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tour-the-east – Customized Educational Travel to Central and Eastern Europe
Tired of the typical tourist destinations and attractions? At tour-the-east, they are dedicated to extraordinary, educational travel to Central and Eastern Europe that goes beyond the beaten path.
Travel is one of the greatest learning opportunities. They custom design unique journeys to Central and Eastern Europe that present you with the insider's perspective on culture, history and politics.
What makes them unique? They are regional experts (PhDs). Their concept is sustainable travel which conveys a balanced picture of the countries visited.
They are a husband and wife team who are passionate about what they do. They unite East and West. Their family has played a major role in regional history. Be guided by a descendent of the Russian Czars and the grand niece of the Polish General who was in charge of the defense of Warsaw during WWII.
Their tours are escorted and led by them personally. They believe that travel should be as authentic as possible and as individual as you are.
By exclusive arrangement, meet with major politicians, artists, journalists, representatives of NGOs and eyewitnesses of historical events. People who you would not otherwise meet, who shape these cultures and societies.
With part of their proceeds, they support development projects in Central and Eastern Europe and visit these on their journeys.
For full information, please visit the tour-the-east website:
www.tour-the-east.com
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BERLIN, GERMANY & ENVIRONS
Before WWII, Berlin was a locus of Prussian power, a vibrant center of Jewish culture, and a focal point of Europe's bohemian avant-garde. Today, Berlin is the dynamic, multifaceted capital of reunited Germany and a major player in the European Union. In reality, it is several cities rolled into one: East Berlin, West Berlin, Slavic Berlin, Turkish Berlin… Classical architecture, Social Realism, skyscrapers and the ambiance of old fashioned villages from another century stand side by side. There’s almost nothing you won't find here. This is a great place to start a trip to the Baltic Sea, Dresden, Weimar, etc. |
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POLAND
Poland is full of fairytale castles and gorgeous landscapes, small bed and breakfast inns in historical villas run by private families. Its cities are incredibly diverse: Krakow, home to one of Europe’s oldest universities, is an ancient cultural center that resembles a Northern Italian town. Warsaw is a skyscraper metropolis with many faces. Explore centers of Polish Jewry and the Solidarity Movement’s revolution against Communism. Discover the lakes and forests of enchanted Masuria and the alpine mountains of Polish ski-resorts. After a raft ride in a mountain gorge, picnic on lamb roast on a spit and dance to live folk music. |
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RUSSIA
Russia is a fascinating country full of contrasts. St. Petersburg was founded by Peter the Great as the 'window to the West' and was long the seat of the Tsars. It is a centre of culture which has brought forth countless poets, painters, and composers. A picturesque city in pastels flanking the Neva River, with its many channels and bridges, it has been dubbed the "Venice of the North". Moscow was the capital of the Soviet empire. Today it is a bustling, fast-paced metropolis. In the last decades before the fall of Communism, religion was frowned upon, today it is experiencing a renaissance, as is attested by the many renovated cloisters and churches which coexist amidst modern skyscrapers. |
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CZECH REPUBLIC
Cosmopolitan Bohemian savoir-vivre is proverbial. Experience towns full of
old world charm, Art Nouveau architecture and art, and country landscapes crowned by castles. Discover the home of a world famous beer tradition and delicious cuisine to match. Prague was a center of Jewish culture and home to intellectuals and authors like Franz Kafka. As one time capital of the Holy Roman Empire, it was a hub of Central European civilization early on. Imagine dining on Czech delicacies with a Count in his castle, followed by a tour of his private art collection and wine testing in his winery. |
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HUNGARY
Picture sitting among fig trees at Hungary's picturesque Lake Balaton and sampling the delicious wines the region is renowned for. Or visit Tokaj, which is so famous for its wine that it has been declared a World Heritage Site. Hear a concert by Sinti and Roma in a conservatory dedicated to their musical tradition. Learn about Budapest's Jewish tradition. Find out how Hungary played a key role in dissolving Communism by opening up its borders. Dine on fiery pepperoni delights, like the famous fish stew, Halaszle. Visit Budapest's elegant Viennese coffee houses with their fantastic sweets and cakes, at Budapest’s world renowned Gundel restaurant, try the filled sweet crêpes (Palatschinken). |
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BALTIC STATES (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia)
Experience the colorful Northern lights. Ancient Baltic legend has it that they are the glow from celestial nuptials in which the horses and sleds of the guests shine with a mysterious radiance. Witness the celebration of the summer solstice when people in Latvia wearing flower and oak crowns jump over the bonfire on St. John's day (you are free to participate). Make night into day during the “white nights” of Estonia's high north, when the sun rises as soon as it has set. Enjoy wellness treatments in historical Baltic spa towns. Visit a Gothic island castle and learn about its unique Jewish community (due to their imposing physical stature, they were bodyguards of the Duke of Lithuania). See the Hill of Crosses, a symbol of national resistance during Soviet times. Visit national parks with open-air ethnological museums and a Soviet sculpture park documenting Communist ideology and propaganda. |
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UKRAINE
Discover the home of the Cossack horsemen. Explore the birthplace of Slavic Eastern Orthodoxy with its fantastic golden onion domed churches. Learn about Ukrainian Postmodernism, some of the most exiting literature currently available anywhere. Explore Crimea and the romance of the Black Sea region with its azure coasts and Turkic Tatar culture. Discover Western Ukraine with its rich Jewish stetl-tradition. In the Old Town of Lviv/Lemberg, trace old-world Galician-Austrian heritage with its culinary highlights. Explore the capital Kiev, one of Europe's most beautiful cities. Learn about the post-Soviet Orange Revolution in Ukraine. |
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ROMANIA
Romania has some of the finest wine in all of Eastern Europe. Nature is breathtaking; alpine mountains and plunging gorges. In this dramatic setting, it is no surprise that Romania is the origin of the Dracula myth. However, the historical personage on whom Bram Stoker’s novel is based was in reality no vampire, but a relentless freedom fighter. He left several impressive castles to posterity. Experience the rich culture of multiethnic Transylvania with its Hungarian and German minorities. Visit Sibiu, with its picturesque Old Town, named the “Cultural Capital of Europe 2007” by the European Union. See the painted churches of Moldavia, covered with colorful biblical frescos (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Explore the sprawling Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, the second largest building in the world. |
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BULGARIA
Bulgaria abounds in high alpine mountains, but also gentle rolling hills covered with walnut trees, sunflower and lavender fields. Imagine being literally covered in fragrant pink roses at the annual festival in the Valley of Roses, where some of the world’s finest rose oil is created for perfume, chocolate and jams. Frolic on snow-white Black Sea beaches with transparent azure waters. Visit the largest monastery in the Balkans. Marvel at art treasures; murals, icons and Thracian Gold. Visit Bulgaria's famous rock-hewn (cave) cloisters, high above ground. Stay in a family-run hotel with a long tradition built in the style of Bulgaria's National Revival architecture. |
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SLOVENIA
Half of the country is covered by forests. Slovenia was formerly a part of Austro-Hungary. Its breathtaking Alpine panoramas have the flair of Tyrol and are ideal for skiing. They are complimented by the country’s Mediterranean shoreline. Slovenian wines are excellent. Experience the eerie beauty of vast salt fields which were used to harvest this precious commodity since Roman times and established unique cultural traditions. Visit a remarkable castle built into a cave on the side of a mountain. See a dressage show with Austrian Lipizzaner horses. Quaint Mediterranean towns resemble open-air museums. Take a gondola to an idyllic island in a glacial mountain lake and visit the castle there. In spring, dance with the “Kurents” in wild abandon (folktale spirits who scare away winter). |
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CROATIA
Europe’s Wildest West is in the southeast! Due to its dramatic landscape of mountains and Adriatic coastline, Croatia has been THE choice backdrop location for European Wild West films. Take its national park with 16 turquoise blue lakes connected by waterfalls like beads in a necklace, which UNESCO has declared a World Heritage Site. The water is so clear, you can see the fish swimming at the bottom of the lakes. Revel in the glory of ancient Rome at a concert in the amphitheater in the harbor town Pula. Dubrovnik, a medieval fortress which once rivaled Venice as a city-state, is set on a bay in the Mediterranean. See for yourself that it is well named as the “pearl of the Adriatic Sea”. Savor Croatian cuisine, which synthesizes Viennese, Hungarian, Turkish and Mediterranean influences. Seafood specialties and regional white wines are fantastic together. |
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CHRISTMAS TOUR
Do your exclusive holiday shopping at traditional old-world Christmas markets in Prague, Dresden, and Nuremberg. Try all the seasonal specialties: mulled wine, gingerbread, roasted nuts, sugar plums, fruit cake. Collect hand made tree ornaments and painted wooden toys. See exquisite royal porcelain being hand painted in Europe's oldest manufactory. Spend the night in castles (some of them are haunted). Explore Berlin, one of Europe's most fascinating cultural and political capitals. Acquaint yourself with Saxony’s royal tradition (live like a king!) and visit the “Grünes Gewölbe”, a collection of curiosities from the Saxon Court's treasury. When there is lots of snow outside, wellness treatments and relaxing in the sauna are more welcome than ever. |
Photo credits: pixelquelle.de, pot.gov.pl, CzechTourism.com, uvi.si |
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