Legacies of Central Europe Ten-Day Tour

The Polish capital is itself a celebration of resilience, reborn and redefined on many occasions through its long history. There is no dwelling on the past here, but instead delight in the contrasts that the different eras have created. Unlike most Central European cities, the focus is not on a main square. Instead, Warsaw is a jigsaw puzzle of architectural styles and neighborhoods. Gothic churches mingle with futuristic design as old royal palaces are entirely distinct from Stalin’s 1950s Palace of Culture and Science. There is energy to the streets, and on this first evening you can just take a stroll and appreciate how beautifully everything comes together. You will be staying in Srodmiescie, the most central inner city area that has been restored to reflect its early medieval style.

With a day spent in Warsaw, you can join the dots between eras. Lush parks cover the southern outskirts of the city, and you can wander past the trees to find glamorous palaces as their whitewashed facades only hint at the ornamental treasures inside. Wilanow Palace and Potocki Palace bring understanding as to the country Poland once was, while the old Jewish Ghetto shows what it became just before the war. A city block has been left untouched, and this helps you feel what took place here only 80 years ago. Gaze inside Nozyk Synagogue and find solace at the genocide memorial, before walking past the most outrageous of all Warsaw’s buildings, the one built by Stalin. Being in and around Srodmiescie is best in the evenings so you can just walk around without a plan, heading into the old cathedrals and welcoming restaurants at your leisure.

On Krakow’s main square the houses are red, yellow and green. Romanesque churches are slung low down narrow streets, while Gothic and Baroque churches rise artistically around Rynek Glowny. You will have traveled through forest and parkland before the train cut through old city walls to the spectacular central square. This city has always been Poland’s cultural hub, yet it is not overbearing. With most of the day to explore, you will be able to see all of the key highlights without having to rush. Start on the square, and then dip into the churches where stunning altarpieces and surreal stained glass will slow the pace and bring your gaze upwards.

Comparing St Mary’s Church with the 11th-century St Adalbert's Church and the Baroque Church of St Anne will give you a sense of the city’s history. The Palace of the Bishops of Krakow is Renaissance in style, and entirely different from Wawel Castle. Turn again to explore the smaller squares of the city where you can smell the dumplings and hear choir songs escaping from small churches. As you explore, you can enjoy a full range of colors with each building a different hue in the city’s medieval heart. Despite huge destruction during the war, Krakow has been incredibly preserved and restored, so it still reflects its glory days, when it was the capital of Poland for some 531 years.

There is no romanticizing Auschwitz, as it is indeed a tough and harrowing tour that presses on many of your emotions. But it is essential viewing, as witnessing what took place increases your admiration for what has happened since. Wieliczka is far more light-hearted as salt shimmers vividly in enormous caverns, even in the underground gloom. Chambers lead to more chambers as natural salt sculptures decorate ceilings and floor. Put on a hard hat and explore, nature’s canvas an uplifting experience after the concentration camps. You will be back in Krakow by mid-afternoon, giving you lots of time to go out exploring. From cafe terraces to churches to stone sculptures around the castle, you can enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

A city of bohemian fantasy and with fairytale design, Prague is the most iconic of all of Central Europe’s cities. Stone bridges reach effortlessly over the Vltava River as cathedral bells chime to tell the passing of time. Palaces glimmer softly along the water as a blackened bridge tower tells of the 14th century. There are great wonders to be found here, yet perhaps the greatest beauty lies in the vernacular. While Prague Castle and Charles Bridge are world-famous attractions, this is a city where almost every building is a work of art. The variety is breathtaking, and your local guide will help you to understand the eras as the streets are a fanciful mix of Roman, Baroque and Gothic.

Arrival by train allows you to experience the old station, as well as cut a path through the city’s neighborhoods. You will be staying in New Town, which is also very old, but not as old as the Old Town, at a small hotel along the river. On a three-hour walking tour you will connect with Prague, from the Cubist House of the Black Madonna to Tyn Church, and than St Vitus Cathedral and St George’s Basilica. Prague is a large old city, so there is a lot of walking to do. Rest your legs around sunset with a river cruise along the Vltava, watching the castle walls become illuminated as the clink of glasses drifts out from riverside bars.

Skulls gaze at you, and you realize that there are many thousands around you. It is hard to tell in a chapel that is all bones, as human skeletons were piled up here for centuries before they were transformed into the ghoulish Sedlec Monastery. Bones are not purely decoration but the building’s very structure, with curves of tibias and femurs forming columns to keep up the roof. Other surreal heritage can be found in Kutna Hora, like St Barbara’s Church, which is a masterpiece of Gothic design from a time when extravagance was the norm. Back in the 15th century, Kutna Hora was the capital of the Bohemian kingdom, and walking around it feels as if the city has been frozen in that time.

Dresden was once the world’s most beautiful Baroque city, but unfortunately, you can now only get a glimpse of its riches. Much of the old town was destroyed during the war, but it is slowly being restored, with stolen art returned to the palaces and galleries. A day is plenty to see the highlights, and you will begin at Zwinger Palace. Murals cover the palace walls and tell a 50-meter tale of Dresden’s history as the Saxony capital. Head inside and faces look at you from all angles, with both sculptures and paintings on a scale far larger than your last three cities; Raphael's Sistine Madonna is just one that has been recovered and returned. Continue the old city tour, taking in the Opera House and Frauenkirche, plus the ring of angels that are draped above the River Elbe. There is a gritty, alternative side to Dresden as well, and you will be able to wander the vintage and antique stores, with lots of colorful graffiti and pop-up bars.

There is no escaping the history in Berlin as the famous wall still snakes through the city, even if only a couple of small sections are still standing. Now it is just an indented brick on the ground for a mark to show what was east and what was west. The two sides are now united, coming together over the last decades to craft something new. Start your exploration at Checkpoint Charlie, where a tank still sits on the street, and there is a fascinating story from the Cold War. Besides a section of the original wall, you will find a city beach and a cocktail bar, your first example of how Berlin brings fun to what was once a traumatic place.

The city’s big grandeur stands in the west, such as the neoclassical wonder of Brandenburg Gate. It’s grandeur with tales to tell, particularly at the Reichstag Building and Unter den Linden nearby. Following the wall is the best one-day introduction to Germany’s capital, as you will find a city made up of many distinctive neighborhoods and appreciate both the differences and the similarities between the two sides. End in Tiergarten, a bustling area of pop-up art galleries and boutiques.

Your final day is left free and will be customized to your interests. You will be at the end of a 10-day Europe trip, so you may be wanting some downtime, Berlin style of course. You can shop on broad boulevards, check out atmospheric central districts, ride the train to cafes and parks. Potsdam is a good day trip, with grand 18th-century palaces stretching through a forested park, their rococo style unlike anything else you’ve seen in the last nine days.

Berlin is a city that grows on visitors. At first, you may find it a little overwhelming, especially the sense of freedom to the streets. By the second day, you will be used to some of the cultural quirks and accept that Berlin is different from everywhere else in Central Europe and beyond. Your guide can help you to plan your itinerary, as well as organize local activities and trips. Drive around the city in an Eastern European old-timer car, take a tour of the city’s premier art galleries, explore more World War II history and continue finding out why Berlin is a capital with many different sides.

After five cities and three countries you will depart from Berlin and take home ten days of experiences and so many cultural legacies from across Central Europe.