Barbican and the old city wall; visit the most interesting museums of history and culture; see Marie Curie’s house; see monuments to important events in the Second World War, such as the Monument to the Warsaw Uprising; tour the extensive Jewish history, including former Jewish neighborhoods, the beautiful Jewish cemetery, and the site of the Jewish Ghetto during World War II and the many Jewish monuments there; learn about Poland during the Communist era in interesting buildings, neighborhoods and museums; see the beautiful renovated palaces of the embassy district; stroll through the beautiful gardens of Lazienki Park, a former royal park; opt for a concert at the Palace on the Water; have lunch at Belvedere Restaurant, set inside the former royal greenhouses; tour Wilanow Palace and gardens, Poland’s version of Versailles; admire Warsaw’s monuments to pianist and composer Frederic Chopin; walk along the Royal Way; see the upscale townhouses of the Nowy Swiat; shop at famous boutiques specializing in hand-made shoes and clothing as well as shops carrying traditional Polish ceramics, textiles and wooden toys; sample Polish sweets at the best bakeries and chocolate shops; visit the contemporary art museum and its restaurant set inside a Baroque castle; explore the emerging gallery scene in Praga; see notable architecture such as the Palace of Culture and Science and the Metropolitan Building designed by Norman Foster; dine at upscale local restaurants specializing in fine Polish cuisine;
We also arrange private day tours from Warsaw to interesting destinations such as Treblinka, the site of a Nazi death camp; Lodz, a 19th-century factory town with a strong Jewish history; Lublin, a town with historic architecture, important Jewish landmarks and the nearby remains of the Nazi concentration map of Majdanek; Kazimierz-Dolny, a beautiful village along the Wisla River; Zelazowa Wola, the birthplace of Frederic Chopin; and Lowicz, a town filled with traditional Polish crafts.
Recommended luxury hotels in Warsaw include Le Regina and Le Royal Meridien Bristol.
Krakow
The former royal capital of Poland, Krakow is a beautiful city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Krakow is filled with historic architecture from throughout its long, illustrious history. One of our favorite things to do in Krakow is to tour the city’s historic center, including Wawel Hill and its royal castle and cathedral, and the Stare Miasto (Old Town), to see the Rynek (Market Square), Sukiennice (medieval Cloth Hall), Jagiellonian University and Collegium Maius; beautiful, restored mansions along Kanoniczna Street; the park-like Planty encircling the Old Town; the old Barbican and city wall fortifications; Florianska Street and Florianska Gate; and Krakow’s most beautiful churches, such as St. Mary’s Church with its altar created by artist Veit Stoss, and the Franciscan Church with stained glass windows designed by artist Stanislaw Wyspianski. We also include extensive touring in Kazimierz, Krakow’s old Jewish district and one of the most interesting neighborhoods in Krakow, to see the many synagogues and the ancient Jewish cemetery, as well as the former mikvah and other places important to the once vibrant Jewish community. Further Jewish touring includes visits to the old Jewish Ghetto area and the Oskar Schindler factory. We also like to visit local sites associated with important historical Poles, such as Nicolas Copernicus and Pope John Paul II. For art lovers, we also arrange touring of the renowned Czartoryski Museum to see Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine and other works of art, as well as sites related to the Young Poland movement (the local version of Jugendstil or Art Nouveau) including the Wyspianski Museum and Jozef Mehoffer House. Other special-interest activities include visits to the Socialist planned town of Nowa Huta, wooden churches and monasteries.
Our favorite day trips from Krakow include Wieliczka Salt Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of salt caverns filled with sculptures carved from the grey salt; Auschwitz-Birkenau, the most notorious Nazi concentration camp and death camp from World War II and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Czestochowa and Jasna Gora, a Catholic church and monastery that’s a Catholic pilgrimage site and one of the holiest places in Poland for Catholics; and Zakopane, a charming resort town at the base of the Tatra Mountains with historic wooden houses and churches, panoramic views of the mountains, and unique local food products. Other special-interest day excursions from Krakow include Tyniec Abbey and Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Recommended luxury hotels in Krakow include Sheraton Krakow and Stary Hotel.
Gdansk
Gdansk is a historic port city on the Baltic Sea and the birthplace of the Solidarity movement. Our favorite places in Gdansk include the backstreets, squares and canals of the Old Town—which, like Warsaw, was largely reconstructed after World War II—including the famous medieval crane, city gates, mansions, Long Market, St. Mary’s Church, Oliwa Cathedral, as well as Gdynia, a port town, and Sopot, a seaside resort. Special-interest activities around Gdansk include a visit to the Gdansk Shipyards, where the Solidarity movement began. Nearby Gdansk, we like to arrange touring of Malbork, a massive medieval castle built by the Teutonic Knights that’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Another popular option is Torun, the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus and an important medieval trading town.
Recommended luxury Gdansk hotels include Sofitel Sopot and Dwor Oliwski.
Artisans of Leisure is a luxury travel specialist offering deluxe, private tours in Poland.
CZECH REPUBLIC
Our luxury tours in the Czech Republic are private and customized, and include the best local guides and carefully chosen luxury hotels. Our Czech Republic tours are ideal for couples, families and groups of friends wanting to experience the best of Czech culture and hospitality, such as historic buildings and interesting architecture, charming villages, Jewish heritage, Jewish sites, family history, beautiful churches, castles, town squares, classical music performances, Czech beer, Czech art, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and exclusive insider experiences.
Prague
One of Europe’s most beautiful and romantic cities, Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic, a former royal capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known as the City of a Hundred Spires, Prague is set along the Vltava River and filled with fascinating architecture from throughout its long history. Some of our favorite places in Prague include the hilltop Prague Castle, Archbishop’s Palace, Royal Palace, St. Vitus Cathedral and the small back lanes of the surrounding Castle District; the Stare Mesto (Old Town) and the Old Town Square, famous for its Astronomical Clock, brightly colored townhouses, and the soaring towers of the Town Hall and Tyn Church; Josefov (the Jewish Quarter), including the ancient Jewish cemetery, Old-New Synagogue and other synagogues; atmospheric backstreets in the Mala Strana (Lesser Quarter); the Charles Bridge and its many sculptures; interesting markets and shops selling local products such as Bohemian crystal, antiques, puppets and spa products; beautiful Baroque and Art Nouveau architecture, including palaces and churches; and, in season the many Christmas markets and holiday festivals. We also arrange tickets to classical music and other performances in one of Prague’s many historic halls, as well as opportunities for tasting local products such as Moravian wine and the world-renowned Czech beer. We also arrange special-interest activities for travelers interested in sites related to Art Nouveau artist Alphons Mucha, writer Franz Kafka and other notable Czech cultural and political figures, and gardens such as the Wallenstein Garden.
Our favorite private day trips from Prague include Cesky Krumlov, an enchanting medieval castle town; Kutna Hora, a once-wealthy silver mining village; and Trebic, a town with one of the best-preserved Jewish Quarters in Europe—all three of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites—as well as Terezin, a garrison town turned into a concentration camp during World War II.
Recommended luxury hotels in Prague include Four Seasons Prague, Mandarin Oriental Prague and The Augustine.
GERMANY
Our luxury tours in Germany are private and customized, and include the best local guides and carefully chosen luxury hotels. Our Germany tours are ideal for couples, families and groups of friends wanting to experience the best of German culture and hospitality, such as historic buildings and interesting architecture, incredible museums, Jewish heritage, Jewish sites, family history, beautiful churches and castles, performances and cultural events, German beer and wine, German cuisine, German porcelain, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and exclusive insider experiences.
Berlin
Berlin, the capital of Germany, is an incredible repository of German culture and history, and it’s one of the most exciting cities in Europe. Some of our favorite places in Berlin include the Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate; sites related to Berlin’s Jewish history, such as the Jewish Museum, the Holocaust Memorial, the Neue Synagoge and the Scheunenviertel district; the Pergamon Museum, Altes Museum and other important museums on Museumsinsel (Museum Island), as well as the museums at the Kultur Forum, such as the Gemaldegalerie (Picture Gallery) and Kunstgewerbemuseum (Museum of Arts and Crafts); Checkpoint Charlie and the remnants and reminders of the Berlin Wall; open-air markets and food halls to sample German specialties; Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and Kurfurstendamm boulevard; Charlottenburg Palace and interesting neighborhoods filled with beautiful villas. We also like strolling on the tree-lined Unter den Linden boulevard; relaxing in the Tiergarten or in one of Berlin’s other parks; browsing in the shops and relaxing at cafes around Hackesche Höfe; exploring the neighborhoods of Mitte and Kreuzberg; attending performances at the Berlin Philharmonic; walking along the Spree River; and enjoying good German beer and sausage in a beer garden or at one of the city’s many fine dining restaurants. We also arrange special-interest activities such as tours of the best art galleries and modern and contemporary art museums such as the New National Gallery, Hamburger Bahnhof and Martin-Gropius-Bau, as well as tours of modern and contemporary architecture by Mies van der Rohe, Hans Scharoun, I.M. Pei, Jean Nouvel, Norman Foster and Daniel Libeskind.
One of our favorite private day trips from Berlin is to visit Potsdam, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed town that’s filled with exquisite art and architectural treasures set among forests and lakes. We arrange for our clients to tour Potsdam’s most interesting sites, including Sanssouci Palace, Sanssouci Park, the quaint Dutch Quarter, the Old Town, and Cecilienhof. Other sites we enjoy around Potsdam are the Russian Colony, the castles and parks in Babelsberg, Einstein Tower, the UFA film studios, and villas designed by Mies van der Rohe.
Another option for an excursion from Berlin is Sachsenhausen, a concentration camp operated by the Nazis during World War II, and the Jewish cemetery at Weissensee.
Dresden, another of our favorite places in Germany, is a historic city on the Elbe River filled with art and architectural treasures such as the Frauenkirche, Green Vaults, Zwinger and Albertinum. We frequently arrange touring in Dresden, as well as the nearby porcelain town of Meissen, on tours that feature Berlin combined with Prague or Vienna.
Recommended luxury Berlin hotels include the Regent Berlin, Schlosshotel im Grunewald, Kempinski Hotel Adlon and Hotel de Rome.
Artisans of Leisure is a luxury travel specialist offering deluxe, private tours in Germany.
AUSTRIA
Our luxury tours in Austria are private and customized, and include the best local guides and carefully chosen luxury hotels. Our Austria tours are ideal for couples, families and groups of friends wanting to experience the best of Austrian culture and hospitality, such as historic buildings and interesting architecture, incredible museums, beautiful mountains, Jewish heritage, Jewish sites, family history, beautiful churches and castles, performances and cultural events, Austrian wine, Austrian cuisine, traditional Austrian handicrafts, as well as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and exclusive insider experiences.
Vienna
A former royal and imperial capital, Vienna (Wien) is a beautiful city with spectacular art, architecture and history, as well as great food and wine, and an abundance of atmospheric cafes. Some of our favorite places and experiences in Vienna include the Spanish Riding School to see the Lipizzaner Stallions perform and take a behind-the-scenes tour; world-renowned palaces and museums such as the MuseumsQuartier, Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Albertina, Liechtenstein Museum, Schönbrunn Palace, MAK (Museum of Applied Arts), Leopold Museum, Hofburg and Freud Museum; Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral); interesting architecture such as the postmodern Haas Haus, the Secession Building and other Secession architecture, and buildings designed by Otto Wagner, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Adolf Loos and Friedensreich Hundertwasser; sites related to Josef Hoffman, Kolo Moser and the Wiener Werkstatte; the shopping streets of Graben, Kohlmarkt, Spittelberg, as well as select antique stores, auction houses and upscale shops selling exquisite linens, crystal, chocolates, gourmet foods, antiques, loden wool clothing, and custom-made clothing and shoes; the Naschmarkt food market to sample local culinary specialties; neighborhoods and museums of Jewish interest; a light meal or a coffee and Viennese pastry in the best Viennese coffee houses; performances at the Staatsoper (Vienna State Opera House); driving through residential districts in the hills surrounding Vienna; local vineyards and local heurigen (wine taverns) for a drink and snack; and, in season the many Christmas markets and holiday festivals.
One of our favorite day trips from Vienna is a private excursion to the Wachau, the beautiful grape-growing and wine-producing region along the Danube River outside Vienna, for a cruise on the Danube River past castles, vineyards and villages and the opportunity to taste a range of local vintages. Also, visit leading wineries, tour Krems, visit the Loisium wine center and wine museum (designed by American architect Steven Holl), and dine at a heuriger (wine tavern). Another popular private excursion is to Stift Klosterneuburg Abbey, a massive religious complex filled with centuries of art and architectural treasures (and Austria’s oldest and largest winery), plus visits to family-run wineries and heurigen (wine taverns);
Recommended luxury Vienna hotels include Hotel Sacher, Hotel Imperial and Hotel Bristol.
Salzburg
Salzburg is a beautiful town of Baroque architecture set along the Salzach River with the Austrian Alps as a dramatic backdrop. Some of our favorite places in Salzburg include major cultural highlights such as the Salzburg Dom (Cathedral) and other important churches; Mozart’s birthplace; the Mirabell Palace and Gardens, and the Residenz State Rooms; Getreidegasse, Salzburg’s most famous shopping street; select boutiques specializing in local products such as trachten fabric, loden coats, pewterware, wood crafts, Christmas decorations, gilded glass (verre eglomise), Mozartkugel chocolate bonbons; Hohensalzburg Fortress; and great places for views over the town and the surrounding countryside.
Our favorite day trips from Salzburg include a private excursion to the film locations from The Sound of Music; Hellbrunn Palace and Gardens; and the Salzkammergut, a magnificent region of mountains and lakes in the Austrian Alps.
Our recommended luxury Salzburg hotel is Hotel Goldener Hirsch.
Graz & Styria
Styria is a diverse landscape of rich farmland, mountains, valleys and forests. One of our favorite places in Styria is Graz, which has a fascinating Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of well-preserved architecture such as the Landhaus and the House of Luegg, as well as more recent additions such as the futuristic Kunsthaus and Mur Island. We also like touring the Styrian countryside to see traditional folk arts and farmhouse architecture, visit castles and other historic sites, see beautiful villages, and sample artisanal food products such as air-cured ham, gourmet chocolate, balsamic vinegar and pumpkin-seed oil, as well as locally grown fruit such as apples, pears, peaches and strawberries. In the Styrian Wine Country, we like to tour local vineyards and sample the excellent wine, which is predominately white, at renowned local wineries.
Our recommended luxury Graz hotel is Hotel Wiesler. Our recommended luxury Styria hotel is Sattlerhof.
Burgenland
Burgenland is one of Austria’s top food and wine regions. Our favorite things to do in Burgenland are sample local wine at some of the best wine estates, dine on delicacies that incorporate produce and wild game from the local farms and forests, and visit notable cultural destinations, such as Esterhazy Palace in Eisenstadt, where composer Joseph Haydn once worked.
Artisans of Leisure is a luxury travel specialist offering deluxe, private tours in Austria.
HUNGARY
Our luxury tours in Hungary are private and customized, and include the best local guides and carefully chosen luxury hotels. Our Hungary tours are ideal for couples, families and groups of friends wanting to experience the best of Hungarian culture and hospitality, such as historic buildings and interesting architecture, Jewish heritage, Jewish sites, family history, beautiful churches and castles, performances and cultural events, Hungarian wine, Hungarian cuisine, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and exclusive insider experiences.
Budapest
Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is a fascinating city that straddles the Danube River. Budapest is filled with beautiful architecture, important historic sites, great markets, interesting museums and relaxing thermal baths. Some of our favorite places and experiences in Budapest include local food markets to sample Hungarian delicacies such as cheese and pastries; flea markets and antique markets to browse for furniture, rugs, porcelain and housewares; hidden backstreets and grand boulevards; beautiful historic homes and buildings; indoor and outdoor hot springs baths; and museums devoted to decorative arts, fine arts, Jewish history, Socialist-era sculpture or music. In Buda, some of our favorite places are Matthias Church, Castle Hill, Royal Palace, Fisherman’s Bastion, exclusive residential districts, and other sites in the Castle District, as well as hilltops with great views over the city. In Pest, some of our favorite places are the spectacular Parliament building; Andrassy Boulevard; the Jewish Museum, Dohany Street Synagogue and other historic synagogues (including one designed by Otto Wagner), and other sites related to the city’s rich Jewish history in and around Elizabeth Town, the Jewish District; excellent restaurants for great Hungarian food and superb Hungarian wine; and a romantic cruise on the Danube River; a performance at the Hungarian National State Opera House or other beautiful theaters; and, in season the many Christmas markets and holiday festivals.
Our favorite private excursions from Budapest include the Danube Bend to see the Roman ruins in Aquincum; the craft shops, folk art museums, Jewish Memorial House and Margit Kovacs Museum in the artist village of Szentendre; the basilica and synagogue in Esztergom; and the village of Visegrad; as well as to Herend, the hometown of Hungary’s revered porcelain; the villages and parks on the shores of beautiful Lake Balaton; and to Kecskemet and Szeged.
Our recommended luxury Budapest hotel is Four Seasons Gresham Palace.
Lake Balaton and Heviz
Lake Balaton is at the center of a beautiful region of farms, vineyards, volcanic hills and resorts. Some of our favorite places and experiences in the Lake Balaton region include touring the thatched houses and gardens of Szigliget and the traditional villages and vineyards in Badacsony; sampling locally produced wines such as Kéknyelű, Pinot Grigio, Muscat and Pinot Noir at family estates; and soaking in the natural thermal lake in Heviz. We also arrange excursions to the town of Herend, home of the renowned Hungarian porcelain manufacturer.
Pecs
Pecs is an ancient town and one of Hungary’s most important and interesting cultural destinations. Some of our favorite places in Pecs include the Old Town, the fourth-century Christian necropolis built by the Romans (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), remains from the Turkish rule such as the Mosque of Pasha Gazi Kassim, and the historic Pecs Cathedral and Pecs Synagogue. We also arrange visits to the Zsolnay Museum, which showcases the hand-painted porcelain made in Pecs, as well as museums dedicated to the work of renowned local artists such as Victor Vasarely and Tivadar Kosztka Csontváry.
Villany Wine Region
Villany is a famous wine region in southern Hungary. Our favorite experiences here are traveling along the Villany-Siklos Wine Road through miles of vineyards, visiting the Wine Museum, and stopping at traditional cellars and select local wineries to sample red wines, such as Blue Port, Merlot, Kékfrankos and Cabernet Sauvignon, and white wines such as Riesling and Chardonnay.
Eger-Tokaj Wine Region
The Eger-Tokaj Wine Region in northern Hungary is famous for its long history of wine production and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some of our favorite experiences in the Eger-Tokaj Wine Region are tasting the local Hungarian wines, such as the renowned Tokaji Aszú, or “wine of kings,” at the best local wineries; and touring the cultural highlights of Eger, such as the medieval castle, Turkish minaret and Baroque palaces.
Artisans of Leisure is a luxury travel specialist offering deluxe, private tours in Hungary. |
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