The Best of Eastern Europe (2012)

Weather in April for this trip was very pleasant, some rain but overall it was cool so you have to dress in layers and take rain gear. However really enjoyed traveling in off season as no large crowds which was a big plus.

There was only 18 people on this trip which was great since we had a regular bus so everyone had plenty of room. Our bus driver was top shelf, the best we have ever had.

We took all the optional tours but the salt mine and Zakopane were the two best, I highly recommend both of these.

Just about all the shopping was fixed price since Europe, but the best shopping was Krakow in the cloth hall where you could bargain. Excellent amber and other gifts. Also open market in Budapest and Zakopane where you could bargain. As you might be able to tell, I love to bargain.

There are long bus rides for this trip, but only way to get there so be sure and take something to entertain you while traveling.

All hotels were near ATM's, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. except the hotel in Prague was remote and the room tiny. I am hoping that GCT makes a change for future trips.

The tour of AuschwitzBirkenau was a highlight and our local guide for our tour was excellent.

We loved the whispers and so glad that that GCT has added these for land trips, really adds to the trip experience.

The home hosted dinner in Warsaw was the best that we have ever experienced. This was a very entertaining evening and the meal prepared was one of the best on the trip.

For each location PD took us on a vicinity walk to show us ATM's, tubemetro stations,etc. which were excellent.

A "heads up" for all early flights from Budapest back home. We arrived at the airport at 4:30 AM for our 6:30 AM flight and there was no airline employees or anyone to be found. They began to show up a little after 5:00 AM and you had to have your boarding pass to check your luggage, they will not check your bags without a boarding pass so you must use a kiosk to get your boarding passes. I was not aware of this as could have gotten boarding passes at the hotel and saved a lot of time and frustration. So travelers beware and get your boarding passes at the hotel.

An inconvenience with 4 different currencies so you may want to consider obtaining foreign currency in US before your trip. I used an ATM and had no problems at all. There were a lot of local guides for this trip so you will need local currency to tip.

This trip had been on our list for a while and so glad that we went, I highly recommend it.

Traveler: Robert Jones from Amory, MS traveled on April 09, 2012

We arrived in Berlin one day before the tour began to see more of the city. The hotels GCT used were mixed:from very good in Warsaw (Westin), good in Berlin (Ramada), Budapest (Marriott), and fair in Kracow (Park Inn) and Prague (Don Giovanni) BUT all were very close to local transportation sites for your free time. Public systems in all cities were excellent.

Our tour director, Marta, was a gem. She is Polish and since our main reason for taking this trip was the Polish portion, we were amazed with her organizational skills, humor, and knowledge of the countries. She made the three days of bus travel more than palatable with relavant movies, local snacks, extra stops and language lessons.

We took extra trips to Zakopane (great) and salt mines (exhausting after the morning at Auschwitz). GCT once again had a home hosted dinner in Poland which was excellent with repeated vodka toasts. During free time in Budapest we took the submay to the Jewish Synagogue and a trolley to House of Terror, detailing Nazi and Soviet occupations of Hungary. A good site for a dark period in Hungarian history.

We passed through Slovakia twice, the first time on the way to Budapest, stopping at a sheep-cheese farm with a tour and many samples. The second time on the way to Prague, we stopped in Bratislava, a beautiful city with architecture from several hundred years ago. Little war time damage here.

Overall, we recommend this trip wholeheartedly. Might consider having the GCT dinners the first night in each city to avoid last minute searches.

Traveler: Jim and Jeri Jonish, Corinth, TX. traveled on September 27, 2011

Eastern Europe was not at the top of our trip list, but our decision to go with GCT proved to be an excellent one. The itinerary – Berlin, Warsaw, Krakow, Budapest, and Prague (with a short stopover in Bratislava) – and modes of transportation were well suited to the schedule and size of our group. Concentrating on major cities is an ideal way to get the broad-brush view within the time-distance constraints. Since it’s impossible to explore major European capitals without walking, we did a moderate, but not excessive amount. There was plenty on the daily schedule but also ample opportunities to go on one’s own at one’s own pace. Challenging . . . but not overwhelming. Berlin and Krakow were the most enjoyable locations during the trip. At both stops we had good accommodations, great weather and enough time to independently explore the historical and cultural sites of the cities. The real highlight of the trip was our tour guide. Marta never let an opportunity to enhance our understanding of the people, cultures, and histories of the countries we were visiting pass by. During the several long travel days in the bus, she used the time very effectively with local music and videos. At every stop during the trip, she extended the travel experience beyond the itinerary by adding her own creative touches – tastings of local beverages and cuisine, videos to supplement historical and cultural discussions and site visits, and a special evening visit to Gellert Hill for a panoramic night view of Budapest. Marta surely influences many first-time and seasoned travelers to return to GCT. It was a wonderful trip.

Traveler: Charles Sabin from Alexandria, VA traveled on September 24, 2011

This was my first trip with Grand Circle having gone on 5 OAT trips and I was afraid that a large group would be too many people for me. However, I was totally wrong - Marta, our Tour Director was absolutely the best ever and made us all feel like "family". To make it even better, we all got along so well and had so much fun.

To the trip itself - it was an experience I feel everyone should have. The history of each country is unique to itself as well as having a common history under the yoke of the Nazis and Russians. They have accomplished so much to recover from these regimes in such a short time. Their resolve to retain their culture and history and join the 21st Century is unbelievable to me.

Each city we visited was wonderful and magnificent. I just wish there had been more time in each. I was only able to fit in 2 optional tours as the cities themselves were my focus. I'm thinking of going back again.

Again, kudos to Marta and GCT for making this trip so absolutely fantastic and last, but not least, to the new travel companions that made a solo traveler not solo at all.

Traveler: Maureen Feely from Ortonville, MI traveled on September 27, 2011

This was one of the most interesting trips that we have taken from the point of view of learning the history and the politics of the countries that we visited. One of the high points was a presentation from a Catholic concentration camp survivor who is now about 87 years old. He had to stop several times to control his tears. I went to the synagogue in downtown Warsaw on Yom Kippur and had the opportunity to talk with some other survivors of the Holocaust. One of the women had been smuggled out of the Warsaw Ghetto as a child by Irena Sendler who rescued about 2500 Jewish children and placed them with Christian families. She is recognized in Israel on the Avelnue of the Righteous Gentiles. We loved the Art Nouveau influence in Prague and saw a lot of it at the Mucha Museum and at the Municipal House which has a room totally designed by Alphonse Mucha from the radiator covers to the design of the upholstery and drapes. Our guide, Agnes, was the best guide we have had for any trip with any company. Her mastery of several languages and her ease of dealing with all sorts of people made this a very smooth trip. Grand Circle does a good job of seeing that we visit the important sites and have lectures from knowledgable people.

Traveler: Gertrude S Cohn from Pittsburgh, PA traveled on October 03, 2011

This was a fantastic trip. Grand Circle packs a lot of sightseeing and education into the itinerary, so you are able to see and learn as much as possible in your time in each city.

Poland was absolutely spectacular - my favorite country of the entire tour. The polish people were so warm and welcoming - more so than any place I've ever encountered. For a country that has been through so much with WWII and the Soviet occupation, the people are incredibly resilient and looking towards a bright future.

I would love an extra day or two added to the itinerary for Krakow, as you have to make the choice on the last day there between doing the optional extension to Zakopane (which the people who went on it said was fabulous) or staying in Krakow to have the day to explore it on your own. Krakow was so wonderful that I would have loved to be able to do both, but time just didn't allow it.

Our tour director, Magda, was as good as it gets - the best of any tour director we've ever encountered, by far. She never stopped moving, ensuring that we all had the best time possible on the trip. The trip would not have been what it was without her!

Last comment - the travel days are full days - so be aware of this going into the trip. However, Madga made sure that we stopped regularly for the restroom, food, and stretching breaks, as well as playing relevant videos on the bus to keep us entertained. So, in all honesty, while the bus transit days were long, they passed by quickly for me.

The trip is jam-packed with activities and early mornings - so rest up before you go!!

Traveler: Darlene Pitt from West Chatham, MA traveled on October 18, 2011

The trip was all I could hope for; we got to see all the capitols of the 5 visited countries and because of the included and optional tours we got a strong dose of the history, culture, geography, food, music of each of those countries. I could easily take the tour a 2nd time, but, so many other places to visit. We had knowledgeable, friendly and helpful local guides and tour director Marta. I strongly recommend this tour.

Traveler: Raymond Sitar from New Haven, CT traveled on September 24, 2011

OUr tour guide was excellent and provideed insight into every country we visited. Poland was the birthplace of my mother and the tour gave me a deeper feeling for my Polish background, particularly since our guide was from Poland.We were also able to have time to visit our young missionary couple in Poland and an exchange student we hosted from Serbia drove all the way up to Budapest to see us...after 28 years had passed since we hosted him!. The learning series with college lecturers gave us a historical and up-to-date view of these countries. Pre-trip info was clear and detailed and we felt prepared for the trip. It would be easier for planning financially if ALL tips were included in the price rather than having to worry about this for each bus driver and tour guides. The tip to the over all guide should still be left to our disgression. Since we do not consume alcohol we were a bit surprised as to how many times it was offered. We are used to being on cruises so planning our food budget was also a bit harder.

Traveler: Floyd Van Weelden from Fallbrook, CA traveled on September 26, 2011

This was an excellent experience with Timea as a great guide. The results and subsequent rebuilding of all the countries from the war is eye opening and shows the positive spirit of these people. Unless you see things like Aushwitz you would not believe it. It gives you a close up and enduring picture of past history and present day changes. Budapest and Prague are beautiful cities that exude old time history and improving lifestyles. If you want a first hand review of the exciting history of eastern Europe past and present before your eyes this is the tour for you. The in home meal program and the discovery lectures lend a very up close and personal tinge to the trip. Physically it is a strenuous trip but well worth the effort.

Traveler: Charles Strong from Plano, TX traveled on September 19, 2011

Marta, our 29 yr. old Warsaw tour director made this trip fantastic! Her perfect English, knowledge, sense of humor, & true caring of all her travelers was exceptional. The bus trips were shortened as she showed movies of historical significance & taught us Polish phrases.The sites were incredible especially the salt mines, Auschwitz,, Zacopane, & the colorful market squares. Of course we ate our share of pierogy & drank every flavor vodka made . Our hotels in Warsaw & Crakow were superb & we actually enjoyed taking the subway from our Prague hotel into town. No way possible to improve on this delightful trip & seeing how far these hard working eastern European countries have come after the devastation of war.

Traveler: James Litts from Doylestown, PA traveled on September 27, 2011

One of the reasons I took this trip, apart from seeing the beautiful architecture (different in each of the 3 countries), was to learn about their reach history. I was not disappointed...on the first full day in each new country, our trip leader had arranged a speaker to provide us with a fascinating historical overview of hisher country.
We visited historical landmarks described in detail by expert local guides.
Our comfort was assured as we moved about in first class coaches matched as well by 4-5 star hotels.
I was, tho, quite disappointed on one optional trip and would not recommend it unless changes are made, that being the Danube river "cruise"..the boat was uncomfortable with no amenities at all, such as even coffee or tea. There was nothing special to see except tree-lined banks..no narrative from anyone regarding what was "out there"
As Hungary, Czech Republic and Poland do not use Euro money, it was necessary to be careful to keep the currency separate upon crossing borders.
I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed the visit and lunch in Slovakia (who DOES use the Euro).
Everywhere we visited, the people were welcoming and eager to help us.
As a solo traveler, I felt comfortable and welcomed by the rest of my fellow travelers.

Traveler: Janice Johnson from Lees Summit, MO traveled on September 26, 2011

Dear Folks,
the fact you are requesting I write a review for publication and sharing with others, indicates strongly you did not read the comments I returned on your original questionnaire, because I had significant reservations. Please read it and stop sending computer generated stuff. thanks.

Traveler: Anthony Dalsimer from Sarasota, FL traveled on September 13, 2011

An excellent trip with an excellent program director, Timea. For me it was a journey of discovery -- Eastern Europe is changing. It's only been 20 years since the fall of communism and the countries are entering new phases of government and democracy and new construction everywhere. Whether you like history and museums or street scenes and cafes (not to mention the beer), I recommend it highly. The trip was fun, exciting and educational. I enjoyed all of it!

Traveler: David Pincus from Newton Lower Falls, MA traveled on September 16, 2011

Coach rides were too long.
Suggest use more rail travel.

Traveler: James Margeson from Sanford, NC traveled on May 10, 2011

Excellent tour, especially if you want to see several great medieval cities.
Top likes were these:
1. Berlin city guide who was helpful, knowledgeable and informative.
2. Home hosted dinner at potato farm in Poland where family was gracious, their business was interesting, and food was terrific.
3. Krakow because it was a great walking town and the residents and merchants were so friendly and helpful.
4. University professor's presentations in Budapest and Prague because they provided condensed historical perspective of their countries.
5. Prague because there is so much to see and experience - the castles, the churches, the bridges, town hall, Mucha museum, Kafka museum, etc.
One dislike was hotel in Prague. No ac, terribly crowded breakfast room, and located too far from city center to experience the vibrancy of the city.
Overall GCT and it's tour director did a fine job with end result being a very favorable travel experience.

Traveler: Norm Ziomek from Irvine, CA traveled on September 05, 2011

This is a good trip and we enjoyed it very much. It is our 8th trip with GCT and all of our trips have been very good. The pace is good and the included tours were excellent. It is a very inexpensive trip. We wished we had gone in Sept. because we hit some hot weather in late August and the AC in many European hotels isn't sufficient.

I wouldn't recommend the optional tours because in Poland, Budapest and Prague you won't have enough time to see the cities and the historical sites. If that isn't important, the other travelers enjoyed most of the tours. The two optionals in Berlin for the pre-trip were overpriced and not worth the money. You could see the same things on your own.

The hotels were all excellent except Prague and prior reviews were right-on. It is so crowded with tours that if you go to breakfast between 7 and 8 you can't get an elevator, a seat in the restaurant and they run out of food. The staff is rude, and the location is terrible compared to the other hotels. It is next to the subway which was good but there are no restaurants nearby except for a Chinese place and the restaurants in the hotel which we wouldn't recommend. The other hotels were new, well-located and had fabulous breakfast buffets. All had good restaurants in the hotel and nearby. 2 hotels had free wifi and it was available nearby in the others.

All of the cities are easy to walk and you should take advantage of all of the historical sites. We especially enjoyed the new Topography of Terror in Berlin, located on the site of the Gestapo HQ; old town in Warsaw; the new Schindler Factory museum i Krakow (one of the best we have ever seen - allow 3 hours); the Parliament tour and House of Terror in Budapest.

The train to Warsaw and two of the bus rides are long but necessary. We loved the countries and Krakow was the highlight of the trip.

Traveler: Sharon Scanlan from Prescott, AZ traveled on August 20, 2011

One of my best trips in terms of the historical significance of the area, what I learned about some little known facts of WW 11, the respect I gained of the Polish people and their huge spirit in overcoming the horrors of German and Russian occupation, the magnificent architecture of the Czech Republic and the delicious food, especially the great and tasty soups.

Traveler: Harriett Loesch from Merritt Island, FL traveled on August 20, 2011

This 3 week trip to Eastern Europe was absolutely wonderful. Our Program Director Hunor Nagy was outstanding in his knowledge and dedication in making this a trip to remember. The cities were wonderful and meeting and talking with citizens who had lived under communist rule was very eye opening. Things that we as Americans take for granted, people could never get. Vacations, travel to other countries, visiting relatives, etc were a luxury. If you are looking for a company that exceeds your expectations than Grand Circle is that organization.

Traveler: Robert Aufdenkampe from Naples, FL traveled on August 13, 2011

This was an excellent trip. We're usually river cruise people - we enjoy the pace of those trips. But this trip, Best of ... included many sites and areas we wanted see, so we kind of took a chance on this land tour. And we didn't regret one moment of it! What a fantastic trip!

To start, we have to mention and credit our Program Director 'Timy' (Timea Styt). She is undoubtedly the best PD we've ever experienced. She was not only a wealth of knowledge but she shared many of her own experiences. And she shared and communicated them to us in personal, meaningful, and sometimes provocative ways. She went out of her way to lead us to various 'discoveries.' It seemed that in every city she knew of some extra, special place or site.

What sites and sense of history! Each city had its own tales to tell, especially regarding WWII experiences.

Berlin is a beautiful city with wonderful architecture, both historic and modern. Plus it had history recent enough for many to recall if not have lived, post-WWII and the East-West split of the city. Now what had been striking and evident differences between East and West have vanished. Only remnants of the Wall remain, and much of that is a wonderful art project.

The train ride from Berlin to Warsaw was a nice touch. Relaxing with changing landscape along the way.

Poland totally surprised us. What a beautiful country, from the more agricultural area of the north to the mountainous region in the south. Of course the highlight was Auschwitz. I think nothing needs to be said about that except for the belief that everyone should experience it if for no other reason than to remind.

We had great food all along the way. The food and local entertainment at the Folk Gospoda restaurant in Warsaw was especially good and fun (Timy had suggested it).

In Prague, Timy took us to the Wallenstein Palace as an 'extra' discovery. The gardens and the 'Weeping Wall' were works of art. An 'extra' walk around the Szuster Palace was great - this was the site of the Chopin optonal the night before. And what a performance that was! We've never seen a pianist's fingers literally blur across the keyboard before. The brats and gluhwein in Zakopane were a fun surprise.

To sum, this was a fairly fast-paced trip, with events at every turn. Our PD was great, the PD trainee (Aggie) added a lot, and Roman, our bus driver for most of the trip, was excellent. He could squeeze that bus through streets with fractions of inches to spare.

A real plus was having a bus which had some extra seats so that we never felt jammed in -- much more comfortable.

Overall, the hotels were good. What would have been appreciated was in-room internet connection or free wi-fi. I emphasize free because in some hotels the daily cost of wi-fi was really steep.

Action packed. Event packed. Busy. Fun.

Traveler: Russell Schoeneman from Tempe, AZ traveled on August 05, 2011

I was a little hesitant in taking this trip because I had been to three of the four countries. I waas very curious about Poland. Let me tell you that I found this eastern european country to be a gem, not only in natural beauty but also by the natiure of its people. Cracow was my favorite because we were right in the center of the Old Town with its colorful houses, horse driven coaches, small stores with local arts and crafts and the famous clock that ientertains its tourists every hour on the hour. Eventually, I will go back.

Traveler: Odete Ferreira-Botelho from Blackwood, NJ traveled on August 01, 2011

We just returned from our trip to Eastern Europe. We visited Berlin, Germany, Poland, Slovokia, Hungary and Czech Republic. The main focus was Poland, and this was the reason we chose this particular trip. My husband and I agreed that this was the most interesting trip we have ever taken, and one that we will not forget as long as we live. The visit to Auschwitz was unforgettable. I will not be able to explain to someone who has not been there, the feelings experienced walking around that place and seeing the bunkers, gas chambers, crematorium furnace, pictures of prisioners and their personal belongings, etc. It was a very emotional experience that brought me to tears. Our guide, Krystian Wojtowicz, was absolutely wonderful. I cannot say enought about him. He was Polish and was very passionate about the history of his country and willing to share his family stories of what it was like to live in the communist and Nazi era. We are so fortunate to live in the country that we do, and it was somehow appropriate that the final day of our tour was July 4th.

All the places we visited on this trip were so interesting. We expecially loved Krakow, Poland. Our guide, Krystian, included so many extras that were not part of the planned itinerary that made it extra special and unforgettable.

The only things that I would have changed is to have dinner included the first night at every new hotelcity. We did not like the location of the hotel in Prague, as it was not convenient to anything unless you took the subway.

This is a wonderful trip, and we would highly recommend it to anyone. If you like history, you will love this trip!

Traveler: Joan Smith from Chapel Hill, NC traveled on June 20, 2011

What made the trip most valuable was the volume of detailed, accurate information provided about everything we saw. Tour-guide specialists in each city regaled us with enthusiastic accounts of history, architecture and culture. There was never a doubt they could answer every question.

Best of all was our group’s personal tour guide, Edina Eiler. Of Hungarian heritage she willingly shared her extensive knowledge of Eastern Europe, impressing us with its dignity and valor. Highly competent, she managed the tour with alacrity; every person’s concerns and needs were met. In short, she instilled confidence. We could relax, realizing early on that the trip would be a success.

This trip to Eastern Europe was my 4th tour with Grand Circle Travel. All of my experiences this with company have been positive, but this trip really stood out.
We were only in Berlin one day before transferring to Poland, but we caught most of the really significant sites. I especially appreciated that we could get out of the bus and experience those places – Jewish Memorial, Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie. Berlin Wall, Nazi Book Burning Site, Berlin Cathedral….

Poland was an anticipated treat. Warsaw had been painstakingly rebuilt from Nazi destruction and Old Town of Krakow was a wonderful way to spend my free time, I wish I had another day there. One of the best optional excursions I have ever had was the one to the Salt Mine in Wieliczka. This was an awesome display of human ingenuity and the write-up doesn’t do it justice.

Budapest is a magnificent city that has so much to offer that one cannot do justice to the sights even with repeated visits. Again, I appreciated that we did not just see things from the bus, but experienced the grandeur of the monuments by walking around and soaking it all in. I found the Fisherman’s Lookout on the Buda side of the Danube to be a real camera bug treat.

When we left Budapest for a drive through Slovakia I thought our stop in Bratislava was just for a quick castle stop and lunch. We were wrong, as we h saw a beautiful little city with a lot of history. Lunch was at a quaint restaurant in Old Town that served local fare. Free time allowed us to stroll around the historic Old Town Square.

The main reason for my doing this particular trip was that it included the City of Prague in the Czech Republic. I was not disappointed; it was as though GCT saved the best for last. Our included tours were comprehensive and the efficient subway made all kinds of ventures possible. I would have loved a few more days in Budapest and Prague.

Traveler: Michael Didomenico from Winter Springs, FL traveled on April 26, 2011

From start to finish this trip was outstanding. Our guide Greg was a delight with surprises along the way from an incredible day in Zacopane to an outstanding dinner in Budapest complete with amazing Gypsy musicians. We took all the optional tours except for the salt mines having been on that tour before and found them to be a must. All the step-on tour guides were wonderful, delightful excellent English speaking. I wish we were going this year as it will be nicer with the smaller group- a drawback when we took the tour. I can't recommend this tour enough. The only fault we had with it was the dreadful hotel at the end of the trip in Prague. The rest of the accommodations were excellent in great locations. We learned so very much about Eastern Europe and found it to be much nicer and less Americanized than western Europe- the old world flavor is still there as is life under communism. We broke away from the tour staying four extra days in Prague and found that to be very good as the time we had with the tour was not enough. I would love to go back and do it all over again!

Traveler: Elizabeth Miller from Eliot, ME traveled on October 16, 2010

This was our 2nd trip with GCT and GCT is going to be under much pressure from us when we take our next trip. This was an incredible trip.

First, let me say that Agnes our tour leader, our precious Polish gem, and a magnificent person who constantly was there for us--even making sure that my husband and I were safely on our way to the airport at 3am for our departure--and Ted our courageous and implacable driver helped make this 2 week tour a trip of a lifetime. We cannot find words to describe the work of these two wonderful people. May God Bless them.

It was on our first day in Warsaw that I knew I found my Polish Catholic heritage. The explanations of the local tour guides in every country made me see the heart and soul of Poland, Hungary and the Czech Rep.

We were lucky and so honored to have "George", an 88 year old Auschwitz survivor, talk to us about his life. It was 90 minutes of listening to strength and courage and it was after that that I said to him that he helped my find my Polish heart and pride.
When we arrived at Auschwitz and Birkenau...well let me simply say that I truly wish every American could experience what is there.

You cannot come away from this trip without loving these people who fought so hard for their freedom and who today continue to remind us how precious it is to live in a free country. You learn so much about communism and socialism and freedom.
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Also, we were blessed with a great group of 44 travelers...not a whiner in the group..wow, I hope we can all have another trip together. It was unbelievable fun with our 44 friends. Thank you guys for your great companionship!

Only one thing could have made this trip a A+ instead of an A---unlike our Great Rivers trip where we had headphones so we could hear our tour guides, we had none on this trip and it was really hard for 44 people in crowded areas to hear what the local tour guide was saying. If Amalfi and Russia trips we have coming up do not have headphones, I will be extremely disappointed. That part was really bad.

This tour should not be missed. GO!

Traveler: Patricia Johnson from Mckinney, TX traveled on August 24, 2010

Our trip to Eastern Europe with Grand Circle was the most satisfying excursion we have ever made. In the past forty years my husband and I have experienced most of Europe on our own and managed well. But this time, since we were ready for someone else to handle room reservations and luggage, we joined a tour group that proved to be happy, friendly, compatible, and interested in adventure. Daily we rendezvoused for breakfast selected from a magnificent buffet of temptations. In fact, all meals from Berlin to Prague were interesting and delicious, including venison soup in Bratislava. You could say that we ate our way gladly through cities and countryside.

The trip proved to be carefully planned, covering myriad notable sites, such as historic old town centers of capital cities, the rural religious centers of Jasna Gora and Esztergom, and beautiful landscape in between. Of the optional tours (and we took them all because we didn’t want to miss a thing), we have three favorites: the Chopin recital by concert pianist Chudak-Morzuchowski was of the highest quality; the sojourn to Zakopane with its unique architecture and lovingly tended cemetery was a glimpse into a hidden world; the visit to Sychorov Castle was startling because our exploration through the residence was extensive.

What made the trip most valuable was the volume of detailed, accurate information provided about everything we saw. Tour-guide specialists in each city regaled us with enthusiastic accounts of history, architecture and culture. There was never a doubt they could answer every question.

Best of all was our group’s personal tour guide, Agnes Komer. Of Polish heritage she willingly shared her extensive knowledge of Eastern Europe, impressing us with its dignity and valor. Highly competent, she managed the tour with alacrity; every person’s concerns and needs were met, including an unscheduled stop to photograph a nesting stork on a rooftop somewhere in Hungary. In short, she instilled confidence. We could relax, realizing early on that the trip would be a success. And so it was and continues to be, for we are reading more about the countries we visited and reflecting on our travels with deeper understanding.

Our thanks to Grand Circle, to our travel companions, and especially to Agnes Komer.

Priscilla Tiller

Traveler: Priscilla Tiller from Centralia, WA traveled on March 16, 2010

Lorraine and I were first time travelers with Grand Circle Travel. Our tour director, Holina, made our first experience a very enjoyable one. She maintained the itineray as scheduled and went out of her way to personalize our trip by expanding the optional tours beyond those that were adverised especially on All Saint's Day when most places were closed for the observance.
We really enjoyed the folk musicians and dancers that entertained us at dinners, Zakopane with its horse drawn carriage ride followed by the sausage barbequed over a bon fire with hot wine, and the local tour guides who had some good stories to tell. The sight seeing was amazing!!
Our group number had expanded at the last minute giving us that many more good people to enjoy and share our time with.
We liked the opportunity given for free time in all of the cities we visited, were moved by the tour of Aschwitz and Birkanau, enjoyed very much our host family dinner and came away with a much better understanding of Eastern European life and history of the region.
This is a "must do trip" for any serious traveler in our opinion. An excellent experience all the way around!

Walter and Lorraine, Schoharie, NY

Traveler: Walter from Schoharie, NY traveled on October 28, 2009

This trip to Eastern Europe was my 17th tour with Grand Circle Travel (including OAT). All of my experiences this with company have been positive, but this trip really stood out. Though the temperatures were 20 degrees cooler than normal for October and we had unrelenting rain, even the weather could not put a damper on this wonderful trip. First of all, our GCT guide, Agnes, was excellent. ? Agnes was a Pole from Warsaw and had served Grand Circle Travel for 11 years. She proved to a really great guide. Her friendly disposition managed to keep us all happy and under her guidance we never lost anyone in the bustle of city tours. I thought her familiarity of Eastern Europe history and site backgrounds to be remarkable. She always had the answers, even to my trivial questions about remote statues that I had seen on my own.

We were only in Berlin one day before transferring to Poland, but we caught most of the really significant sites. I especially appreciated that we could get out of the bus and experience those places – Jewish Memorial, Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie. Berlin Wall, Nazi Book Burning Site, Berlin Cathedral….

Poland was an anticipated treat. Warsaw had been painstakingly rebuilt from Nazi destruction and Old Town of Krakow was so restored we felt like we stepped back in history of another era. One of the best optional excursions I have ever had was the one to Zakopane in the mountains of southern Poland – a winter wonderland replete with a buggy ride in the snow and kielbasa over an open fire. I took photos like crazy of the unique architecture and natural beauty.

I had been in Budapest before, but that magnificent city has so much to offer that one cannot do justice to the sights even with repeated visits. Again, I appreciated that we did not just see things from the bus, but experienced the grandeur of the monuments by walking around and soaking it all in. Even non-shoppers will enjoy the visit to historic Market Hall for its grand architecture and busting activity within.

When we left Budapest for a drive through Slovakia I thought our stop in Bratislava was just for a quick castle stop and lunch. Here again we “experienced” the culture and history of an historic city. Lunch was at a quaint restaurant in Old Town that served local fare. Free time allowed us to stroll around the historic Old Town Square.

The main reason this reviewer signed up for this particular trip was that it included the City of Prague in the Czech Republic. I was not disappointed; it was as though GCT saved the best for last. Our included tours were comprehensive and the efficient subway made all kinds of ventures possible. Agnes took us to a well-known traditional beer garden, followed by a night walk across the statue-laden Charles Bridge. Lively folk entertainment at the Farewell dinner the next night capped off a great trip.

I usually do not do repeat trips, but this one might change my thinking.

Frederick Wulff

Traveler: Frederick from New Ulm, MN traveled on October 06, 2009