Estonia and Germany Tours and Trips

This trip was amazing! Our guides were full of knowledge about the area and we learned so much about the history of each place we visited. It is so hard to pick a favorite---night river cruise down the Danube was spectacular, the castle in Prague was beautiful, Glockenspiel in Munich, Cathedrals, concert in Vienna, cooking demonstration in Budapest, The Sound of Music stops, The Eagles Nest, the food, I could go on and on...everything was just perfect. I highly recommend everyone going on this tour!

I had a wonderful trip, we went to many great places. My only issue is that we didn't have a lot of down time after the excursions were done in order to explore, eat, shop around, etc..

The Baltics have a rich and complicated history and the area is well worth visiting. Our guide Leva whose home is in Latvia, knows the area extremely well and often took her private time to suggest and lead activities that were not on the official tour itinerary. Three beautiful countries, three languages, and three main religions all combined in a whirlwind tour.

This fast paced tour was fabulous! Interesting cities and villages, well organized optional excursions, support and knowledge from our tour director, convenient and comfortable bus transportation, and selected and reserved hotel rooms made for an easy vacation because all of the planning had been done for me. When I recall all of the countries and towns visited, I am awestruck. I know that it would have been very difficult to achieve this schedule and pace if I DIY-ed it. The location of the hotel in Budapest, which was across the river from the impressive Parliament building, was outstanding. Unfortunately, the hotel room for the last night in Munich was completely unacceptable. The sewage smell backed up into the drain of the shower and I could not shower that morning due to the grotesque smell. Because I was in the room for less than twelve hours, I did not complain about it but I believe the hotel knows about this problem as they tried to camouflage the odor with a heavy cologne smelled when you first entered the room. Most of the excursions included old world quaint towns with cobblestone streets and interesting architecture with unique gift shops and handmade items. There was a nice balance between having down time and being on the go. If you prefer a slower pace, then you have the option to schedule fewer excursions. You pay for the additional costs of these excursions on the bus ride on the second day to Prague. I decided to take advantage of all of the optional trips except for the dinner in Vienna. My least favorite excursion was the Czech dinner in Prague and my most favorite included the Viennese Concert, trip to Szentendre near Budapest, and Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps. I really appreciated our tour director sharing small gifts of food samples which were timed just perfectly after walking and touring for a few hours. Erik also pointed out different food stands or unique items to look out for in the different towns that were visited. Also, bring enough clothes that will last you the entire time away from home as there are no convenient washaterias and the hotel laundry service is very expensive.

The trip was excellent. I’ve not travelled with such a large group before so found that tricky at times but our leader Margareta managed the different elements in our Group expertly. Always ensuring everyone was included and informed of what we were doing.

The itinerary allowed for a comprehensive look at a variety of sites across the three countries, not just the capital cities. In the cities, the balance between time spent with the group (city walking tour with local guide) and free time to pursue your own interests was just right. The forward arranging of group meals for the evenings in the bigger places by the tour leader was appreciated as a way of sampling local cuisine - you could opt out if you wanted. The hotels were all of a good or excellent quality, often totally refurbished within an older building, and centrally located. The coaches used were very comfortable for a group of 15, though the tinted glass on the Riga-Vilnius coach made for so-so photography of the outside and made the interior a bit dark. For early morning flights from Vilnius on the last day (taxi to airport at 3:20am) it was 'no breakfast!', even though stated on itinerary, not even a mini box thing (as provided on a previous Explore trip. with similar early departure.. on "Silk Road" in Tashkent). The tour leader Margarita was excellent - knowledgeable, enthusiastic, personable - 10/10!