Imperial Splendour, Bohemian Rhapsody

Vienna to Prague Biking 2015 - Bistro Hotels Activity Level: Recreational | Duration: 6 Days/5 Nights Imperial Splendour, Bohemian Rhapsody _______...
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Vienna to Prague Biking 2015

- Bistro Hotels

Activity Level: Recreational | Duration: 6 Days/5 Nights

Imperial Splendour, Bohemian Rhapsody _____________

Experience Vienna & Prague

WHY TRAVEL WITH B&R? Only B&R active travellers experience the thrill of finishing in grand Prague style at the Hotel Hoffmeister, one of the city’s premier properties, just steps from the Charles Bridge. Whatever you might need, the staff will be more than happy to provide.

A journey between the great capitals of Vienna and Prague is a trip back in time. In Austria, we ride the UNESCO-protected Wachau Valley, where wine has been cultivated for some 1,000 years. We follow the Danube through vineyards and villages, appreciate Baroque architecture and gape at medieval ruins. Crossing into the Czech Republic, in Bohemia we pedal through the breadbasket of the country, past castles and churches, lush forests and winding rivers. Cesky Krumlov is a fairytale town, its red roofs and spires soaring above the Vltava River. Arriving in renascent Prague by week’s end, we celebrate the adventure in style.

THE B&R DIFFERENCE “This was my first B&R trip and first biking trip ever. I was so impressed by all the little details and the general experience. My most memorable moment was simply getting to know the people on the trip and taking part in the rides. Our trip was amazing—it was fun, active, adventurous, unique and a great way to see a new part of the world.”

Robin Storfer Prague to Vienna Biking

Other questions? Call us at 800 678 1147 the journey p.2 view > / notes from the road p.5 view > / the details p.6 view > / next steps p.7 view >

Vienna to Prague Biking 2015 The Journey

- Bistro Hotels

the journey _____________

The sugar cube was a Czech invention developed in 1841.

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HOTEL

Hotel Kirchenwirt, Weissenkirchen This lovingly-run property is, not surprisingly, run with care by

Days 1 & 2 Austria’s Wachau Valley

not one but two Austrian families, the Wildeis’ and Köcks. The four-star Kirchenwirt’s rooms are airy and comfortable, and its location, tucked in the streets of a charming riverside town

W E R E N D E Z VO U S T H I S M O R N I N G I N V I E N N A , W H E R E

hopefully you’ve found the chance to experience its appeal, from the Opera to the fantastic Prater park. After introductions, we depart by coach to meet our bikes high in the picturesque Waldviertal region. A short way into the day’s ride, we will stop to enjoy a falconry display, followed by a fine buffet lunch (including wiener schnitzel of course) at Rosenburg Castle. We return to our bikes for the afternoon ride through sun-dappled forests and fields of wildflowers before venturing into the thousand-year old riverside towns of the Kamptal wine region.After more glorious pedalling through vineyards and orchards, we eventually descend to the Danube and on to the town of Weissenkirchen a few kilometres upriver. Dinner tonight will be in the hotel’s dining room.

Other questions? Contact us 800 678 1147 [email protected]

along the Danube bike path, is ideal.

THE ACTIVITY

Day 1: A 54 km (32 mi.) ride on quiet paved rural roads that is rolling to start, but downhill or flat most of the way.

Day 2: A perfectly flat 25 km (17 mi.) ride from Weissenkirchen to Melk and return (another 23 km) along the Danube’s riverside paths.

No cyclist’s visit to Austria is complete without a bike ride along the Danube’s banks, so we’ve made this today’s overarching theme. Our destination is the town of Melk, home of one of Europe’s most impressive baroque structures, the Melk Monastery. Enjoy a free flow visit of its spectacular hallowed halls before finding a cute café for lunch or a leafy tree to picnic under, before heading back to Weissenkirchen; a supremely relaxing river cruise is one great way to do this if you’re not into more biking, with superb views of the castle where Richard the Lion Heart was held for ransom in the 13th century. (All “prisoners” should enjoy such an incredible view.) For dinner tonight we’ll join Austria’s slow food movement, with (naturally) an expert-led wine tasting to precede the meal.

Vienna to Prague Biking 2015 The Journey

- Bistro Hotels

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Days 3 & 4 The Danube to South Bohemia We depart by coach early this morning from the serenity of the Wachau, to embark on our morning-long drive to the Czech Republic. A few kilometers into our bike ride, just enough to loosen up our legs, we’ll stop for a casual countryside lunch. Freshly fuelled, we’ll pedal together into Cesky Krumlov, which is a bit like stepping into a time machine – with its perfectly preserved houses huddling around a curve in the serene Vltava River, you would swear it’s the 14th century come to life! We’ll settle into our hotel at the top of town before meeting up in the lounge with Bryce Belcher, an American who has made ‘CK’ his home for nearly 20 years. Bryce’s history of the area, and observations on local life, set the stage nicely for our stay here. We then repair to the hotel dining room for dinner.

HOTEL

Ruze, Cesky Krumlov The Hotel Ruze is the best hotel in Ceský Krumlov. Constructed as a 16thC Jesuit Monastery in the Renaissance style, it is now a comfortable four-star hotel with a beautiful view of the village, the river and surrounding hills. Our favourite place to enjoy this vista is from the restaurant terrace—with a frosty mug of local pivo (beer) of course!

THE BIKING

Day 3: A 24 km (16 mi.) downhill ride through the serenity of south Bohemia.

Day 4: A 40 km (25 mi.) loop ride around Mount Klett, one of the trip’s more challenging rides. Challenge yourself further with the long option, which adds 11 km (7 mi.) up and down the Bohemian hills.

Other questions? Contact us 800 678 1147 [email protected]

The next morning, after a terrace breakfast, we head out for more riding through the quiet landscapes of south Bohemia, with views of Mount Klett in the distance. After a lengthy morning ride, we refuel along the river with a medieval feast fit for a Schwarzenberg. In town, we join Bryce again for a mid-afternoon private tour of the outstanding Krumlov Castle with its marvelous masquerade ballroom and illusionary baroque theatre— celebrated worldwide, though seldom visited. Close your eyes to experience 18thC special effects, such as a booming thunderstorm, and duck low to check out the cool understage contraptions for changing scenery. After this magical visit we’ll have time to explore the medieval streets on our own before dinner at a restaurant of your choice. For a treat, ask your guides where to go to hear rollicking music at its Bohemian gypsy best.

Vienna to Prague Biking 2015 The Journey

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- Bistro Hotels

Day 5 Into Prague This morning we’ll enjoy our last ride of the week, following quiet roads from Cesky Krumlov to nearby Holasovice, a UNESCO World Heritage site that perfectly embodies a rural Bohemian village from bygone times. After lunch in the company of some of its 140(!) inhabitants, we board a coach transfer north toward the City of One Hundred Spires, better known as Prague. Arriving to our very central hotel will give us a great visual introduction to this magnificent city, enjoying a lengthy renaissance after the long decades of Communism. After some freshening-up time, we’ll enjoy a short late-afternoon walking tour with a Prague local, before retiring to our final night dinner venue atop one of Prague’s many architectural wonders. HOTEL

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Day 6 Farewells

Hotel Hoffmeister, Prague We are the only active travel company to stay at this hotel, one of Prague’s finest addresses. Mere minutes from Stari Grad (Old Town), the five-star Hoffmeister boasts two topnotch restaurants and a spa/wellness centre that is one of the best in the city.

THE ACTIVITY

Day 5: A 25 km (18 mi.) rolling ride through the Bohemian forest to Holasovice with the option of adding an additional 10 km (6 mi.). In the early evening, an easygoing 5 km (3 mi.) walk through Prague.

Other questions? Contact us 800 678 1147 [email protected]

Our B&R adventure ends after breakfast together at the hotel. We highly recommend you stay on for at least another day in Prague to enjoy its museums, churches, and lively street life.

Vienna to Prague Biking 2015 Notes From the Road

- Bistro Hotels

Prague boasts the largest castle area in the world.

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A Journey Through Time _____________

By Lewis Evans Every journey needs a starting point, and ours begins in Vienna, the imperial heart of the Habsburg Empire, a refined and grand European crossroads. Perhaps the world’s classiest border city. In Vienna we’ll pass below the balcony from which Empress Sissi observed royal life at the Hofburg. I suggest we raise an acknowledging hand, and while carefully avoiding the evidence of the many horsedrawn carriages, make our way to the Hotel Sacher, where a piece of Sacher Torte and a Vienna coffee await. Sacher Torte; deeply chocolaty with a hint of apricot and a veneer of icing. A tale of two cities—and as many cakes. Eventually we arrive in the Wachau region of Austria, pearl of the 19th century. A 19th century with perfectly asphalted bicycle paths. The term here is Kulturlandschaft. Implied is a landscape that for thousands of years has been carefully modelled by human hand. The facades of houses are hand painted and adorned with decorative woodwork. In vineyards, stone terraces clamber up valley walls defying both gravity and notions of sensible economic yield. Giant fronds of geraniums cut through the landscape like brushstrokes of bright colour and church bells are made to toll at the drop of a Hut. The inhabitants are bon vivant. A prolonged breakfast, wine with lunch, a detour to whichever Heuriger is serving the best Grüner Veltliner. After a few days in the Wachau, we’ll have our own opinions on the latter. We then continue farther back in

Other questions? Contact us 800 678 1147 [email protected]

time as we head into the Czech countryside around the medieval marvel that is Cesky Krumlov. But not before stopping for a pivo, the Czech national beverage, not our first. We finish our journey in one of Europe’s most finely preserved (and impressive) cities- Prague. Its windy medieval streets stand uniquely unscathed by the devastation of the Second World War, but all too familiar with Cold War tanks. The national heroes are to be found on coffee shop bookshelves. Beleaguered intellectuals, anti-regime agitators, poets and writers that sought solace in the absurd. The architecture is a potpourri of medieval gems, Art Nouveu masterpieces and the odd piece of brutalist Soviet concrete intervention. Prague- the ideal place to end our journey through time, where new and old come together in true Czech splendor.

B&R GUIDE

Lewis Evans A man whose backyard for guiding includes France, Italy and Spain, Lewis is a battle-hardened traveller who has many entertaining chapters of his travel escapades to share with others. Hitchhiking races to Amsterdam, intrepid bike tours, theatre productions in Switzerland and one notorious story that involves a flamenco dancer—this is just the tip of the iceberg. Best inquire further in an up close and personal sort of way.

Vienna to Prague Biking 2015 The Details

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All of Vienna’s bike lanes add up to a total length of 1,000 km.

- Bistro Hotels

Prague

POLAND

GERMANY

CZECH REPUBLIC Ceský Krumlov

Prague

BOHEMIAN FOREST

CZECH REPUBLIC

WACHAU WINE REGION

Weissenkirchen

AUSTRIA

Melk HUNGARY

Vienna

AUSTRIA

ITALY

2015 Price: From $4,495

the details _____________

($400 single supplement) Single supplement is based on the most affordable rooms within B&R’s allocation. Upgrades often available. _________________________

Duration 6 Days / 5 Nights Please see our website for list of departures. _________________________

Start Vienna Le Meridien 8:30am _________________________

Finish

HOTEL TYPE

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Bistro Hotels

• All hotel accommodation • All breakfasts, four lunches and four dinners, including wine • Services of B&R guide(s) and support van • All special events, private tours, guest experts and entrance fees • Use of a customized hybrid or a racing bike with drop bars, equipped with handlebar bag and helmet • Detailed maps, route suggestions and water bottle • All transportation from rendezvous to drop-off • All gratuities for baggage, porters and hotel service

Hotels on our Bistro trips are stylish 4-star properties that offer a casual and comfortable place to relax and reflect on the day. Often without a 24-hour concierge or room service, these properties tend to be smaller family-run hotels that work perfectly for experiencing the region.

LEVEL OF ACTIVITY

Recreational The riding in Austria offers much variety in landscape and is almost completely downhill or flat along the Danube river banks. In the Czech region of Bohemia, the landscape becomes more rolling, though the frequent hills are never very long nor steep. Long options are also available.

www.lemeridienvienna.com

Prague

MORE INFO

Hotel Hoffmeister

How do I get to Vienna?

After Breakfast

As your B&R trip begins early in the morning, it makes sense for you to arrive in Vienna at the very least the night before your trip begins. Since most international flights to Austria arrive in Vienna, this will likely be your point of arrival. If you have already arrived in Europe via another country and wish to travel by rail to Vienna, there are regular trains to the city from other major rail hubs, although this is not the recommended means of arrival.

Other questions? Contact us 800 678 1147 [email protected]

LE MERIDIEN, VIENNA The Meridien, a member of the prestigious Starwood Hotel Group, is located along the central Ringstrasse within a short walk from virtually every major Viennese sight. Its modern rooms are chic yet comfortable, and the service and amenities are topnotch. The outdoor terrace, surrounded by the quiet greenery of the Schillerpark, is a great place for dinner or just a drink out of the city hubbub.

The itinerary information may vary slightly for your specific departure as we continuously research and develop each trip. Inclement weather may also necessitate minor alterations. Prices are per person and in USD. © 2015 Butterfield & Robinson Inc.

Vienna to Prague Biking 2015 Your Next Steps

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- Bistro Hotels

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

www.facebook.com/ButterfieldandRobinson Like B&R on Facebook and get the latest news and photos from the road, updates from guides and more.

ROOM UPGRADE If you would like to upgrade your accommodation on this trip, please enquire at time of booking to learn cost and availability.

YOUR BIKE We pride ourselves on having the very best equipment for each activity and locale, maintained by expert staff and custom tweaked just for you. To learn about our biking equipment and see pictures of what you’ll be riding, visit us at butterfield.com/ about/equipment/bikes. And don’t forget that we will modify your bike to accommodate most special

your next steps _____________

gear requests. Just ask.

EXTENDING YOUR TRIP Prague’s resurgence was one of the best things to come out of the fall of the Iron Curtain, and it has joined the ranks of one of Europe’s great cultural

At Butterfield & Robinson, the guiding starts

and social capitals. We highly recommend extra

while you’re still at home. We make sure you

time here, and will happily point out what to do and

know everything you need to know before you’ve

see, and refer you to a topnotch city guide, if you

even left your living room.

seek further information.

READY TO BOOK?

STAY IN TOUCH! Sign up to receive The Slow Road our e-newsletter

• Call or email a Travel Advisor (or your travel

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• Book your hotel accommodation for the night

Mar/Apr

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76

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before your B&R trip. • Make sure your passport is up to date. • Enquire after travel insurance.

that is full of travel news, unique offers and B&R insider info.

PHOTO CONTEST While on your trip, keep in mind you can win some great prizes with the B&R Photo Contest. We’ve created three categories that capture the true spirit of B&R adventure: Faces, Places and Moments. Send in your top shots and show us how you see

Once you are confirmed on a B&R trip, you will receive a Confirmation Email that contains tons of

the world with Butterfield & Robinson. Visit www. butterfield.com/photocontest for full details.

information to help you prepare for your trip. Then, about a month before you leave, we will send you a list of your fellow travellers, final rendezvous instructions and your hotel contact numbers.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about your B&R experience—big, small or downright quirky—please call a Travel Advisor or contact your Travel Professional. We are always happy to help.

Other questions? Contact us 800 678 1147 [email protected]

The itinerary information may vary slightly for your specific departure as we continuously research and develop each trip. Inclement weather may also necessitate minor alterations. Prices are per person and in USD. © 2015 Butterfield & Robinson Inc.