Imperial Cities: Prague, Vienna & Budapest

Your exploration of three incredible cities begins as you meet the Tour Manager at London Heathrow, ready to fly to Prague. You can also opt to fly from your regional airport and meet the Tour Manager in Czechia.

On arrival in the Czech capital, we check in to our 4-Star hotel located in the 'diplomatic district' near Prague castle. This well-appointed hotel has three restaurants, a café, a flower shop and a wellness centre. There is time to unwind or head out to gain your first glimpse of Prague's charms on your own. With a tram and metro stop near our hotel, you may like to purchase a Prague Visitor Pass which gives you unlimited travel on public transport and allows you entry into most of the city's attractions. Prague's Old Town is a beautiful place to stroll around with fairytale medieval buildings, quirky statues and an incredible range of museums.

This evening, we gather back at the hotel for our first dinner together.

• Dinner

After breakfast this morning, we get to see many cultural and architectural highlights of Prague on a guided tour of the 'City of a Hundred Spires'.

As the largest medieval complex in Europe, dating from the 9th century, Prague Castle bursts with history. The huge St Vitus Cathedral dominates the area, while the nearby St George's Basilica reputedly dates from 920 AD. At the north-eastern edge of the complex is the charmingly quaint Golden Lane, lined with diminutive and colourful medieval houses. Crossing the iconic Charles Bridge, we reach the Old Town Square, the focal point of Prague life since the 12th century. One of the most fascinating features of the square is the renowned astronomical clock. Installed in 1410, it's one of the oldest working pieces of its type.

You have the afternoon at leisure, and you could visit the Czech Beer Museum, the Museum of Fantastic Illusions or Speculum Alchemiae, set in an old alchemist's workshop. Dining independently tonight gives you the opportunity to taste some hearty and delicious Czech food and a glass of frothy beer.

• Breakfast

Enjoy a free day uncovering more wonders of the Czech capital. Prague offers a wide array of attractions and a relaxing way to get your bearings is during a gentle cruise on the Vltava.

Prague excels in the quirky and this is reflected in the works of one of its favourite sons, writer Franz Kafka. There are various statues of Kafka in Prague, including a rotating, kinetic representation of his head, and another near the Spanish Synagogue - appropriately named due to its exterior evoking Andalucía's Alhambra. Inside, the ornate decorations are influenced by Moorish design. This is just one of the beautiful locations in Josefov, Prague's thought-provoking Jewish Quarter. On a stroll round here, you can uncover many buildings that have their own stories to tell, including the Old New Synagogue, which is the oldest active synagogue in Europe.

After sightseeing, you can relax at one of the city's gourmet restaurants, cocktail bars or cafés. If you're looking for something more authentic, try pork and dumplings.

• Breakfast

Leaving Prague by train after breakfast, we journey into neighbouring Austria. Passing sweeping fields, sleepy towns and verdant forests, we arrive in Vienna in the early afternoon.

With its artistic heritage, imperial architecture and enticing culture, Vienna is one of Europe's great capitals. On arrival, we're introduced to this grand city on a guided tour. The famous Ringstrasse is an impressive boulevard encircling the Old City. Numerous grand buildings line this road, including the Vienna State Opera and the Austrian Parliament. The centrepiece of the Ringstrasse is the Hofburg Palace, from where the Habsburgs ruled over large parts of central and eastern Europe between 1273 and 1918. Expanded over the centuries by various emperors, the fascinating Hofburg showcases preeminent examples of Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture.

We also stroll amongst the cobbled streets and narrow houses of Vienna's historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage site, before checking in to our hotel and enjoying traditional Austrian food at a local restaurant.

• Breakfast, Dinner

There's a full day at leisure to explore Vienna at your own pace - and there are many great sights to uncover. The sprawling Schönbrunn Palace overlooks extensive decorative gardens, at the end of which is an 18th-century gloriette. You can pay to tour the palace, or even visit the world's oldest zoo.

In the ornate entrance to the Hofburg Palace, you will find the Spanish Riding School, home to the incredible Lipizzan dancing horses - although pre-booking is required for performances. Vienna's towering St Stephen's Cathedral is in Stephansplatz, the beating heart of the city, and provides great views from the top. The large green space of Prater gardens contains a famous funfair and an iconic Ferris wheel.

Take time to enjoy a typical Viennese coffeehouse experience. These elegant cafés serve a range of coffees along with an enticing selection of pastries and cakes, including the delicious Sachertorte. This evening, you are free to choose your own dinner and may wish to try a Wiener schnitzel with a beer or a glass of chilled Grüner Veltliner wine.

• Breakfast

With a free morning in Vienna, you could visit Belvedere - a complex of two Baroque palaces and an art gallery containing Gustav Klimt's The Kiss.

In the early afternoon, we leave Austria by train bound for Hungary. Budapest was formed when three cities merged. The flatter, lively Pest on the eastern bank of the Danube looks out across the water to the historical and hilly Buda, while the quieter Óbuda sits to the north. Arriving in the early evening, we check in to our Buda hotel. There is some free time to relax before you are taken to Óbuda for dinner in a traditional restaurant that, combined with its serene surroundings, gives the feeling of being in a pleasant Hungarian village.

After dinner, we embark on a highlight of the holiday - sailing down the Danube on an evening cruise. This is one of the best ways to see the beautiful city as the impressive buildings lining the river such as the Parliament building, Buda Castle and the Chain Bridge are now illuminated, casting a magical glow across the Danube.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A guided tour after breakfast reveals the very best of Budapest. We view impressive buildings and monuments on both sides of the Danube, including the iconic parliament building and Castle Hill. Rising high over the Danube, this district contains many of the city's most important and historic sites, including the Baroque castle, Gothic Matthias Church and the swirling towers of Fisherman's Bastion.

You are free for the rest of the day to make your own discoveries in Budapest. The city is renowned for its thermal and medicinal spas. On the Pest side, you could visit the Széchenyi Baths, the largest medicinal bath in Europe, located near Heroes' Square in the City Park. In Buda, the Art Deco Gellért Baths are located near to the shore of the Danube. Or perhaps treat yourself to some cake and coffee at Café New York, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful coffee houses in the world.

For dinner tonight, you might opt for some fine dining in the areas surrounding St Stephen's Basilica and Váci Street.

• Breakfast

Connected by a shared history as parts of the Habsburg empire, the three cities we have explored also reflect their individuality in their architecture and culture. Prague showcased its charm through its quaint buildings, Vienna's Ringstrasse demonstrated its imperial grandeur and Budapest's swirling towers and piercing turrets looked resplendent during an illuminated Danube cruise.

Having explored the capital cities of Czechia, Austria and Hungary with a combination of expertly guided tours and free time, we make our way to Budapest airport this morning for our flights home. Landing back in the UK this afternoon, your imperial adventure comes to a conclusion.

• Breakfast