Thriving capital cities and quaint seaside villages, hidden mountain hamlets and an Old Town set on the water – Eastern Europe flaunts a pretty impressive display of attractions. Discover the highlights of this diverse region, plus a whole lot of its lesser-known spots, as you make your way down from Hungary through the Balkans and east over to Italy. Encounter the up-and-coming, once war-ravaged Sarajevo, fall in love with the walled city of medieval Dubrovnik, kick into adventure mode in Ljubljana and feast until your tastebuds are content in Venice, Cinque Terre, Florence and Rome. On this exciting 26-day adventure, you’ll get expert local guidance and a small group of like-minded travellers for companions – what more could you need for an epic adventure?
  • Learn about the dark history and rebuilding of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo, then visit Mostar’s famous Old Bridge and – if you’re lucky – witness a traditional bridge jumper hurl themselves into the icy waters below.
  • Enjoy plenty of free time at your own pace to discover the communist past and progressive present of Budapest – the Pearl of the Danube.
  • Explore the streets, medieval buildings and restored castle of Ljubljana’s charming Old Town on foot. Your local leader will know all of the hotspots, plus the best cafes for a coffee break.
  • Explore rocky coastal pathways and pastel-coloured villages with a Cinque Terre day pass, which allows you to hike at your leisure and use the coast's public transport.
  • Spend two days in Florence, a city known for its beauty and rustic Tuscan cuisine, and choose to discover the cities culinary traditions on optional food excursions.
  • Hit the historic hotspot of Dubrovnik (otherwise known as King’s Landing of Game of Thrones fame) along Croatia’s Dalmatian coastline, then explore the white sands of Elaphiti Islands on a day trip with loads of free time to swim, relax or wander.
  • Explore Cinque Terre's rocky coastal pathways, calling into the sleepy pastel villages of Manarola, Riomaggiore or Vernazza. Then enjoy a full day to explore this picturesque spot at your own pace.
  • Journey to romantic Venice – like no other city in the world. Fall in love with its labyrinth of alleyways, canals, lagoon islands, and endless historic attractions and maybe hop on a gondola if you want to explore the city from a different perspective.??
  • Admire the restored architecture of UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kotor in Montenegro on a climb along the ancient city fortifications. Then, discover the glittering Bay of Kotor in your free time.??
  • Stroll through Plitvice Lakes National Park – a stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site – marvelling at luminous lakes and azure waterfalls that look like they’ve been sketched by an artist.?
  • OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
  • The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.
  • CHECK-IN TIME
  • Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.
  • PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
  • If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.
  • FACILITIES
  • Your accommodation may not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don't provide kettles or fridges.