Play & Pause: Central & Eastern Europe Highlights

Rise and shine: this morning’s an early one, so pack your snacks and perfect your playlists. We’ll be checking out three countries today. Yep, you read that right. THREE. Begin by crossing the Hungarian border into Slovakia where we’ll have a quick whip around its fascinating capital, Bratislava. Then, it’s onwards to Austria's capital: Vienna, your home for the next two nights. Ten points if you can guess what it’s famous for! Musicians. Grand coffee houses. And strudel (duh!). Keep your eyes peeled for the opulent Schönbrunn Palace before driving by the likes of the Opera House, Hofburg Palace, Museum Quarter and Ringstrasse. This evening is 100% up to you.

This is your day, your way. Wanna see Viennese music in action? Stupid question. There’s a sick opportunity to watch the orchestra. Not just watch but FEEL. Y’know how music can bring a tear to your eye? Get those tissues ready, cos you’re about to blubber. Need dinner plans? Upgrade your orchestra experience or grab your trip mates and head to Naschmarkt to try some knödel (Austrian dumplings). Visiting in winter? Don’t forget to seek out maroni (roasted chestnuts) and lebkuchen (Gingerbread cookie). Cue = all the feels.

Prepare yourself for some A-W-E-S-O-M-E scenery as we make our way to the Austrian Alps. So much more than schnitzel, strudel and The Sound of Music, this thrill-seekers’ paradise should have been sponsored by GoPro. Stretch your legs and soak up the views before we regroup for another delish included dinner.

Want a whole day to explore this BEAUT region? We got you. In summer, soak up some mind-blowing views with an optional paragliding adventure. Or get your heart pumping with a canyoning sesh through some dramatic alpine gorges. Visiting in winter? Make the most of that fresh powder while skiing or tobogganing. And if that’s not your thing, simply kick back and enjoy the serenity. Memories? Made.

Onwards to the spire-filled skyline and mysterious streets of Prague! En route, we’re gonna make a pitstop at Ceský Krumlov. This entire place is UNESCO World Heritage–listed so prepare to be seriously WOW-ed. We're talking: a grand medieval castle, twisting cobblestone streets, Disney-style Gothic churches AND a scenic meandering river. Explore this historic city with your in-the-know Trip Leader before hopping back on the coach. When we roll into Prague, we'll tick off its best bits on another walking tour – complete with quirky clock tower and striking castle on the hill. Then, the evening is yours. Check out the local beer scene at a cool microbrewery. Or find one of the secret cocktail bars in the city. That feeling of discovering something new? Ain’t nothing like it.

That’s right folks – it’s your day, your way. So, make like Dora and get exploring. Check out the John Lennon wall. Soak up some history at the Communist Museum. Take the funicular up Petrin Hill for all the views. Stroll the fairytale halls of the Klementinum. Grab a delish roast pork roll at one of the street vendors lining Old Town Square. Or satisfy your sweet tooth (so, every tooth) with a sugar-filled serving of trdelník. Think: fire-roasted pastry coated in cinnamon sugar – add Nutella and you’ve got the stuff of dessert dreams *wipes drool from chin*.

Today we’re swapping one beer capital for the next. But first, get acquainted with 800-year-old Dresden – a city virtually destroyed in WWII and then rebuilt – before we make tracks to Berlin where we’ll tick off all the ICONIC sights on a driving tour. We’re talking: Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin Wall, Reichstag, and Brandenburg Gate. Tonight, we’ve got a delish included dinner to get to. Not ready for the day to end? See if the city’s nightlife really lives up to the hype. FYI, queues for the big clubs are long af – pack your comfy dancing shoes. Or opt for some chill time back at the hotel. It’s your trip, your way.

You’ve got 24 hours here. Make the most of it. Our advice? An optional historic walking tour that’s gonna get those daily steps in and fill your brain with facts. Every day’s a learning day, right? You’ll get local insight into what Berlin was like under Nazi rule and see those incred sights up, close and personal. Or see what all the fuss is about when it comes to German cuisine on an afternoon food tour. Get ready to stuff your face with kebabs, pastries, currywurst, pierogi and sausages (obvs).

Tums full after another group brekkie, today we’re making tracks for our sixth country. HECK yes. When we roll up in Poland's beating heart, we’ll stretch our legs on an orientation walk with our Trip Leader. Then, time to take Fleetwood’s advice and go your own way. Discover the devastating impact the Nazi occupation left on this proud city. Wander the streets and gawp at the grand palaces. Or just embark on a mish to find Warsaw’s best pierogi. We believe in you.

You wanted freedom to explore – here it is. Seek out the city’s iconic mermaid statue in the heart of Old Town Market Square. Climb 150 steps to the top of the St Anne’s Bell Tower for some epic photo ops (it’s worth it, promise). Or lose yourself in facts and (not so ancient) history at the Warsaw Uprising Museum. Still dreaming about yesterday’s pierogi? There’s plenty more where that came from (hot tip: wear your stretchiest pants).

Today, we’ll be swapping one beaut Polish city for another. But first: a visit to former concentration camp Auschwitz for a lesson in the resilience of humanity. Feeling humbled after our guided tour, we’ll move onto Kraków. Legend has it a dragon had to be defeated for this place to be built. Game of Thrones, eat your heart out. Get acquainted with this gem of a city and the largest medieval town square in Europe (size isn’t everything, Kraków) on today’s walking tour. Then: the evening’s yours. Need tips? *Grabs foam finger and points at Trip Leader* – they’ve got it covered.

Today = you do you. Need some suggestions? Head to Hamsa in the heart of the Jewish Quarter for some 'Hummus and Happiness'. Shop for amber in the UNESCO-listed Cloth Hall. Or do as the locals do and drop into Okraglak in Plac Nowy (New Square) for some drool-worthy street food – zapiekanki (Poland's answer to pizza) is a must! Then: it's vodka time. On an optional tasting tour, wander the cobblestone streets with a local guide – learning the history behind Polish vodka and sampling a few flavoured varieties as you go. This stuff is not for mixing with cranberry juice. Trust us. Or there are plenty of bars to pull into for a tasting of the local beer instead.

Not gonna lie, today’s a bit of a drive day. BUT we’ll be taking the scenic route through the INCREDible Tatra Mountains. Shotgun a window seat! When we arrive back in the City of Bridges, we’ll be chauffeured past the Chain Bridge, Castle District, Gellert Hotel, Heroes’ Square and House of Terror on a driving tour. SD cards full and tummies grumbling, it’s time for our final group dinner together – we’re going to give this adventure the send-off it deserves!

And just like that, it’s over. Say your goodbyes and swap those TikTok handles at breakfast – you’ll need them to organise next year’s reunion trip. Sooooo....where to next?