Itinerary
- Day 1
Rome
Your European adventure kicks off in Rome. Start at the Colosseum, walking through this ancient amphitheater and thinking about the spectacles that happened there long ago. When evening rolls around, grab Italian dinner at a trattoria where you can try classics like pasta carbonara or cacio e pepe.
Optional Activities
- Visit the Colosseum
- Italian dinner at a trattoria with classics like pasta carbonara or cacio e pepe
Landmarks Colosseum 
- Day 2
Rome
Spend time exploring Rome's historic center on your own schedule. You'll wander the streets and pull up a chair at street-side cafes to soak in the local lifestyle. Head to Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps, check out Bernini's Fountain, and then make your way to the Galleria Borghese, housed in a villa with Renaissance and Baroque art from the 1600s and 1700s.
Optional Activities
- Wander through historic center streets and visit street-side cafes
- Visit Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps
- Admire Bernini's Fountain
- Explore the Galleria Borghese museum featuring Renaissance and Baroque art
Landmarks Piazza Navona Spanish Steps Fountain of the Four Rivers Galleria Borghese - Day 3
Rome
Start at the Roman Forum to see ruins and the architectural remains of temples, arches, and basilicas from ancient Rome. Later, head to Vatican City to see St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums, where Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling is the highlight. By evening, you'll finish at the Pantheon, one of the best-preserved ancient Roman buildings with its impressive domed ceiling and central oculus opening to the sky.
Optional Activities
- Explore the Roman Forum and its ruins
- Visit the Vatican City, St. Peter's Basilica, and Vatican Museums
- View Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling
- Visit the Pantheon and admire the oculus in its domed ceiling
Landmarks Roman Forum St. Peter's Basilica Vatican Museums Sistine Chapel Pantheon - Day 4
Rome to Venice
Travel to Venice, the ancient town built across a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea. The architecture here features domes and spires rising from the water in all directions. Spend time walking through bars, cafes, and restaurants where locals and visitors hang out and enjoy food and drinks.
Optional Activities
- Explore Venice's architecture and streets
- Visit bars, cafes, and restaurants
- Day 5
Venice
Take a gondola ride through Venice's canals, traveling back in time as you drift through the water-built city and appreciate its architectural beauty. The ride itself connects you to centuries of Venetian life and tradition.
Optional Activities
- Take a gondola ride through Venice's canals
- Day 6
Venice to Vienna
Arrive in Vienna, Austria's capital. This city combines imperial history with current cultural energy throughout its neighborhoods. Check out Mozarthaus Vienna where the composer lived, the Kunsthistorisches Museum with paintings by Rembrandt and Vermeer, and the Belvedere Palace, which holds Gustav Klimt's famous painting 'The Kiss' from 1908.
Optional Activities
- Visit Mozarthaus Vienna to learn about Mozart's time in the city
- Tour the Kunsthistorisches Museum featuring works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Raphael
- Explore the Belvedere Palace and view Gustav Klimt's 'The Kiss'
Landmarks Mozarthaus Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum Belvedere Palace 
- Day 7
Vienna
Start with Schönbrunn Palace, a UNESCO site that was the Habsburg monarchy's summer home. You'll walk through its manicured gardens and see the ornate rooms inside. From there, head into Vienna's historic center, also UNESCO-listed, where St. Stephen's Cathedral, Hofburg Palace, and the Spanish Riding School show off Gothic and Baroque architecture.
Optional Activities
- Visit Schönbrunn Palace and stroll through its gardens
- Explore St. Stephen's Cathedral
- Visit Hofburg Palace
- See the Spanish Riding School
- Wander through Vienna's historic center
Landmarks Schönbrunn Palace St. Stephen's Cathedral Hofburg Palace Spanish Riding School - Day 8
Vienna to Prague
Travel to Prague, a city in the heart of Europe with narrow streets that open onto historic squares. Known as the 'City of a Thousand Spires,' it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site with medieval buildings throughout. You'll begin in the Old Town, which has been the main marketplace for about a thousand years.
Optional Activities
- Explore Prague's Old Town and its narrow streets
- Visit the medieval squares and historic buildings
- Day 9
Prague
Explore Prague's iconic spots starting with the Old Town Square, where you'll see the Old Town Hall and the Astronomical Clock, a mechanical clock that's been operating since the 1400s. After that, head to Prague Castle, one of the most popular attractions in the city, which includes historic buildings, gardens, and views looking out over Prague.
Optional Activities
- Explore Old Town Square with its stunning architecture
- View the Old Town Hall and Astronomical Clock
- Visit Prague Castle complex with its historic buildings and gardens
Landmarks Old Town Square Old Town Hall Astronomical Clock Prague Castle - Day 10
Prague to Krakow
Travel to Krakow, a city where history and culture run together throughout the streets. The Old Town is your starting point, a UNESCO World Heritage Site centered on the Main Market Square, which is Europe's largest medieval square. You'll see St. Mary's Basilica with its graceful spires, the Cloth Hall, the Town Hall Tower, and hear the bugle call that plays from St. Mary's Tower.
Optional Activities
- Explore the Old Town and Main Market Square
- View St. Mary's Basilica
- Visit the Cloth Hall
- See the Town Hall Tower
- Listen to the bugle call from St. Mary's Tower
Landmarks Old Town Main Market Square St. Mary's Basilica Cloth Hall Town Hall Tower 
- Day 11
Krakow
Explore Wawel Castle, sitting on a hill above the city and representing Polish royalty and history. Inside you'll find the State Rooms and Royal Private Apartments, the Sigismund Bell (one of Europe's largest), and the Dragon's Den. Alternatively, you can visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum just outside the city, a somber but important look at World War II and the Holocaust.
Optional Activities
- Explore Wawel Castle's opulent chambers and State Rooms
- View the Sigismund Bell
- Visit the Dragon's Den
- Tour the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum
Landmarks Wawel Castle Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum - Day 12
Krakow to Budapest
Arrive in Budapest, Hungary's capital along the Danube River. The city blends rich history, striking architecture, and current cultural energy in neighborhoods on both sides of the river.
Optional Activities
- Explore Budapest's historic center
Landmarks Danube River 
- Day 13
Budapest
Cross the Chain Bridge to explore both sides of Budapest. On the Buda side, see the castle complex for city views, walk through medieval streets on Castle Hill, and visit Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion for panoramic sights. Then experience the thermal baths, a tradition dating back to Roman times, at places like Széchenyi and Gellért Baths with their warm mineral waters and Art Nouveau architecture.
Optional Activities
- Cross the Chain Bridge
- Explore Buda Castle complex
- Wander Castle Hill district
- Visit Matthias Church
- Visit Fisherman's Bastion
- Relax in Széchenyi Baths
- Relax in Gellért Baths
Landmarks Chain Bridge Buda Castle Castle Hill Matthias Church Fisherman's Bastion Széchenyi Thermal Bath Gellért Thermal Bath - Day 14
Budapest
As the sun sets, walk along the Danube Promenade on the Pest side where Buda Castle, the Parliament Building, and the Chain Bridge light up, creating an ideal setting for an evening stroll. The Hungarian Parliament Building's neo-Gothic architecture stands out, and you can take a guided tour to see the interior and Crown Jewels. The building looks particularly nice during twilight hours.
Optional Activities
- Walk along the Danube Promenade at sunset
- Tour the Hungarian Parliament Building
- View the Crown Jewels
Landmarks Danube Promenade Hungarian Parliament Building - Day 15
Budapest Departure
This is your final day. Head to Budapest's main airport or one of the train stations to continue onward, whether by plane or rail.
