Central Europe: Prague to Slovenia in 15 Days Tour

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent opportunity to experience a part of Europe I wasn't as familiar with as Western Europe.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Waterfalls in Croatia. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall, this trip was a cultural immersion of life in cities, big and small, gastronomic delights, art and music, politics and nature. Katerina was an exceptional tour guide who gave 27 travelers her heart and soul for 2 weeks. She was able to convey her love and childhood experiences of her country and region, and I left having learned so much about an area of the world I knew little about.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The obvious “wow” moments are Lake Bled in Slovenia and Plitvice National Park in Croatia. However, there are also the less obvious wow moments for me - the bugler in Krakow, the musicians at our dinner in Prague and the view of Rovinj from our hotel room on Katerina Island. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall the tour was good. A little too much "wander" time vs "together " time. Guide was a joy. Very knowledgeable and approachable. Accommodations were very nice.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The waterfalls of croatia."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent experience, our guide, George very knowledgeable and personable. I enjoyed the activities and free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Loved Budapest and Prague. I had heard about these cities and have been on my bucket list for sometime."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide George and the 3 local guides were all outstanding. We knew we would love this trip. That said, George and the team made this trip an A+. This trip had more logistics than others, and George really kept the group always informed on what to be ready for and next steps. He and the local guides really brought the sites to life: insights, personal stories, fun info. It's a key reason why we choose Rick Steves tours vs on our own, and it was excellent - worth every penny.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"From a new learning perspective, it was the ~800,000 persecution / deaths of Hungarians by their own local police in the 1940s. A stark 'wow', but a new understanding for me. Switching gears, Plitvice national park was jaw dropping, have not experienced anything else like it. Meanwhile I was able to visit Budapest 25 years ago, and the transformation has been amazing - from a gritty hard scrabble city, to now a more elegant Vienna / Paris vibe and experience. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was well organized and staffed by outstanding guides.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I really loved learning about Poland."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour was wonderful. Well organized. We were able to experience travel in new areas for us.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The waterfalls in Plitvice National Park"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The crowds in Prague and Budapest were a bit overwhelming and impacted our local tour experience. It just didn’t feel like a RS tour. BUT, the people, the guides, the experiences were outstanding throughout! The tour got better and better as we moved through the countryside and visited some smaller areas. The National Park and Bled were really awesome! Great way to end the tour!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The hike in the National Forest and Bled were truly memorable!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fall is a beautiful time of year to travel and seeing all of the cities and countries at the end of the harvest season was amazing.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hiking Lake Plitvice was a unique experience that had a “wow” factor every few minutes."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our Slovenian guide, Marijan, had an outstanding knowledge of the cultural, social and political history for Central Europe. He was thorough and thoughtful as he shared the painful past for countries devastated by fascism and communism. This was not a "feel good" tour with bountiful parties and decadent food. Rather, it left with me with an experience of learning and discomfort which impacted my psyche and soul for the remainder of my life.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite city was Prague, with the beautiful "old town" that has been spared from wars over the centuries. My most moving experience was the tour of Auschwitz, and I still continue to process what I saw and experienced. My favorite outdoor adventure was in the Unesco World Heritage park of Plitvice Lakes. I am troubled to hear how Central Europeans talk of the time "when" Putin will invade their country."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Unfortunately, we had to leave our Central Europe Tour around 5 days early due to bad coughs and colds. ( not Covid related). No complaints up to the time of departure. Our guide was terrific. He went way beyond the call of duty. Organized having a doctor visit our hotel room in Budapest.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Loved Krakow. Hotel in the old section of the city was a fantastic touch."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A very good tour with a wide variety of cultures and geography. Historical information is probably important in understanding the countries or just enjoy the narratives from the guide as they are experts and did a fabulous job.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Last days in Bled for beauty and smaller town interest and history. Auschwitz for 'sad and educational" wow, Budapest for bigger city wow. Budapest maybe the best."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was incredibly well thought out and organized. Great attention to detail, wonderful, well-informed guides, great site selection and balance. Very comfortable bus.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Really, there were too many to single out just one, in my opinion. I was delighted by Krakow, Ljubljana and Plitvice Lakes because I knew nothing about them beforehand. I loved the Hotel Polski in Krakow - great character. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I selected this trip because I had not visited this region of Europe before and I did not know much about the history. The trip exceeded my expectations for several reasons: 1. the local guides' knowledge of their history and political ties to multiple empires over time. 2. the variety in the countries - each country visited had its own unique culture, food, history and people groups. 3. the mix of large cities, smaller cities, and rural areas including national parks was perfect.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"When we crossed into Croatia from Budapest, Hungary to spend one night at Plitvice Lakes National Park that included a half day hike through this beautiful wonderland of waterfalls, lakes, and mountains. It was so wonderful to be in nature after spending time in large cities and at Auschwitz. It was refreshing, invigorating, fun, and memorable."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide was outstanding. The accommodations were wonderful. The food was outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have to say 3 , Plitvice Lakes NP, Rovinj and Lake Bled"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I appreciated the varied itinerary, the amenable and knowledgeable guide, the incredible architecture, and the unscheduled time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Everything in Prague, but, in particular, Prague Castle."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Impressive, professional and personable guides throughout the tour. Nice balance of planned and free time. I appreciated the selection of cities visited and built in walking every day. The fun “surprises” added to the already enjoyable itinerary!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The magical walk through Plitvice Lake National Park. Wow! "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Excellent guide, great accommodations, good food.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Museum of Hungary under the communist regime"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Even though I was sick for part of the tour I still had a great time. Your members were very nice and kind to each other. Our guide Marijan was extremely helpful and he is such a knowledgeable person! The meals were excellent. Our driver Rok was also super fantastic and very very skillful in his ability to handle the big bus.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St Mary church in Krakow is stunning! The Auschwitz’s omg what an exhibition! I learned a lot. How suffering the victims had gone through. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my 3rd Rick Steves tour (Istanbul23, Scandinavia24). Our group was blessed with wonderful guide Marijan who ended our tour with group photos and paprika. Driver Rok was excellent. Eteaal enlivened our group with winery music (esp Country Road, Caroline, YMCA) & dance. Barbara brought snacks to us in Ljubljana. Delicious ethnic meals abound as usual. Snacks galore (Ptasie Mleosko). Unusual sites Hospital on Rock. We learned rapid transit and history like local. Our buddies were the best.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had multi-WOWs: Climbing Towers--5 of Prague's 9 Towers (Clementinum Astronomical, Powder Gate, St Nicholas, Lesser Town & Old Town on Charles Bridge) and Tower in Stramberk; Castles of Prague & Wawel & Lake Bled; St Vitus & Wawel & Matthias Cathedrals; Schindler's then Auschwitz of course; Plitvice Lakes hike and boat-ride; also boat rides on Danube Budapest & Rovinj surprise & Bled Island pletna; Eger school visit including lunch; viewing Leonardo's lady with ermine in museum next to hotel."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was wonderful . Our guide , George , knew the history of each country and conveyed in such an interesting and meaning way. I could not help but listen to much of it, which didn’t always happen on some other tours! Also , the tour was well balanced with days of activity followed with days of rest. Lots of museums and cathedrals to experience and the food , as always , was delicious !

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I really thought Lake Bled was beautiful . Loved the water. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour leader George was fabulous. We learned so much from him. He presented everything in such an interesting way and was fun to be with!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many that it is hard to pick just one. If pushed I would say the evening boat ride on the Danube in Budapest seeing the parliament building and all of the place buildings all lit up. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Tour was phenomenal. The balance between organized group activities and time for individual exploration was ideal, and our guide was very helpful in coordinating individual activities outside of the organized group events. Our guide was also exceptional at working with us individually to tailor our tour experience and maximize the overall enjoyment of the trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The hike and scenery at Plitvice National Park was indescribably beautiful, and our guide planned our departure from the hotel to the trailhead so that we were the first group to arrive, which provided us a wonderful experience of the hike through the park while (mostly) avoiding the bustling crowds, which significantly increased my enjoyment of that experience. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent, George our main guide and Gaspar the bus driver were wonderful. I never could have seen so many countries on my own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The large market square in Krakow."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour "Central Europe" was wonderful! Friendly tour clients, informative guide, excellent accommodations, delicious food. Everyday was a new experience resulting in a one-of-a-kind adventure.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many "wows"! I loved the character of the ancient cities such as Rovinj and Budapest and the natural beauty of Plitvice National Park in Croatia."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A fantastic adventure. All the details were addressed, down to the smallest possible minutiae. Our tour leader George made the trip. Hotels were much better than I expected.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many. I'm not really a "group" guy so my favorite moments had to do with the places we visited. Budapest was probably the biggest pleasant surprise I had on the trip."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Strenuous but satisfying.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visit to the school in Eger, Hungary. Driving up over the mountain in the fog. Somber tour of Ausschwitz-Birkenau. Boat ride on Lake Bled."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

All the guides were superb, as was our driver. Hotels, meals were first class. Long bus trips were broken up with delightful stops along the way. Great balance of tour to free time. Small group size was perfect. Use of VOX radio sets a big plus.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The beauty of Slovenia. Complete surprise. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Jana was fantastic. We had great tour members. Wonderful local guides.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several, but probably the walk in Plitvice National Park"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great group of people with an outstanding leader and bus driver. I learned so much about Central Europe.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Wine tasting and dancing in Eger Hungry. The group was so much fun. Plitzvice National Park hike was awesome"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Outstanding guide, good group, interesting itinerary

Favorite "WOW" moment

""Wow" moment: Plitvice Lakes National Park, especially the waterfalls and fall foliage. "Woe" moment: Auschwitz-Birkenau camps "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my second tour and I had a phenomenal experience as I've come to expect. Jana our tour guide was expert at taking care of everyone and making the experience personal and memorable. The countries we visited were welcoming, fun, and a true delight to visit. I'd recommend this tour and company to anyone seeking a merry band of travelers to journey with and the opportunity to get out and explore on you own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The nature you'll see on this trip is breathtaking, literally. But I'm going to say my favorite wow moment was when the president of the Czech Republic walked right past our tour group while getting a tour of Prague Castle."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide, Yana, was amazing! She was knowledgeable, compassionate, fun, and always a positive spirit! This part of the world was largely unfamiliar to us. She educated us on the individual countries' long and complicated histories and cultures and shared many personal stories that helped provide a good appreciation for the region as a whole. The local guides were also a pleasure! We covered a lot of ground together and for a good while. So the tour was a perfect way to take it all in.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We were continually 'wowed'! My favorite spots were probably Krakow and Lake Bled."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This is my 2nd trip with Rick Steves and it was no doubt another amazing and unforgettable life-time experience. The arrangements for the whole trip was very well balanced in terms of physical activities and relaxing time, group and personal time, and cultural and natural aspects. Our tour guide Jana is amazing, so knowledgeable on different cultures and histories, very professional and considerate, and super fun. Our bus drive Rok is very skillful, super friendly and very cheerful young man.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many moments that wowed me. If I have to pick one, then I would say hiking in the stunning Croatia Plitvice Lakes National Park. When I was standing on the top of the mountain and looking down the beautiful waterfalls, I felt like I was in Rivendell from the Lord of the Rings. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great trip! The itinerary was well-planned, the guides were excellent, and we enjoyed all the places that we visited.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several! Seeing the Krakow main square, Budapest in general, and seeing Plitvicka top the list from a sites standpoint. We also enjoyed Ljubljana very much! It is amazing how clean and safe everything is there! (My home town in California has much to learn!) It's clear and amazing how much the EU has helped Central Europe! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Me and my family have traveled independently to Europe more than a dozen times and have used the Rick Steves guide books and audio tours as a primary travel resource, and mostly focusing on one or two countries per visit. Taking the Rick Steves Central Europe tour was my first experience on a guided tour and it was an amazing experience and thoroughly enjoyable. Our guide Jana and bus driver Rok were awesome! Every location was interesting/enjoyable and the local guides were outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It is too hard to pick a favorite as there were so many. The big cities of Prague, Krakow, and Budapest were fantastic ... walking through the old town streets, watching people in the plazas and seeing the fabulous architecture were major wow moments ... as were the unexpected revelations of "off the radar" places like Eger, Plitvice, Rovinj, and Lake Bled."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

WONDERFUL tour!! Our Tour Guide, Jana and driver, Roc, set the stage with their knowledge, sense of fun and always going above and beyond to meet all of our needs. We also had a ver congenial group with no grumps of complainers! There was the perfect balance of scheduled activities and time to rest and attend venues of our choice. I was disappointed staying at Hotel Istra, a spa resort on an Island near Rovinj. I thought it was out of character for a Rick Steve’s Tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Bled, at the foot of the Julian Alps in Slovenia, was definitely a highlight for me!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Peter was excellent - friendly with always a smile, intelligent, & passionate about these countries' history and culture. I enjoyed the mix of large cities and smaller towns.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Auschwitz-Birkenau"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This is our first time joining a group tour. In the past, my husband would spend hours and hours reading Rick Steve’s books and plan our itineraries himself. So it made sense to join a Rick Steve’s tour and we loved it so much we are looking at booking another one for next year. Our tour guide Peter P was exceptional and exceeded my expectations. He is genuine and a caring person and ensured everyone was looked after. The tour was well organized to every detail.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It’s hard to pinpoint one favorite wow moment. This tour was so full of history but one wow moment which provided a day of reflection and learning was the visit to Auschwitz concentration camp. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Learned a lot about the culture and history of central Europe. Great guide and fun group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Budapest nighttime boat ride on the Danube River. The lights of the city showcased Budapest is such a wonderful way."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great guide, great tour members, great itinerary. Learned a lot about all 5 countries.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice National Park. Very beautiful with countless waterfalls. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

A different tour from the others I have been on, but notable, insightful, very physical. 18-22K steps average. Krakow was amazing. Town square reminded me of Venice. Lake Bled was wonderful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Most say the National Park (and it was a WOW experience), but I have to say my WOW moment was gaining an understanding what it was like living u see the communist regime. As one guide said, “most people think the war ended in 1945. for us it didn’t end until 1989”."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This was another great tour with a fantastic guide and a fun group of people. We enjoyed Prague, Krakow, Budapest and Lake Bled but felt like we had a wasted day in Rovinj. We would have preferred more time in Ljubjlana.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Auschwitz/Birkenau was very moving."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Fantastic tour. Loved every place we visited. The only "negative" cannot be avoided.... long bus rides between locations. No other way to run this tour though :)

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Public baths in Budapest. Architecture in all the cities visited."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A very fascinating part of the world. Was never on my radar to visit but I am so glad I finally ventured out of my comfort zone. So glad to see and visit places I had only read about or heard about on news.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to choose from. Every day was a wow moment. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Katarina was wonderful. The accommodations were very good. So many beautiful places both on and off the beaten path.

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The experience was outstanding. We were impressed with Katarina, our guide and we enjoyed all of our destinations. The tour was well organized and professional.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We enjoyed all the venue, but we really enjoyed visiting the school."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

being my first Rick Steves tour, I was quite impressed with the organization, accommodations, including food, and the professional and resourcefulness of our main guide, Katarina. Due to the nature and coverage of the tour, some of the bus rides were longer than I had expected but to see such places the drives were necessary. I thought the mix of guided time versus free time was a good fit considering the length of the tour. It was great to talk with members who had been on multiple RS tours.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite place was BudaPest, especially the Pest side, the ease of getting around the city and enjoying the ambience of the city. But probably the most profound visit was to Auschwitz-Birkenau and seeing the horror of what occurred there. The fact that it was a grey, cold and drizzly day only added to the effect. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great at all levels!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our guide being Czech and sharing her life under communism and post was a big value add."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

First: Katarina was wonderful. Efficient, kind, caring, INFORMATIVE, fun. The hotels were first rate; the activities when planned and fun. The bus (and driver Gasper) were prompt, and comfortable. And all 28 of us got on well and enjoyed each other. We have always been solo traveler (using Rick Steves info) but never considered a tour until this one. We definitely will be doing another. FIVE STARS!!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The quality of the hotels…..better then I expected"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We loved our guide, Katerina, and the knowledge she shared from growing up in the Czech Republic. Her stories made it much more real. We loved the variety of places we saw and experiences we had. Our team was great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The hotel on the island at Rovinj and the dolphin boat ride"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was excellent. It was an area of Europe that we had not explored yet and we were amazed at all that we saw. Our tour guide, Katerina (Katka) was amazing!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes National Park and Lake Bled would be the top "wow" moments."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Terrific experience, beautiful places, wonderful tour guide, fabulous fellow travelers!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I just loved Croatia and was blown away by our island accommodations and the gorgeous views of the Adriatic Sea!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I loved the places we visited, the special experiences we had that my husband and I would not have probably had if we had been on our own. The guides were so knowledgeable, our bus driver was wonderful. The pace of the guided portions of the tour were simply either too fast when we were walking or too much standing in one place when the guide was talking. I am a person who likes to mosey and poke around and take multiple artsy photos, I felt unable to stop and enjoy what I was seeing.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Rovinj for the first time was amazing as was our morning misty boat ride to the island on Lake Bled."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This trip was wonderful, eye opening and full of memorable learnings. So well organized and expertly guided, covering a lot of ground in a short period of time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite Wow moment of the trip was recognizing at every location we visited that I had not had the right impression of the place before visiting there. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first Steve's tour. I was a bit apprehensive but it turned out to be a wonderful experience. I was extremely impressed with our "main" tour guide (George). He was filled with knowledge, answered all our questions and helped with any and all problems that came up. George went above and beyond our expectations. It was a good, fun group for the most part and I enjoyed the camaraderie. Central Europe is beautiful and I was pleased we had "free" time to discover on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Poland (Krakow) was my favorite but Lake Bled was a joy (only wish the weather was better when we were there:). Of course Auschwitz was a must see as well as heartbreaking."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I thoroughly enjoyed receiving information about the cultures which were visited. I also enjoyed staying at hotels which were close to the various activities and the ability to have the afternoons free to visit different sites of our own choosing. Covid made the rounds in our tour group, including myself. This tended to make it somewhat awkward between the members of the group. I thought the tour leader handled it well though.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau. This visit really made history more real."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves tour and it certainly won't be our last. Everything was handled to perfection and the overall experience exceeded our expectations. We can't say enough good things about our guide, George, who is the ultimate professional and who made every day fun. George loves what he does, and he's a great ambassador for the region.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Each part of the tour stood on its own, so it's difficult to pinpoint a "wow" moment. While our visit to the winery in Eger was not a "wow" moment, the experience was a bit unexpected and quite memorable."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was just as we were expecting with a small sample of several countries and plenty of bus time, so expectations were met. Weather was horrible (historic rain and flooding around Prague and north to Poland, but we are RST veterans and we simply smile and go with the flow. Our driver (Roc) was absolutely AMAZING the way he navigated through the flooded areas. Our group was very interactive and was wonderful to travel with. George Farkas was incredible. What a great person and guide!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Krakow..... I think everyone who answers this survey will say the same thing. The main square was a delight. The park surrounding the square was a delight. The food was great and so was the weather. The Schindler Factory museum was really interesting if it hadn't been so crowded. The underground tour below the main square was a disappointment. Poor lighting and really not much to see. Overall Aushwitz- Berkinow was quite moving. A very sobering day indeed."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We very much enjoyed the layout of the tour. An orientation walk and then free time to pursue activities we were interested in. We enjoyed the dinners that allowed us to sample national dishes on our multinational trim. Our fellow travelers were a delight and we feel that we came home with new friends.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think visiting Lake Bled was my favorite location on the trip. Such a beautiful location."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was everything and more than what I was expecting. My husband and I have done 2 My Way Tours before this so we did not realize how much the Tour Guide does to make the tour run seamlessly. Our tour guide, Jana K was exceptional! We liked that she took care of the all the ticketing and scheduling of the sites/tours/events that were part of this tour and we didn't have to spend the time figuring this out.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite "wow" moment was being the first group of people to take the pletna boats to the island on Lake Bled to enjoy the beauty of this lake that is surrounded by the Julian Alps. Just breathtaking. The morning was sunny and crisp and it was so quiet and still on the lake."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tour was well organized and well run. Our group was full of happy travelers that interacted well with each other. Despite some less than optimal weather, we didn’t have any grumps. The transport was excellent, on time and we had a great driver. Our guide really had a huge impact on the quality of the tour. We felt well taken care of.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The boat ride on Lake Bled! It was a perfect morning together and ended the tour on a really high note. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was great! We saw so much and learned a lot of history from our guide, Jana.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The beauty of Lake Bled. We walked around the lake twice!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Even though the weather was not helpful (flooding and rain followed us on our journey), we did everything that we wanted to!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking through the streets of Prague with our tour host, Jana. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide and our travel buddies were great. Jana talk us so much about Central Europe that we never could have learned from and American guide. The stories she told of her experiences and those of her family were so valuable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Lake Bled was my favorite but it's hard to choose."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a trip of a lifetime! Our tour guide Jana was amazing! She was knowledgeable, an excellent communicator, compassionate, and super helpful navigating our free time. The city tours were great, the museums and churches were outstanding and all the guides were very helpful on how to navigate the cities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The history of these countries during WWII and their time behind the iron curtain was very impactful."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Jana and local guides were knowledgeable and helpful. Tour was well balanced with scheduled activities and free time to explore on our own. Small group size made getting to know people easy.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Rovinj and the stay on Katarina. Exploring the shops on the climb to the top of the hill was fun, and the quiet time on the island was a nice contrast to the hustle and bustle of the larger cities."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Absolutely loved our tour. Jana-our guide was terrific and our driver Oliver was outstanding! The tour was a great mix of sightseeing with the group and free time to explore on our own. Jana was always available to answer questions and make suggestions.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many aspects of the trip that were wonderful. For me-I really enjoyed Rovinj, Croatia and Plitvice Lakes National Park. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour experience was great, starting with our tour guide Jana. She was amazing. The tour sites, meals and other travelers also helped to make the tour a great experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several, each of the cities we visited were great and the natural beauty of Croatia was amazing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves' Tour. My husband and I had been a long time viewer of the PBS series and always thought someday we'd book an actual tour. Since the Heart of Europe was on the top of our list we decided to book this one. It was much more than we had expected. Everything from our amazing tour guide, Peter, to the hotels, the meals and the attractions made this a trip we will long remember. We also made some amazing friends along the way.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had totally expected Prague to be my Wow! But once entering Old Town Square in Krakow I was totally speechless and nearly brought to tears by its vastness and beauty. In all honesty every country, city we visited had their Wow moment."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first RS, or any guided tour, and we were extremely pleased with the experience. Peter was an outstanding guide. He is a wealth of knowledge and also shared personal experiences. It was a nice balance between the guides and free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The entire tour was outstanding, but being nature lovers I would say Slovenia and Croatia. Plitvice National Park and the Adriatic were ‘wow’."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our third RS Tour. Just finished Adriatic mid June. This was another wonderful experience with wonderful travel companions and an A+++++ guide Peter!. He is knowledgeable, patient, always smiling and always with a positive attitude and available to help in any way!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Prague in general, so easy to navigate and so much culture to see! Rovinj staying on Katerina Island looking over toward Rovinj Old Town.June trip only had a couple hours! This time 2 days to really enjoy this wonderful place! Great food with very friendly people!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great time on this tour. Guide, Peter, was very engaging, giving us interesting information, but not overloading us with too many facts & figures. Group meals were very tasty & we enjoyed getting to know our fellow tourmates. Peter was very helpful in giving us useful information for our free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The evening river cruise on the Danube in Budapest. Seeing the Parliament Building and many others lit up at night was a beautiful experience!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Wonderful tour guide Peter. He was very knowledgeable, positive, and engaging throughout the tour. Great bus driver. Beautiful venues throughout our tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I really enjoyed visiting the school in Eger, Hungary, and sharing the teaching experience with the class."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I learned and experienced so much more than I expected about Central Europe. Our tour guide really exceeded my expectations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"our first walk from our hotel in Prague to Old Town Square."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was everything I had hoped and more although at times it was more intense than anticipated, especially in Budapest.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Parliament building at night from the Danube....it was a stunning sight. A close second would be walking back to our hotel across the Charles Bridge in Prague after dinner with the city illuminated."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful! Central Europe was never on my bucket list, but my travel friends chose this tour. I have to say that the tour, the countries, and diverse experiences far exceeded my expectations! It ranks as one of my favorite trips!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Bled, Slovenia- the beautiful lake, island church, castle on the hill surrounded by the snow capped Julian Alps!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our guide, Saso and driver, Rok were great! Budapest was overwhelming, a lot of walking, over 10 miles in one day. Loved Krakow, hotel location, the square and side streets. We really enjoyed the smaller towns, even got to go to a hockey game and watch Saso’s kids play. The last four days were very windy so we didn’t get to go into the old town of Rovinj or take the pletna boat to the island on Lake Bled. Instead we were bussed to the castle overlooking Lake Bled, really interesting.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The parliament building at night on the Danube in Budapest. Most of the breakfasts were truly unique and very good. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall, very good. I'm comparing it the 17 days best of Italy tour last year. Jumping languages and money every few days took some adjusting for me. As with last year I wish I had done more homework on the history of the areas we visited but now I have history books on my fall reading list. I especially loved Budapest, the city just had a vibe that resonated with me and I'm not a big city person. Slovenia and the Baltics were a surprise and I'm looking forward to the Best of the Adriatic tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We arrived a few days early in Prague and stayed at the tour hotel, Leon d'Oro. We ended up being assigned a room on the top floor with a 'deck'. The 'deck' turned out to be on the roof of the hotel with 360 views of the entire city. This was the best part of our trip, hanging out at night and just watching the lights and hearing the church bells. FYI room 608, probably the best view of the city available. Plitvice Lakes was a close second for best of the tour."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves Tour--it was so professionally run, the guides were all amazing, it was an excellent balance of group and alone time, and I loved all the group meals.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many! Loved Prague, Krakow & Budapest. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my seventh Rick Steves tour, and I chose Central Europe to discover some lesser known countries. From the lively streets of Prague to the beauty of Lake Bled in Slovenia, this tour was likely the most exceptional I’ve experienced. The cities, the people, the culture, the cuisine, and the breathtaking sights were all extraordinary. Our guide, Saso, was phenomenal and truly elevated the entire experience for everyone in the group. We enjoyed each other’s company and shared laughter.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many…here’s a smattering from first to last cities: Franz Kafka sculptures and Frank Gehry’s “Fred and Ginger “rooftop views in Prague, Kraków’s town square, sobering Auschwitz, each unique side of “Buda”and “Pest”, Shoes on the Danube, Plitvice waterfalls, the wild Adriatic Sea storm in Rovinj, and beautiful Lake Bled."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved seeing a different side of Europe with different cultures.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Learning more about Poland, the country my grandparents came from."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first tour but it won't be our last. We've already booked the Best of Ireland for April 2025. Loved the historical aspect done in a way to be entertaining. Our tour guide, Saso, was the best.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The immediate connection we felt to those we encountered in Central Europe. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had an excellent tour guide, as well as great group of travelers which made the entire experience incredible. The hotels and food were also very, very good. As expected from the tour descriptions.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I was really surprised by the Adriatic sea. I really didn't have an expectation and it was actually unusual weather while we were there, but I can imagine how beautiful the beaches would have been."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves Tour. This smooth running, five country tour was exceptional in every way thanks to our amazingly organized and chatty tour leader, George. The tour was well-paced and educational. I have a much deeper understanding of Central Europe's history, their food and drink, and its people. We covered a lot of territory; some bus rides were long, but comfortably broken up in 2 hour segments by interesting side trips and snack stops. The hotels and meals were delightful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Pletna boat ride and visit to the Island at Lake Bled. It was a beautiful warm morning, the waters were calm and and we had the small island and church to ourselves to enjoy. Our walk through Plitvice National Park was an experience I will never forget. The waterfalls and landscape is breathtaking."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I have been on a total of 4 Rick Steve's Tours and the Central Europe Tour did not disappoint! I felt it was like a master's class in history, culture, architecture, and geo-politics. George, was an amazing guide and all the local guides were equally as fabulous!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Honestly, there were too many to identify a single Wow moment. Clearly, touring Auschwitz and Birkenau was extremely impactful, but there were so many other more up-lifting experiences. We really enjoyed the Baths in Budapest."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was the best tour by far in terms of places, monuments, the people and especially our guide. George was an incredible guide, very knowledgeable, loved the history, on the ball, ticked every box, made sure we were well taken care of and most of all had our best interests at heart. The guides in each city were also very well informed and knew what they were talking about. 3rd time in Budapest, but never knew the history like we did. I hope to see George again on another tour soon.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Every single day was a wow moment. I can't choose just one. Out of 15 days we had one day of rain, a thunderstorm (which I love). There were 4 of us with George who went to dinner by boat in Rovinj in a storm, got soaked, but had a blast and one of the best fish dinners I've ever had. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I have wanted to travel to Prague and Budapest for a very long time. And this tour not only did not disappoint, it took me to places I had not thought about going to, but fell in love with.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many, it is hard to choose. But I think my favorite was the evening cruise on the Danube in Budapest and seeing all the incredible buildings lit up so beautifully."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour exceeded my expectations! This itinerary was very well planned. There was plenty of time in the cities to see many sites and then the second half of the trip was small towns and nature. Our guide, George, was excellent. He was well organized, very professional, anticipated our every need and had a great sense of humor. He definitely added to awesome tour experience. As usual, the other tour members were delightful and added great memories to the trip. I would highly recommend this tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to pick just one favorite. Rovinj and the hotel resort on the island was awesome, lake bled and the nighttime river cruise on the Danube were my top 3 of the many wow moments."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The overall tour was great. The itinerary started with cities with beautiful architecture, cathedrals, museums and complex histories, then finished with relaxing scenic stops. Our guide, George, was excellent. He was organized, helpful, interesting and had a great sense of humor. The tour group was great also. All friendly people, timely and curious. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Depending on the definition of "wow", Auschwitz, although extremely emotional, is something that everyone should see. After that, Plitvice Lakes National Parks and Lake Bled were stunning reminders of how beautiful the world can be. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

George is an excellent tour guide and made the 2 week Central European Tour very enjoyable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to select from."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was very informative, and it was cool to experience the different cultures through the food and drink that was included with the tour, as well as the local guided tours.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Favorite "wow" moment was Rovinj in Croatia. Spectacular setting. Loved the island resort."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our Rick Steves' Central Europe Tour was an incredible memory-making experience. Each location offered its own unique architectural beauty, warm people, tasty food & drink while revealing an interconnected 20th Century history that was very powerful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many "wow" moments beginning with Prague but Budapest was spectacular and Lake Bled was stunning."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Immensely enjoyed our trip of Central Europe. The towns were attractive, the landscape beautiful, the countries interesting, the histories fascinating and the art and architecture inspiring.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting the town of Rovinj, staying atKaterina island and swimming in the Adriatic."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Extraordinary. This was our third RS tour and we had high expectations of this tour. They were exceeded at every turn. Peter, our guide, was wonderful - kind, organized, a master at blending our diverse group together, a great teacher and fun - and he made this tour extraordinary. Our group bonded quickly and experiencing the heart of Europe with these now dear friends was a high point. Our destinations were marvelous, beautiful, and intellectually expensive. We loved it all! Thanks Peter!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting Auschwitz and Birkinau alongside an Orthodox Jewish group who were praying and singing at the memorial. Breathtaking. Heartbreaking. Uplifting. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I visited places I never thought I would see. Every day held new things. Even the small towns we stopped at for lunch were charming.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The island hotel was quite something. Sitting on our deck drinking wine looking at Rovinj across the sea was pretty wow. "

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Interesting cities. One hotel location in extremely downtrodden area. Excellent bus and driver. Local guides tried to adjust for weather conditions, but one failed miserably. One, highly anticipated, stop on original itinerary when booked was deleted without notice (until we began the tour). The two "cultural exchange" events on itinerary were excellent (would have liked more of those and less long marches through cities). Overall RS tour guide good but delayed response to COVID on bus.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hotel Katarina on its own private island in Croatia. First glimpse of main square in Krakow."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour guide, Peter, was excellent and a lot of fun. The group was very compatible, and even the long bus rides were tolerable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Auschwitz was very sobering and memorable. The Danube River cruise in Budapest was pretty special. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was educational, fun and everything I hoped it would be. My overwhelming emotion regarding the tour is excited!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The beauty of the Adriatic from the balcony of our island hotel."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, Peter, was fabulous. The trip was well-organized and everything ran smoothly. The hotels were located in central spots and were very nice. The included meals were a real bonus. We thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this trip and plan to take another Rick Steves trip in the future.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the historical places that we had read about prior to the trip. Auschwitz was a very moving experience. We loved the school visit and wine tasting in Hungary. The local guides were excellent--especially Helena in Prague. And our tour guide Peter and our driver were absolutely outstanding."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved this trip. Peter, our guide was fantastic. My fellow travelers were lovely, fun and welcoming. The tour was dynamic, interesting and filled with good food, energetic cities and beautiful lakes and sea.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many wow moments on this trip: the history I learned from Peter and the local guides, the personal stories that Peter told us of his own experiences, the beauty of the Adriatic, the energy of Budapest, hiking through Plitvice Lakes, the great mix of cites and parks and countryside, and the camaraderie among the group. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was fantastic and covered so much! I thoroughly enjoyed seeing it all especially the areas where my family lived. Our tour guide Peter was warm and friendly and informative and made everyone feel at home. I would definitely choose this tour again!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Gosh there are many wow moments on this tour but my personal favorite was having lunch in Moravia in Stramberk Czech Republic because my family was from two towns just 15 min from there! It was a special moment for me! I truly loved Poland and Hungary but Rovinj in Croatia stole my heart as well as Lake Plitvice and Lake Bled in Slovenia! Really hard to say which was my most favorite wow on this tour because it was all “wow!” "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We experienced a good variety of cities, small villages, countryside views on our travels along with visits to beautiful churches and grand architecture of castles, parliament buildings, bridges, and more.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"One(there were many) of my "wow" moments was visiting St Vitus Cathedral in Prague with our local tour guide. As the Czech national church it has served as the place for coronations of kings, burial of royalty and where the relics of saints are venerated. The stained glass windows, statues made of silver and the Gothic architecture is magnificent and a joy to experience. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent Tour! Peter went above and beyond all expectations and made the tour and all our connections and visits go smoothly and seamlessly. A wealth of information and a kind-hearted and genuine guide! I never anticipated visiting central Europe until other friends visited these amazing places. So glad we chose this trip and learned so much about life behind the former Iron Curtain.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Loved all the cities we visited but Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia was astounding!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The places we saw and the history provided by our amazing guide made the tour! I have a deeper understanding of that area of the world now and a great appreciation for its land and people!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Each place was a wow!! Lake Bled and Rovinj were awe inspiring. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Hotels great! Peter our guide was fantastic! He was patient accommodating, always smiling, and shared amazing knowledge.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Auschwitz/Berkinau, the guide , Nathalie was outstanding. It was an amazing experience to see what I have read so much about. I was honored to be there to pray for lost souls."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a beautiful time. Fabulous guides, interesting sites and the right amount of free time to venture out on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Three sites really hit that wow factor for us. The night Danube River cruise in Budapest, Plitvice National Park and Lake Bled."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Wonderful

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The national park"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall just wonderful experiences. Learned a lot about the local cultures and interesting history and saw many great sights along the way. Our guide was VERY knowlegable and very attentive to our needs - and he felt like a life-long friend!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many.... Probably seeing Budapest from the Danube at night. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves tour and my husband and I were very impressed by the professional way everything was handled, from the tour director to the hotel arrangements to the knowledge of all the guides, outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The natural beauty of Lake Plitvice, other worldly."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was fantastic! It was a great itinerary that was well paced. I loved the mixture of big city bustle and chill time at the beach and the mountains!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I would have to say Rovinj, Croatia was my "wow" moment. It is such a charming, picturesque town. Staying on Katarina Island with a view of Rovinj really made the trip for me!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Almost everything was perfect throughout the trip. Enough time in each major city and the relaxation period of moving to the countryside came at just the right time. Our tour guide was fantastic and was able to provide a lot of first-hand information about life growing up in those areas.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The boat tour in Hungary was enlightening. Getting to see all the amazing buildings and sights that Budapest has to offer."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Central Europe tour is packed with the perfect mix of churches, museums, history, art, music, and nature. Spending time in these five countries was a wonderful experience. We had no idea how much beauty there is in this part of the world. Now that we've spent time here, we would go back in a heartbeat.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Part of the tour was an evening cruise on the Danube river in Budapest. It was a "wow" moment when the impressive parliament building came into view in all its' lit up glory. Absolutely beautiful!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent tour

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Bled was such an idyllic setting and relatively quiet community. We just kept taking more and more pictures! Auschwitz was also very profound, walking the same path as Jewish prisoners. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was a delight. Getting to experience the wonders of Central Europe through the Rick Steves' company lived up to the high bar of quality we have already come to associate with Rick Steves' tours. Our guide, Sanel, was witty and generous. He communicated clearly with all group members and had a sixth sense when it came to looking out for each one of us. His expert knowledge of the region and the personal life experiences that he shared, added to the richness of our experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Rather than a wow moment, because there were so many spectacular sights and experiences, I would like to highlight a wow mantra. When describing the peoples, cultures, and governments of the countries and places we visited, our guide said on more than one occasion, "You have to remember the people are not their governments." These are too often conflated. This mantra enabled me to open my heart and mind just a little bit wider and to better see the magic of these people and places."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Educational, enriching, fantastic guides, clearly carefully planned, super driver, ample free time, very pleasant hotels

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Croatian town of Rovinj and the island hotel, Plitvice Lakes and of course Lake Bled!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

There were highlights on every stop and along the way. A perfect mix of group activities, lots of time to explore on my own. Even the bus trips were made interesting and with Sanel as our ambassador, he made every day a delight.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably our stop at Plitvice National Park. This is a spot I never would have found or selected if I was travelling on my own. I'll never forget the beauty and serenity - and I'm sure that my group would agree. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We really enjoyed the combination of having a tour but then all the free time to visit what was important to us. The other members of our tour group were very like minded and we all got along so well.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our highlights were Prague, Krakow and the waterfalls at the national park. Amazing."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This is a less visited part of Europe or less well known We chose this to see the cities we have always heard about and to see those waterfalls in Croatia

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Starting with the Czech Republic and all the history and learning in Prague"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I did not know what to expect from this tour, but it was outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many. For example, Central Europe's beauty was amazing, the food was outstanding, and the people were friendly."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This trip far exceeded my expectations in many ways. It was well planned. That plan was executed masterfully. Even with such a plan in place, there can be opportunities and challenges that cause deviations. In every instance, these deviations were dealt with in ways that took advantage of the unexpected and enriched our experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For me, it was early on in the trip…. The moment I realized the group of strangers from the first day had grown to care about each other. It made everything we did that much better."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Signed up for the Central Europe Tour with high expectations and the tour overwhelmingly exceeded those expectations. Stopping at the small towns along the way was icing on the cake with the experience to getting to know the towns. Our lead tour operator, George, kept us informed with excitement and entertaining. Showing his passion for his expertise in his field. Not only will I recommend the tour, but also, I wouldn’t mind taking the tour again. I just can’t say enough about the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This is such a tough question because the tour as a whole was a ‘’wow’ moment. Although, I would have to choose Prague because despite how many videos and photos I saw of the gorgeous city, the city as a whole is truly even more spectacular and stunning with the ‘wow’ factor. The city is clean with historic structures all around and the different colors of structures adds stunning character to every corner you turn. Did I mention the amazing Charles Bridge or the Gothic church or palace or powde"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our group size was 27. With the size of the bus and the individual tours this was a good number to have. George our tour guide did an outstanding job and would highly recommend him or join another tour of his.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I wouldn't say there was just one wow moment. I had never been to any of the countries we visited so they were all wow moments "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was outstanding. It exceeded our expectation.

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was amazing! Our guide, George, was the perfect person to take us through the area by not only teaching us about the culture but also bringing the history to life for us. Our group, as always, became a family by the time the tour was over.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The river cruise on the Danube and seeing Budapest at night from that perspective!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great itinerary, accommodations, food, and most importantly, guides and driver. We were very fortunate to accompany good people and fantastic weather. The high activity level on this trip fit our interests as we enjoyed both scheduled events and our own trip adventures.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many from passing by the countryside, mountains and the Adriatic Sea, to the architecture of the castles and churches, and the Wieliczka salt mines. Auschwitz was sobering and so much more impactful being there. Croatia and Slovenia were exceptionally especially to close out our trip."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Over all the tour was a great mix of citys, natural parks, and relaxation opportunities

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Really enjoy the water falls and hike at Plitvice Lakes National Park and solitaire time at Auschwitz Poland"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, Peter, was great. He made each day interesting and facilitated a smooth, well-planned experience. We look forward to future Rick Steves tours, as we know we will enjoy every one. There was a good mix of activities, plenty of opportunities to be active, and also good amount of free time with suggested activities to fill that time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"One of my wow moments was when we first saw the Adriatic Sea. Beautiful! We stopped for a couple hours on our way from Plitvice Lakes National park to the town of Rovinj. We wandered around the seaside town and had gelato and had a chance to put feet into the sea."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a fantastic tour. The combination of multiple countries, widely varying experiences (cathedrals to national parks) and the different cultures made for a very rich experience. Krakow was a surprise and a delight, but it was just one among many. Peter was our guide and was terrific. We've been on five Rick Steves tours now plus a few with other companies and Peter is in the A+ group at the top of our favorite guides list.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"If I have to pick just one, it has to be Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia. Just beautiful and wonder after wonder. Peter did a brilliant job of having us essentially go in the reverse direction of 2/3 of the people there. This did several things. First, it kept us away from the worst of the crowds. Second, it took us from the smaller water falls early in the walk to the largest water falls later in the walk. Lastly, we were walking downhill, rather than up. Brilliant."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic tour all around. Great destinations and experiences in every country. Excellent balance of historical urban stops, smaller towns, and nature. Peter is a superb and incomparable guide. Hotel in Lake Bled could have used air conditioning. Great views of the lake, but that also means the sun pounds on the rooms all day.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Stepping off the bus in Rovinj and seeing the beautiful town on the Adriatic. It was a wonderful moment for the entire group."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our 5th RS Tour & definitely one of the top two (all have been great). This tour is a good balance of big cities, small towns, national park & coast. There is a lot of bus time, but it transverses 6 countries. Our tour guide, Peter, was phenomenal. He could not have been more knowledgeable and attentive. Learning more about the history of this area gave us a much better understanding of the horrible impacts of the Nazis and Communism in our world. Each country was beautiful & different.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Can't choose just one. Krakow, was astounding (we will definitely go back). It is a beautiful city with so much to see & such welcoming people. I could have spent an entire week in Prague. Plitvice Lakes National Park was just breathtaking. Rovinj was lovely. Touring the school in Eger & spending time with the teacher & students was surprising and very enjoyable. Lake Bled was very relaxing & we stayed an extra day to see the Vintgar Gorge; there is so much more nearby and in the Julian Alps."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour highlights some of the most beautiful old cities in Central Europe, including Prague, Budapest, Krakow, Rovinj, and Lake Bled. Additional excursions into wild and scenery areas of the mountains and scenic lakes were very fun and special. Our tour guide, Peter Polczman, was incredible- outgoing, interesting, dynamic, knowledgeable, organized, and kind to everyone. The group dynamics were superb also. We all got up know each other and made new friendships.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking into the center square of old Krakow, Poland was one moment where I felt in awe of the architecture and sheer beauty of an old European city. There were many wow moments on this trip! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great mix of large cities and smaller tourist sites.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Similar to the other RS tours we’ve done, this was an action-packed tour. Our guide, Katka, was amazing in her breadth of knowledge and the ease with which she shepherded our group through each day’s activities. The comaraderie of our group was an additional bonus. Across the varied landscapes we traversed during this tour, the history lessons were eye-opening. The Museum of Communism and the Schindler Factory Museum were worthwhile excursions on your own time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It’s hard to pick just one so here are a few: Prague, Danube River cruise, Rovinj and Hotel Katerina."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The places we visited were awesome and the local guides were well informed.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Bled"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful Tour! Great guide - Katerina, great driver - Rok, great tour mates and overall excellent experience!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to pick just one! Parliament Building lit up on our evening boat cruise in Budapest, Katerina Island hotel and Rovinj, waterfalls in Plitvice, St Matthias Church in Budapest. So many…."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our Central Europe Tour was quite a memorable experience from the onset. Beer and wine tastings... fantastic! Concerts and concert venues plentiful, the perfect settings to be fully inmersed in classical music.. at very, very affordable prices. Great hearty food, heavenly desserts and gelatto galore, enough to keep us on an attentive, exploring mood and absorb the beauty, grandeur and lessons in history that Central Europe has to offer.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The azureous pale green pristine waters at Plevitich Waterfall Park and quaint Revijn... heavenly! I cannot think of any part of the itinerary that did not surpass our expectations.. from the monumental architecture, art history, to the striking landscapes and very nice people we encountered. The Guides were very knowledgeable and organized, offered aditional information for us to explore on our own. Rock, the driver, was also very professional and good-natured.Our coordinating guide Katka, fab"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

All tour guides were excellent and very knowledgeable. Bus driver was very personable. The tour director, Katriana, was the best. All hotels we stayed in were beautiful. Great choices for restaurants that we ate at.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Salt mines in Krakow and the Plitvice national forest. Auschwitz was also very moving to see."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Third RS tour. Met expectations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Prague"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was my first Rick Steve's tour! I live in the Seattle area, so of course had known about his tours for years, but had just never gone. A friend was going on the Central Europe tour and I asked if she wanted company! She said yes! So glad I did!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many "wow" moments, but touring Plitvitce park in Croatia brought the most "oohs and aahhs". Our tour guide Katya had us start where people usually finish and it was a good decision. We got to enjoy the first half of the park without the crowds of the last half. It is a gorgeous park and not to be missed!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I met some wonderful people on this tour. Katka was an excellent tour guide. Our fellow travelers were fun and overall had a very cohesive group. The pacing was overall good. In Prague maybe a bit long on some history aspects the first day, but generally not an issue. Enjoyed the little surprises Katka had for us. Rock was an excellent driver, and I appreciated he joined a was part of the group on many dinners.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice National Park was a “wow” and part of why I choose this tour. I also enjoyed a community dance event in Budapest. I noticed it as I was having dinner prior to our evening boat excursion. I was really surprised to see that it was still going on when we returned! They have some wonderful dancers."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my 7th Rick Steves Tour, and Central Europe did not disappoint. I fell in love with Prague again & was surprised to fall in love with Budapest. I know that I will make my way back to these cities again. In addition to experiencing these beautiful places, I must say, our guide, George, and our bus driver, Oliver, did an impeccable job teaching us about their homelands & they worked together wonderfully as a team.This was a fun, fast-paced tour that allowed for some down time at the end.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It’s hard to pick only one “wow” moment, so, I’ll pick 3. The first was spending some time relaxing in the Szechenyi Thermal Baths in Budapest. The buildings are beautiful, the waters are relaxing . . . a unique & fun experience. My second was the morning spent in Lake Plitvice National Park. It was beautifully choreographed so that it felt like we had the park to ourselves in the morning. The waterfalls & the color of the water was magnificent! Lastly, sipping champagne in the rocks in Rovinj."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As a fellow traveler pointed out the tour could be compared to a three legged stool with the first leg being the destinations, the second leg our guide, and the third being the members of the group. Our "stool" could be displayed in an art museum!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Plitvice National Park"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Loved guides, especially George; enjoyed other tour members; sites were amazing.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Adriatic coast"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This was a great tour. Our tour guide George made the long days on the bus pass by quickly with historic information, delectable snacks, music and singing. We got a good overview of each city with our tour guides. I liked being introduced to public transportation in each city so we explore on our own every afternoon. Meeting and interacting with the other tour participants added to the enjoyable experience. I liked the many extras George arranged for us, dinner in Kazimierz and happy hour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Enjoying Kraków’s Old Town with my daughter was a highlight for me. I had visited the cities on our tour previously but loved experiencing and exploring these countries with my daughter on this Rick Steves tour. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my 6th Rick Steves tour and it was amazing. This tour is the perfect blend of city, country, mountains and sea-side villages. Our guide, George, did a truly exceptional job (as did the local guides). The hotels were great and the food was wonderful. George taught us history, culture, the love of Hungarian food, and wine (lots of wine). He prepared us extremely well for time on our own, and he also managed our schedule with touristy venues so for a time we had the place to ourselves.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"As always, "wow moments" were plentiful, but Plitvice Lakes National Park, Lake Bled, and Budapest (of course!) just blew me away. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I was attracted to RSE because I knew that there was a stress on history/education and being active. It didn't disappoint: the tour guide George was fantastic: very knowledgeable, personable and went above and beyond to make it an exciting and educational. He coordinated the group expertly. I immediately wanted to sign up for another tour thanks to the RSE philosophy and of course George..!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"there were quite a few: I think At Vitus church in Prague but the architecture in general in Prague, some unforgettable views like in Rovinj, and the island Katerina where we stayed. Lake Bled ...all gorgeous"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was amazing, and it was wonderful learning about this part of Europe. Our guide,George was so passionate, knowledgeable, and fun, that even long hours on the bus went by quickly. The local guides were fabulous, and truly seem to enjoy sharing their corner of the world. Rick Steves travelers are always great company, and this tour was no exception.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Every thing was WOW on this trip, but for me the most surprising was Budapest, with its enormous, historical buildings and beautiful architecture. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour is a great introduction to Central Europe. I was please to see so many sites that I thought I'd only see on TV. The long bus days were a necessary evil, but the time went by quickly as our guide, George Farkas, taught us about his homeland and its neighbors. And he always had some local treats for us to snack on!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think my top wow moment was seeing the Budapest Parliament building at night from a boat on the Danube river. It was pouring rain but I didn't care; it was magnificent! A close runner up was walking in the Plitvice Lakes National Park, made extra special because we got there early before the crowds."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The itinerary was great, I liked the variety of sizes of cities and terrains. Excellent guide and bus driver. Very good hotels with one of them being incredible.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The hotel on the island at Rovinj!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very fascinating to see and experience locations in these less-known and appreciated countries. We thought they would be less touristed, but they were busy with tourism, and one can readily see why.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"At Birkenau, I asked our local guide, Lucyna, what motivated her to give these tours repeatedly, as she had for more than a decade. She said her father had worked at the prison camps for 40 years. It was a tradition in her family to keep telling the story of the holocaust and its lessons. Her personal testimony to such a high cause will stay with me closely for a long time. Our group parted from her with a keen sense of gratitude. Her emotional dedication was my Wow moment."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Really interesting, full of beautiful places and great experiences. We thought Peter was great and we learned so much from him.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably the beauty of Lake Bled in a Plenta Boat on a beautiful crisp clear morning."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was good from beginning to end, as we expected. Peter was a great guide, the city guides were good, and we enjoyed our fellow travelers. We had not seen this part of Europe before and it was a wonderful introduction to the countries we visited.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice National Park."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Peter, our guide was fantastic!! Every single one of our tour members got along, which does not always happen.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Going to Plitvice!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was great. We were able to see and do many things that we had hoped to do on this trip, like visit famous landmarks, visit historical Jewish sites, and sample local quinine.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes National Historic Park - at least the first two thirds before we hit the crowds - was phenomenal. The waterfalls were breathtaking. Lake Bled was another ‘wow’ moment. The setting is gorgeous. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my 5th Rick Steves tour, and I wanted a tour that would take me beyond the more familiar European destinations. I got just what I wanted and more. The tour proved physically rigorous, but the challenges were worth the historical and cultural insights I now have as a result. And the beauty, the sheer beauty of these countries was in itself one “wow” moment after another.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My sobering wow came as I walked out of Birkenau, following the train tracks of our shared history, thinking of those who could never walk out. I realized then, as I turned and took a photograph, that I became them, the vehicle of their enduring presence, the echo of their voices. My joyful “wow” moment came with quiet hum of our electric boat motor on Plitvices National Park in Croatia as we motored down from the Upper Lakes to the Lower Lakes. Green and blue became a language in itself."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We covered a lot of ground in 15 days. Our guide was absolutely fantastic. She went out of her way to make our experience the best it could possibly be. We LOVED her and our tour experience!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The evening cruise on the Danube. Just perfect!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Educational for sure

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Danube cruise"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I cannot be more positive for my first Rick Steves' tour of Europe! I had a great time, met many nice fellow traveler's and can't wait to do another. Everything is organized with the scheduled highlights of each city along with free time for extra sightseeing on your own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Bled."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As always, my tour experience was all I expected. The tour was well organized and our guide was excellent. Transportation (though lengthy at times) was very convenient and efficient. The group tours and targeted guides were excellent and we all learned many new things concerning Central Europe. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this tour and would recommend it to any other traveller.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Even though there were many the one I did not anticipate was the lovely coastal town of Rovinj. The weather was perfect, the island resort was unexpected elegance and at that time of the tour it was a welcome stop to rest and relax a bit. The added boat excursion just put this stop over the top. The Plitvice National Park was incomparable beauty and would be right up there with Rovinj"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, George, was absolutely excellent! He provided a full itinerary at our orientation meeting on Day 1, which included not only what we were doing, but also what we needed for the day. He had various handouts that he airdropped to us to make sure that we had maps and language translations for the various countries that we visited. He always prepped us for the day well and gave us a sense of history, culture, and his personal perspectives. Last morning, he said goodby in person at 6AM

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It's all about meals and wine tasting and music and students. The musical entertainment that gave us a taste of the country at one group dinner and the wine tasting. And having lunch at the school and hearing from the students talk about life from their perspective was very, very special."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide was great, as was our driver. The places we visited were over the top! And our fellow travelers were a Hoot!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Budapest on the Danube River at night. Rovinj. Bled."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

First and foremost, George, our guide was amazing!! Witty, personable, knowledgeable, and super friendly only begin to describe him. The itinerary was wonderful; the cities we visited were beautiful, charming and historic. Best of all, we had a wonderful group of traveling companions. Everyone got along well. We laughed, danced, sang, and really hit it off.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being shaken awake in Plitvice National Park by a magnitude 4.7 earthquake around 5:30 am. Besides that, the night river cruise on the Danube was spectacular, as was the view of Lake Bled from the top of the Luge run."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Enjoyed the destinations, experiences, wonderful tour members (no "grumpy" people) and especially our outstanding guide, George Farkas.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Waking up in Plitvice to an earthquake! Many "wow" moments from the beautiful cities, friendly people and our fun-filled afternoon tasting wine, singing and dancing at the winery stop. My personal wow - riding the luge down the mountain in Bled!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A phenomenal experience! This trip exceeded my expectations. It was well organized, provided meaningful and thoughtful tours and activities , had very knowledgeable local guides, and allowed just enough ‘on your own’ time. Our guide, George Farkas, was fantastic! Besides being incredibly knowledgeable, he was personable and seemed to love his role as our leader. There was never a dull moment when George was sharing a story or telling us about places we were going visit.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There wasn’t just one. Every time I’d think it couldn’t get any better, I was proven wrong. Each city had a ‘wow’ moment. Each experience had a ‘wow’ moment. From the cities of Prague, Krakow,and Budapest to the serenity of Lake Bled, everyone was a ‘WOW’ moment for me! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was meaningful to visit formerly Eastern Bloc countries, which in my lifetime would have been closed to us. This added layers of complexity and interest to the trip. The locals we encountered seemed eager to share their stories about how their lives have changed in the 20th-21st centuries. We had a good travel group (complaining and challenges kept to the bare minimum) and enjoyed our travel partners. George Farkas was -- by a mile -- one of the top tour guides we've had on our six RS tours.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several "wow" moments, but my favorite was seeing the physical beauty of Slovenia at Lake Bled. What an idyllic location! The boat ride to the island was interesting and we enjoyed our walk around Lake Bled afterward."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Parliament Building in Budapest at night from our river cruise."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We visited amazing places. Was not crazy about guided tours as you had no time to linger. Too fast paced for me.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Bled, Slovenia"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

George our tour guide was excellent and very organized and informative You can sit back and enjoy.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lots to choose from…the beautiful city themselves, hiking trails, night river cruise in Budapest, beautiful hotel on and island, gondola ride to a castle. Great hotel locations in the heart of the cities. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My overall tour experience was excellent. The itinerary was well conceived and structured, and our guide, George, outstanding!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Two (emotionally) contrasting tour moments have remained with me. The emotionally high "wow" moment of seeing Kraków's Rynek Główny (Central Square) for the first time; and the emotionally shattering "wow" moment of seeing the piled up shoes and hair locks of victims on display at Auschwitz."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent itinerary and very excellent guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Not part of the tour, but we attended unforgettable classical concerts in historical venues in Prague and Budapest and we saw the Da Vinci " Lady and the Ermine " in Krakow right next to our hotel. Our hotels were perfectly located. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic adventure! Our guide, George, was knowledgeable and always ready to answer our endless questions. I feel like we had a personalized experience that gave us a feel for the history and culture of this wonderful part of Central Europe.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Rovinj Croatia! Just wow! Our accommodations were A#1. I know that I will return to this jewel on the Adriatic."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great introduction to Central Europe. Most of the other travelers were quite engaging and sharing experiences with them was one of the highlights. The tour guide, George, was terrific as well. The main negative for me was the pace of the tour. I would have rather had a bit more time to linger at some sights even if it meant seeing less. Also, the pace of walking was very fast. It would have been nice to have a few more free mornings in order to experience some night life.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The trip to the winery outside of Eger. All of the fellow travelers let loose and we enjoyed the wine as well as singing and dancing. The wines were good but the atmosphere was outstanding."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great group of people on our tour. Our guide George was outstanding and we went so many beautiful places! Can you get any better than that?

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many! Loved the bathes in Budapest, came upon Hungarians at a street dance while walking back to our hotel, which was so much fun. Lake Bled views were amazing. (And Rovinj) "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful experience. It was the right balance of food, culture, history, sightseeing, and rest. Our guide was especially accommodating and we give her 5 stars for going above and beyond.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the lit-up architecture on the Danube River and the Plitvice National Park"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Learned much. Guides Eszter and Andrea were so knowledgeable — loved the anecdotes of real events & the stories of their real lives lived in the area. Eastern Europeans take ownership of & are honest about the bad things in their history. I respect that so much. We learned about the good & bad under communist rule & the changeover from that. Loved the primary school visit in Eger — so interesting Will see the new Museum of Ethnography when I go back. Plitvice National Park wa

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Wows, many, will mention 2: First was the 3rd floor Vladislav Hall in Prague Castle. So much took place there — right up to the present. There was indoor jousting with armored & mounted knights pounding across the dirt-covered floor in medieval times, international markets and numerous State occasions up to present day inauguration of the Czech Republic president. Second is the 15th century clock in Prague’s town square with it’s carefully kept ancient functions, each carefully described to us. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Each of my tours with RS have been incredible. This was my 10th (repeat of my first) as my now husband really wanted to visit the sites.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There are many "wow" sites for me but what I treasure most is the excitement of the guides to share their respective homelands. One cannot put a price tag on that love of homeland."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I learned a lot about the history of the counties we visited and about the trials and tribulations the people suffered through over the years.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Bled was stunning."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

outstanding because of the guide.

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guides Eszter and Andrea were outstanding. Always helpful and ready for any situation. Even during our "alone" time, if we ran into them, they would stop us and ask if everything was alright. The tour locations all had something special about them. I never would've thought I'd be visiting this part of Europe. We booked this tour because all other ones that we were interested in were booked. So happy that we did it. Central Europe is a gorgeous part of the world.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There was a wow moment in every city we went to but the 2 that will stay with me forever are the philharmonic symphony we saw at a church in Prague and going to Auchowitz. 2 very different, but 2 unforgettable experiences. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first group tour. For years, we have been traveling independently using Rick Steves books. As we’ve gotten older, we wanted to past the Transportation responsibility to someone else. I would have a difficult time finding any complaint with this tour. From our wonderful tour guides, Elevante and Ellen to our extraordinarily gifted bus driver Gosbar (forgive misspellings). Each city tour guide was able to provide local information as well as their countries context in history.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I’m not sure I can pick just one wow moment! It may have been Plitvice national park. It truly was extraordinarily beautiful!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Better than expected

Favorite "WOW" moment

"National park in Croatia"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We have traveled to Europe several times and this trip by far was the best. Our hotels and meals were all so well thought out as far as their locations and convenience to our daily activities. We never had one bad experience with anything.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Everything actually! Every country we visited had its own “wow” moment. I guess my favorite though was the National Park in Croatia that had a walking path that we saw beautiful lakes and waterfalls. Also Lake Bled."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was everything we hoped it would be. The tour leader and support person were excellent and provided invaluable cultural input to help us learn about and appreciate each country that we traveled through.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Not so much of a moment but rather the opportunity to learn about and discuss how communism affected each of the countries we traveled through. Visiting Prague’s Museum of Communism and The House of Terror museum in Budapest really provided a great opportunity for learning."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was a wonderful tour. My first time to that part of the world. I learned so much, and so enjoyed the new cultures, interesting cities and beautiful sights

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Viewing a panoramic view of Budapest from an overlook high above. Seeing the Danube down the middle between Pest and Buddha and seeing the distinct differences in the sides. Especially moving after learning of the city’s history."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour leader was outstanding. If the scale was 1 to 10 he would receive an11. The hotels were better than expected as well as the food. This was an awesome experience. We loved the venues and local guides. We learned so much, that we are now reviewing our notes.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many but the hike through the the national park with the waterfalls and lakes was an incredible experience."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well organized and informative. Great balance of group touring time and independent time. We had a valuable mixture of the “must see” historical sites and cultural activities such as visiting a school and wine tasting. Levente and Ellen our leaders were organized, fun, interesting and also gave us valuable local perspectives. The local guides helped make the historical sights come alive. The accommodations were very comfortable and had great breakfasts.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So difficult to narrow it down. Visiting Auschwitz and Birkenau, so very moving to be there and pay our respects. Walking to dinner in Krakow at dusk and seeing the beautiful old town square lit up, hearing music emanating from cafes and seeing the beautiful horses and carriages clip-clopping on the cobblestones. Visiting a local school in Eger, watching and listening to children learning English who had great courage to get up and speak to a group of visiting Americans. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent, the people, our guide, the towns and experiences, it was an amazing time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Everything was great, It would be hard to say what was most important but I would have to say our guide, Levente. He kept everything going with our trips, accounts of the places we would visit, food, hotels and just his caricature kept all of us enjoying this amazing trip."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent trip in all respects except for the small COVID epidemic which swept through the group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"First view of Rovign, Croatia from across the harbor. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fast paced for about 4 hours each morning with guided tour portion. Spent the free time going to spots were interested in. Great way to see major cities and get bearings. Then spend afternoon free time going down side streets to see and meet people. Found some of the best restaurants and coffee shops in each area.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Prague and Budapest. I am amazed that each of the towns were able to survive WWII. I love architecture and the baroque styles were just fabulous. It was great to see old and new together a mesh of history. Gothic churches were the best. Found a good use for the selfie camera setting after getting a stiff neck gazing up at cellings."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had a marvelous time! There were so many things that I just loved about the trip, including our guide who was so personable, charming and knowledgeable, the special touches like the entertainment at our group dinners, the amazing places we went to and learning about the culture and history of a part of world I was not very familiar with.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many it's hard to pick just one. I loved the views coming into Rovinj and Lake Bled. Also the view walking into the Old Town Square in Prague. Another was the wine tasting afternoon in Eger."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Totally satisfied, logistics, agenda and quality of guides superb as expected.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking into the Market Square of Krakow, Poland at night."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This trip exceeded my expectations. We have used Rick Steve's travel books for many years, but this was our first experience with a small group tour. Everything was perfectly planned and we loved our guide and fellow travelers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Sipping cocktails literally "on the rocks" with friends in a tiny, beachside, Rick Steve's recommended bar in Rovinj, Croatia. A vacation from our vacation. Life does not get better than this."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very interesting itinerary and we had a great guide, George Farkas. The history of that area was fascinating and motivated me to order several books when I got home to learn more about it.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking into the Main Market Square in Krakow for the first time, which was after dark, so it was beautifully lit up. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first experience with an organized tour, and what a delight experience it was!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were too many "wow" moments to pick just one. The John Lennon wall in Prague? Or Prague Castle? Or Camera Obscura? Or wine tasting and dancing in the afternoon? Or the first sight if our lovely hotel in Rovinj? Or pulling the bell rope in the church on the island in Lake Bled? There was "wow" moment after "wow" moment!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This is our 4th Rick Steves tour and our first through multiple countries. Katka, our guide was very knowledgeable about each of the countries and the local guides certainly filled in the necessary details to make this a very educational experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The views from the nighttime Danube River bridges cruise were spectacular. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Well guided by Katerina and Agnisia. Visited places you would not if on your own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Rovinj from a boat travelling to our excellent hotel"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was very educational and entertaining. Every day was filled with adventure. Katka was an amazing leader and was a fountain of information that made every stop a richer experience. We saw so much in just two weeks that it was a whirlwind or sights, sounds, and tastes.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Having a day in Rovinj to wander and swim in the Adriatic and truly be on vacation from our vacation."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a great tour with a rich mixture of history, educational experiences, incredible architecture and stunning beauty. The tour experiences were quite varied due to the number of countries visited with much distance between them. Katca was a phenomenal guide, and I admire her unwavering grace and composure under pressure. And the 'extras' included were fantastic, including the 'smallest orchestra' who played for us at our first dinner in Prague - loved it!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Having already been to Prague & loving it, I can't chaulk that up to being my 'wow' moment. Krakow was awesome, while to my surprise Budapest was more of a 'big city' to me than the romance I had expected; The wine tasting experience in Hungary was educational & super fun. Plitvice Park was stunningly beautiful & definitely a 'wow'. My absolute 'wow' moment for me though was arriving to Rovinj's island Hotel Katarina & enjoying the 'resort' hotel & swimming in the gorgeous Adriatic Sea."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic selection of hotels, sites to tour, restaurants and guides

Favorite "WOW" moment

"knowledge of history by our guide Peter"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Aside from what I saw on the website, including videos, I wasn't sure what to expect. Over the years, I've heard mixed commentary about the countries we visited. However I was very pleasantly surprised at the beauty, the people, the history, and of course the food. It was an amazing tour that I will never forget!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"On a positive note, of course it was the beauty of Lake Plitvices. On a somber note, it was the piles of prisoner belongings at Auschwitz."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I'm a first time Rick Steves traveler. My husband and I loved the camerarderie of the group experience, the SUPERB guide (Peter) and all the life changing experiences. It was a wonderful mix of history, food, culture, politics,and people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Absolutely loved Slovenia and Lake Bled. It was beautiful, peaceful, and a great way to end the tour."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We have followed Rick Steves books since we discovered Europe Through the Backdoor book in 1984. We recently took My Way Tours in Italy and Alps, but this was our first guided tour. It was a pleasant experience and allowed us more time to know the other participants. Our guide, Peter, was excellent and personalized the history of Eastern Europe with experience of the changes from communism to present. Ending in Croatia and Lake Bled was a great ending after the time in the major cities

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The night boat ride on the Danube river was beautiful and a great ending to our time in Budapest! Other wow moments were the stay and hike in Plitvice National Park in Croatia and our free day staying in the hotel on the island at Rovinj"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

History, places and surprises were outstanding like all Rick's tours. Pace was just slightly brisk for anyone over 50.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Krakow Poland Salt Mine-do not miss it."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Beautiful and painful sites in countries that have been in the crossroads of war for hundreds of years.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"No single WOW moment. Plitvice was just beautiful beyond words, Auschwitz was heart breaking. Prague and Budapest were amazing. Szechenyi Thermal baths were so much fun!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

What's not to like about this tour? It gave me an introduction to each country and it was full of history that has led to present day. Eszter was phenomenal as a guide and introduced us to things outside the norm. The tour had a healthy mix of structured time and free time. Eszter also provided us with a list of things to do and see during our free time. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who wanted a good introduction to Eastern/Central Europe.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I can't say I had a favorite "wow" moment; however, I did find myself loving my time in Croatia and Slovenia. I loved the relaxed feeling these countries provided away from the large cities and crowds of people."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This tour (Central Europe) was on par with the other Rick Steve's tours we have taken (now 5). Although we lost a few members due to positive Covid testing, the remaining aspects of the tour went quite smoothly. Eszter provided a warm and informational adventure for the group and the local guides were well versed. Lots of walking and many sights were seen. Especially enjoyed hanging out in all of the public squares along the way.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I especially enjoyed the hike at Plitvices Lakes National Park with all of the waterfalls."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My wife and I had an amazing experience on this tour. We learned so much about each of the countries, and particularly appreciated hearing the experiences of these nations under Communism. Our overall guide, George was excellent. He dealt with the Covid-related health challenges that came up on our tour in a clear and helpful manner, and he did an outstanding job of "mingling" and connecting with each tour participant, making all feel included but without a sense of cliques, etc.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being in the Old Town squares of both Prague and Krakow was delightful, both during the day and at night. And the visit to Auschwitz felt like an important pilgrimage to make in order to honor the millions of lives lost and to re-commit to working against groups supporting white nationalists ideologies in our own times."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful tour. . . much learned about the complicated history of these 6 Eastern European countries and about how the people experienced world wars (and more recent wars in the former Yugoslavia), the Nazi occupation and the Communist era.. . . balanced with the cultures and foods of this part of the world. Amazing architectural sites and beautiful countryside. As with my other RS tours, the fellow travellers we meet and the excellent guides add so much to the whole tour experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Very hard to narrow this down but Plitvice National Park was spectacular and as with everything on our tour, the organization by our guide George and lovely driver Oliver contributed to our enjoyment of the experience considering there were crowds of people to contend with. Well hard to describe as a "wow", the Auschwitiz-Berkinau tour was very sobering. It was a long, hot afternoon but not to be missed. The visit to the school in Eger was delightful as was the wine tasting "party". "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great experience on this tour with the places we visited, the people in our group, and our excellent guides. The food, hotels and other people involved in our experience were also terrific.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"That's like asking us to pick a favorite child. Pretty much impossible, but one of the things that really stood out to us was how much had changed (and how many more people are visiting from all over the world) in the places we last visited in 1989 (two weeks before the reunification ceremonies) and 1991(Budapest). "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great guide And fantastic weather

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Plitvice"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had the most professional, knowledgeable, and personable guide imaginable. We went to the most important and some of the most unique and beautiful places in all of Eastern Europe. We traveled with fellow travelers who were educated, curious, knowledgeable, open to history and culture and able to handle a physically active tour. We couldn't have imagined a better small group tour experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Sorry, I can't pick one! There was the lunch and class visit with 6th graders in Hungary participating with them in song and language. There was the Vineyard visit where we learned Hungarian song, dance, personal stories and about wine. There was the Polish guide describing the day of terror when Russia invaded Ukraine and feeling they would be next, and there was Lake Bled, SLO - with its incredible beauty of island cathedral and mountain castle - every day a new scene in sun or clouds. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a fabulous tour, conducted by an experienced and outstanding guide (Katerina Svobodova) who is genuinely enthusiastic about sharing her part of the world with tour participants.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The view of Rovinj from our hotel balcony on Katarina Island, plus the evening cruise on the Adriatic. Absolutely stunning!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Katka was amazing - so knowledgeable, very skilled with building group cohesion, listening and interpersonal skills! She brought the group together quickly and kept building rapport within our group. Her candor, knowledge and method of sharing key information about our sights and destinations was very impressive. Some days were long, but fine for us, learned much about E. Europe and enjoyed group dinners; slept very well the hotels on our itinerary. Enjoyed the countryside the mo

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Prague Jewish Ghetto - Children's Art Exhibit at the temple with all the names of families and individuals who died/disappeared during WWII. Tour of Schindler Factory in Krakow - (self guided). Learned much about Krakow and Poland's suffering from 1939 onward and especially the terror the Jews endured. Birds flying over the Parliment building in Budapest during the evening cruise - magical! Wine tasting outside Eger - so fun and interesting. Learned a lot! Rovinj sunset/happy hour boat cruise! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Old town krakow. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was Best of Eastern Europe, to be renamed to Best of Central Europe in 2024. In a word, it was great. I saw so much, and learned so much. The tour blew all my preconceived notions of these countries to pieces. I was expecting a lot of communist-era remains, but no, these countries have completely turned the corner and moved on.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Oh, that's a hard call! I will say the moment they opened the recently restored altarpiece in St. Mary's Church in Kraków. Our guide, Tomasz, said it still put a lump in his throat. I can understand why."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

George was great! Top rate hotels and local guides. Prague, Krakow, and Budapest were all beautiful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Learning of all the atrocities committed by the communists after World Warr II at the House of Terror in Budapest."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our first tour ever and it was wonderful. I felt like I learned so much more having the guides: our main guide as well as the local guides in each city. I was skeptical having to travel with a group but the size was manageable. We seemed to move about easily and I enjoyed getting to know all the people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several. The cathedrals, Lake Bled with the church on the island and the castle looming high overhead and the Budapest Parliament at night."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved the places we saw and the tour guides. The hotels varied in size and newness but were all clean, safe and located centrally to transportation.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The view as came down the hill into Roving(sp)."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great group of like-minded people. George was a wonderful tour leader - informative and passionate about helping us to understand the people and the culture. One of our best tours yet with RS.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite WOW was Rovinj due to the gorgeous hotel on the island; my wife's favorite was Krakow - the whole experience of the central square including outdoor dining and seeing the Ukrainian refugees presentation. The most moving experience was visiting Auschwitz - I will never forget it."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As experienced with prior Rick Steve's tours, the tour guides were top notch. This tour had both historical significance as well as outdoor beauty.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Parliament Building in Budapest, lit at night as viewed from the river cruise, certainly rates as a wow. The square at Krakow. Plitvice. So many wow moments."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our Uber driver in Prague could not find Hotel Metamorphis, which fronts onto an alley. I ran around looking for it while he waited. A related point is to strongly recommend all tour participants purchase a data plan, so their wives can not argue that one isn't needed. In-bus learning was via air drops, which we partially followed by using your physical guidebook. This our second RS tour and it was fantastic. I love alcohol, but there was so much that I felt non-drinkers got cheated a little.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For me the wow moment of the tour was witnessing the finish of the World Championship Marathon in Budapest after it passed by our hotel, as our guide was doing his best to explain the history and significance of Hero's Square and Imre Nagy in one ear. Unexpected moments are often the very best travel experiences. I also have to mention local guide Teresa in Prague. She was funny and irreverent and was a delight to follow. George was excellent at his job, though a little elitist. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Excellent overall experience, George, our group leader was fantastic.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Profound experience of visiting Auschwitz"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

From our initial group meeting through our last group supper together, we were very pleased with the quality, pace, meals and transportation. Our guide, George, was warm and welcoming and started the tour off on a very positive note. We enjoyed the group walks and local tour guides; they were very well versed on points of interest and shared the historical background of their country which helped us understand the mindset of the culture. Very professional and well organized tour overall.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I gasped when we walked into St. James Basilica in Prague. We were awestruck at the beauty of this church and the numerous churches we visited on the tour. The architecture, statues, artwork and history of the churches in each country was astonishing. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This was our first organized tour ever. We were hesitant to try group travel as our trips had always been fast-paced and self-guided. Based on the guidebooks, we felt comfortable with Rick Steves' travel style, and were willing to slow down a bit. Well, the trip exceeded our expectations. We enjoyed the wonderful group of people. Guide Peter was stellar, fun, and made everything run smoothly. There was a good balance between planned and free time, and we experienced exciting new places & cuisine

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The natural beauty of Slovenia calls me back. I loved Lake Bled with its picturesque castle overlooking the lake, the church perched on the island, and the craggy tree-covered mountains all around. While a touristy area, unlike cities, it was not so crowded as to deter from the pleasure the scenery provided. I would enjoy exploring more of the mountainous territory, hiking among the trees, partaking of distant vistas from the mountain tops, and visiting other lakes in the region. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour started with a deep dive into history and ended with beautiful scenery and a more relaxed pace. All the local tour guides were fantastic and brought history and local knowledge to the sights. Peter, our guide, made sure we knew what we wanted to see and do in our free time, helping us build our dream tour experience. Our driver was fantastic and the bus much more comfortable than anticipated. Do not fear the long bus days-the tour includes interesting stops and good eats along the way.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wow moments were Plitvice Lakes National Park, the sunset over Rovinj, rain clouds shrouding the castle and island on Lake Bled."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

First time for an organized tour, usually we do all our own planning, but this worked out very well and I did not have to drive.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Bled"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Bled"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The itinerary is well structured. Our guide and driver are excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite thing is hiking in Plitvice National Park. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The primary guides and local were outstanding. The one exception was Rok.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The waterfalls in Croatia."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide Peter was brilliant. Smart, kind, attentive, cheerful, patient. He is golden truly. This was my first tour in my life as I usually travel solo. But it was excellent. I learned a lot. Our bus/driver were first rate, the group was not too large and we bonded with each other and formed new friendships. The accommodations were good to adequate and there was always plenty of food and water. I plan to do more Rick Steves tours and wish to mention Jana the wonderful intern on the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The overall attention to details. Driving through the countryside and listening to the excellent commentary of Peter of the history, culture and politics of the regions. It was like a university course yet totally engaging. The personal stories and experiences were truly valuable and offered many insights. Perhaps the wow was the staff. They made it possible with grace and dignity; they were available 24/7 and no detail too small. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This was a good introduction to Central Europe. We had hoped to avoid the busiest tourist areas and get a good first experience of the history and culture of these areas.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Night Cruise of Danube and the National Park in Croatia."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

well organized and well thought out from one tour to the next

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Bled awesome view of this beautiful lake.Truly a wow moment"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Every place on the tour was new to us. Interesting.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Rovinj "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We saw a great deal, and our guide, George Farkas, is the best guide ever.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Rovinj Croatia is beautiful, and our lovely hotel was on an island and we took a ferry to go to and fro "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful experience. I learned so much from the trip. . The tour was very well organized and our days were a good mix of education and down time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many. The one that stands out for beauty was the trip and hike through the Plitvice National Park"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was magnificent. The places we visited were interesting as well as beautiful. Even though we travelled long distances having a bus for 50 people made it quite comfortable for the 26 of us. The bus was always immaculate and we had an excellent driver, Oliver. Having breaks every 2 hours of travelling was good. I was able to realize that every single detail was taken into consideration making the tour just awesome. George our tour guide was the best. Professional, thoughtful, and funny.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I cannot tell. For me every place we visited was a Wow moment. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

George Farkas inspirational guide. Fellow travellers very friendly. Was a very interesting tour full of memorable moments so thank you!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Budapest Croatia. Hotel Catarina"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Amazing trip, good combination of guide led touring and time for self directed activities. Fantastic tour guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Rovinj for the first time."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was wonderful! George was so knowledgeable about each of the countries and cities and at times it was hard to absorb all of the information. He added small adventures like providing typical snacks from each country, suggesting dinner sites that were unique and wonderful and engaged everyone.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wow moment was the natural beauty of Croatia and Slovenia along with the architectural beauty of Prague and Budapest."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a wonderful journey to places I never dreamed I would be able to see. The scenery was fabulous; the food outstanding; the hotels charming.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Cruising down the Danube with city lights all around highlighting spectacular architecture took my breath away."