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Wine, Women, and History
(With Budapest Wine Festival)
Destination:
Budapest, Hungary
Tokaj, Hungary
Krakow, Poland
Date:
September 8-19, 2022
Price:
$3,800 (based on single occupancy)
Did you know that Hungary has 22 wine districts scattered throughout six wine regions? The country is only about the size of the state of Indiana. That’s a lot of wine. In fact, Hungary produces over 318,000 liters of wines annually, making it the 15th most active wine-producing country in the world. This is just one part of our 12-day adventure.
This tour will bring you up close to history, sharing the good, bad, and drunk history of Hungary and Krakow. We’ll explore the history of kings, wines, salt mines, religions, and wars in this fascinating region. We’ll enjoy unique vineyards and cellars, as well as gorgeous cities with fantastic food, incredible museums, historic sites, and fun things to walk around and explore.
Things to consider – this is not a religious tour. This explores the history and culture of the region which includes religious sites and history. Also, as someone who lives in the region, please don’t let recent events in neighboring countries dissuade to from coming. Both Poland and Hungary have assisted with refugees and, though it hasn’t interfered at all with the tourism services, they sure could use some income to continue to assist.
Check out the itinerary below, reach out to me with any questions, or just click “Sign Me Up” to put down your deposit and reserve your spot. The maximum number on this trip is 20 women.
Itinerary
What Does it Cost?
What's Included?
Important Things
Itinerary
Day 1 – Home to Budapest
Today you’ll depart your home and fly overnight (if traveling from North America) to Budapest, Hungary.
Day 2 – Arrive in Budapest, Hungary
Good morning, and welcome to Budapest! It’s an easy airport to find your way through and, from an airport shuttle to a taxi to the excellent public bus, there are options for transferring to our hotel only about 30 minutes away. Not to worry, we’ll discuss these in a pre-departure Zoom call.
After a bite to eat (I can recommend some nearby places within walking distance), we’ll head over to the landmark Heroes Square where we’ll learn about the statues of kings and heroes representing some of the incredible history of this ever-changing country.
You’ll likely be tired from your flight so we’ll take it easy today and refresh with a few hours soaking in the nearby Szechenyi Thermal Baths. Built in 1913, natural hot spring waters feed the 18 pools and you can enjoy 10 saunas/steam rooms.
This evening we’ll enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Goulash anyone?
Hotel: Hotel Memories Old Town
Included Meals: D
Day 3 – Budapest
Put on your walking shoes as today we’ll walk and take public transportation to some of the most iconic sites of this gorgeous city. We’ll begin by heading across the Danube River to the Buda side (yup, Buda, on one side of the river, and Pest on the other, combine to make this beautiful city – Budapest) where meet our local guide and visit the iconic Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church before returning to Pest to stop by to see one of the most recognizable buildings in Hungary, the Hungarian Parliament. We’ll learn about the 1956 revolution (did you know these fighters were Time Magazine’s Person of the Year?) and then walk along the Danube to visit the striking Holocaust memorial, Shoes Along the Danube Bank.
From here we’ll head over to St. Stephen’s Basilica. After 55 years of construction, the Basilica, dedicated to the first King of Hungary, was finally opened in 1905 (and you thought your contractor took a long time). Besides the incredible marble, art, dome, and sculptures, you may catch a glimpse of what is said to be the actual hand of St. Stephen. After, we’ll climb the 364 steps up the tower for a spectacular view of the city. (Ha! Don’t worry, there’s an elevator option if you prefer.)
Take a little break, have some lunch on your own (maybe at the historic Central Market) and perhaps a dip in the hotel’s hot tub while catching a look at part of the buried old city wall.
Early this evening we’ll float down the Danube (no water wings necessary, we’ll take a cruise) taking on the incredible UNESCO World Heritage waterfront with a glass of wine. Then we’ll head over to Buda Castle for the once-a-year Budapest Wine Festival where you’ll have the chance to taste hundreds of wines from all the wine regions in Hungary (you don’t have to try them all, but I won’t judge). You can enjoy some local food with your wine and then dance to live music under the stars on the castle grounds overlooking the sparkling Danube River.
Hotel: Hotel Memories Old Town
Included Meals: B
Day 4 – Budapest
This morning we’ll join our local guide for a 3-hour walking tour of Budapest’s famous Jewish Quarter. Now known as “the party district,”
this district was the Jewish Ghetto during the Holocaust. Here we’ll see some of the striking sculptures and monuments, incredible architecture, and synagogues, including the largest synagogue in Europe (and one of the largest in the world), Dohany Street Synagogue. We’ll tour the inside and the surrounding grounds to understand why this synagogue is different than almost any other in the world. You don’t need to be Jewish, or even religious, to find this a fascinating part of history and a beautiful example of Moorish Revival Architecture. Also known as the Great Synagogue, it sure lives up to its nickname.
After our morning walking tour, enjoy some time on your own and maybe lunch at a café.
Tonight, where will you go? Maybe a visit to a ruin pub? A taste of the international gastronomy? A walk through the lively streets? Time to soak in one last Budapest night.
Hotel: Hotel Memories Old Town
Included Meals: B
Day 5 – Budapest to Tokaj
We say Szia (a simple goodbye) to the city and take our private bus approximately three hours through the countryside to Tokaj, Hungary. Our Budapest-based guide will spend a couple of days with us as we explore one of the most famous wine regions in Hungary which has both a rich wine-making history as well as an incredible Jewish history. Today, we’ll explore the long history of Jews in the region including a visit to the baroque synagogue in Mád, one of the oldest surviving synagogues in Hungary and restored in 2004. We’ll also visit the Jewish cemetery and the Rabbi’s House and Museum.
For lunch, we’re treated to a fantastic meal with a good selection of wine pairings at a local, women-owned winery before continuing our day with visits to important sites of the Wonder Rabbis.
After a long day, we’ll head back to our hotel to refresh ourselves and then out to a local restaurant for dinner.
Hotel: TBD
Included Meals: B, L, D
Day 6 – Tokaj, Hungary
Today is all about Hungarian wines; specifically wines from the Tokaj region. In order not to start drinking too early (not judging), we’ll begin today at around 10 am and head to winery owned by a female (we try to support our fellow women entrepreneurs) French winemaker. From there, we’ll continue onto lunch at the home of a green activist, herb specialist, organic gardener and an amazing cook. Following a delicious lunch, we’ll head over to the unusual (and World Heritage) cellars buried in the ground at Hercegkút where we’ll enjoy some wine and cheese.
Stuffed, we’ll visit the castle of Sárospatak and, on the way back, stop in Olaszliszka to have a look at the Holocaust memorial. After freshening up, we’ll enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.
Hotel: TBD
Included Meals: B, L, D
Day 7 – Tokaj to Krakow
We visit three countries today as we leave Hungary and head through the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia and then into Poland. We’ll get a glimpse of small towns, nature, and perhaps a castle or two. We’ll have an included lunch on the road and arrive at our hotel in Kazimierz in Krakow, Poland later in the day. Tonight we’ll walk over to a nearby restaurant where we’ll have our first taste of Poland which, of course, will include vodka tasting.
Hotel: Golden Tulip, Kazimierz
Included Meals: B, L, D
Day 8 – Krakow
Wake up! I thought you might need that after last night’s vodka
tasting dinner. Enjoy a good breakfast as we have some walking to do today. We’ll start by exploring our own neighborhood, Kazimierz, which is also the old Jewish Quarter. Our local guide will lead us through centuries of history in this interesting neighborhood. As we explore, we’ll come to understand that the history of Jews in Europe isn’t limited to the Holocaust. After grabbing lunch on your own (don’t worry, there are lots of places and we can recommend a good local market area to enjoy something) we’ll walk over the Vistula River and explore the Jewish Ghetto, the Remuh Synagague, and the famous Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory Museum. After a long day exploring you can enjoy a relaxing dinner on your own or with your new friends.
Hotel: Golden Tulip, Kazimierz
Included Meals: B
Day 9 – Krakow
Enjoying another day in this gorgeous city we’ll walk just 10-minutes to Wawel Castle where we’ll visit one of the many current exhibits. We’ll continue on to the Royal Walk, St. Mary’s Basilica, and the famous Market Square where you can have lunch on your own and have a free afternoon to shop, visit museums, and explore more of the city.
Hotel: Golden Tulip, Kazimierz
Included Meals: B
Day 10 – Krakow – Auschwitz
Today is a somber day. There’s little description I can write here. We’ll meet our bus at the hotel this morning where our driver will drive us 90-minutes to Oswiecim, the city where the Auschwitz and Birkenau Museum is located. We’ll meet our guide and spend some hours trying to understand the impossible, first at Auschwitz and then at nearby Birkenau.
Hotel: Golden Tulip, Kazimierz
Included Meals: B
Day 11 – Krakow
This morning we’ll head out on public transportation to explore the nearby Wieliczka Salt Mine. Who knew salt could be so beautiful?! In this underground place of natural and man-made history (the first shaft was dug 800 years ago) we’ll learn about the centuries of exploration, the people involved, and the artwork that’s carved within. We’ll even see a salt wedding chapel. After a morning breathing the healthy salted air almost 450 underground we’ll have lunch and then head over to Srebrna Góra Vineyard located on the grounds of the 17th century Camaldolese Hermit Monastery for a tour of the vineyards and some wine tasting. After returning to the hotel to freshen up, we’ll head out to the Old Town for a restaurant experience you won’t soon forget where we’ll dine at a favorite restaurant of presidents and celebrities.
Hotel: Golden Tulip, Kazimierz
Included Meals: B, L, D
Day 12 – Krakow
Oh no, it’s here. It’s time to leave. As they say, you don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here. Ok, well, you can stay here (and you may want to) but you’ll have to work that out on your own. After one last yummy breakfast, you can head to the airport which is less than 30 minutes by taxi from our hotel. If you’re looking for one last adventure, you can take public transportation which will get you there within about 40 minutes.
Included Meals B
What Does it Cost?
You know how they say, “The best things in life are free?” Well, consider travel the second-best thing, so here you go.
Price based on Single Rooms – US $3800.00*
A $300 non-refundable deposit reserves your space
Final payment due by July 10, 2022
*Please get in contact to find out about the shared-room discount.
What's Included?
What’s Included?
- Ten nights in 3-4 star hotels.
- 10 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 5 dinners (beer, wine, or soda with included dinners).
- All ground transportation between cities and on excursions (some of this transportation within cities will be by foot on walking tours and public transportation. Please read the “Important Things to Know” section.)
- Travel with a journalist published in National Geographic, CNN Travel, AFAR, MSN, Fodor’s, The Daily Beast, Atlas Obscura, Unearth Women, easyJet Traveller, DAME Magazine, Virtuoso.com and Trivago Magazine. (Yup, that’s me!)
- Tour leader with 20-years’ experience.
- All included activities listed in the tour description including all museum admissions.
- Taxes and tips for all included meals and accommodations. Tips for local walking tours and step-on guides will be at the traveler’s discretion.
- Tip for me, your tour leader. (I’m the owner of the company so no need to tip me, I’m good.)
- Scheduled group Zoom chat in the month prior to departure.
- Email tips sent every-other-week beginning two-months prior to our departure (including recommended apps, handling credit cards and money during the trip, and packing tips specific to this trip.
- Independent pre or post-tour extension advice that I am able to assist with.
- Some fun surprises along the way.
What’s Not Included?
- Airfare and arrangements from home to the start of the trip and for your return. Any air or ground transportation not listed as part of the tour.
- Passport or visa fees. Airline luggage fees. Any fees charged that are not part of the tour. Fees for Covid tests or vaccines, if required
- Transportation, admissions, meals and drinks during free time (though in Budapest we include a 72-hour public transportation ticket).
- Transfers from/to airports to join and depart the tour.
- Tips for local walking and city tour guides and hotel housekeepers (at your discretion).
- Travel insurance. We recommend buying it prior to your trip. World Nomads is known to have good plans and Forbes has a list of recommendations. Note: most travel insurance only covers Covid-related issues if it’s a policy stating “for any reason.”
- Medical treatment while on tour (again, we recommend travel insurance).
- Room charges including, but not limited to, mini bar, room service, restaurant and gift shop purchases, and laundry charged back to the room, or telephone.)
- Food, drinks, and other items not specified in the itinerary.
- Extra drinks at not included with group dinners and some lunches (Not with breakfast because, well, not judging but maybe think about your choices.)
Important Things
Important Things to Know (please read this)
All prices are based on SINGLE occupancy (after all, our theme is when you want to travel solo, but not alone). If you would like to share a room with a travel partner, please get in touch and we’ll discuss the share discounted price.
Minimum number for this tour to run is 8 people and the maximum is 20. Please don’t book your flights until you receive confirmation that we’ve reached our minimum tour booking number. When looking into for this tour you will want to fly into Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport and fly out of John Paul II International Airport (Krakow). Check the box for “multi city” to look into flights arriving/departing from different airports. Should you need any assistance or information, please contact me via email at Carole@DropMeAnywhere.com or cbrosenblat@gmail.com. I can also recommend a great travel consultant who would be glad to assist you with flights or pre/post tour plans.
Should Drop Me Anywhere need to cancel this tour for any reason, clients will have the option of applying any money paid to a future trip with an additional percentage discount or having their money refunded.
All efforts will be made to run the tour exactly as the itinerary specifies however, due to a variety of circumstance including, but not limited to, changes or cancellations in train, bus, or other transportation schedules, weather, unscheduled changes in operating hours, and local issues, some inclusions may be altered or eliminated. In these cases, we’ll make every reasonable attempt to include all scheduled activities.
In some cases, daily schedules might be exchanged (from one day to another) due to unexpected circumstances such as, but again, not limited to, business hours, weather, last-minute opportunities for unique, unscheduled events, or creating a better-timed day. Flexibility is key to enjoying your trip.
This tour uses public transportation as our means of travel within cities. We’ll usually walk from the transportation to our scheduled accommodations, restaurants, and activities. The walks are generally around 15-minutes maximum. You will be expected to be able to walk these distances, sometimes along cobblestone streets (Don’t worry, it’s not that difficult and we won’t be running, but you will need to be sure you can do this.) The tour also includes walking tours which can mean some hours of walking. We won’t be running (no marathons here) but you’ll need to be able to walk along cobblestone streets, on uneven surfaces, and grassy hillsides.
What is your favorite kind of candy? Ha! Just being sure you’re reading this, so please be ready to answer this when we talk.
Proof of Covid vaccine or immunity, or a negative Covid-19 test, may be required to enter countries. I will keep you up to date as to what the rules are for travel to our scheduled locations as well as returning to your home country as the trip departure gets closer.
Your passport must be valid for at least six-months after your date of return to your home country. If you are not an American citizen, please check to see if you require a visa to enter any countries on our itinerary.
Are you still with me? Just a couple more things.
Though we strive to be as inclusive and accessible as possible, if assistance is needed for movement, please bring a friend to help.
Terms and Conditions (it’s the legal stuff I’m required to tell you):
Drop Me Anywhere, LLC agrees to deliver the services and inclusions as listed for the tour to the best of their ability. Client acknowledges that unforeseen and unknown events can and do occur, due to no fault of the Drop Me Anywhere that can result in not receiving the tour and forfeiting some or all the monies paid to Drop Me Anywhere. These events include but are not limited to: postponing, rescheduling or cancelling of tour by Drop Me Anywhere, cancellation by traveler; removal of a client from a tour for non-payment or other violations as deemed necessary by the tour leader.
Client acknowledges that unforeseen and unknown events can and do occur, due to no fault of Drop Me Anywhere. No damages shall be due to a traveler for failure by Drop Me Anywhere to perform obligations related to delivery of tour services if such failure is a result of Acts of God (including fire, flood, earthquake, storm, hurricane, volcano eruption, or other natural disasters), pandemics, epidemics, war, invasion, acts of foreign enemies, cyber-attacks, hostilities (regardless of whether war is declared), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, military or usurped power or confiscation, terrorist activities, nationalism, government sanction, blockage, embargo, labor dispute, strike, lockout or interruption or failure of any mode of transportation.
Entry to another country may be refused even if the required information and travel documents are complete. Travel documentation is subject to change. Living standard and practices at the destination with respect to the provision of utilities, services and accommodation may differ from those found in other areas of the world.
Drop Me Anywhere reserves the right to remove any traveler from a tour should it be determined that the traveler is adversely affecting the overall group dynamics, is a danger to herself or others, or is willfully ignoring the instructions of the Drop Me Anywhere tour leader or its representatives to the detriment or safety of the group. In the event a traveler is removed from a tour, Drop Me Anywhere will not refund any monies. Transportation costs to return home, airline penalties, and any other expenses will be the responsibility of the traveler.
In the event a traveler chooses to leave a tour prior to its scheduled conclusion, Drop Me Anywhere will not refund any monies for the unused portion of the tour arrangements. Transportation costs from tour departure point to the airport, airline penalties, and any other expenses will be the responsibility of the traveler.
Cancellation Policy
Deposits and scheduled payments are non-refundable. Final payments are non-refundable after the final payment date. If the Drop Me Anywhere cancels a tour due to insufficient travelers, prior to a tour being guaranteed, all payments will be refunded.
While all reasonable options will be considered should events impact the delivery of scheduled tour services, no damages shall be due to a traveler for failure by the Drop Me Anywhere to perform obligations related to delivery of tour services if such failure is a result of Acts of God (including fire, flood, earthquake, storm, hurricane, volcano eruption, or other natural disasters), pandemics, epidemics, war, invasion, acts of foreign enemies, cyber-attacks, hostilities (regardless of whether war is declared), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, military or usurped power or confiscation, terrorist activities, nationalism, government sanction, blockage, embargo, labor dispute, strike, lockout or interruption or failure of any mode of transportation.
It is understood by the Client that each payment made to Drop Me Anywhere will be disbursed as required by the contractual terms that Drop Me Anywhere has entered into with each tour supplier/partner, in order to provide the services agreed to for the tour to which the Client is registered. As such, all required payments (deposits at any times and final payments after the due date are non-refundable. If a client does not pay a scheduled payment by the due date their trip may be cancelled and no monies already paid will be refunded.
Tours lacking enough travelers will be cancelled and clients will be notified via email. Drop Me Anywhere will make every effort to cancel tours lacking enough travelers prior to collection of final payment. All deposits and interim payments will be promptly refunded. Drop Me Anywhere is not responsible for any other cost incurred, including and not limited to flights, extra hotel room nights, and travel insurance premiums. Do not make non-refundable flight arrangements prior to a tour being guaranteed.
Accessibility
While Drop Me Anywhere has a commitment to e as inclusive as possible, accessibility laws vary by country and we cannot guarantee that all hotels, transportation, museums, historic sites, and other locations visited on a Drop Me Anywhere tour will be accessible for travelers of different abilities. We will make every effort to provide reasonable accommodation and an agreeable compromise should should a situation require due to physical ability. The traveler is expected to disclose any physical limitations which might affect the safety and enjoyment of the traveler or their fellow travelers prior to final payment. If assistance might be required with, but not limited to; walking, eating, carrying luggage, or following tour leader instructions, the traveler will travel with a responsible companion to assist with these needs.
Drop Me Anywhere, LLC is insured by Zurich Insurance Group.
Wow, I think we’re finally finished. Let’s get ready to travel!