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CZECH REPUBLIC AND AUSTRIA |
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Prague to Vienna - the Vineyard RoadDay One: Prague - Lednice-Valtice LoopOur guides will greet you in Prague, where you will board our private coach, which will transport you to the south of Moravia. After arrival, you will enjoy a welcome drink and picnic lunch on the terrace of the Chateau Hranicni Zamecek. Today’s tour will lead you through the unique Lednice-Valtice UNESCO Cultural Landscape. After 7 hundred years under care of Lichtenstein noblemen, the swampy area was transformed into a well thought out combination of castles and parks which combines both indigenous and exotic natural elements in order to create an outstanding work of human creativity. Since the complex is very large, bike is the recommended mode of transportation allowing you to experience this exceptional cultural site along with a good workout. Highlight of the day will be Valtice chateau! Besides nice interiors this imposing building conceals a wine cellar filled with best wines of the Czech republic where wine tasting and introduction of the region will take place! Meal: Lunch, Dinner Destinations visited: Prague, Lednice-Valtice cellars Distance: 23 km
Day Two: Valtice-Mikulov Via Iron CurtainToday we will continue our explorations of exceptional UNESCO areal. We will stop enroute to visit the Lednice Chateau where we will find out, why this area is called “The Garden of Europe” or “The Garden Paradise”. English neogothic Chateau, French gardens, romantic minaret and Jans castle ruin will transport you back in time to the 19th century. As a sweet farewell to the Lednice-Valtice region we will find extraordinary wine cellar in Valtice underworld, before entering the former Iron curtain road. While biking in this wonderful landscape it is hard to believe, that less than 20 years ago this area was land of no one and so called dead zone. Lovely Mikulov city is a small diamond hidden under Palava hills. After arrival you will visit the only synagogue of polish type and one of the biggest Jewish cemeteries in the Czech republic, dating back to 15 century. We will end our day in unique hotel Templ, which was created from former synagogue after it was deserted during dramatic times of WW II. If you look carefully, even in these days you will find many details of its formal use! Highlight of the day will be dinner in formal synagogue room and wine tasting in wine cellar, where a ritual mikva bath was held! Meal: Breakfast, Dinner
Day Three: Mikulov Vineyard loopAfter enjoying a hearty breakfast, we will be biking today in Palava a UNESCO biosphere reservation. This small “Czech Mediterranea” or “Czech Provance” offers great combination of biking through wine yards, karst rock formations, old time villages, specific folklore and good wine! We will visit village of Dolni Vestonice, which is very well known due to a rare archeological find of a small woman statue 23 000 years old. Pavlov is small village with unique folklore baroque architecture where we will stop for picnic! Tasting delicious local meals and local wines under the Devin castle ruin will definitely be highlight of this day. While some will be enjoying a break in a local wine cellar, others can climb up to the ruins to enjoy an amazing view. After return Mikulov castle will welcome us with its wine museum and a local curiosity – a giant wine cask. Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day four: Mikulov – Laa an der ThayaToday we will cross the border on bicycle to Austria. We will start on the wine bike path, which bears the name after the most famous regional wine – it is called the Veltliner Bike Path. This path will take us through a slightly hilly terrain and, from the distance, we will be called by the Falkenstein castle ruins, which is the dominant of the entire region, vineyards and wine cellar road are the most beautiful in this area. All along the way to Poysdorf, Austrian capital of Wine, we may turn to Herrnbaumgarten Village, which is famous for its poetic museum of non-senses. You will get your first taste today of high quality Austrian wines which you will appreciate during sampling in local wine market in Poysdorf. After passing the Staatz castle ruins, we will be already in our final destination for the day – a spa town of Laa an der Thaya. Here we will be able to admire two town halls, remains of a castle and, most importantly, enjoy relaxation and treatments in our special hotel Therme Laa. We will top off the day with an included gourmet dinner with wine getting ready for another full day in Austria. Meal: Breakfast, Dinner
Day Five: Austria Loop - Spa dayToday you can decide, whether you will treat yourself to a day in the spa facilities of the hotel, or whether you will head for a bike trip to complete mosaic of Czech-Austrian border wine region. We will start our tour in Šatov, where it´s unique painted wine cellar, well-preserved fortification from World War II and many other small sights as well as local wine sampling are offered. From Satov we will bike through old Celtic sanctuary to Retz. In this old wine town with white wind mill as a dominant we will have a chance to admire not only an interesting main square, but primarily 20 km-long labyrinth of wine cellars, which holds five million liters of this godly drink! Afterwards you will bike through village of Hadres, where we will visit the most beautiful wine street of the entire region. It is 1,6 km long and there are more than 400 cellars along it. Tonight enjoy a gourmet Austrian dinner, and toast to your travels mates and reminisce over your Czech and Austrain adventure! Meal: Breakfast, Dinner
Day Six: ViennaIn the morning, transport by car for the city of waltz, opera and famous Vienna coffee. The capital city of Austria will be our final destination of our journey. We strongly recommend extending your stay in Vienna by at least one day, because the UNESCO protected city center, the Schönbrunn Castle and many other sights are too beautiful and unique to be missed. Your DuVine personal travel coordinator can arrange additional hotel accommodation and guiding services for you, as well as possible transport back to Prague. Meal: Breakfast
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