Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Prague, Vienna and Budapest, with Český Krumlov and the Wachau
10 days from Prague to Budapest: three nights in each capital, Český Krumlov on the way to Vienna, Melk Abbey and the Wachau by boat, and the main sights included.
10 days · Prague to Budapest · up to 12 guests
Český Krumlov and the Vltava, seen from the castle Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:View_of_%C4%8Cesk%C3%BD_Krumlov_from_the_castle,_20250504_1305_8880.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 10 days, 9 nights
- Start and end
- Prague to Budapest
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
City days on foot: about 7 to 10 km a day on paving and cobbles, with climbs to Prague Castle, the Gloriette and Castle Hill in Budapest, and 2 to 3 hours standing in palaces and museums. Two train rides with your bags to lift onto racks (your guide helps). Every long walk has a shorter version, and you can sit out any afternoon visit.
- Meals included
- 9 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 1 dinner
- Room of your own
- + CAD 765 (estimated price)
- Season
- April to October
Highlights
Why this trip
- Charles Bridge at about 8 am, then Prague Castle as its doors open
- The synagogues and Old Jewish Cemetery of Josefov, with a free afternoon after
- Český Krumlov's castle and the bend of the Vltava, on the way from Prague to Vienna
- Schönbrunn at opening, coffee and cake in a Viennese coffee house, and Bruegel in the Kunsthistorisches Museum
- Melk Abbey, then the Danube boat through the Wachau vineyards to Dürnstein
- The Budapest Parliament tour, Castle Hill and an afternoon in the Széchenyi Baths
- The Great Market Hall and the Dohány Street Synagogue, then a last evening on the Danube
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 765 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Prague
Václav Havel Airport Prague to your hotel in the old centre
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Prague
- Drive about 30 min
Fly into Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG), about 17 km west of the centre. A driver meets you in arrivals and takes you to the hotel, 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic.
Evening
Plan to land by about 4 pm so you are settled before the evening briefing. If you arrive early, leave your bags at the hotel and walk to the Old Town Square, a few minutes away, or along the Vltava embankment for the first view of the castle on its ridge. In the early evening your See Sight Tours guide meets the group in the hotel for a short briefing on the ten days ahead: which mornings start early and why, how the trains work, and what to pack for the Český Krumlov day. Then we walk together to a welcome dinner of Czech dishes in the old centre. Tomorrow starts on Charles Bridge at about 8 am, so tonight is for sleeping off the flight.
Included
- Pick-up at Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Prague: Charles Bridge early and the Castle
Charles Bridge to Malá Strana and Prague Castle
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Prague
We walk onto Charles Bridge at about 8 am, when its thirty statues and the view up to the castle are shared with joggers rather than crowds. The bridge has stood since the 14th century, and from its far end we climb through Malá Strana and up Nerudova street, past house signs of golden keys and red eagles, to Prague Castle. We are at the door when the buildings open at 9 am. With a licensed local guide we see St Vitus Cathedral and its stained glass, the Old Royal Palace and the vaulted Vladislav Hall, St George's Basilica and the small painted houses of Golden Lane.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal of Czech dishes in Malá Strana, below the castle walls.
Evening
The afternoon and evening are free: back to the hotel for a rest, up Petřín hill for the view, or out to a beer hall or a jazz cellar after dark.
Included
- Charles Bridge before the crowds, with your guide
- Malá Strana and Nerudova street
- Prague Castle with a licensed local guide: St Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, St George's Basilica and Golden Lane
- Sit-down lunch in Malá Strana
- Public transport tickets for the day
Easier option: Take the tram up to the castle instead of walking up Nerudova, and the tram back down after lunch.
More active option: In the free afternoon, walk up Petřín hill and climb the lookout tower, about 300 steps, for the view over the roofs.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 7 km on cobbles with a steady climb to the castle. St Vitus Cathedral opens only at noon on Sundays, so departures are set so this day is not a Sunday.
Prague: the Old Town and Josefov
The Old Town Square and the astronomical clock, then the Jewish Quarter
- Breakfast
- Stay in Prague
Morning
A slower morning in the Old Town. We start on the Old Town Square, framed by the twin towers of the Týn Church, and watch the astronomical clock on the Old Town Hall, working since 1410, strike the hour with its procession of apostles. From there it is a few streets to Josefov, the old Jewish Quarter, where we are at the Jewish Museum in Prague as it opens. With your guide you see the Pinkas Synagogue, whose walls carry the names of almost 80,000 Czech and Moravian Jews killed in the Holocaust, the drawings made by children in the Terezín ghetto, the crowded headstones of the Old Jewish Cemetery, and the gilded interior of the Spanish Synagogue.
Evening
We finish around lunchtime, and the rest of the day is yours: the Mucha Museum, a boat on the Vltava, the gardens of Vyšehrad, or a long lunch and a nap before an evening concert in one of the old churches.
Included
- Old Town Square and the astronomical clock with your guide
- The Jewish Museum in Prague: the Pinkas, Maisel, Klausen and Spanish synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery
Optional experiences
- A boat on the Vltava or an evening concert (prices shown at booking)
Easier option: Sit out the second half of Josefov with a coffee and rejoin the group at the Spanish Synagogue.
More active option: In the afternoon, walk the river south to the fortress of Vyšehrad and back along the ramparts, about 8 km in all.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 4 km on foot, mostly level. The Jewish Museum closes on Saturdays and Jewish holidays, so departures are set to avoid them.
Český Krumlov on the way to Vienna
Prague to České Budějovice by train, Český Krumlov by our vehicle, then on to Vienna
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Vienna
- Drive about 3.5 h
Today we move from Prague to Vienna by way of Český Krumlov, the one stop on this route the main trains miss. We leave the hotel at 8 am, your guide bringing the bags with the group, and take a reserved train from Prague main station south across the Bohemian farmland, about two and a half hours to České Budějovice, where our own vehicle and driver meet us and take the bags. Half an hour later we are in Český Krumlov, listed by UNESCO in 1992, its old town wrapped in a tight bend of the Vltava below a castle second in size only to Prague's.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal by the river. Then a guided tour takes us through the castle's state rooms, and we cross the Cloak Bridge to the terraced gardens. There is free time for the painted castle tower or the lanes of the Latrán quarter before we drive on through the Waldviertel to Vienna. It is a long day, about ten hours hotel to hotel, with about three and a half hours of driving in all.
Included
- Reserved train from Prague to České Budějovice
- Český Krumlov old town with your guide
- Český Krumlov Castle guided tour and the castle gardens
- Sit-down lunch by the Vltava
- Our vehicle from České Budějovice to Český Krumlov and on to your hotel in Vienna
Easier option: Skip the castle gardens and wait in a riverside café until we leave.
More active option: Climb the castle tower in your free time for the view down over the river bend.
Free time: About an hour free in Český Krumlov; dinner free in Vienna
Activity: Hotel departure at 8 am. About 2.5 hours on the train and 3.5 hours of driving, in three parts. Castle interiors run on guided tours from about April to October and close on Mondays; out of season we visit the castle museum and tower instead.
Vienna: Schönbrunn at opening, the Hofburg and Bruegel
Schönbrunn Palace, then the Hofburg, St Stephen's Cathedral and the Kunsthistorisches Museum
- Breakfast
- Stay in Vienna
We take the U-Bahn out to Schönbrunn to be at the palace when it opens, on a timed ticket for the Grand Tour of the Habsburg state rooms, where Maria Theresa raised her sixteen children and the six-year-old Mozart played for the court in 1762. Then we climb through the formal gardens to the Gloriette for the view back over the palace roof to the city.
Afternoon
Lunch is your choice near the Naschmarkt. In the afternoon a licensed local guide walks us through the Hofburg courtyards to Heldenplatz, where Prince Eugene of Savoy rides a rearing bronze horse, then along the Graben to St Stephen's Cathedral and its patterned tile roof. We stop in a traditional coffee house for a Melange and a slice of cake, on us. The Kunsthistorisches Museum, with the largest collection of paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder anywhere, is included for the late afternoon at your own pace.
Evening
The evening is free.
Included
- Schönbrunn Palace Grand Tour, timed entry at opening
- Schönbrunn gardens and the Gloriette
- The Hofburg, Heldenplatz, the Graben and St Stephen's Cathedral with a licensed local guide
- Coffee and cake in a Viennese coffee house
- Kunsthistorisches Museum entry
- Public transport tickets for the day
Optional experiences
- A classical concert in the evening (price shown at booking)
Easier option: Skip the climb to the Gloriette and rest in the palace café; skip the museum for a rest at the hotel.
More active option: Climb the 343 steps of St Stephen's south tower for the view over the old city.
Free time: Lunch and evening free
Activity: About 9 km on foot, with a steady climb to the Gloriette and two to three hours standing in the palace and the museum. The Kunsthistorisches Museum closes on Mondays outside June to August.
Melk Abbey and the Wachau by boat
Vienna to Melk by our vehicle, the Danube boat to Dürnstein, and back to Vienna
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Vienna
- Drive about 2.5 h
Morning
Our own vehicle and driver take us west from Vienna after breakfast, about an hour and a quarter to Melk, where the Benedictine abbey stands on a rock above the Danube. We are there as it opens, ahead of the river-cruise groups, to walk through the marble hall, the library of painted ceilings and old books, and the gold and ochre abbey church. Then we board a boat downstream through the Wachau, a stretch of the Danube listed by UNESCO in 2000, past terraced vineyards, apricot orchards, river villages and the ruins of Aggstein castle on its crag, about an hour and a half to Dürnstein.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal of Wachau food, with a glass of the local Grüner Veltliner or Riesling if you like.
Evening
There is time to walk the main street to the blue and white tower of the abbey church before our driver brings us back to Vienna in time for a free evening, perhaps at a Heuriger wine tavern on the edge of the city.
Included
- Melk Abbey at opening, with the library and the abbey church
- Danube boat from Melk to Dürnstein through the Wachau
- Sit-down lunch in Dürnstein, with a glass of Wachau wine
- Dürnstein old town with your guide
Easier option: Stay in Dürnstein's lanes and riverside café while others climb to the castle ruin.
More active option: Climb to the ruin of Dürnstein castle, where Richard the Lionheart was held in 1192 and 1193, about 30 minutes up a rocky path.
Free time: Evening free in Vienna
Activity: The boats run from about April to October. Out of season we drive the riverside road through the Wachau instead, with stops in Spitz and Weissenkirchen.
By train to Budapest
Vienna to Budapest by train, then the Pest embankment to the Chain Bridge
- Breakfast
- Stay in Budapest
- By train
Morning
The morning is free in Vienna. You might see Klimt's The Kiss in the Upper Belvedere (an optional entry), browse the stalls of the Naschmarkt, or simply pack slowly.
Afternoon
Around midday we take a reserved train to Budapest, about two hours and forty minutes across the flat country near Lake Neusiedl and into Hungary; your guide handles the bags and the transfers at both ends. After checking in, we walk the Pest side together in the late afternoon: St Stephen's Basilica, then Kossuth Square for the long neo-Gothic front of the Parliament, and along the embankment to the Shoes on the Danube Bank, the memorial to Jews shot into the river by Arrow Cross militiamen in 1944 and 1945. We finish at Széchenyi Square as the light drops behind Castle Hill and the Chain Bridge, the first permanent bridge across the Danube here.
Evening
Dinner is your choice; your guide points you to a few places nearby.
Included
- Reserved train from Vienna to Budapest
- Station to hotel transfers in Vienna and Budapest
- Late-afternoon walk with your guide: St Stephen's Basilica, Kossuth Square, the Shoes on the Danube Bank and the Chain Bridge
Optional experiences
- The Upper Belvedere and Klimt's The Kiss in the free morning (price shown at booking)
Free time: Morning free in Vienna; evening free in Budapest
Activity: About 2 hours 40 minutes on the train; the Budapest walk is about 3 km and level.
Parliament, Castle Hill and the baths
The Hungarian Parliament, Castle Hill in Buda, then the Széchenyi Baths in City Park
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Budapest
We start with a booked guided tour of the Hungarian Parliament, finished in 1904, climbing its grand staircase to the domed hall where the Holy Crown of Hungary is kept under guard. Then we cross the river and go up to Castle Hill for Matthias Church, with its roof of coloured Zsolnay tiles, and the white terraces of Fisherman's Bastion for the view back over the Parliament and the river.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in the Castle District. In the afternoon we take the old yellow metro line, the first on the European continent, out to City Park and the Széchenyi Baths: neo-baroque buildings around steaming outdoor pools, open all year, where locals play chess in the water. Your ticket is included; stay an hour or the whole afternoon, and take a towel or rent one there.
Evening
The evening is free for the ruin bars of the old Jewish Quarter or a quiet dinner by the river.
Included
- Hungarian Parliament guided tour, booked time
- Castle Hill with your guide: Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion
- Sit-down lunch in the Castle District
- Széchenyi Baths entry
- Public transport tickets for the day
Easier option: Take the bus up to Castle Hill instead of the steps, and rest at the hotel instead of the baths.
More active option: Walk up Gellért Hill in the late afternoon for the widest view of both banks.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 7 km on foot, with stairs or a bus up Castle Hill.
Budapest: the market, the synagogue and the river
The Great Market Hall, the Jewish Quarter and an evening on the Danube
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Budapest
- By boat
Morning
We walk to the Great Market Hall at the end of Váci utca in the morning, before the tour groups, under its roof of patterned Zsolnay tiles. Your guide shows you the paprika, salami and pickles on the ground floor and the lángos stalls upstairs. From there we cross Pest to the old Jewish Quarter and the Dohány Street Synagogue, the largest in Europe, built in the 1850s in a Moorish style, with the cemetery and the metal weeping willow of the Holocaust memorial in its garden.
Afternoon
The walk ends among the courtyards of District VII around midday. The afternoon is yours: a second soak at the baths, the House of Terror on Andrássy Avenue, or a long coffee in one of the grand old cafés.
Evening
In the evening we meet for a farewell dinner of Hungarian dishes, then take a boat on the Danube for an hour as the Parliament, the bridges and the Royal Palace are lit up after dark.
Included
- The Great Market Hall with your guide
- Dohány Street Synagogue and its memorial garden
- Jewish Quarter walk with your guide
- Farewell dinner
- Evening boat on the Danube
Easier option: Take the tram along the river between the market and the synagogue, and rest before dinner.
Free time: Afternoon free
Activity: About 5 km on foot, level. The Great Market Hall is closed on Sundays and the synagogue on Saturdays and Jewish holidays, so departures are set to avoid them.
Budapest and home
Budapest to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 45 min
Morning
The last morning is yours. Walk the river for a last look at the Parliament from the Pest embankment, take the funicular up to the Royal Palace if you skipped it, or sit over a slow breakfast and a coffee in one of the old cafés along the Grand Boulevard. Check out of the hotel by late morning; your bags are held if your flight is later in the day. Our driver takes you to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD), about 25 km from the centre and 40 minutes by road, at a time set by your flight. Your guide says goodbye at the hotel and checks that every transfer is arranged before you go. If you want more time in Budapest, or a few days in Bratislava or Lake Balaton afterwards, we can add hotel nights before or after the trip.
Included
- Drop-off at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD)
Free time: Morning free
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 1 pm to have the morning in the city.
- Prague3 nights
- Vienna3 nights
- Budapest3 nights
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: May, June and September are the best balance of warm days and lighter crowds. July and August are hot in Vienna and Budapest and busy at Prague Castle and Schönbrunn, which is why we go at opening. April and October can be cool and wet; the Wachau boats and the Český Krumlov castle tours run from about April to October.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- First-time visitors who want the three Habsburg capitals with the main sights included, not sold as extras
- Travellers who would rather spend three nights in each city than change hotels every other day
- Anyone who wants Český Krumlov and the Wachau without a coach tour
- Solo travellers who want a small group and a fair single price
Not for you if you want
- Step-free access: cobbles, castle hills and old buildings without lifts are part of every city
- Travellers who want Berlin too; take the 12-day version from Berlin
- Anyone wanting Bratislava or Salzburg; this route goes direct
- Travellers who cannot lift a suitcase onto a train rack
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
9 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Prague3 nights
- Vienna3 nights
- Budapest3 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 9 nights in central hotels of at least a 3-star-plus standard: 3 in Prague, 3 in Vienna, 3 in Budapest
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
- We name each hotel when we confirm your dates
Transport
- Pick-up at Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG) and drop-off at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD)
- Reserved train seats: Prague to České Budějovice and Vienna to Budapest
- Our own vehicle and driver from České Budějovice via Český Krumlov to Vienna, and for the Wachau day
- Station to hotel transfers in Vienna and Budapest
- The Danube boat from Melk to Dürnstein and an evening boat in Budapest
- Public transport tickets on city touring days
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group for the whole trip, who handles the tickets, the trains and the bags
- Licensed local guides at Prague Castle, the Hofburg and the Budapest Parliament, where a site requires one
Activities
- Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, the Old Town Square and the Jewish Museum (Prague)
- Český Krumlov Castle tour and gardens (Český Krumlov)
- Schönbrunn Palace Grand Tour, the Hofburg, St Stephen's Cathedral and the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Vienna)
- Coffee and cake in a Viennese coffee house (Vienna)
- Melk Abbey and the Wachau by boat to Dürnstein (Wachau)
- Hungarian Parliament tour, Castle Hill and the Széchenyi Baths (Budapest)
- The Great Market Hall and the Dohány Street Synagogue (Budapest)
Meals
- 9 breakfasts
- 4 lunches: in Prague, Český Krumlov, Dürnstein and Budapest
- 2 dinners: a welcome dinner in Prague and a farewell dinner in Budapest
Not included
- International flights to Prague and from Budapest
- Travel insurance
- Visa or travel authorisation fees, if any apply to your passport
- Meals not listed
- Drinks, except the glass of wine at the Wachau lunch
- Tips
- Optional activities, such as a Vienna concert or the Upper Belvedere
- Personal expenses
- Towel rental at the Széchenyi Baths
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 765 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Nine nights in central hotels, 9 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 2 dinners, two reserved train journeys, all transfers, our own vehicle for Český Krumlov and the Wachau, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and the entries in the day plan, from Prague Castle to the Széchenyi Baths. Other lunches and dinners are left free by design, so you choose where to eat.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. That is small enough to board a train together without a scramble, fit around one table at lunch and hear the guide in a crowded castle courtyard. Explore! and G Adventures run this route with up to 16, and coach tours with 40 or more.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from the Prague airport to the Budapest airport, handling the tickets, trains and bags. At Prague Castle, the Hofburg and the Budapest Parliament we add licensed local guides where the site requires one. We name your guide when we confirm your dates.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderately. City days mean about 7 to 10 km on foot, often on cobbles, with climbs to Prague Castle, the Gloriette and Castle Hill. Your bags go to both trains with the guide, and you lift your case onto the rack with help. Each long day has an easier version, and you can sit out any afternoon visit.
I am travelling solo. What does a room of my own cost?
A room of your own is from CAD 765 more, about 17 percent of the trip price, and it is the same standard and location as the twin rooms. If you would like to share, ask when you book and we will try to match you with another solo guest of the same gender.
When is the best time to go?
May, June and September give warm days and fewer crowds. July and August are hot and busy, which is why we visit Prague Castle, Schönbrunn and Melk at opening. The trip runs from April to October, when the Wachau boats and the Český Krumlov castle tours operate.
How does booking work?
Choose a start date and request to book. We confirm your place within 24 hours, and no payment is taken when you send the request. The small group starts from CAD 4,495 per person sharing, with taxes included; the private trip starts from CAD 8,090.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. The trip also runs as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guide and vehicle. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same hotels, trains and tickets without a guide.
Do I need a visa for the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary?
Not if you hold a Canadian, US, UK or Australian passport: all three countries are in the Schengen area, which allows visa-free stays of up to 90 days in any 180. Check the current status of the EU's Entry/Exit System and ETIAS authorisation before you travel; we remind you when we confirm.
How do we get between Prague, Vienna and Budapest?
By train where the train is best and by our own vehicle where it is not. Prague to Vienna goes by train to České Budějovice, leaving the hotel at 8 am with your guide and the bags, then our vehicle via Český Krumlov. Vienna to Budapest is a direct train of about two hours forty. No day has more than about three and a half hours on the road.
Is there a version of this trip with Berlin?
Yes. Our 12-day Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Budapest trip starts in Berlin with Potsdam and a day in Dresden, then follows a similar route south. This 10-day trip skips Germany and gives Budapest a third night instead, so it suits travellers who have seen Berlin or want a shorter trip.
Do we visit Bratislava?
No. Bratislava sits between Vienna and Budapest, and some trips stop there for a few hours. We use that time for the Wachau and a third night in Budapest instead. If you want Bratislava, it is an hour from Vienna by train, and we can add a night before Budapest on a private trip.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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