Czech Republic/Poland/Hungary/Austria
The Best of Central Europe: Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Prague
Program No. 12259RJ
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The Best of Central Europe: Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Prague
The Best of Central Europe: Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Prague
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Participant Reviews
Based on 55 Reviews
SHOWING
I have only taken one other RS trip, the Oxford WWII history conference, which was organized differently than this trip. So, this is the first tour I’ve taken, where we moved from city to city. That part was handled beautifully. We had wonderful guides within the cities, especially Janina Babik, who guided us in Krakow, with her academic perspective, and Klara, who guided us in Budapest. Jana, in Prague, rubbed me the wrong way in the very beginning. I think that our hotel assignments and initial arrangements could have been more orderly. However, when she entertained us with musical instruments, I was won over to her. Our Group Leader Ilona Somogyi is absolutely excellent. She was always aware of us as individuals, our engagement with the group activities, and our idiosyncrasies. As to the program, I was delighted with the musical concerts and individual lectures. The lecture by Ernst Felberbauer was fascinating, and I was glad he shared his slides with us. Furthermore, our lecturers Dorottya Szikra and Miklos Vörös in Budapest were an unexpected bonus. I know I speak for many of the other participants when I say that we were surprised and pleased by their openness in discussing what must be difficult cultural/political issues in Hungary today. Bravo for bringing us lecturers who are relevant and current. I thought all of the hotels were comfortable and well-appointed, especially the Kaiserhof. I will plan to stay there on my next visit to Vienna. Furthermore, the proximity each hotel had within the cities was very helpful. That made it easy to navigate around the cities on foot. As to transportation, the buses in between the cities were perfect for the purpose. Within the cities, I appreciated taking public transportation, though I know we were a cumbersome number of people to manage. Please forgive my tardiness at replying; I only arrived home a week ago. And, please accept my gratitude for the presentation of this tour.
— Review left November 15, 2025
Have not forgotten memorable Central Europe! It was a good balance of art, architecture, history, music, and foods. what a great history preserved from medieval times, thru imperial eras and World Wars to modern nation-states of today. Indeed a diverse cultural landscape The trip leader Dagmar Balounova and the country guides Sonia, Elizabeth, Clara were well versed in the history each country & they were a well organized team... overall a fantastic cultural experience.
— Review left November 10, 2025
The Best of Central Europe trip was just right for us. This is the longest trip I have done and it worked for me since we were in each city multiple nights in a central location. Moreover, there was free time in each city enabling us to add other activities that added to the already rich collection of scheduled RS events. Lastly, the other 22 travelers added to the richness of the experience.
— Review left November 1, 2025
EXTREMELY WELL RUN PROGRAM TO GET TO KNOW BEAUTIFUL CENTRAL EUROPE, WHICH HAS SUCH A LONG COLORFUL HISTORY.
— Review left October 30, 2025
What a great opportunity to see these 4 gems of Central Europe! It was a good balance of art, architecture, history, music, and exploring. Enjoyed using the good public transportation in Budapest and Vienna. Lots of informative lectures and plenty of great museums, along with some fun activities and free time.
— Review left October 27, 2025
This was an excellent trip. It covered most of the usual sites in the cities we visited, and also provided informative speakers, musical concerts and enough free time to see things on my bucket list. The guides were knowledgeable and very helpful and my fellow travelers were wonderful.
— Review left October 11, 2025
This was my first RS trip and I am very happy with how it was managed.
It was wonderful to have everything reserved & scheduled! RS provided public transportation tickets, tickets for museums and other attractions, transport to/from our destinations. It was tremendously freeing and I was able to just enjoy the cities we visited.
I worried at first that I might find that my days were too scheduled but there was plenty of free time in each city.
The local experts/guides were all excellent. I learned so much and was able to enjoy our touring even more. The lectures were easy to listen to and all the speakers were super friendly and helpful. I loved every single one of our guides. RS obviously knows how to screen and hire talented, friendly staff.
If I had to come up with something I found challenging it was eating all the food!! So many meals were provided and the meals were all delicious specialties of the cities we were in.
I have already scheduled my next trip. :-)
— Review left September 21, 2025
This combination of cities is a great choice to understand Central Europe better. From history, to culture, to current events, I feel better educated about this area and was pleasantly surprised many times by the charms of these locations. Beautiful scenery, private concerts, and unique dining experiences made this an unforgettable trip.
— Review left July 4, 2025
The great trip to Central Europe that includes a lot of walking and standing. Read the notations carefully especially the amount of walking and standing. Some people on our tour had difficulty keeping up with the group and felt that the pace was too fast and had too much walking.
— Review left June 10, 2025
This trip to Central Europe was my favorite of the 6 Road Scholar trips I have attended. It was very educational with regard to history, art, politics, music, food and lifestyle of Central Europe and I loved every bit of the trip. The lecturers and local guides were outstanding and the accommodations were well located.
— Review left May 20, 2025
I'm not really a "tour" kind of traveler, but this experience with Road Scholar might change my mind. In the past, I've planned my own solo trips and enjoy that freedom, but I must say, it's great to not have to worry about a thing but showing up at the right time. The tour is so well organized, the guides knowledgeable and engaging, our group of 21 all welcoming and friendly. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience.
— Review left May 20, 2025
I typically don’t write reviews, but Road Scholar is truly terrific. Anyone can sightsee on a vacation, but if you’re interested in learning about what you’re seeing, then check out Road Scholar.
— Review left May 19, 2025
It was a great trip Our road scholar. guide was really wonderful and she kept us moving and organized. Each of the local experts were knowledgeable and provided additional information and insights about what we were seeing.
— Review left March 27, 2025
What stays with me the most is the music. I was not familiar with some of the composers I learned about and whose work I heard performed. It was wonderful!
— Review left October 8, 2024
The Central Europe tour will be remembered as one of my very favorite RS trips! It was exceptional in the depth of learning about this part of the world. There was a perfect balance, in my opinion, of lectures, museum visits, other excursions and experiences. Free time allowed for exploring on our own or just resting up. The activity level was appropriate, very active on many days, but bus rides between cities allowing for some downtime, as well as a glimpse of the countryside.
— Review left October 6, 2024
What a wonderful trip! Well organized with excellent guides and lecturers.
One warning: It's long. Going to four different hotels is a lot. I think the trip might be better if it were shorter; just do Krakow, Budapest and Vienna - over 2 weeks. Going for 18 days is a packing challenge! But if you have the stamina for it, this is a GREAT adventure.
— Review left October 3, 2024
The Best of Central Europe was a true learning experience. The history of the region goes back thousands of years. From pre-Roman times, the Rise of Christianity, the Holy Roman Empire, hundreds of years of religious wars and barbarian invasions, the rise and fall of the Habsburgs, who ruled an Empire on which the Sun never set. The Reformation, the 30 Years War, WWI and WWII, the Holocaust, Communism. Arts and Music - Chopin, Mozart, Liszt and Strauss, Gustav Klimt. Extraordinary religious and contemporary architecture And these countries continue to be at the forefront of current cultural and political forces. This program did a good job of honestly and intelligently weaving together these historic events and showing how they influence the issues facing the countries today.
— Review left October 2, 2024
The history & culture of central European countries are scarcely taught in the US. It's not differentiated from that of western Europe. Despite whatever history lessons we've had & even after spending a lot of time in western Europe I hadn't a feel for how differently our "shared" histories impacted these countries. The effects of repeated regime & boundary changes, the differences in languages, how differently they view rulers & events....
I'm very grateful for the experiences & insights I gained ont this trip.
— Review left September 30, 2024
This was my eleventh trip with Road Scholar and the best trip overall. It was well organized with interesting lectures, a good balance of free time to scheduled activities, life enriching experiences and excellent guides. I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants a better understanding of Central European history and its impact on today’s political climate.
— Review left September 28, 2024
Had a wonderful time. Even though I was traveling solo, others on the tour were warm, welcoming and friendly. Great historical, cultural, art and music experiences. Highly recommend.
— Review left September 14, 2024
Awesome trip 5+ Stars
This is an awesome and 'must do' trip. Our group leader for the entire trip, Anna Pivankova, is BEYOND excellent! She's well organized, very knowledgeable, and fun to be around. I'd like to do another trip with her. I learned SO MUCH on this trip. I would like to put a flash drive in my brain so I could download everything I saw and learned. Klara Pogatsa the local guide in Budapest and Lucie Vitkova the local guide in Prague were great. When you visit the Otto Wagner church at the Otto Wagner hospital in Vienna be sure to ask about the Nazi T4 euthanasia program that occurred at the hospital site. The Vienna guide Lucas Husa glossed over this point which was disappointing. The T4 program is infamous. Krakow is a fun city to hang out in. Vienna is a city of museums and palaces on steroids. I really enjoyed the lecture in Budapest with the political science professors. Budapest is a great city to hangout along the river. Prague has the 'best vibe' of any city I've traveled to - so upbeat. Go to the grocery store and grab some things for lunch, eat lunch in the plazas and watch / interact with people. Every person I encountered on this trip was friendly. I would love to do this trip again.
— Review left August 27, 2024
This was a rigorous but very rewarding trip! It was exactly what I was looking for: tour of the best of the architecture and art of these great cultural cities, and the addition of classical music performances and lectures made it ideal! Lots of walking on cobblestones and climbing hills but well worth being able to see the sights close up. I do wish a few buildings on the Ring Road tour of Vienna we actually stopped at, and I was disappointed that we didn't take the extra time to see inside the great Secession Building by Otto Wagner with its Klimt Beethoven frieze. This should be added in the future. Otherwise, well organized and exciting trip! It was gratifying to see the homeland so to speak that my grandparents came from, as well as the great art and architecture I have studied and taught for decades. The guest lectures were excellent, and most of the city leaders were learned and excellent guides. Our group leader Robert was attentive, helpful, knowledgable, and fun-- really kept us going. I highly recommend this trip for those interested in the rich culture of these great European cities.
— Review left July 8, 2024
The program is very fast paced and offers a good balance of learning and sightseeing. Experiencing the various cultures and the impact of WW2 on these countries was eye opening. Seeing the opulence of the past as well as the impact of communism, socialism and democracy was fascinating. The concerts were wonderful and the visits to palaces, museums and places of historic interest made for a robust and well rounded trip. For those questioning the activity level I would add each day of the trip involves a lot of walking, like 15,000 steps or 5 miles or so daily and lots of stairs.
— Review left June 23, 2024
A visit to Central Europe is an eye-opening experience for someone from the US. Compared to a thousand years of history found there, and deeply informs peoples' lives in a way that I found profoundly different than life in the US.
— Review left June 18, 2024
This trip's itinerary provides the opportunity to explore, experience and delight in four magnificent cities. The guides were excellent. Please note the activity level, and out of respect for others, be honest with yourself about your ability and stamina.
— Review left June 14, 2024
A wonderfully comprehensive excursion through centuries of European history!
— Review left June 11, 2024
Overall outstanding in content. The director and guides were informative and knew their subjects.
— Review left May 5, 2024
Great cultural experience! Thoroughly capable, competent, and informative Group Leader and Tour Guides. Just in my opinion from my experience, I would not recommended for solo travelers.
— Review left October 2, 2023
This is a great trip. Central Europe is a hidden gem that you should not miss. All the cities are wonderful, clean and easily walkable places to visit. You must go to Auschwitz for yourself. Documentaries and books cannot give you the same experience.
— Review left September 30, 2023
Wonderful trip!! These four cities are beautiful, and having four days in each allows you to get immersed in each one.
— Review left September 26, 2023
We had an exceptionally wonderful time. Timmie, our leader throughout the trip, was responsible, dependable, and a great communicator and problem solver. She really helped make this trip a success. Additionally, the separate country tour guides were very knowledgeable. This was our first time to any of these countries -Poland, Hungary, Austria, and Czechia. We learned so much about the remarkable history of each country and its people, particularly about the time during WWII, the plight of their Jewish citizens, and later, life under communism.
The lectures were outstanding with high quality speakers who reviewed history, arts, and culture of each country.
The emphasis on music was so enjoyable, we had numerous concerts during the trip. The food, for the most part was very good, just a little heavy on meat. Our fellow travelers were great, friendly and thoughtful.
Wear good walking shoes as we did 15,000 steps a day, many times on cobblestones and old stairs. But it was so worth it. If stairs are hard for you ask about an elevator when you arrive at the tour site. The staff will accommodate. Our only complaint was about the Penta Hotel in Vienna. This was not a hotel for seniors (geared towards college students and partying) with a less than helpful front desk. We have sent our concerns to Road Scholar.
The weather was on the cool side 60s which was great with us for walking.
Best trip we have ever taken!!!
— Review left June 29, 2023
Great trip! Local and tour guides were awesome. There is something for everyone. The history is amazing.
— Review left June 7, 2023
This program was excellent. It was a bit more vigorous than Keep the Pace, but we all were capable of keeping up. The comparison of the various cities is a fascinating exercise, and the many concerts and lectures were truly interesting.
— Review left May 21, 2023
Wonderful!
— Review left May 15, 2023
The experience was very rewarding for me. I enjoyed our group participants and felt comfortable with each. It seemed as though I had much in common with many of the participants in the group.
— Review left October 23, 2022
This tour was an outstanding experience with exceptional instructors and group leader. We don’t know any other way we could have enjoyed such a rich and varied experience in these four major cities and countryside. We had planned to do this trip on our own but decided to try Road Scholar. This trip far exceeded our expectations!
— Review left June 12, 2022
We were thoroughly impressed with all aspects of the Road Scholar tour of Central Europe. Tour leaders, hotels, subject matter experts all exceeded expectations. We "kept the pace", saw much, learned much and experienced the warmth of gracious people in each of the cities. I want to return!
— Review left June 6, 2022
I am sure that visiting Central Europe, especially the cities included in this program, would be a wonderful experience. But visiting during this most critical and historically significant time is remarkable. You can't leave this trip without having a new understanding of the historical significance of this region and the role that these cities and countries are playing in the dynamic political and cultural upheaval today. From an historical, political, artistic and cultural perspective this program should be high on the list for anyone who wants to understand how past history has shaped current events and is likely to shape the future.
— Review left May 28, 2022
This is the best program I’ve found to put together people with similar interests who are striving to learn more about those interests. It makes for a homogeneous group who are most likely to enjoy each other and make friends along the way.
— Review left May 28, 2022
I loved this program. Learned a great deal about the 4 big cities of Central Europe. I made great friends that I hope to stay in touch with or possibly visit in the near future.
— Review left May 22, 2022
A wonderful program that encompasses the devastation of warfare on the people of this region as well as the heights they have achieved in art and music. Squarely deals with the Holocaust as well as having great museums exploring the Communist Era.
— Review left November 4, 2021
This program gives you valuable insights on former Soviet-block countries. I saw outstanding art from artists we don't learn about in our Western-oriented culture. Also, there were many enjoyable music lectures & events.
— Review left November 2, 2021
A perfect tour of the beauty, culture and history of Eastern Europe's famous cities. Road Scholar hit a home run!
— Review left November 1, 2021
excellent program with a variety of places to see.
— Review left December 27, 2019
This trip was wonderful. It was so nice to spend time in each city and see many places with small amount of time traveling between cities. I personally found it to be interesting to explore countries that had been under Nazi, Communist, and now Republic forms of government and to be able to talk to people who had lived through this,
— Review left December 10, 2019
Everyone needs to got to Auschwitz & Birkenau in their lifetime! It is never too late.
— Review left November 24, 2019
This program is a value-packed, comprehensive look at the people, history and culture of four great cities of central and eastern Europe - not to be missed!
— Review left November 15, 2019
Loved staying 4 nights in each city at really well located hotels. The highlight for me was going to a performance in Vienna that featured ballet, orchestra and opera...what an enchanting evening.
— Review left October 26, 2019
I loved this trip. It was my first Roadscholar trip and I was quite impressed. I learned quite a lot and am very happy. Things were well organized and the hotels and meals were great.
— Review left October 11, 2019
This was a great trip exploring 4 wonderful cities of Central Europe. Lots of walking on cobblestones so comfortable shoes are a must. Interesting itinerary exploring these areas from a cultural, historical, artistical and gastronomical perspective. Loved all 4 cities and the drive from Krakow to Budapest through the countryside. There were a number of musical programs including an absolutely enchanting piano performance in the Franz Liszt Museum by an outstanding pianist. It was a small group which worked best with this particular itinerary. Highly recommend this trip particularly to those interested in the history of these 4 nations.
— Review left October 5, 2019
Learn about a part of Europe that was closed off for decades by the USSR and what that experience was like. Each city/country has a unique culture but an overlay of the same history, rulers and wars. Also learn about our country's positive contribution to their recent history. Outstanding leaders, lecturers, field-trips and performers will dazzle you.
— Review left September 30, 2019
My Roads Scholar program, The Best of Central Europe: Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Prague, was delightful, educational, well done and changed my view of the world. It was excellent.
— Review left June 16, 2019
The Best of Central Europe: Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Prague is indeed an excellent introduction to four less-well-known central European cities and countries. It includes an excellent background in the histories (and religious backgrounds) of these four areas (both distant and recent), as well as music, culture and architecture using excellent guides in each city. A major plus is that 3+ days were allowed for each city with some free time for exploration.
— Review left June 16, 2019
Five Stars! This was an outstanding tour, a fascinating revelation of a world rich in history and culture that for much of my life was hidden behind the Iron Curtain. Road Scholar has put together a terrific program that while often sobering was equal parts revelatory, entertaining and fascinating. And I must say our group leader for the entire trip, Michala Posarova, was a treasure. We couldn't possibly have been in more capable hands.
In general, the presentations by local experts were highly informative and interesting. If I had to pick a favorite it would be the talk on great composers in Vienna by Eddy Kudlak, retired violinist with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. What a treat that was, and what an honor to meet such an accomplished musician!
While I won't say I "liked" our visit to Auschwitz, it was certainly an unforgettable, gut-wrenching experience and I am grateful to Road Scholar for taking me there. Otherwise, every day was packed with marvelous sights and encounters that will remain with me for the rest of my life. And I must say the visit to Strahov Monastery was a fine way to end the trip. If I thought there was nothing left to see in Central Europe that could amaze me further, this excursion put that notion to rest.
I definitely recommend this remarkable tour to anyone interested in European culture and history. It was an eye-opener for me.
— Review left June 1, 2019
I would rate this trip as 5 stars. It was an excellent tour of the four cities. Peter, our trip guide, as well as the individual local city guides, were all excellent. The history, culture, art, and music presentations were excellent as were the accommodations and dining. It was not as active a trip as some of those we have previously taken with Road Scholar but it was just as advertised. The day at Auschwitz was sobering but has long been on our bucket list and did not disappoint. Getting used to four different public transportation systems was a challenge yet fun. Except for Austria the way the other three countries have transformed from former Soviet satellites to participating members of Western Europe illustrated how little history of that region I was aware of.
The only downside had nothing to do with Road Scholar or our guides. The night before we were to leave for the Prague airport for the flight home I had the misfortune of coming down with a severe stomach virus making traveling impossible. With Peter's and local guide Theresa's assistance our flight reservations were cancelled, a doctor was called to hotel (an English speaking Czech physician) who diagnosed it correctly as the 24 hour flu. We had the RS extra insurance so our situation was put in the hands of the RS contractor. Long story short, neither the insurance contractor nor the RS travel assistance office was of much help. We scheduled our own flight home for the next day. Subsequent calls with RS and the insurance carrier were cordial and professional and provided assurance that our experience should not have occurred and should not be repeated. We recently received reimbursement checks from the insurance for any medical expenses not otherwise covered and our flight home. Two lessons: don't get sick and do get the additional trip-interruption insurance.
It was a wonderful trip and deserves to be cited as a RS favorite.
— Review left February 26, 2019