Group members from across Canada gather for the overnight flights to Budapest, Hungary.

Upon arrival, we will be met by our tour director and enjoy a brief panoramic tour introducing us to this charming city as we proceed to our hotel. Hungary’s capital is bisected by the River Danube and is actually two cities – Buda and Pest. The 19th-century Chain Bridge connects the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A funicular runs up Castle Hill to Buda’s Old Town while Trinity Square is home to 13th-century Matthias Church and the turrets of the Fishermen’s Bastion. With the remainder of the afternoon at leisure, we can take some time to relax and to go exploring. This evening we will enjoy our welcome dinner with an opportunity to taste Hungarian cuisine. Radisson Beke (2 nights).

We begin our journey with a tour of the twin cities of Buda and Pest. They both crackle with energy, and soothe with their lovely setting on the banks of the Danube. Our local specialist leads us through Heroes’ Square, adorned with seven massive, powerful statues of Magyar chieftains, to the parliament area. For a beautiful view over the city, we drive up to the Gellert Hill on the Buda side. Our second part of the city tour includes the St. Matthias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion. Tonight enjoy Budapest from the waterside during a dinner cruise on the Danube.

After a morning visit in Szentendre (a picturesque fishing village which is home to a harmonious mix of Hungarians, Croats, and Serbs whose families were expelled from Serbia by the Turks in the 17th century), we continue along the Danube to the romantic Danube bend, one of the most interesting Hungarian stretches of the legendary river. Here we explore Esztergom with its impressive cathedral. This afternoon we continue into Vienna. Grand Hotel Biedermeier (3 nights).

Vienna’s Ringstrasse was the Habsburg state boulevard, created by Emperor Franz Joseph to showcase the wealth and importance of the Empire. Here we see Austria’s magnificent state buildings, including the historic parliament, city hall, the university, plus the national theatre and museums. Our city exploration continues past the Imperial Palace, a stately structure that evolved over the centuries and is now home to Austria’s president. We also visit Schönbrunn Palace, summer home of the imperial family and a superb example of Austrian Baroque style. In the evening, enjoy dinner and a concert in the Orangery of the Schönbrunn Palace.

Today we take a musical journey through the city of Beethoven, Schubert, Mozart, Haydn, and Strauss. Discover why this city inspired such great compositions on a "musical walk" among memorials to the great Viennese composers, followed by a tour of the State Opera (if available, depending on performance schedules) or a visit to the House of Music. The afternoon offers free time to explore Vienna further. Dinner at a traditional Viennese Restaurant.

Our scenic journey to Salzburg takes us through the beautiful Wachau Valley. We then follow the Danube River Valley to the monastery of Melk. Later we continue through the Lake District of the Salzkammergut, the former imperial summer residence of the Hapsburg rulers, to Salzburg, the city of Mozart and The Sound of Music. Hotel Untersberg (2 nights).

In the morning, we set off on our guided walk through the centre - a pedestrian zone where we find many historic sites related to Mozart. Salzburg, which is also known as the “Rome of the North,” has many magnificent monuments from the Baroque and Renaissance periods. Designated as an UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, Salzburg was ruled for centuries by Prince Archbishops. Highlights of our walk include Mozart’s birthplace, the Fortress Hohensalzburg, and the Salzburg Cathedral. The afternoon offers free time to explore Salzburg further before returning to our hotel.

We cross the Austrian – German border as we head west to Munich. On arrival, a local guide will introduce us to the sights of Bavaria's capital: the Nymphenburg Palace, Marienplatz, Frauenkirche, and the Olympic Stadium. Free time for lunch before we make our way to Oberammergau and the highlight of our journey, the Passion Play. Dinner and overnight in Oberammergau. Hotel Alte Post or similar (2 nights).

We’ll have the morning free to shop and enjoy the village’s quaint wooden homes, adorned with colourful paintings. Following lunch, the highlight of the trip, the Passion Play in Oberammergau begins! The Play was instituted in 1633, when the town was stricken by plague. It was performed for the first time in 1634 and since then has been a tradition, played every ten years. It’s just a short walk from the hotel to the theatre, which was built in 1930 and has seating for 4,800 spectators. While the seats are covered, the stage is open to the elements, using the natural grandeur of the region as a backdrop.

We travel to Regensburg, a city with a history that dates back to the Stone Age. Enjoy a guided walk through the old city. Regensburg is known for its well-preserved medieval core and the 12th-century Stone Bridge. The 13th-century Regensburg Cathedral, a twin-spired Gothic landmark, is home to the Regensburger Domspatzen choir. In the afternoon, continue to one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, Prague. NH Hotel (3 nights)

This historic city offers a mix of Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo treasures. Today we will have our first views of the city in all its splendour along with a discussion of Prague’s history. We explore the castle of Prague, dating back to the 8th century. Then stroll through the Old Town to view its churches and palaces, many of them used today for embassies and art galleries.

Crossing the historic Charles Bridge, we enter the Jewish Quarter where we visit the Jewish Museum, an impressive memorial to one of the Czech Republic’s defining cultures, and the famous Prague cemetery, home to more than 40,000 graves. Narrow lanes and generous squares are characteristic of the Old Town, where we meander through Wenceslas Square and tour the Estates Theatre, site of the first performance of Mozart's Don Giovanni. Enjoy our farewell evening at the Cicovice Court restaurant, a former farmhouse offering folk music and dancing.