Date
20 JUL - 29 JUL
About This Tour
Do you love a parade? We’ll be sallying forth to strut our stuff through three of the most picturesque and gay-friendly cities of Europe: Prague, Dresden, and Berlin. This adventure comes to a rousing conclusion with Gay Pride festivities in Berlin – the most decadent of the three cities!
Prague is one of those magical places you never forget – with castle-like architecture and a festival atmosphere at any time of year. Dresden was once known as “Florence on the Elbe,” and it has been lovingly restored to its finery after the devastation of WWII. Finally, experience one of the most important capital cities of Europe, as Berlin is increasingly being regarded in the new political realities of the day. We encounter its history and culture, concluding with a riotous expression of color, community and pride: Christopher Street Day!
Tour Highlights
Prague
- Charles Street Bridge
- Royal Palace
- St. George’s Basilica
- Historic Center of Prague *
Dresden
- Dresden Zwinger (Royal Palace)
- Frauenkirche Church
- Semper Opera House
- Meissen
- Albrechtsburg Castle & Gothic Cathedral
Berlin
- Berlin Wall
- Brandenburg Gate
- Reichstag Parliament
- Palaces & Parks of Berlin *
- Christopher Street Day (Pride)
* UNESCO World Heritage Sites
ITINERARY
DEPART YOUR HOME, BOUND FOR PRAGUE
Today is a travel day. Arrange your international flight to leave your home city and arrive in Prague, Czech Republic, by mid-afternoon tomorrow. The airport code for Prague is PRG. (Be sure to make your return flight from Berlin’s Tegel Airport (code: TXL). Tour services do not begin until tomorrow, but we highly recommend that you consider arriving one day early to rest from jet lag and enjoy more of Prague. We are happy to arrange an extra night for you at our hotel this evening if you wish. (Meals Aloft)
ARRIVE IN PRAGUE / WELCOME DINNER
Upon arrival in Prague, use a taxi or schedule a private transfer service to get from the airport to our hotel, or you can take a less-expensive shuttle bus into the city. We will provide more information on your various transportation options prior to departure. Settle in at our hotel and enjoy free time to explore. We meet this evening to get acquainted over cocktails, and then share a festive Welcome Dinner at our hotel. Overnight in Prague. (Welcome Dinner included)
SIGHTSEEING TOUR OF PRAGUE
After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a guided sightseeing tour in this fantastic city. Highlights this morning include a view of the Charles Bridge, and entrance to the Prague Castle area. Here we see the old Royal Palace, the Golden Lane and Daliborka Tower, St. George’s Basilica and St. Vitus Cathedral. After a break for lunch, we continue our tour with a visit to the Old Town and Wenceslas Square. The evening is free to enjoy a concert or explore the nightlife. (Breakfast)
FREE DAY IN PRAGUE
Today is an entirely free day to continue your exploration of Prague. You may sleep in late and skip breakfast, or get an early start to dive into the city scene right away. You may want to return to sights we visited briefly yesterday or discover different locations on your own. The hotel concierge and your tour escort can help with suggestions. Overnight in Prague. (Breakfast)
DRESDEN
After breakfast, we head to the northwest, crossing the border into Germany on our way to the medieval town of Dresden, the capital city of the German Free State of Saxony. At the end of World War II, Allied aerial bombing destroyed Dresden, but more than 60 years of urban renewal has brought a fresh face to the city. Much of the historical Old Town has been restored to its Baroque grandeur, while on the other side of the Elbe River a gleaming new metropolis stands in stark contrast. During a walking tour of old Dresden we see the Dresden Zwinger (Royal Palace), Frauenkirche Church, and Semper Opera House, as well as many other historical monuments. Overnight in Dresden. (Breakfast / Lunch)
MEISSEN / DRESDEN
Enjoy a half day excursion to the town of Meissen this morning. About 16 miles northwest of Dresden, Meissen is known as the cradle of Saxony. See its picturesque Albrechtsburg Castle and an ornate Gothic cathedral. The town is also well known for its fine porcelain and we will get a chance to see how it is made on a tour of the porcelain museum and workshop. After free time for lunch (on your own), we drive back to Dresden for a free evening and overnight. (Breakfast)
BERLIN SIGHTSEEING
We check out after breakfast and board our motorcoach for the two-hour drive to Berlin, the capital of unified Germany. We have lunch upon arrival, and then take a half day orientation tour to get our bearings within the city in anticipation of the weekend’s Pride events. Our sightseeing tour includes a visit to the Wall Museum and the tree-lined boulevard of Unter Den Linden, as well as views of the Reichstag Parliament Building, Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column. After some free time to settle in at our hotel, we gather in our hotel lobby to proceed to a local restaurant, where Toto Tours hosts an early Farewell Dinner so as not to interfere with upcoming Gay Pride events. (All Meals)
FREE DAY IN BERLIN
Today is completely free to continue sightseeing, shopping, or exploring on your own. The tour manager will be available to assist you with your plans. The group may wish to do a walkabout in Prenzlauerberg, central Berlin’s main gay area, to scope out the venues for this weekend’s revelry. Gay Pride concerts and events will have started on Thursday night, so there will be plenty to occupy your time with enough diversity to satisfy any interests. We will send a schedule of planned events to tour participants as we get closer to the start date of the tour. (Breakfast)
PARADE – CELEBRATE GAY PRIDE
Today is completely free to continue sightseeing, shopping, or exploring on your own. It is the day of the big parade during Gay Pride, so you may want to join in with the partying throngs to enjoy the revelry during this, our final night in Berlin. (Breakfast)
DEPARTURE
The tour ends officially after breakfast this morning. Arrange your international flight to depart at any convenient time today. We will assist you in arranging your transfer to the airport. We are also happy to assist with additional hotel arrangement if you wish to extend your stay in Berlin. (Breakfast)