Today we depart Norfolk on Lufthansa Airlines for our over seas flight to Budapest. Dinner and breakfast will be severed on board. We arrive in the great city of Budapest, which houses one-fifth of the country's population, and dominates Hungarian cultural, educational, political and economic life. We will be met by our English-speaking escort and transferred to our hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure to relax or take a leisure stroll exploring the wonders this city holds. Evening will start with a Thanksgiving prayer, brief orientation, welcome drink and dinner. (D) A visit to Budapest will be love at first sight. The mighty Danube River divides the Hungarian capital in two, separating the hills and valleys of Buda from the flatland of Pest. The view of the bridge spanning the river, the buildings along the banks and the rich culture they represent, are on the list of World Heritage sites. We will view the spectacular bridges across the Danube from Gillert Hill. Then marvel at the superb murals in the Church of St. Matthias beside the Fisherman's Bastion, from where we have a perfect vista of the beautiful Parliament building. We view the Royal Palace of Buda, then cross the Danube to the Pest District, where we visit Heroes Square, the Church of St Stephen and drive along Andrassy Blvd. Tonight we will enjoy a special highlight evening with Hungarian Folklore Show with music and dinner (B/D) After breakfast, we depart Budapest driving into Slovakia and through the breathtaking Tatra Mountains, where peasants still live in traditional wooden houses and bears roam wild in the forest. We make a photo stop at the picturesque Oravsky Hrad Castle. Then we cross into Poland and continue to a veritable jewel box of historic Polish treasures, Krakow. Dinner at a traditional restaurant. (H/D) Morning visit to the Convent of Sisters of Mercy in Lagiewiki, where Sister Faustina lived and died. Mass can be celebrated here. For centuries, the seat of Poland's Kings and recently the hometown of Pope John Paul II. Krakow is listed by the United Nations as one of the world's most significant historic sites. On our guided tour, we ascend Wawel Hill, with its castle and legendary dragon, to visit the Cathedral, burial place of Polish heroes. We will then walk through the Old Town visiting the arcaded courtyard of Jagiellonian University and the Cloth Hall in the vast Market Square. We will also visit the 14th century St Mary's Church. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for the trumpeter in the tower, who sounds his horn every hour on the hour- a tradition dating back to 1241. We will then depart for Wadowice to visit the birthplace of Pope John Paul II. After our visit we return to Krakow, (B/D) Today, we journey to the little town of Oswiecim, which has become renowned for a rather somber reason- the nearby construction of the concentration camps Auschwitz and Birkenau. We will visit of the camps with a local guide. Then north to Czestochowa to visit the 14th century Monastery of Jasna Gora, Poland's premier Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, popularly known as "Black Madonna Shrine". We will celebrate Mass and join with people from around the world in prayer. We then continue across the Polish Plains to Poland's capital Warsaw. (H/D) Warsaw was destroyed during World War II and it was only because of the architectural detailed painting of the city by Canaletto that the city was able to reconstruct itself to its authentic beauty. Our touring will include the Palace of Culture and Chopin Memorial in Lazienki Park, the Monument of the Ghetto Heroes, and the reconstructed Old Town. Balance of the day at leisure. At night if available, we may want to attend an optional Chopin Concert. (H/D) We depart today for Berlin heading over the fertile plains to the historic river port of Pozan. There will be time for lunch (which is on your own) in the Old Square before we cross the German frontier at the River Oder on the way to Berlin the capital of Germany. Dinner will be on your own in Berlin. (B) We are met this morning by a local guide who will show us the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag, Germany's Parliament buildings. We then drive along the Unter den Linden, past the State Opera House and Alexanderplatz. In the afternoon, we will enjoy a highlight excursion to Potsdam to visit the Cecilienhof, where the 1945 Treaty was signed. We will also visit the Gardens of Frederick the Great and Sans Souci Palace. (H/D) Today we drive south to Dresden, the German Baroque City. A walking tour will take us to the ruined Frauenkirche. Rising once again from wartime destruction, we will see the Castle of the Electors of Saxony, including the unique Saxon Wall overlaid with Meissen tiles and the courtyards of Zwinger Palace and the Opera House. After some leisure time, we continue over the border to the Czech Republic and to Prague, the city awarded the prestigious title "European City of Culture". (B/D) Prague has blossomed since the "Velvet Revolution", but its unique character remains unchanged. Highlights of our tour this morning: visit the Church of Our Lady of Victorious, where we can actually see the Statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague: visit the amazing St. Vitus' Cathedral set inside the 1,000 year old Prague Castle: walk to the Old Town Square with its Astronomical Clock. After dinner, we have a chance on our own to explore and experience some of Prague's exciting nightlife. (B/D) We depart Prague and head for the Austrian border stopping in Mondsee, the Salzkammergut Lake District to "The Sound of Music" town and Cathedral where Maria and Captain Van Trapp were married. The cathedral was featured in the movie showing "Maria" led by Liesi walking down the aisle to meet the baron in front of the main altar. After this lovely visit, we continue on to Salzburg. (B/D) Today we continue with our "Sound of Music" touring. We start with a visit to the Mirabell Gardens and Palace where "Maria and the children" sang the song "Do-Re-Me. Next we visit St Peter's Century where the dramatic flight scenes were filmed. Then we depart for Vienna. (B/H) Our day begins with a local guide taking us to see the inside of the glorious State Apartments of Schonbrunn Palace. We will have time to admire the gardens and Gloriette. As we continue on, we marvel at the great baroque St Charles Church before driving along the famous" Ring". We will see the superb Opera House, the great Hofburg Imperial Residence, the impressive Parliament, and Belvedere Palace. The afternoon is at leisure to explore the city, shop or just relax. This evening we will have a Farewell dinner at a Heuriger Restaurant with wine and music. (B/H) After breakfast, we are transferred to the airport for our flight home arriving home the same day. We take with us friendships, memories and blessings to last us a life tie. (B)