Play & Pause: Central & Eastern Europe (Winter)

Had an absolutely amazing time! Since it was my first time in Europe, I used this trip to hit the highlights and figure out which countries I liked the most. Traveling in winter made it even better—snowy landscapes and Christmas markets were such a vibe. Trips like this really depend on the tour leader and group, and luckily, both were awesome! Charlotte was super knowledgeable, kind and caring and made the experience even better by teaching us about the history of each place, and Pete (the driver) kept everything running smoothl. The speed at which we got to see each destination and how well everything was planned wouldn’t have been possible without booking a tour like this. Definitely a trip to remember and was the most fun I have had when travelling.

Amazing trip, so pleased with the organised activities and how smooth it all ran!

This is the trip of a life time! If you enjoy the cold & snow and haven’t explored Europe this is the trip for you!! Our Trip Leader Charlotte and our Driver Peter were absolutely phenomenal!! Sure, there are some places I wish we could have stayed longer in, but you need to remember it’s a tour-you are guided through areas so next time you plan a holiday you know exactly where you will want to go and spend more time. Our tour group was a solid bunch of peeps so all of the optional activities with them made it so much more fun and exciting too! Charlotte was SO incredibly helpful with history information on each location we visited, any tips and tricks on extra places to visit, where to find laundromats, how to purchase tram/train tickets and more. It was just the right amount of time too to see a lot and then be ready to come home. I would recommend booking a minimum of 2 nights before the trip to explore London first and then a night or 2 after the tour to collect yourself before flying home. I can’t recommend this tour enough. All the Christmas markets stayed up right through to the end, which we weren’t expecting at all but was amazing. The Swiss Apls, Prague and Amsterdam took my breath away. Lubljana in Slovenia takes the prize for THE BEST Christmas lights throughout the streets. Was absolutely gobsmacked in awe of the detail. There are so bus rides that are long - they have to be right, you’re travelling across Europe. But the Peter, Charlotte and our new besties made it so fun! You get plenty of sleep, vibe to beats, upload your photos on socials and get pit stops for bathroom breaks and pick out plenty of souvenirs, different drinks and snacks you’ve never seen before and continue on your way! Honestly the best holiday and I’m so grateful <3 :) just book the holiday! We walked in not sure what we were doing - booked it unsure exactly what to expect and my goodness was it SO worth it!!!! :D

Absolutely loved my top deck trip. I got to see places I wouldn’t have thought to book on my own and my trip leader Jimmy was very knowledgeable and a lot of fun. I loved the optional extras - meaning we didn’t need to look for things to do in each place and got to know the group a little better - without the pressure to always be doing things with the group. All in all it was an amazing experience and one I would love to do again.

This trip was a trip of a lifetime. Although very fast paced we covered so much of Europe and learnt so much. Having amazing tour guide and coach driver to give us tips recommendations made the trip even more memorable. Whilst also having small groups allowed us to all become really close

Great people to travel around Europe with and saw so many amazing sites and ate awesome food.

Great trip, hit all the spots

Let’s just start with if it wasn’t for sam and Pete being such great travel companions and going above and beyond for us then it wouldn’t have been as good of a trip. These two went above and beyond to always make sure we were ok, safe and were always there to give advice or information wherever need me.

The trip leader and coach driver were super friendly and helpful, ensuring that all participants had a magical time

Only downside I'd say is the short time spent in so many places

Loved every second would recommend

Travelling in winter meant less crowds and therefore a better tourist experience - it was great!

We saw so many countries and actually had time to go and visit historical sites and almost all the must sees.

I thoroughly enjoyed all the places we stopped on this trip. The worst part was the 1 night stops, which were quite exhausting and it felt like we needed another night there. Accommodation was mostly nice, however it was generally out of town and would’ve been better if closer! The itinerary was fantastic though, and the day stops, especially Mauthausen was great.

If you want to cover a lot of ground in a short space of time, this is an excellent option. I used it as a 'taster' so that I could determine which places in Europe I would like to visit again and spend more time exploring. At times, I felt that this tour was probably too quick. In some cities we wouldn't arrive until late afternoon (it gets dark at 4:30pm) and we would be off to our next destination early the next morning. This meant that we got to explore the hotel and some restaurants, but little of the city itself. Most of the optional experiences were fun and very worthwhile, but I would probably avoid those that were purely food-based. They tended to be overpriced and took valuable time away from sightseeing. I would have instead preferred to grab some street food (very quick, cheap and delicious in most cities) and used the time to explore the city further and see more of the sights.