11 days · 7 countries
Eastern Highlights Christmas & New Year
Sold out
Every date is full. Leave your details and we’ll tell you if seats come back or new dates open.
Get notifiedThe festive season in Eastern Europe, from Munich to Christmas Day in Prague, on through Budapest and Vienna, and New Year’s Eve in Ljubljana.
- Duration
- 11 Days / 10 Nights
- Route
- Starts and ends in Munich
- 7 countries on this tour
- Germany
- Czech Republic
- Poland
- Slovakia
- Hungary
- Slovenia
- Austria
- Activity level
- Moderate (3 of 5)
- A coach tour with early starts, daily city walking tours and frequent hotel changes across seven countries: comfortable for most travellers who can keep a steady pace
- Accommodation
- 10 nights in 3- and 4-star hotels
- Meals
- 10 breakfasts and 5 dinners
- Group
- Group tour, up to 53
- Guide
- English-speaking tour leader throughout, with local guides in several cities
- Transport
- Air-conditioned coach
- Best time to go
- Runs over Christmas and New Year, in December: cold winter weather across Central Europe, with a chance of snow, and Christmas markets in every city on the route
Tour overview
Eastern Europe’s sights fill this eleven-day festive season tour. It starts in Munich, calls at Nuremberg, and reaches Prague in time for Christmas Day. Krakow and Budapest follow, with free time built in, before Bratislava and Vienna, then New Year’s Eve in Ljubljana, with Salzburg and the drive back to Munich to finish.
Highlights
- Munich on an orientation tour
- A German meal at one of Munich’s historic restaurants
- Nuremberg, a historic Bavarian city
- Dinner on Christmas Eve in Prague
- Prague on Christmas Day
- A walking tour of Krakow
- Auschwitz concentration camp
- Banska Bystrica, a historic city in Slovakia
Show all 17 highlightsShow fewer highlights
- A driving tour of Budapest’s top sights
- Hungarian food in a local Budapest restaurant
- Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia
- A walking and driving tour of Vienna
- Dinner in a Viennese wine cellar
- An orientation tour of Graz
- Ljubljana with a local guide
- Salzburg, Mozart’s birthplace
- Lake Bled
See the journey come to life
Route and hotels
Where the tour goes and where you sleep, night by night.
Munich
1 night · Day 1
Mercure Munich Neuperlach Sued
Nuremberg
Day 2 · on the way
Prague
2 nights · Days 2–3
Hotel Duo
Krakow
2 nights · Days 4–5
TRIBE Krakow Old Town
Auschwitz
Day 5 · on the way
Banska Bystrica
Day 6 · on the way
Budapest
2 nights · Days 6–7
ibis Styles Budapest Center
Bratislava
Day 8 · on the way
Show all 14 stopsShow fewer stops
Vienna
1 night · Day 8
B&B HOTEL Wien-St. Marx
Graz
Day 9 · on the way
Ljubljana
1 night · Day 9
B&B Hotel Ljubljana Park
Lake Bled
Day 10 · on the way
Salzburg
Day 10 · on the way
Munich
1 night · Day 10
Mercure Munich Neuperlach Sued
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Start of tour in Munich
Dinner included
You meet your tour leader at the Munich hotel this morning, then head out on an orientation tour before some free time. The optional excursion today pairs a tour and tasting with a look at the city’s top sights and its Christmas market. In the evening, a German dinner is served at a local restaurant to welcome the group.
Included
- Orientation tour of Munich with your tour leader, taking in Marienplatz
- Welcome dinner of traditional Bavarian dishes at a local restaurant
Optional extras
- Christmas in Munich · AED 255 per person
- Overnight
- Munich
- Hotel
- Mercure Munich Neuperlach Sued
Day 2
Nuremberg – Prague (Christmas Eve)
Breakfast and dinner included
The tour travels towards Prague, with a stop in Nuremberg for an orientation tour, followed by free time for lunch. Prague is reached this evening, a city of Baroque, Gothic, Art Nouveau and Cubist architecture, with bars, cobbled lanes and courtyards to match. The group marks Christmas Eve together over dinner.
Included
- Orientation tour of Nuremberg with your tour leader
- Christmas Eve dinner of traditional Czech food at the hotel in Prague
- Travel
- Munich → Prague by coach, stopping in Nuremberg
- Overnight
- Prague
- Hotel
- Hotel Duo
Day 3
Prague (Christmas Day): Free Day
Breakfast includedIt is Christmas Day, and a local guide leads a walking tour of Prague’s main sights before the rest of the day is left open. The optional Prague+ excursion covers the Mala Strana neighbourhood, a lunch cruise on the Vltava River and a visit to Prague Castle. In the evening, an optional four-course dinner comes with a traditional Czech folk show.
Included
- Guided walking tour of Prague’s Old Town Square, Charles Bridge and Wenceslas Square on Christmas Day
Optional extras
- Prague+ · AED 280 per person
- Traditional Czech Folk Music & Dance Evening · AED 255 per person
- Overnight
- Prague
- Hotel
- Hotel Duo
Day 4
Prague – Krakow
Breakfast and dinner included
Leaving Prague, the tour travels on to Krakow this morning. For centuries, Krakow was the royal capital of Poland, and it is known today for some of Europe’s finest Gothic and Renaissance buildings, alongside over 2.3 million artworks in its historic buildings and monuments. Your tour leader leads a walking tour of the city before dinner at a local restaurant.
Included
- Guided walking tour of Krakow’s Old Town, Kazimierz and the Old Synagogue
- Travel
- Prague → Krakow by coach
- Overnight
- Krakow
- Hotel
- TRIBE Krakow Old Town
Day 5
Auschwitz – Krakow
Breakfast includedThe morning visit is to Auschwitz concentration camp, where a guided tour sets out the atrocities committed there and the camp’s significance during WWII. In the afternoon, the optional excursion heads to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, descending underground along a 2km route of tunnels and sculptures carved from the salt rock.
Included
- Guided tour of the Auschwitz memorial site
Optional extras
- The Wieliczka Salt Mine · AED 250 per person
- Overnight
- Krakow
- Hotel
- TRIBE Krakow Old Town
Day 6
Banska Bystrica – Budapest
Breakfast and dinner included
On the way to Budapest, the tour stops in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, a town whose buildings date back to the late Middle Ages. Once in Budapest, the Hungarian capital, a driving tour takes in a city shaped by Baroque, Neoclassical and Art Nouveau architecture. Dinner tonight is a chance to try local Hungarian cuisine.
Included
- Comfort stop in Banska Bystrica with your tour leader
- Driving tour of Budapest, taking in the Parliament building and St Stephen’s Basilica
- Dinner of traditional Hungarian dishes at a local restaurant
- Travel
- Krakow → Budapest by coach, stopping in Banska Bystrica
- Overnight
- Budapest
- Hotel
- ibis Styles Budapest Center
Day 7
Budapest
Breakfast includedThe day in Budapest is free. The optional Budapest+ excursion visits St Stephen’s Basilica with a local food tasting included, or there is the option of the city’s thermal baths instead. In the evening, an optional cruise on the Danube takes in the city’s lights from the water.
Optional extras
- Budapest+ · AED 340 per person
- Danube Dinner Cruise · AED 320 per person
- Budapest Baths · AED 235 per person
- Overnight
- Budapest
- Hotel
- ibis Styles Budapest Center
Day 8
Bratislava – Vienna
Breakfast and dinner includedLeaving Budapest, the route heads for Austria’s capital, with a stop in Bratislava first for an orientation tour, taking in Bratislava Castle, which overlooks the city. In Vienna, a driving tour comes first, and the evening’s dinner takes place in a Viennese wine cellar, with an optional classical concert at the Schönbrunn Palace Orangery afterwards.
Included
- Orientation tour of Bratislava, with views of Bratislava Castle
- Walking and driving tour of Vienna with a local guide
- Dinner in a historic Viennese wine cellar
Optional extras
- Festive Vienna Classical Music Concert · AED 385 per person
- Travel
- Budapest → Vienna by coach, stopping in Bratislava
- Overnight
- Vienna
- Hotel
- B&B HOTEL Wien-St. Marx
Day 9
Graz – Ljubljana (New Year's Eve)
Breakfast included
The route heads for Ljubljana, stopping in Graz along the way. On arrival in Ljubljana, a walking tour covers this compact European city. In the evening, the city welcomes the New Year with celebrations held in public squares, ending with a fireworks display from the hill above the castle as the clock strikes midnight.
Included
- Orientation tour of Graz
- Guided walking tour of Ljubljana’s old town with a local guide
- New Year’s Eve in Ljubljana, with fireworks from the castle hill at midnight
- Travel
- Vienna → Ljubljana by coach, stopping in Graz
- Overnight
- Ljubljana
- Hotel
- B&B Hotel Ljubljana Park
Day 10
Lake Bled – Salzburg – Munich
Breakfast included
The morning visit is to Lake Bled, where you can wander around or try the Bled Cream Cake. The tour then continues to Salzburg, a city of striking architecture, a cliff-top fortress and cliffs in the distance. Returning to Munich, the evening is left free, and you might arrange a farewell dinner with the group.
Included
- Stop at Lake Bled
- Travel
- Ljubljana → Munich by coach, stopping at Lake Bled and in Salzburg
- Overnight
- Munich
- Hotel
- Mercure Munich Neuperlach Sued
Day 11
End of tour in Munich
Breakfast includedThis Christmas and New Year tour concludes in Munich after breakfast, marking the end of this Eastern-region itinerary and of the festive days spent together on the road.
Dates & prices
Sold out. Every date below is full. Leave your details and we will tell you if seats come back or new dates are out.
Wed 23 Dec 2026 – Sat 2 Jan 2027
Sold out
What’s included
Included
- 10 nights in mostly 3-star and 4-star hotels, in twin rooms with a private bathroom
- A room to yourself for a single supplement, subject to availability
- 10 breakfasts and 5 dinners
- A modern coach with air conditioning, reclining seats and a toilet
- Public transport the tour uses, except on free days
- Guided from start to finish
Not included
- Flights to the start of the tour and home from the end: we can book them from Dubai
- Travel insurance: take out a policy that suits your trip
Optional extras
Excursions and upgrades you can add to the tour. Prices are per person.
Christmas in Munich
Day 1AED 255per personA local guide walks you through Munich’s festive old town to a Christmas market, with traditional Bavarian market food and German Christmas treats to taste along the way. €60. Book it before the tour: add it to your booking notes.
See day 1 in the itineraryPrague+
Day 3AED 280per personA local guide takes you around Prague Castle and the Mala Strana neighbourhood, then a cruise on the Vltava River with a buffet lunch and a drink included. €65, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 3 in the itineraryTraditional Czech Folk Music & Dance Evening
Day 3AED 255per personA Czech dinner of three courses with unlimited drinks, followed by a folk show of traditional Czech music and dancing. €60, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 3 in the itineraryThe Wieliczka Salt Mine
Day 5AED 250per personA local guide takes you down into the Wieliczka Salt Mine, a UNESCO site with over 300 kilometres of tunnels and chambers carved from salt rock. There are more than 700 steps down, with a lift back up, so wear comfortable shoes. €58, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 5 in the itineraryBudapest+
Day 7AED 340per personA local guide walks you through Budapest’s sights on both sides of the river: the Central Market Hall, St Stephen’s Basilica, Fisherman’s Bastion and the Shoes on the Danube memorial, ending with lunch at a local restaurant. €80, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 7 in the itineraryDanube Dinner Cruise
Day 7AED 320per personAn evening cruise along the Danube past the Parliament building, Buda Castle Hill and the Chain Bridge, with a welcome drink and a buffet of Hungarian dishes, vegetarian options included. €75, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 7 in the itineraryBudapest Baths
Day 7AED 235per personSkip-the-line entry to the Széchenyi thermal baths in Budapest’s City Park, with time to soak in the mineral-rich pools. Bring your swimsuit. €55, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 7 in the itineraryFestive Vienna Classical Music Concert
Day 8AED 385per personA Mozart and Strauss concert in the Schönbrunn Palace Orangery, with time at the interval to walk through the Orangery Gardens. €90, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 8 in the itinerary
To add an extra, mention it in your booking notes, and we confirm it with your seats before you pay. Some are booked with your tour leader on the day instead: their description says so.
Traveller reviews
No reviews yet
Travelled on this tour with us? Be the first to tell other travellers how it went.
Good to know
Practical details to read before you travel.
Passport & visas
Every country on this tour, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia and Austria, is in the Schengen area, so one Schengen visa covers the whole trip.
UAE passport holders don’t need a visa for stays of up to 90 days, but will need the EU’s new ETIAS travel authorisation once it starts: we can tell you where it stands when you book. Most other nationalities living in the UAE need a Schengen visa. Appointments in Dubai fill up quickly before Christmas, so apply well ahead: you can apply up to six months before you travel.
Your passport must be valid for at least three months after you leave the Schengen area, have been issued within the last ten years and have two blank pages, and your UAE residence visa must be valid for at least three months after you return. Our visa team handles Schengen applications: ask us when you book.
Flights and timings
Flights to and from Munich aren’t included.
Day 1 starts at your hotel in Munich, where you check in from 10:00. The tour runs entirely by coach, so there are no internal flights or trains to plan around. It ends in Munich after breakfast on day 11, at the same hotel, by around 10:00.
Our team can book your flights from Dubai to match.
Meals and dietary needs
Ten breakfasts and five dinners are included, among them a Christmas Eve dinner in Prague and dinner in a Viennese wine cellar.
Tell us about any dietary needs, halal included, when you book, and we pass them on before the tour.
Money
This tour crosses several currencies: the euro in Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia and Austria, the Czech koruna in the Czech Republic, and the Polish złoty in Poland. Cards are widely accepted, and a card without foreign transaction fees is the easiest way to pay across most of the route.
Optional extras booked on tour are paid to your tour leader in cash or by card, in the currency shown.
Weather and packing
This is a December departure, so expect cold winter weather across Central Europe, with a real chance of snow, especially in the Alps and the mountains around Graz and Ljubljana.
Pack warm layers, a proper coat, gloves and a hat, plus comfortable, waterproof shoes for walking tours and Christmas markets on cobbled, sometimes icy streets. Modest clothing, shoulders and knees covered, is worth having for visits to churches such as St Stephen’s Basilica.
Christmas and New Year on tour
This departure runs over the festive season: Christmas Eve dinner is included on day 2 in Prague, Christmas Day itself is spent exploring Prague, and New Year’s Eve is celebrated in Ljubljana, where the city’s public squares fill with celebrations before fireworks from the castle hill at midnight.
Some shops, restaurants and attractions may close or run shorter hours on 25 December and 1 January: your tour leader will help you plan around any closures.
Plan your trip
Our Dubai team arranges what goes around the tour, so it is booked in one place.
Visas
One Schengen visa covers the Schengen countries on this route. Our visa team in Dubai applies for UAE residents once the tour is booked.
Flights
Flights are not included. We can book them with the tour: Dubai to Munich and back.
Pay in instalments
Split the cost with Tabby or Tamara, or over 3 to 12 months on a UAE bank credit card for bookings from AED 1,000.
Sold out: get notified
Every date of this tour is sold out. Leave your details and we will tell you if seats come back or new dates are out.
Questions about this tour
What will my days look like?
Days are full. Most start with breakfast, then the main sights with a local guide or your tour leader. Afternoons often leave free time to wander, stop for a coffee or join an optional extra. Expect a fair amount of walking: some days mean two or three hours on your feet, so bring comfortable shoes.
Who will I be travelling with?
Travellers from all over the world, of different ages and backgrounds, who share a wish to see more. Up to 53 people share this tour, and most know each other’s names within a few days.
What are the hotels like?
Mostly 3 and 4 star, all clean, comfortable and well located, with private en-suite bathrooms. They are chosen so you sleep well and are ready for the next day. The destinations come first, but the hotels are never an afterthought.
How active is this tour?
You carry your own luggage, sometimes up hotel stairs. Some walking tours run for up to three hours, and a few sites have plenty of steps. The itinerary and the activity level at the top of this page show whether the pace suits you.
How do optional extras work?
Optional extras run in the tour’s free time, and your tour leader tells you what is on offer as the tour goes. Some are booked with your tour leader on the day. Others sell in advance and must be bought before the tour starts: to add one of those, mention it in your booking notes and we confirm it with your seats. Each extra in the Optional extras section says which way it is booked.
Will I have time to explore on my own?
Yes. The itinerary builds in free time to wander at your own pace, and your tour leader can point you to the places that suit you, so you are never left to work it all out alone.
What support do I have while I’m on tour?
Your tour leader travels with you from start to finish. They know the places most visitors miss, can suggest a restaurant before you ask, and deal with whatever crops up on the way. Transport and hotels are all arranged for you.
There is also an emergency number staffed 24 hours a day, and our team in Dubai is there to help.
How do I book Eastern Highlights Christmas & New Year?
Press Book now, choose a date, your travellers and rooms, and give your name, email and mobile. We hold your seats and email your booking reference straight away; you then add each traveller as their passport shows on your booking page. Our Dubai team confirms the seats with the tour operator, then emails you a secure payment link. Nothing is charged when you book.
When do I pay?
Once the tour operator confirms your seats. We email you a secure payment link for the total in AED, and your booking is complete when it is paid. To pay in instalments, say so in your booking notes.
Is the price per person?
Yes. Prices are per person sharing a double or twin room. Travelling alone? A single room costs the supplement shown next to each date.
Are flights included?
Only when the tour lists them under what is included. We can book flights from the UAE to the start city and home from the end city with your tour.
Do I need a visa?
That depends on your passport and the countries on the route. Our visa team arranges Schengen and other visas for UAE residents, and can apply for yours once the tour is booked.
More tours
7 countries
11 days
Eastern Highlights
Eleven days through seven Eastern European countries, with Munich, Prague and Vienna on the route.
FromAED 9,160 per person
Next: Wed 12 May 2027
5 countries
10 days
Central Europe in Low Season
Ten days through five Central European countries in the low season, with fewer crowds and two nights each in Prague, Budapest and Vienna.
FromAED 5,720 per person
Next: Sat 14 Nov 2026
5 countries
7 days
Taste of Eastern Europe
Historic sights and architecture across Eastern Europe, from Munich to Prague and beyond.
FromAED 5,440 per person
Next: Sun 6 Jun 2027
Sold outEvery date is full
Ask about new dates