The Eastern Discovery - 15 Days

From regal Schonbrunn Palace to the cascading domes of the Blue Mosque, embark on a remarkable journey of discovery that blossoms in the exotic east.

Included Premium Highlights

    * A guided visit to the magnificent Schönbrunn Palace & gardens
    * Tour the pristine Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Centre
    * Visit Istanbul's Blue Mosque, then admire the treasure of the Sultans at Topkapi Palace

Included Personal Insights

    * An entrée to the history & significance of Viennese café culture
    * Hear a fascinating first h& account from our guest speaker & resident of Dubrovnik about life during the siege & war of 1991, the collapse of Yugoslavia & the rebirth of Croatia
    * Beat the shop keepers at their own game! A complete guide, from a local, on how to haggle in the Grand Bazaar; the technique, the pitfalls & how much to pay!

Included Other Excursions & Sights

    * Tour the ring road of Vienna past the Imperial Palace, Parliament & Opera House
    * Visit the Slovenian town of Maribor - reflecting its medieval, baroque & Soviet past!
    * See Zagreb's Ban Josip Jelacic Square & Cathedral & tour the Upper Town
    * See the Cipiko Palace & Romanesque Cathedral in Trogir
    * Explore Split's historical buildings built within the walls of Diocletian's Palace
    * See Onofrio's Fountain, Rector's Palace & the awesome city walls of Dubrovnik
    * Admire the Franciscan & Dominican monasteries in Dubrovnik Old Town
    * Visit the old town of Kotor situated on its fjord
    * Visit the cobbled streets, small shops & cafés of the pretty lakeside resort of Ohrid
    * See the churches, mosques & old Turkish buildings in Skopje
    * See the golden dome cathedral, centuries old churches, & Soviet-era buildings of Sofia
    * See the Blue Mosque, St Sophia, Topkapi Palace & Grand Bazaar in Istanbul

Included First Class Services

    * Escorted by a professional Tour Director
    * Headsets for all guided visits & walking tours
    * Luxury air-conditioned 40 seat coach with extended leg room & on-board restroom
    * Insight Hotels include all service charges, taxes & porterage
    * Insight Traveller document wallet, map book journal & information pack
    * Airport arrival & departure transfers at scheduled times on Day 1 & Day 15
    * Should your flights not coincide with these arrival & departure transfers, please make your own way to/from the airport

Included Quality Dining

    * Choose from a selection of restaurants on your Dubrovnik Dine-Around evening (DA)
    * Highlight Dinner with traditional entertainment in Istanbul (HD)
    * 14 Buffet Breakfasts (BB), 4 three-course table d'hôte Dinners, or Buffets, plus tea or coffee (D)
 

Day 1 - VIENNA AT LEISURE

On arrival at Vienna Airport, your airport transfer service leaves for the tour hotel at 09:00, 11:00, 13:00 & 15:00. Why not take a stroll through the Stadtpark to see the golden statue of Strauss? Meet your Tour Director & fellow guests for a Welcome Drink

Hotel: Hilton Vienna

Day 2 - VIENNA SIGHTSEEING

A sightseeing highlight this morning is a guided visit to the magnificent Schönbrunn Palace & gardens. Sightseeing continues past St Charles' Church & tours the 'ring', seeing the Opera House, the Hofburg Imperial Residence & Parliament Building. Your tour concludes with an informative look at Viennese café culture. (BB)

Day 3 - VIENNA - ZAGREB

Head through Styria's forested mountains, past Graz, & over the Slovenian border to reach the 700-year-old university town of Maribor. Follow the Drava River to Croatia & its capital, Zagreb. On your guided tour see Roosevelt Square, the attractive facades of Ban Josip Jelacic Square, the Cathedral, &, in the medieval Upper Town, the Presidential Palace, Stone Gate, St Marks Church & Pope's Tower.

Hotel: Sheraton

Day 4 - ZAGREB - PLITVICE NATIONAL PARK

You are at leisure this morning. Maybe take an optional excursion to the home of the late Marshall Tito in Kumrovec? Then depart for your rustic hotel located right inside the UNESCO listed Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Hotel: Jezero (BB,D)

Day 5 - PLITVICE NATIONAL PARK - SPLIT

Tour the Plitvice Lakes, a scenic wonderland of 16 lakes flanked by thundering waterfalls & primeval forest. Visit Korana Canyon's 230 foot high falls & Tomicevo Pogledalo for views over the park. Head down the coast to visit Trogir. Founded by the Greeks in 400BC but now renowned for its fine cathedraland Renaissance Cipiko Palace. Continue to the historic port of Split.

Hotel: President Solin (BB)

Day 6 - SPLIT - DUBROVNIK

1700 years ago the Roman Emperor Diocletian built his palace here & your local guide will lead you through the labyrinth of streets & historical buildings within that same palace. Now a delightful drive by sparkling deep blue seas & the rocky islands of the Dalmatian coast brings you to Dubrovnik. The local cuisine is justifiably famous - find out why on your Dine-Around evening, where you get to choose from a selection of local restaurants

Hotel: Libertas Rixos (BB,DA)

Days 7 & 8 - DUBROVNIK AT LEISURE

Begin the day if you wish with an included & fascinating presentation from a guest speaker & resident of Dubrovnik about life during the siege & war of 1991, the collapse of Yugoslavia & the rebirth of Croatia. A guided sightseeing tour then explores the stone-paved streets inside the 16th century bastions. See Onofrio's fountain & the Rector's Palace, the city walls, as well as the Franciscan & Dominican monasteries. The remainder of your stay is at leisure. Soak up the sun by the pool, relax at a café or take an optional sunset cruise? (BB,BB)

Day 9 - DUBROVNIK - KOTOR - TIRANA

Over the border in Montenegro, visit the Old Town of Kotor, perched beside the only European fjord outside of Norway. Continue to Albania & stop in the town of Shkodra before continuing to the Albanian capital, Tirana.

Hotel: Sheraton Tirana (BB,D)

Day 10 - TIRANA - OHRID

After a guided sightseeing tour of Tirana head for the Albanian border & cross into Macedonia. Stay in the pretty lake side resort of Ohrid. The narrow streets of the Old Town, lined with restaurants & cafes, are perfect for a summer evening stroll.

Hotel: Belvedere (BB,D)

Day 11 - OHRID - SKOPJE - SOFIA

First stop is in the Macedonian capital city of Skopje to see the main square, the mosques & old Turkish buildings. Cross the north of the country to the Bulgarian border, & continue to the capital, Sofia for dinner at your hotel.

Hotel: Hilton Sofia (BB,D,HD)

Day 12 - SOFIA SIGHTSEEING

Sightseeing takes in the St Sofia Church across the square from the golden domed St Alex&er Nevsky Cathedraland the archeological complex, dominated by St George's Church. Explore on your own or perhaps take an optional excursion to the Rila Monastery? (BB)

Day 13 - SOFIA - ISTANBUL

Head east, joining the road to Turkey taken by the Romans, the Crusaders & others over the centuries. Once over the border, continue to exotic Istanbul, a glorious city uniquely located on two continents. Celebrate your amazing journey with a Highlight Dinner, complete with traditional entertainment.

Hotel: Barcelo Topkapi Eresin (BB)

Day 14 - ISTANBUL SIGHTSEEING

Tour the highlights of Istanbul, including St Sophia & a visit to the famous Blue Mosque. Visit Topkapi Palace, former seat of the Ottoman Emperors, to admire the treasures of the Sultans, before finishing the tour at the 4,000 shops, tea houses & cafés of the Grand Bazaar. But first enjoy an informative lesson from your guide on how to haggle!(BB,HD)

Day 15 - ISTANBUL

The tour ends with a transfer to the airport for your homeward flight. Or why not combine this tour with a Greek Island cruise? (BB)

Your Insight tour already includes a host of bonus highlights and comprehensive sightseeing. However, there is an exciting array of optional excursions which will turn an already amazing experience into the trip of a lifetime! These are entirely optional and can be booked through your Tour Director/Local Representative at the commencement of your tour. All prices are quoted in local currency. Payment can be made in cash or by Visa, Mastercard or American Express. To help your pre-tour budgeting we suggest you allow approximately EURO 45 per person per day for optional excursions.

MOSQUE
Please Note: Some optional excursions may include visits to religious sites where your knees and shoulders must be covered. Shoes are not permitted in mosques.

VIE14 - GALA VIENNESE CONCERT
A wonderful concert of Viennese Classical music including some of the most famous works of Johann Strauss and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, performed by highly acclaimed soloists and dancers. A glass of champagne is also included during this special evening. EURO 47

VIE06 - DINNER IN A COUNTRY MANSION
We see the famous Prater Amusement Park, then cross the Danube to arrive at one of the most famous restaurants in Austria. Former patrons include Napoleon, the Emperor Franz Joseph, Luciano Pavarotti, Liz Taylor and Arnold Schwarzenegger. In this historic country mansion we will enjoy a delicious dinner in one of the elegant dining rooms. Choose your main dish from various Austrian specialties and enjoy the live music and unlimited drinks. EURO 60

ZAG01 - KUMROVEC & LUNCH/DINNER
Through beautiful rolling countryside of Zagorje we reach Kumrovec, an exceptionally valuable and attractive ethnic village with about thirty rural houses and farmsteads. Some of them are still lived in by the locals, the others present the life as it was in Zagorje about 150 years ago. Visiting a native house of late Marshal Tito gives us a chance to clarify complicated and bloody history of this region. Short ride later we enjoy a truly home-made lunch in a picturesque restaurant favored by the locals, with unlimited drinks. Magnificent views of the vine-covered rolling hills and Veliki Tabor Castle come as a bonus! EURO 51

ZAG02 - TRADITIONAL DINNER
Dinner for those who want to see what high-end yet traditional Zagreb dining is about. The setting, service and presentations of regional cuisine all come together brilliantly. EURO 46

SPT01 - KONOBA DINNER
If you want to truly experience Dalmatian cuisine, a dinner in a traditional 'konoba' - a stone daylight basement - is the best choice. Select from a variety of seafood or meats accompanied by good Dalamatian wines. EURO 47

DBV02 - SUNSET CRUISE & DINNER
Sit back and enjoy a relaxing cruise around the fabled bay of Dubrovnik. The mighty city walls rise straight from the cliffs that once upon a time were part of yet another island of the Adriatic. A dinner of seaside specialties will be washed down with local drinks (wine and grappa being the most famous) as the sun sets over the splendid city. We will moor in the old town harbour and have another look at Dubrovnik by night - whenthe crowds are gone and the locals come out for a stroll. (The operation of this tour is dependent on weather conditions and in some cases the cruise will be operated during the day with lunch). EURO 53

DBV03 - CILIPI FOLKLORE SHOW
Hear the church bells calling for Mass and see the locals dressed in their Sunday best slowly heading to church. A joyful celebration takes place in the church square following the Mass where the locals in colourful costumes perform songs and dances from the village and the region. You will have a chance to browse the market for authentic local souvenirs and enjoy the rhythm of Dalmatian music. (Only available on Sundays). EURO 29

DBV06 - BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA, NERETVA VALLEY AND MOSTAR
Despite the horrors perpetrated in the Balkan War, Bosnia and Herzegovina boasts stunning landscapes and a rich cultural past. We travel inland following the picturesque valley of the Neretva River. We stop at Pocitelj, a fortress town perched on a hill, tastefully restored to its former beauty before the war and renowned for its colony of artists. Then it's on to Mostar, a labyrinth of medieval cobblestone lanes and world famous for its graceful 400 year old single span bridge, now painstakingly restored and designated as a UNESCO cultural heritage site. Enjoy free time for exploring and lunch before returning to Dubrovnik. EURO 42

SOF01 - RILA MONASTERY WITH LUNCH
Optional excursion to the magnificent Rila Monastery, the largest and most important symbol of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The monastery was built at the site where the holy man went into exile, and, in one form or another it lasted through the ages to delight the visitor till today with its imposing beauty.EURO 50

SOF02 BULGARIAN FOLKLORE SHOW WITH DINNER
Dinner with folklore program in a traditional folklore style restaurant with delicious Bulgarian cuisine and wine. EURO 48

IST10 - BOSPHORUS CRUISE
After a brief visit to the 17th century Egyptian Spice Market embark on an unforgettable cruise along the Bosphorus, the beautiful strait that divides Europe from Asia. Winding between wooded hills, it is lined with mosques, castles 19th century mansions, picturesque villages and the extravagant baroque palaces of the late Ottoman sultans. EURO 30

IST11 TURKISH NIGHT SHOW
Enjoy a spectacular night show complete with belly dancers, folklore dances from different regions of Turkey and singing. Dinner is included in this spectacular evening. EURO 65