Join us for a trip of a lifetime as we travel to the beautiful medieval cities of Berlin, Prague, Krakow, and Budapest! The 10-day tour is set for June 17-26, 2013, giving us plenty of time to plan for travel with family and friends.

This tour will feature visits to four countries – Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary with a scenic drive through Slovakia and the Tatra Mountains.

An introductory meeting for the tour is planned for this Sunday afternoon, Oct. 9, at 2 p.m. at the Italy High School library. Come join us for full information and a slide show presentation of the highlights of the tour. For more information, contact Sharan Farmer, group organizer, at [email protected].

Highlights include

Berlin, Germany

• The Berlin Wall fell in 1989, the symbol of the Cold War.
• Checkpoint Charlie Museum, named after the crossing point in the Berlin Wall, documents successful escape attempts from East Germany.
• Brandenburg Gate, former city gate, is the most well known landmark of Berlin.

Dresden, Germany

• A city completely destroyed in WWII, today Theaterplatz square is graced by the Zwinger Palace, the most important late-baroque building in Germany.

Prague, Czech Republic

• Prague Castle complex, the largest medieval castle complex in Europe, is a mix of palaces, churches, and fortifications.
• St. Vitus Cathedral, part of the castle complex, contains the tombs of many Bohemian kings and Holy Roman Emperors.
• Golden Lane, named for the many goldsmiths who did business there in the 15th century, leads from the complex and is lined with medieval shops.
• The famous astronomical clock features the hourly procession of the twelve apostles led by Christ.
• Charles Bridge, built in 1357 over the Vitava River, is lined with 75 statues and connects old town to Prague Castle.

Olomouc, Czech Republic

• A step back in time to a 1,000-year-old city in Moravia, the Czech Republic’s most beautiful and historic region.

Krakow, Poland

• Auschwitz and Berkinau, Nazi concentration camps where over one million men, women, and children lost their lives during WWII.
• Wawel Cathedral, the 1,000-year-old coronation site of Polish monarchs, houses many of the nation’s treasures.
• Wieliczka Salt Mines, continuously producing table salt from the 13th century until 2007, features exquisitely carved statues and an entire chapel and chandeliers – completely carved from rock salt by the miners!

Budapest, Hungary

• Matthias Church, 14th century church in the heart of the castle district, was the coronation site of the last two Hungarian Habsburg kings.
• Budapest Basilica, the sacred relic of King Stephen I, is the largest church in Hungary.
• An evening Danube River cruise will highlight all the city’s beautiful sites.