From the Adriatic to the Danube

This itinerary is the starting point for your tour, but it’s not set in stone. If there are days you would like to change, or specific places you’d like to go, we can work with you to create a personalized program that fits the needs of you and your students.

Day 1: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA.

Day 2: Venice

After arriving in Venice and saying ciao to your ACIS Tour Manager, enjoy a fast and fun transfer by private motor launch to your hotel on the Lido. Then start exploring this magnificent city of canals and palaces with your 48-hour vaporetto pass, which allows you to come and go throughout the city as you please.

Day 3: Venice

Consisting of an archipelago carved by nearly 150 canals into 118 different islands, the incomparable city of Venice contains a wealth of sights. Arrive in St. Mark's Square where you can see the famous Bridge of Sighs—which connected the old prisons of Venice to the interrogation rooms of the neighboring Doge's Palace—and enjoy a visit inside the magnificent St. Mark's Basilica, including the Loggia dei Cavalli. Marvel at the Basilica's Byzantine architecture and incredible mosaics, and notice how the floor has been affected by Venice having been built over the water. The Loggia offers an elevated view of both the Basilica's interior and of the Square's highlights, along with the original sculpture of four bronze horses known as the Quadriga that was brought back from the Crusades (the horses that can been seen from the piazza outside are copies). Then learn more about one of Venice's most famous exports during an authentic glassblowing demonstration, visit the historic Fondaco dei Tedeschi for breathtaking views of the Grand Canal from its rooftop, and stop for a photo at nearby Rialto Bridge. Later explore more at your own pace with unlimited access to the entire canal network and smaller islands using your vaporetto pass. You'll feel like a local in no time.

Day 4: Ljubljana

This morning you’ll bid Venice arrivederci and discover Trieste, a beautiful former Habsburg city that has been influenced by the Greeks, Venetians, Austrians and Balkans. Then continue to the jaw-dropping Postojna Cave, for an informative, exploratory experience with a local guide where a mini-train will transport you through a complex system of passages and dramatically lit chambers, formed over the eons by the Pivka River. Later arrive in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia and a multicultural city noted for its many fine museums and medieval architecture.

Day 5: Ljubljana

Kick off the morning with guided sightseeing tour of Ljubljana's most famous sights. Discover the Old Square before crossing the Dragon Bridge on the way to Market Square. See the town's most recognizable sights, the Triple Bridge, City Hall Square and the Bishop's Palace, before ending your tour with a stroll along the river. The afternoon is free for you to discover more at your own pace, perhaps with a stroll through the National Museum of Slovenia or the National Gallery of Slovenia.

Day 6: Vienna

Today begins with a drive to Vienna, located along the enchanting Wachau stretch of the Danube. Upon arrival, you’ll begin exploring Austria’s captivating capital, once the home of luminaries such as Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss and Freud. Known as the Imperial City, a nod to its status as the former capital of the Holy Roman and Austro-Hungarian Empires, Vienna is characterized by its lively squares, Baroque architecture and rich musical heritage—it's the cultural and political heart of Austria. This afternoon get ready to dance as a local expert mesmerizes you with a lesson in the world-famous Viennese Waltz, followed by a chance to practice what you learned by giving the dance floor a whirl yourself.

Day 7: Vienna

This morning tour the grounds and interior of Schönbrunn Palace, the massive Habsburg summer retreat, including the Imperial state rooms and private quarters of the Austrian Emperors. Included audio guides enhance your visit. Then embark on a sightseeing tour of Vienna where an expert local guide shows you the glory of the former Imperial capital including the Ringstrasse, Hofburg Palace complex, Opera House and St. Stephen's Cathedral. Later enjoy a taste of the city's famed coffee house culture—visit one of Vienna's many glittering cafés to savor some mélange coffee or hot chocolate and Sachertorte. In the evening, walk through the amusements of Prater Park, a center for public entertainment since the mid-1700s. Highlights include the Wiener Riesenrad, a giant Ferris wheel, the Liliputbahn, a light-gauge railway, and the high-flying Praterturm.

Day 8: Budapest

This morning you’ll journey through scenic orchards and vineyards to Budapest, the capital of Hungary. En route stop for time to get lunch in Bratislava—Slovakia’s capital city has a lovely pedestrian-friendly old town nestled along the Danube.

Day 9: Budapest

Meet your local guide for a sightseeing tour of Budapest, that teaches you about the amazing 1,000-year history of this city, which is split in half by the Danube River—the Buda district on one side and the Pest district on the other (hence the city's name!). See Heroes' Square, St. Stephen's Basilica, and the spectacular Hungarian Parliament building, then cross one of the city's beautiful bridges to take in wonderful views from the neo-Roman Fisherman's Bastion, and enjoy entrance to Matthias Church. In the afternoon, delight in the unique cultural experience of the Széchenyi Thermal Baths. Built in 1913 and still frequented by the city's locals, it remains one of Europe's largest spa complexes, featuring an elaborate, neo-Baroque building plus 15 indoor baths and three outdoor pools, all fed by natural hot springs.

Day 10: Departure

Depart for the USA.