An Overview of Central
Europe
With a fascinating past and a bright future, Central Europe represents a truly unique
travel experience. Historic cities replete with centuries-old architecture await
you, as do rides through some of the continent's most picturesque countryside.
A Globus guided tour of Germany
will take you to venerable sites like Berlin's Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, a
visit that can last all day. This grand old building is an architectural marvel,
a working church and a war memorial-pockmarked on the outside from allied air raids
sustained during World War II.
Nearby, the Museum at Checkpoint Charlie is truly a "museum inside a museum." Our
Tour Directors will be able to tell you all about its history and bring to life
the tension that existed here during the Cold War.
The landmarks that await your arrival in
Budapest start with Heroes' Square, a tribute to 19th century Hungarian
nationalism. At its tallest point the monument stands over 100 feet and is encircled
by statues of seven conquering Magyar tribal chiefs on horseback. Your Tour Director
can tell you all about the significance of these statues and their historical import.
History is not all that the city has to offer, however. First-time visitors are
often awed by the size and beauty of Budapest and enjoy taking long walks along
the Danube-which bisects the city-while ducking into modern cafés and shops.
Krakow,
Poland has become a favorite tourist site as it too blends the historic
and the contemporary to offer visitors "a synthesis of all things Polish." A three-hour
drive away, the 1.6 million citizens of Warsaw insist that their home is the "Heart
of Poland," and are proud to boast the country's arts and financial capital.
Along with a rich history and an abundance of sightseeing opportunities, Vienna,
Austria is also home to scores
of coffeehouses that every traveler must experience. Our Tour Directors know where
each one is and will make sure that you step into the legendary cafés Central, where
Goethe, Beethoven, and Mahler-among other luminaries-were known to start their days.
 And
finally, after you're finished roaming around beautiful
Prague, you'll be thrilled to find plenty of pubs in which to enjoy a beer.
The Czechs, after all, know their beer: They're first in the world in per capita
beer consumption, first to produce a brewing textbook, and first to open up a beer
museum.
There's only one way to experience it all, from history to hops. Explore
Globus vacations to Central and Eastern Europe.
Fun Facts About Central Europe
- Stephen I (a.k.a. King Stephen the Great or St. Stephen of Hungary) was the first
King of Hungary, from 1000 A.D. to 1038. He was succeeded by 27-year-old Peter Orseolo.
- On October 23, 1956, students at Budapest Technical University held a peaceful march
in support of a Polish uprising against the Soviet Union and a desire that Hungary
be freed from the Soviet empire. This march would initiate the Hungarian Revolution,
which would end on November 4 when Soviet tanks and troops invaded Budapest.
- The pretzel, known in Germany as "the Brezel" was brought to America in 1710 by
Palatine Germans who would become known as the Pennsylvania Dutch.
- Germany is roughly the size of Montana and is home to over 82 million people.
- Innsbruck, Austria hosted the Winter Olympics in 1964 and again in 1976, after Colorado
voters rejected the idea of having Denver host the Games.
- In 1918, the first known long-distance civil air service was established, carrying
people, goods, and even mail between Vienna and Krakow.
- Poland made a quick transition from communism to a market economy in 1990 and the
Warsaw Stock Exchange opened for business in 1991.
- After Czechoslovakia dissolved, the Czech part of the country was without a common,
single-word name for its country. In 1993, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs
proposed the name Czechia as an official alternative in all situations other than
formal official documents and the full names of government institutions.
- At 5,256 feet high, Mount Snezka in the Krkonose (Giant) Mountains, is the highest
point in the Czech Republic.
- Generally regarded as the world's first motorway, the initial 19 km stretch of the
Autobahn was built in Berlin from 1913 to 1921.
What to say, and what not
to say, when meeting an Austrian?
Austrian social convention calls for two people meeting each other for the first
to use surnames. After that initial meeting, however, you're expected to address
each other with given names.
Some other social customs in Austria include always saying "Guten Tag" ("Good Day"*)
when entering a shop or restaurant. Whenever you're leaving, it is considered impolite
not to say "Auf Wiedersehen" ("Good-Bye"*) to the shop owner.
Currency & Travel
If you are in the process of planning your vacation and need information on currency
exchange rates, click here to access our currency converter
tool. While you're on vacation you will need spending money for meals and entrance
fees not already included, beverages, excursions, gratuities and shopping.
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