Explore Kraków on foot as you join a guided orientation through the UNESCO-listed Old Town. Take in the Main Market Square (Rynek Glówny) and Cloth Hall, hear the tale of the St. Mary’s Basilica bugle call, and follow the Royal Route toward the ramparts of Wawel Castle and Cathedral.

Absorb centuries of Polish history in cobbled lanes lined with townhouses and amber shops. Your guide points out photo-worthy courtyards, legends of kings and dragons, and local tips for cafés and pierogi spots around the square and Kazimierz.

• 9 Breakfast (B)
• 1 Dinner (D)

• London: A modular trip means fellow travellers will join and leave at various locations. There’ll be some goodbyes, sure, but there’ll also be plenty of hellos with new like-minded travellers.
• Rome: You might have the chance to join a guided Colosseum tour. Heads up: sometimes the only available tour slots are later in the day, after the trip ends. If you’re super keen to see the Colosseum, we recommend booking a flight that departs after 4pm.
• Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum: Due to new regulations, we cannot guarantee Auschwitz entry tickets for bookings made less than 60 days before your visit. We’ll make every effort to secure your ticket, but if we’re unable to do so, we’ll provide an alternative included experience of equal value.
• London: Your Trip Manager will advise you on who you’ll share your room with. On this trip, you’ll stay in a multi-share room with other travellers of the same sex.

• Kraków: Get your bearings in this medieval Polish city. Our orientation will get you familiar with the cathedral, Royal Castle and all the best places to grab a beer.  
• Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum: Reflect on the tragedies of the past with a solemn visit to the largest concentration camp in World War II. Please note: Due to new regulations we cannot guarantee tickets for Auschwitz for bookings made less than 60 days prior to your visit. We will make every effort to secure your ticket however if we are unable to do so we will provide an alternative inclusion of equal value. 
• Banská Bystrica: This historic Slovakian city is filled with ornate buildings and framed by snow-capped mountains. It’s the perfect Insta backdrop! 
• Lake Bled: Take it easy with your new besties as you walk around the scenic lake, framed by the Julian Alps. 
• Ljubljana: Join your new gang for an orientation of Slovenia’s fairytale-like capital. Get your fix of rainbow architecture, Insta-friendly bridges and epic mountain backdrops.
• Venice: Speed across the lagoon to the aqueous island of Venice.
• Rome: Stroll around the Italian capital, ticking off some sights on your bucket list! 

Contiki

Visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum for a solemn, educational experience led with care and respect. Reflect at the “Arbeit macht frei” gate, learn from exhibits inside former barracks, and witness the vastness of Birkenau with its rail tracks and watchtowers that bear witness to Europe’s darkest chapter.

This deeply moving visit encourages remembrance and understanding. Expect a thoughtful pace, time to pause for reflection, and context provided by museum materials and your team. Entry is regulated; if timed tickets cannot be secured, an alternative inclusion of equal value will be provided.

Stretch your legs in Slovakia’s heartland with a gentle walk around SNP Square (Slovak National Uprising). Admire pastel Renaissance and Baroque facades, a leaning clock tower, arcaded townhouses, and mountain air drifting in from the Low Tatras backdrop.

Once a wealthy mining town on the Hron River, Banská Bystrica blends Central European elegance with everyday charm. Enjoy a brief cultural pause to pause for photos and reflection, browse a café terrace, and get a feel for life beyond the big capitals.

Circle the shores of Slovenia’s jewel as you walk the lakeside path beneath pines and mirrored peaks. Gaze across to cliff-top Bled Castle and the tiny island crowned by the Church of the Assumption on Bled Island; when conditions allow, cool off in the crystal-clear water.

Framed by the Julian Alps, Bled has long lured poets and princes. Capture glassy reflections, taste a slice of kremšnita if time permits, and feel the stillness that makes this place a national treasure.

Get to know Slovenia’s storybook capital as you join a guided orientation along the Ljubljanica. Cross Jože Plecnik’s iconic Triple Bridge and Dragon Bridge, admire pastel facades and riverside markets, and follow leafy embankments designed by Jože Plecnik.

Hear how café culture and creative energy shaped this compact city. Spot street art, browse local stalls, and look up to views to Ljubljana Castle on its wooded hill—the perfect backdrop to the city’s relaxed rhythm.

Feel Venice appear on the horizon as you speed across the Venetian Lagoon by motoscafo. Glide past island campaniles and the domes of Santa Maria della Salute before arriving near the marble expanse of St Mark’s Square and Basilica.

Sea breeze, lapping water, and a skyline of bell towers set the scene for your time in the “Serenissima.” Step onto the Riva and watch vaporetti criss-cross the basin—a classic first look at this floating city.

Tick off icons as you wander the Eternal City with a guided overview. Toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain, admire the Pantheon’s ancient portico, and soak in Baroque theatre on Piazza Navona before climbing the Spanish Steps for people-watching and city views.

Between gelaterie and sun-warmed travertine, hear tales of emperors, artists, and popes that shape Rome’s layers. This walk helps you map the centre and choose where to delve deeper later.

Cruise the Danube as Budapest lights up, dining as landmarks glide past your window. Marvel at the illuminated Hungarian Parliament Building, the stately Chain Bridge and Buda Castle, and reflections rippling like silk as city lights reflected on the water set the mood.

Hear stories of the twin cities of Buda and Pest while enjoying Hungarian flavors. A relaxed, picture-perfect way to see the riverfront at night. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Trade sightseeing for steam as you soak in Széchenyi or Gellért thermal baths, Budapest’s most beloved spa palaces. Slip into steamy outdoor pools, hot indoor baths and saunas, surrounded by mosaics and Art Nouveau tiles that shimmer in the mist.

Fed by mineral-rich springs, the city’s bathing culture stretches back to the Ottoman-era spa tradition. Bring swimwear and relax like a local. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

See Venice from water level as you glide by gondola along hidden back-canals, slipping under stone bridges and past timeworn palazzi where shutters touch the tide. Listen to the lulling splash of the oar as the city reveals its quieter side.

It’s the classic Venetian moment—part theatre, part tranquility—ideal for photos and a fresh angle on the lagoon city’s elegance. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Taste your way through Venice’s backstreets on a guided bacari hop, pairing cicchetti and ombra wine like a local. Sample classics—baccalà mantecato and sarde in saor—and learn how lagoon life shapes Venetian flavors near the storied Rialto Market.

Between sips and bites, your host unveils the unwritten rules of these cosy taverns and the traditions that keep them alive. Warm, convivial, and deeply Venetian. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Roll up your sleeves and learn to make fresh pasta with a local chef. Crack eggs into flour, knead and roll tagliatelle or shape ravioli, then sauce it the Roman way before you sit down to your homemade dinner over wine and laughter.

Along the way, hear the stories behind Italy’s food culture—why simplicity wins, how regions differ, and the art of al dente. A night of Roman conviviality. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Step into history as you enter the Colosseum with a licensed guide, hearing of gladiatorial games and imperial spectacle beneath ancient arches. Continue among triumphal columns and basilicas in the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, where Rome’s power first took shape.

Expect vivid storytelling, panoramic views, and context that brings ruins to life. Access uses pre-booked timed entry when available and may occasionally be scheduled on day 9; your team will advise. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.