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Czech Republic/Hungary

Budapest and Prague: Capital Cities and Jewels of Central Europe

Program No. 21707RJ
Treat your senses to an enchanting blend of learning, adventure and fun as you take expert-led walks and dine on traditional foods in two Old World cities that are Europe at its finest.

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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
May 5 - May 16, 2024
Starting at
3,749
Jun 2 - Jun 13, 2024
Starting at
3,749
Sep 8 - Sep 19, 2024
Starting at
3,749
Sep 22 - Oct 3, 2024
Starting at
3,749
Oct 20 - Oct 31, 2024
Starting at
3,749
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
May 5 - May 16, 2024
Starting at
4,369
Jun 2 - Jun 13, 2024
Starting at
4,369
Sep 8 - Sep 19, 2024
Starting at
4,369
Sep 22 - Oct 3, 2024
Starting at
4,369
Oct 20 - Oct 31, 2024
Starting at
4,369

At a Glance

Hundreds of Gothic rooftop spires give the Prague skyline a fairy-tale character. In Budapest, locals’ warm smiles and the legendary Danube River pulse at the city’s heart. In one 12-day adventure, explore the history, art and culture of the Czech and Hungarian capital cities. Start each morning with our experts and later set out on your own. In Prague, discover where Mozart played a 1787 solo piano piece, then independently walk the stunning Charles Bridge. In Budapest, learn about the Communist period in Hungary during an on-site lecture at Memento Park, and venture to the town of Ócsa, a wonderful reflection of traditional rural life. One adventure, two cities — capture the breadth of these Central European jewels.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
On Your Feet: Participants must be able to handle their own luggage, climb a few stairs, stand for longer periods of time and walk up to an hour on cobblestones and uneven terrain. Keep the Pace: Participants must be able to handle their own luggage, climb stairs, walk up to 3 miles or up to 3 hours per day with periods of standing, including cobblestone streets, and partly hilly, uneven and rough terrain. Participants should expect to use public transportation.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Enjoy a dinnertime boat excursion on the Danube River through Budapest, drifting past the illuminated city center and under its famous series of bridges.
  • Learn about Prague’s Old Town Square on an expert-led walking exploration, contrasting its 1,000-year-old history and architecture with today’s cast of musicians, dance troupes and cafes.
  • Experience mighty Prague Castle’s churches, gardens, alleyways and residences. The world’s largest ancient castle is roughly the size of seven football fields.

General Notes

Program includes independent time to explore the city and several meals on your own. Group Leaders will provide directions for self-directed excursions. Suggestions for free-time activities provided in preparatory materials. Give us a call to combine this learning adventure with select dates of "Independent Warsaw and Krakow: Capitals Past and Present" (#18187) for even more learning in Europe! The Activity Level for this program varies by date. Please make sure that you are attending a departure date that meets your activity level.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Budapest 1900
by John Lukacs
Written by a distinguished historian and native son, this richly detailed portrait of the city at its zenith includes hundreds of illustrations.
Budapest Map
by Berndtson & Berndtson
A convenient map of the city center at a scale of 1:11,000.
The Good Soldier Svejk and His Fortunes in the World War
by Jaroslav Hasek, Cecil Parrott (Translator)
The deeply funny story of a hapless Czech soldier in the Austro-Hungarian army, dismissed for incompetence only to be pressed into service by the Russians in World War I, then captured by his own troops.
Prague in Black and Gold, Scenes from Life in a European City
by Peter Demetz
Both a history and an accessible guide to the neighborhoods and architecture of the city.
Eyewitness Guide Prague
by Eyewitness Guides
This superb guide features color photography, dozens of excellent maps and a district-by-district synopsis of the celebrated city's attractions. Handsome, convenient and up-to-date, this is the guide to carry.
Prague, A Traveler's Literary Companion
by Paul Wilson (Editor)
This anthology of 24 vivid stories by Czech writers, both contemporary and well-known, brings the city, history, spirit and people to life.
The Romani Gypsies
by Yaron Matras
Matras delves into the history of the Romani, an ancient and misunderstood European culture that has survived through modern times.
Bury Me Standing
by Isabel Fonseca
This marvelous portrait of the Roma, also known as the Gypsies, offers insight into their music, foods, religions and folk traditions and also examines their influential but complex relationship with Eastern Europe.
The Hungarians, A Thousand Years of Victory in Defeat
by Paul Lendvai, Ann Major (Translator)
A journalist who fled Hungary in 1957, Lendvai combines history, scholarship and anecdote in this uncommonly engaging account. With verve and authority, he covers the struggle of the Magyars' against the Tartars, Turks and Russians over the past millennium.
Budapest, A Cultural History
by Bob Dent
This brilliant guide introduces the history and traditions of this Central European cultural capital, with emphasis on its most important artists and architects.
Prague
by Arthur Phillips
Don't be fooled by the title -- this engaging novel is set in Budapest. Five young American expats have settled themselves in what they consider the "second-best" eastern European city, where chance encounters and interactions determine how their lives will -- or won't -- be changed.
Prague Map
by Berndtson & Berndtson
A laminated, detailed map of the center of Prague at a scale of 1:10,000.
Eyewitness Guide Budapest
by Eyewitness Guides
Featuring handy maps and solid information on culture and history in addition to a detailed overview of attractions. With hundreds of photographs.
Danubia, A Personal History of Habsburg Europe
by Simon Winder
Winder, author of Germania (GER270), considers the legacy of the Habsburg Europe in this charmingly digressive history and travelogue.
Danube
by Claudio Magris
Mixing history, personalities and literature, Magris traces the course of the Danube from its source in the heart of the Austro-Hungarian Empire through the Balkans to the Black Sea in this anything but conventional travelogue, first published in 1986.





Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.