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Rick Steves’ Best of Berlin, Prague & Vienna Tour, Day by Day
Bringing together a trio of must-see capitals — plus the added delights of Dresden and Český Krumlov — Rick Steves’ Best of Berlin, Prague & Vienna in 12 Days tour is an unforgettable journey through the heart of Europe. Follow this day-by-day slideshow (starting with these tour members posing for photographer Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli) and you’ll see what we mean!
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Day 1: Welcome to Berlin
We’ll have a "Welcome to Berlin" meeting around 5 p.m. at our hotel in the Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood. On our way to dinner together, we’ll get oriented to this up-and-coming corner of the former East Berlin, and learn to use the city’s public transportation system. (Photo by Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)
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Day 2: Berlin's Historic Heart
We’ll begin our day with a walking tour through the historic heart of Berlin. At the Brandenburg Gate, we’ll hear how locals felt on the day in 1989 when the Berlin Wall suddenly became irrelevant. We’ll continue our walk with a stop at Checkpoint Charlie, and then focus on Germany’s reunification and how Germans view their place in the EU today. For the rest of the day, you’ll be free to do more exploring on your own. (Photo by Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)
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Day 3: Today's East Berlin
This morning we’ll hop on a tram to Hackescher Markt and explore ever-changing East Berlin. We’ll see a once-destroyed Jewish neighborhood now renewed with a flourish, an island dedicated to world-class museums, and the site where the Nazis burned 20,000 books. We’ll finish our afternoon with a guided tour of Berlin’s highlight-packed Deutsches Historisches (German History) Museum before setting you free, steps away from the Spree River. (Photo by Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)
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Day 4: Resurrected Dresden
Today we’ll board our bus and head south to delightfully Baroque Dresden. We’ll start our visit with a walking tour of this reborn-from-the-ashes city, including its greatest symbol of pride: the inspiring Frauenkirche, destroyed during WWII and rebuilt since the 1990s with donations from around the world. From there you’ll be free to contemplate the priceless pieces in the Zwinger Museums’ Old Masters Gallery, Royal Palace, or Green Vault. (Photo by Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)
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Day 5: Terezin and Prague
We’ll continue south to the Czech Republic today, stopping in the fortified town of Terezin, which was converted into a concentration camp in 1941. Today it’s the Terezin Memorial, and we’ll go inside to learn its story. Just down the road, we’ll find a completely contrasting experience in Nelahozeves, where we’ll stop for lunch, a tour of the Renaissance castle perched high above the Vltava River, and a wine tasting. Later this afternoon we’ll arrive in the heart of Prague, and take an orientation walk that includes the Charles Bridge. (Photo by Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)
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Day 6: Royal Prague
This morning we’ll hop on a local tram to take us across the Vltava River and up the hill to the most massive castle complex in continental Europe: Prague Castle. We’ll tour the impressive St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, and Golden Lane. Is Prague really home to the best beers in Europe? We'll find out by sampling one during lunch together at a local brewery, followed by free time for more sightseeing on your own. (Photo by Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)
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Day 7: The People's Prague
We’ll enjoy a full morning of sightseeing with our local guide, beginning with a walking tour of the Old Town Square. After learning about the Velvet Revolution, the people's march that toppled the Communist regime in 1989, our morning will end in the proudly preserved Josefov neighborhood, with its Old Cemetery and historic synagogues. The rest of the afternoon you'll be free to explore more of the Josefov neighborhood, visit the Mucha Museum, or make your own discoveries in Prague. (Photo by Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)
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Day 8: Delightful Český Krumlov
Today we’ll hop on our bus and head for the centuries-old town of Český Krumlov. Our first stop is the castle fortress and one of Europe’s best-preserved, and still-functioning, 18th-century Baroque theaters. Later this afternoon you’ll have time to explore this photogenic old town of quaint shops and cobbled lanes — maybe even rent a canoe. (Photo by Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)
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Day 9: Melk and Vienna
After an early morning drive to the Danube Valley, we’ll tour the artistic treasures and Baroque wonders of Melk Abbey and cruise Austria’s prettiest stretch of the Danube: the Wachau Valley. Then we’ll set course for the one-time capital of a powerful empire — and our tour’s grand finale — Vienna. (Photo by Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)
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Day 10: Habsburg Vienna
This morning we’ll take a walking tour from Stephansplatz to the elegant Opera House while learning of the 640-year rule of the Habsburg Empire. We’ll take in the dramatic architecture and history of the Opera House (when available) and be blinded by the stunning collection of royal regalia at the Hofburg Treasury. The rest of your day is free to explore more of Vienna’s highlights, and maybe stop to savor every chocoholic’s dream: Viennese Sacher-Torte. (Photo by Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)
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Day 11: Artistic Vienna
Let’s begin with a walking tour of Vienna’s Art Nouveau architecture and the lively Naschmarkt produce market. Then we’ll continue with a tram ride out to the elegant Belvedere Palace for a tour, including a roomful of Gustav Klimt’s wildly gilded paintings. Tonight we’ll meet for our last dinner together at a traditional Viennese Heuriger, where we’ll share travel memories and toast new friends (like the one in the next slide?). Prost! (Photo by Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)
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Day 12: Tour Over After Breakfast
Breakfast is provided, but there are no group activities today. It’s a breeze to reach Vienna’s airport by shuttle, bus, or taxi. You’ll have easy connections to home, back to Prague, or on to Budapest and other points in Europe. Auf Wiedersehen! (Photo by Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)
Learn more about the Best of Berlin, Prague & Vienna in 12 Days tour