Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Time to rest or to explore the capital of reunited Germany. At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)

Sightseeing with a Local Guide in the once-divided metropolis includes the Ku’damm, the restored Reichstag, a picture stop at monumental Brandenburg Gate, Charlottenburg Palace, and the 210-foot Victory Column in the vast Tiergarten Park. Visit the KAISER WILHELM MEMORIAL CHURCH, drive along Unter Den Linden Boulevard, pass the German State Opera House and Checkpoint Charlie. The afternoon is free, and an optional excursion to historic Potsdam is available. Tonight is your chance to sample Berlin’s fine restaurants and nightlife! (B)

Cross the Polish border, enjoy vistas of rural life in the fertile central plains, and take a break in the historic river port of Poznan on your way to Warsaw. (B,D)

Your Local Guide will tell you about the tormented, often tragic history of this important gateway city between East and West. See the medieval Stare Miasto (Old Quarter) with its market square and 14th-century CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN, the "wedding cake" Palace of Culture and Science, neoclassical Lazienki Palace, and the remnants of the Jewish ghetto. In the HISTORICAL MUSEUM a moving film shows the city before and after wartime destruction. Afternoon at leisure. How about tonight’s optional Polish dinner and folklore show at a typical Warsaw restaurant? (B)

which is venerated as the "Queen of Poland" and has become the country’s national symbol. Next, stop in Auschwitz to visit what is left of the CONCENTRATION CAMP, a chilling reminder of the Holocaust. Evening arrival in Krakow. (B,D)

Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide in ancient Krakow, for centuries the residence of Polish kings. See the Market Square, the 14th-century Jagiellonian University, ST. MARY’S CHURCH, and WAWEL ROYAL CASTLE. Free time later to explore this interesting town at your own pace. Tonight, you can try out one of Krakow’s traditional inns. (B)

A scenic day taking you right through the heart of mountainous and densely wooded Slovakia, where brown bears still roam free. Approach Budapest soon after arriving in the wide open valley of the Danube River. Why not join an optional folklore performance tonight? (B,D)

Your Local Guide takes you through Eastern Europe’s most cosmopolitan city. See elegant Andrassy Avenue, the Thermal Baths, and the world’s second-largest Jewish synagogue. From the lacy lookout towers of Fishermen’s Bastion, enjoy a panoramic view of the sprawling city. Then, visit the 13th-century MATTHIAS CORONATION CHURCH and Heroes’ Square. Afternoon at leisure. Tonight, a delectable optional Hungarian specialty dinner can be arranged. (B)

stop at the Hofburg Palace, winter residence of the Austrian Imperial family. Marvel at the impressive courtyards and famous Heldenplatz, and visit awesome ST. STEPHEN’S CATHEDRAL. (B)

A whole day at leisure offers you the opportunity to join exciting optional excursions to the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava, the Vienna Woods, a concert, or to just explore this magnificent city on your own. (B)

In the morning an optional excursion to historic Schönbrunn Palace is available. Then, cross the Czech border and enter Moravia. In Brno, the country’s second-largest city and Napoleon’s headquarters during the "Battle of the Three Emperors" at nearby Austerlitz, time for an orientation tour and lunch. In the afternoon, drive through the rich farmlands of Moravia and Bohemia to Prague. This evening, why not join an optional outing to explore Prague by night? (B,D)

Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide features the HRADCANY CASTLE GROUNDS, ST. VITUS CATHEDRAL, the Old Town, the Jewish ghetto, and the ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK, once the envy of all Europe. Afternoon at leisure. Tonight is your chance to try out traditional dishes at one of Prague’s fine restaurants. (B)

Re-enter Germany and stop in Dresden, the former capital of Saxony. Badly damaged by Allied bombing in February 1945, the city has since been restored to its baroque splendor. During your walking tour, admire the architecture of the Zwinger Palace and Semper Opera. Next, return to Berlin and enjoy a farewell dinner in a local restaurant. (B,D)