Zooming-in on Eastern Europe
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| Play this video for a magical minute of travel through Eastern Europe! |
Are you ready to stretch your travel boundaries — and your dollar? Here are three affordable ways to explore Europe's culturally-rich East (and two of them include the delightfully Baroque city of Prague). Here's the skinny...
The Best of Prague & Budapest in 8 Days
We've brought together Eastern Europe's must-see cities — Prague and Budapest — for an eye-opening eight-day adventure.
Bursting with Mozart, trilling with Vivaldi, and brewing Europe's best beer, Prague will teach you a lesson in good living — in a zesty, heart-of-Europe style, surrounding you with mighty castles, a fascinating Jewish Quarter, swirling Baroque churches, and slinky Art Nouveau architecture.
A comfortable bus ride takes us to the "yin" of Prague's "yang" — the equally rich, but far more subtle city of Budapest. Here your expert guide will take you off the beaten path, opening doors that reveal some of Europe's most dazzling interiors, bustling market halls, and quietly poignant reminders of a city's struggles against half a century of fascism and communism.
On this tour you'll also get swept up in the elegance of today's Budapest — a panorama bathed in floodlights as you glide along the Danube, the perfect "dessert" after sampling Hungary's deliciously zesty cuisine.
Prague and Budapest: two remarkable cities...one unforgettable getaway.
The Best of Bulgaria in 12 Days
This tour takes you to a fascinating "tipping point" for this rapidly-changing corner of Europe, as east flirts with west, new challenges old, and great hopes collide with daily realities.
You'll see horse-drawn carts competing for lane space with BMWs, and shepherds tending their flocks along (and sometimes on) modern roadways. You'll stroll through rustic mountain villages with the tang of wood smoke in the air, valleys of vineyards, rugged farmland, and sleek seaside resorts. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the rich local cuisine — an offbeat blend of Slavic and Mediterranean.
You'll sample wines that are the toast of the Balkans. And you'll witness how one nation's European dream takes on a surprising shape when it's rooted in a custom blend of Ottoman, Orthodox, and Soviet soil.
The history buff in you will marvel at Bulgaria's Ancient Thracian tombs, impressive Roman ruins, radiant Orthodox churches, mystical medieval monasteries and traditional Turkish mosques. And nowhere in Europe will you see such colorful, perfectly-preserved treasures of iconic religious art.
Your expert local guide will bring all this art and history to life — and also open doors to personal connections, introducing you to locals who are as eager to shake your hand as you are to meet them. (Bulgarians love to share their experiences and folk traditions — prepare to ask questions, dance, and sing!)
Bulgaria has long been one of Rick Steves' special passions. Join us and you'll quickly see why!
The Best of Eastern Europe in 17 Days
No other Rick Steves tour brings you such a wealth of cultural diversity, breathtaking modern history — and the eye-opening perspectives of so many inspirational local guides — as Eastern Europe.
This very popular tour is carefully balanced to introduce you to the great historic capitals (three nights each in Prague, Kraków and Budapest), plus salt-of-the-earth villages and stunning natural beauties.
You'll enjoy a fascinating montage of home-grown guides who will connect you with weathered farmers, giggling schoolgirls, nostalgic communists and velvet revolutionaries. And, from borscht to baklava, you'll find the cuisine as fun and memorable as the people.
No introduction can do this tour justice — read through the itinerary to see all we have in store for you, from your first afternoon in lively Prague, to our finale, 17 days later, beside Slovenia's picture-perfect Lake Bled (with nearby flights to the rest of Europe, and your reluctant return home).
Read more about Eastern Europe...
Tour Member Raves, from Prague to Budapest to Bulgaria
Memorable places and great guides deliver "wow" experiences
Adriatic 101: Croatia, Slovenia, and More
Surprising variety awaits, just east of Italy
Croatia's Picturesque Plitvice Lakes National Park
A water wonderland most Americans have never heard of
Hitting Prague's Highlights
Everyone loves Prague: here's why
Charismatic Kraków
Poland's most enjoyable town
The "Gypsy Question"
More to this culture than meets the eye
Listen to our Eastern Europe tour guides...
Enjoy these audio clips from our Travel with Rick Steves public radio show, as Rick interviews some of our tour guides:
Eastern Europe Then & Now (43 min)
Rick talks with two guides who grew up behind the Iron Curtain — Christoph Dressler and Marijan Krisovic — on how the profound changes in this region have impacted their daily lives.
Prague (48 min)
Czech tour guides Honza Vihan and Katerina Svobodova tell us why their home town is one of Europe's must-see destinations.
Budapest (41 min)
Etelka Parine Berecz returns to help Rick dig into some of the many delights that Hungary's capital has in store for travelers.
A Traveler's Guide to Bulgaria (29 min)
Rick and Bulgaria guide Lyuba Boyanin talk about the rewards that her country offers to adventurous, inquisitive travelers.
Poland for Travelers (40 min)
Polish tour guide Kasia Derlicka joins Rick to talk about her native country, and offers advice for travelers investigating their genealogical roots.
Looking for more great tours of Eastern Europe?
Czech out Rick Steves' Best of...
Listen to these audio clips and much more in our new Rick Steves Audio Europe app!