Itinerary
Europe Trip 2012
Sunday April 08
Singapore
Airlines Flight SQ236 depart 2.40 PM Brisbane arrive Singapore 8:50 PM
Singapore
Airlines Flight SQ392 depart 1.50 AM Singapore (T03) arrive Istanbul 7.45 AM
Monday April 09 Hagia
Sophia: (Aya Sofya) closed;
Dolmabahce Palace, (Dolmabahçe Sarayı) closed;
Istanbul info at http://www.letsgoistanbul.com/ and
http://www.turkishflavours.com/index.php and http://www.frommers.com/destinations/istanbul/350_maps.html
Arrive
Istanbul INT (Ataturk Airport) 7.45 AM, pick up from airport by Gulhane Suites
Istanbul
Australians need to pay US$20or 15
Euro (in cash) for a visa that is valid for three months. Visas can be obtained
from the airport on arrival, just before passport control.
Apartment at
Gulhane Suites, ALEMDAR CAD. GUZEL SANATLAR SOK. NO:
16 SULTANAHMET / ISTANBUL - TURKEY
0542 735 6638
Free
high speed internet
175 EURO per night = 175 * 5 =
875 EURO (CASH), exchange Euro
to Turkish Lira
Tuesday April 10 Tokapi palace closed; Dolmabahce Palace,
(Dolmabahçe Sarayı) closed
Istanbul
Wednesday April 11 Chora Church Museum closed
Istanbul
Thursday April 12
Istanbul - market food tour 10.30 -16.30.
Turkish Flavours: Selin mobile number
+90 532 218 06 53.
10:30 am We meet in front of the Spice Bazaar, also known
as the Egyptian Market, which is located just across the street from the Galata
bridge on the Old City side of the Golden Horn, along Ragip Gumuspala Caddesi. The
Spice Bazaar is set back from the road and shares a piazza with a large mosque
called Yeni Cami (Yeni mosque). We meet just to the right of the entrance to
the Bazaar where there is a little plaque describing, in brief, the history of
the market (called Misir Carsisi in Turkish). There is also a little
supermarket here with a red and blue sign saying "Itimat".
Friday April 13
Istanbul
Saturday April 14
Fly to
Bucharest (exchange EURO into RON (lei) at any commercial bank)
Turkish
Airlines flight
Depart
Istanbul 7.50 am arrive Bucharest 9.15
am, pick up by Scenic Tours
River Cruise Itinerary (Bucharest – Amsterdam)
Tour Map
River Cruise Highlights
·
Arrive in Rüdesheim and visit Siegfried’s Musical Instrument
Museum
·
Sightseeing in one of Europe’s best preserved towns –
Bamberg
·
Tour of Nuremberg; a self guided tour of the WWII
Documentation Centre
·
Sightseeing tour of Regensburg, including the Old Chapel and
Stone Bridge
·
Guided tour of Melk including entry to Melk Benedictine
Abbey
·
Guided sightseeing tour of Austria’s capital Vienna
·
Witness a horse show in Kalocsa and trace the Turkish
origins of paprika
·
Visit to Vukovar to enjoy the architectural monuments
·
Guided sightseeing in Novi Sad including the Petrovaradin
Fortress
·
Full Day excursion in Serbian capital of Belgrade
·
Cruise through the spectacular and narrow Iron Gate
·
Guided excursion to Veliko Tarnovo including lunch in a
local restaurant
·
Guided sightseeing of Bucharest including the Palace of the
Parliament
·
Full day excursion to Transylvania including a tour of Bran
Castle
All This Included
·
Experienced Cruise Director
·
All meals including breakfast, lunch and dinner daily
included on cruise
·
Coffee, premium teas, espresso drinks and hot chocolate
·
Beer, wine and soft drink with lunch and dinner
·
Wonderful local entertainment
·
Airport transfers
·
Spacious full size balcony suites
·
Complimentary bicycles
·
Exclusive private butler service on all Danube Deck cabins
·
All tipping and gratuities included
Day 1 Bucharest (Saturday April 14) - RON (lei)
Welcome to
Bucharest! You will be met by your Scenic Tours representative and transferred
to your hotel. (D) (JW Marriott Hotel
Bucharest)
1)
Suggest walk or get taxi to Old Town (Lipscani) http://www.inyourpocket.com/romania/bucharest/sightseeing/Lipscani-Old-Town
– Lipscani
Strada, Pasajul Macca- Vilacrosse, Smardan Str
2)
Tour of Parliament House
Day 2 Bucharest (Sunday April 15) - RON (lei)
Today we’ll
visit Bran Castle, more widely known as the home of Count Dracula. (FB) (JW Marriott Hotel Bucharest)
Day 3 Bucharest – Embarkation (Monday April 16) - RON (lei)
Today enjoy
an Included sightseeing tour of the town. This afternoon, you will be met and
transferred to your Scenic Tours ‘Space-Ship.’ (FB, D) (Scenic Pearl)
Day 4 Black Sea – Cernavoda (Tuesday April 17) - RON (lei)
Enjoy an
excursion to the seaside town of Constanta, the gateway to the Black Sea coast
with the largest harbour in the Black Sea. (FB,L,D)
Day 5 Russe - Arbanassi - Veliko Tarnovo -
Svistov (Wednesday
April 18)
The leafy
village of Arbanassi, is Included in UNESCO’s world heritage list of valuable
cultural sites. We venture to Veliko Tarnovo, a town with a rich
historical past and then on to Svistov in Bulgaria. (FB,L,D) Bulgarian currency is Lev (BGL), plural:
Leva: tied to the EURO and the exchange rate is fixed at EURO 1 = BGL 1,95583
Day 6 Iron Gate (Thursday April 19)
Be sure to
have your camera ready as we cruise the spectacular Iron Gate, a narrow gorge
carved by the Danube between the Carpathian and Balkan Mountains. (FB,L,D)
Day 7 Belgrade (Friday April 20) Serbia
Dinar
Today we
explore Serbia’s capital Belgrade. We’ll visit Tito’s memorial, Fortress
Kalemegdan and St Sava Church on our Included tour. (FB,L,D)
Day 8 Novi Sad – Vukovar (Saturday April 21) Serbia
Dinar
We cruise
to Novi Sad where our Included guided tour reveals the multicultural origins of
the city. Then see architectural monuments, along with sombre reminders of the
Balkan Wars on your Included guided tour of Vukovar. (FB,L,D)
Day 9 Kalocsa (Sunday April 22) Hungary is part of EU but still uses Forint, 1 Euro = 275 Forint
Today we
will visit a Hungarian Puszta horse farm and enjoy a show before tracing the
Turkish origins of paprika. (FB,L,D)
Day 10 Budapest (Monday April 23) Hungary
Forint
Today enjoy
Budapest at your leisure. (FB,L,D). suggest
Castle hill walking tour, Central market hall – seeing walking tours in
Dropbox. Museums are closed on Mondays.
Depending on the weather, Margaret Island also sounds nice.
Day 11 Budapest (Tuesday April 24)
Hungary Forint
Included
Scenic FreeChoice tour: (1) Guided City tour; or (2) Thermal Baths and Spa; or
(3) Communism Heritage Museum. Tonight celebrate with Folklore music before a
wonderful farewell dinner. (FB,L,D)
Day 12 Vienna (Wednesday April 25) Euro
Included
Scenic FreeChoice tour: (1) Schönbrunn Palace; or (2) Opera House and coffee
and cake; or (3) excursion to Bratislava. (FB,L,D)
Day 13 Vienna (Thursday April 26) Euro
Vienna
sightseeing or Scenic FreeTime: Self guided audio tour. Tonight ScenicEnrich
highlights include a glass of Austrian ‘Sekt’ at the majestic Palais
Liechtenstein. Then an enchanting private viennese evening concert featuring
the music of Strauss and Mozart. (FB,L,D)
Frommer
walking tours: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/vienna/0068010008.html
Day 14 Vienna - Durnstein – Melk (Friday April 27) Euro
FreeTime:
Dürnstein or guided bike tour. Visit Melk Abbey. ScenicEnrich organ recital,
performed by one of the housing Benedictine Monks. (FB,L,D)
Day 15 Linz – Passau (Saturday April 28) Euro/
Czech koruna
Included
Scenic FreeChoice: (1) tour of Passau; or (2) Visit to Salzburg; or (3) an
excursion to Cesky Krumlov. (FB,L,D)
Day 16 Regensburg (Sunday April 29) Euro
Enjoy an
Included guided walking tour. (FB,L,D)
The
Regensberg cathedral's boys' choir (Domspatzen - "Cathedral
Sparrows") are highly acclaimed and can be heard during Mass at 10am on
Sundays. Frommers info on Regensberg http://www.frommers.com/destinations/regensburg/0823010029.html
Day 17 Nuremberg (Monday April 30) (FB,L,D) Euro
Passengers
will be transported by coach from Regensburg to Nuremberg (approximately 110km)
for the Nuremberg Scenic Free Choice.
Lunch will be provided in a local restaurant. After free time in the
afternoon you will be transported by coach back to the ship, which will be
docked in Regensburg.
Day 18 Bamberg (Tuesday May 1)
(FB,L,D) Euro
Passengers
will be transported by coach from Regensburg to Bamberg (approximately 160km)
for the city sightseeing tour of Bamberg. Lunch will be provided in a local
restaurant. After free time in the afternoon you will be transported by coach
back to the ship which will be docked in Regensburg.
Day 19 Regensburg-Wurzburg (Wednesday
May 2) (FB,L,D) Euro
Relax
onboard today as the ship sails from Regensburg to Wurzburg.
Day 20 Würzburg (Thursday May 3) Euro
This
morning your Scenic Space-Ship arrives in Gerlachschausen. Today choose from
one of the following Included SCENIC FREE CHOICE tours: (1) A guided walking
tour of Würzburg including the Prince Bishop’s Residenz Palace and a wine
tasting in the underground cellars; or (2) Enjoy an excursion down the Romantic
Road to unforgettable Rothenburg.
(FB,L,D)
Day 21 European Village
Life (Friday May 4) Euro
SCENIC
ENRICH Today you will be taken off the beaten track as an invited guest to
experience Village life just for a day- Exclusive to Scenic Tours. Choose from
a selection of activities from everyday life like cooking onion pie, or be
welcomed into private castles and family wineries. Enjoy home-grown
entertainment as you are invited to dine with the locals and relish on their
specialities and delicacies prepared just for you.
Day 22
Rüdesheim – Marksburg Castle (Saturday
May 5) Euro
Please note that due to the amended
sailing schedule we will no longer be docking, or spending time in Cologne.
Today in
Rüdesheim board the ‘Winzerexpress’ mini train for a guided visit of
Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. Board a cable car up to the
Niederwald Monument, for a bird’s eye view overlooking the river. Cruise this
afternoon through the spectacular Rhine Gorge with its stunning castles and
vine-covered slopes. Tonight SCENIC ENRICH highlights include a Medieval
banquet in Marksburg Castle. Set high above the banks of the Rhine this 12th
Century castle is the only one never to have been destroyed. Step back in time
and enjoy a private tour of the castle.
Day 23
Amsterdam Scenic Free Choice (Sunday May 6) Euro
This
morning your Scenic Space-Ship will dock in Duisburg, where you will be met for
your Amsterdam Scenic Free Choice.
Please note that the Biking Tour of Amsterdam and Excursion to Zaanse
Schans are not available on this sailing, in lieu of this we will be including
an additional Scenic Free Choice of a visit to the city of Nijmegen.
Included
Scenic FreeChoice Options:
(1) A visit
to Venlo for the 2012 Floriade –you will travel to Floriade in the morning
returning to the ship for lunch and then enjoy sailing in the afternoon ; or
(2) A sightseeing tour of the charming,
picturesque city of Nijmegen - you will travel to Nijmegen in the morning
returning to the ship for lunch and then enjoy sailing in the afternoon; or (3) A sightseeing canal cruise in
Amsterdam –you will travel to Amsterdam in the morning and enjoy a canal
cruise, you will lunch in a local restaurant and have the afternoon free in
Amsterdam before returning to the ship later in the day.
Day 24 Amsterdam (Monday May 7) Euro
After
breakfast, we disembark. (FB)
Hotel details (free wifi and breakfast): € 368,00
per rooms/2 night
Hotel
Sint Nicolaas
Spuistraat 1a
1012 SP Amsterdam
Netherlands
+31(0)20-6261384
info@hotelnicolaas.nl
Netherland
Ideas:
·
Amsterdam
o
Canal tour of
o
Museums
§
Van Gogh
§
Rijksmuseum- huge museum – mainly Dutch art
o
De Gooyer windmill – one of only 6 remaining
·
Lisse (high priority)
o
nearby bulb fields – 30km drive from Haarlem to Leiden
centred on Lisse (called the Bollenstreek)
o
Keukenhof – spectacular public garden http://www.keukenhof.nl/
·
Hague
o
Maurithuis – major art gallery
·
Gouda
o
St Janskerk Cathedral
·
Kinderdijk – famous 19 windmills
·
Edam – cheese market not until July
·
Volendam – old fishing village on Ijsselmeer, famous for
dyke, traditional costumes http://wikitravel.org/en/Volendam
·
·
Zaanse Schans – open air museum http://www.zaanseschans.nl/
·
·
Zuiderzee – huge museum
http://www.zuiderzeemuseum.nl/10/home/
·
Alkmaar
o
Ancient town, canals
o
Cheese market – Friday mornings
o
Cheese museum
o
Beer museum with sampling
·
Haarlem – looks kind of interesting in ancient sort of way
·
Aalsmeer – biggest flower auction
·
Paleis Het Loo – near Apeldoorn in Gelderland (probably too
far)
Tuesday May 8
Hotel details (free wifi and
breakfast):
Hotel Sint Nicolaas
Spuistraat 1a
1012 SP Amsterdam
Netherlands
+31(0)20-6261384
info@hotelnicolaas.nl
Wednesday May 9 Euro
Travel to
Paris – leaving 8:16am (arriving 11:35) balance due 585
euros (cash), plus 500 Euro security deposit authorise on card
2 bed 2
bath Apartment at 18, rue du Pont Neuf 75001, Paris.
[Contact:
Olivier Migette, boxi.gestionlocative@gmail.com, +33 6 37 14 18 57]
Free wifi
internet
Perhaps if
time visit Jim Morrison's grave
Thursday May 10 Euro
Paris
2 bed 2
bath Apartment at 18, rue du Pont Neuf 75001, Paris.
[Contact:
Olivier Migette, boxi.gestionlocative@gmail.com, +33 6 37 14 18 57]
Friday May 11 Euro
Paris
2 bed 2
bath Apartment at 18, rue du Pont Neuf 75001, Paris.
[Contact:
Olivier Migette, boxi.gestionlocative@gmail.com, +33 6 37 14 18 57]
Saturday May 12
Singapore
Airlines Flight SQ333 depart 12:00 PM Paris (Charles De Gaulle) T01 arrive
Singapore 6.40 AM (Sunday)
Sunday May 13
Singapore
Airlines Flight SQ245 depart Singapore 9.50 AM arrive Brisbane 7.30 PM